LETTER XV. HE firft difficulty here is, "Why TH God fhould be angry with "Balaam for going, when he had given him leave to go?" To be fure, all circumftances continuing the same, it would be strange -it would be paffing ftrange. But if circumstances varied, the divine conduct might vary too. "Go," fays. God, but-observe-" the word which "I fhall fay unto thee, that fhalt thou "do.*" Balaam feems to have fet out with a resolution to obey; for like a man, and like an honeft man, * Numb. xxII. 20. LET. XV. he XV. LET. he had boldly and nobly faid, "If "Balak would give me his houfe-full "of filver and gold, I cannot go be 66 yond the word of the Lord my "God, to do lefs or more. *" However, it is poffible, that upon the road, either by the perfuafive arguments of the princes of Moab who accompanied him, or by the wicked fuggestions of his own deceitful heart, an alteration had taken place in his mind, and intereft had gained the afcendant over duty. I fay, this is poffible: confidering his character, it is probable: but a paffage in the hiftory itself feems to make it certain. " I cr went out to withstand thee, be"cause thy way is perverfe before "me." But what way? Not mereby his journey, for he had leave to * Numb. XXII. 18. + Ver. 32. take take it, conditionally. Way muft LET. neceffarily be understood in it's moral XV. acceptation. Something was wrong in the course of his thoughts, his imaginations, in his defign and intention, now changed from what they were at fetting out. "The foolishness (or "wickedness) of man PERVERTETH "his WAY.*" Therefore God was angry, not, as it is in our tranflation," because he went; +" but "as " he was going-while he was on the "road. "Upon Balaam's humbling himfelf, and offering to return, leave of proceeding is again granted, but with a fignificant repetition of the original provifo" Only the word "that I fhall fpeak unto thee, that "thou shalt speak.g"-"Go on; but LET. "remember, to me your heart is open, XV. your defires are known. If you betray 66 your truft, the drawn fword of the angel waits to punish your duplicity 66 as it ought to be punished."-This appears to be a fair and reasonable solution of the first difficulty. As to the fecond, it is obferved, P. 17. that "the ass exhibited a spe"cimen of penetration and prudence, "of which the affes of modern times "feem to be divested." The obfervation brings to my mind one made upon the fubject some years ago, by that father of the faithlefs, Dr. Tindal. "What a number of "ideas must Balaam's afs have (fays) "he) to be able to reason with her "mafter, when fhe faw and knew an "angel?"-Will these gentlemen do * Chriftianity as old, &c. P. 254. me me the favour to accept Dr. Wa- LET. terland's anfwer ? Now, as to the XV. "number of ideas which the afs must "have; I believe fhe had as many as "affes commonly have: and he may please to count them at his leisure, "for his own amufement.*"-If they have ever an anatomift among them, I dare fay he could very easily demonftrate, from the configuration of it's organs, the impoffibility of the creature's speaking at all. And his demonstration would be just as much to the purpose, as Tindal's queftion. The plain truth is this-If it pleased God to take this particular method of "rebuking the prophet's madness,‡” the feverest philofophy cannot question his power to produce founds articulate *Scripture Vindicated, 1. 42. 2 Pet. 11. 16. P 2 and |