BAL.VAM S WISH. /
gether ' for ever with the Lord.' I might enlarge the point much. It is a comfortable meditation ; and before I pass it, let us make some use of it.
If godly men be blessed and happy, not only before death, in the right and title they have to heaven, but in death, because then they are invested into possession of that that makes them every way happy.
Use 1. Therefore this may teach us who are truly ivise. A wise man is he that hath a better end than another, and works to that end. A true Christian man, he hath a better end than any worldling. His end is to be safe in another world, and he works and carries his forces to that end. * Let my last end be like his,' saith Balaam, insinuating that there was a better end in regard of condition and state than he had aimed at. A gracious man, his end is not to be happy here ; his end is to enjoy everlasting communion with God in the heavens, and he frames all his courses in this world to accomplish that end, and he is never satisfied in the things that make to that end. A worldling he hath no such end. He hath a natural desire to be saved, — as we shall see afterwards, — but a man may know that is not his end, for he works not to it. He is not satisfied in prowling for this world ; he is not weary of getting wealth ; he is not satisfied with pleasure. So that his end is the things of this life. There- fore let him be never so wise, he is but a fool, for he hath not the true end, nor works to it. Wicked men are very fools in the manner of their reasoning ; for they will grant that there is a happy estate of godly men in death, and after death better. If it be so, why do they not work and frame their lives to it ? Herein they are fools, because they grant one thing and not another which must needs follow. They do believe there is such a happiness to God's children, and yet seek not after it.
Use 2. If there be such a blessed estate of God's children in death and after death, I beseech you let us carry ourselves so as that ice may be par- takers of that happiness ; let us labour to be righteous men, labour to be in Christ, to have the righteousness of Christ to be ours, to be out of our- selves, in Christ ; in Christ in life, in Christ in death, and at the day of judgment in Christ, ' not having our own righteousness,' as the apostle saith, ' but his righteousness,' Philip iii. 9, and then the righteousness of grace and of a good conscience will alway go with the other. For this makes a righteous man to be in Christ, and to have his righteousness, and to have his Spit-it, and the beginnings of the new creature in us. Let us labour to be such as may live and die happily and blessedly, and be for ever happy. So much for that third point.
That which I intend mainly to dwell on is the last, and that is this, that
Even a loicked man, a ivretched ivorldliny, may see this ; he may know this happiness of God's people in death, and for ever, and yet notwithstanding may continue a cursed wretch.
Balaam here wishes, ' Oh that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my last end might be like his.' It was a strange speech of such a man as this was, that his soul should be rapt up in this manner ; but indeed Balaam was scarce himself, he scarce understood what he said, no more than the beast that carried him.
But God will sometimes even stir up the hearts of wicked men to a sight and admiration of the excellent estate of God's children. Why ? For diverse reasons. Among the rest for this, that he may convince them the more of their own rebellion, when they see a more excellent estate than they are in, if they will not take the course to partake of it. Therefore at the day of
8 BALAAM S WISH.
judgment it will justify tho sentence of damnation upon such wretches, and they may pronounce self-condemnation upon themselves. Oh what a terror will it be when they shall think, I had a better estate discovered ; I heard of it in tho ministry of tho word, and God's Spirit revealed an excellent estate, and I might have gotten it if I had improved the blessed means that God made mo partaker of, and now I am shut out for ever and ever from communion in that estate. To convince wretched men, I say, and to justify the just sentence of damnation upon them, that their hearts may go with the sentence at the day of judgment, God thus enlightens them oftentimes, that they see better courses if they had grace to take them.
What a thing is this, that a wicked man should see such an estate and not take it ! And what serves that knowledge for but to damn them the more ! This is the estate of many men that live in the bosom of the church, and partake of the means of salvation, and yet live in sins against consciencf. They get knowledge by the ministry, and by good books and acquaintance, and such like. They have a savour in the use of good things. Something they ha\-e, some little apprehension of the estate of a better life.