execution. Elihu, in his address to Job, directly affirms, that God does interpose, and in a variety of ways too, for this gra- cious end d: and the Scriptures universally attest the truth of his remark. Sometimes God endeavours to divert men from their purpose by a dream, (as Pilate, by a dream of his wifee;) some- times by a vision, (as Saul, in his way to Damascus f;) sometimes by a judgment, (as Jeroboam, when he stretched out his hand against the man of Godg;) sometimes by a human monitor, (as David, by Abigail11;) and sometimes by an unforeseen occurrence, (as Saul, when having encompassed David with his army, was called away from him by a sudden invasion of the Philistines1.) We cannot enumerate, nor indeed conceive, the infinite variety of methods by which God withstands sinners ; but all of us, on reflection, must acknowledge both the reality and frequency of his interpositions.
How often has it happened that the thief, the robber, the housebreaker, and the murderer, have been deterred from their purpose by the approach of some unexpected person, or by some suggestion of their own minds ! How often have persons under a strong temptation to gratify their lusts, been kept from the actual commission of fornication or adultery by some little occurrence, some noise, some apprehension, some qualm of conscience, which God, in mercy to their souls, has sent to interrupt them ! How many unhappy females have been kept from destroying their infant children, either before or after their birth, by some considerations widely different from the fear of sin ! It is a well-known fact, that many people, but for such restraints as these, would have even destroyed their own lives : and perhaps, of the many who actually do commit suicide, there is scarcely one, who has not been repeatedly diverted from his purpose, before he could find it in his heart to carry it into execution. So common are the interpositions of God for the prevention of sin, and the rescue of those who would commit it ! But,] II. His most signal interpositions often excite only
the wrath of those for whose benefit they are
sent —
[Thrice was Balaam interrupted in his course. The first time, his ass turned aside into a field, to avoid the angel ; the next time, he ran up against a wall ; and the third time, having no other method of avoiding him left, he fell down : and at each time Balaam's anger was kindled ; and at last it rose to such a height, that even the strange phenomenon of the ass speaking, as with a human voice, and expostulating with him, was not sufficient to arrest his attention : his only reply was,
d Job xxxiii. 14 — 17. e Matt, xxvii. 19. f Acts ix. 3, 4.
b 1 Kings xiii. 4. - i» 1 Sam.xxv.32,33. ; 1 Sam.xxiii.28.