sins, and professed a willingness to forsake them. But no sooner have the impediments been removed, than " our good- ness has proved as the morning dew ; and as the early cloud it has passed away." Thus it was with Pharaoh, when God, by many successive judgments, strove to overcome his obstinacy : and thus it was with Saul, when David repeatedly spared his life. The judgments and mercies of God affected both of them for a moment, so that they confessed their sins : but the effect was transient, and they perished under an accumulated weight of guilt. O that it may not be so with us ! O that we may not any longer resemble the rebellious Israelites11; lest, like them, we exhaust the patience of our God, and provoke him to " swear in his wrath that we shall never enter into his rest! "
Address,
1. Those who are bent on their evil ways — [Covetousness is a common, and destructive sin : and many
are guilty of it, whilst they seem unconscious of any great evil. They are decidedly guilty of it, who prefer the prosecution of their interests to the will of God and the welfare of his people. Let such offenders know then, that God and his Angel stand before them with a fiery sword ; and that, for ought they know, the very next step they take may transmit them to the presence of an angry God. Methinks the brute creation that obey their will, would, if their mouths were opened, rebuke their disobe- dience, more pointedly than ever Balaam's ass rebuked him1. See, Brethren, how Solomon describes your statem! see how he warns you of your end"! O beg of God, that he would never give you his permission to proceed, but contend with you effectually, till he has gained his point ! If once " he give you up," and say, " Let him alone0," it were better for you that you had never been born.]
2. Those who desire to return from them —
[Whatever have been the means of stopping your career, be thankful for it : falls or bruises, such as Balaam had, are mercies when sent for such an end. Bear in mind what your conduct has beenp, and be humbled on account of it in dust and ashes. Bear in mind too that you will assuredly " return, like the dog to his vomit," if Almighty God do not keep you by his grace. But he has promised to his people to " hedge up their way with thorns, and to build a wall against them, that they may not find their former waysq:" entreat him earnestly to do this for you; and to " keep you by his own power through faith unto salvation."]
k Ps. lxxviii. 34—37. l Isai. i. 2, 3. Jer. viii. 5—7. m Eccl. ix. 3. n Prov. xxix. 1. ° Ps. lxxxi. 11, 12. Hos. iv. 17.
p Isai. lvii. 17. °- Hos. ii. 6, 7.
172.1 Balaam's first attempt to curse Israel. 141