ing of the
_Assyrian_ Monarchy, and he could no more answer by Fire to consume the
Sacrifice, than he could raise himself from the dead.

But the Priests of _Baal_ were left of their Master to their just Fate,
namely, to be a Sacrifice to the Fury of a deluded People; hence I infer
his Inability, for it would have been very unkind and ungrateful in him
not to have answer'd them, if he had been able. There is another
Argument raised here most justly against the _Devil_, with Relation to
his being under Restraint, and that of greater Eminence than we imagine,
and it is drawn from this very Passage, thus; 'tis not to be doubted but
that _Satan_, who has much of the Element put into his Hands, as Prince
of the Air, had a Power, or was able potentially speaking, to have
answer'd _Baal_'s Priests by Fire; Fire being in Vertue of his airy
Principality a Part of his Dominion; but he was certainly _withheld_ by
the Superior Hand, which gave him that Dominion, I mean _withheld_ for
the Occasion only: So in another Case, it was plain that _Balaam_, who
was one of those Sorts of _Chaldeans_ mention'd above, who dealt in
_Divinations_ and _Inchantments_, was withheld from cursing Israel.

Some are of Opinion that _Balaam_ was not a Witch or a Dealer with the
_Devil_ because 'tis said of him, or rather he says it of himself, that
he saw the Visions of God, _Numb._ xxiv. 16. _He hath said_, who _heard
the Words of_ GOD, _and knew the Knowledge of the most High, which saw
the Visions of the Almighty, falling into a_ TRANCE, _but having his
Eyes open_: Hence they alledge he was one of those Magi, which St.
_Augustin_ speaks of, _de Divinatione_, who by the Study of Nature, and
by the Contemplation of created Beings came to the Knowledge of the
Creature; and that _Balaam_'s Fault was, that being tempted by the
Rewards and Honours that the King promised him, he intended to have
curs'd _Israel_; but when his Eyes were open'd, and that he saw they
were God's own People, he durst not do it; they will have it therefore,
that except, _as above_, _Balaam_ was a good Man, or at least that he
had the Knowledge of the true God, and the Fear of that God upon him,
and that he honestly declares this, _Numb._ xxii. 18. _If_ Balak _would
give me his House full of Silver and Gold, I cannot go beyond the Word
of the Lord_ MY GOD: Where tho' he is call'd a false Prophet by some, he
evidently owns God, and assumes a Property in him, as other Prophets
did;