part of it, the account of which is not now extant; as
there are many quotations in Scripture out of books which are not come
down to us. _Remember what Balaam answered_, _that ye may know the
righteousness of the Lord_; _i.e._, the righteousness which God will
accept. Balak demands, _Wherewith shall I come before the Lord_, _and
bow myself before the high God_? _Shall I come before him with burnt-
offerings_, _with calves of a year old_? _Will the Lord be pleased with
thousands of rams_, _or with ten thousands of rivers of oil_? _Shall I
give my first-born for my transgression_, _the fruit of my body for the
sin of my soul_? Balaam answers him, _he hath showed thee_, _O man_,
_what is good_: _and what doth the Lord require of thee_, _but to do
justly_, _and to love mercy_, _and to walk humbly with thy God_? Here is
a good man expressly characterised, as distinct from a dishonest and a
superstitious man. No words can more strongly exclude dishonesty and
falseness of heart than _doing justice and loving mercy_; and both these,
as well as _walking humbly with God_, are put in opposition to those
ceremonial methods of recommendation, which Balak hoped might have served
the turn. From hence appears what he meant by the _righteous_, whose
_death_ he desires to die.

Whether it was his own character shall now be inquired; and in order to
determine it, we must take a view of his whole behaviour upon this
occasion. When the elders of Noah came to him, though he appears to have
been much allured with the rewards offered, yet he had such regard to the
authority of God as to keep the messengers in suspense until he had
consulted His will. _And God said to him_, _Thou shalt not go with
them_; _thou shalt not curse the people_, _for they are blessed_. {19}
Upon this he dismisses the ambassadors, with an absolute refusal of
accompanying them back to their king. Thus far his regards to his duty
prevailed, neither does there anything appear as yet amiss in his
conduct. His answer being reported to the king of Moab, a more
honourable embassy is immediately despatched, and greater rewards
proposed. Then the iniquity of his heart began to disclose itself. A
thorough honest man would without hesitation have repeated his former
answer, that he could not be guilty of so infamous a prostitution of the
sacred character with which he was invested, as in the name of a prophet
to curse those whom he knew to be blessed. But instead