UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 215 



" It is not surprising, therefore, that Balaam 

 should address the Lord as his God, though 

 his worship was probably debased by super- 

 stition. It appears, indeed, from several con- 

 curring circumstances^ that he was a real priest 

 and prophet of the ancient patriarchal religion; 

 but he was the last : for it had at that time be- 

 come so corrupt, that it was necessary to separate 

 the Israelites from the rest of the world, in 

 order to preserve their religion. 



" We have other instances to prove that this 

 mixture of idolatry with the true worship did 

 not hinder God from revealing himself to a few 

 individuals who followed that mixed religion, as 

 Abimelech, and also Nebuchadnezzar. Another 

 proof that the patriarchal religion had not 

 been sufficiently forgotten for its language to 

 have become obsolete, is, that Balaam's expres- 

 sions bear a strong resemblance to those used 

 by the other prophets; and that the epithets 

 which he applies to the Supreme Being are the 

 same as those employed by Moses, Job, and 

 other inspired writers. 



"But Balaam, though a true priest and prophet, 

 was unsound in heart, worldly, and mercenary. 

 His selfish disposition and degenerate character 

 were probably as well known to Balak as his high 

 qualifications as a prophet were to the people ; 

 and both well fitted him for a tool in the hands 

 of that artful monarch. It was customary 



