Joined to Baal-peor — Joseph Hall on Numbers 25

Joined to Baal-peor

And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.

Numbers 25:3

Balaam pretended a haste homeward, but he lingered so long, that he left his bones in Midian. How justly did he perish with the sword of Israel, whose tongue had insensibly slain so many thousands of them! As it is usually said of the devil, that he goes away in a stench, so may it be truly said of this prophet of his, according to the fashion of all hypocrites: his words were good, his actions abominable; he would not curse, but he would advise, and his counsel is worse than a curse; for his curse had hurt none but himself, his counsel cost the blood of twenty-four thousand Israelites.

He that heard God speak by Balaam, would not look for the devil in the same mouth: and if God himself had not witnessed against him, who could believe that the same tongue, which uttered so divine prophecies, should utter such villainous and cursed advice? Hypocrisy gains this of men, that it may do evil unsuspected: but now, he that heard what he spoke in Balak's ear, has bewrayed and condemned his counsel and himself.

This policy was fetched from the bottom of hell. As he said: It is not for lack of desire that I curse not Israel; you do not more wish their destruction, than I do your wealth and honour; but so long as they hold firm with God, there is no sorcery against Jacob; withdraw God from them, and they shall fall alone, and curse themselves; draw them into sin, and you shall withdraw God from them. There is no sin more attractive than wantonness.

One fornication shall draw in another, and both shall fetch the anger of God after them; send your fairest women into their tents, their sight shall draw them to lust, their lust to folly, their folly to idolatry; and now God shall curse them for you, unasked. Where Balaam did speak well, there was never any prophet spoke more divinely; where he spoke ill, there was never any devil spoke more desperately. Ill counsel seldom fails: good seed falls often out of the way, and roots not, but the tares never light amiss.

This project of the wicked magician was too prosperous. The daughters of Moab come into the tents of Israel, and have captived those whom the Amorites and Amalekites could not resist. Our first mother Eve bequeathed this dowry to her daughters, that they should be our helpers to sin; the weaker sex is the stronger in this conquest. Had the Moabites sent their subtilest counsellors to persuade the Israelites to their idol sacrifices, they had been repelled with scorn; but now the beauty of their women is over-eloquent and successful.

That which in the first world betrayed the sons of God, has now ensnared God's people. It had been happy for Israel, if Balaam had used any charms but these. As it is the use of God to fetch glory to himself out of the worst actions of Satan, so it is the guise of that evil one, through the just permission of the Almighty, to raise advantage to himself from the fairest pieces of the workmanship of God.

No one means has so much enriched hell, as beautiful faces.

All idols are abominable; but this of Baal-peor was, besides the superstition of it, beastly: neither did Baal ever put on a form of so much shame as this. Yet very Israelites are drawn to adore it. When lust has blinded the eyes, it carries a man whither it lists; even beyond all differences of sin. A man besotted with filthy desires is fit for any villainy.

Sin is no less crafty than Satan himself; give him but room in the eye, and he will soon be possessed of body and soul. These Israelites first saw the faces of these Moabites and Midianites; then they grew to like their presence; from thence to take pleasure in their feasts; from their boards they are drawn to their beds, from their beds to their idols; and now they are joined to Baal-peor, and separated from God.

Bodily fornication is the way to spiritual. If we have made idols of flesh, it is just to be given up to idols of wood and stones. If we have not grace to resist the beginnings of sin, where shall we stop? If our foot slip into the mouth of hell, it is a miracle to stop ere we come to the bottom.

Well might God be angry to see his people go a whoring in this double fornication; neither does he smother his wrath, but himself strikes with his plague, and bids Moses strike with the sword. He strikes the body, and bids Moses strike the head. It had been as easy for him to plague the rulers as the common people; and one would think, these should be more properly reserved for his immediate hand; but these he leaves to the sword of human authority, that he might win awe to his own ordinances.

As the sins of great men are exemplary, so are their punishments. Nothing procures so much credit to government, as strict and impartial executions of great and noble offenders. Those whom their sins have embased deserve no favour in the punishment. As God knows no honour, no royalty in matter of sin, no more may his deputies. Contrarily, connivance at the outrages of the mighty cuts the sinews of any state; neither does anything make good laws more contemptible, than the making difference of offenders; that small sacrileges should be punished, when great ones ride in triumph.

If good ordinations turn once to spiders' webs, which are broken through by the bigger flies, no hand will fear to sweep them down.