_Use._ This may serve to admonish us, diligently to beware of this going astray, alwayes looking unto the right way. Doctrine 3. _Covetousnesse, where it prevaileth, doth most certainly produce this going astray from the right way._ This is gathered from these words: _who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse_: so _1 Timothy 6.17._ He that trusts in uncertaine riches, doth not trust in the living God; and therefore he doth necessarily follow a new way clean contrary unto that which the true and living God hath shewed us. _Reason._ Because a covetous man is obnoxious unto all the temptations of the devill, which have any shew of gaine; so that he accounts gaine godlinesse, _1 Timothy 6.5,9._ and this is it which is meant in the text, _they love the wages of unrighteousnesse_, that is, they seek lucre, though it be joyned with the greatest iniquity. _Vse_ 1. This may serve to admonish us, to take heed therefore and flye from covetousnesse, as from the greatest plague and enemy of godlinesse, _Colossians 3.5._ 2. To exhort us, to labour for contentment, _1 Timothy 6.6,8._ Doctrine 4. _All such wickednesse is rebuked by God._ This is gathered from the beginning of verse 16. _But was rebuked_, &c. _Reason_ 1. Because the Scripture and law it selfe which is transgressed by sin, doth therefore rebuke that sin, _Romans 7.7._ 2. The consciences of sinners do usually also check them, _Romans 2.15._ 3. The very creatures do it also after their manner, _Deuteronomy 31.28._ and if they should not in their appointed order sufficiently rebuke sinners, there should some extraordinary miracle be shewed rather then they should not be convicted, as we see here in the example of _Balaam_. _Vse_ 1. This may serve to admonish us, to apply our minds unto these rebukings of God, and not to be carelesse of them, as desperate men use to be; but to yeeld unto them, and shun all those things that are rebuked by God, either in the Scriptures, or in our consciences, or in the creatures. 2. To exhort us, to use all diligence to seek and preserve in our selves that testimony of God and our conscience, which may be for our comfort, and not for our rebuke. Doctrine 5. _Those men are extreamly and brutishly mad, that will not be rebuked or stopped in their impiety, unlesse it be by some miraculous worke._ This is gathered from the end of verse 16. _the dumbe Asse speaking with mans voice, forbad the madnesse of the Prophet_. _Reason._ Because such men are deprived of common sense touching spirituall things, and are given over unto a reprobate sense. _Vse._ This may serve to admonish us, to beware of that hardnesse of heart, which cannot beleeve God speaking in his word; and not to give way to that vaine imagination, which _Dives_ with his brethren is said to have maintained, _Luke 16.30._ and _Abraham_ refutes, verse 31. * * * * *