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; MY GOD, and I cannot go beyond his Orders; but that which gives me a better Opinion of _Balaam_ than all this is, his plain Prophesy of Christ, Chap. xxiv. 17. where he calls him the Star of _Jacob_, and declares, _I shall see him, but not now, I shall behold him, but not nigh; there shall come a Star out of_ Jacob, _and a Scepter shall rise out of_ Israel, _and shall smite the Corners of_ Moab, _and destroy all the Children of_ Seth, all which express not a Knowledge only, but a Faith in Christ; but I have done preaching, this is all by the by, I return to my Business, which is the History.