1778. * ((((((Hence various things may be concluded, as concerning Balaam, that if he had by imprecations devoted the posterity of Jacob, certain spirits in the world of spirits would have been so persuaded that they would have stirred up turbulent hordes against that nation, and the evil would have endeavored to pervert the good. The world of spirits before the Lord's Advent was of this character, but after His Advent they were powerfully restrained in this respect. * Numbered as in the original; see note at the end of 1770. - S.B.