Garrett on Balaam

Brother Garrett offered the criticism (here) that Primitive Baptists are forced to conclude Balaam as a child of God because of the logic implicit in this quoted question and answer from Elder Moore:

"8. Do you not then teach that some might want salvation but could not have it because they are not one of the elect?

Answer: No, the man who wants salvation already HAS it."

Since Balaam stated in Numbers 23:10, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!",  Brother Garrett argued that Primitive Baptists are committed to viewing Balaam, contrary to Jude 11, as a child of God.


It is difficult to understand why Brother Garrett makes so many facile arguments.  Is his problem with Primitive Baptist beliefs really exemplified by such a perceived incompatibility as this?  The facile nature of many of his arguments suggest that he has set himself against the Primitive Baptists irrespective of rational or scriptural justification.  It seems rather obvious to me that he could easily foresee the rejoinder to such an argument, and would, in the spirit of sincerity, dismiss articulating it, even for the sake of his, presumably, sincere cause, as he is more likely to be dismissed by those he sincerely entreats by shallow argumentation.  


The proffering of this supposed difficulty reminds me of opponents of the inspiration and infallibility of Scripture who superficially quote two Scriptures and claim they are irreconcilable.


Surely Brother Garrett can distinguish the desire to escape the consequences of sin from the true, spiritual conviction of sin.  Primitive Baptists obviously refer by "the man who wants salvation" to men that sincerely want salvation, spiritually recognizing their sinful condition and willing to turn from it in true, spiritual repentance, not to those hypocrites, like Balaam, in unregenerate bondage to sin, who are intelligently afraid of the eternal consequences of the sin he, nonetheless, loves, as a son of perdition. 


Brother Garrett might as well include Esau in the 12th chapter of Hebrews who sought a place of repentance (or restoration to his birthright) carefully with tears.  If only Esau could have had his birthright and ate it too.  The damned can certainly desire eternal heaven and even Christ in terms of what they perceive they can gain (Matt. 7:21).  What rational mind would choose the eternal damnation of the unjust over the immortality of the righteous?  But the damned love mammon, and are appetitive beasts meant to be taken and destroyed.