V. TaAT DALAAM RETURNED TO ms PLACE, i. t. he went back as it seemed to his old home and his old life on the banks of Euphrates; in truth 'u he went to his own place" (Acts i. 25), for he rushed blindly on destruction, and received the recompense of death. Consider again, with respect to the say,'ngs of Balaam- I. TBAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CURSE WHOM GOD HATB NOT CURSED. There is in fact bat on_e ~urse which there i~ any reason to dread, and that is "Depart from me." Any m_aled1ction of men, unless 1t be merely t~e echo of this upon earth, spoken with authonty, does but fall harmless, or else recoil upon him that utters it. II. THAT THE SINGULAR GLORY OF' ISRAEL WAS HIS SEPARATENESS--a separateness which was outwardly marked by a sharp line of distinction from other peoples but was founded upon an inward and distinctive holiness of life and worship. Ev~n so is the glory of the Church of Christ and of each faithful soul to be "separate from sinners," as was Christ. And this separation must needs be outwardly marked in many ways and in many cases (1 Cor. v. 11; 2 Cor. vi, 17); but its essence is an inward divergence of motive, of character, and of condition before God, To be " even as others" is to be the " children of wrath" (Ephee. ii. 3) ; to be Christiane is to be " a peculiar people " (Titus ii. 14). If men cannot bear to be peculiar, they need not look to be blessed; if they must adopt the fashions of this world, they m11Bt be content to share its end (Gal i. 4; 2 Tim. iv. 10; 1 John ii. 15-17). fil THAT THE DEATH OF THE RICJHTEOUS IS BLESSED AND AN OBJECT OF DESIRE in a far higher sense than Balaam was able to comprehend. It may appear to the foolish that the life of the righteous is full of sadness, but none can fail to see the.t hie death is full of immortality, that he is in peace by reason of a good conscience, and in hope of glory by reason of the sure mercies of God. IV. THAT THE LATTER END OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS MORE BLESSED AND DESIRABLE THAN EIS DEATH ; for this is to live again, and to live for ever, and to inherit eternity of bliss in exchange for a few short years of strife and patience. V. THAT IT IS NOT POSSIIILE FOR MAN TO REVERSE THE BENEDICTIONS WHICH GOD HAB PRONOUNCED UPON ms PEOPLE. This has been tried by Be.laam, and by very many since, but to no effect, The blessings which we are called to inherit, e.e set forth in the New Testament, will certainly hold good in every age and under all circum- stances. No matter what the world may say, or we be tempted to think, the "poor" and the "meek " and the "merciful '' and the " persecuted for righteousness' sake" will always be "blessed," in spite of all appearances to the contrary. VL THAT Gon DOTH NOT BEHOLD INIQUITY IN HIS PEOPLE. Not that it doth not exist (as it existed then in Israel), but beca11Be it is not imputed to them that repent and believe in Christ Jesus. God doth not behold sin in the faithful soul, because he regards it not in its own nakedness, but as clothed with the righteousness of Christ, which admits not any spot or stain (Gal. iii. 27; Philip. iii. 9; Rev. iii. 18), And this non-imputation of sin is not arbitrary now (as it was to a great degree m the caBe of Israel), because it is founded upon a real and living union with Christ as the source of holiness. There ie a ~iritv.al unity of life with him (John iii. 6; vi, 57; xv. 4 ; Gal. ii. 20; Ephes. v. 30), and there is a consequent moral unity of life with him (Col. iii. 3; 1 John ii. 6; iii. 3; iv. 17, &c.), which is only slow~y. and • partially attained in this life ; but it bath pleased God for the eake of the spmtual unity to regard the moral unity as though it were already achieved, and therefore he imputeth nut sin to them that "walk in the light" (1 John i. 7). VII. THAT IF THE LOBD OUR Gon BE WITH us, THEN THE SHOUT 011' A KING IS AMONG us, i. e. the joyful acclamation of them that welcome the King who never fails. to l~ad them to victory. And this is one note of the faithful, that they rejoice in their K~g (Pa. c.xlix. 2, 5, 6; Matt. xxi. 9; Philip. iv. 4), and that gladness is ever fo~!'d 1n their hearts (Rom. xiv. 17) and praise in their mouths (Acts xvi. 26; Heh. 1111. 16 i l Pet. ii 9 ; and cf. Eph. v. 18-20). VIII. THAT NO MAGICAL INFLUENCE CAN BE BROUGHT TO BBAB AGAINST THII RIGHTEOUS. If they fear God they need not fear any one else (Luke xii. 4, 6 i Rom. Ti.ii. 38, 39). Superstitious fee.re are unworthy of a Christian. But note that, according to the other rendering of eh, :o:iii 23, the spiritual meaning is that the CB, XXII, 41-xuv.J THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 323
faithful have no need of, and no resort to, any each uncertain and unaothorised pryin~e into the unseen and unrevealed ae eoperetition and irreli~ion do ever favoor. Here IS n warning against all the arts of so-called "spiritualism, ' which (if it be not wholly an imposture) is rank heathenism and abominable to God. If the gospel be true, then we have all the light we need for our present path, and we have the assurance of all the light we could desire in our future home (John viii. 12; 1 Cor. xiii. 12 ; 1 John iii. 2). IX. THAT T1iE CAMP 011' ISRAEL WAS LOVELY IN THE EYES 011' THE PROPHET NOT SO MUCH BY BEASON 011' ITS SIZE, AS BECAUSE OF THE ORDER AND METHOD WITH WHICII IT WAS LAID OUT-like the cultivated gardens of the East. Even so is the order Divinely imparted to the Church its chiefest beauty. It is not its mere size, in which indeed it is inferior to some false religions, but Its unity in the midst of variety, its coherence side by side with manifold distinctions, which stamp~ it as a thing of heavenly origin and growth. The highest art of the gardener 1s to allow to each tree the fullest liberty of individual growth, while arranging them for mutual pro- tection and for beauty of effect; even so is the art of the Divine Huebandman (JohD xv. 1) with the trees which he bath planted in his garden. X. THAT THE FUTURE PROSPERITY OF !SRAEL WAS SPOKEN OJ!' BY BALAAM UNDER TWO FIGURES-OF OVERFLOWING BUCKETS USED IN IRRIGATION, AND OF SEED SOWN BY MANY WATERS. Even so the prosperity of the Church has a twofold character: it stands partly in the diligent and ample watering of that which is already sprung up, which is her pastoral work; partly in the widespread sowing by many waters, far and nenr, which is her missionary work. XJ. THAT THE CHURCH 011' GOD IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE BLESSINO OR CURSING, THE GOOD OB EVIL WILL OF MEN, BUT, ON THE CONTRARY, IS THE SOURCE 011' BLESSING 011. CUB.SINO TO TIIEM; according as they treat her, so must they fare themselves. For since Christ bath loved her and given himself for her (Ephes. v. 25), his interests and hers are all one, nnd howsoever we act towards the Church, he taketh it unto himself (cf. Matt. :x:x:v, 40, 45).