The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 351

has suffered far more from foes within thnn ever it did from foes without. Christ has been wounded most "in the house of his friends." Read the history of the first three or four centuries of the Christian era if you would know to what an extent thi, hand of man may mar the fair and glorious work of God. They tell how Christian doctrine, worship, polity, social life gradually lost their original simplicity and purity. The traditions of Judaism, heathen philosophies and mythologies, the fascinations of a vain world, the basest impulses of onr nature, all played their part in the cor- rupting process. The human element overbore and thrust aside the Divine, till it l'leemed as if Satan, baffled in the use of the extraneous persecuting powers, wero about to triumph by the subtler forces of corruption nnd decay. But God has never left his Church to itsdf any more than to the will of its adversaries. In the darkest times and under the most desperate conditions the leaven of a higher life has been secretly working. Nothing is more wonderful than the way in which the interests of Christ's kingdom have been preserved, not only in spite of, but often through, ths instrumentality of events and institutions thnt in themselves were contrary to its spirit and its laws. What are many of our modem agitations but the struggles of the religious life to cast off the fetters that Jong have bound it, to shake itself from the dust of ages, symptoms of the 'Vis vitce by which nature throws off disease. Even the retrograde movements that sometimes alarm us will he found by and by to havs conspired to the same end. And when the Church shall " awake, and put on her beautiful garments" of simple truth and love and power, when II the Spirit is poured out upon her from on high," then shall it be seen how utterly even thess subtler Satanic "enchantments" have failed to arrest her progress towards the dominion of the earth. III. THE ASSAULTS OF UNBELIEF. The intellectual force of the world in some of its most princely and commanding forms has ever set itself in deadly antagonism to the Church of Christ. Far be it from us to say that all who hold or teach anti- Christian doctrine are consciously inspired by tl1e spirit of evil. But beneath the fairest aspects of aggressive unbelief we discern the Satanic nim to darken the glory that shines from heaven on human souls. It is given to II the mystery of iniquity" to pervert the genius, the lenming, even the very mental integrity and honest purpose of men to its own false uses. But have these forces of unbelief ever gained a substantial victory? One would suppose, from what is often said on their side, that they were victorious along the whole line. le it really so? le there any one strong- bold of revealed truth that they have stormed and taken? In nil the battles that bnve been fought on the field of Christian doctrine, has nny ground really been lost ? Have any of the "standards" fallen ? ls Christianity in any sense n defeated or even damaged co.use? Nay, we rather believe that" the foolishness of God is wiser than men," and "the weakness of God is stronger thon men." The camp of Israel need fear no hostile "enchantment,'' for "the Lord their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them."-W. Vere. 10-14.-Balak relinquishes his project. He sees now clearly that there is no chance of prevailing over l11rael by means of a curse, and that any further appeal to the prophet would only bring words more golling to his pride and more menacing to his position, if indeed such words could be found. Considerations of policy and prudence need no longer restrain him in Apeaking out all his mind to the prophet. I. BALAK'S TREATMENT OF HIS UNSUCCESSFUL ACCOMPLICE. 1. An outb,·eak of sel,fisk wrath. Balaam indeed did not deserve much sympathy, seeing how he bud played into Balak's hands from the very beginning. But if he had deserved sympathy ever eo much, he would not have met with it. Balak has eyes, heart, and recollection for nothing but his own disappointment. He has no real sympathetic reg1ud for Balaam, no consideration for one who is far from home, and whose professional reputation nil around will be sadly damaged by this failure on a critical occasion. Wicked men in the hour of disaster show small consideration for their accomplices. Those in whose hearts the temptation of some great reward for evil-doing is be"in- ni11g to prevail should consider that if they fail they will meet with scant mercy or excuse. When the Bnluks of the world gllt a Balaam into their hands, they look on him just o.s a tool. If the tool does its work as they want it, well and good ; keep it NO:IIDEBS, I 338 THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. [cH. xxn. 41-xxxv.