III. SOWING-TIMES OF ATMOSPHERIC PERIL. The weather is but seldom just to the farmer's mind, and in ROme seasons the sowing seems hopeless: what can the seed do but rot in the ground? This may suggest the dispositions both of the Christian workers, and of those among whom they work. These often make a sort of atmosphere, in which the seed-sowing seems hopeless. Nevertheless, we must go on sowing, even if it must be in tears.-R. 'l'. Ver. 6.-The l,a,w of giving in order to gain. "Though he goeth on his way weep- ing, bearing forth the seed, he shall come again with joy, bringing the sheaves with him." Our Lord declared the same principle when he said, "He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall save it unto life eternal." You can never secure any kind of harvest of anything, save by giving your seed-corn away. The miser keeps his gold, and he has what he keeps, and no more. "'.!.'here is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." I. GIVING IN ORDER TO OAIN IS THE LAW OF ENTERPRISE. Here we treat it on its purely human and business side. Nothing could be done in trade and commerce if men were not willing to "risk," as we say-to give away what they have. 'rhe man with the one talent would not give it away in some business enterprise, and so he had no harvest for his master, when he returned. Human enterprise is closely kin to faith; or, we may say, has in it a strong element of faith; business would be paralyzed if men could not give themselves, and what they have, away to each other in mutual trnst. But there is always the inspiration of anticipation. It is always giving in order to get, based npon the natural order of things as established by prolonged experience. II. GIVING IN ORDER TO GAIN 18 THE LAW OD' Canrs·rIAN SERVICE, Here we treat the Jaw in its Ligher and Divine relations. And we observe: 1. That it is a law divinely established. It is no accident; it is no resultant of experiences; it is no mere possibility. It is definitely fixed by God, who requires the seed-sowing, and promises the harvest. Because it is the Divine law, the harvest is assured. 2. That it is a la1v experimentally proved. Not experimentally based. Surrender for Christ's sake always is a seed-sowing that is followed by a ha.nest. '!'hose who give up all for Christ's sake have a hundredfold more in this life, and in the time to come, life eternal. 3. '!'hat it is a law sublimely illustrated in God himself, who gave his Son in view of the harvest of humanity. Give away your seed, even with tears, you will come some day from the harvest-field, carrying your sheaves.-R. 'I'.
Vere. 1-6.-AU.ernations and contrasts in the experiences of life. "When the LorJ turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream." L SOME 0HANOEB BEE.II MORE LIKE DBEAHB '.!'HAN BEALrrrns. Seem too good or too bad to be true. 1. When they come suddenly. It takes time to adjust onrselvos to them as facts and not fictions. And to realizo the consequencos thoy bring with them. 2. When they bring o~ promise more than we ever expected. We si_n~ and laug!1. as those who have come rnto an immense fortune. If the chango be ~pmtual, we reJotco like an emancipated slave, and can undorstand the experience of a Zacchrous, a Magdaleno, or the Philippian jailor. 3. When we are able to trace the change to God, Thu sense of the presence of God with us always fills us with wonder. "'l'he ~o~d he.s do~e great things for us whernof we aro glad." When strangers seo the D1vrno hand 111 our history, there i~ a strougthening of our faith in God. "Tho heatlu;in said, The Lord bath done great thi11is for them." PB, CXXVll, 1-5.] THE IlOOK OF PSALMS. 227
II. BoT NO OBANGE, HOWEVER GREAT, EXEMPTS us FROM TOIL AND TEARS. (Ver. 4.) Begins another strain. 1. It is always incomplete. It does not put an end entirely to the past order of things, nor introduce a completely new order. A terri~le war t0 be foucrht between the old and the new. The return from Babylon at tbis tim'll was only partial. 2. Every change for the better or the worse exacts new endurances and trials. We have to go forth bearinu precious seed and weeping-to sow the seed of a near future, and to pass through the hopes and fears of the anll;ious husbandman. 3. But all arncious and faithful labour now shall be rewarded with an abundant recompense when God and man shall gather the harvest of the world. (Ver. 6.) "Blessed are those who mourn: for they shall be comforted. "-S.