The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 87

HOMILETICS. Ver. 3.-Fallow ground. Fallow ground is land that has fallen out of cultivation, or that has never been cultivated, and this has its counterpart in tho broad fields of humanity, in the nations or individual men who are not under the influence of spiritual cultivation. I. FALLOW GROUND IS COMPARATIVELY FRUITLESS. It may not be utterly fruitless. Even the bramblo bears its wholesome fruit, and good thoughts and good deeds spring up in the midst of heathen nations and irreligious people. God's Spirit has not wholly deserted any. But such fruit is poor compared with the fruit of cultivation, and the crop of it is thin. 'l'he good which still pertains to a neglected soul is imperfect, and sruall in the extreme compared with the good which would spring up in that soul under proper spiritual influences. 'l'he highest thought, the purest morality, the noblest effort, the largest cba1ity, are only to be found where the spiritual life is culti- vated by worship, instruction, and discipline. II. FALLOW GROUND BEARS WEEDS, If there are no flowers in a neglected garde:,, the soil will not be unoccupied. Dropped by birds in their flight, borne on the wings of ihe wind, in some way, myriads of seeds will find entrance into thaL garden.and ~priu;,: up in luxuriant growth. The neglected garden is not a barren desert; it is a wilderness. The neglected soul will not be merely deficient of good; it will bear a crop of evil. The heart cannot endure a void. If it is not filled with pure thoughts, it will indulge iu unholy imaginations; if it ha.~ no o~j~ct_ of wocthr lo:ve, i~s affection~ wil~ desce~~ and twine about some debased obJect; 1f 1t 1s not active m domg good, 1t will bo d1hgent in doing harm. In proportion to the gifts and powers of the suul will be the evil that will come out of it when neglected; the more fertile the soil, the n1c,i'c abundant the crop of weecls. III. FALLOW GROUND IS SUSCEPTIBLE OF CULTIVATION. It is not rock, but good soil. 'l'he most brutalized man is not yet a brute. Conscience slu.mbers, is not killed. The Divine imacre in the soul is worn in the traffic of worldliness and fouled in the mire of sin but it i~ not effaced. The disobedient son is still a son. Hence there is hope for th; most neglected heathen, the worst sinner, the oldest enemy of Christ. IV. FALLOW OROU1'"D HUS'l' BE DllOKEN UP, 'fhrow bushels of wheat among tho thorns and the thorns will only "choke" it (Matt. xiii. 7). 'l'ill tho old evil is torn from the heart, the new truth cannot grow and bear fruit there. Men must repent of sin before they can receive the seed of eternal life to pro.fit,• John the Baptist must precede ChriJ.t. So long as we are cherishing any sin we are preventing the growth of fruitful graces. The mere hearing of the truth is not enough. If the heart is hard, it will not receive it (Isa. vi. 10). If the heart is preoccupied, the truth will be soon forgotten, or at best will be crushed out o{ all living energy. Hence the he11rt omst OH, 1v. 1-31.J 'l'IlE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 83