The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 92

Jercmiah'e, and if they would not heed his counsels, ho was helpless. To be "before the age" in euch a sense is not eo enviable as we ILigM imagine. III. THE BESEBVE THAT MARKS THE COMMUNJOATJON OF TRUTII. Partly necessitated by limitation of human nature; partly due to the subordination of the prophet, teacher, etc., to the special task before him. We should lose more than we should gaiu if, constituted as we arc, we were to receive unlimited revelations of the future. The riractical and immediate import of Divine revelation is therefore our first concern. To- day is a little space cleared for duty. Opportunities of well-doing occur in constant succession. "What is that to thee?" might well be asked of many a one that concerns himself with things beyond his ken: "follow thou me."-M. Ver. 22.-The wisdom of this world. That there is such a thing we may well believe, for Christ himself noticed and commended it: "The children of this world ar~ wiser in their generation than the children of light." ,vithin a certain range it is often seen to the disadvantage of the "wisdom that is from above." I. IT 18 GREAT IN QUESTIONS OF MEANS, METII0DS, AND P0IJOY. Attention is directed to these continually. A certain pride is exhibited in skill and power of manipulation. There is something very attractive to a certain order of mind in the opportunities the world affords for manrouvre, dexterity, intrigue. The world prizes and encourages cleverness in practical, external matters. It can eveo appreciate the business qualities and the reliable character of Christi:ins, when their inspiring priociple is ntterly ignored or intensely disliked. How much has the Church of to-day to learn or the world in merely practical concerns, knowledge of human natme, and adaptation of herself to her snrroundings I II. IT IS MARRED BY: 1. Dislilce to what is worthy and good. Disillusion from worldly dreams may coexist with this. Bnt men without lofty ideals cannot be happy or satisfied. 2. Heedlessness as to the impending fudgments of God and the eternal future. 3. Consciousness of worthlessness and uselessness of its own efforts.-}[. Ver. 3.-Fallow ground. Such e.n analogy ns this reminds us that the materials of the highest wisdom are always lying close within our reach, sometimes in very unlikely places. The world without is a mirror in which we see our own moral life nnd tho laws that govern it reflected. Air, earth, and sea arc full or teachers whom God has sent to rebuke in us all that is false e.nd evil, and lead us into ail that is true nut! good. The prophet, in the text, does but give an articulnte voice to the silent eloquence of one of these. Apply personally some of the lessons taught. I. THE LIFE OF EVERY HAN IS A PROCESS OF BPIBITUAL ITUSDANDRY. There is a trua analogy between the soul of a man and the field in which n fnrmer sows bis seed. Ju ench cnse there are latent productive elements, that may be turned either to good or evil according to the conditions of their development-capacities of indefinite improvement or of indefinite deterioration, of boundless fruitfulness or of boundless waste. The pro- lific virtue of the soil will nourish alike the germs of precious corn or of noisome weeds; and, whichever it be, the heavens above, by all the influences they shed down upon it, will promote the process. 'fhus will the faculties of our spiritual nature foster either the seeds of Divine excellence or of satanic corruption, and then all the laws to which our nature is subject, and all the associntions of our life, will help to elaborate the issue, until we reap either a glad harvest of fruits the.t will endure for ever, or one of shame and sorrow-thorns and weeds and briars fit only for the flames. " He that soweth to his flesh," etc. (Gal. vi. 8). Hence the solemn necessity for some Divine power so to control and govern the secret dispositions and tendencies of our nature 11s that in our case the law shall be fulfilled in the nobler and better way. "Make the treo good," etc. (Matt. xii. 33). II. In this husbandry of the soul, NEGLECT LEADS TO LOSS AND WASTE AND RUIX. ":Fallow ground" is le.nd untilled, uncultivatrd, which no plough turns up and into which no seed is cast. It me.y be purposely left to rest, that it may not exhaust itself, and that its internal resources may be all the richer afterwards. But the point of tho ana!ouy is this-that it naturally becomes encumbered with" thorns." In the spiritual husba°ndry, while fruitfuloess is the result only of dili~ent labour, ruin follows from simple neglect. The land of the slothful husbandman will soon present the picture ol  'l'llE BOOK OF 'l'HE l'HOPHE'l' Ji1Rr£M1All. [t:H. 1v. 1-:ll.