The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 142

grow to be constant, delightful, and more intimate each day. And so the harvest of peace with God, of holy calm, of settled obedience, and of loyal, happy service, was daily reaped. And in the case of those who have passed into the skies, the harvest of glory has been reaped also, or rather is being reaped, the joy of which is ever-during with the eternal life of the soul. So again and again has it been in the experience of the Christian life. And likewise has it been also in the work and service rendered to Chlist. That, too, in many an instance, has had its former rain of blessing. It was begun in Christ and for Christ. Tokens of the Lord's presence were not wanting even al the very outset. Sinners were converted, believers were edified, souls were saved, as the result of the early toil in the Master's vineyard. The sermons may have been juvenile, unskilled in mere sermonic art, but they had the Divine power with them. The teaching given to the scholars in the class may have been sadly unscientific, and wanting in symmetry and system; but JeBUS was commended to the children, and his love so spoken of that they Hstened, were touched, were persuaded, were saved. And then years after the latter rain came. For a long while the work went on in a quiet, almost monotonous way. 'l'here appeared no stir, no great impression made. But he who gave the early rain now sent the latter also. And a new outpourin" of the Spirit's influence was given. And again and increasingly the Word was spoken with power; the influence of Christ's servant told with all the added strength that life-long consecration to that work gave to it, and many a soul confessed the might of that ministry which Christ enabled him to discharge. And a blessed harvest was reaped, day after day, week by week; the sickle of the Word seemed never so keen, the hand that wielded it never so vigorous, the sheaves never so large, until the reaper was called a.way to join in the glad festivities of the eternal harvest-home. Yes, so it has been again and again. And, would we have it so with ourselves,-and would we not?- let it not be forgotten that the realization of these blessings-the early and the latter rain, and the harvest-in our work depends upon our persoual realization of them in our own souls. The soul not alive in and for God can never accomplish much in his work and service. We must "take heed to ourselves" would we successfully take heed to our work, and be the means of salvation to others. Yes, let us remember this. Dut be encouraged by remembering also that it is God's way and wont to se11d this threefol,l blessing. 'l'his verse speaks of his giving these great gifts as his cW!tomary habit. It is not llil exceptional or strange thing with him, but that which we may, and even should, look for. May he help us so to do, and then give us our heart's desire! But next consider- II. THOSE LESS HAPPY ONES WllO REALIZE ONLY TWO OUT OF THESE TBilEE GIFTS OF GoD. 'l'hey have bad the early and the latter rains, but the harvest they have not yet rejoiced in. 'fhere a.re such experiences, both in the Christian life and in Christian work. The men were truly converted to God at the first, and they have in after years felt the power of his Spirit again and again; but that harvest of settled peace and joy, that power habitually to walk with God in the comfort of his love, and in prompt, joy- ful obedience to his will, has not come to them. And they grieve over it much. And yet more is this delay of the harvest often known in the sphere of Christian work. The whole Christian Church mourns to-day over this delay of harvest. The early rain of the PentE Jostal day fell refreshingly upon them; and since then there have been spring-tides of Divine influence, copious outpourings of the Spirit of God, latter rains in deed and in truth. But the harvest-where is that? Where is the worltl, or even one entire nation, won for God? 'l'he boundaries of the kingdom of Satan do not •eem much diminished, nor those of the kingdom of God much enlarged. And so, too, individual Ohu1·clics have, in like manner, been blessed with early and latter rains, but the harvest of their work has not come. 'l'hey can tell you of times in their history when there seemed a general movement Go1hvards; when the people met for prayer in unwonted numbers and with unwonted fervour. Their early history may have been one of difficulty and struggle, but these were overborne by a glorious awakening, a gird- ing of them with power, by the Spirit of the Lord manifestly setting up his stamlanl in their midst. "And the Lord added to them daily such as should be saved." And in more recent years they have had like and even larger experiences of his glorious presence. But yet the harvest is not reaped. Not only is tho neighbourhoo,l arnund h21u still for the most part as it was, untouched, unimpressed by the power of tho  HO THE BOOK OF 'l'HE l'ROPHET JgREMIAH. [en. v. 1-:31.