Ver. 13.-Profitless labour. I. PUNISHMENT WILL CONSIST IN PART IN THE PROFIT- LESSNEBS OF LABOUR. This will perhaps be the special puni~hment of industrious bad people. To them it will be peculiarly painful, for in proportion to the zest and earnest- ness with which any work is carried on will be the bitterness of disappointment who~ this is seen to fail. Thus the victorious general is punished by being robbed of his conquests, the statesman by having his political schemes frustrated; the inven,tor by finding bis invention superseded or rendered futile, the literary inan by seeing his pro- ductions treated with neglect. ·_ • IL LA.noun MAY BE GOOD IN ITSELF AND YET PROFITLESS, It need not be mis- taken in direction nor incompetent in execution, 1. It may bo real sowing . •, "They bavc sown"-have not simply run uncertainly nor beaten tho air with indefinite cu. Xll.1-17.] THE DOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 319
energy. 2. It may be the sowing of good seed. "They have sown wheat." 3, It may be assiduous and arduous. "They have put themselves to pain." III. LADOUR WILL DE PROFITLESS IF IT BE CURSED BY Goo. " They are ashamed of their increase because of the fierce anger of Jehovah." 1. We cannot succeed in our work ?pithout the blessing of God. This is necessary, not only for thosu things in which _we can do nothing and are wholly dependent on him, but also in reganl to our own efforts. Man sows, but God must give the increase. \Ve cannot order the seasons, command the weather, determine the germinating power of nature. The farmer is but the attendant of nature. 'rho real work of the farm is done by na.turc, and na.ture 'is a name we give to the action of God. If, therefore, God diu nol follow with his work, the farmer might as well scatter sand of the c\egert over his fidds as sow __good wheat. So also all our labour depends on God's blessing for its fruitfulness. 2. The curse of God will destroy the fruits of labour. Tremendous <lCJStructive agenpil)s arein his hands. He can send froijt to nip the tender buds, drought to wither the grqwing plant, blight to destroy the filling ears, stor!D3 to beat down the ripe corn. SicJmess, commercial disaster, wars, etc., may frustrate the wisest, ablest, most industrious efforts of men. Therefore let us learn (1) to live so that we dare ask for God,'s favour; (2) to labour at such work as God will approve; and (3) to seek the blessing of God upon our efforts (Pa. xc, 17). Vera. 14-11.-General punishment and general restoration. I. PUNISHMEST IS GENERAL, It is not selective, it is impartially administered. 1. The people of God do nqt escape. If the Christian falls into sin, the Law of God must be vindicated on him at least as rigorously as on the worldly man, Judah had shared the sins of her neigh- bou_rs; she must also share their punishment. If sin is general, so must be its penal- ties. No religious position which does not secure us against wickedness will protect us against its consequences. 2. The godless do not escape. The heathen nations are to suffer with Judah.. Though they were sometimes the instruments in the hands o[ God for the chastisement of Judah, they were not on that account exonerated from blame for the bad motives of their conduct. The sin of others is no excuse for us iu wronging them. The executioner of the law is himself subject to the law. They who do not admit the authority of God are not the Jess subject to his authority. l\Ien who refuse to submit to the Law of God will be judged by that Law as certainly as those who have freely gone under its yoke. It is not for UB to choose our government in spiritual things, but to submit to the one righteoUB government which God has set over all men. In the execution of this it will be found that all men have sufficient light to render them accountable for their actions, though the degree of their responsibility will vary with the degree of their knowledge. II. RESTORATION IS GENERAL. This is offered to the heathen nations as well as to • Judah. As general punishment must follow general sin, so general restoration will follow general repentance. Here, too, God is impartial. 1. '£his restoration is not the less perfect for each individual by being genera.I. "Every man" is to come and each to his "own land" and his " own heritage." There are men who seem to fear the broadening of the mercies of God, Jest they should becouw less valuable to each recipient, :md so they would jealously narrow them to protect their full privileges for 11 few. Such ideas are not only basely selfish-since the holders of them quietly assume that they are among the few-they a.re dishonouring to tho grace of God, which is exceeding abundant, with enough for all wh() need it, 2. The genornl character of tho restoration is its most happy feature. It will mean tho abolition of war, rivalry, jealousy, sepe.mtion, and the enjoyment of pence and brotherhood, the realization of the glory of the unity of the race through harmony in tho unity of faith. "'l'hen shall they be built in the midst of my people." Thus through tho great restoration, i.e. through the perfected redemption in Christ, wo m11y look for the fulfilment of the great ideal human brotherhood. 3. 'rhe conditions of this restoration are the s:uno for all, viz. (1) the compassion of God, aud (2) repentance nod amendment. They who taught Judah to serve Baal must learn with Judah to follow tho true religion. Dut iI thia condition is not fulfilled, the restoration can novor bo enjoyed, S20 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [cu. XII. 1-17.