The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 344

II. To ALL PARENTS. Our children are the Lord's flock, his "beautiful flock." They are very dear to him. He puts his arm round every one of them; he takes them all up in his arms and blesses them. He declares by his Word and by their baptism that they are of his kingdom, and he both promises vast reward to those that receive them in bis Name, antl threatens with dreadful doom all those who "offend" them. But parents have unspeakable influence over them. '£hey mould and fashion them, not in outward form and habits alone, but in inward character. For a long time they are as God to their children, who know no higher authority, no higher help. Hence they trust their parents utterly. And to guard against the abuse of this tremendous trust, God has implanted the instincts of parental love, and given every motive to parents to guard and keep well those ho has entrusted to their care. Now, if through po.rental unfaith- fulness those children become renegades from God, he will surely ask this question, "Where is the flock," etc.? Let remembrance of this leo.d to earnest prayer and diligent heed, so that each parent at last may have the unspeakable joy-as he may have-of standing at last before God, and saying, with glad thankfulness, "Behold, here am 1, and the children, thou hast given me." IJJ. To EVERY INDIVIDUAL souL. For the sum of all the faculties, opportunities, talents, the whole of the varied gifts and capacities which together form our spiritual nature-judgment, affection, conscience, intellect, will,-all these are the flock of God which is entrusted to every individual man; and by duo care and cultivation of them he can preserve and develop them into an offering of worship and consecro.tion which God will ever accept 11ntl bless. Every man has tho making of his own life by the help of God. There is scarce any degree of honour and joy which he may not win by faithfulness in the use of that which God has entrusted to him. Concerning them all God says, "Occupy till I come." And how vast and varied is the help God gives to us in this great work I What means of grace are provided I What recompense oven hero and now is given I Victory over self; a mind at peace; blessed influence over others; the love and esteem of the good; free communion and intercourse with God himself; the consciousness of the Divine love; the bright and blessed hope of the eternal life hereafter. So that even now" in keeping of God's commandments there is great reward." But if we be unfaithful here and" waste" all our" goods "-these high gifts, faculties, and opportunities-sowing to the flesh when we should be sowing to the Spirit, theu this quostion will be heard concerning all these things," Where is the flock," otc.? And then we search in vain for any answer to the next question (vcr. 21), "What wilt thou say when be shall punish thee?" Therefore let us each keep continually before ot1r minds such truths as those tb.at are taught in the well-known hymn-  316 THE BOO:rt OF THE PllOPHET JEUmUAH. [ea. xm. 1-2i.