The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 369

of tbe spirit in which Cbrlst rega.rrled men. But we have still to do with the matter. of.fact world. \Ve a.re not placed above the ordinary cares and difficulties of lire These may inorease with us and may act upon us so as to tend to weariness in well- doing. We have to give out largely too of our best 8';rength in well-doing. To be burdene.d with the souls of men is exhausting beyond anything else. And the more intensely we care for souls the more are we la.id open to a. feeling of weariness. (2) There are discowragements connected with the associations of well-doing. We may not like the scenes of discomfort, squalor, and vice into which well-doing brings us. We may feel the want of suitable appliances for engaging in well-doing. We may feel the want of hearty co-operation. Some to whom we had reason to look may fail us, having become cold in the work, Of our fellow-workers in the same society some may be more intent on getting their own way than on the advancement of the common cause, if they do not even resort to slander and obstruction. And all these things are causes of weariness. (3) There are especiaJ,ly discouragements connected with the results ef well- daing. In other work we can, to a. large extent, walk by sight. We feel the encouraging influence of results. There is something to show for what our hands have done every day. But in well-doing there is little to show in the shape of results. There is some- thing to be seen, indeed, if we feed the hungry and clothe the naked. And there a.re also resuits that can be tested, if we engage in communicating knowledge to the young and the ignorant. But if we seek to influence men'~ hearts through gospel truth we may ba.ve to say, "Who hath believed our report; and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" We may labour on,'and some may appear further removed from good than they were. Some who appeared to' be established may show deterioration or may fall greviously, to our great amazement and sorrow.. Or, if we meet with outward tokens or success, in the very mo'!llent of success it may be felt to be unsatisfying. It may be not all real, when .tested everi by time. And we may af'8rwards be disappointed in some upon whom we reckoned as sa.vingly iltfluenced. And there are wearying influences that come in from a wider range: It may seem as if there were but poor results from the money and la.bour spent on missions. It may seem as if little inroads were made u·p6n the domain of evil. It may seem as if the Church were losing its wonte(l fire, wete feeling the chilling influence of the world. It may seem as if iniquity were abounding, and, because iniquity abonnds, our love, and that of many others, is apt to wa.i: cold. 2. Encouragement against weariness. We cannot remove the causes ·or weariness in well-doing. We cannot escape the temptation to be weary. What we have to do is to refuse to yield to the temptation. "Let us not be weary "-that is the Word which the apostle 'sends forth to all who are inclined to be weary in well-doing. Let us· learn a lesson from what we see going on in nature. The sower does not see his harvest the day he sows his .seed. He has to begin by putting his seed out of sight, and it is a. time before the plant a.J?pea.rs above ground. And then he has to wait until nature slowly brings it forward to maturity. But if, in the face of what he does not yet see, h!l faint not· as under the burning heat of the sun, then he shall assuredly one day be privileged to bring in'the ripe grain into the sta.ckyard. For God has appointed a sea.son· for this. So let us lea.rn; i-n the face of all discouragements connected with well-doing, especially in the face of what, we do not yet see of results, that, if we faint not, if we lose not faith in God, in the mighty inflnences of the Divine Spirit, in the converting efficacy of the Divine message, in the binding nature of the Divine com- mand, and if we lose not hope for man,-then in due sea.son we shall assuredly reap. We shall reap in our own souls, in the blessing God shall not delay to send on us for engaging,·unweariedly, in well-doing. And, what is more to the purpose of well-<loing, we shall reap in others, in the blessing which God may not immediately or within our observation, but shall in due see.son, send upon them as·the result of tearful prayers and labours which he never forgets. Let us, then, cast our bread, though it may be as upon the waters, arid we shall find it, though it may be after many da.ys. God has his own time and way of bringing the seed forward, and it may be long after we are dead and gon111 *hat the fruit shall be gathered in. , • IV. OPPORTUNITY OF WELL-DOING. "So then,· as we have opportunity, let us work that which.is good toward all men, and espeoia.lly toward them that are of the house- hold· of> faith." Theee three things •constitute opportunity, viz. time, ability, and objects of well-doing. 1, There ia the limit of time, Spring is the season for sowing  33ti THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. [OH. VI. 1-18,