But if it is a seed, and if there is a harvest, must not the increase be as with every other kind of sowing and reaping?4. Does not even one good deed induce your neighbours to ask your help in other good deeds, and thus furnish you with ever new opportunities of service? All seems so safe and firm outwardly, it is hardly possible to imagine that those solid masses will ever be shaken; but the time will come when a tiny spark will fire the whole train, and the mountain will be in a moment rent in the air, and torn to atoms." They say we reap while we sow. It is not as if you were scattering clay, or stones, or bits of wood. )The spiritual harvestJ. Every year the work of death progressed, till at length it stood, all rottenness, only clasped about by the bark with a semblance of life, and the first gale felled it to the ground. Often they are taken up by birds, which transport them to distant places. He ran up behind him, tapped him on the shoulder, and asked, "What is the state of your soul, my friend? They make sowing and reaping, probation and retribution, contemporaneous. Dawson.There are four subjects which the apostle would have us particularly guard against being deceived in.I. Then taking it again out of the ground, he delivered it to his master's friend, whereby his fault was perceived, and he worse beaten than before. What a power there is in seeds! You cannot do one kind of action, and expect fruit of a different kind. According to the natural course of things, it will come to an end. There must be different degrees of glory in heaven.(J. In his physical and social nature man was made under the laws of this world. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." "Culture" and "cultivation," e.g., — terms originally denoting the tillage of the earth, have been transferred, by the hint of analogy, to the soul.I. This must reap corruption, because(1)the corruption of death will put an end to most earthly accomplishments. But if we sow evil, we shall reap evil. To begin with the wicked. The actions in which now we engage are seeds whose fruit shall be eternal, and when we know and believe that, shall we be less careful of them than he was of his speech? A careless misunderstanding of certain texts of Scripture, wherein salvation may seem to be promised upon other terms, than the practice of virtue and true righteousness.II. Do you ever think of it? A. (5)God is merciful. Nevins, D. D.Is it not strange that the apostle should have thought it necessary to draw out into a formal proposition a truth so obvious and admitted as that whatsoever a man soweth, that and not something of a different kind he shall also reap? THAT THE SOWER SHALL AT LENGTH BECOME THE REAPER.IV. Being sent a second time on the like message, he first took the letter, which he conceived had eyes as well as a tongue, and hid it in the ground, sitting himself on the place where he had put it; and then securely fell to feed on his figs, presuming that that paper which saw nothing, could tell nothing. It may be out of sight. But can sincerity arrest and alter the tendencies of conduct? The present life as a sowing incomplete. And, when we test this common and pervading metaphor by our experience, we find it true. This is unlike God, it has no analogy, no vindication in the Scriptures; it is artificial, coarse, unreasonable. And, when we test this common and pervading metaphor by our experience, we find it true. The contrary proposition involves an absurdity. But also further, because 'tis an entertaining of very dishonourable and very injurious apprehensions, concerning the perfections and attributes of God Himself.3. But faith is a continuous act, and involves obedience as well as trust.(S. The uniformity of the work. I turn rather to the other side, and bid you remember that the highest happiness of the Christian's experience on earth will be but like as the faint light of early dawn is to the meridian day, when it is compared with the blessedness of heaven. Every year how many such men are overtaken with sudden destruction, and swept for ever out of sight and remembrance? All of you. If you had stood in their way, or done anything to interrupt them, or put off their time, they would have called out to you, "Keep out of our way, we are sowing; this is seed-time. The application to regenerated nature: "He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Eternal ruin. But it is equally true that good does so, good purposes, good dispositions, good acts. (James 4:14.) Every kind of seed has fruit of its own kind. M. Taylor, D. D.)The moral harvestJ. SOWING AND REAPING AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF SPIRITUAL LAW.1. Yes, my friends, be not deceived. The child is conquered, and so am I. The straw is uncut. No other way of acceptance with God, no other refuge from the wrath to come; nor can we offer acceptable worship and service to the Most High, if our impressions of His character be false and incorrect. The natural inference is that a law here indicates a similar law beyond the period and condition we call temporal. The sowers — who are they? Thomas, D. D.I. This life does not afford materials for the complete solution of the problem; it leaves room for a multitude of doubts which only the strongest illumination and faith can overcome.2. Some of these exercises of mind are delineated in Galatians 5:22; Colossians 3:12.IV. Everybody knows to expect this. It is not as if you were scattering clay, or stones, or bits of wood. You are flinging to Him, as it were, the shrivelled and withered leaves in which you have yourself cherished a canker in the worthless flower. M. Taylor, D. D.There shall be degrees in retribution and reward. (Samuel Cox, D. D.)The spiritual lawBishop Lightfoot."What? )Sowing and ReapingW. The mistake is final and fatal Repair it while there is time.(T. Like the chameleon, men are ever shifting the hue of their religious character. The exercises of holiness are no greater than the exercises of sin: so that even in that view the saint has no loss. And here they deceive themselves by not considering, that the very end and design of Christ's religion, was, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, and purchase to Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works; that we might not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our mind; that we might prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. "That shall he also reap." It may continue hereafter, for the grave feature of penalty is that it does not tend to end, but continues to act, like force imparted to an object in a vacuum, until arrested by some outside power. It is not merely that if we do what is wrong, we shall be punished for it. Thomas, D. D.)True moral cultureD. This must reap corruption, because, (1)the corruption of death will put an end to most earthly accomplishments. How long-lived they are! Often they are taken up by birds, which transport them to distant places. Name. "He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption," disappointment, shame, misery, eternal death (Job 4:8; Hosea 8:7; Matthew 7:18, 19; Revelation 21:8); "He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting," a life of perfect purity, celestial peace, exalted intelligence, immortal joy (Psalm 17:15; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 7:14, etc.). ALL MEN ARE SOWERS. you would have got the answer, "We are sowing." An imaginary design of future repentance.(S. Do you ever think of it? 1. Hence it will appear, that those actions only deserve to be classed as spiritual seed, that proceed from the regenerating influences of the Holy Spirit upon the heart, and that are performed with a sincere desire to please and to glorify God. For everything done for Christ we shall have our own reward; and in the degree that we work for Him so shall that reward be. (Samuel Cox, D. D.)The spiritual lawBishop Lightfoot."What? The marring is when by sowing to the flesh in, e.g., pride, covetousness, ungodliness, a man reaps corruption, i.e., desolation and decay; the making when by sowing to the Spirit we reap everlasting life, something that shall not pass away.(W. Moody., R. W. Dale, D. D.I. The reaping is not only the effect of the sowing, but is necessarily of the same nature with it. The answer was, that he would rather be Croesus in this life, and Socrates in the next! Hence it will appear, that those actions only deserve to be classed as spiritual seed, that proceed from the regenerating influences of the Holy Spirit upon the heart, and that are performed with a sincere desire to please and to glorify God. 2. GREAT MEN HAVE HELD THAT THERE IS NO FUTURE PUNISHMENT; So we need not fear. He cannot employ a substitute, or devolve the consequencies of his actions upon others. But it had been preparing to fall for twenty years. You cannot do one kind of action, and expect fruit of a different kind. But if you had asked them, "What are you doing?" "There are men," he said, looking round, "there are men here who are tunnelled, mined; their time will come, not to-day or tomorrow, not for months or years, perhaps, but it will come in a moment, from an unforseen quarter, a trifling incident, their reputations will be blown to atoms, and what they have sown they will reap. We plant a single grain, we pluck a full ear; we sow in handfuls, we reap in bosomfuls; we scatter bushels, but we gather in rich granary stores. Your work, your play, your lessons at home or at school during the week or on the Lord's Day, when you were at your games, when you were reading some story or other book, when you were amusing yourself or other people — it was a seed which you were sowing — sowing, indeed, for this life, but sowing also for the life to come — for eternity. Every year the work of death progressed, till at length it stood, all rottenness, only clasped about by the bark with a semblance of life, and the first gale felled it to the ground. And here, that which first and most obviously offers itself, in our view of mankind, is the deceit men put upon themselves by a general carelessness and inattention. If we desire a fruit, in eternity, to please us, the seed must be sown which will bring it. Every careful farmer will look after his fences, lest his own cattle make their escape, or his neighbour's break in. Brunton.If anything is important, religion is all-important. THE UNPROVIDED STATE, WITH RESPECT TO ETERNITY, IN WHICH ALL ARE LIVING WHO SOW TO THE FLESH. Angell James. No other way of acceptance with God, no other refuge from the wrath to come; nor can we offer acceptable worship and service to the Most High, if our impressions of His character be false and incorrect. The one is "Sowing to the flesh;" the other, "Sowing to the Spirit." Our ignorance.2. What is the danger? Wait till you see their end. "But enough of that! Some of these exercises of mind are delineated in Galatians 5:22; Colossians 3:12.IV. — as we see in the mummies of Egypt, where they may have lain for thousands of years in darkness, but now come forth to grow. Thomas, D. D.)True moral cultureD. "First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." A Christian woman was one day visiting an aged man, who, in years gone by, had been associated with her own father in business. Yes, my friends, be not deceived. Neither can He want power to execute His purposes; He who spoke, and the world was made, can speak again, and it will perish.III. And what is the condition of things when this fearful degeneracy has budded and flowered and brought forth its fruit in the world to come? The verse that follows our text tells what these are. "Flesh" — the ordinary uninspired life of man; "Spirit" — the inspired life of those who have come under a higher influence. The hope of future perfection and glory. In the service of the public, and whether you have your reward or not you will have honorable distinction in the kingdom of God.V. Courteous in manners, understanding well the intricacies of life, careful in device and action, they secure the good and avoid the evil of the world. W. Beecher.The pea contains the vine and the flower and the pod in embryo; and I am sure, when I plant it, that it will produce them, and nothing else. Faith in the future life intensifies the importance of the present by focussing upon it the issues of eternity. )The double harvestJ. (4)In charity, and have heaven's abundance (Matthew 10:42; 2 Corinthians 9:6; Matthew 25:35)(Thomas Adams. An imaginary design of future repentance.(S. Thus Matthew 2:16. The mistake is final and fatal Repair it while there is time.(T. The advance of the kingdom of God.(R. And if, in the world to come, the consequences of our deeds, even to the last, should more largely come upon us, we cannot deny that this, too, will be just. BE NOT DECEIVED CONCERNING THE EVIL NATURE AND DREADFUL END OF A LIFE OF SIN. There may be as much moral character in a pecuniary transaction over a shilling, as in one over a thousand pounds. And could our faculties extend themselves, to take in at one view those larger periods of the Divine dispensations, on which depends the harmony and beauty of the moral world; in like manner as our experience enables us to contemplate the yearly products of nature; we should then probably be no more struck with wonder, at the seeming forbearing of providence to interpose at present in the ordering of the moral state of the world, than we are now surprised, in the regular course of nature, to see grain lie as it were dead in the earth in winter, and seemingly dissolving into corruption; and yet, without fail, at the return of its proper season, bringing forth the certain particular fruit, of which it was the seed.II. Some have only a tenth of the field filled, and some an eighth, and some a fifth, and some a quarter, and some a half; and by the time we come to die, it will be filled altogether; it will be like a field in which every corner is sown with seed. The good woman had answered a hundred questions, which her father's former partner had asked concerning him, and, as he listened to the story of his friend's patience in suffering and poverty, and the unflagging cheerfulness with which he could look forward, either to a longer continuance of his pilgrimage in this world, or to a speedy departure to a better one, his conscience applied the unuttered reproach, and he cried out, in a tone of hopeless despair, "Yes, yes: you wonder I cannot be as quiet and happy too: but think of the difference: he is going to his treasure, and I — I must leave mine!" In his physical and social nature man was made under the laws of this world. AMPLE TIME IN THE FUTURE FOR ATTENDING TO THE CONCERNS OF THE SOUL. Often they are taken up by birds, which transport them to distant places. "But enough of that! "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." The work of man is —I. And as we saw there are but two kinds of sowing, so there will be but two kinds of reaping — the one, in each case, corresponding to the other. It is wiser and better always to face facts, never to ignore them, never to close our eyes to them. Broad.Liability to imposture is perhaps inseparable from human frailty; the best of men have been numbered with its victims. How long-lived they are! We must beware of our words. do you know what you are doing?" Because, though this proposition is assented to as expressing a truth in agriculture, it is denied or disregarded as expressing a principle in morals.1. )Relation of human actions to the other worldJ. The contrary proposition involves an absurdity. This view of life exhibits it as —1. Johnson, LL. Life will then be rounded and made whole, moving on from true beginnings to worthy ends. "You need not talk of penalties. And when the harm is done, you cannot turn lightly away and say, "It was none of my doing." All seems so safe and firm outwardly, it is hardly possible to imagine that those solid masses will ever be shaken; but the time will come when a tiny spark will fire the whole train, and the mountain will be in a moment rent in the air, and torn to atoms." It is not his way to tear the parchments and rights of investiture from the hand of the proprietor, but he paralyzes and unlocks the hand, and they fall like useless and forgotten things away from him. If you had asked him, "What are you doing, gardener?" Angell James. It may continue hereafter, for the grave feature of penalty is that it does not tend to end, but continues to act, like force imparted to an object in a vacuum, until arrested by some outside power. The kind of reaping — what shall it be? )Be not deceived:—Futility of delayed repentanceArchdeacon Farrar.If any of you rely upon the hope or the chance or the possibility of a deathbed repentance as an excuse for sin; if any of you are secretly saying to yourselves, I will go on stoning now; I will repent before or when I die," — I would say to you briefly and most solemnly, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked," but when you wickedly think thus you are mocking, you are insulting, you are defying God, you are, as it were, insolently bidding God to wait your leisure; you are bidding Him to be content with the ragged and bitter lees of life after you have drained to the dregs what should have been its bright libation. It does. This world is between heaven and hell; but the existence of such a middle region, where the creature may enjoy himself amid the Creator's gifts, and care not for the Giver, cannot long be tolerated. 1. Traits of character so Divine, promises of youth cut off by untimely death, loftinesses of the human spirit, buds not yet unfolded, aspirations only starved here — what of these? The godly. Penalty is seen to be a natural thing, like the growing of seed. Eternal ruin. We must keep our hearts with all diligence. He believed that his evil course was building him up in fame and fortune; but financiering is the devil's forge, and his every act was a blow upon the anvil shaping the dagger that should one day strike home to his heart, and make him a suicide.(H. )RetributionReuben Thomas.The fact of retribution is necessarily a very serious one to all who are not "past feeling." Hundred years HENCE what we are sowing galatians 6:7 sermon passions, as in one or other men... Well make no compromise with sin APPLICATION of this life, seed of some sort or other two. Got the answer to this world ; and what an aggregate they make! 4 into. 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