that fatness of the ground to himself, that would make the other more hearty and fruitful. "Que Sinner destroyeth much good." Eccles. ix, 18. The Cumber-ground is a very drone in the hive, that eats up the honey that should feed the labouring bee; he is a thief in the candle, that wasteth the tallow, but giveth no light; he is the unsavory salt that is fit for nought but the dunghill. Look to it, Barren Fig-Tree. Luke xiii. 8, 9. And he answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, until I shall dig about it, and dung and if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. it ; THESE are the words of the Dresser of the Vineyard, who, I told you, is Jesus Christ, for he made intercession for the transgressors, Isa. iii. 12. And they contain a petition, presented to an offended justice, praying that a little time and patience might be exercised towards the barren cumber-ground Fig-Tree. In this petition there are six things considerable, First, That justice might be deferred.-O that justice might be deferred, Lord, let it alone, &c. a while longer. Secondly, Here is a time prefixed, as a space to try if more means will cure a barren Fig-Tree: Lord, let it alone this year also. Thirdly, The means to help it are propounded, until I shall dig about it, and dung it. Fourthly, Here is also an insinuation of a supposition, that by thus doing, God's expectation might be answered. And if it bear fruit, well. ` Fifthly, Here is a supposition that the Barren Fig-Tree may yet abide barren, when Christ hath done what he will unto it, and if it bear fruit, &c. Sixthly, Here is at last a resolution, that if thou continue barren, hewing days will come upon thee. And if it bear fruit, well: And if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. But to proceed according to my former method, by way of Exposition. Lord, let it alone this year again. Here is astonishing grace indeed, astonishing grace! I say, that the Lord Jesus should concern himself with a barren Fig-Tree; that he should step in to stop the blow from a barren Fig-Tree. Why did he not fetch out the axe? Why did he not do execution? Why did he not cut it down? -Barren Fig-Tree! 'tis well for thee that there is a Jesus at God's right hand, a Jesus of that extensive goodness as to have compassion for a barren Fig-Tree, or justice had never let thee alone to cumber the ground as thou hast done. When Israel also had sinned against God, down they had gone, but that Moses stood in the breach, "Let me alone," said God to him, “that I may consume them in a moment, and I will make of thee a great nation, Exod. xxxii. 13. Barren Fig Tree, dost thou hear? Thou knowest not how oft the hand of Divine Justice hath been up to strike, and how many years since thou hadst been cut down, had not Jesus caught hold of his father's axe. Let me alone, let me fetch my blow, or cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? Wilt thou not bear yet, barren Fig-Tree? Wilt thou provoke still? Thou hast wearied men, and provoked the justice of God! "And wilt thou weary my Christ also?" Isa. vii. 13. Lord, let it alone this Year. Lord, a little longer, let not a soul be lost for want of means: I will try, I will see if I can make it fruitful, I will not beg a long life, nor that it might still be barren, and so provoke thee. I beg for the sake of the soul, the immortal soul: Lord spare it one year only, one year longer, this year also if I do any good to it, it will be in a little time. Thou shalt not be over-wearied with waiting one year, and then. Barren Fig-Tree, dost thou hear what striving. there is between the Vine Dresser and the Husbandman for thy life. Cut it down, says one; Lord, spare it, saith the other; 'Tis a cumberground, saith the Father; One year longer, prays the Son let it alone this year also. : Until I shall dig about it, and dung it. The Lord Jesus by these words, supposes two things, as causes of want of fruit in a barren FigTree, and two things he proposeth as a remedy. The things that are a cause of want of fruit, are, 1. 'Tis earth-bound. Lord, the Fig-Tree is earth-bound. 2. A want of warmer means, of fatter means. Wherefore accordingly he propoundeth. First, To loosen the earth, to dig about it. Secondly, And then to supply it with dung; to dig about it, and dung it. Lord, let it alone this Year also, until I shall dig about it. I doubt it is too much ground-bound. "The love of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches," Luke xiv. lie too close to the roots of the heart of this Professor. The love of riches, the love of honours, the love of pleasures, are the thorns that choak the word. "For all that is in the world, the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, are not of the Father, but are at enmity with God." 1 John ii. 15, 16. How then (where these things bind up the heart) can there be fruit brought forth to God? Barren Fig-Tree, see how the Lord Jesus, by these very words, suggesteth the cause of thy fruitlessness of soul. The things of this world lie too close to thy heart; the earth with its things have bound up thy roots. Thou art an earth-bound soul, thou art wrapt up in thick clay. "If any man love the world, the love of the Fa ther is not in him." How then can he be fruitful in the Vineyard? This kept Judas from the fruit of caring for the poor, John xii. 6. This kept Demas from the fruit of Self-denial, 2 Tim. iv. 10, "And this kept Ananias, and Sapphira his wife, from the goodly fruit of sincerity and truth," Acts What shall I say, "These are foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition, for the love of money is the root of all evil." How then can good fruit grow from such a ront, the root of all evil? "Which, while some covet after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Mark, I say, it is an evil root; nay more, "it is the root of all evil," 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10.-How then can the Professor that hath such a root, or a root wrapped up in such earthly things as the Justs, and the pleasures and vanities of this world, bring forth fruit unto God? ง. 5-10. Until I shall [dig] about it. Lord, I will loose his roots, I will dig up this earth, I will lay his roots bare; my hand shall be upon him by sickness, disappointments, by cross providences, I will dig about him until he stands shaking and tottering: until he be ready to fall. Then, if ever, he will seek to take taster hold,— Thus, I say, deals the Lord Jesus oft-times with the barren Professor; he diggeth about him, he smiteth one blow at his heart, another blow at his lusts, a third at his pleasures, a fourth at his comforts, another at his self-conceitedness: Thus he diggeth about him: this is the way to take bad earth from his roots, and to loosen his roots from the earth. Barren Fig-Tree, see here the care, the love, the labour, and way which the Lord Jesus, the Dresser of the Vineyard, is willing to take with thee, if happily thou mayest be made fruitful. "Until I shall dig about it, and [dung] it. As the earth, by binding the roots too closely, may hinder the trees being fruitful, so the want of better means may be also a cause thereof.' And this is more than intimated by the Dresser of the Vineyard, "Until I shall dig about it, and dung it, I will supply it with a more fruitful ministry, with a warmer word. I will give them pastors, after mine own heart; I will dung-them" you know dung is a more warm, more fat, more hearty, more suckering matter than is commonly the place in which trees are planted. "I will dig about it, and dung it; I will bring it under an heart-awakening ministry; the means |