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a reception from any one of us?-He tells us that he will scourge that servant with such severity as to "cut him asunder" And that he will assign him his portion among his open and avowed enemiess-Nor will he treat in this manner those only who are riotous and debauched, but those also who neglect to prepare for his arrival"-He will however make a distinction between the punishment of different servants, proportioning the stripes to the opportunities he had afforded them of knowing and doing his will-But the fewest stripes will be dreadful, and the pain of them eternal-How should such an awful consideration as this awaken us!-Surely our hearts must be harder than adamant, if they be not impressed by it-] We may IMPROVE this parable

1. For self-examination

[Peter asked whether it related to the disciples?--and our Lord directed them to examine themselves whether they were such servants? This is a proper direction for us-Are we then "like" such servants?---Let us remember that to such, and such alone, will our Lord's advent be a source of joy-To all others, what a terrible surprise will his coming be! Let us then resolve, with God's grace, to watch-Who would not watch if he knew that his house would be assaulted by thieves? And shall we not watch to preserve our souls?". Whatever be our station among men, our duty to Jesus is the same-O that we may all meet his approbation, and receive his blessing!-]

2. For consolation

[The time of his coming may appear long-But it is only as one or two watches of a single night"-How soon will this be past? And how sweet will be our rest at the expiration of it!-Let us then "exercise ourselves unto godliness" -Let us not sleep as do others; but let us watch and be sober-Let us, as dear fellow-servants, strive to keep each other awake and lively-And soon shall we hear the wished-for knock-Blessed period! May we all be found ready for it; and welcome our divine Master with songs of gratitude and triumphp-]

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CCLI. THE BARREN FIG-TREE.

Luke xiii. 7-9. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this figtree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

PERSONS, who can least bear a scrutiny themselves, are apt to pass the severest censures upon others

But we can never form a just estimate of men's characters from the dispensations of Providence towards

them

Nor, though our conclusions were more certain, would it become us to place ourselves on the seat of judgmentWe are far more concerned to prepare for the account which we ourselves must render unto God

Such was the advice which our Lord gave to his censorious hearers

He bade them repent of their own sins, instead of presuming to judge others—

And enforced his admonition with an apposite and instructive parable-We shall enquire

I. In what respects we resemble a barren fig-tree

Humiliating as the comparison before us is, it is but too just

We have enjoyed every advantage that could conduce o fruitfulness

[The fig-tree is represented as planted in a vineyard where the soil was good, and every attention was paid to it

Thus we have not been left in the open field of the heathen world

We have been planted in the enclosed vineyard of God's church

His word and ordinances have been regularly administered

to us

We have participated both the stated and occasional labours of his ministers

a Ver. 1-5.

Nor has any thing been wanting which could render us fruitful

God may appeal respecting us, as he did respecting his church of old-]

Yet it is to be feared we have hitherto been found barren

[For three successive years was the fig-tree destitute of fruit

And have not we been barren a much longer time?

The fruits which God expects are repentance, faith, and obedience

But have we mourned over our sins with deep contrition? Have we fled to Christ as the only refuge and hope of lost sinners?

Have we presented ourselves to him an holy and living saerifice?

Has it been the labour and ambition of our souls to abound in these fruits?—

Have we not even to this hour been " barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ?"

Have we not rather, as cumberers of the ground, been prejudicial to those around us?

Have not those who have been planted near us, reason to complain that they have been retarded by us, rather than furthered in the spiritual life?—

Surely too many of us deserve the name once given to Israel of oldd-]

We may justly wonder therefore that we are suffered to occupy our respective places

II. Whence it is that, notwithstanding our unfruitfulness, we have been spared to this time

We are ready to suppose that mere unprofitableness is no sin

But we are not spared because our state is not hateful to God

[The owner of the vineyard noticed all the pains bestowed on the fig-tree

And felt his disappointment greater every successive yearHence he spake of its unfruitfulness with astonishment and indignation

b Isai. v. 4. d Hos. x. 1.

forcibly.

VOL. III.

c Matt. iii. 8. Luke xviii. 8. and Phil. i. 11. Behold-Why, &c." convey these ideas very

Q

And must he not wonder that in the midst of so many advantages we remain unfruitful?—

Has he not declared that unprofitable servants are objects of his abhorrencef]

Much less are we spared because we are better than others

[Doubtless there are degrees of sinfulness and guiltAs among men, so in the sight of God, there are some worse than others

But what good can be in him who answers no one end of his creation?

The description given of such persons by the prophet is strictly just

And to them may be addressed those humiliating words of Mosesh

The intercession of Christ is the true reason of God's forbearance towards us

[The fig-tree was spared only at the request of " the vinedresser"

The order given would certainly have been executed, if he had not obtained a respite

And little do we think how often death has had a commission to cut us down

Surely our continued provocations must often have incensed God against us—

But, in former times, he often revoked his word at the urgent request of his servant Mosesi

Nor can we doubt but that the Psalmist's declaration has been often verified in our great Advocate and Intercessork

The respite however which is yet prolonged, will not last for ever

III. What doom we must expect if we still continue barren

God will deal with every man according to his worksIf now at last we should begin to bear fruit it would be well

[The vine-dresser undertook to bestow still greater culture on the fig-tree

And intimated that, if his labours should succeed, it would be a source of much satisfaction to all concerned

How much more is this true in reference to our souls!—

f Matt. xxv. 26, 30.

g Ezek. xv. 2-4.

i Exod. xxxii. 10, 11, 14.

h Deut. ix. 4—6. k Ps. cvi. 23.

At this moment we may consider the trench digging and the manure applied to us-

What a source of comfort will it be, if your means be blessed with success!

The owner of the vineyard, the dresser of it, yea, and the inferior labourers too, would greatly rejoice'

And what a blessing would it be to the tree itself!—

Instead of being cut down as useless, it would he an ornament to the vineyard

God himself would not disdain to regale himself with its fruit

In due season it should be transplanted to that richer vineyard above

And should bring forth fruit to God's glory for evermoreYes, its past unfruitfulness should be no obstruction to its bliss

But joy and honour should be its everlasting portion—] But if the culture be still in vain, we must be speedi ly cut down

[The intercessor himself approved of this in reference to the fig-tree

And can any thing else be expected by those whom the gospel does not profit?

Can any think that they shall be left to cumber the ground for ever?

Must not even the patience of God himself be at last exhausted?

Shall he not ere long definitively say, CUT THEM DOWN?Must they not then be consigned over to everlasting burnings?—

And must not their Intercessor, yea, their own souls, approve the sentence?

Let every one then attend to the warning given to the antediluvian world"

And not defer till the morrow, what, if left undone, must involve him in such ruin-]

INFER

1. How thankful should we be to our great Advocate and Intercessor!

[Many since the last year have been cut off by deathWhat a mercy should we esteem it that we have been spared!

How dreadful must our state have now been if we had been taken unprepared!

1 Luke xv. 5, 6, 7, 10. m Cant. iv 16.

n Gen. vi. 3.

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