'nan Coniah. Jer. xxii. 28. This people draw nigh to me with their mouth, but have removed their hearts far from me. God knows who they are among all the thousands of Israel that are the barren and fruitless professors; his lot will fall upon the head of Achan, though he be hid amongst six hundred thousand men. And he brought his household, man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zubdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. Josh. vii. 17, 18. This is the Achan, this is the fig tree, this is the barren professor. There is a man hath an hundred trees in his vineyard, and at the time of the season he walketh into his vineyard to see how the trees flourish; and as he goes and views and pries and observes how they are hanged with fruit, behold he cometh to one where he findeth naught but leaves. Now he makes a stand, looks upon it again and again; he looks also here and there, above and below; and if after all this seeking he finds nothing but leaves thereon, then he begins to cast in his mind how he may know this tree next year-what stands next it or how far it is off the hedge; but if there be nothing there that may be as a mark to know it by, then he takes his hook and giveth it a private mark, ("And the Lord set a mark upon Cain,") saying, Go thy way, fruitless fig tree, thou hast spent this season in vain. Yet doth he not now cut it down; I will try it another year; maybe this was not a hitting season. Therefore he comes again next year, to see if now it have fruit; but as he found it before, so he finds it now, barren, barren, every year barren; he looks again, but finds no fruit. Now he begins to have second thoughts. How! neither hit last year nor this? Surely the barrenness is not in the season, sure the fault is in the tree; however, I will spare it this year also, but will give it a second mark; and it may be he toucheth it with a hot iron, because he begins to be angry. Well, at the third season he comes again for fruit, but the third year is like the first and Becond-no fruit yet; it only cumbereth the ground. What now must be done with this fig tree? Why, the Lord will lop its boughs with terror; yea, the thickest of those profesBors with iron. I have waited, saith God, these three years; I have missed of fruit these three years; it hath been a cumber-ground these three years; cut it down. Precept hath been upon precept, and line upon line, one year after another, for these three years, but no fruit can be seen: I find none. Fetch out the axe: I am sure this is the fig tree; I know it from the first year; barrenness was its sign then, barrenness is its sign now; make it fit for the fire. "Behold, the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire." Observe, my brethren, God's heart cannot stand towards a barren fig tree. You know thus it is with yourselves. If you have a tree in your orchard or vineyard that doth only cumber the ground, you cannot look upon that tree with pleasure, with complacency and delight. No; if you do but go by it, if you do but cast your eye upon it, yea, if you do but think of that tree, you threaten it in your heart, saying, I will hew thee down shortly, I will to the fire with thee shortly and it is in vain for any to think of persuading of you to show favour to the barren fig tree; and if they should persuade your answer is irresistible: It yields me no profit, it takes up room, and does no good; a better may grow in its room. Cut it down. Thus when the godly among the Jews (Jer. xiv. 17) made prayers that rebellious Israel might not be cast out of the vineyard, what saith the answer of God?-"Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet could not my mind be towards this people; wherefore cast them out of my presence, and let them go forth." What a resolution is here! Moses and Samuel could do almost anything with God in prayer. How many times did Moses by prayer turn away God's judgments from even Pharaoh himself! yea, how many times did he by prayer preserve Israel, when in the wilderness, (Ps. cvi. 23,) from the anger and wrath of God! Samuel is reckoned excellent this way, yea, so excellent that when Israel had done that fearful thing as to reject the Lord and choose them another king, he prayed, and the Lord spared and forgave them. But yet neither Moses nor Samuel can save a barren fig tree. No; though Moses and Samuel stood before me—that is, pleading, arguing, interceding, supplicating, and beseeching-yet could they not incline mine heart to this people. Cut it down. Ay, but, Lord, it is a fig tree, a fig tree! If it was a thorn, or a bramble, or a thistle, the matter would not be much; but it is a fig tree or a vine. Well, but mark the answer of God: "Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch that is among the trees of the forest? Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?" If trees that are set or planted for fruit bring not forth that fruit, there is betwixt them and the trees of the forest no betterment at all, unless the betterment lieth in the trees of the wood, for they are fit to build withal; but a fig tree or a vine, if they bring not forth fruit, yea, good fruit, they are fit for nothing at all but to be cut down and prepared for the fire; and so the prophet goes on, "Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel." If it serve not for fruit, it will serve for fuel, and so "the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the middle of it is burnt." Ay, but these fig trees and vines are churchmembers, inhabiters of Jerusalem. So was the fig tree mentioned in the text. But what answer hath God prepared for these objections? Why, "Thus saith the Lord God, As the vine tree among the trees of the forest; which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them." Cut it down. The woman that delighteth in her garden, if she have a slip there, suppose (if it was fruitful) she would not take five pounds for it, yet if it bear no fruit, if it wither and dwindle and die, and turn cumber-ground only, it may not stand in her garden. Gardens and vineyards are places for fruit-for fruit according to the nature of the plant or flowers. Suppose such a slip as I told you of before should be in your garden and there die, would you let it abide in your garden? No; away with it, away with it! The woman comes into her garden towards the spring, when first she gives it a slight cast with her eye, then she sets to gathering out the weeds and nettles and stones; takes a besom and sweeps the walks; this done, she falls to prying into her herbs and slips, to see if they live, to see if they are likely to grow. Now, if she comes to one that is dead, that she is confident will not grow, up she pulls that, and makes to the heap of rubbish with it, where she despisingly casts it down, and valueth it no more than a nettle or a weed, or than the dust she hath swept out of her walks. Yes, if any that see her should say, Why do you so? the answer is ready, It is dead, it is dead at root; if I had let it stand it would but have cumbered the ground. The strange slips, (and also the dead ones,) "they must be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow." Cut it down. There are two ways of cutting down L When a man is cast out of the vineyard; 2 When a man is cast out of the world. 1. When a man is cast out of the vineyard. And that is done two ways-1. By an immediate hand of God; 2. By the Church's due execution of the laws and censures which Christ for that purpose hath left with his Church. 1st. God cuts down the barren fig tree by an immediate hand, smiting his roots, blasting his branches, and so takes him away from among his people. "Every branch," saith Christ, "that beareth not fruit in me, he (my Father) taketh away." He taketh him out of the Church, he taketh him away from the godly. There are two things by which God taketh the barren professor from among the children of God-1. Strong delusions; 2. Open profaneness. (1.) By strong delusions, such as beguile the soul with damnable doctrines that swerve from faith and godliness. "They have chosen their own ways," saith God, "and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them." I will smite them with blindness, and hardness of heart, and failing of eyes, and will also suffer the tempter to tempt and effect his hellish designs upon them. "God will send them strong delusions, that they may believe a lie; that they all may be damned who believe not the truth, but have pleasu e in unrighteousness." (2.) Sometimes God takes away a barren professor by open profaneness. There is one hath taken up a profession of that worthy name, the Lord Jesus Christ, but this profes sion is but a cloak: he secretly practiseth wickedness. He is a glutton, a drunkard, or covetous, or unclean. Well, saith God, I will loose the reins of this professor; I will give him up to his vile affections; I will loose the reins of his lusts before him; he shall be entangled with his beastly lusts; he shall be overcome of ungodly company. Thus they that turn aside to their own crooked ways, "the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity." This is God's hand immediately; God is now dealing with this man himself. Barren fig tree, hearken. Thou art crowded into a profession, art got among the godly, and there art a scandal to the holy and glorious gospel, but withal so cunning that, like the sons of Zeruiah, thou art too hard for the Church: she knows not how to deal with thee. Well, saith God, I will deal with that man myself. "I will answer that man myself." He that sets up his idols in his heart, and puts the stumbling-block of his iniquity. before his face, and yet comes and appears before me, "I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb; and I will cut him off from the midst of my people, and he shall know that I am the Lord." But, 2dly. God doth sometimes cut down the barren fig tree by the Church, by the Church's due execution of the law and censures which Christ for that purpose hath left with his Church. This is the meaning of that in Matt. xviii.; 1 Cor. v., and that in 1 Tim. i. 20, upon which now I shall not enlarge. But which way soever God dealeth with thee, O thou barren fig tree-whether by himself immediately or by his Church--it amounts to one and the same; for if timely repentance prevent not, the end of that soul is damnation. They are blasted and withered, and gathered by men, God's enemies, and at last being cast into the fire, burning must be their end: "That which beareth briers and thorns is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned." 2. Again, sometimes by "cut it down," God means, Cast it out of the world. Thus he cut down Nadab and Abihu when he burned them up with fire from heaven. Thus he cut down Korah, Dathan, and Abiram when he made the earth to swallow them up. Thus he cut down Saul when he gave him up to fall against the edge of his own sword, and died. Thus he cut down Ananias with Sapphira his wife when he struck them down dead in the midst of the congregation. I might here also discourse of Absalom, Ahithophel, and Judas, who were all three hanged-the first by God's revenging hand; the others were given up of God to be their own executioners. These were barren and unprofitable fig trees, such as God took no pleasure in, therefore he commanded to cut them down. The Psalmist saith, "He shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath." axe, his sword: Bring it hither, here is a ba ren professor; "Cut him down; why cumber eth he the ground?" Why cumbereth it the ground? By these words the Lord suggesteth reasons of his displeasure against the barren fig tree; it cumbereth the ground. The Holy Ghost doth not only take an argument from its barrenness, but because it is a cumber-ground, therefore cut it down; wherefore it must needs be a provocation 1. Because as much as in him lieth he dis. appointeth the design of God in planting his vineyard; “I looked that it should bring forth fruit." 2. It hath also abused his patience, his longsuffering, his three years' patience. 3. It hath also abused his labour, his pains, his care, and providence of protection and preservation, for he hedges his vineyard, and walls it about. Cumber-ground, all these things thou abuseth. He waters his vineyard and looks to it night and day, but all these things thou hast abused. Further, there are other reasons of God's displeasure; as 1. A cumber-ground is a very mock and reproach to religion, a mock and reproach to the ways of God, to the people of God, to the word of God, and to the name of religion. It is expected of all hands that all the trees in the garden of God should be fruitful: God expects fruit, the Church expects fruit, the world, even the world, concludes that professors should be fruitful in good works; I say, the very world expecteth that professors should be better than themselves. But, barren fig tree, thou disappointest all; nay, hast thou not learned the wicked ones thy ways? Hast thou not learned them to be more wicked by thy example? (But that is by the by.) Barren fig tree, thou hast disappointed others, and must be disappointed thyself: "cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?" 2. The barren fig tree takes up the room where a better might stand; I say, it takes up the room; it keeps, so long as it stands where it doth, a fruitful tree out of that place, and therefore it must be cut down. Barren fig tree, dost thou hear? Because the Jews stood fruitless in the vineyard, therefore saith God, "the kingdom of heaven shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation that shall render him their fruits in their season." The Barren fig tree, hearken. God calls for the Jews for their barrenness were cut down, and more fruitful people put in their room. As Samuel also said to barren Saul, "The Lord hath rent the kingdom from thee, and hath given it to thy neighbour, who is better than thou;" the unprofitable servant must be cast ert, must be cut down. Cumber-ground, how many hopeful, inclinable, forward people hast thou by thy fruitless and unprofitable life kept out of the vineyard cf God! For thy sake have the people stumbled at religion; by thy life have they been kept from the love of their own salvation. Thou hast been also a means of hardening others and of quenching and killing weak beginnings. Well, barren fig tree, look to thyself; thou wilt not go to heaven thyself, and them that would thou hinderest; thou must not always cumber the ground, nor always hinder the salvation of others. Thou shall be cut down, and another shall be planted in thy room. 3. The cumber-ground is a sucker; he draws away the heart and nourishment from the other trees. Were the cumber-ground cut down, the others would be more fruitful; he draws away that fatness of the ground to himself that would make the others more hearty and fruitful: “One sinner destroyeth much good." The cumber-ground is a very drone in the nive, 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 unsavoury salt, that is fit for naught but the dunghill. Look to it, barren fig tree. 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. These are the words of the dresser of the vineyard, who, I told you, is Jesus Christ, (for he made intercession for the transgressors.) And they contain a petition presented to an offen led justice, praying that a little more time and patience might be exercised towards the barren, cumber-ground fig tree. In this petition there are six things considerable tion that by thus doing God's expectations may be answered. "And if it bear fruit, well." 5. 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. 6. 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. Here is astonishing grace indeed!—astonish ing 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! True, he stopped the blow but for a time, but why did he stop it at all? Why did he not fetch out the axe? Why did he not do execution? Why did not he cut it down? Barren fig tree, it is well for thee that there is a Jesus at God's right hand—a Jesus of that largeness of bowels as to have compassion for a barren fig tree-else 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." Barren fig tree, dost thou hear? Thou knowest not how oft the hand of Divine justice had 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 hear yet, barren fig tree? Wilt thou provoke still? Thou hast wearied men and provoked the justice of God: "And wilt thou weary my God also?" Lord, let it alone this year. Look a little longer; let us not lose a soul for want of means. I will try, I will see if I can make it fruitful; I will not beg a long life, nor 1. That justice might be deferred. "Lord, that it might still be barren, and so provoke let it alone," &c., awhile longer. 2. Here is time prefixed, as a space to try if more means will cure a barren fig tree. "Lord, let it alone this year also." 3. The means to help it are propounded. "Until I shall dig about it, and dung it." 4. Here is also an insinuation of a supposi 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 little time. Thou shalt not be overwearied with waiting; one year and then. Barren fig tree, dost thou hear what a striving there is between the Vine-dresser and the Till I shall dig about it, and dung it. The Lord Jesus by these words supposeth two things as causes of the want of fruit in a barren fig tree, and two things he supposeth as a remedy. The things that are a cause of want of fruit are- -1. It is earth-bound. Lord, the fig tree is earth-bound. 2. A want of warmer means, of fatter means. Wherefore accordingly he propoundeth1. To loosen the earth: to dung about it. 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" 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 choke the word. "For all that is in the world, the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life, are not of the Father, but enmity to God:" 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 fruitfulness 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 wrapped up in thick clay. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him;" how then can he be fruitful in the vineyard? This kept Judas from the fruit of caring for the poor. This kept Demas from the fruit of selfdenial. And this kept Ananias and Sapphira his wife from the goodly fruit of sincerity and truth. What shall I say? "These are foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition; for the love of money the root of all evil." How then can good fruit grow from such a root, the root of all evil? "Which while some covet after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many arrows." It is an evil root, nay, it is the root of all evil. How then can the professor that hath such a root, or a root wrapped up in such earthly things as the lusts, and pleasures, and vanities of this world, bring forth fruit to God? is Till 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, by 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 faster hold. Thus, I say, deala the Lord Jesus ofttimes 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 the 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 fain to take with thee if haply thou mayest be made fruitful. Till I shall dig about it, and dung it. As the earth, by binding the roots too closely, may hinder the tree's 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, and succouring 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 of grace shall be fat and good: 1 will also visit it with heart-awakening, heartwarming, heart-encouraging considerations; I will apply warm dung to his roots; I will strive with him by my Spirit, and give him some tastes of the heavenly gift and the power of the world to come. I am loth to lose him for want of digging. "Lord, let it alone this year also, until I shall dig about it, and dung it." And if it bear fruit, well. And if the fruit of all my labour doth make this fig tree fruitful, I shall count my time, my labour, and my means well bestowed upon it; and thou also, O my God, shall be therewith much delighted; for thou art gracious, and merciful, and repentest thee of the evil which thou threatenest to bring upon a people. These words, therefore, inform us that if a barren fig tree, a barren professor, shall now at |