distinguished advantages; and all others the danger of barrennefs, and the abfolute neceffity of fruitfulness in the ways of God. This was not adverted to by the dif ciples, till our Lord explained his conduct. From hence, in this tranfaction, attending to all the characters our Lord fuftained, it is evident he was neither deceived nor mistaken. He might have known it was barren, and have gone to it for this reafon, to illuftrate his purpose, and exhibit the great evil of barrennefs in religion to all mankind.

The fecond difficulty imagined in the text is derived from these words, The time of figs was not yet. Therefore, fome prejudiced readers of the New Teftament have triumphed in an objection found here to Christianity, as though it abfolutely demolished the whole fyftem. As if the total fum of evidence, in favour of the Christian religion, was really confronted and fet afide by the ignorant and fuperficial force of a fingle remark. Our English translation of these words is, perhaps, not fo happily explain, obvious, and easy to The time of gathering in the

preffed, but the original is every candid and fair mind.

figs was not yet. That is, they were now ripe on the trees, fit for use or to eat, but not yet carried in, or laid up in their ftores. Now, could there poffibly be either folly or weakness in expecting to find fruit proper upon this tree, which had leaves as other fruit-bearing trees, and looked green and flourishing at a distance. We have another precifely fimilar phrase used by St Matthew, which has never been objected to by any, because plainly tranflated. The time of the fruit. The fruit was ripe, the season of harvest come, therefore the husbandman fent his fervants to receive the fruits of his vineyard; but he also was mistaken or disappointed *.

* Καιρος συκών, and Καιρος των καρπών, Matt. xxi. 34 are phrafes communicating precisely fimilar ideas; and with regard to time or fea

fon,

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I fhould not have made these remarks for the removal of feeming difficulties in our text, only for the fake of fome, who are extremely fond of objections against the Scriptures, and defirous of improving every little thing in criticism, or in their chronology, to weaken, if not to destroy their pretenfions to a Divine original.

We shall now attend to the moral fenfe and defign of our Saviour, in this action of destroying the barren fig. tree, and the improvement which we ought to make of it.

To illuftrate the intention of our Lord in this action, it may be observed, that the Prophets in the Old Teftament, to express their prophecies, and the comminations of Heaven against the Jews, employed not only words, but such symbolical actions, as did in the most lively manner paint their folly, their stupidity, fin, and punishment. This Jefus, who taught fuperior to men, and astonished them with his doctrine, imitates in this branch of his conduct. It is evident, that by the fig-tree is intended the Jewish nation, the then church and people of God, who had long enjoyed the means of grace, and the most eminent privileges, both civil and facred; its barrenness fignifies their unfruitfulness, their ingratitude, bafeness, rebellion,

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fon, the ideas are the fame. Both of them fignify the season of harvest, or the time of gathering in the respective fruits.

I fhall only mention one authority, out of many, in fupport of this interpretation, It is Dr Macknight, in his Harmony of the Four Gof. pels, vol. 2. page 104.-" Kaipos cuxwv, properly fignifies the fenfor " ́of gathering figs, as Kαipos тwv xαpaav, Matt. xxi. 34. fignifies, the "feafon of gathering the fruits. In conftruing this paffage, the latter "clause must be joined with the words, he came if baply he might find

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any thing thereon; for the Evangelift tells us, that the season of gathering figs was not yet come, to fhow that none had been taken off "the tree, and confequently having its whole produce upon it, there

was nothing improper in Chrifi's expecting fruit then."

rebellion, backfliding, and wickedness; by Chrift's curfing it, is pointed out their awful doom, their extermination as a kingdom, their excifion as a church, and their total ruin and difperfion through all nations. They, who were once the most favourite people of Heaven, became the most contemptible people on earth. Are the favages in our wilderness, the inhabitants of Ethiopia, or the Hottentots upon the African fteril fhores; are any of these so hated, so perfecuted, fo evil entreated, or so despised, as the barren, ejected, and dispersed Jews? Look upon the fig-tree, it withers, dies, and is no more; look the Jews for seventeen hundred years and more, and you are ready to fay they are damned.

upon

This horrid ftate of the Jews, a people favoured of heaven above all nations of the earth, had been often delineated by their Meffiah in the strongest images, and in ftriking parables of obvious application. An inftance of which let us felect from the twenty-firft chapter of Matthew.

"A certain boufeholder planted a vineyard, manured and hedged it, furnished it with every convenient building, every utenfil, and every apparatus ; in this fair and inviting fituation he rented it to tenants; and when the time for receiving his income came, he fent bis fervants to collect it; the tenants having lived well, and by this time finding themselves rich, they fuppofed themselves the lords of the manor; they flood ready to difpute the title; they beat one fervant, killed another, toned a third, and drove them off the land. Other fervants were fent; the fame treatment, and worse enfued. Lastly, be fent his fon, in rational expectation that he would awe them into reverence and fubmiffion. But they were too far gone in wickedness to be reclaimed. When they beheld him, their wicked hearts exulted, saying, This is the heir, come, let us

kill him and poffefs all. No fooner is their horrid refolve formed than executed. Our Lord applies this ftinging parable in a pointed address to the Jews? What is proper for the Lord of the vineyard to do to thofe men? Their guilty confciences conftrain them to anfwer: He will miferably deftroy thofe wicked men, and let it out to others, who will render him the fruits in their feafons. Then faith Jefus to them, This juftice will God perform; the kingdom of God fhall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

This fame thing the Prophet Ifaiah had long before predicted, and in the most beautiful, moving, and eloquent manner reprefented. Attend to the picture he draws: My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful bill; be fenced it, gathered out the ftones thereof; planted it with the choiceft vine; built a tower in the midst of it; and also made a winepress therein; and be looked that it fhould bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Ferufalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard! What could have been done more for my vineyard that I have not done in it? Therefore I will utterly deftroy it and lay it wafte; there fhall come up briars and thorns in it; and the clouds fball rain no rain upon it. Thus the houfe of Ifrael was barren, wicked, and unprofitable, and deftruction to the uttermoft came upon them.

Having thus illuftrated our Lord's intention in this action of blasting the barren fig-tree, it is easy to collect what inftruction it affords, and what ufe we ought to make of it. The flightest confideration of it will serve to teach us thefe two leffons.

I. That where God grants eminent bleffings, and affords the means of grace, he reafonably expects the fruits of holiness.

II. That unfruitfulness under the bounties of heaven, and the light and ordinances of the Gospel, is a dangerous and evil condition. Our Saviour's coming to the tree to seek fruit, fully fuggefts the one; and his curfing it for its barrennefs, the other.

In respect to the firft, when God beftows his favours, he expects proper and suitable returns; where he grants the means of grace, the Gofpel and its ordinances, he reasonably expects the fruit they are calculated to produce. How is it to be wifhed, that the generality of Christians were more fenfible of this! If we lived more deeply under this impreffion, we should maintain a more lively sensation of the neceffity of holiness and virtue; there would be hopes then we would make it more feriously our study and care to comply with the obligations of religion. Multitudes in the present day feem fo regardless of practical piety, that it is to be feared they adjuft their opinions to their converfation and conduct. They feparate the branches of religion, and reduce its importance in fuch a manner, that their minds are quiet and easy, though their lives are exceedingly irregular. One, who is notoriously intemperate in drinking, yet he declares himself an honest man in all his dealings; this renders all peaceable and fafe within. Another is addicted to profane fwearing; but he thinks no harm, and is charitable, kind, and benevolent, and this fupports his hope. A third, covetous, griping, and unjust; yet he prays, goes conftantly to church, and his feat is never empty at facrament; his peace is joy, and his hope assurance. A fourth carries a bitter, cenforious, false, flandering and back biting tongue; but he was convinced and converted in mode and form, at fuch a time and place; therefore his mountain ftands ftrong, and his comfort can

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