The Barren Fig Trees Doom, Sermon 3
SERMON III
And he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
WE have been considering of the Subject of the Parable; That which follows to be observed is,
II. The barrenness of the Fig-tree taken notice of by the Owner; and here are two things to be observed.
1. The Husbandmans peculiar inspection which he had upon this plant, He came and sought fruit thereon. [He came,] i. e. to this particular Tree. Motion is attributed to God after the manner of men, for he is every where by his Infinite Omnipresence; but it intimates a peculiar observation, [seeking] this world is also accommodated to humane Understanding; seeking, properly implies an enquiring after something that one is at a loss about; but God knows what every one is, and will do: but it intends both a curious inspection and a rational expectation. The word is sometimes used for earnest desiring, yea importunately requiring a thing … God requires it, and well may he observe whether they do answer this injunction of his. [Fruit thereon,] Fig-trees are planted for bearing, and visible Professors are put into the Church that they may have opportunity for serving God: and well may it be expected that every thing should answer its end.
2. The Husbandmans disappointment, or missing of his expectation; he found none. Notwithstanding his best care in seeking, he could not find one fig upon the tree; and this inferrs, that there was none, for if there had been any, be would have discovered it: God to be sure, who is Omniscient, cannot but see and know whether there be any thing done by the Professor that is truly good.
There are three Observations which we may gather, and briefly improve from this passage.
DOCTRINE I. God expects that every one that is planted in his Vineyard should bring forth fruits answerable to this Planting.
And this is a rational expectation. What Husbandman that sees a fruit-tree in his Enclosure, would expect otherwise?
In clearing up this Doctrine, three things may be enquired into.
1. What fruit is it that God expects?
2. In what respect he may be said thus to expect it?
3. What reason there is why he may justly so expect?
1. What fruit it is that God expects?
A. Not any fruit of what kind soever; for if so, then God would never miss of his expectation. All men are doing something o… other; every man hath his works which he must be called to an account for, be judged by, and receive a recompense accordingly, 2 Cor. 5. 10. there are the fruits of the flesh, as well as of the spirit; but there are some fruits that are reckoned as worse than none, and let men have never so many of them, they are for all accounted barren, Hos. …0. 1. every man looks that his Trees should bear, according to the kind they were planted for, and had a resemblance of: they do not go about to gather figs of Thistles; but they promise themselves, that if they be fig-trees, they will surely bear figs, and good ones too; if therefore the Vine bear grapes, yet if they prove wild and sower, they are as bad as none, Isa. 5. 2. They that are placed in the visible Church are fig-trees, they seem at least to be so, they bear such leaves upon them; not that God can be deceived in any, he knows what they are indeed, but by their outward profession they declare themselves to be such: they say they are Gods people, called by his name, devoted to his service; they are visibly plants of Righteousness. The fruits then which God expects of such are the fruits of righteousness; that they should live a life of faith which works by love; that they should serve and obey him in all things, should walk in an holy conformity to his revealed will, should do the works of God; live answerably to the teachings of the grace which hath appeared to them, Tit. 2. 11, 12. In summe, that they walk in conformity to the Rules of Gods Word, frame their lives in all things according to it: these are fruits pleasing to him, and such as become his Vineyard, and those wherein you may shew forth his praise.
2. On what account he may be said thus to expect it?
A. Though God condescends to speak to us in our language, yet it becomes us always to interpret him so as is becoming his Sacred Majesty. All things therefore that imply any infirmity in men, are to be removed from our thoughts in our interpretation of him, in what he declares to us. Here then let us observe that when men are said to expect a thing, it implies, 1. That they are at some loss about it before hand. 2. That they entertain it in an hope. 3. That this hope depends upon probabilites that may be frustrated & so they may miss. We are not to suppose any such thing concerning the great God, for, what he desires, he doth: he knows all things a forehand, for they depend upon his All Efficiency, he cannot therefore be disappointed, or lose his hope. This expectation therefore is not to be attributed to him in respect of his secret will, decrees, or purposes; as if he had left any of them dubious or uncertain, or depending on the creature, on which he must wait before he can determine what will be, this is altogether incompatible to the Divine nature: But it must be interpreted of his revealed will, in respect of the transactions that have past between God and his People: for, as he treats with them as men, so he is said to look for this or that from them, after the manner of men. It notes the connexion between the end and the …utableness of the means for the advancing of the end; here then observe in particular.
1. That there is some worthy end of God… planting a Church in the World. God… Works are all done in Wisdom: nor Wisdom always proposeth to it self a worthy end in all that it doth. God doth nothing in vain. There is a great deal of Gods care, and singular Providence discovers it self in and about the affairs of his Church; in the raising up of Instruments, and sending them forth into the world, with a Commission to gather men out of it into his Vineyard; …n giving them his Gospel and Ordinances; in making of his Covenant known to them there is something peculiar which God doth to and for these, from what he doth for other men, he hath not dealt so by all nations. There must therefore be some peculiar and eminent design in it, or otherwise he would not have thus done: and it is worthy our enquiry after, that so we may be able to give him the honour that is due to him for it.
2. We are to distinguish between the end of the purpose and of the precept. If we speak of Gods purposes, he knows all his works concerning them, before the foundation of the World, and here he can never be at a loss or disappointed: but that is secret to us, and therefore belongs not to our curious search, Deut. 29. 29. But then the precept of God is that in which he is pleased to reveal himself to us, and shews us what is his will concerning our Duty, or what he hath seen meet to make a duty incumbent upon us; now in the preceptive discovery of Gods Will to his people, he hath told them what it is they ought to propose to themselves as their end, and what are the means which they are to make use of in order to their obtaining it; and this is that which we call mans end, because he is commanded to seek it, and Gods end too, because he hath enjoyned men to seek it, and which he intends also to bring about in all these whom he hath ordained to eternal life, Joh. 28. 28.
3. That the end which every one in the visible Church is called and pointed to, is to bear fruit. It is true, God hath a purpose of his own concerning them, which shall never be frustrate, he will have his honour by them, whether they fructify or no; which way soever it falls, he will have his glory, Paul is a sweet savour of God, in them that are saved, and i… them that perish. But this is that which God enjoyns them all in: this is his positive command, which he hath laid upon every one that are taken so near unto him: that they do serve and obey him, Isa. 43. 2. This people have I formed for my self, they shall shew forth my praise. God requires this of every one, and what men require, they are wont to expect: for, because all men owe Obedience to all the commands of God, and his people are under peculiar, as well as general obligations hereunto, who that is so related would not look that such should obey him? for men then to fail in this respect, is to come short of their end; and God complains as if he had done for them in vain, Jer. 2. 30.
4. That all the means that are used with them look directly this way. We are wont to judge of mens designs, by their actions; and by their designs we rationally judge of their expectations; for all men have a secret hope that their designs will succeed, else they would not be at cost to promove them. Now he that shall but rightly consider the nature and tendency of all that is done by God to & for his visible Church, and every one in it, must needs say that all hath a direct and proper reference to their bearing the fruits of Holiness: for what else doth the Gospel Covenant oblige men to, but to glorify God? and that is by a rightly ordered Conversation; what else do all the Gospel commands serve to, but to shew man the way ho… he is thus to do? what are all the promises for, but to give them all encouragment needful, to excite and engage them hereunto? and what is the aspect of all the threatnings, but to awaken them, and make them careful of their duty, and afraid to neglect it; and what are all the afflictive providences they meet with for, but to purge them that they may bear more fruit?
5. Hence God may truly be said on this account to expect it. Who would not be obeyed in his just commands? and there are two things which among men, are wont eventually to discover to us what they expected, and both these may be attributed to God, according to scripture.
1. They are wont to be pleased when their expectations are answered; it gives them a great deal of satisfaction, and we shall find that God is well pleased with the obedience of his People, Heb. 13 16. with such Sacrifices God is well pleased. He is therefore said to smell a savour of rest in such things: if Abel offers his firstlings and the fat, God hath a respect to him, see Heb. 11. 5. he will therefore say to them that husband their Talents profitably, well done good and faithful servant: and he hath gracious rewards to bestow upon such, wherein he testifies how grateful they are to him.
2. They are wont to be displeased, if they miss of their expectation, they take it ill, and it is a matter of trouble to them; and the reason is, because, they promised … selves the contrary. Now God in his Word …ear… witness to his great displeasure at all such as are in his Church, who do not bear fruit▪ so he did at this fig-tree: verse 7. … which kindleth his anger against his people, and is the occasion of all the Judgments that are brought upon them: when therefore the Scripture gives us an account of the many fearful Calamities wh… God made his people to undergo, this … made the procuring cause of them; they did not obey him, but they sinned against … and all this intimates that which unto men would amount to a seeking or expecting of fruit from such as these are▪
3. What reason there is why he may justly so expect?
A. If their be any reason for an husbandman to expect fruit, of a tree that he hath laid out cost and care upon, then well may God look for it of those that are planted in his visible Church, for there is nothing wanting there as to means for their help hereunto▪ therefore we have the demand, Isai, 5. 4. What could I have done more? this will appear if we consider.
1. They have sufficient Conviction afforded them of the unreasonableness of Disobedience, and reasonableness of Obedience. In the Word and Ordinances these discoveries … …entifully made to them, in which the nature, and evil fruits of sin are plainly see before them, the beauty of Holiness, and rationality as well as profitableness of the Service of God is made clear by several Demonstrations: They are but poor, dark and glimmering notions of these things that the Heathen discover, by the best improvement of the light of nature; but in the visible Church, these things are from time to time exhibited, and the undeniableness of these truths made to appear.
2. They have here also sufficient direction afforded them, to point out the way to them, in which they may serve God, & bear the fruits of obedience, Mic. 6. 8. he hath shewed thee the way O Man! the world are unacquainted with this, the way of natural obedience is but … to them, but that of Gospel obedience is altogether hidden from them▪ Ro. 3.17. the way of peace have they not known. But these have such discoveries, Psal. 147. 16. he she…eth his word unto Jacob, his Statutes and Judgments unto Israel. The Object of their obedience, viz: God in Christ, is here made known in his Glorious excellencies and perfections; the way how fallen man may serve God acceptably, i. e, by Faith in Christ, and grace derived from him, is here declared: the Duties in which he is thus to be obeyed, and the sins that are to be avoided, are here deciphered, and from time to time explained unto ….
3. They have plentiful warnings against sin, and encouragements to obedience laid before them. God here tells them the danger of the one, and the great benefit that shall accrue to them by the other; the threatnings and the promises do fully exhibit these things: the death and destruction that by living in sin they shall bring themselves to; the life and glory that is to be enjoyed in fearing and serving God are urged upon them. God is often saying to them, as Rom. 8. 13. if ye live after the flesh ye shall dy, &c. In the Law is discovered the wrath of God against all Unrighteousness; in the Gospel, the great salvation purchased by Christ, and applied to them that believe in him and serve him, is made known.
4. All needful help is offered them, to enable them thus to serve God, and bring forth fruits to his praise. Man indeed is in himself without strength, he cannot serve God, his Moral Powers are enervated, and altogether disabled by Original sin: but this is no excuse to him, because God hath told him where his help is, Hos. 13. 9. and he hath promised his spirit to them that ask him yea and bids them to ask him; nay the spirit himself offers his help to them, and is grieved that they refuse him, and quench his motions in them, he is ready to relieve their infirmities, to supply the… with a new principle of Grace, and str…h, and continued influence to help them to be fruitful.
5. All proper pains and endeavours are used with them, to bring them to bear fruit to God. They are Gods Husbandry, I Cor. 3. 9 they have li…e upon …ine, &c. they have the dews and showers of Ordinances falling upon them continually, counsels, reproofs, warnings, inward motions and stirrings of the spirit in and with the outward dispensation of the Ordinances; many mercies to allure them to Obedience, and seasonable afflictions to reclaim them from sin, and quicken them to Holiness, to wea… them from the World, and prompt them to mind the things of highest concernment for their Souls.
6. All this is afforded to reasonable Creatures. Men that are able in other things to consult, advise, and determine, according to the rules of discretion; and why should they not so do in these too, which are set before them with as clear Demonstration, and urged with greatest seriousness and solemnity, who can …ell? and when we have put all things together, what can be said against it, why God may not in all reason expect, that those who are thus advantaged above others, should, do more than others, and make their profiting known to all men by their fruits?
USE I.
For Information, in three particulars,
1. Dear… hence, That Church-Membership is not only a title of dignity, but also an obligation to Services It is true indeed, it is an honourable thing, a mighty stoop of God to sinful men, that he will take them so near to himself; that he is pleased to make them his Vineyard; to put his name upon them, and preferr them before the world, and it ought to be acknowledged to him: but for men, … too many do, to pride themselves in this, and place their whole confidence in it, without regarding how they use it, or what improvement they make of it; to …, The Temple of the Lord, and not regard how they live to his dishonour, is directly contrary to the design, and will make all their boastings to be vain. When God had … for his vineyard, he looked for grapes, Isa. 5. 2. he did not plant it for a shew, but for service, and all he doth for it, is to engage his people in it: Oh that this were more thought of?
2. Hence how inexcusable will they be another day, who have had a place in Gods Church, and yee bear no fruit there? doth God expect it? and hath he so much reason to look for it? and do they do what in them lies to cross his expectations in it, and so disappoint him? as we may speak after the manner of men; surely this will not be to their comfort, but their shame and …orrow in the day of reckoning, and let all that are in the visible Church think of it; assure your selves that there i… a time of harvest coming, when every. Tree will be looked after, and the fruits will be proved what they are: no fruits, and bad fruits will be condemned: and when God shall plead with you and say, I did this and that for you, I laid out all this care and cost upon you; why then is it that you have not served me? how comes it to pass that all this pains is in vain? will you not then be speechless?
3. We here see the reason of Gods Judgments upon a visible Church, when they do not bear fruit, when they grow to degeneracy, and fall under notorious decays; when the fruits of righteousness grow thin among them; when Iniquity begins to abound, and the first love is fallen from, and the first works are neglected. If we search the records of the Word of God, and enquire how it came to pass, that a people taken so near to God as his ancient people were, felt so much of the smart of Judgments, why the Hedges were broken down, and the Wild Bore of the Wilderness let in, &c. if we ask what occasioned these threatnings against Ephesus, Sardis, La…dicea, Rev. 2. 3. here it issues, and how loud doth this speak to us in such a day of Gods anger as this is, to search and try our ways, to see if we have not thus gone to decay?
USE II.
For Exhortation: Let this then be a loud call to every one in the vineyard to be fruitful. Doth God expect this of you? be advised then to answer his expectation, let not this Husbandman lose his labour and cost; and for motive, consider,
1. God will certainly be angry with you, if you do not thus do. It will be a very great provocation to him; it will put him upon thinking what to do with you; he will be weary of his vineyard. Should the Husbandman lose his cost and labour, plant vines and they bear nothing, set fig-trees, and they bring forth unpleasant fruits; and after many essays to make it serviceable, it rather grows worse, will he not be provoked to throw it up? and so God threatens. Isa. 5. 4. there is not a readier way to bring ruine God is not so engaged as not to do it, what saith he to Jerusalem? Jer. 22. 6. sur… … will make thee a Wilderness, and Cities not Inhabited.
2. God will be no loser by you. It is n…, with him, as it is with men; if they are frustrated of their hopes, they lose all their expense; but God will not, for he needs not so to do: If the plants in his vineyard will not serve for fruit, they will do for burning, and therein also will he be glorified, and by so much as these have had more cost and pains laid out upon them, by so much more will the Justice of God shine forth in his Righteous Revenge, when his wrath shall burn upon them in proportion to the expense which he hath …a…d out for them: it is not he therefore but you that will be sufferers, Paul is a sweet savour of God, &… 2.Cor. 2. 15. 16:
3. Your fruitfulness will be your profit, it will turn to your account; God is not advantaged in himself by your righteousness, Job 35. 6. if thou be righteous, what profitest thou him? if you are wise, it will be for your selves: the fruits of Holiness, which Gods People bring forth in this life, are the seeds of Glory; there is a great recompense of reward that God hath provided to bestow upon such: Gods Name indeed hath the honour of it, and he deserves it; but the profit returns into the bosom of his people, the more fruit you yield the more store is laid up for you in heaven, and you shall have the comfort of it, when you rest from your labours, and your works shall follow you.
4. How unreasonable is it that you should not serve and glorifie God in your lives? doth not every thing he doth for you bespeak it? is it not the voice of all the priviledges, of all the means that you enjoy? doth not every counsel, warning, promise call for it? every mercy invite you to it? every affliction call upon and tell you that God expects it?
5. If you bear no fruit, you will have no plea for it that will stand you instead, when God shall come to reckon up all his layings out upon you, all the advantages which a day of grace hath afforded you, your mouths will then be stopt, and you will be filled with amazement. Be then advised, and to that end.
1. Avoid all impediments or hindrances. There are many which offer themselvs, from Satan, from the world, from your own hearts; as will be more particularly i…nced hereafter; if you nourish these, they wi… prevent your bearing fruit to God, it therefore concerns you to oppose them, and to be careful not to expose your selves to them.
2. Improve all the advantages that are offered to you in Gods Vineyard. There are many and great, as we have observed; but it is not enjoyment but improvement that makes them serviceable unto us use the price that is in your hands, work whilst the day lasts, set your selves to seek and serve God: this is the way to be Plants of renown, and accepted of him.