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: "Israel is an empty vine, (a barren fig-tree,) that bringeth forth fruit to itself alone, and none at all to God."]
We may justly wonder therefore that we are suf- fered to occupy our respective places, and inquire,
II. Whence it is that, notwithstanding our unfruit- fulness, we have been spared to this time ?
We are not spared because our state is inoffensive to God —
[The owner of the vineyard noticed all the pains bestowed on the fig-tree, and felt his disappointment greater every suc- cessive year : hence he spake of its unfruitfulness with astonish- ment and indignation e. And must not the heavenly vine-dresser wonder, that in the midst of so many advantages we remain unfruitful ? And has he not declared that unprofitable servants are objects of his utter abhorrencef.]
Much less are we spared because we are better than others —
[Doubtless there are degrees of sinfulness and guilt: as 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 justg. (There is scarcely any thing in the creation so worthless as the wood of a barren vine.) And to them may be addressed those humiliating words of Moses ; " Not for your sakes have these mercies been vouchsafed to you ; for ye are a stiff-necked people11."]
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 vine- dresser." 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 our God against us : but, as in former times, he often revoked his word at the urgent request of his servant Moses ;* so beyond a doubt has the Psalmist's declaration been often verified in our great
d Hos. x. 1.
e "Behold — Why,''' &c. convey these ideas very forcibly.
f Matt. xxv. 26, 30. 8 Ezek. xv. 2—4.
h Deut. ix. 4 — 6. ■ Exod. xxxii. 10, 11, 14.