The Barren Fig Tree, or the Doom and Downfall of the Fruitless Professor, Part 1, by John Bunyan. This sermon was created with an artificial voice for the Audiobook Initiative on Sermon Audio. There may be mispronunciations or occasional repetitions. To report a mistake, please email us at info at sermonaudio.com and include the sermon ID or title of the message and the time at which the error occurs. We will do our best to get it corrected for future listeners. The barren fig tree, or the doom and downfall of the fruitless professor, showing that the day of grace may be passed with him long before his life is ended, the signs also by which such miserable mortals may be known. By John Bunyan. Who, being dead, yet speaketh. Hebrews 11.4. To the reader, courteous reader, I have written to thee now about the barren fig tree, or how it will fare with the fruitless professor that standeth in the vineyard of God. Of what complexion thou art I cannot certainly divine, but the parable tells thee that the cumber, ground, must be cut down. A cummerground professor is not only a provocation to God, a stumbling block to the world, and a blemish to religion, but a snare to his own soul also. Though His Excellency mound up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet he shall perish forever like his own dung. They which have seen him shall say, Where is he? Now, they count it pleasure to riot in the daytime, But what will they do when the axe is fetched out? The tree whose fruit withereth is reckoned a tree without fruit, a tree twice dead, one that must be plucked up by the roots. O thou cumberground, God expects fruit. God will come seeking fruit shortly. My exhortation, therefore, is to professors that they look to it, that they take heed. the barren fig tree in the vineyard, and the bramble in the wood, are both prepared for the fire. Profession is not a covert to hide from the eye of God, nor will it palliate the revengeful threatening of His justice. He will command to cut it down shortly. The church and the profession are the best of places for the upright, but the worst in the world for the cumberground. he must be cast, as profane, out of the mount of God, cast, I say, over the wall of the vineyard, there to wither, thence to be gathered and burned. It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness. And yet, if they had not, they had been damned. But it is better to go to hell without, than in, or from under a profession. These shall receive greater damnation. If thou be a professor, read and tremble. If thou be profane, do so likewise. For if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinners appear? Cumber, round, take heed of the acts. barren fig tree, beware of the fire, but I will keep thee no longer out of the book. Christ Jesus, the dresser of the vineyard, take care of thee, dig about thee, and dumb thee, that thou mayest bear fruit, that when the Lord of the vineyard cometh with his axe to seek for fruit, or pronounce the sentence of damnation on the barren fig tree, thou mayest escape that judgment. the cumber, ground must to the woodpile, and thence to the fire. Farewell! Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus in sincerity. Amen. John bunioned the barren fig tree, or the doom and downfall of the fruitless professor. A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on the fig tree, and find none. Cut it down! Why cumbreth it the ground?" And he answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and done it, and if it bear fruit, well, and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. Luke 13, 6-9. At the beginning of this chapter, we read how some of the Jews came to Jesus Christ to tell him of the cruelty of Pontius Pilate in mingling the blood of the Galileans with their sacrifices. A hedonish and prodigious act, for therein he showed not only his malice against the Jewish nation, but also against their worship, and consequently their God. An action, I say, not only hedonish, but prodigious also. For the Lord Jesus, paraphrasing upon this fact of his, teacheth the Jews that without repentance they should all likewise perish. Likewise. That is by the hand and rage of the Roman Empire. Neither should they be more able to avoid the stroke than were those eighteen upon whom the tower of Siloam fell and slew them. The fulfilling of which prophecy, for their hardness of heart and impenitency, was in the days of Titus, son of Vespasian, about forty years after the death of Christ. Then I say, were these Jews and their city, both environed round on every side, wherein both they and it, to amazement, were miserably overthrown, God gave them sword and famine, pestilence and blood, for their outrage against the son of his love. So wrath came upon them to the uttermost. Now, to prevent their old and foolish salvo, which they always had in readiness against such prophecies and denunciations of judgment, the Lord Jesus presents them with this parable, in which He emphatically shows them that their cry of being the temple of the Lord, and of their being the children of Abraham, etc., and their being the church of God, would not stand them in any stead. as who should say, it may be you think to help yourselves against this, my prophecy of your utter and unavoidable overthrow, by the interest which you have in your outward privileges, but all these will fail you. For what think you? A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. This is your case. The Jewish land is God's vineyard, I know it, and I know also that you are the fig trees, but behold, there wanteth the main thing fruit. For the sake, and in expectation of which, he set this vineyard with trees. Now, seeing the fruit is not found amongst you, the fruit, I say, for the sake of which he did at first plant this vineyard, What remains but that injustice? He command to cut you down as those that cumber the ground, that he may plant himself another vineyard.' Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Cut it down! Why cumbereth it the ground? This, therefore, must be your end, although you are planted in the garden of God. For the barrenness and unfruitfulness of your hearts and lives, you must be cut off, yea, rooted up, and cast out of the vineyard. In parables, there are two things to be taken notice of and to be inquired into of them that read. First, the metaphors made use of. Second, the doctrine or mysteries couched under such metaphors. The metaphors in this parable are, one, a certain man, two, a vineyard, three, a fig tree, barren or fruitless, four, a dresser, five, three years, six, digging and dunning, etc. The doctrine or mystery couched under these words is to show us what it is like to become of a fruitless or formal professor. For 1. By the man in the parable is meant God the Father. 2. By the vineyard, his church. 3. By the fig tree, a professor. 4. By the dresser, the Lord Jesus. 5. By the fig tree's barrenness, the professor's fruitlessness. Six, by the three years, the patience of God that for a time he extendeth to barren professors. Seven, this calling to the dresser of the vineyard to cut it down is to show the outcries of justice against fruitless professors. Eight, the dresser's interceding is to show how the Lord Jesus steps in and takes hold of the head of his father's axe to stop, or at least to defer, the present execution of a barren fig tree. Nine, the dresser's desire to try to make the fig tree fruitful is to show you how unwilling he is that even a barren fig tree should yet be barren and perish. 10. His digging about it and dumbing of it is to show his willingness to apply gospel helps to this barren professor, if happily he may be fruitful. 11. The supposition that the fig tree may yet continue fruitless is to show that when Christ Jesus hath done all, there are some professors will abide barren and fruitless. Twelve, the determination upon this supposition, at last to cut it down, is a certain prediction of such professors' unavoidable and eternal damnation. But to take this parable into pieces, and to discourse more particularly, though with all brevity, upon all the parts thereof. A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. The man, I told you, is to present us with God the Father. by which similitude he is often set out in the New Testament. Observe, then, that it is no new thing if you find in God's church-barren fig trees fruitless professors, even as here you see is a tree, a fruitless tree, a fruitless fig tree in the vineyard. Fruit is not so easily brought forth as a profession is got into. It is easy for a man to clothe himself with a fair show in the flesh, to word it, and say, Be thou warmed and filled with the best. It is no hard thing to do these with other things, but to be fruitful, to bring forth fruit to God, this doth not every tree, no, not every fig tree that stands in the vineyard of God, Those words also, every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away, assert the same thing. There are branches in Christ, in Christ's body mystical, which is his church, his vineyard, that bear not fruit. Wherefore the hand of God is to take them away. I looked for grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. no fruit at all that was acceptable with God. Again, Israel is an empty vine. He bringeth forth fruit unto himself, none to God. He is without fruit to God. All these, with many more, show us the truth of the observation, and that God's church may be cumbered with fruitless fig trees, with barren professors. had a fig tree, although there be in God's church that be barren and fruitless, yet, as I said to see to, they are like the rest of the trees, even a fig tree. It was not an oak, nor a willow, nor a thorn, nor a bramble, but a fig tree. They come unto thee as the people cometh. They delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God. They ask of me the ordinances of justice. They take delight in approaching to God, and yet but barren, fruitless, and unprofitable professors. Judas also was one of the twelve, a disciple, an apostle, a preacher, an officer, yea, and such a one as none of the eleven mistrusted, but preferred before themselves, each one crying out, Is it I? Is it I? None of them, as we read of mistrusting Judas. Yet he in Christ's eye was the barren fig tree, a devil, a fruitless professor. The foolish virgins also went forth of the world with the other, had lamps, and light, and white, and were awakened with the other. Yea, had boldness to go forth, when the midnight cry was made with the other, and thought that they could have looked Christ in the face, when he sat upon the throne of judgment, with the other, and yet but foolish, but barren fig-trees, but fruitless professors. Many, saith Christ, will say unto me in that day, this and that, and will also talk of many wonderful works. Yet behold, he finds nothing in them but the fruits of unrighteousness. They were altogether barren and fruitless professors. Had a fig tree planted, this word planted doth also reach far. It supposeth one taken out of its natural soil, or removed from the place it grew in once. One that seemed to be called awakened, and not only so, but by strong hand carried from the world to the church. From nature to grace, from sin to godliness, thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt, thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Of some of the branches of this vine were there unfruitful professors. It must be concluded, therefore, that this professor, that remaineth notwithstanding fruitless, is, as to the view and judgment of the church, rightly brought in thither to wit. By confession of faith, of sin, and a show of repentance and regeneration, thus false brethren creep in unawares. All these things this word planted intimateth. Yea, further, that the church is satisfied with them, consents they should abide in the garden, and count it them sound as the rest. But before God, in the sight of God, they are graceless professors, barren and fruitless fig trees. Therefore it is one thing to be in the church, or in a profession, and another to be of the church, and to belong to that kingdom that is prepared for the sate. That is so indeed. Otherwise, being planted, shall it prosper? Shall it not utterly wither when the east wind toucheth it? It shall wither in the furrows where it grew, had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, in his vineyard. Hypocrites with rotten hearts are not afraid to come before God in Zion. These words therefore suggest unto us a prodigious kind of boldness and hardened fearlessness. For what presumption higher and what attempt more desperate than for a man that wanteth grace and the true knowledge of God to crowd himself in that condition into the house or church of God or to make profession of, and desire that the name of God should be called upon him. For the man that maketh a profession of the religion of Jesus Christ, that man hath, as it were, put the name of God upon himself, and is called and reckoned now, how fruitless soever before God are men, the man that hath to do with God, the man that God owneth and will stand for. This man, I say, by his profession, suggesteth this to all that know him to be such a professor. Men merely natural, I mean men that have not got the devilish art of hypocrisy, are afraid to think of doing thus. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them, but the people magnified them, and indeed it displeaseth God. Ye have brought, saith he, men uncircumcised into my sanctuary, and again, when ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts. Saith God, they have therefore learned this boldness of none in the visible world. They only took it of the devil, for he, and he only, with these his disciples, attempt to present themselves in the church before God. The tares are the children of the wicked one, the tares, that is, the hypocrites, that are Satan's brood, the generation of vipers that cannot escape the damnation of hell. Had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, he doth not say, he planted a fig tree, but there was a fig tree there. He had or found a fig tree planted in his vineyard. The great God will now age the barren fig tree or barren professor to be his workmanship, or a tree of his bringing in, only the text saith, he had one there. This is much like that in Matthew 15, 13. Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Here again are plants in his vineyard which God will not acknowledge to be of his planting. And he seems to suggest that in his vineyard are many such. Every plant, or all those plants or professors, that are got into the assembly of the saints, or into the profession of their religion, without God and His grace, shall be rooted up. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on the wedding garment. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? Here is one so cunning and crafty, that he beguiled all the guests. He got and kept in the church even until the king himself came in to see the guests, but his subtlety got him nothing. It did not blind the eyes of the king, it did not pervert the judgment of the righteous. Friend, how camest thou in hither, did overtake him at last. Even a public rejection, the king discovered him in the face of all present. How camest thou in hither? My father did not bring thee hither. I did not bring thee hither. My spirit did not bring thee hither. Thou art not of the heavenly Father's planting. How camest thou in hither? He that entereth not by the door, but climbeth up some other way, the same as a thief and a robber. This text also is full and plain to our purpose. For this man came not in by the door, yet got into the church. He got in by climbing. He broke in at the windows. He got something of the light and glory of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in his head. And so hardy wretch that he was, he presumed to crowd himself among the children. But how is this resented? What saith the king of him? Why, this is his sign, the same as a thief and a robber. See here also, if all they be owned is the planting of God that get into his church or profession of his name. Had a fig tree, had one without a wedding garment, had a thief in his garden at his wedding, in his house. These climbed up some other way. There are many ways to get into the Church of God, and profession of His name besides, and without an entering by the door. One, there is the way of lying and dissembling, and at this gap the Jibionites got in. Two, there is sometimes falseness among some pastors, either for the sake of carnal relations or the like. At this hole, Tobiah, the enemy of God, got in. 3. There is sometimes negligence and too much uncircumspectness in the whole church. Thus the uncircumcised got in. 4. Sometimes, again, let the church be never so circumspect, yet these have so much help from the devil that they beguile them all, and so get in. These are of the sort of thieves that Paul complains of, false brethren that are brought in unawares. Jude also cries out of these, certain men crept in unawares, crept in what were they so lowly, a voluntary humility, a neglecting of the body, not in any humor. Oh, how seemingly self-denying are some of these creeping things that yet are to be held as we shall know them. and abomination to Israel. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonor. By these words the apostle seems to take it for granted, that as there hath been, so there still will be these kind of figuries, these barren professors in the house, when all men have done what they can, Even as in a great house there are always vessels to dishonor, as well as those to honor and glory, vessels of wood and of earth, as well as of silver and gold. So then there must be wooden professors in the garden of God, there must be earthy earthen professors in his vineyard. But that, methinks, is the biting word, and some to dishonor. That to the Romans is dreadful, but this seems to go beyond it. That speaks but of the reprobate in general, but this of such and such in particular, that speaks of their hardening but in the common way. But this that they must be suffered to creep into the church, there to fit themselves for their place, their own place, the place prepared for them of this sort only. As the Lord Jesus said once of the Pharisees, these shall receive greater damnation. Barren fig-tree, fruitless professor, hast thou heard all these things? Hast thou considered that this fig-tree is not acknowledged of God to be his, but is denied to be of his planting, and of his bringing unto his wedding? Dost not thou see that thou art called a thief and a robber, that hast either climbed up to, or crept in at another place than the door? Dost thou not hear that there will be in God's house wooden and earthly professors, and that no place will serve to fit those for hell but the house, the church, the vineyard of God? Barren fig tree, fruitless Christian, do not thine ears tingle? And he came and sought fruit thereon. When a man hath got a profession and is crowded into the church and house of God, the question is not now hath he life, hath he right principles? But hath he fruit? he came seeking fruit thereon. It mattereth not who brought thee in hither, whether God, or the devil, or thine own vain glorious heart. But hast thou fruit? dost thou bring forth fruit unto God? And let every one that nameth the name of the Lord Jesus Christ depart from iniquity? He doth not say, And let every one that hath grace, or let those that have the Spirit of God, but let every one that nameth the name of the Lord Jesus Christ depart from iniquity. What do men meddle with religion for? Why do they call themselves by the name of the Lord Jesus if they have not the grace of God, if they have not the Spirit of Christ? God therefore expecteth fruit. What do they do in the vineyard? Let them work, or get them out. The vineyard must have laborers in it. Son, go work today in my vineyard. Wherefore, want of grace and want of spirit will not keep God from seeking fruit. and he came and sought fruit thereon. He requireth that which he seemeth to have. Every man in the vineyard and house of God promiseth himself, professeth to others, and would have all men take it for granted that a heavenly principle is in him, Why then should not God seek fruit? As for them, therefore, that will retain the name of Christians, fearing God, and yet make no conscience of bringing forth fruit to him he saith to such a way. As for you, go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me, etc. Barren fig tree, dost thou hear? God expecteth fruit, God calls for fruit, yea, God will shortly come seeking fruit on this barren fig tree. Barren fig tree, either bear fruit, or go out of the vineyard, and yet then thy case will be unspeakably damnable. Yea, let me add, if thou shalt neither bear fruit nor depart, God will take his name out of thy mouth. He will have fruit. And I say further, if thou wilt do neither, yet God in justice and righteousness will still come for fruit. And it will be in vain for thee to count this austerity. He will reap where he hath not sowed, and gather where he hath not strewed. Barren fig tree, dost thou hear? Question. What if a man have no grace? Answer. Yes, seeing he hath a profession. and he came and sought fruit thereon. A church then, and a profession, are not places where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves and sins from God. Some of old thought that because they could cry, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, that therefore they were delivered, or had a dispensation to do the abominations which they committed as some in our days. For who, say they, have a right to the creatures, if not Christians, if not professors, if not church members? And from this conclusion, let go the reins of their inordinate affections after pride, ambition, blotny, pampering themselves without fear, daubing themselves with the lust-provoking fashions of the times, to walk with stretched out necks, naked breasts, frizzled foretops, wanton gestures in gorgeous apparel, mixed with gold and pearl and costly array. I will not here make inspection into their lives, their carriages at home, in their corners and secret holes. but certainly persons thus spirited, thus principled, and thus inclined, have but empty boughs, boughs that want the fruit that God expects, and that God will come down to seek. Barren fig tree, thou art not licensed by thy profession, nor by the Lord of the vineyard, to bear these clusters of Gomorrah. Neither shall the vineyard, nor thy being crowded among the trees there, shelter thee from the sight of the eye of God. Many make religion their cloak, and Christ their stalking horse, and by that means cover themselves and hide their own wickedness from men. But God seeth their hearts, hath his print upon the heels of their feet, and pondereth all their goings. And at last, when their iniquity is found to be hateful, he will either smite them with hardness of heart, and so leave them, or awaken them to bring forth fruit. Fruit he looks for, seeks, and expects, barren fig tree. But what? Come into the presence of God to sin. What, come into the presence of God to hide thy sin? Alas, man, the church is God's garden, and Christ Jesus is the great apostle and high priest of our profession. What, come into the house that is called by my name, into the place where mine honour dwelleth, where mine eyes and heart are continually, What, come there to sin, to hide thy sin, to cloak thy sin? His plants are an orchard with pleasant fruits. And every time he goeth into his garden, it is to see the fruits of the valley, and to see if the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded. Yea, saith he, he came seeking fruit on this fig tree. The church is the place of God's delight where he ever desires to be. There he is night and day. He is there to seek for fruit, to seek for fruit of all and every tree in the garden. Wherefore assure thyself, O fruitless one, that thy ways must needs be open before the eyes of the Lord. One black sheep is soon espied, although in company with many, that is taken with the first cast of the eye. Its different color still betrays it. I say, therefore, a church and a profession are not places where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves from God that seeks for fruit. My vineyard, saith God, which is mine is before me, and he came and sought fruit thereon and found none. Bear in fig tree, hearken, the continual non-bearing of fruit is a dreadful sign that thou art to come to a dreadful end, as the winding up of this parable concludeth. And found none, none at all, or none to God's liking, for when he saith, he came seeking fruit thereon, he means fruit meet for God, pleasant fruit, fruit good and sweet. Alas, it is not any fruit will serve. Bad fruit is counted none. Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. First, there is a fruit among professors that withers, and so never comes to be ripe, a fruit that is smitten in the growth, and comes not to maturity. And this is reckoned no fruit. This fruit those professors bear that have many fair beginnings or blossoms. that make many fair offers of repentance and amendment, that begin to pray, to resolve, and to break off their sins by righteousness. But stop at those beginnings, and bring not fruit forth to perfection. This man's fruit is withered, wrinkled, smitten fruit, and is in effect no fruit at all. Second, there is a hasty fruit, such as is the corn upon the house top, or that which springs up on the dung-hill that runs up suddenly, violently, with great stalks and big show, and yet at last proves empty of kernel. This fruit is to be found in those professors that on a sudden are so awakened, so convinced, and so affected with their condition, that they shake the whole family, the end-ship, the whole town. For a while they cry hastily, vehemently, dolefully, mournfully, and yet all is but a pang, an agony, a fit. They bring not forth fruit with patience. These are called those hasty fruits that shall be a fading flower. Third, there is a fruit that is vile and ill-tasted, how long so ever it be in growing. The root is dried and cannot convey a sufficiency of sap to the branches to ripen the fruit. These are the fruits of such professors whose hearts are estranged from communion with the Holy Ghost, whose fruit grow from themselves, from their parts, gifts, strength of wit, natural or moral principles. These, notwithstanding they bring forth fruit, are called empty vines, such as bring not forth fruit to God. Their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit. Yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb. Fourth, there is a fruit that is wild. I looked for grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. I observe that as there are trees and herbs that are wholly right and noble, fit indeed for the vineyard. So there are also their semblance, but wild, not right, but ignoble. There is the grape and the wild grape, the vine and the wild vine, the rose and canker rose, flowers and wildflowers, the apple and the wild apple which we call the crab. Now, fruit from these wild things, however they may please the children to play with, yet the prudent and grave count them of little or no value. There are also in the world a generation of professors that, notwithstanding their profession, are wild by nature, yea, such as were never cut out or off from the wild olive tree, nor never yet planted into the good olive tree. Now, these can bring nothing forth but wild olive berries. They cannot bring forth fruit unto God. Such are all those that have lightly taken up a profession and crept into the vineyard without a new birth and the blessing of regeneration. Fifth, there is also untimely fruit, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, fruit out of season, and so no fruit to God's liking. There are two sorts of professors subject to bring forth untimely fruit. One, they that bring forth fruit too soon. Two, They that bring forth fruit too late, one. They that bring forth too soon. They are such as at present receive the word with joy. And anon, before they have root downwards, they thrust forth upwards. But having not root, when the sun ariseth, they are smitten and miserably die without fruit. These professors are those light and inconsiderate ones that think nothing but peace will attend the gospel. and so Anan rejoice at the tidings without foreseeing the evil. Wherefore, when the evil comes being unarmed and so not able to stand any longer, they die, and are withered, and bring forth no fruit. He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and Anan with joy receiveth it. yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while, for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended. There is in Isaiah 28.4 mention made of some whose glorious beauty shall be a fading flower, because it is fruit before the summer. Both these are untimely fruit. 2. They also bring forth untimely fruit that stay till the season is over. God will have His fruit in His season. I say, He will receive them of such men as shall render them to Him in their seasons. The missing of the season is dangerous. Staying till the door is shut is dangerous. Many there be that come not till the flood of God's anger is raised, and too deep for them to wade through. Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Esau afterwards is fearful, for ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected. For he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. So the children of Israel, they brought to God the fruits of obedience too late. There, lo, we be here came too late. There, we will go up came too late. The Lord had sworn before that they should not possess the land. All these are such as bring forth untimely fruit. It is the hard hap of the reprobate to do all things too late, to be sensible of his want of grace too late, to be sorry for sin too late, to seek repentance too late. to ask for mercy, and to desire to go to glory too late. Thus you see 1. That fruit smitten in the growth that withereth, and that comes not to maturity, is no fruit. 2. That hasty fruit, such as the grass upon the housetop, withereth also before it groweth up, and is no fruit. That the fruit that is vile and ill-tasted is no fruit, that wild fruit, wild grapes, are no fruit. That untimely fruits, such as comes too soon, or that comes too late, such as come not in their season, are no fruit. And he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Nothing will do but fruit. He looked for grapes. When the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandman, that they might receive the fruits of it. Question, but what fruit doth God expect? Answer, good fruit, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down. Now, before the fruit can be good, the tree must be good, for good fruit makes not a good tree, but a good tree bringeth forth good fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? A man must be good, else he can bring forth no good fruit. He must have righteousness imputed, that he may stand good in God, sight from the curse of his law. He must have a principle of righteousness in his soul, else how should he bring forth good fruits? And hence it is that a Christian's fruits are called the fruits of the Spirit, the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ. The fruits of the Spirit, therefore, the Spirit must be there. The fruits of righteousness, therefore, righteousness must first be there. But to particularize in a few things briefly, first, God expecteth fruit that will answer, and be worthy of the repentance which thou faintest thyself to have. Everyone in a profession, and that hath crowded into the vineyard, pretendeth to repentance. Now of every such soul, God expecteth that the fruits of repentance be found to attend them. Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance, or answerable to thy profession of the doctrine of repentance. Barren fig tree, seeing thou art a professor, and art got into the vineyard, thou standest before the lord of the vineyard as one of the trees of the garden. Wherefore he looketh for fruit from thee, as from the rest of the trees in the vineyard. Fruits, I say, and such as may declare thee in heart and life one that hath made sound profession of repentance. By thy profession thou hast said, I am sensible of the evil of sin. Now then live such a life as declares that thou art sensible of the evil of sin. By thy profession thou hast said, I am sorry for my sin. Why then live such a life as may declare this sorrow? By thy profession thou hast said, I am ashamed of my sin, yea, but live such a life that men by that may see thy shame for sin. By thy profession thou sayest, I have turned from, left off, and am become an enemy to every appearance of evil. Ah, but doth thy life and conversation declare thee to be such an one? Take heed, barren fig-tree, lest thy life should give thy profession the lie. I say again, take heed, for God himself will come for fruit, and he sought fruit thereon. You have some professors that are only saints before men when they are abroad, but are devils and vipers at home. Saints by profession, but devils by practice. Saints in word, but sinners in heart and life. These men may have the profession, but they want the fruits that become repentance. Barren fig tree, can it be imagined that those that paint themselves did ever repent of their pride? Or that those that pursue this world did ever repent of their covetousness? Or that those that walk with wanton eyes did ever repent of their fleshly lusts? Where, barren fig-tree, is the fruit of these people's repentance? Nay, do they not rather declare to the world that they have repented of their profession? Their fruits look as if they had. Their pride saith they have repented of their humility. Their covetousness declareth that they are weary of depending upon God. And doth not thy wanton actions declare that thou abhorrest chastity? Where is thy fruit, barren fig-tree? Repentance is not only a sorrow and a shame for, but a turning from sin to God. It is called repentance from dead works. Hast thou that godly sorrow, that worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of? How dost thou show thy carefulness, and clearing of thyself? thy indignation against sin, thy fear of offending, thy vehement desire to walk with God, thy zeal for His name and glory in the world? And what revenge hast thou in thy heart against every thought of disobedience? But where is the fruit of this repentance? Where is thy watching thy fasting, thy praying against the remainders of corruption? Where is thy self-abhorrence, thy blushing before God, for the sin that is yet behind? Where is thy tenderness of the name of God and His ways? Where is thy self-denial and contentment? How dost thou show before men the truth of thy turning to God? Hast thou renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness? Canst thou commend thyself to every man's conscience in the sight of God? Second, God expecteth fruits that shall answer that faith which thou makest profession of. The professor that is got into the vineyard of God doth feign that he hath the faith, the faith of God's elect, the faith of God's elect. Ah, but where are thy fruits, barren fig tree? The faith of the Romans was spoken of throughout the whole world. and the Thessalonians' faith grew exceedingly. Thou professest to believe thou hast a share in another world. Hast thou let got this barren fig tree? Thou professest thou believest in Christ. Is he thy joy, and the life of thy soul? Yea, what conformity unto him, to his sorrows and sufferings! What resemblance hath his crying, and groaning, and bleeding, and dying wrought in thee? Dost thou bear about in thy body the dying of the Lord Jesus? And is also the life of Jesus made manifest in thy mortal body? Barren fig tree, show me thy faith by thy works. Show out of a good conversation thy works with meekness of wisdom. What fruit, barren fig tree? What degree of heart holiness? For faith purifies the heart. What love to the Lord Jesus? For faith worketh by love. Third, God expecteth fruits according to the seasons of grace thou art under, according to the rain that cometh upon thee. Perhaps thou art planted in a good soil, by great waters, that thou mightest bring forth branches and bear fruit. that thou mightest be a goodly vine or fig tree, shall he not therefore seek for fruit, for fruit answerable to the means? Barren fig tree, God expects it, and will find it too, if ever he bless thee. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God, but that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. Barren soul, how many showers of grace, how many dews from heaven, how many times have the silver streams of the city of God run gliding by thy roots, to cause thee to bring forth fruit? These showers and streams, and the drops that hang upon thy boughs, will all be accounted for. And will they not testify against thee that thou oughtest of right to be burned? Hear and tremble, O thou barren professor! Fruits that become thy profession of the gospel, the God of heaven expecteth. The gospel hath in it the forgiveness of sins, the kingdom of heaven, and eternal life. But what fruit hath thy profession of a belief of these things put forth in thy heart and life? Hast thou given thyself to the Lord, and is all that thou hast to be ventured for his name in this world? Dost thou walk like one that is bought with a price, even with the price of precious blood? Fourth, The fruit that God expecteth is such as is meat for himself, fruit that may glorify God. God's trees are trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. Fruit that tasteth of heaven, abundance of such fruit. For herein, saith Christ, is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. Fruits of all kinds, new and old, the fruits of the Spirit are in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Fruits before the world, fruits before the saints, fruits before God, fruits before angels, O my brethren, what manner of persons ought we to be, who have subscribed to the Lord, and have called ourselves by the name of Israel, One shall say, I am the Lord's, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel. Barren fig tree, hast thou subscribed, hast thou called thyself by the name of Jacob, and surnamed thyself by the name of Israel? All this thou pretendest to, who art God into the vineyard, who art placed among the trees of the garden of God? God doth therefore look for such fruit as is worthy of his name, as is meat for him. As the apostle saith, we should walk worthy of God. that is, so as we may show in every place that the presence of God is with us, his fear in us, and his majesty and authority upon our actions. Fruits meet for him such a dependence upon him, such trust in his word, such satisfaction in his presence, such a trusting of him with all my concerns, and such delight in the enjoyment of him, that may demonstrate that his fear is in my heart, that my soul is wrapped up in his things, and that my body, and soul, and estate, and all, are in truth through his grace, at his dispose, fruit meet for him. Hearty thanks and blessing God for Jesus Christ, for his good word, for his free grace, for the discovery of himself in Christ to the soul, secret longing after another world, fruit meet for him. Liberality to the poor saints, to the poor world, a life in word and deed exemplary, a patient and quiet enduring of all things, till I have done and suffered the whole will of God, which he hath appointed for me, that on the good ground are they which, in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. This is bringing forth fruit unto God, having our fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. Fifth, the Lord expects fruit becoming the vineyard of God. The vineyard, saith he in a very fruitful hill, witness the fruit brought forth in all ages. The most barren trees that ever grew in the wood of this world, when planted in this vineyard by the God of heaven, what fruit to Godward have they brought forth? Abel offered the more excellent sacrifice. Enoch walked with God 300 years. Noah, by his life of faith, condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Abraham left his country and went out after God, not knowing whither he went. Moses left a kingdom and run the hazard of the wrath of the king for the love he had to God and Christ. What shall I say of them who had trials, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection? They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with a sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. Peter left his father's ship and nets. Paul turned off from the feet of Gamaliel. Men brought their goods and possessions, the price of them, and cast it down at the apostles' feet. And others brought their books together and burned them—curious books, though they were worth fifty thousand pieces of silver. I could add how many willingly offered themselves in all ages, and there all, for the worthy name of the Lord Jesus to be racked, starved, hanged, burned, drowned, pulled in pieces, and a thousand calamities. Barren fig tree, the vineyard of God hath been a fruitful place. What dost thou bear? What dost thou bear? God expects fruit according to, or becoming the soil of the vineyard. Sixth, the fruit which God expecteth is such as become of God's husbandry and labor. The vineyard is God's husbandry, or tillage. I am the true vine, saith Christ, and my Father is the husbandman. And again, ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. The vineyard, God fences it, God gathereth out the stones, God builds the tower, and the winepress in the midst thereof. Here is labor, here is protection, here is removing of hindrances, here is convenient purgation, and all that there might be fruit. Baron Fig Tree, what fruit hast thou? Hast thou fruit becoming the care of God, the protection of God, the protan of God, the patience and husbandry of God? It is the fruit of the vineyard that is either the shame or the praise of the husbandman. I went by the field of the slothful, saith Solomon, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding. And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof. Bear and fig-tree, if men should make a judgment of the care, and pains, and labor. Of God and His Church, by the fruit that thou bringest forth, what might they say? Is He not slothful? Is not He careless? Is He not without discretion? O thy thorns, thy nevels, thy barren heart and barren life, is a continual provocation to the eyes of His glory, as likewise a dishonor to the glory of His grace. Barren fig-tree, hast thou heard all these things? I will add yet one more. and he came and sought fruit thereon. The question is not now what thou thinkest of thyself, nor what all the people of God think of thee, but what thou shalt be found in that day when God shall search thy boughs for fruit. When Sodom was to be searched for righteous men, God would not, in that matter, trust His faithful servant Abraham. But still, as Abraham interceded, God answered, If I find fifty, or forty and five there, I will not destroy the city. Barren fig tree, what sayest thou? God will come down to see. God will make search for fruit Himself. And he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of the vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground? These words are the effects of God's search into the boughs of a barren fig tree. He sought fruit, and found none, none to his liking, none pleasant and good. Therefore, first he complains of the want thereof to the dresser, calls him to come and see and take notice of the tree, then signifieth his pleasure. He will have it removed, taken away, cut down from cumbering the ground. Observe the barren fig tree is the object of God's displeasure. God cannot bear with a fruitless professor. End of The Barren Fig Tree or The Doom and Downfall of the Fruitless Professor Part 1