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
vinedresser and the husbandman for thy life?
"Cut it down," says one; "Lord, spare it," says the other. "It is a
cumber-ground," saith the Father; "One year longer," prays the Son:
"let it alone this year also."
"Till I shall dig about it and dung it." I doubt if it is not 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 honors, the love of pleasures, are
the thorns that choke the word; how then can there be fruit brought
forth to God?
Barren fig-tree, see how the Lord Jesus by these words suggests the
cause of thy fruitlessness of soul. The things of this world lie too
close to thy heart; the earth and 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.
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