Sermon LX.
[CX. Ben.]
On the words of the Gospel, Luke xiii. 6, where we are told of the fig-tree, which bare no
fruit for three years; and of the woman which was in an infirmity eighteen years; and on the
words of the ninth Psalm, v. 19, “Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the nations be judged
in thy sight.”
1. Touching “the fig-tree” which had its three years’ trial, and bare no fruit, and “the
woman which was in an infirmity eighteen years,” hearken to what the Lord may grant me
to say. The fig-tree is the human race. And the three years are the three times; one before
the Law, the second under the Law, the third under grace. Now there is nothing unsuitable
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in understanding by “the fig-tree” the human race. For when the first man sinned, he covered
his nakedness with fig-leaves;3442 covered those members, from which we derive our birth.
For what before his sin should have been his glory, after sin became his shame. So before
that, “they were naked, and were not ashamed.”3443 For they had no reason to blush, when
no sin had gone before; nor could they blush for their Creator’s works, because they had
not yet mingled any evil work of their own with the good works of their Creator. For they
had not yet eaten of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, of which they had been forbidden
to eat. After then that they had eaten and sinned, the human race sprang from them; that
is, man from man, debtor from debtor, mortal from mortal, sinner from sinner. In this
“tree” then he entitles those, who through the whole range of time would not bear fruit; and
for this cause the axe was hanging over the unfruitful tree. The gardener intercedes for it,
punishment is deferred, that help may be administered. Now the gardener who intercedes,
is every saint who within the Church prays for those who are without the Church. And what
does he pray? “Lord, let it alone this year also;” that is, in this time of grace, spare the sinners,
spare the unbelievers, spare the barren, spare the unfruitful. “I will dig about it, and put a
basket of dung about it; if it bear fruit, well; but if not, thou shalt come and cut it down.”3444
“Thou shalt come:” When? Thou shalt come in judgment, when Thou shalt come to judge
the quick and dead. Meanwhile they are spared. But what is the “digging”? What is the
“digging about it,” but the teaching lowliness and repentance? For a ditch is low ground.
The basket of dung understand in its good effects. It is filthy, but it produces fruit. The
gardener’s filth is the sinner’s sorrows. They who repent, repent in filthy robes; if, that is,
they understand aright, and repent in truth. To this tree then is it said, “Repent ye, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.”3445
3442 Gen. iii. 7.
3443 Gen. ii. 25.
3444 Luke xiii. 8, 9.
3445 Matt. iii. 2.
On the words of the Gospel, Luke xiii. 6, where we are told of the fig-tree, which bare no fruit for three years; and of the woman which was in an infirmity eighteen years; and on the words of the ninth Psalm, v. 19, ‘Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the nations be judged in thy sight.’
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On the words of the Gospel, Luke xiii. 6, where we are told of the fig-tree,…