The barren tree a sermon preached at Pauls cross October 26. 1623 /The barren tree a sermon preached at Pauls crosse October 26. 1623 /

None? Why this to us? Why such a Text in such a time? We abound with fruits: which way can you look, and not have your eye full of our works? They before, in such places, have successively commended our fruits. Be it so: yet Euripides being questioned why he always made women bad in his Plays, whereas Sophocles ever made them good, in his: answered, Sophocles makes them such as they ought to be, but I make them such as indeed they are. Their former commendation have told us what we should be; but this Emblem, I fear, tells us truly what we are. Not all of us; God forbid: here is but one Fig-tree in a whole Vineyard thus taxed, and far be it from us to tax a whole Vineyard for one barren Fig-tree.

None? Why this to vs? Why such a Text in such a time? Wee abound with fruites: which way can you looke, and not haue your eye full of our workes? They before, in such places, haue successiuely commended our fruits. Bee it so: yet Euripides being question'd why he alwaies made women bad in his Playes, whereas Sophocles euer made them good, in his: answered, Sophocles makes them such as they ought to bee, but I make them such as indeed they are. Their former commendation haue told vs what we should be; but this Embleme, I feare, tels vs truely what wee are. Not all of vs; God forbid: here is but one Fig-tree in a whole Vineyard thus taxed, and farre be it from vs to taxe a whole Vineyard for one barren Fig-tree.

None? Yes, enough of some fruits, but the Prophet calls them Ficos valde mal•s, so bad that they cannot be eaten. ¹As the fruit of ⟨p. 37⟩the Vine is commended for Quickness, the fruit of the Olive for Fatness, so the fruit of the Fig-tree for Sweetness; in Jotham's Parable. ²But if it bear not Fructum nativitatis suae, the fruit of the own kind, but bitter figs; here had better be none at all. What an uncomfortable sight is this to Him, whose heart is set on his Orchard; after the cost of so dear blood to purchase it, after such indulgent care to cherish it, and the charges of so many workmen to dress it; yea, after so much patience to expect it (say the Fig-tree does not bear so soon as it is planted; in our infancy we can do nothing, in our minority we will do little, in Gods service: but now it is grown fructifiable) Jam non gustare fructus, not to have so much as a taste? Yea, were this all; did barrenness only usurp it: but there is worse then a mere orbitie or absence of goodness; a position of bitter fruits: Quaesivi Vuas,