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

A heavy doom! Alas, will nothing else expiate the fault? May not the lopping off some superfluities recover it? Take from the Sinner, the object of his vicious error: deface the Harlots beauty, that bewitcheth the Lascivious: pull the cup from the mouth of the Drunkard: Nauseate the stomach of the Riotous: strip the Popinjay of her pied Feathers: rust the Gold, vanish the riches of the Covetous: take away Macah's gods, perhaps he will make him no more. If this will not do, cut off some of the arms & branches: weaken his strength, sicken his body, lay him groaning and bleeding on the bed of sufferance: grieve his heart-strings with the sense and sorrow of his sins: any thing rather then Cut it down: alas no fruit can grow on it then, but sad despair. A mans house is foul, or a little decayed; will he pull it down or rather repair it? ⟨p. 41⟩There is hope of a Tree though the root wax old in the earth, and the stock die in the ground; ¹yet the springs of water may put new life into it: but once cut down, all hope is cut down with it. When a man hath taken delight in a Tree, conveniently planted in his garden; what variety of experiments will he use, before he cuts it down? Alas, thus poor silly men, we reason: we measure things that be unmeasurable, by things that be measurable, by things that be miserable. What we in a foolish pity would do, we think God in his merciful wisdom should do. Yet which of us would endure a dead Tree three years together in his Orchard? We would say, If it will not bear fruit, to cheer us; it shall make a fire to warm us. But the Lord hath been fix and thirty Moons gracious in his forbearance, give him now leave to be just in his vengeance. If so much indulgence cannot recover it, there is little hope of it: Cut it down.

A heauy doome! Alas, will nothing else expiate the fault? May not the lopping off some superfluities recouer it? Take from the Sinner, the obiect of his vicious error: deface the Harlots beautie, that bewitcheth the Lasciuious: pull the cuppe from the mouth of the Drunkard: Nauseate the stomach of the Ryotous: strip the Popiniay of her pyed Feathers: rust the Gold, vanish the riches of the Couetous: take away Macah's gods, perhaps he will make him no more. If this will not doe, cut off some of the armes & branches: weaken his strength, sicken his body, lay him groaning and bleeding on the bed of sufferance: griue his heart-strings with the sense and sorrow of his sinnes: any thing rather then Cut it down: alas no fruit can grow on it then, but sad despaire. A mans house is foule, or a little decayed; wil he pul it down or rather repaire it?