II4. Heb 6.8. Mat.ss.344 Mar. 23.37, 38. Revel. 2. Ç. k.viis of Bs rrennefe. were the children of Abrai,am ; but they were barren, they did not the worker of Abraham ; they had neither the faith;' nor trode the Reps of Abraham : And therefore our Saviour curled the figtree, i. In teftimonium, to thew his Deity, his abfolute authority and dominion over all creatures : 2. In- declarationem, to thew his anger againfi the Jewifh people : 3. In t)pum, thereby to thew what the end of that people fhould be. 6 Barreraneffe ruinateth : the barren tree is hewed downe, the barren ground is burned, a barren people the Lord will forf ;ke, remove, and cart out of his fight : this is fully ex- preffed by our Saviour in the Parable of the Houtholder, in which the Hou#older is God, the Vi aeyard is, generally, the Church ; particularly, the people of the Jewes : the hedges are the Moraicall lawes,likened to a hedge for diftinetion,for pre - fervation : the people of the Jewes being by them diflin- uithed from other people; and preferved from wafting,as a ',eh( by a hedge : the Win: pref e was their miniftery of the Word, likened to a Winepreffe in regard of preparation,fit- t ug them to offer unto God the pleafant wine of found obe- {fence, and holy and fervent prayers : the Watch- tower was he Kingdome, Prieflhood, Temple, likened to a Tower for the ornament, honour, glory, which it minifired : the huf- bandmen to whom he let it out were the Priefts and Levites, like- ned to husbandmen for their labour in, and watchfulneffe over the Lords Vineyard ; and the Lord islikened to one going into a farce Countrey, not for the mutation of h s prefence,but by ceffation ofmiracles, immediate manifeftation of him - ièlfe among them,leaving his Vineyard to their charge : the fervants lent were the Prophets whom they beat, ithpriton- ed, killed, ftoned; at laft he Pent his owne Sonne, whom they crucified : and for their ingratitude and barrennef'e, the Vineyard bath beene long let out to others : This did our Saviour threaten, How often would I have gathered you to- gether, and ye would not ! Behold, your houfe k left unto you defo- late : and for this likewife he threatned the removing of the Candleflick from the Church of Ephefus : and for this we have great caufe to humble our felves. Buto
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