of God on account of sin; and by what are termed remarkable providences, by earthquakes, and pestilence, and famine, and war, and whatsoever causes desolation, He awakens men from carelessness and sinful habits, if peradventure they may be converted and live. But those who perish by such calamities are not more certainly the objects of his anger than those who survive it is a summons to repentance: it is a note preparatory to that awful sound, at which the earth and the sea shall give up their dead, and all shall stand before the Son of man; it is the warning trumpet which says, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish; Except ye be found in a state of acceptance through the Beloved, ye shall perish everlastingly.

This truth is further enforced by a parable, which explains why many sinners are spared though others fall.

6. "He spake also this parable; a certain man had a figtree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.'

The Jewish people were as trees in the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, that vineyard which He had planted by the hand of Moses, and defended by the hedge of His law. We Christians are also trees in the vineyard which He has planted for Himself by His beloved Son. He expected that the Jewish people should bring forth such fruit as He approves; not the evil fruit which springs from corrupt nature, but the good and acceptable fruits of "love, joy,

peace, long-suffering, faith, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance." He expects the same from us these are the signs of religion in the heart; these are the fruits of the Spirit, which He from whom the Spirit proceeds requires of the trees in His vineyard. He comes, and seeks fruit and happy indeed are those on whom, when he comes, he finds this mark of sound and lively faith. He leaves them to flourish for a while in his earthly vineyard, to give proofs of the power of His grace, to display the excellence of His gospel, to nourish and adorn the world to which they belong; and at last, in His own good time, He takes them away from the ungenial climate to which they were exposed on earth, and transplants them into His heavenly vineyard, which no tempest ever reaches, and where no harm can touch them. For that which is sown in corruption is raised in incorruption.

It would be happy indeed for the world, and for those who compose the world, if this fruit were always growing on the trees of the vineyard. The parable tells us, that He came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Remember God condemns the tree, not only which is poisonous, but which is barren. He comes and seeks fruit; He expects the heart to be full of love and reverence towards Himself; to be abounding in benevolence towards mankind. He expects it to be adding to faith, virtue, and knowledge, and temperance, and patience, and godliness, and

brotherly kindness, and charity. Ask of yourselves, does he find this fruit in you?

7. "Then said He unto the dresser of His vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

8. "And he answering said unto Him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9. "And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."

Here is the merciful offer of the dresser of the vineyard, the Lord Jesus, who "ever liveth at the right hand of God to make intercession for us." Let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it and dung it. Various are the methods which he takes with men to convince them of their sin, their danger. Sometimes he tries the careless or the wicked with sickness, if that may bring the certainty of death and judgment before their eyes; sometimes he visits them with affliction, if that may make them quit their hold of earthly things; and other warnings are constantly given them. The Bible warns them; the minister warns them; their friends and acquaintances are taken away, and remind them what must be their own case soon. These things pass in the world as the ordinary occurrences of life: but we learn from Scripture that they are connected with a divine plan, and constitute part of God's dealings with mankind; they are the means which He uses to bring them to Himself. It is thus that His Spirit strives with them; and

the Saviour, before final sentence is passed, and the cumberers of the ground are cut down, is represented as saying, Let them hear once more the message of my gospel; let them hear of the ransom which has been paid; let them hear that I am ready to give them pardon for the past, and grace for the time to come, that they may lead a new life, following the commands of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: let this be again set before them, and if they bear fruit, well; it will be to the glory of God, who is not willing that any should perish; it will be additional fruit of the propitiation which has been made for the sin of the world.

While we gratefully admire "the long-suffering of God, which leadeth to repentance," we must ever bear in mind that there is a last time. If not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. And grievous indeed it is when death becomes a sentence of condemnation, and not a summons to that "rest which remaineth for the people of God." But "there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; for they rest from their labours." "The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

LECTURE XLVIII.

THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN.

LUKE xiii. 18-21.

(See also Matt. xiii. 31-33.)

18. "Then said He, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?

19. "It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.

20. "And again He said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?

21. "It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."

THIS example of the leaven may be well applied in two senses; it equally describes the progress of the gospel through the world, and its effect upon the heart. In the former sense, the suitableness of the comparison is easily seen, when we remember what the gospel was at the time when our Lord likened it to a grain of mustard seed, or a handful of leaven; and how, within a few years, it grew mightily and prevailed. The seed became a tree; the leaven was silently diffused, and raised a ferment through the regions of idolatry and superstition.

I will consider it, however, in the other sense, in its effect upon the heart; for there too the principles of the gospel are like leaven. Leaven