signed to a perpetual barrenness. They would not before bear any fruit, and they shall not hereafter; being hardened by the just judgment of God to their everlasting ruin. The apostle supposeth these also to be "earth," as well as the other sort; all men to whom the gospel is preached are by nature in the same condi tion, none of them, therefore, have any reason to boast, On this ground also the rain often falls. Awful to think! those who continue unprofitable under the means of grace, have oftentimes the preaching of the word as plentifully, and as long continued to them, as the most thriving and fruitful in obedience. And herein lies no small evidence that these things will be called over again another day, to the glory of God's grace and righteousness.

$10. It bringeth forth (anavbas nai tpißoλ85) “thorns and briars;" all sorts of sins, all unfruitful works, Rom. vi, 21, Ephes. v, 2. And the principal reason why they are here compared to thorns and briars, is with respect to the curse that came on the earth by sin. "Cursed be the ground, thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee," Gen. iii, 17, 18. Whereunto barrenness, or unaptness for better fruits, is added, Gen, iv, 12. Hence the earth of itself would bring nothing but thorns and briars, at least they would be absolutely prevalent over all its productions. So the heart of man by nature is wholly overrun with sinful imaginations, and his life with vicious actions, Gen. vi, 5, Rom. ii, 10-13. When a man hath a field overgrown with thorns and briars, serving for no good use, and affording no profit, he resolves to dig them up, or to set fire to them. Of no other use are the sins of All the works of darkness are unThe world is no way benefitted

men in the world.

fruitful, Ephes. v, 2.

by them; never was a man better for his own or

another man's sin. They are really noxious, choking and. hindering good fruits, that otherwise would thrive in the field. All the confusion, disorders, and devastations that are in the world, are from them alone. In general, therefore, it is all sorts of sins, works of darkness, works of the flesh, &c. that are intended by these thorns and briars. But yet, I presume, the apostle hath regard to the sins which the obstinate Jews were then in an especial manner guilty of, and which would be the cause of their sudden destruction. Now those were, as appeareth from the whole epistle, and recorded matter of fact, unbelief, impenitency, and apostasy. The "thorns and briars," which were the fuel wherein was kindled the fire of God's indignation, were their sins against the gospel. Either, they would not give their assent to its truth-or, would not amend their lives according to its doctrine-or, would not abide with constancy to its profession. These are the special sins, which cast those Hebrews, and will cast all that are like them, into the dangerous condition here described.

Chrysostom puts a great emphasis upon the difference of the words used by the apostle to express the manner of producing the good and bad fruit. The former (8) denotes a natural conception and production in due order, time, and season; the latter (Exeg8σ) denotes a casting of them out in abundance, not only without the use of means, but against it. The heart of man needs not to be impregnated with any adventitious seed, to make it thrust forth all sorts of sins, or to make it fruitful in unbelief and impenitency; the womb of sin will be, of its own accord, continually teeming with these things.

$11. This being the condition of the unfruitful ground, the apostle affirms three things concerning it.

First, it is "disapproved;" trial had been made by the application of suitable means, but whereas nothing succeeded, it is to be rejected, disapproved, laid aside as to any farther endeavors to make it fruitful.

Secondly, It is said to be "nigh unto cursing." The husbandman doth not presently destroy a piece,,of ground, but lets it lie neglected, farther to discover its own barrenness; and thereby declares his resolution to lay it waste. But before that is done, he gathers out of it all the good plants and herbs that yet remain in it, and transplants them into a better soil. Then follows his casting down its fences, and laying it waste, that all the beasts of the field may lodge therein and prey upon it. To complete the desolating scene, all means of doing it good are withheld, watering, manuring, &c. and hereby it becomes like to the barren wilderness, which no man careth for; it is nigh unto that condition wherein it shall not be known that it ever belonged to his possession. "Nigh unto cursing." As blessing implies an addition of good, so eursing implies the removing of all kindness, and a devoting to destruction.

Lastly, It is added, "Whose end is to be burned;" fire makes a total and dreadful destruction of all combustible things to which it is applied. God will not only shew his dissatisfaction in such barren ground, by his neglect of it, but his vengeance in its destruction. And it seems to be thus expressed, to intimate the temporal destruction of the obstinate Jews, and the eternal destruction of all unbelievers.

$12. The application of this part is obvious; God, the great husbandman and owner of the vineyard, would deal with the impenitent and unbelieving Hebrews, with answerable severity:

First, he tried them, and that for a long season, by the preaching of the gospel. The rain fell oft upon them, for the space of about thirty-six years. God tried, by outward means, to make them fruitful, to bring them to faith, repentance, and obedience; but after this long trial, it appeared that they multiplied, as it were, under his hand, the thorns and briars of their unbelief, and all sorts of provoking sins. Wherefore, God rejects them, declares that his soul had no pleasure in them, and that he would be at no farther cost about them. Thus he dealt with the Hebrews shortly after this admonition, and thus he will deal with unprofitable hearers and apostates. There is a time after which he casts them out of his care, and will provide no more for them; and if they any more enjoy the word, it is by accident, for the sake of some who are approved, but they shall receive no advantage by it, seeing they are no longer God's husbandry.

Secondly, on this rejection of them, they were "nigh unto cursing;" that is, were so disposed of, as that the destroying curse of God might come upon them. He had now anathematized them, or devoted them to destruction; and therefore had given them up to all the ways and means whereby it might infallibly overtake them. For, as he gathered all the good from amongst them, and planted them in the Christian church; so he still deals with all the apostate churches before their utter destruction, Rev. xviii, 4. He then took away their fences, casting them out of his protection, insomuch that when they were destroyed, the General of the Roman army acknowledged that God had so infatuated them, that their impregnable holds and forts were of no use to them. To this we may add, that he granted them no more use of means for their conversion,

Thenceforwards they fell into all manner of

sins, confusions, and tumults, which occasioned their ruin. After the like manner will God deal with any other people whom he rejects, for their rejection of the gospel. And the world hath no small reason to tremble at the apprehension of such a condition.

Thirdly, in the end, this whole barren earth was burned up. Primarily, this respects the destruction of Jerusalem, which ensued not long after, when the temple, and city, and people, and country, were all devoured by fire and sword, Matt. xxiv, 1. But yet this, like the destruction of Sodom, was but an emblem of the future judgment. Hypocrites, unbelievers, and apostates are to have another end than what they fall into in this world; an end, wherein their eternal condition shall be immutably stated, in the fire prepared for the devil and his angels; a fire that shall never be quenched. This final destruction of all unprofitable hearers, unbelievers, and apostates, is that which is principally intended in the words.

$13. (II.) Obs. 1. The minds of men, by nature, are universally and equally barren, with respect to works of righteousness and holiness, meet for, and acceptable to God. They are all, as the earth, under the curse. Men differ as to intellectual abilities, and natural inclinations; but as to a principle of living unto God, our nature is equally corrupt in all. All spiritual differences between men are from the power and grace of God.

$14. Obs. 2. The word of God, in the preaching of it, being compared to rain, we may observe that the dispensation of it to men is an effect of the sovereign power and pleasure of God. There is nothing in nature that God assumeth as his prerogative more than this of giving rain. The first mention of it in the world is in these words, "The Lord hath not caused it