DISCOURSE XXVIII.

THE BLASTED FIG-TREE.

MATTHEW XXI. 18-22.

Now in the morning, as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig-tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig-tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig-tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig-tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

We have frequently had occasion to observe in one or other of the foregoing discourses, that the miracles of our Lord, while they manifested his power, and attested his Divine mission, were also tokens of his benevolence, and were accompanied with real blessings to those on whom, or in whose behalf, they were performed.

To the general truth of this observation, which I presume will be readily allowed, it may be thought perhaps that an exception is presented in the case of which an account is here given us,-namely, the Cursing of the Fig-tree, in consequence of which it withered and died. In this instance our Lord may appear to have exercised a degree of severity, not altogether consistent with the prevailing gentleness and benevolence of his character and conduct. Such a view of the case, however, will probably be transient, if it has ever existed, in the minds of those who give it a fair and candid consideration. To this point it is intended briefly to advert in its proper place in the present Discourse. Without further introduction, then, let us proceed to notice,

I. THE OCCASION OF THE RECORDED MIRACLE : II. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE MIRACLE ITSELF: and

III. THE SUBSEQUENT OBSERVATIONS OF OUR LORD.

I. In the first place, we notice THE OCCASION OF

THE RECORDED MIRACLE.

It seems probable from a comparison of the distinct accounts of this Evangelist and of St. Mark, together with certain passages which occur in the other two Gospels, that our Saviour, during a short period immediately preceding the passover at which his final sufferings took place, retired every evening to Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem, and returned in the morning to the city, where he taught

daily in the temple. Without undertaking to determine this point, we know, at least, that in the evening immediately preceding the event which we are about to contemplate, he "went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there." Whether the malice of his opponents at Jerusalem rendered it expedient that he should thus withdraw himself from the place, with a view to his personal safety,-whether he sought the comfort of social intercourse with his beloved friends at Bethany, to whom his converse would be at once acceptable and edifying, while their kind attentions would be refreshing and grateful to him after the arduous employments of the day,— or whether some other cause induced him thus to retire, we are not informed, and therefore we are not at liberty to affirm.

We learn, however, that on the following morning, as he returned to the city, he was oppressed with the painful sensation of hunger. Considering the short distance of Bethany from Jerusalem, we naturally infer that he must have left that place without having taken any food since the preceding evening, inasmuch as the journey itself can scarcely be supposed to have occasioned fatigue or exhaustion. The fact, however, that he hungered, was a sufficient proof of his proper humanity. This Trinitarians fully acknowledge as a portion of their creed. It is indeed an essential part of their belief of the atonement itself: for had not Jesus been strictly and properly speaking man, as we have before had occasion to observe, he could not have suffered in that nature in which the guilt was

incurred which it was his object to expiate,-and, therefore, could not have been a proper substitute for those whom he came into the world to redeem, by suffering the penalty, and rendering a perfect obedience to the Law of God, in their stead. Another important consideration connected with our belief in the human nature of our Redeemer, is the assurance which we thence derive, of his knowing, by actual experience, the infirmities of which we are the subjects, and of his being thereby peculiarly fitted to sympathize with us in our distresses. So far then are we from being ashamed of the Doctrine of our Lord's proper humanity, that we regard it as a source of confidence, and a topic of unfeigned praise. May such confidence be continually strengthened, and such praise evermore abound!

To the occasion of the recorded miracle we have sufficiently adverted. Let us proceed to notice,

II. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE MIRACLE ITSELF.

"And when he saw a fig-tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig-tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig-tree withered away!"

In many parts of our Saviour's conduct, we discover joint indications of his human, and of his Divine nature. We have just noticed a clear evidence of the former, and in the circumstances of this miracle we

may readily discern satisfactory proof of both. In repairing to the fig-tree with a view to satisfy the cravings of hunger, he acted entirely as a man, for in his Divine character he knew that no fruit was there. In uttering his malediction, or pronouncing sentence upon it, when found to be unproductive, He spake with Divine power, and his denunciation was speedily followed by its visible effect. In Him then let us gratefully recognise and acknowledge "Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

The account given of this event by our Evangelist is simple and unembarrassed. That of St. Mark presents a difficulty, for the solution of which various suppositions have been advanced by different expositors. His words are these: "And seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet." In the last clause lies the difficulty to which we have alluded. It seems natural to ask, Why should our Lord expect to find fruit on this tree, if the season of its fruit had not yet arrived? On this point, the following observations may deserve

attention.

It has been supposed by some, that our Lord went to this tree, because he perceived it had leaves upon it; and, therefore, was probably of that kind, which had leaves all the year round, and on which the old figs continued to hang, even after the new ones became visible: on this tree, therefore, he might