e foliage of outward profession--but who are destitute
of the "fruits of righteousness." It is not neglecters or despisers--the
careless--the infidel--the scorner--our Lord here addresses. He deals
with such elsewhere. It is rather vaunting hypocrites--wearing the garb
of religion--the trappings and dress of outward devotion to conceal
their inward pollution; like the ivy, screening from view by garlands of
fantastic beauty--wreaths of loveliest green--the mouldering trunk or
loathsome ruin! We may well believe none are more obnoxious to a holy
Saviour than _such_. He (Incarnate TRUTH) would rather have the naked
stem than the counterfeit blossom. He would rather have no gold than be
mocked with tinsel and base alloy! "I _would_," says He, speaking to one
of His Churches at a later time, "I would thou wert cold or hot." He
would rather a man openly avowed his enmity than that he should come in
disguise, with a traitor-heart, among the ranks of His people. Oh that
all such ungodly boasters and pretenders would bear in mind, that not
only do they inflict harm on themselves, but they do infinite damage to
the Church of God. They lower the standard of godliness. Like that
worthless Fig-tree, they help to hide out from others the glorious
sunlight. They intercept from others the refreshing dews of heaven. They
absorb in their leaves the rains as they fall. Many a tuft of tiny moss,
many a lowly plant at their feet, is pining and withering, which, _but_
for _them_, would be bathing its tints in sunshine, and filling the air
with balmy fragrance!

Solemn, then, ought to be the question with every one of us--every
Fig-tree in the Lord's plantation--How does it stand with _me_? am I
_now_ bringing forth fruit to God? for remember what we are NOW, will
fix what we _shall_ be when our Lord shall come on the Great Day of
Scrutiny! We are forming _now_ for Eternity; settling down and
consolidating in the great mould which ultimately will determine our
everlasting state; fruitless _now_, we shall be fruitless _then_. The
_principle_ in the future retribution is thus laid down--"He that is
unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be
filthy still." The demand and scrutiny of Jesus will on that day be, not
what is the number of your leaves, the height of your stem, the extent
of your branches? not whether you have grown on the wayside or in the
forest, been nurtured in solitude or in a crowd, on the mountain-heigh