stead of saying, "I will pull down my barns, and build greater," he had said, "I will provide myself bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not,”—if he had spent his riches in doing good—if he had laid them out in providing for his poorer brethren, and so lent them, as it were, to the Lord-if he had made the bosoms of the needy his barns (barns which would last for ever)-then he would have been rich in God's sight. And again, if he had felt the utter uncertainty of all here, and had sought in earnest the salvation of his never-dying soul, then all would have been well with him.

We may all of us lay up a treasure in heaven. We may all be growing rich for eternity. How-where-is this treasure to be obtained? Christ says, "Buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich." Christ can make the poorest of us wealthy. He Himself is our treasure, the Pearl of great price. If we possess Him, we possess all. If we can say, "Christ is mine," we can say, "All is mine; Pardon is mine; Peace is mine; Heaven is mine; God is my God."

Go," said the Saviour to the rich young

man, who came to Him-" Go, and sell that thou hast, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me." Go, dear Friend, say I-Go, and part to-day with your sins, with your love of the world. Part with the poor, thread-bare cloak of your own righteousness, which you have perhaps worn so long, and wrapt so closely round you. Throw it off, and put accept Him as your portion.

on Christ, and

The world may The world may

despise you for doing so. consider it folly. But blessed are those who are willing to "count all else but loss that they may win Christ, and be found in Him."

N

178

THE FRUITLESS FIG-TREE.

LUKE XIII. 6-9.

"He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 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? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit, well : and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."

If we look at the five first verses of the chapter, we shall see what led to the Parable before us. Some persons came to tell our Lord of a judgment which had just fallen on certain Galileans. And they told it in such a way as if they felt that these Galileans must have been very great sinners,

or they would not thus have suffered. This feeling was a wrong one; and Jesus reproves it, adding this warning, "I tell you, Nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." This it was which led to the Parable which follows, in which our Lord urges the necessity of repentance, and of bringing forth fruit to God.

Our eye is at once directed to a Fig-tree. "A certain man had a fig-tree." And this was not a neglected or uncared-for tree, which grew by the roadside, as was often the case in Judæa. But it was planted in the choicest place which the owner could select for it, namely, in his Vineyard. This was usually a favoured spot on the Farm, where the soil was rich, and the ground well tilled. Here then he plants his Fig-tree, hoping, no doubt, and expecting, that it would be a productive tree, and one that would amply repay his

care.

In the summer time he comes, and seeks for fruit; but there is none to be seen. There are leaves enough, but no figs. There has been no neglect.

How is this? The tree has

been cared for. The soil is good. There is no appearance of any one having come and stript it. No; the tree itself is in fault. It is worthless and barren. It has ill repaid all "the Dresser's" care.

The Owner at once proposes to cut it down, as a useless cumberer of the ground. It was taking up room that might be better filled. There is a little pause however; for the Dresser of the vineyard (that is, the person who looks after it) pleads for the Tree, and entreats that it may be left standing yet another twelve months. And then, he says, if it is found to bear fruit, all will be well; and if not, then it must come down. So the tree was left; but we are not told how it fared.

Now, that Fig-tree describes the Jew in former days, and the Christian in these days; for what the Jew was once, we are now. We Christians are specially blest and favoured by God, cared for, and enjoying every spiritual advantage. We are members of God's Church.

Many of our fellow-creatures have not the