Sermon 6

*Verse 7.* Then said he to the Dresser of his Vineyard; behold, these three years I come seeking fruit of this fig-tree, and find none, cut it down, why cumbers it the ground.

III We now proceed to consider the deliberation of the Owner of the Vineyard with the dresser of it; in which there are two things.

1. The complaint which he makes against this particular fig-tree.

2. The advice which he gives to him about it.

The person spoken to is called the Dresser of the Vineyard. Men were wont often to keep their gardeners, to look after their vines and fruit-trees, that were skilled in that sort of husbandry: and this cannot be meant of God, whom elsewhere Christ calls the Husbandman (John 15:1), for it has been already observed that he is intended by the Owner. Some apply this to Christ, to whom there is given a mediatorial dispensation of all affairs that concern his Church: but I rather suppose that it aims at the ministry of the Gospel, whom it is certain that Jesus Christ, who is the Lord and Planter of this vineyard, employs in the manuring of his visible Church: they are therefore said to be Planters and Waterers (1 Corinthians 3:6), and to be Laborers together with God (chap. 4:1).

Before I proceed to the consideration of the deliberation itself, give me leave to make a few brief glancing remarks, upon the person deliberated withal, namely the Dresser of the vineyard. And here we may observe;

1. The dignity which Christ puts upon his ministry, and the trust which he puts in them. It is a great honor that is done to men to put them into places of trust. God has a singular respect to, and care which he takes of his Church; to entrust any then with the office of looking after and dressing of this vineyard, argues a great deal of confidence that he puts in them, and honor that he confers upon them. God is a great King, and these are his children, for to them pertains the adoption; and it is a noble employment to be made tutors to a King's children: men are wont to be curious in their choice of such: and God is much more, in the directions which he has given about the qualifications of such whom he will accept in this station. Moses mentions it as a great preferment which God had advanced Korah and his brethren to (Numbers 16:9).

1. Hence they who despise the office and work of the ministry, despise God. Such as reproach them, reproach God himself. It is not to be denied, but that there are those who are preferred among men to the place of the ministry, whose unworthy carriage in it, and mismanagement of it, makes them deserve to be exploded, and not acknowledged to be called by God, or approved of him: but this ought not to be interpreted as redounding to the ignominy of the work itself, or the contempt of those whom God has made faithful in it. It is true, Christ could do his work without them, but he has pleased to choose this way to dispense himself in; and that employment which God himself has seen meet to put honor upon, ought not to be vilified or thought light of, by such as profess themselves to be his people, and to hope for his salvation.

2. We are here also acquainted with the duty of Gospel ministers. The title here put upon them, is not only a character of their dignity, but of their duty [illegible]. Their work is to dress the vineyard. The word signifies one that is to work about the vines; that is, to do the business that appertains to the tending and looking after them: and this intimates that there is no little care and charge lying upon those that are engaged in the ministry, no little labor incumbent on them to be exercised withal; and this will appear from the consideration of two things in the comparison or title.

1. A vineyard has a great many plants in it, all of which belongs to the vine-dresser's care, and every one of which calls for dressing. A Church is a company of visible believers, or professors, with their children, in some there are more, in others fewer: now each individual of these belongs to his charge; and it is a solemn charge that Christ has laid upon him (2 Timothy 4, beginning). A seasonable administration belongs to these and to that end, care is to be used to know the state of the vineyard; and that is by the several plants which are in it. Not only truths, but seasonable truths are to be preached; and he that has souls to look after, must needs have a great care lying upon him.

2. There is a deal to be done to and for the vineyard, and the several plants that are in it. He that has a vineyard to look after, shall never want work: there are so many things that belong to the dressing and tending of it; there is digging, and dunging, and weeding, and transplanting, and pruning, and under-setting, and keeping up the hedge, and watching against wild beasts and robbers: and all this is a constant work; if it be once done, it will be to do again and again. There is no less lying on the ministers of Christ, if they will prove themselves faithful: there are children, tender plants in the nursery, to be looked after, and to be removed from those beds into the rows, when they are fitted for it: there are grown persons, who should be labored with that they may be prepared for full communion: and there are those that have attained to it: each of these have their portion to be allotted to them. There are the unbelieving, who are to be called upon and not let alone; the obstinate, who are to be solemnly warned; the scandalous, who are to be, according to their merit, censured; the careless, that are to be seasonably reproved; the sorrowful, that must be comforted; the doubting souls, that must be satisfied; &c. There is the Word and ordinances which are to be dispensed to all in public; the sick that must be visited; corrupters and seducers must be watched against; families in private must be visited; &c. And an account is to be given in to Christ the Lord and Owner of his Church, of all this, as they expect a reward of grace at his hands: and if they have wilfully neglected or omitted their duty in these regards, they are in danger of being cut in sunder by him, and made to receive their portion with hypocrites.