Sermon 14

*Verse IX.* And if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that you shall cut it down.

3. It follows that we proceed to consider of the issue that the Vine-Dresser comes to with his Lord about this Fig-tree: He desires but one year more to make some farther experiment upon it; and what then? Why here is a double hypothesis or supposition that he makes about it, namely, either it will after this bear fruit, or else it will still remain barren; and upon each of these supposals he raises a rational inference or conclusion. We may in the first place take the hypotheses themselves into consideration. The Vine-dresser dares not to promise any thing positively, concerning the fig-tree; being uncertain what will be the return of all his labor and pains; the farthest that he can say, is, it is possible it may hear, and possibly it may not? However, if his Lord be but willing to try, he is willing to lay out his labor upon it.

Hence,