they proclaim spiritually, in reference to the growth of mind in heavenly luxuriance, that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand, and that it is forming (where alone it can be formed) in all its loveliness within—"the kingdom of God is within you!" It is well known to all readers of Holy Writ that man is therein compared to and called a tree, his peculiar nature and quality being represented by the kind of tree named. His professions of truth and doctrine are the leaves, while his holy affections and heavenly desires of life are the fruits. It is by holiness of life, and not by professions, that the true characters of men are known: "by their fruits ye shall know them!" Now this barren fig-tree had leaves in abundance, and hence the Lord came to it to see "if haply he might find fruit" (Mark xi. 13); but there being no fruit, it withered away. What a lesson of value is taught us here! Wherever we find professions of truth and of faith, remember, O wayfaring man! that there are leaves in abundance on thy tree, and to such the Master will certainly come for the fruit. A tree full of leaves, without fruit, is man full of professions without life. His leaves may rustle with the wind of doctrine, and make a noise, but his professions are all empty sounds! his faith, being without charity and love, is dead, and as the fruitless fig-tree withered away, so the fruitless man will spiritually die.
The Jewish church, at the Lord's coming, being the One only church that professed the truth and possessed the Word of God, was represented by the One fig-tree with leaves only; for with all their professions, they neglected the weightier matters of the law of life, rejecting the truth by crucifying the Lord! the time
