<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=421588" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Barren Fig-Tree</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">The church a garden is<br>In which believers stand,<br>Like ornamental trees<br>Planted by God's own hand:<br>His Spirit waters all their roots,<br>And every branch abounds with fruits. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">But other trees there are,<br>In this enclosure grow;<br>Which, though they promise fair,<br>Have only leaves to show:<br>No fruits of grace are on them found,<br>They stand but cumb'rers of the ground. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The under gard'ner grieves,<br>In vain his strength he spends,<br>For heaps of useless leaves,<br>Afford him small amends:<br>He hears the Lord his will make known,<br>To cut the barren fig-trees down. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">How difficult his post,<br>What pangs his bowels move,<br>To find his wishes crossed,<br>His labors useless prove!<br>His last relief is earnest prayer,<br>Lord, spare them yet another year. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Spare them, and let me try<br>What farther means may do;<br>I'll fresh manure apply,<br>My digging I'll renew<br>Who knows but yet they fruit may yield!<br>If not--'tis just, they must be felled. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">If under means of grace,<br>No gracious fruits appear;<br>It is a dreadful case,<br>Though God may long forbear:<br>At length he'll strike the threatened blow,<br>And lay the barren fig-tree low.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=John+Newton">John Newton</a><div class=q> <img src="https://www.citatepedia.ro/g/32share.png" style="float:left" alt="Share"> <script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=421588" data-title="The Barren Fig-Tree de John Newton" data-description="The church a garden is In which believers stand, Like ornamental trees Planted by God's own hand: His Spirit waters all their roots, And every branch abounds with fruits. But other trees there are, In this enclosure grow; Which, though they prom..."></div> </div> </div>

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