N00458:215
The barren fig trees doom. Or, A brief discourse wherein is set forth the…
The barren fig trees doom. Or, A brief discourse wherein is set forth the woeful danger of all who abide unfruitful under Gospel privileges, and Gods husbandry. Being the substance of sixteen sermons preached on Christ's parable of the fig-tree. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. ; [Four lines from Matthew]The barren fig trees doom. Or, A brief discourse wherein is set forth the woful danger of all who abide unfruitful under Gospel priviledges, and Gods husbandry. Being the substance of sixteen sermons preached on Christ's parable of the fig-tree. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. ; [Four lines from Matthew]
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris, 1691
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. Hence their Hearts do naturally and voluntarily resist the Spirit of God, striving ⟨p. 82⟩with them in the means. Instead of complying with and entertaining of him, they do oppose him, and this men always do of themselves or by their own inclinations, Acts. 7. 51. The way of mens Hearts, and the sight of their eyes, to which they are addicted, and that by a rooted approbation and choice, are quite contrary to the things that the Spirit of God invites men to in the Word and Ordinances; so that wheresoever he comes to make offers of them unto men, he finds a fixed enmity in them against these things, so that such not only will not, but they cannot be subject Rom. 8. 7. This is the fl•s•, that ••sts against the spirit, and needs must it be exceeding strong in natural men since in the regenerate, the remains of it often brings them into Captivity, and so it makes them that they cannot do the things that they would, Gal. 5. 17.
4. There is also many times a great neglect in Parents of doing their Duty to the•• Children, in order to their being fruitful. They love to have Church Privileges for their Children; they cannot bear that they should not be acknowledged Christians, and not have the badge of Christs Covenant upon them; but alas! this is all they mind how woeful neglects of Duty are there […] such Parents? they do not teach their Children the Principles of the Oracles of God, do ⟨p. 83⟩not counsel and command them to serve God, do not restrain them from the exorbitances that their youthful carnal minds naturally incline them to, do not set them a good example of Holiness, bt often give them an ill example do not pray with them, nor see that they attend upon the means of grace, and give an account of their profiting: and Children thus left, will run after sin fast enough; and God also thus punisheth Parent's neglects.