N00458:223
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.
USE I.
Learn hence, that visible-Church Membership give to no man security of his Salvation, t•is therefore a vain thing for any man to ⟨p. 88⟩boast of, or put their confidence in it: and yet alas! how many are there who so do? It is only those that have the fruits of the Spirit on them, that glorify God by faith in Christ, and a well-ordered Conversation, that shall see his salvation. Men indeed who are in the visible Church have opportunities and great helps thus to do; but it is not the unfailing privilege of all that are there so to do: they have means, but they despise and neglect them, and so they are never the better. If this be a truth, that there may be barren fig-trees in Gods vineyard; it then necessarily follows, that men may belong to the number of Gods visible Church, and enjoy all the outward advantages of it, and yet after all that, fall short of eternal life, and come under condemnation: and this should shake the carnal security of all such as cry, The Temple of the Lord.
Learn hence, that visible-Church Membership give to no man security of his Salvation, t•is therefore a vain thing for any man to ⟨p. 88⟩boast of, or put their confidence in it: and yet alas! how many are there who so do? It is only those that have the fruits of the Spirit on them, that glorify God by faith in Christ, and a well-ordered Conversation, that shall see his salvation. Men indeed who are in the visible Church have opportunities and great helps thus to do; but it is not the unfailing priviledge of all that are there so to do: they have means, but they despise and neglect them, and so they are never the better. If this be a truth, that there may be barren fig-trees in Gods vineyard; it then necessarily follows, that men may belong to the number of Gods visible Church, and enjoy all the outward advantages of it, and yet after all that, fall short of eternal life, and come under condemnation: and this should shake the carnal security of all such as cry, The Temple of the Lord.