N00458:231
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.
And let it awaken all to see to our selves that we be fruitful. Look to your selves that you be really engaged in the Service of God, and doing of his works: The thought that we may be barren in this regard, should make us the more careful •o look to our selves. that we be not so: it ⟨p. 90⟩concerns every individual to do so for himself & there are these three arguments that should move us hereunto.
1. Consider that God expects fruit of every one in his Church. He looks for it, & you can no otherwise answer the end of your being set there. This hath been already evidenced, and it hath a mighty plea in it; for doth not God deserve it of you? Is it not an ill requital of all his care and cost •aid out upon you, to deny it to him? is it not the most unreasonable thing that you should stand within the fence, and take up room in the ground, and be of no profit at all?
2. And God observes as well as expects: and should not this be a consideration of weight with you, to think that whatever I am doing, Gods jealous eye is upon me: if I am barren, he keeps the account of that, and if I am fruitful, he will not forget that: He that knows that he is always under the watchful inspection of the great God, had need to be careful of himself.