N00458:247
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.
1. The dignity which Christ puts upon his Ministry, and the trust which he puts in them. It is a great honour that is done unto men to put them into places of trust. God hath a singular respect to, and care which he takes of his Church; to betrust any then with the office of looking after and dressing of this Vineyard, argues a great deal of confidence that he puts in them, and honour that he confers upon them. God is a great King, and these are his Children, for to them pertains the Adoption; and it is a noble employment to be made Tutors to a King's Children: men are wont to be curious in their ⟨p. 95⟩choice of such: and God is much more, in the directions which he hath given about the qualifications of such whom he will accept in this station. Moses mentions it as a great preferment which God had advanced Korah and his Brethren unto, Numb. 16. 9.
1. Hence they who despise the office and work of the Ministry, despise God. Such as reproach them, reproach God himself. It is not to be denied, but that there are th•se who are preferred among men to the place of the Ministry, whose unworthy Carriage in it, and mismanagement of it, makes them deserve to be exploded, and not acknowledged to be called by God, or approved of him: but this ought not to be interpreted as redounding to the ignominy of the work it self, or the contempt of those whom God hath made faithful in it. It is true, Christ could do his work without them, but he hath pleased to choose this way to dispense himself in; and that employment which God himself hath seen meet to put honour upon, ought not to be vilified or thought light of, by such as profess themselves to be his people, and to hope for his salvation.
1. Hence they who despise the office and work of the Ministry, despise God. Such as reproach them, reproach God himself. It is not to be denied, but that there are th•se who are preferred among men to the place of the Ministry, whose unworthy Carriage in it, and mismanagement of it, makes them deserve to be exploded, and not acknowledged to be called by God, or approved of him: but this ought not to be interpreted as redounding to the ignominy of the work it self, or the contempt of those whom God hath made faithful in it. It is true, Christ could do his work without them, but he hath pleased to chuse this way to dispense himself in; and that employment which God himself hath seen meet to put honour upon, ought not to be vilified or thought light of, by such as profess themselves to be his people, and to hope for his salvation.