N00458:256
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. We may here also observe, That Ministers may be faithful in their places, and yet be unsuccessful. We find that the Owner of the Vineyard seeing the unfruitfulness of his Fig-tree, finds no fault with the Vine-dresser, lays nothing of it to his Charge; but his whole Complaint and Threatening is against the tree it self. And he would not have treated so familiarly with him, if he had not esteemed him to be faithful: And yet for all this, here is a barren tree in the Vineyard: and we find that if men under the watch of the Ministry do perish through their default, God will require their blood at their hands, Ezek. 33. 8. But yet they may do their work conscientiously, and men for all that perish; but now they are quit, verse. 9. Here observe;
3. We may here also observe, That Ministers may be faithful in their places, and yet be unsuccessful. We find that the Owner of the Vineyard seeing the unfruitfulness of his Fig-tree, finds no fault with the Vine-dresser, lays nothing of it to his Charge; but his whole Complaint and Threatning is against the tree it self. And he would not have treated so fam•liarly with him, if he had not esteemed him to be faithful: And yet for all this, here is a barren tree in the Vineyard: and we find that if men under the watch of the Ministry do perish through their default, God will require their blood at their hands, Ez•k. 33. 8. But yet they may do their work conscientiously, and men for all that perish; but now they are quit, verse. 9. Here observe;
1. A Minister is then to be acknowledged faithful to his office relation, when he doth conscientiously attend all the duties of it, as he hath opportunity and ability. Fidelity in any duty, of any relation, must b• lock• upon in an Evangelical Sense, else the […] must cry, Lord enter not into Judgment. ⟨p. 101⟩