N00458:325
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.
2. Partial barrenness is when Professors do not bring forth fruit answerable to their tilling. When Christians have a new principle of grace in them, and do bear real fruit, but it is little they bring forth, nothing in comparison with the cost and Pains that is laid out upon them: and good scarce deserves to be called so, in them from whom far better is expected. God doth not afford to all his people alike advantages; and a tree may be counted fruitful for one Soil that may be reputed unfruitful in another: and it is apparent, that some Christians that enjoy the same helps, that grow in the same Vineyard, do abundantly less for God than others do; now these may be said in a degree to be barren: and although the Doctrine more especially arms at the former, yet these also come under the consideration of it.
2. Whence it is that they are so? i. e. that they abide unfruitful after all endeavours patiently used with them.
A. There are these things here to be observed:
1. In respect of total barrenness?