N00458:337
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. Wherein this appears to be so great an aggravation of their Guilt?
A. This will be seen by laying those things together.
1. That it is the duty of sinners to hearken to the voice of God. Whatever pleas men may pretendedly make of their own impotency, it gives them no discharge from the obligation• of Duty which is lying upon them. God is the rightful Lord and Lawgiver; and his commands have an Obedience due to them from the creature, who cannot with hold it without the guilt of rebellion. Besides, the Gospel takes off all excuse here; because it looks upon men as being without strength in themselves, and hath accordingly provided and offered all help to them in Christ, whose spirit is ready and able to do all that is wanting. Now it is certain that God requires fruit of all that enjoy the means: he looks for it, Text. It is his will that they bear it, 1 Thes▪ 4. 3.