N00458:348
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.
USE III.
Let it be a loud call to old sinners that are under the Gospel. Are there none among us, that have not been three, but thirty, forty, fifty years in the Vineyard, under the means of grace, and strivings of the spirit of God, and have not to this day brought forth and fruit that God will accept of, but have lived in their natural state, neglected their Souls, and not regarded to improve the Opportunities they have had? Let this Doctrine awaken you, and put you upon making haste to get your sin pardoned, your guilt removed, and your souls made fertile; and to move you thereto, let me offer these considerations.
1. Think how much Guilt you have already contracted to yourselves. Know it, whatever pretence of respect you have shown to the Gospel and the means of Grace, yet your barrenness is a witness against you that you have indeed neglected and despised all: count up how many Sabbaths you have lived▪ and remember so many days have been profaned by you; and so many Sermons as you have heard, so many witnesses you ⟨p. 143⟩have laid against you: so many of Gods Messengers as have laboured in vain amongst you so many accusers you will have another day, if you repent not: If once rejecting Christs •all, If once refusing to comply with the striving spirit, be enough to ruin you for, ever; how will you be able to stand up under the weight of such innumerable provocations? and will you go on still? say, is it; not high time for you now at length to look about you and bestir yourselves.