N00458:356
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.
Let this also serve to quicken decaying Christians, who yet have the root of the matter in them. Are there any such among us, that have fallen from their first love, and are grown into a great measure of barrenness, who have sometimes flourished in the Courts of God? be awakened and roused up to remember the first works and do them, and to excite you hereunto, consider,
Let this also serve to quicken decaying Christians, who yet have the root of the matter in them. Are there any such among us, that have fallen from their first love, and are grown into a great measure of barrenness, who have sometimes flourished in the Courts of God? be awakened and •owzed up to remember the first works and do them, and to excite you hereunto, consider,
1. You greatly dishonour God, and grieve his holy spirit by this. All the fruit that is born unto God in this world is produced ⟨p. 145⟩by true believers; if then you come short too what shall he do to his Vineyard? this is a very ill requital of God, for all that he hath done for you more then others: to others he hath given the means of Grace, and it is their great iniquity that they despise them, but he hath given you grace with the means, and that is unspeakably more; he may therefore well expostulate with you in a solemn manner.
2. You are also yourselves great losers by it The more fruit that you bear, the more Glory you shall have. Will it not be a great loss, though you be saved by fire, yet to have a great many of your works burnt up? you will also dye with the less comfort: the reflection of your minds upon so much unprofitableness, under such glorious advantages as you have had, will be a sad thought in a dying hour, when you are going to give up your accounts: Hence.