N00458:357
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.
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.
1. Be much in mortifying the lusts that are in you. It is from the prevalency of them that your fruitfulness is obstructed: if they be subdued and kept under, Grace will thrive and put forth; but as long as they are indulged that will be at an under: go then to the Father, the great Husbandman, and pray to him that he will purge you, that so you may bear fruit.