N00458:471
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.
DOCTRINE. It is the disposition of Gods faithful Ministers to be very earnest with him to stay his judgments, when they are ready to break in upon and destroy barren Professors.
When they see the tokens of Gods anger appearing, and are apprehensive of the great danger impending; they presently address God, and go to him with greatest importunity, entreating him that he would at least spare them a little give then a little further trial, and see what may be do•• with them. That God is pleased to discover his displeasure to them, and give them some signal to •ens that there is wrath out against such, and really to break forth in some terrible dispensations, sometimes discovering it in its moral causes, and sometimes in the Face of his providence, hath been already evidenced. And what is it they now do? do they sit still, and do nothing? or do they rejoice in it, and seek the furtherance of it? no, but they do all they can to prevent it, and this is one thing, they apply themselves unto God by humble and earnest supplication, they turn importunate beggars at the Throne of Grace in their behalf. Instances for this we have several in the word of God, in such as have been the most eminent: ⟨p. 204⟩How observable is the example of Abraham, in his interceding for Sodom, on supposition that there might be a shattering of Godly persons in it? and how doth be grow upon God in his pleading? Gen. 18. How eminent was Moses also upon this account how often are we told of the great provocations that God had taken at Israel? and as often we find Moses upon his Face, begging and pleading as for his life, and not letting God alone, Forty days at a time did he spend more then once upon this very score. How ready is Aaron to step in with his Censer between the living and the dead, when he saw the Plague was now begun? How did Joshua fall down and pray hard when Israel fled before their enemies?
When they see the tokens of Gods anger appearing, and are apprehensive of the great danger impending; they presently address God, and go to him with greatest importunity, entreating him that he would at least spare them a little give then a little further trial, and see what may be do with them. That God is pleased to discover his displeasure to them, and give them some signal to ens that there is wrath out against such, and really to break forth in some terrible dispensations, sometimes discovering it in its moral causes, and sometimes in the Face of his providence, hath been already evidenced. And what is it they now do? do they sit still, and do nothing? or do they rejoice in it, and seek the fartherance of it? no, but they do all they can to prevent it, and this is one thing, they apply themselves unto God by humble and earnest supplication, they turn importunate beggars at the Throne of Grace in their behalf. Instances for this we have several in the word of God, in such as have been the most eminent: