N00458:492
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. God hath oftentimes a purpose to delay the execution of the sentence; and he honours these his Servants to be the instruments in it. God sometimes intends to give peculiar instances of his long-sufferance; and therefore when Sinners may be thought ripe for ruin, ready for cutting down, and the sentence is past in the threatening; he will yet give them a farther trial; now when it is so, he is wont to stir up the hearts of his servants to put in, and beg with greatest and undeniable importunity for it, whereupon he grants it to their requests; and it is for their sakes that he doth it. Thus we find, that God had certainly destroyed Israel, but that Moses interposed, and stood between him and them, and turned his wrath away, Psal. 106. 23. and this shows his approbation.
3. God hath oftentimes a purpose to delay the execution of the sentence; and he honours these his Servants to be the instruments in it. God sometimes intends to give peculiar instances of his long-sufferance; and therefore when Sinners may be thought ripe for ruine, ready for cutting down, and the sentence is past in the threatning; he will yet give them a farther trial; now when it is so, he is wont to stir up the hearts of his servants to put in, and beg with greatest and undeniable importunity for it, whereupon he grants it to their requests; and it is for their sakes that he doth it. Thus we find, that God had certainly destroyed Israel, but that Moses interposed, and stood between him and them, and turned his wrath away, Psal. 106. 23. and this shews his approbation.
4. Hence it follows, that they do many ⟨p. 212⟩times prevail with God. Though sometimes it is come to that, that though Noah, Job, Daniel should pray for them, they should only deliver their own souls; yet it is not always so; if it be possible, such prayers shall prevail, and God not seldom doth thus answer them. There is many a Sinners life is saved by the earnest importunity of Gods Servants with him, they had died else: God gives their lives to these prayers, to testify what an interest they have in him, and convince sinners themselves o their gracious acceptance with him. The very scope of this part of the Parable, is to let us know, that God spares many after they have provoked him to denounce some severe threatenings against them, and to tell us how it comes about that he so doth: it is not for any worthiness or merit of theirs, but because they have a deep share in his favour, and he will thus signalize it.