N00458:571
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. I.
This may serve to caution us against carnal confidence on the one hand, and despair on the other. This caution concerns all these whose business it is to endeavour the conversion of sinners unto God; these are two dangerous rocks that we must carefully steer between ⟨p. 253⟩if we would keep a right course in this duty.
1. Beware of carnal confidence. Let us not make too large and positive promises to ourselves with respect of our labour: let us not say and conclude, that because we find our hearts to be mightily carried out for the good of them whom we have to do withal, so as to make us unweariedly industrious with them, and to use all manner of endeavours that we are capable of; that therefore they must needs be converted, as if by our own grace or industry we were able to do it in and for them; or as if by our care we had obliged God to a necessity of doing it for us, upon our laying ourselves out; this is a carnal conclusion, and it flows from ignorance, and pride, and presumption, and it thereupon offers unto God no little provocation, to withdraw his blessing, and so to disappoint our expectation lest otherwise we should be lifted up with self-applause, and burn incense to our own not, and so rob him of the honour of his work.