N00458:588
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.
SERMON XV
IT follows that we consider the Hypotheses severally, together with the inferences which the Vine-dresser draws from them. The first thing that he supposeth is, That this figtree, after he hath digged about it and dunged it, may possibly bear, though it were before barren; and truly, if he had not had some hope of this, he would not have asked liberty to make any farther trial upon it: The inference which he draws from hence is not expressed in the Text, but intended: It is and Elliptic kind of expression, and very frequent in Scripture Dialect; in which there is something left to be supplied: what that is here, is to be gathered from that which is concluded upon the latter Hypothesis, for contrary suppositions, infer contrary conclusions. Our Translation suitably supplies it with the word, [well] q. d. all shall be well; there will then be no occasion to cut it down, ⟨p. 262⟩but it will be profitable for it to stand; it will be both honourable and serviceable in the Vineyard; it will not repent thee of this for bearance; nor shall I be sorry for the pains that I shall have taken with it; and it shall be well with that too; the reproach of its barrenness shall cease, and it shall be out of the danger of the threatening.
IT follows that we consider the Hypotheses severally, together with the inferences which the Vine-dresser draws from them. The first thing that he supposeth is, That this figtree, after he hath digged about it and dunged it, may possibly bear, though it were before barren; and truly, if he had not had some hope of this, he would not have askt liberty to make any farther trial upon it: The inference which he draws from hence is not exprest in the Text, but intended: It is and Ellyptick kind of expression, and very frequent in Scripture Dialect; in which there is something left to be supplied: what that is here, is to be gathered from that which is concluded upon the latter Hypothesis, for contrary suppositions, infer contrary conclusions. Our Translation suitably supplies it with the word, [well] q. d. all shall be well; there will then be no occasion to cut it down, ⟨p. 262⟩