N00458:618
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. II.
Let this serve to encourage such as have long lived barren in Gods vineyard. It is no new device or stratagem of Satan, that great enemy of Souls, when he can no longer nourish security in mens hearts, and thereby animate them in their delaying to entertain the calls of the Gospel; but they begin to have touches upon their hearts and their consciences reflect on them conviction of their sin and danger, and rouse them up to return and fleck after God in earnest, now to lay matter of discouragement before them, and drive them off from repentance, by persuading them that there is now no hope for them, it is too late, they have sinned beyond a pardon, such sinners as they have nothing now to expect but ruin, there is no mercy to be expected from God by them: and ⟨p. 277⟩thus from presumption he would precipitate them into desperation. This doctrine in hand, will speak a word of hope to any such, and help their sinking Souls with some thing to catch hold upon to support them, and to answer all their doubts and fears, which Satan and a misgiving heart are ready to oppress them withal; and there are these considerations which will stop the mouth of them all.
Let this serve to encourage such as have long lived barren in Gods vineyard. It is no new device or stratagem of Satan, that great enemy of Souls, when he can no longer nourish security in mens hearts, and thereby animate them in their delaying to entertain the calls of the Gospel; but they begin to have touches upon their hearts and their consciences reflect on them conviction of their sin and danger, and rouse them up to return and fleck after God in earnest, now to lay matter of discouragement before them, and drive them off from repentance, by perswading them that there is now no hope for them, it is too late, they have sinned beyond a pardon, such sinners as they have nothing now to expect but ruine, there is no mercy to be expected from God by them: and ⟨p. 277⟩thus from presumption he would precipitate them into desperation. This doctrine in hand, will speak a word of hope to any such, and help their sinking Souls with some thing to catch hold upon to support them, and to answer all their doubts and fears, which Satan and a misgiving heart are ready to oppress them withal; and there are these considerations which will stop the mouth of them all.