A30122:104
The barren fig tree, or, The doom and downfall of the fruitless professor showing…The barren fig tree, or, The doom and downfall of the fruitless professor shewing…
The barren fig tree, or, The doom and downfall of the fruitless professor showing that the day of grace may be past with him long before his life is ended : the signs also by which such miserable mortals may be known / by John Bunyan ; to which is added his Exhortation to peace and unity among all that fear God.The barren fig tree, or, The doom and downfall of the fruitless professor shewing that the day of grace may be past with him long before his life is ended : the signs also by which such miserable mortals may be known / by John Bunyan ; to which is added his Exhortation to peace and unity among all that fear God.
London: printed for J. Robinson, 1688
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
First, God expecteth Fruit that will answer, and be worthy of the Repentance, which thou feignest thy self to have. Every one in a Profession, and that hath crowded into the Vineyard, pretendeth to Repentance; now of every such Soul, God expecteth that the Fruits of Repentance be found to attend them. Mat. 3. 8. Bring forth Fruits therefore meet for Repentance, or answerable to ⟨p. 31⟩thy profession of the Doctrine of Repentance. Barren Fig-tree, seeing thou art a Professor, and art got into the Vineyard: thou standest before the Lord of the Vineyard, as one of the Trees of the Garden: Wherefore He looketh for Fruit from thee, as from the rest of the Trees in the Vineyard; Fruits, I say, and such as may declare thee in Heart and Life, one that hath made sound Profession of Repentance. By thy Profession thou hast said, I am sensible of the evil of Sin: Now then, live such a Life, as declares that thou art sensible of the Evil of Sin. By thy Profession thou hast said, I am sorry for my Sin: Why then, live such a life as may declare This Sorrow. By thy Profession thou hast said, I am ashamed of my Sin, Psal. 38. 18. yea, but live such a Life, that Men by that may see thy shame for Sin, Jer. 31. 19. By thy Profession thou sayest, I have turned from, left off, and am become an enemy to every appearance of evil, 1 Thess. 5. 22. Ah! but doth thy Life and Conversation declare thee to be such an one? Take heed, barren Fig-tree, lest thy Life should give thy Profession the lye. I say again, Take heed ⟨p. 32⟩for God himself will come for Fruit; And he sought Fruit thereon.
First, God expecteth Fruit that will answer, and be worthy of the Repentance, which thou feignest thy self to have. Every one in a Profession, and that hath crouded into the Vineyard, pretendeth to Repentance; now of every such Soul, God expecteth that the Fruits of Repentance be found to attend them.