A30122:147
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.
Cut it down.
Ay, but Lord it is a Fig-tree, a Fig-tree! if it was a Thorn, or a Bramble, or a Thistle, the matter would not be much; but it is a Fig-tree, or a Vine: Well, but mark the answer of God; Ezek. 15. 2, 3. Son of Man, what is the ⟨p. 52⟩Vine-Tree, more than any Tree, or than a Branch that is among the Trees of the Forrest? shall Wood be taken thereof to do any Work? or will Men take a Pin thereof, to hang any Vessel thereon? If Trees that are set, or planted for Fruit, bring not forth that Fruit, there is betwixt them and the Trees of the Forest, no betterment at all, unless the betterment lieth in the Trees of the Wood, for they are fit to build withal; but a Fig-tree, or a Vine, if they bring not forth Fruit, yea good Fruit, they are fit for nothing at all, but to be cut down, and prepared for the fire; and so the Prophet goes on, Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel: if it serve not for Fruit, it will serve for fuel, and so the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the middle of it is burnt.
Ay, but Lord it is a Fig-tree, a Fig-tree! if it was a Thorn, or a Bramble, or a Thistle, the matter would not be much; but it is a Fig-tree, or a Vine: Well, but mark the answer of God; Ezek. 15. 2, 3. Son of Man, what is the ⟨p. 52⟩Vine-Tree, more than any Tree, or than a Branch that is among the Trees of the Forrest? shall Wood be taken thereof to do any Work? or will Men take a Pin thereof, to hang any Vessel thereon? If Trees that are set, or planted for Fruit, bring not forth that Fruit, there is betwixt them and the Trees of the Forest, no betterment at all, unless the betterment lieth in the Trees of the Wood, for they are fit to build withal; but a Fig-tree, or a Vine, if they bring not forth Fruit, yea good Fruit, they are fit for nothing at all, but to be cut down, and prepared for the fire; and so the Prophet goes on, Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel: if it serve not for Fruit, it will serve for fewel, and so the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the middle of it is burnt.