A30122:185
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.
Thirdly, The means to help it, are propounded, until I shall dig about it, and dung it.
Fourthly, Here is also an insinuation of a Supposition, that by thus doing, God's expectation may be answered, And if it bear Fruit, Well.
Fifthly, Here is a Supposition that the barren Figtree may yet abide barren, when Christ hath done what he will unto it, and if it bear Fruit, &c.
Sixthly, Here is at last a Resolution, that if thou continue barren, hewing Days will come upon thee. And if it bear Fruit, well, And if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
But to proceed according to my former Method, by Way of Exposition.
Here is astonishing Grace indeed, astonishing Grace! I say, that the Lord Jesus should concern himself with a barre• Fig-tree; that He should step in to stop• the blow from a barren Fig-tree. True▪ He stopped the blow but for a time; Bu• why did he stop it at all? Why did no• he fetch out the Axe? Why did he not do Execution? Why did not he cut it down? Barren Fig-tree! 'tis well for thee that there is a Jesus at God's right Hand, a Jesus of that largeness of bowels, As to have compassion for a barren Fig-tree, else Justice had never let thee alone to cumber the Ground as thou hast done. When Israel also had sinned against God, down they had gone, But that Moses stood in the breach, Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone, said God to him, that I may consume them in a moment, and I will make of thee a great Nation. Barren Fig-tree, dost thou hear? Thou knowest not how oft the hand of Divine Justice hath been up to strike, and how many Years since thou hadst been cut down, had not Jesus caught hold of his Father's Axe. Let me alone, let ⟨p. 65⟩me fetch my blow, or cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? Wilt thou not hear yet, Barren Fig-tree? Wilt thou provoke still! Thou hast wearied Men, and provoked the Justice of God; And wilt thou weary my God also? Isa. 7. 13.
Here is astonishing Grace indeed, astonishing Grace! I say, that the Lord Jesus should concern himself with a barre• Fig-tree; that He should step in to stop• the blow from a barren Fig-tree. True▪ He stopt the blow but for a time; Bu• why did he stop it at all? Why did no• he fetch out the Ax? Why did he not do Execution? Why did not he cut it down? Barren Fig-tree! 'tis well for thee that there is a Jesus at God's right Hand, a Jesus of that largeness of bowels, As to have compassion for a barren Fig-tree, else Justice had never let thee alone to cumber the Ground as thou hast done. When Israel also had sinned against God, down they had gone, But that Moses stood in the breach,
Lord, a little longer, lets not lose a Soul for want of means; I will try, I will see if I can make it fruitful, I will not beg a long Life, nor that it might still be barren, and so provoke thee. I beg for the sake of the Soul, the immortal Soul, Lord spare it one Year only, one Year longer, this Year also; if I do any Good to it, it will be in little time. Thou shalt not be over-wearied with waiting, one Year and then.
Barren Fig-tree, Dost thou hear what striving there is between the Vine-dresser and the Husband-Man for thy Life. Cut it down, says one; Lord, spare it, saith the other: 'Tis a cumber-ground, saith the Father: one Year longer prays the Son, Let it alone this Year also,
The Lord Jesus by these words supposeth two things, as Causes of the want of Fruit in a barren Fig-tree, and two things he supposeth as a Remedy.
The things that are a cause of want of Fruit, are,
1. 'Tis Earth-bound; Lord, the Fig-tree is Earth-bound.
2. A want of warmer Means, of fatter Means.
Wherefore accordingly he propoundeth;
