A30122:255
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.
4. Yet again, The Lord will not leave this Professor, but will take up his Axe again, and will put him under a more heart-searching Ministry, a Ministry that ⟨p. 95⟩shall search him, and turn him over and over; a Ministry that shall meet with him, as Elijah met with Ahab, in all his acts of Wickedness (and Now the Axe is laid to the Roots of the Trees.) Besides, this Ministry doth not only search the Heart, but presenteth the Sinner with the Golden rays of the glorious Gospel; Now is Christ Jesus set forth evidently, now is Grace displayed sweetly; Now, now are the Promises broken like Boxes of Ointment to the perfuming of the whole room. But a as, there is yet no Fruit on this Fig-tree. While his Heart is searching, he wrangles; while the glorious Grace of the Gospel is unveiling, this Professor wags and is wanton, gathers up some scraps thereof, Tastes the good Word of God, and the Powers of the World to come, Jude 4. Drinketh in the Rain that comes oft upon him, Heb. 6. 3— 7, 8. But bringeth not forth Fruit meet for him, whose Gospel it is; takes no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his Heart, 2 Kin. 10. 31. but counteth that the Glory of the Gospel consisteth in talk and show, and that our Obedience thereto, is a matter of Speculation; that good Works lie in good Words, and ⟨p. 96⟩if they can finely talk, they think they bravely, please God. They think the Kingdom of God consisteth only in Word, not in Power: and thus proveth ineffectual this Fourth Means also.
4. Yet again, The Lord will not leave this Professor, but will take up his Ax again, and will put him under a more heart-searching Ministry, a Ministry that ⟨p. 95⟩shall search him, and turn him over and over; a Ministry that shall meet with him, as Elijah met with Ahab, in all his acts of Wickedness (and Now the Ax is laid to the Roots of the Trees.) Besides, this Minstry doth not only search the Heart, but presenteth the Sinner with the Golden rays of the glorious Gospel; Now is Christ Jesus set forth evidently, now is Grace displayed sweetly; Now, now are the Promises broken like Boxes of Ointment to the perfuming of the whole room. But a as, there is yet no Fruit on this Fig-tree. While his Heart is searching, he wrangles; while the glorious Grace of the Gospel is unvailing, this Professor wags and is wanton, gathers up some scraps thereof, Tastes the good Word of God, and the Powers of the World to come,