A30122:339
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.
Thirdly; Unity and Peace consists in our making one Shoulder to practise and •ut in execution the things we do know. Phil. 3. 16. Nevertheless wherein we have ••ained, let us walk by the same Rule, let […] mind the same things. How sad is it to […] our Zeal consume us, and our precious Time, in things doubtful and disputable, ⟨p. 16⟩while we are not concerned, nor affected with the practice of those indisputable things we all agree in? We all know Charity to be the great Command, and yet how few agree to practise it? We all know they that▪ labour in the Word and Doctrine, are worthy of double Honour; and that God hath ordained that they which Preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel; these Duties, however others have cavilled at them, I know you agree in them, and are persuaded of your Duty herein; but where's your Zeal to practise? O how well would it be with Churches, if they were but half as zealous for the great and plain, and indisputable Things, and the more chargeable and costly Things of Religion, as they are for Things doubtful or less necessary, or for Things that are no charge to them, and cos• them nothing but the breath of Contention, though that may be too great a price for the small things they purchase with it.
Thirdly; Vnity and Peace consists in our making one Shoulder to practise and •ut in execution the things we do know. Phil. 3. 16. Nevertheless wherein we have ••ained, let us walk by the same Rule, let 〈…〉 mind the same things. How sad is it to 〈…〉 our Zeal consume us, and our precious Time, in things doubtful and disputable, ⟨p. 16⟩while we are not concerned, nor affected with the practice of those indisputable things we all agree in? We all know Charity to be the great Command, and yet how few agree to practise it? We all know they that labour in the Word and Doctrine, are worthy of double Honour; and that God hath ordained that they which Preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel; these Duties, however others have cavil'd at them, I know you agree in them, and are persuaded of your Duty herein; but where's your Zeal to practise? O how well would it be with Churches, if they were but half as zealous for the great and plain, and indisputable Things, and the more chargeable and costly Things of Religion, as they are for Things doubtful or less necessary, or for Things that are no charge to them, and cos them nothing but the breath of Contention, though that may be too great a price for the small things they purchase with it.