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…

First, Where Unity and Peace is wanting, there is much precious time spent to no purpose; How many Days are spent, and how many fruitless Journeys made to no profit, where the People are not in peace? How often have many redeemed time (even in Seed-time and Harvest) when they could scarce afford it, to go to Church, and, by reason of their Divisions, come home worse than they went, repenting they have spent so much precious time to so little benefit? How sad is it to see Men spend their precious time, in which they should work out their Salvation, by labouring, as in the Fire, to prove an uncertain and doubtful Proposition; and to trifle away their time, in which they should make their Calling and Election sure, to make sure ⟨p. 26⟩of an Opinion, which when they have done all, they are not infallibly sure whether it be true or no, because all things necessary to Salvation and Church-Communion are plainly laid down in Scripture, in which we may be infallibly sure of the Truth of them; but for other things that we have no plain Texts for, but the Truth of them depends upon our Interpretations, Here we must be cautioned, that we do not spend much time in imposing those upon others, or venting those among others, unless we can assume Infallibility, otherwise we spend time upon uncertainty▪ And whoever casts their Eyes abroad, and dot• open their Ears to intelligence, shall both see, and to their sorrow hear, that many Churches spend most of their time in Jangling and Contending▪ about those things, which are neither essentially to Salvation or Church-Communion, and that which is worse, about such doubtful Questions which they are never able to give an infallible solution of. But now where Unity and Peace is, there, our time is spent in praising God; and in those great Questions, What we should do to be saved? and how we may be more ⟨p. 27⟩holy and more humble towards God, and more charitable and more serviceable to one another?

First, Where Unity and Peace is wanting, there is much precious time spent to no purpose; How many Days are spent, and how many fruitless Journeys made to no profit, where the People are not in peace? How often have many redeemed time (even in Seed-time and Harvest) when they could scarce afford it, to go to Church, and, by reason of their Divisions, come home worse than they went, repenting they have spent so much precious time to so little benefit? How sad is it to see Men spend their precious time, in which they should work out their Salvation, by labouring, as in the Fire, to prove an uncertain and doubtful Proposition; and to trifle away their time, in which they should make their Calling and Election sure, to make sure