A30122:357
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, Where Unity and Peace is wanting, there can be no great matters enterprized, we cannot do much for God, nor much for one another; when the Devil would hinder the bringing to pass of good in Nations and Churches, he divides their Councils, (and as one well observes) he divides their Heads, that he may divide their Hands; when Jacob had prophesied of the cruelty of Simeon and Levi, who were Brethren, he threatens them with the consequent of it, Gen. 49. 7. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. The Devil is not to learn that Maxim he hath taught the Machiavellians of the World, divide & impera, divide and rule, it is a united force that's formidable: Hence the Spouse in the Canticles is said to be but one, and the only one of her Mother, Cant. 6. 9. Hereupon it is said of her, ver. 10. That she is terrible as an Army with Banners. What can a divided Army do, or a disordered Army, that have lost their Banners, or for fear or shame thrown them away? In like manner, ⟨p. 29⟩what can Christians do for Christ, and the enlarging his Dominions in the World, in bringing Men from darkness to light, while themselves are divided and disordered? Peace is to Christians, as great Rivers are to some Cities, which (besides other Benefits and Commodities) are natural Fortifications, by reason whereof those places are made impregnable; but when, by the subtlety of an Adversary, or the folly of the Citizens, these Waters come to be divided into little petty Rivulets, How soon are they assailed and taken? Thus it fares with Churches, when once the Devil or their own folly divides them, they will be so far from resisting of him, that they will be soon subjected by him.
Thirdly, Where Unity and Peace is wanting, there can be no great matters enterprized, we cannot do much for God, nor much for one another; when the Devil would hinder the bringing to pass of good in Nations and Churches, he divides their Councils, (and as one well observes) he divides their Heads, that he may divide their Hands; when Jacob had prophesied of the cruelty of Simeon and Levi, who were Brethren, he threatens them with the consequent of it, Gen. 49. 7. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. The Devil is not to learn that Maxim he hath taught the Machavilians of the World, divide & impera, divide and rule, it is a united force that's formidable: Hence the Spouse in the Canticles is said to be but one, and the only one of her Mother,