A30122:365
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.
Our English Histories tell us, that after Austin the Monk had been some time in England, that he heard of some of the Remains of the British Christians, which he convened to a place, which Camden in his Britannia calls Austin's Oak; here they met to consult about Matters of Religion; but such was their Division, by reason of Austin's imposing Spirit, that our Stories tell us, That Synod was only famous for this, that they only met and did Nothing. This is the mischief of Divisions, they hinder the doing of much good; and if Christians, that are divided, be ever famous for any thing, it will be, that they have often met together, and talked of this and the other thing, but they did nothing.
Our English Histories tell us, that after Austin the Monk had been some time in England, that he heard of some of the Remains of the British Christians, which he conven'd to a place, which Cambden in his Britannia calls Austin's Oak; here they met to consult about Matters of Religion; but such was their Division, by reason of Austin's imposing Spirit, that our Stories tell us, That Synod was only famous for this, that they only met and did Nothing. This is the mischief of Divisions, they hinder the doing of much good; and if Christians, that are divided, be ever famous for any thing, it will be, that they have often met together, and talked of this and the other thing, but they did nothing.
Fourthly, Where Unity and Peace is wanting, there the Weak are wounded, and the Wicked are hardened: Unity may well be compared to precious Oil, Psal. 133. 2. It's the nature of Oil, to heal that which is wounded, and to soften that which is hard. Those Men that have hardened themselves against God and his People, when they shall behold Unity and Peace among them, will say, God is in them indeed. And on the other hand, are they not ready to say, when they see you divided, That the Devil's in you that you cannot agree?