A30122:383
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.
Eighthly; It is a dishonour and disparagement to Christ, that his Family should be divided. When an Army falls into Mutiny and Division, it reflects disparagement on him that hath the Conduct of it: In like manner the Divisions of Families are a dishonour to the Heads, and those that govern them. And if so, then how greatly do we dishonour our Lord and Governor, who gave his Body to be broken, to keep his Church from breaking, who ⟨p. 44⟩prayed for their Peace and Unity, and left Peace at his departing from them for a Legacy, even a Peace which the World could not bestow upon them.
Eighthly; It is a dishonour and disparagement to Christ, that his Family should be divided. When an Army falls into Mutiny and Division, it reflects disparagement on him that hath the Conduct of it: In like manner the Divisions of Families are a dishonour to the Heads, and those that govern them. And if so, then how greatly do we dishonour our Lord and Governour, who gave his Body to be broken, to keep his Church from breaking, who ⟨p. 44⟩prayed for their Peace and Unity, and left Peace at his departing from them for a Legacy, even a Peace which the World could not bestow upon them.
Ninthly; Where there is Peace and Unity, there is a sympathy with each other; that which is the want of one, will be the want of all; Who is afflicted, (saith the Apostle) and I burn not? we should then remember them that are in Bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer Adversity, as being our selves also of the Body, Heb. 13. 3. But where the Body is broken, or Men are not reckoned or esteemed of the Body, no marvel we are so little affected with such as are afflicted: Where Divisions are, that which is the Joy of the one, is the Grief of another; but where Unity, and Peace, and Charity abounds, there we shall find Christians in Mourning with them that mourn, and rejoicing with them that rejoice; then they will not envy the Prosperity of others, nor secretly rejoice at the Miseries or Miscarriages of any.