A30122:401
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.
Seventhly; If we would preserve Peace, let us mind the Gifts, and Graces, and Virtues that are in each other; let these be more in our eye, than their Failings and Imperfections. When the Apostle exhorted the Philippians to Peace, as a means hereunto, that so the Peace of God might rule in their Hearts, he tells them, Chap. 4. 8. that if there were any Virtue, or any Praise, they should think of these things. While we are always talking and blazoning the Faults of one another, and spreading their Infirmities, no marvel we are so little in Peace, and Charity; for as Charity covereth a multitude of Sins, so Malice covereth a multitude of Virtues, and makes us deal by one another, as the Heathen Persecutors dealt with Christians, (viz.) put them in Bears Skins, that they might the more readily become a Prey to those Dogs that were designed to devour them.
Seventhly; If we would preserve Peace, let us mind the Gifts, and Graces, and Vertues that are in each other; let these be more in our eye, than their Failings and Imperfections. When the Apostle exhorted the Philippians to Peace, as a means hereunto, that so the Peace of God might rule in their Hearts, he tells them, Chap. 4. 8. that if there were any Vertue, or any Praise, they should think of these things. While we are always talking and blazoning the Faults of one another, and spreading their Infirmities, no marvel we are so little in Peace, and Charity; for as Charity covereth a multitude of Sins, so Malice covereth a multitude of Vertues, and makes us deal by one another, as the Heathen Persecutors dealt with Christians, (viz.) put them in Bears Skins, that they might the more readily become a Prey to those Dogs that were designed to devour them.
Eighthly; If we would keep Unity and Peace, let us lay aside provoking and dividing Language, and forgive ⟨p. 58⟩those that use them. Remember that old Saying, Evil Words corrupt good Manners. When Men think to carry all afore them, with speaking uncharitably and disgracefully of their Brethren, or their Opinions; may not such be answered, as Job answered his unfriendly Visitants,