A30122:46
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.
Had a [Fig-tree.]
Although there be in God's Church that be barren and fruitless; yet, as I said, to see to, they are like the rest of the Trees, even a Fig-tree: 'Twas not an Oak, nor a Willow, nor a Thorn, nor a Bramble, but a Fig-tree. Ezek. 33. 31. They come before thee as the people cometh. Isa. 58. 2, 3, 4. They delight to know my Ways, as a Nation that did Righteousness, and forsook not the Ordinances of their God: they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice, they take delight in approaching to God; and yet but barren, fruitless, and unprofitable Professors. Judas also was one of the twelve, a Disciple, an Apostle, a Preacher, an Officer, yea, and such an one as none of the Eleven mistrusted, but preferred before themselves, each one crying out, Is it I? is it I? Mar. 14. 19. none of them, as we read of, (Joh. 6. 70.) mistrusting Judas, yet he in Christ's Eye was the barren Fig-tree, a Devil, a fruitless Professor. The foolish ⟨p. 9⟩Virgins also went forth of the World with the other, had Lamps, and Light, and were awakened with the other; yea, had boldness to go forth when the midnight Cry was made with the other; and thought that they could have looked Christ in the Face, when he sat upon the Throne of Judgment with the other; and yet but foolish, but barren Fig-trees, but fruitless Professors: Mat. 7. 22, 23. Many, saith Christ, will say unto me in that day, this and that, and will also talk of many wonderful Works; yet, behold, he finds nothing in them, but the Fruits of Unrighteousness: they were altogether barren and fruitless Professors.