A30122:84
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.
2. There is an hasty Fruit, such as is the Corn upon the House top, Psal. 129. or that which springs up on the Dunghill, that runs up suddenly, violently, with great stalks, and big show, and yet at last proves empty of Kernel. This Fruit is to be found in those Professors, that on a sudden are so awakened, so convinced, and so affected with their Condition, that they shake the whole Family, the End-ship, the whole Town. For a while they cry hastily, vehemently, dolefully, mournfully, and yet all is but a Pang, an Agony, a Fit, they bring not forth Fruit with Patience. These are called those hasty Fruits, that shall be as a fading flower, Isa. 28. 4.
2. There is an hasty Fruit, such as is the Corn upon the House top, Psal. 129. or that which springs up on the Dunghil, that runs up suddenly, violently, with great stalks, and big shew, and yet at last proves empty of Kernel. This Fruit is to be found in those Professors, that on a sudden are so awakened, so convinced, and so affected with their Condition, that they shake the whole Family, the End-ship, the whole Town. For a while they cry hastily, vehemently, dolefully, mournfully, and yet all is but a Pang, an Agony, a Fit, they bring not forth Fruit with Patience. These are called those hasty Fruits, that shall be as a fading flower, Isa. 28. 4.
3. There is a Fruit that is vile, and ill-tasted, Jer. 24. how long soever it be in growing; the Root is dried, and cannot convey a sufficiency of Sap to the Branches to ripen the Fruit. These are the Fruit of such Professors, whose Heart is estranged from Communion with the Holy Ghost, whose Fruit groweth from themselves, from their Parts, Gifts, strength of Wit, natural or moral Principles. These, notwithstanding they bring forth Fruit, are called empty Vines; such as bring not forth Fruit to God.