The Barren Fig-tree OR The Doom Downfal 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 my be known By JOHN BVNYAN who being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11. 4. To which is added His Exhortation to Peace and Unity among all that fear God LONDON Printed for J. Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard 1688. To the Reader Courteous Reader I Have written to thee now about the Barren Fig-tree or how it will fare with the Fruitless Professor that standeth in the Vineyard of God Of what Complexion thou art I cannot certainly divine but the Parable tells thee that the Cumber-ground must be cut down A Cumber-ground Professor is not only a provocation to God a stumbling-block to the World and a blemish to Religion but a snare to his own Soul also Though his Excellency mount up to the Heavens and his Head reach unto the Clouds yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung they that have seen him shall say Where is he Job 20. 6. Now they count it pleasure to riot in the day-time 2 Pet. 2. 13 14. but what will they do when the Ax is fetcht out The Tree whose Fruit withereth is reckoned a Tree without Fruit a Tree twice dead one that must be pluck'd up by the Roots Jude 12. O thou Cumber-ground God expects Fruit God will come seeking Fruit shortly My Exhortation therefore is to Professors that they look to it that they take heed The Barren Fig-tree in the Vineyard and the Bramble in the Wood are both prepared for the Fire Profession is not a Covert to hide from the Eye of God nor will it palliate the revengeful Threatning of his Justice he will command to cut it down shortly The Church and a Profession are the best of places for the Upright but the worst in the World for the Cumber-ground He must be cast as profane out of the Mount of God Cast I say over the Wall of the Vineyard there to wither thence to be gathered and burned It had been better for them that they had not known the Way of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2. 21. And yet if they had not they had been damned but it is better to go to Hell without than in or from under a Profession These shall receive greater Damnation Luke 20. 47. If thou be a Professor read and tremble If thou be Profane do so likewise For if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the Ungodly and Sinners appear Cumber-ground Take heed of the Ax Barren Fig-tree beware of the Fire But I will keep thee no longer out of the Book Christ Jesus the Dresser of the Vine-yard take care of thee dig about thee and dung thee that thou maist bear Fruit That when the Lord of the Vineyard cometh with his Ax to seek for Fruit or pronounce the Sentence of Damnation on the Barren Fig-tree thou mayest escape that judgment The cumber-Cumber-ground must to the Wood-pile and thence to the Fire Farewel Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus in Sincerity Amen J. Bunyan The Barren Fig-tree OR The Doom and Downfal of the fruitless Professor Luke 13. 6 7 8 9. A certain Man had a Fig-tree planted in his Vineyard and he came and sought Fruit thereon and found none Then said he to the Dresser of his Vineyard Behold these three Years I come seeking Fruit on this Fig-tree and find none cut it down why cumbereth it the ground And he answering said Lord let it alone this Year also until I shall dig about it and dung it and if it bear Fruit well and if not then after that thou shalt cut it down AT the beginning of this Chapter we read how some of the Jews came to Jesus Christ to tell him of the cruelty of Pontius Pilate in mingling the Blood of the Galileans with their Sacrifices An heathenish and prodigious Act for therein he shewed not only his Malice against the Jewish Nation but also against their Worship and consequently their God An Action I say not only Heathenish but prodigious also for the Lord Jesus paraphrasing upon this Fact of his teacheth the Jews that without Repentance they should all Likewise perish Likewise that is by the Hand and Rage of the Roman Empire Neither should they be more able to avoid the Stroke than were those eighteen upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell and slew them Luke 19. 42 43 44. The fulfilling of which Prophecy for their hardness of Heart and Impenitency was in the days of Titus Son of Vespasian about forty Years after the Death of Christ. Then I say were these Jews and their City both environed round on every side wherein both they and it to amazement were miserably overthrown God gave them Sword and Famine Pestilence and Blood for their outrage against the Son of his Love So Wrath came on them to the uttermost 1 Thess. 2. 16. Now to prevent their old and foolish Salvo which they always had in readiness against such Prophecies and Denunciations of Judgment the Lord Jesus presents them with this Parable in which he emphatically shews them that their cry of being the Temple of the Lord and of their being the Children of Abraham c. and their being the Church of God would not stand them in any stead As who should say It may be you think to help your selves against this my Prophecy of your utter and unavoidable overthrow by the Interest which you have in your outward Priviledges But all these will fail you for what think you A certain Man had a Fig-tree planted in his Vineyard and he came and sought Fruit thereon and found none This is your Case The Jewish Land is God's Vineyard I know it and I know also that you are the Fig-trees But behold there wanteth the main thing Fruit for the sake and in expectation of which he set this Vineyard with Trees Now seeing the Fruit is not found amongst you the Fruit I say for the sake of which he did at first plant this Vineyard what remains but that in Justice he command to cut you down as those that cumber the Ground that he may plant himself another Vineyard Then said he to the Dresser of his Vineyard Behold these three Years I come seeking Fruit on this Fig-tree and find none cut it down why cumbreth it the Ground This therefore must be your End altho you are planted in the Garden of God for the barrenness and unfruitfulness of your Hearts and Lives you must be cut off yea rooted up and cast out of the Vineyard In Parables there are two Things to be taken notice of and to be enquired into of them that read First The Metaphors made use of Secondly The Doctrine or Mysteries couched under such Metaphors The Metaphors in this Parable are 1. A certain Man 2. A Vineyard 3. A Fig-tree barren or fruitless 4. A
have subscribed to the Lord and have called our selves by the Name of Israel One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his Hand unto the Lord and sirname himself by the Name of Israel Isa 44. 5. Barren Fig-tree hast thou subscribed hast thou called thy self by the Name of Jacob and sirnamed thy self by the Name of Israel All this thou pretendest to who art got into the Vineyard who art placed among the Trees of the Garden of God God doth therefore look for such Fruit as is worthy of his Name as is meet for Him as the Apostle saith We should walk worthy of God that is so as we may shew in every place that the presence of God is with us his Fear in us and his Majesty and Authority upon our Actions Fruits meet for him such a dependance upon him such trust in his Word such satisfaction in his Presence such a trusting of him with all my Concerns and such delight in the enjoyment of him that may demonstrate that his Fear is in my Heart that my Soul is wrap'd up in his Things and that my Body and Soul and Estate and All are in Truth through his Grace at his dispose Fruit meet for him Hearty thanks and blessing God for Jesus Christ for his good Word for his Free-Grace for the discovery of himself in Christ to the Soul secret longing after another World Fruit meet for him Liberality to the poor Saints to the poor World a Life in Word and Deed exemplary a patient and quiet enduring of all things till I have done and suffered the whole Will of God which he hath appointed for me That on the good Ground are they which in an honest and good Heart having heard the Word keep it and bring forth Fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. This is bringing forth Fruit unto God Having our Fruit unto Holiness and our End everlasting Life Rom. 7. 4. 6. 22. 14. 8. Fifthly The Lord expects Fruit be coming the Vineyard of God The Vineyard saith he Isa. 5. 1. is a very fruitful Hill witness the Fruit brought forth in all Ages The most barren Trees that ever grew in the Wood of this World when planted in this Vineyard by the God of Heaven what Fruit to Godward have they brought forth Abel offered the more excellent Sacrifice Heb. 11. 4. Enoch walked with God three hundred Years vers 5. Noah by his Life of Faith condemned the World and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith vers 7. Abraham left his Country and went out after God not knowing whither he went vers 8. 〈…〉 left a Kingdom and ran the hazard of the Wrath of the King for the Love he had to God and Christ. What shall I say of them who had Triâ—lâ— not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 〈…〉 35 36 37. They were stoned they were 〈…〉 were tempted 〈…〉 They wandred 〈…〉 and Goat-skins being destitâ—te 〈…〉 left his Father Ship and Nets Mat. 4. â—8 19 Paul turned off from the feet of Gamalieâ—â— Men brought their Goods and Possessions the price of them and cast it down at the Apostle's Feet Acts 19. 18 19 â—0 〈◊〉 others brought their Books together and burnt them 〈…〉 Books though they were worth fifty thousand pieces of Silver I could add how many willingly offered themselves in all Ages and their all for the worthy Name of the Lord Jesus to be rack'd starved hanged burned drowned pulled in pieces and 〈◊〉 thousand Calâ—mities Barren Fig-tree the Vineyard of God hath been a fruitful Place What dost thou there What dost thou bear God expects Fruit according to or becoming the Soil of the Vineyard Sixthly The Fruit which God expecteth is such as becometh God's Husbandry and Labour The Vineyard is God's Husbandry or Tillage I am the Vine saith Christ John 15. â— and my Father is the Husbandman And again 1 Cor. 3. 9. Ye are God's Husbandry ye are God's Building The Vineyard God fences it God gathereth ouâ— the Stones God builds the Tower and the Winepâ—ess in the midst thereof Here is Labour here is Protection here is removing of Hindrances here is convenient Purgation and all that there might be 〈◊〉 Barren Fig-tree What Fruit hast thou hast thou Fruit becoming the Care of God the Protection of God the Wisdom of God the Patience and Husbandry of God It is the Fruit of the Vineyard that is either the shame or the praise of the Husbandman I went by the Field of the slothful saith Solomon and by the Vineyard of the Man void of Vnderstanding and lo it was grown over with Thorns and Nettles had covered the face thereof Prov. 24. 30 31 32. Barren Fig-tree If Men should make a judgment of the care and pains and labour of God in his Church by the Fruit that thou bringest forth what might they say is he not slothful is not he careless is he not without discretion O thy Thorns thy Nettles thy barren Heart and barren Life is a continual provocation to the eyes of his Glory as likewise a dishonour to the glory of his Grace Barren Fig-tree hast thou heard all these things I will add yet one more And he came and sought fruit thereon The question is not now What thou thinkest of thy self nor what all the people of God think of thee but what thou shalt be found in that day when God shall search thy boughs for Fruit When Sodom was to be searched for righteous Men God would not in that matter trust his faithful servant Abraham but still as Abraham interceded God answered If I find fifty or forty and five there I will not destroy the City Gen. 18. 20 21 26 27. Barren Fig-tree what sayest thou God will come down to see God will make search for Fruit himself And he came and sought Fruit thereon and found none Then said he to the Dresser of the Vineyard Behold these three Years I come seeking Fruit on this Fig-tree and find none Cut it down why cumbereth it the ground These words are the effect of God's search into the boughs of a barren Fig-tree He sought Fruit and found none none to his liking none pleasant and good Therefore first he complains of the want thereof to the Dresser calls him to come and see and take notice of the Tree then signifieth his pleasure he will have it removed taken away cut down from cumbering the Ground Observ. The barren Fig-tree is the Object of God's displeasure God cannot bear with a fruitless Professor Then said he c. Then after this provocation then after he had sought and found no Fruit then This word then doth shew us a kind of an inward disquietness as he saith also in another place upon a like provocation Then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that Man and all the Curses that are written in this Book
my Brethren God's Heart cannot stand towards a barren Fig-tree You know thus it is with your selves If you have a Tree in your Orchard or Vineyard that doth only cumber the Ground you cannot look upon that Tree with pleasure with complacency and delight No if you do but go by it if you do but cast your Eye upon it yea if you do but think of that Tree you threaten it in your Heart saying I will hew thee down shortly I will to the Fire with thee shortly And it is in vain for any to think of perswading of you to shew favour to the barren Fig-tree and if they should perswade your Answer is irresistible It yields me no profit it takes up room and doth no good a better may grow in its room Cut it down Thus when the godly among the Jews Jer. 14. 17. made Prayers that rebellious Israel might not be cast out of the Vineyard what saith the Answer of God Jer. 15. 1. Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet could not my mind be towards this People wherefore cast them out of my presence and let them go forth What a Resolution is here Moses and Samuel could do almost any thing with God in Prayer How many times did Moses by Prayer turn away God's Judgments from even Pharoah himself yea how many times did he by Prayer preserve Israel when in the Wilderness Psal. 106. 23. from the Anger and Wrath of God Samuel is reckoned excellent this way yea so excellent that when Israel had done that fearful thing as to reject the Lord and chuse them another King 1 Sam. 12. he prayed and the Lord spared and forgave them But yet neither Moses nor Samuel can save a barren Fig-tree No though Moses and Samuel stood before me that is pleading arguing interceding supplicating and beseeching yet could they not incline mine heart to this People Cut it down Ay but Lord it is a Fig-tree a Fig-tree if it was a Thorn or a Bramble or a Thistle the matter would not be much but it is a Fig-tree or a Vine Well but mark the answer of God Ezek. 15. 2 3. Son of Man what is the Vine-Tree more than any Tree or than a Branch that is among the Trees of the Forrest shall Wood be taken thereof to do any Work or will Men take a Pin thereof to hang any Vessel thereon If Trees that are set or planted for Fruit bring not forth that Fruit there is betwixt them and the Trees of the Forest no betterment at all unless the betterment lieth in the Trees of the Wood for they are fit to build withal but a Fig-tree or a Vine if they bring not forth Fruit yea good Fruit they are fit for nothing at all but to be cut down and prepared for the fire and so the Prophet goes on Behold it is cast into the fire for fuel if it serve not for Fruit it will serve for fewel and so the fire devoureth both the ends of it and the middle of it is burnt Ay but these Fig-trees and Vines are Church-Members Inhabiters of Jerusalem So was the Fig-tree mentioned in the Text But what answer hath God prepared for these Objections Why Ver. 6 7. Thus saith the Lord God As the Vine-tree among the Trees of the forrest which I have given to the fire for fuel so will I give the Inhabitants of Jerusalem And I will set my face against them they shall go from one fire and another fire shall devour them Cut it down The Woman that delighteth in her Garden if she have a Slip there suppose if it was fruitful she would not take five Pounds for it Yet if it bear no Fruit if it wither and dwindle and die and turn cumber-cumber-ground only it my not stand in her Garden Gardens and Vineyards are places for Fruit for Fruit according to the nature of the plant or flowers Suppose such a Slip as I told you of before should be in your Garden and there die Would you let it abide in your Garden No! away with it away with it The Woman comes into her garden towards the Spring where first she gives it a slight cast with her eye then she sets to gathering out the Weeds and Nettles and Stones takes a Beesom and sweeps the Walks this done she falls to prying into her Herbs and Slips to see if they live to see if they are likely to grow Now if she comes to one that is dead that she is confident will not grow up she pulls that and makes to the heap of rubbish with it where she despisingly casts it down and valueth it no more than a Nettle or a Weed or than the dust she hath swept out of her Walks Yea if any that see her should say Why do you so The answer is ready 'T is dead 't is dead at Root If I had let it stand 't would but have cumbered the ground The strange Slips and also the Dead ones they must be a heap in the Day of Grief and of desperate Sorrow Isa. 17. 10 11. Cut it down There be two manner of cuttings down First When a Man is cast out of the Vineyard Secondly When a Man is cast out of the World First When a Man is cast out of the Vineyard And that is done two ways 1. By an immediate hand of God 2. By the Churches due execution of the Laws and Censures which Christ for that purpose hath left with his Church First God cuts down the Barren Fig-tree by an immediate Hand smiting his Roots blasting his branches and so takes him away from among his people Every Branch saith Christ that beareth not Fruit in me He my Father taketh away Joh. 15. 2. He taketh him out of the Church He taketh him away from the Godly There are two things by which God taketh the barren Professor from among the Children of God First Strong Delusions Secondly Open Prophaneness First By strong Delusions such as beguile the Soul with damnable Doctrines that swerve from Faith and Godliness Isa. 66. 3 4. They have chose their own Ways saith God and their Soul delighteth in their Abominations I also will chuse their Delusions and will bring their Fears upon them I will smite them with blindness and hardness of Heart and failing of Eyes and will also suffer the Tempter to tempt and effect his hellish Designs upon them 2 Thess. 2. 10 11 12. God will send them strong Delusions that they may believe a Lie that they all may be damned who believe not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness Secondly Sometimes God takes away a barren Professor by open Profaneness There is one hath taken up a Profession of that worthy Name the Lord Jesus Christ but this Profession is but a Cloak he secretly practiseth Wickedness He is a Glutton a Drunkard or Covetous or Unclean Well saith God I will loose the Reins of this Professor I will give him up to his vile Affections I will loose the
Reins of his Lusts before him he shall be entangled with his beastly Lusts he shall be overcome of ungodly Company Thus they that turn aside to their own crooked ways Psal. 125. 5. The Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of Iniquity This is God's Hand immediately God is now dealing with this Man himself Barren Fig-tree hearken Thou art crouded into a Profession art got among the Godly and there art a scandal to the Holy and Glorious Gospel but withal so cunning that like the Sons of Zerviah thou art too hard for the Church She knows not how to deal with thee Well saith God I will deal with that Man my self Ezek. 14. 7 8. I will answer that Man by my self he that sets up his Idols in his Heart and puts the Stumbling-block of his Iniquity before his Face and yet comes and appears before me I will set my Face against that Man and will make him a Sign and a Proverb and I will cut him off from the midst of my People and ye shall know that I am the Lord. But secondly God doth sometimes cut down the barren Fig-tree by the Church by the Churches due execution of the Laws and Censures which Christ for that purpose hath left with his Church This is the meaning of that in Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 5. and that in 1 Tim. 1. 20. upon which now I shall not enlarge But which way soever God dealeth with thee O thou barren Fig-tree whether by himself immediatly or by his Church it amounts to one and the same For if timely Repentance prevent not The end of that Soul is damnation They are blasted and withered and gathered by Men God's Enemies and at last being cast into the Fire burning must be their end That which beareth Briars and Thorns is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Heb. 6. 8. And again sometimes by cut it down God means cast it out of the World Thus he cut down Nadab and Abihu when he burned them up with Fire from Heaven Numb 16. 31 32 33. Thus he cut down Corah Dathan and Abiram when he made the Earth to swallow them up Thus he cut down Saul 1 Sam. 31. 4. when he gave him up to fall upon the edg of his own Sword and died Thus he cut down Ananias with Saphira his Wife when he struck them down dead in the midst of the Congregation Acts 5. 5. 10. I might here also Discourse of Absolom Ahithophel and Judas who were all three hanged The first by God's revenging Hand the other were given up of God to be their own Executioners These were barren and unprofifitable Fig-trees such as God took no pleasure in therefore he commanded to cut them down The Psalmist saith Psal. 58. 9. He shall take them away as with a Whirl-wind both living and in his Wrath. Barren Fig-tree hearken God calls for the Ax his Sword bring it hither here is a barren Professor Cut him downn why cumbereth he the Ground Why cumbereth it the Ground By these words the Lord suggesteth Reasons of his Displeasure against the Barren Fig-tree It cumbereth the Ground The Holy Ghost doth not only take an Argument from its barrenness but because it is a Cumber-ground Therefore cut it down wherefore it must needs be a provocation 1. Because as much as in him lieth he disappointeth the Design of God in planting his Vineyard I looked that it should bring forth Fruit. 2. It hath also abused his Patience his 〈◊〉 suffering his three Years Patience 3. It hath also abused his Labour his Pains his Care and providence of Protection and Preservation for he hedges his Vineyard and walls it about Cumber-ground all these things thou abusest He waters his Vineyard and looks to it Night and Day but all these things thou hast abused Further. There are other Reasons of God's Displeasure As First A Cumber-ground is a very mock and reproach to Religion a mock and reproach to the Ways of God to the People of God to the Word of God and to the Name of Religion It is expected of all Hands that all the Trees in the Garden of God should be fruitful God expects Fruit the Church expects Fruit the World even the World conclude that Professors should be fruitful in good Works I say the very World expecteth that Professors should be better than themselves But barren Fig-tree thou disappointest all Nay Hast thou not learned the wicked Ones thy Ways Hast thou not learn'd them to be more wicked by thy Example but that 's by the by Barren Fig-tree Thou hast disappointed others and must be disappointed thy self Cut it down why cumbereth it the Ground Secondly The Barren Fig-tree takes up the room where a better Tree might stand I say it takes up the room it keeps so long as it stands where it doth a fruitful Tree out of that place and therefore it must be cut down Barren Fig-tree Dost thou hear Because the Jews stood fruitless in the Vineyard Therefore said God Mat. 21. 33-41 The Kingdom of Heaven shall be taken from you and shall be given to a Nation that shall render him their Fruits in their Season The Jews for their barrenness were cut down and more fruitful People put in their room As Samuel also said to barren Saul 1 Sam. 15. 28. The Lord hath rent the Kingdom from thee and hath given it to thy Neighbour that is better than thou the unprofitable Servant must be cast out must be cut down Mat. 25. 27. Cumber-ground How many hopeful â—nclinable forward People hast thou by thy fruitless and unprofitable Life kept out of the Vineyard of God for thy sake have the People stumbled at Religion By thy Life have they been kept from the Love of their own Salvation Thou hast been also a means of hardening others and of quenching and killing weak beginnings Well Barren Fig-tree look to thy self thou wilt not go to Heaven thy self and them that would thou hinderest Thou must not always Cumber the Ground nor always hinder the Salvation of others Thou shalt be Cut down and another shall be planted in thy room Thirdly The cumber-Cumber-ground is a Sucker 〈◊〉 draws away the Heart and Nourishment from the other Trees Were thâ— cumber-Cumber-ground cut down the other would be more fruitful he draws away that fatness of the Ground to himself thaâ— would make the other more hearty and fruitful One Sinner destroyeth much good Eccl. 9. 18. The Cumber-ground is a very Droan iâ— the Hive that eats up the Honey thaâ— that should feed the labouring Bee 〈◊〉 is a Thief in the Candle that wasteth the Tallow but giveth no Light he is thâ— unsavory Salt that is fit for nought bâ—â— the Dunghil Look to it Barren Fig-tree And he answering said unto him Lord lâ— it alone this Year also until I shall dâ— about it and dung it and if it beâ— Fruit well and if not then after that thou shalt cut it down vers 8 9. THese are the words