A39674:564
Planelogia, a succinct and seasonable discourse of the occasions, causes, nature, rise, growth, and…
Planelogia, a succinct and seasonable discourse of the occasions, causes, nature, rise, growth, and remedies of mental errors written some months since, and now made public, both for the healing and prevention of the sins and calamities which have broken in this way upon the churches of Christ, to the great scandal of religion, hardening of the wicked, and obstruction of Reformation : whereunto are subjoined by way of appendix : I. Vindiciarum vindex, being a succinct, but full answer to Mr. Philip Cary's weak and impertinent exceptions to my Vindiciæ legis & fæderis, II. a synopsis of ancient and modern Antinomian errors, with scriptural arguments and reasons against them, III. a sermon composed for the preventing and healing of rents and divisions in the churches of Christ / by John Flavell ... ; with an epistle by several divines, relating to Dr. Crisp's works.Planelogia, a succinct and seasonable discourse of the occasions, causes, nature, rise, growth, and remedies of mental errors written some months since, and now made publick, both for the healing and prevention of the sins and calamities which have broken in this way upon the churches of Christ, to the great scandal of religion, hardening of the wicked, and obstruction of Reformation : whereunto are subjoined by way of appendix : I. Vindiciarum vindex, being a succinct, but full answer to Mr. Philip Cary's weak and impertinent exceptions to my Vindiciæ legis & fæderis, II. a synopsis of ancient and modern Antinomian errors, with scriptural arguments and reasons against them, III. a sermon composed for the preventing and healing of rents and divisions in the churches of Christ / by John Flavell ... ; with an epistle by several divines, relating to Dr. Crisp's works.
London: printed by R. Roberts for Tho. Cockerill, 1691
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.
Consectary V.
From this Discourse we may also gather, the true Grounds and Reasons of those frequent Persecutions which God lets in upon his Churches and People: These rank Weeds call for Snowy and Frosty Weather to subdue and kill them.
I know the enemies of God's People aim at something else: They strike at Profession, yea, at Religion it self; and according to their wicked intention, without timely Repentance, will their reward be. But whatever the intention of the Agents be, the issues of Persecution are upon this account greatly beneficial to the Church; the Wisdom of God makes them excellently useful, both to prevent and cure the mischiefs and dangers of Errors. If Enemies were not, Friends and Brethren would be injurious to each other. Persecution, if it kills not, yet at least it gives check ⟨p. 164⟩to the rise and growth of Errors: And if it do not perfectly redintegrate and unite the hearts of Christians, yet to be sure it cools and allays their sinful heats; and that two ways: (1.) By cutting out for them far better and more necessary work. Now, instead of racking their Brains about unnecessary Controversies, they find it high time to be searching their hearts, and examining the foundations of their Faith and Hope, with respect to the other World. (2.) Moreover, such times and straights, discover the Sincerity, Zeal and Constancy of them we were jealous of, or prejudiced against before, because they followed not us.
I know the enemies of God's People aim at something else: They strike at Profession, yea, at Religion it self; and according to their wicked intention, without timely Repentance, will their reward be. But whatever the intention of the Agents be, the issues of Persecution are upon this account greatly beneficial to the Church; the Wisdom of God makes them excellently useful, both to prevent and cure the mischiefs and dangers of Errors. If Enemies were not, Friends and Brethren would be injurious to each other. Persecution, if it kills not, yet at least it gives check