A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

6. There is cause to set a part days of fasting and prayers, when Heresies and errors abound, as well as when profaneness, and gross wickedness aboundeth in the lives of people, Christ doth in five of his Epistles to the Churches of Asia (to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatyra, Philadelphia) take notice of false Teachers, Sects, and erroneous Doctrines, commending the zeal in Ephesus against them, blaming those in Pergamos and Thyatira, for tolerating such amongst them, encouraging ⟨p. 156⟩those in Smyrna and Philadelphia, by expressing his displeasure against those Sects. No mention of loose and scandalous livers, distinguished from the Sects in those Churches. Either there were such scandalous livers in those Churches at that time, or not. If there were, then observe, Christ mentions not them, but the false Teachers and Sectaries, for although both are condemnable, yet he takes special notice of scandals in Doctrine, and profession, as being matters of the highest treason against him, and the most provoking sins in a Church, as being also the more deceitful, and secret poison honeyed over with plausible pretences, and therefore the more needing a discovery? If there were no such scandalous and profane livers in these Churches. Then note, that Christ will have a great controversy against a Church, which hath false Doctrines, and pernicious Sects in it, although there were never a scandalous person more in it. There is therefore cause to fast and pray, for which Christ makes a matter of controversy against his Churches: If we have prayed away Popery, Prelacy; the old superstitious ceremonies, the Malignant Armies, &c. O let us cry mightily for this also, see if we can pray away Heresies, and pernicious Doctrines, Sects and Schisms.

6. There is cause to set a part dayes of fasting and prayers, when Heresies and errors abound, as well as when prophannesse, and grosse wickednesse aboundeth in the lives of people, Christ doth in five of his Epistles to the Churches of Asia (to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatyra, Philadelphia) take notice of false Teachers, Sects, and erroneous Doctrines, commending the zeal in Ephesus against them, blaming those in Pergamos and Thyatira, for tollerating such amongst them, incouraging ⟨p. 156⟩those in Smyrna and Philadelphia, by expressing his displeasure against those Sects. No mention of loose and scandalous livers, distinguished from the Sects in those Churches. Either there were such scandalous livers in those Churches at that time, or not. If there were, then observe, Christ mentions not them, but the false Teachers and Sectaries, for although both are condemnable, yet he takes speciall notice of scandals in Doctrine, and profession, as being matters of the highest treason against him, and the most provoking sinnes in a Church, as being also the more deceitfull, and secreet poyson honeyed over with plausible pretences, and therefore the more needing a discovery? If there were no such scandalous and prophane livers in these Churches. Then note, that Christ will have a great controversie against a Church, which hath false Doctrins, and pernitious Sects in it, although there were never a scandalous person more in it. There is therefore cause to fast and pray, for which Christ makes a matter of controversie against his Churches: If we have prayed away Popery, Prelacy; the old superstitious ceremonies, the Malignant Armies, &c. O let us cry mightily for this also, see if wee can pray away Heresies, and pernitious Doctrines, Sects and Schismes.