Backwoods Presbyterian
Puritanboard Amanuensis
“Now, whatever unthinking men dream, to me it is evident, that when kingdoms and commonwealths are overflowed with unrestrained vice and immoralities; when cursing and swearing becomes the common language, drunkenness and adultery the common practice of the inhabitants; God will either sweep away the the filth of those nations, by the bosom of general reformation, or he will sweep away their inhabitants out of them, with the bosom of destruction.” — John Flavel, “Works” Vol. 6, pg. 475
”It is downright folly and madness, by the vote of the whole rational and sober world, for any man to conclude, or hope he shall be happy in the world to come, whose life is drawn through and finished in all manner of obscenity, filthiness, and profaneness in the present world. For let the case be brought into the light of your own reason, as dim as it is, and let it freely judge, when you are belching out your black and horrid blasphemies against God, imprecating damnation from him upon your own souls, wallowing in beastly lusts, vomiting and roaring in taverns and ale-houses: ask I say, your own reason, conscience, or the Scriptures, whether all, or either of them, will allow you to say and think, ‘Now we are in the right way to eternal blessedness! This is the very course that will bring us to happiness in the world to come; this pleaseth God better, and is a surer path to glory, than repentance or faith, mortification, prayer, or reformation.’ No, no!, As blind as your reason is, and as seared as your consciences are, you will never bring them to comprobate, or subscribe such absurd and horrid conclusions as these! ” — John Flavel, “Works” Vol. 6, pg. 477
”And then, for the community to which they belong; how dangerous, yea, how destructive such persons are to it, cannot possibly be hid from any wise or serious observer. For if one sinner destroys much good; if one Achan trouble the whole camp of Israel; how much more will whole swarms and droves of drunkards, blasphemers, adulterers, as now fill every place, pull down the judgments of God upon those States and Kingdoms wherein they breathe?…Kingdoms and Commonwealths are not so much endangered by the powers and policies of their enemies without them, as they are by the unreformedness of the profilgate wretches within, and amongst them. Reformation quickly recovers the ancient glory of Kingdoms and makes them the terror of their enemies.” — John Flavel, “Works” Vol. 6, pg. 478
“The most desirable recovery and reformation of profane debauched persons, is not simply and absolutely impossible. And if magistrates and ministers were everywhere exemplary themselves for sobriety and piety, zealous and impartial in the discharge of their respective duties, a general reformation would not be difficult. But when those, whose office it is to suppress wickedness, shall associate themselves with lewd and profilgate persons and vie with them in their profane courses, or discourage more conscientious persons in the discharge of their duties; this makes reformation morally impossible. ” — John Flavel, “Works” Vol. 6, pg. 479
”If the laws of nations take care for the preservation and growth of timber, fit for the building of houses and ships, and every one sees usefulness and necessity of such acts; much more ought they to take care for such as the [moral] education of men, as may render them serviceable members of the State, bot hin camp and council. Magistrates are in a sense the foundations of kingdoms; the strong shoulders that bear the burden of government; And reason will tell, that so great a weight and stress, as the affairs and concerns of kingdoms, ought not to be laid on their shoulders, whose legs, through debauchery, are too weak to bear their own reeling and staggering bodies.” — John Flavel, “Works” Vol. 6, pg. 480
“How great a lustre therefore dost this truth cast about it: that the restraint and reformation of vice, and the due encouragement of virtue and piety, becomes the very civil interest of kingdoms and nations by the joint votes and suffrages both of human and divine wisdom? Let any kingdom or state make trial of this method and from that very time they shall date their prosperity. This will make them become the terrors of their enemies round about them: Peace and Prosperity shall flourish in the midst of them; which is the true level and design of this most necessary and seasonable attempt. ” — John Flavel, “Works” Vol. 6, pg. 481
"We all acknowledge, that all prosperity and success depends upon God; if so, reason will readily own, that it must therefore be in the interests of kingdoms and commonwealths , to prevent and restrain those impieties, which so audaciously provoke and incense his wrath...Both reason and experience will inform the rulers of this world, that professed rebels to the God of Heaven, are never likely to make useful subjects in the kingdom of men. -- John Flavel, "Works" Vol. 6 pg. 491
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