Gods free mercy to England presented as a precious and powerful motive to humiliationGods free mercy to England presented as a pretious and powerfull motive to humiliation

1. Mercy works more powerfully than judgements. And therefore ¹the Apostle Paul, beseecheth us by the mercies of God; he doth not say, I beseech you by the judgements of God: And in 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having these promises, let us cleanse our selves from all the defilements both of flesh and spirit. He doth not say, having these threatenings, let us cleanse our selves, &c. Let a Cart loaded go over a River frozen with Ice, the Cart breaks the Ice, but it remains Ice still; but let the sun shine upon the River, and it will melt the Ice, and dissolve it into water, so as nothing of the Ice shall remain. The ⟨p. 36⟩Judgements of God may break a hard heart, but it will remain hard still, as a Rock broken in pieces remains a Rock; But the Sun-shine of Gods mercy, and the consideration of Gods love to us in Christ will break the heart to powder, and make it not only a broken heart, but a soft and contrite heart. Have you not seen a Malefactor at his condemnation and place of execution, when without hope of mercy, carrying himself desperately, and obdurately in sin, and afterwards, when informed that there was a pardon provided for him, hath been exceedingly melted and broken in heart, at the consideration of the graciousness of the King towards him?

1. Mercy workes more powerfully than judgements. And therefore ¹the Apostle Paul, beseecheth us by the mercies of God; he doth not say, I beseech you by the judgements of God: And in 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having these promises, let us cleanse our selves from all the defilements both of flesh and spirit. He doth not say, having these threatnings, let us cleanse our selves, &c. Let a Cart loaded goe over a River frozen with Ice, the Cart breakes the Ice, but it remaines Ice still; but let the sun shine upon the River, and it will melt the Ice, and dissolve it into water, so as nothing of the Ice shal remaine. The ⟨p. 36⟩Judgements of God may break a hard heart, but it will remain hard still, as a Rocke broken in peeces remaines a Rocke; But the Sun-shine of Gods mercy, and the consideration of Gods love to us in Christ will breake the heart to powder, and make it not onely a broken heart, but a soft and contrite heart. Have you not seene a Malefactor at his condemnation and place of execution, when without hope of mercy, carrying himselfe desperately, and obdurately in sinne, and afterwards, when informed that there was a pardon provided for him, hath beene exceedingly melted and broken in heart, at the consideration of the graciousnesse of the King towards him?