A41644:114
God's call to England, for thankfulness after gracious deliverances
God's call to England, for thankfulness after gracious deliverances wherein is showed, that our deliverances, not answered with reformation, will be followed with sorest destruction / by Thomas Gouge.God's call to England, for thankfulness after gracious deliverances wherein is shewed, that our deliverances, not answered with reformation, will be followed with sorest destruction / by Thomas Gouge.
London: printed for John Hancock, 1680
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.
Neither can the Prayers of the greatest Favourites in the Court of Heaven prevail for a people under such circumstances. Should the dearest Servants plead with greatest fervency, they must be denied when Mercy is disengaged, Jer. 15.1. Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, my heart could not be towards this people. Standing is the Posture of Praying. Though these should endeavour to draw ⟨p. 82⟩out my Affections to them by their importunate cries, yet they should never gain my heart: I cannot love them, I cannot yield it to them. Tantum mediocriter malis ob pios interdum parcitur, non ita contumaciter flagitiosis. God only spares those that are indifferently wicked for the sake of the godly, not those that are obstinately flagitious and ungodly. Ezech. 14. Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were here, &c. they should prevail only for their own Souls. Oh, says God, you think the cries of your Prayer shall drown the voice of your Sins; you imagine your earnest calls will make my bowels yearn to you; or if you cannot prevail alone, you will engage others: but I tell you, neither ye, nor my greatest friends that can most prevail, shall persuade me to spare so ungodly a people as you; they and you shall not effect your desires with me so.
Neither can the Prayers of the greatest Favourites in the Court of Heaven prevail for a people under such circumstances. Should the dearest Servants plead with greatest fervency, they must be denied when Mercy is disengaged, Ier. 15.1. Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, my heart could not be towards this people. Standing is the Posture of Praying. Though these should endeavour to draw ⟨p. 82⟩out my Affections to them by their importunate cries, yet they should never gain my heart: I cannot love them, I cannot yield it to them. Tantum mediocriter malis ob pios interdum parcitur, non ita contumaciter flagitiosis. God only spares those that are indifferently wicked for the sake of the godly, not those that are obstinately flagitious and ungodly.