God's call to England, for thankfulness after gracious deliverances

3. Mercy disengaged, the wrathful blows of Divine Vengeance will be (to speak after the manner of men) inflicted in a careless manner on a Mercy-contemning people. The Vine-dresser is most exact and curious in abscinding the luxuriant branches of a fruitful Vine, but hacks and hews the unfruitful tree in a ⟨p. 83⟩careless manner. Thus the Almighty God measures out and limits the Judgments that are out of Mercy to a fruitful people, to increase their fruit; but regards not how he strikes a barren generation, that are only to be hewed down as cumber-ground trees. Whilst tender Affections remain in the heart of God to a people, he limits the proceeding of enemies, he restrains the rage of their foes; he afflicts ponder & mensura, with weight and measure: But when Justice only is exercised in Judgment, the worst of times, the most fierce enemies, the most astonishing manner is chosen in afflicting. When we are regardless of a mans life, we say, Let him eat, drink, do what he will, I will be no hinderance to him: Thus Mercy disobliged says, Let enemies wound, massacre, slay whom and how they will, I shall not help, I will not hinder. God permits enemies to do their worst, to go as far as they can, when he designs the ruin of a people. The Prophet prays, Jer. 10.24. Lord, correct me, but with judgment, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. In thy correction use moderation, for the anguish of thy anger is intolerable; the blows of thy wrath alone will bring us to ⟨p. 84⟩nothing. The fatherly Anger of God is dreadful, but the fierceness of his Anger is fatal. If God doth not moderate his anger, we can never sustain the dreadful terror of it.

3. Mercy disengag'd, the wrathful blows of Divine Vengeance will be (to speak after the manner of men) inflicted in a careless manner on a Mercy-contemning people. The Vine-dresser is most exact and curious in abscinding the luxuriant branches of a fruitful Vine, but hacks and hews the unfruitful tree in a ⟨p. 83⟩careless manner. Thus the Almighty God measures out and limits the Judgments that are out of Mercy to a fruitful people, to increase their fruit; but regards not how he strikes a barren generation, that are only to be hewed down as cumber-ground trees. Whilst tender Affections remain in the heart of God to a people, he limits the proceeding of enemies, he restrains the rage of their foes; he afflicts pondere & mensura, with weight and measure: But when Justice only is exercised in Judgment, the worst of times, the most fierce enemies, the most astonishing manner is chosen in afflicting. When we are regardless of a mans life, we say, Let him eat, drink, do what he will, I will be no hinderance to him: Thus Mercy disobliged says, Let enemies wound, massacre, slay whom and how they will, I shall not help, I will not hinder. God permits enemies to do their worst, to go as far as they can, when he designs the ruine of a people. The Prophet prays,