A41644:127
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.
Should we again be rending and tearing one another by ravenous Oppression? and ruining one another by unhappy Divisions? Should not this wonderful Love excite such bowels in our softened hearts to one another, that we should no longer be maintaining with unreasonable rigidness one another's assumed Opinions, to the unspeakable prejudice of Church and State? But rather be soldering together into a perpetual Harmony, by mutual condescensions and compliances; thereby ending our unprofitable janglings in indissolvible Unity. Shall not we, who have partaken of this favour together, live always together in the beauty and glory of undissembled Friendship, and unfeigned Love? And if this effect shall not follow our being delivered together, 'tis to be feared, the effect of such disorders will be no other than to be destroyed and cut off together. Oh then let the Kindness of God to us, sweeten our tempers to one another; and let us be so fully united together, that all our Affections may make but one channel of Love, that so the God of Love may dwell among ⟨p. 96⟩us. For as this sincere adherence to one another by Love, would be most effectual to prevent the designs of enemies against us; (who delight to see and sow our Divisions) so it would be so grateful an improvement of deliverance, that God would more readily continue it to us. What then remains? But that we should lay aside Pride and Prejudice, and Selfdesignings; and standing to the complete and unalterable Rules of Worship, and Principles of Religion, laid down in the blessed Word, henceforth (I say we should) dwell in most beautiful Unity, and worship our God as far as can be, in a most desirable Uniformity.
Should we again be rending and tearing one another by ravenous Oppression? and ruining one another by unhappy Divisions? Should not this wonderful Love excite such bowels in our softned hearts to one another, that we should no longer be maintaining with unreasonable rigidness one anothers assumed Opinions, to the unspeakable prejudice of Church and State? But rather be sodering together into a perpetual Harmony, by mutual condescensions and compliances; thereby ending our unprofitable janglings in indissolvible Unity. Shall not we, who have partaken of this favour together, live always together in the beauty and glory of undissembled Friendship, and unfeigned Love? And if this effect shall not follow our being delivered together, 'tis to be feared, the effect of such disorders will be no other than to be destroyed and cut off together. Oh then let the Kindness of God to us, sweeten our tempers to one another; and let us be so fully united together, that all our Affections may make but one channel of Love, that so the God of Love may dwell among