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

how had it been in vain for unarmed men to oppose a furious Crew of well-equipag'd Soldiers! How fruitless had it been to flee, when dangers were unknown! How sad had it been to behold tender Infants rent from the bodies of their rifled Mothers, and cast into their Flames! Who could have endured the sight of Sucking-babes snatched from their Mothers breasts and dashed against destroying stones? Who could have seen them sprawling on the tops of Pikes and hurled into cruel Flames, without bleeding hearts? Oh the ghastly visages of the once most beautiful Objects, that then had been marred with deforming wounds! Oh what a deliverance is this, to be thus far freed, to be thus long delivered from such a Destruction! Oh let this Mercy obtain its design, lest the things we have feared should come upon us.

how had it been in vain for unarmed men to oppose a furious Crue of well-equipag'd Souldiers! How fruitless had it been to flee, when dangers were unknown! How sad had it been to behold tender Infants rent from the bodies of their rifled Mothers, and cast into their Flames! Who could have endur'd the sight of Sucking-babes snatch'd from their Mothers breasts and dash'd against destroying stones? Who could have seen them sprawling on the tops of Pikes and hurl'd into cruel Flames, without bleeding hearts? Oh the gastly visages of the once most beautiful Objects, that then had been mar'd with deforming wounds! Oh what a deliverance is this, to be thus far freed, to be thus long delivered from such a Destruction! Oh let this Mercy obtain its designe, lest the things we have feared should come upon us.

3. The greatness of this Deliverance will appear on the consideration of the condition we were in, who were designed to be destroyed. Consider we but the daring provocations we have given the Almighty to forsake us, it appears a Mirror of Mercy that he should spare us. Might he not justly have said, Now will I ease me of my Adversaries, and avenge me on my Enemies: Now will I make known the dread of my unregarded wrath, for their impenitent sinning: Now will I show how bitter a thing it is to abuse my patience by rebellion, and my goodness by offending? But now behold, his bowels wrought in him; he delivered us rebels, rescued us sinful wretches: and who can but lay to heart this mercy?