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

Use 3.

Vse 3.

Is it Gods design and desire to reduce us from sin by these merciful methods? Then let us not foolishly cause the Lord to use more forcible and fearful means, to effect this in us. Let us not force a gracious God out of his delightful ways of Mercy. Why should we make him be doing his works of Judgment, since he declares his unwillingness to it? Shall we turn his Sceptre into a Rod? Shall we drive away those precious Mercies by sinful courses, which, with mournful hearts and wringing hands, we shall be glad to be recalling? Shall we make our Showers of Mercy end in Floods of Vengeance? Shall we wrest the Sword of Justice out of the Sheath of Patience, and violently pull down Vengeance on our own heads? Will you tell the Lord, you are weary of his Mercies, and will never regard them? Will you declare in the presence of God, that if he will not pour out his Vengeance, and display his Justice, and make your Plagues wonderful, that you will not fear him, nor break off sins? Is your strength so great ⟨p. 112⟩to stand before his Anger, that you are resolute in provoking of him? Will nothing serve your turn but destruction, and desolation, and undoing judgements? You must either cease sinning, or God will cease waiting, and give over favouring of you. God speaks, Ezech. 6.9. how the Jews had broken him with their whorish heart; that is, he tells them, they should remember Eum quasi objecta quadam violentiâ à proposite abductum, & invitum planè adductum essë eorum persidia ut interrumperetur cursus misericordiae, Calv. That he was turned from his gracious purposes, with the violence their sins offered to him; and that it was by their perfidiousness he was brought to break off the course of his mercies. Thus God is broken off from ways of mercy, by our not breaking off our ways of sin.