A41644:153
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.
1. Hence we see the absolute Necessity that there is of Divine Power, to render any means effectual to bring us from sin. However probable means may be to effect this end, they are not powerful enough without the cooperation of an Almighty arm superadded to them. If rational Arguments were sufficient, such as are drawn from infinite Mercy might be ⟨p. 115⟩enough to charm our Wills to a loyal Obedience to our God; but we see that outward Mercies, not conferring inward Grace, cannot accomplish such difficult work. The chiefest engine that draws the heart of man from sin, is Mercy; but 'tis the arm of God must fasten it to the heart of man, and Divine Power that can only attract him by it. Mercies are only cords, which Divine Power uses to draw men from sin. If Moral Persuasions were so wonderfully effectual in converting Sinners, as some would have them, it is strange men cannot overcome themselves to forsake their sins, by the consideration of the merciful Preservations, and gracious Deliverances the Almighty bestows upon them: Strange it is men cannot be persuaded to cease provoking God to Judgements, by the declaring his unwillingness to them by the experiences of deliverances from them. But how do we experience the ineffectualness of outward Mercies, whatever valid motives may be drawn from them! What need then is there to apply our selves most frequently to the Throne of Grace, for heavenly Influences on earthly Blessings?
1. Hence we see the absolute Necessity that there is of Divine Power, to render any means effectual to bring us from sin. However probable means may be to effect this end, they are not powerful enough without the cooperation of an Almighty arm superadded to them. If rational Arguments were sufficient, such as are drawn from infinite Mercy might be ⟨p. 115⟩enough to charm our Wills to a loyal Obedience to our God; but we see that outward Mercies, not conferring inward Grace, cannot accomplish such difficult work. The chiefest engine that draws the heart of man from sin, is Mercy; but 'tis the arm of God must fasten it to the heart of man, and Divine Power that can only attract him by it. Mercies are only cords, which Divine Power uses to draw men from sin. If Moral Perswasions were so wonderfully effectual in converting Sinners, as some would have them, it is strange men cannot overcome themselves to forsake their sins, by the consideration of the merciful Preservations, and gracious Deliverances the Almighty bestows upon them: Strange it is men cannot be perswaded to cease provoking God to Judgements, by the declaring his unwillingness to them by the experiences of deliverances from them. But how do we experience the ineffectualness of outward Mercies, whatever valid motives may be drawn from them! What need then is there to apply our selves most frequently to the Throne of Grace, for heavenly Influences on earthly Blessings?
How should we earnestly crave the concurrence of God's Omnipotency, for the bettering of us by the confluence of Mercies bestowed upon us? Isai. 48.17. The Lord teaches to profit. In the greatest abundance of Means and Mercies, we shall have no profit, without the aids and assistance of God; He must teach us to improve Deliverances, to gain by his Goodness. When cords of Mercy are put into our hands, let us lift up out hearts to the Father of Mercies, and cry, Draw us, and we will follow thee. When Mercies are sown like precious seeds most plentifully amongst us, let us implore the showers of Divine Blessing to make us fruitful by them. When such invaluable Talents are put into our hands, let us seek to the Almighty for strength to work with them. Plead with the Lord to deliver thee from sin, by his Deliverances; to give thee the incomes of his Grace, to improve thy Life miraculously continued to thee. Leave not the Throne of Grace, till Grace is given thee to leave thy sins: Cease not to importune the Almighty's help against thy sins, till he hath delivered thee from them, as he hath done from thine enemies. Acknowledge ⟨p. 117⟩thine own weakness, and so thou wilt engage the strength of God: Tell him with holy boldness, that now he hath given thee his Mercies, thou canst not be content without his Blessing with them. Let temporal Deliverance edge thy appetite after spiritual and eternal. Thou hast but half a Mercy, till thy Soul is bettered by a Deliverance, whether it be from Enemies, or Sickness, or any other distress or danger.
How should we earnestly crave the concurrence of God's Omnipotency, for the bettering of us by the confluence of Mercies bestowed upon us? Isai. 48.17. The Lord teaches to profit. In the greatest abundance of Means and Mercies, we shall have no profit, without the aids and assistance of God; He must teach us to improve Deliverances, to gain by his Goodness. When cords of Mercy are put into our hands, let us lift up out hearts to the Father of Mercies, and cry, Draw us, and we will follow thee. When Mercies are sown like precious seeds most plentifully amongst us, let us implore the showers of Divine Blessing to make us fruitful by them. When such invaluable Talents are put into our hands, let us seek to the Almighty for strength to work with them. Plead with the Lord to deliver thee from sin, by his Deliverances; to give thee the incomes of his Grace, to improve thy Life miraculously continued to thee. Leave not the Throne of Grace, till Grace is given thee to leave thy sins: Cease not to importune the Almighties help against thy sins, till he hath delivered thee from them, as he hath done from thine enemies. Acknowledge
2. Are we so prone to sin after Deliverance? Then hence be warned to be very watchful upon the enjoyment of such a Mercy. Oh that we, who enjoy so eminent escapes from danger, might use our greatest industry to prevent our proceeding in sin! Let us fortify our selves against such an evil practice. Make conscience of what you do in a delivered condition. Let us no longer carelessly run on in our sins, but seriously consider the inducements we have to a holy Life.
2. Are we so prone to sin after Deliverance? Then hence be warned to be very watchful upon the enjoyment of such a Mercy. Oh that we, who enjoy so eminent escapes from danger, might use our greatest industry to prevent our proceeding in sin! Let us fortifie our selves against such an evil practice. Make conscience of what you do in a delivered condition. Let us no longer carelesly run on in our sins, but seriously consider the inducements we have to a holy Life.
Now in order to prevent our proceeding in sin, admit this serious counsel, and observe these Directions:
1. Make frequent Reflections on the great Deliverance in part bestowed upon ⟨p. 118⟩us. When the Creator of the ends of the Earth surveyed his glorious Works, he saw they were good, and delighted in them; and he greatly delights that we should be frequent in Meditations of his glorious Works of Creation and Providence, and live in perpetual admirings of them, applauding the shines of his Power, Wisdom, and Mercy in them. The least of Gods Works deserve the admiration of the greatest Angel in Heaven. Inconsiderate Persons gain little advantage by the most considerable Mercies. Were our hearts more thankful, we should make a particular Computation and exact Chronology of daily and yearly Mercies. The forgetfulness of Mercy is the ground of our forsaking God after them. 'Tis mighty effectual to ballast our hearts against our impetuous inclinations to sin, to be much in considering what God hath done for us.
1. Make frequent Reflections on the great Deliverance in part bestowed upon ⟨p. 118⟩us. When the Creator of the ends of the Earth survey'd his glorious Works, he saw they were good, and delighted in them; and he greatly delights that we should be frquent in Meditations of his glorious Works of Creation and Providence, and live in perpetual admirings of them, applauding the shines of his Power, Wisdome, and Mercy in them. The least of Gods Works deserve the admiration of the greatest Angel in Heaven. Inconsiderate Persons gain little advantage by the most considerable Mercies. Were our hearts more thankful, we should make a particular Computation and exact Chronology of dayly and yearly Mercies. The forgetfulness of Mercy is the ground of our forsaking God after them. 'Tis mighty effectual to ballast our hearts against our impetuous inclinations to sin, to be much in considering what God hath done for us.
Hence the people of Israel were admonished to be frequent in reviewing their sad condition in Egyptian bondage, with the blessed escape given them from it. Deut. 26.1, 2.5, &c. When thou art come into the land—thou shalt speak and say, A Syrian ready to p•rish was my father, and ⟨p. 119⟩he went down into Egypt, and became there a great nation,—and the Egyptians entreated us ill,—and the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, &c. Thus they were to make a frequent commemoration of their miserable state, and merciful escape. In like manner it were necessary for us to look back on what we lately were, and say, A little while since I was at the gates of Death, by the subtle contrivances of Popish Enemies; a little time past I had near been devoured by the jaws of those preying Lions: Some few months are past since the Nation was in danger of being involved in incomparable Miseries; it hath almost been made a Stage for the acting a bloody Tragedy, an Altar on which had been sacrificed innumerable precious Lives, a Prey to Roman Fury; and now behold (blessed be the Lord) the Scene is changed, the Curtains of Secrecy that covered the nasty vault of Popish Conspirators, is happily drawn aside; the God of our lives, by his over-awing Majesty, hath influenced the hearts of Enemies to detect the Snare they once did endeavour to lay. Should we not then argue, […] ⟨image 75⟩[…] ⟨image 75⟩⟨p. 120⟩Should I that was so lately in such danger of losing my precious life, now squander it away as a contemptible thing? Should I thus lately experiencing mercy from God, manifest my self by wicked courses to be a rebellious Enemy to him? Should not the thoughts of the death, danger, and miserable calamity God hath brought me from, bring me unfeignedly to love him, and constantly to yield obedience to him?
Hence the people of Israel were admonished to be frequent in reviewing their sad condition in Egyptian bondage, with the blessed escape given them from it.
Let us therefore, to prevent proceeding in sin, reflect on the kindness of God: Seriously think how miserable thou hadst been without the Deliverance. Oh miserable state, had it not come! Enemies raging, if not reigning; Gospel corrupted, if not removed; Lives endangered, if not destroyed. How had we been fleeing on Mountains, hiding in Dens, or burning in Flames, tortured with Racks! How had we been without Bread to eat, Houses to lodge in, or else all robbed by those pilfering Papists, if not burnt by their horrid malice, which is enough to put the whole Universe into miserable Conflagrations! How should we meditate how seasonably Deliverance came! we helpless, careless, and ignorant, then ⟨p. 121⟩was it that his mighty arm brought a blessed Salvation to us. Behold, how unworthy we were of such a Mercy, of such a Deliverance! A sinful rebellious people, for us to partake of so much favour, is the greatest Mirror in the world. Now can we forget this goodness? If we have no memories to retain Mercies, we soon may have no Mercies to retain in memory. Or can we sin in the sight of such kindness? We shall never see such a glorious Deliverance, if we sin in the face of this. Oh let us often say as those, Numb. 23.22. What hath the Lord wrought among us! Oh what a glorious Work was this, embroidered with Mercy, set forth with the shines of Wisdom, and illustrious by the impressions of infinite Power! Oh forget not this Work! If we forget Deliverances, God may forget to deliver: Isai. 17.10, 11, They were made desolate for forgetting the God of their Salvation. 'Tis known that the breasts that afford the sweetest Milk, will dry up, if not drawn; the breasts of Mercy will be certainly dried up, if no benefit be drawn from them by a serious remembrance, and faithful improving of them. Prayers and Tears are the best means to ⟨p. 122⟩obtain Mercies, and a thankful remembrance will be the best way to have them continued to us.
Let us therefore, to prevent proceeding in sin, reflect on the kindness of God: Seriously think how miserable thou hadst been without the Deliverance. Oh miserable state, had it not come! Enemies raging, if not reigning; Gospel corrupted, if not removed; Lives endanger'd, if not destroyed. How had we been fleeing on Mountains, hiding in Dens, or burning in Flames, tortur'd with Racks! How had we been without Bread to eat, Houses to lodge in, or else all robbed by those pilfring Papists, if not burnt by their horrid malice, which is enough to put the whole Universe into miserable Conflagrations! How should we meditate how seasonably Deliverance came! we helpless, careless, and ignorant, then
2. To prevent thy proceeding in sin, think with thy self what Promises and Obligations, what Pleas and Arguments you would have made to the Lord, and urged him with, to have induced him to have given such a Deliverance as this. Would you not have promised, that if it should please him to exercise his Power in saving of you, you would engage, that to the utmost of your power you would serve him? Oh what great obligations would you willingly have laid your selves under, to be freed from so dreadful a Destruction as you were appointed to? What obedience, service, love, and respects, do sinners vow to God on a Bed of sickness, languishing to death? What would we have promised then, when no less than a whole Nation was languishing, and every Enjoyment ready to give up the Ghost? Oh what solemn engagements to all possible obedience would then have been made! Would you have promised these things, and will you not perform them? Let the readiness of God to do it without these engagements, ⟨p. 123⟩make you more ready to do those things than if you had engaged to do them.
2. To prevent thy proceeding in sin, think with thy self what Promises and Obligations, what Pleas and Arguments you would have made to the Lord, and urged him with, to have induced him to have given such a Deliverance as this. Would you not have promised, that if it should please him to exercise his Power in saving of you, you would engage, that to the utmost of your power you would serve him? Oh what great obligations would you willingly have laid your selves under, to be freed from so dreadful a Destruction as you were appointed to? What obedience, service, love, and respects, do sinners vow to God on a Bed of sickness, languishing to death? What would we have promis'd then, when no less than a whole Nation was languishing, and every Enjoyment ready to give up the Ghost? Oh what solemn engagements to all possible obedience would then have been made! Would you have promised these things, and will you not perform them? Let the readiness of God to do it without these engagements, ⟨p. 123⟩make you more ready to do those things than if you had engaged to do them.
Consider also what pleas thou wouldst have used with God to spare thee; think what arguments might have prevailed with him to deliver thee; and let them prevail with thee to forsake sin. Thou wouldst not have said, Lord▪ spare me to go on a while longer in rebellion against thee; cut me not off till I have dishonoured thy glorious Name a little more; give me my life to be a Drunkard, Swearer, Liar, Sabbath-breaker, yet a while longer. Thou couldst never have the impudence to plead thus, thou couldst never imagine these Arguments could prevail; therefore use the considerations of Arguments which thou thinkest would prevail to curb thy heart from sin, as thou thinkest would have been proper to prevail with God to deliver thee. And what are those? Oh spare me, that I may prepare for death! Oh give me space, that I may repent of my sins, and reform! And let thy carriage be such now in part delivered, as may answer such motives as these, which would have been used with God to deliver thee.
Consider also what pleas thou wouldst have used with God to spare thee; think what arguments might have prevailed with him to deliver thee; and let them prevail with thee to forsake sin. Thou wouldst not have said, Lord▪ spare me to go on a while longer in rebellion against thee; cut me not off till I have dishonoured thy glorious Name a little more; give me my life to be a Drunkard, Swearer, Lyar, Sabbath-breaker, yet a while longer. Thou couldst never have the impudence to plead thus, thou couldst never imagine these Arguments could prevail; therefore use the considerations of Arguments which thou thinkest would prevail to curb thy heart from sin, as thou thinkest would have been proper to prevail with God to deliver thee. And what are those? Oh spare me, that I may prepare for death! Oh give me space, that I may repent of my sins, and reform! And let thy carriage be such now in part delivered, as may answer such motives as these, which would have been used with God to deliver thee.
3. Consider how thou wouldst carry to man, if receiving a thousand times smaller kindnesses from him. Oh the thanks that shall be returned to man for a small favour! What readiness to do for man, when doing for us? Should a man but save us from perishing, how grateful, how serviceable should we become unto him? And shall kindness from sinful creatures make such impressions on our hearts, and the abounding goodness of the glorious God be disregarded? We love man loving of us, and shall we not love a loving God? We devote our selves to the service of our earthly Benefactors, and shall we be so devilish as to deny obedience to the great God, under all his benignity to us? Shall God have worse dealings from us than men? Wouldst thou not offend an earthly Friend, and wilt thou offend a heavenly Friend? Wilt make nothing of displeasing God, when he gives thee such Mercies as all the men on Earth cannot bestow upon thee? Oh let but this be considered, and surely thou canst not persist in sin.
3. Consider how thou wouldst carry to man, if receiving a thousand times smaller kindnesses from him. Oh the thanks that shall be return'd to man for a small favour! What readiness to do for man, when doing for us? Should a man but save us from perishing, how grateful, how serviceable should we become unto him? And shall kindness from sinful creatures make such impressions on our hearts, and the abounding goodness of the glorious God be disregarded? We love man loving of us, and shall we not love a loving God? We devote our selves to the service of our earthly Benefactors, and shall we be so devilish as to deny obedience to the great God, under all his benignity to us? Shall God have worse dealings from us than men? Wouldst thou not offend an earthly Friend, and wilt thou offend a heavenly Friend? Wilt make nothing of displeasing God, when he gives thee such Mercies as all the men on Earth cannot bestow upon thee? Oh let but this be considered, and surely thou canst not persist in sin.
See here the unconquerable stubbornness of mans heart. Oh how do our hearts stand out against God under all his dealings with us! We are [Greek or Hebrew], an unpersuadable generation. Oh wonderful obstinacy, that the sweetest Melody of mercy cannot charm us! Oh what hardened souls are in us, when the pleasant distillations of showers of mercy upon us, cannot soften us! Oh what [Greek or Hebrew], strong holds, have sin, that the cords of mercy can't draw us from them! Oh how hard is it to gain a Victory over corrupted nature and accustomed sins! Oh strange affections that we have to sin, that the strongest engagements can't bring us from it! Such is the stubbornness of unchanged souls, that whether God walks in ways of Mercy, or paths of Judgment, they will go contrary to him. Oh the hardness to be lamented, that appears among us! Though the Almighty hath done thus much for us, we have not to this day been duly affected with what he hath done. We have gone on frowardly, when God hath ⟨p. 126⟩dealt most kindly by us: we go on to provoke the eyes of his glory, when he hath made so much of his glorious goodness pass before us. Oh stubborn souls, that will not regard the melting kindness of God! but do as it were resolve, whatever God doth, they will sin against him. Though he seek reconciliation, they will follow rebellion: though he strives to out-do their Rebellion with mercy, they will not lay down their Arms, but be avenged on his many mercies.
See here the unconquerable stubbornness of mans heart. Oh how do our hearts stand out against God under all his dealings with us! We are 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, an unperswadable generation. Oh wonderful obstinacy, that the sweetest Melody of mercy cannot charm us! Oh what hardned souls are in us, when the pleasant distillations of showers of mercy upon us, cannot soften us! Oh what 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, strong holds, have sin, that the cords of mercy can't draw us from them! Oh how hard is it to gain a Victory over corrupted nature and accustomed sins! Oh strange affections that we have to sin, that the strongest engagements can't bring us from it! Such is the stubbornness of unchanged souls, that whether God walks in ways of Mercy, or paths of Judgment, they will go contrary to him. Oh the hardness to be lamented, that appears among us! Though the Almighty hath done thus much for us, we have not to this day been duly affected with what he hath done. We have gone on frowardly, when God hath
