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

Sometimes in the world it hath been known, that as men have been too sparing to the wicked, so too cruel to the godly. The rod hath been laid on the wrong back, as the Poet said,

Dat veniam corvis, vexat censura columbas. The innocent Doves are censured, whilst the ravenous Crows are pardoned. The Christians in former days have been clothed with Bears-skins, and then baited. Some persons are misrepresented, and then more severely reprehended than those a thousand times more guilty. We read in Scripture how Ahasuerus, that mighty Prince, was brought to decree the ruin of the Jews, by the aspersions Haman cast upon them, as if they were a people not fit to live, and that it was not for the Kings profit to suffer them; and by this means this innocent people had utterly been ⟨p. 152⟩destroyed, had not a wonderful Providence prevented. Hence sometimes it hath been experienced, that a poor afflicted people have born the punishments designed for and deserved by others, only from the misprisions of prejudiced persons. Should it then be ever thus with us, how soon would our ruin come upon us? How would the hands of enemies be strengthened, and the Nation disabled from helping it self?

Dat veniam corvis, vexat censura columbas. The innocent Doves are censur'd, whilst the ravenous Crows are pardoned. The Christians in former days have been cloath'd with Bears-skins, and then baited. Some persons are misrepresented, and then more severely reprehended than those a thousand times more guilty. We read in Scripture how Ahasuerus, that mighty Prince, was brought to decree the ruine of the Iews, by the aspersions Haman cast upon them, as if they were a people not fit to live, and that it was not for the Kings profit to suffer them; and by this means this innocent people had utterly been ⟨p. 152⟩destroyed, had not a wonderful Providence prevented. Hence sometimes it hath been experienced, that a poor afflicted people have born the punishments designed for and deserved by others, only from the misprisions of prejudiced persons. Should it then be ever thus with us, how soon would our ruine come upon us? How would the hands of enemies be strengthened, and the Nation disabled from helping it self?