A41644:40
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.
REASON I.
Because this way and method is most suitable to his gracious nature. Rough spirited men in reducing offenders, will use nothing but harsh severity: but such whose nature is tempered with amiable meekness, abhor such wrathful means; and will make experiment what clemency and kindness will do, before they proceed to powerful compulsions. Thus the great God having declared himself to be most gracious, will experience how far he can prevail by the exercise of goodness, ⟨p. 15⟩before he proceeds to the displays of his justice and greatness. So good is our God, that he is ready to make proof of the efficacy of a thousand smiles of mercy, rather than of a single stroke of Justice. The titles of honour which discover his nature, do mostly set out his abounding goodness, Exod. 34.5, 6. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in truth and goodness. The whole world is embroidered with infinite impressions of goodness. Among his blessed Attributes, his grace is uppermost; and though he be equally just as good, yet he exercises his goodness more than his justice. This is the fairest flower in the garland of Majesty; the brightest ray that issues from that un-approachable light; the height of his immensurable and Imperial glory. Now if we consider his readiness to mercy, and his slowness to anger; his frequency in displays of goodness, and the rarity of amazing judgments; his resolvedness in ways of grace, and reservedness in ways of justice; we may easily see 'tis most agreeable to his nature, to accomplish his designs by clemency.
Because this way and method is most suitable to his gracious nature. Rough spirited men in reducing offenders, will use nothing but harsh severity: but such whose nature is tempered with amiable meekness, abhor such wrathful means; and will make experiment what clemency and kindness will do, before they proceed to powerful compulsions. Thus the great God having declared himself to be most gracious, will experience how far he can prevail by the exercise of goodness,