A41644:57
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.
How often do we make our Mercies Commeatus peccandi, Inlets to sin? 'Tis said concerning Eve, that God designed her an helper to Adam, and made her of his rib; but the devil [Greek or Hebrew], took his rib, and made it a fatal dart. So God gives Mercies with good intentions, but Satan siding with our corrupt inclinations, makes use of them to our great disadvantage.
How often do we make our Mercies Commeatus peccandi, Inlets to sin? 'Tis said concerning Eve, that God design'd her an helper to Adam, and made her of his rib; but the devil 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, took his rib, and made it a fatal dart. So God gives Mercies with good intentions, but Satan siding with our corrupt inclinations, makes use of them to our great disadvantage.
I shall now consider how it comes to pass, that Deliverances have no more Influence upon us, and how we become so prone to sin after them.
(1.) It arises from the mighty Power that accustomed sins have upon the heart. When highest Reasons are obliging to leave sin, the force of Custom prevents their operation. When men are soaked in Sensuality, fleshed in Villainy, thoroughpaced in Rebellious courses, what is able to change them? Hereby the heart is so direfully hardened, the Devil's Kingdom so invincibly fortified, and sin itself so much endeared, that there is unspeakable difficulty in conquering of it. Ezek. 16.4. When delivered from Egypt 'tis said, Their ⟨p. 25⟩Navel was not cut. The Navel is that whereby the Child is supplied with nourishment in the Mothers Womb. So this expression means, Israel was still drawing in Egyptian Manners and Superstitions; being accustomed to them, they still hankered after them, notwithstanding their great deliverance.