A41644:62
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.
Attributing Deliverances to man, hinders the performance of duty to God. The reason why mercies are not seconded with obedience to God, is, because we look too much to second causes; so those Hab. 1.16. Their portion was fat, and they sacrificed to their nets, and burnt incense to their drags. Thus the Assyrian proudly ascribed all to himself, Isa. 10.14. By the strength of my hand have I done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent. How can the mercy of God be answered, if it be not owned? How can we requite God for delivering, if we deny the receipts of deliverance from him? If we look not upon our mercies as given by God, we shall give God nothing fo• his mercies.
3. Deliverances are no more influentia to reclaim from sin, because of our unreasonable oblivion of them. Our greatest mercies are but nine days wonders present impressions made by deliverance are soon worn off by neglect of future consideration. ⟨p. 27⟩The sense of our Engagements to Obedience wearing off, our inclinations to sin make head. When mercies are new, how frequent is our remembrance of them? Whilst employed in our daily labours, our minds are admiring delivering love: When waking in the night, these are the objects of Meditation; when conversing with friends, these are the Themes we discourse of. Now somewhat must be done to requite this kindness; but too sudden a forgetfulness anticipates and prevents the performance of our acknowledged obedience. Deut. 32.17, 18. they are charged with abominable sins; and it stands as a reason, because they forgot the God that formed them, and the rock that begat them. Did we not forget our mercies, our Consciences would force us to forsake our sins. Were our hearts more but Repositories for Gods favours, so much Iniquity would not be lodged in them. Forgetting Gods mercies, is not only a base unworthy sin, but a breeding sin: many desperate sins arise from despising the kindness of our God. And oh, how unspeakably strange is it, that we can forget him, who doth so much to be remembered? That we can suffer his