A41644:82
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.
PROPOSITION 4.
Sins after deliverance have a peculiar ⟨p. 47⟩influence to procure and hasten destruction. Our present safety is no security against future Judgments: destruction deferred by Gods deliverances, will be hastened by our sinning after them: those whom undeserved mercies can't reclaim, incensed justice will speedily ruin. The Monuments of greatest mercies, have been made examples to declare the severity of Justice for the abuses of them. Such have experienced the most direful suffering, to whom the Almighty hath been most long-suffering. Witness the deplorable state of the hardened Jews, to whom the most singular favour was extended of any people on earth; yet now who more miserable than those rejected wretches, for their abusing favours? Justice will frown most sharply upon the disdainful affronters of mercy. No people are nearer an utter desolation, than those who heap up sin, when God is heaping up mercies. Although the Lord be most willing to smite, yet he knows not how to spare when provoked in this manner. Jer. 5.7. How shall I pardon thee for this.—When I had fed them to the full, then they committed Adultery, v. 9. Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? shall I not be ⟨p. 48⟩avenged on such a Nation as this? These sins put God to a stand; he knows not how to go about a pardoning act, although he delights so greatly in it: how shall I pardon, Heb. [Greek or Hebrew] parcam: how shall I spare thee any longer? I can't withhold the hands of my justice, I can't defer the punishment of these transgressions. Thence, v. 10. God gives a Commission to enemies, Go upon the Walls and destroy, &c. delay no longer: let those feel the smarting impressions of Justice, that despise the sweetest expressions of mercy.
Sins after deliverance have a peculiar ⟨p. 47⟩