bring the Judgement of the Fire and if they will still walk contrary to God they must expect that God will walk contrary to them untill he have consumed them 9. A Ninth sin of London is Profaneness and a loose and frothy spirit especially in the Youth and springing generation I do not tax all for I am confident there is a serious and godly Youth growing up But O that there were not reason to say that the generality of Youth is profane and wicked as well as those who are grown more mature in wickedness And this Profaneness hath shewed it self In 1 Profane using Gods Name 2 Profane breaking of Gods Day 3 Profane scoffing at Gods People 1. In profane using of Gods Name How grosly hath the third Commandment been broken in the City how hath the great and dreadfull Name of the Lord God which should make men to tremble in the mention of it and command their spirits into aw and reverence been vainly taken by many and used to fill up the sentence of their ordinary discourse And not only so but how hath the Name of God been tossed in the black mouths of the Children of darkness and even torn in pieces by their hideous Oaths and Execrations What an hellish noyse hath the sound of full-mouth'd Oaths made sometimes in the streets enough to make the hair stand on end of one who hath a sence of the greatness of that Majesty upon his spirit which hereby is so audaciously affronted Oh the Swearing that hath been used by Londoners in buying and selling Many Parents have been so addicted to this sin in their Families that their little Children have no sooner learned to speak but they have also learned of them to swear by the Name of God which hath been all the teaching of God that they have given them a devilish teaching indeed which hereafter they will curse and bann them for in Hell But if you should have laid your ears unto the Taverns and Ale-houses and Whore-houses and other Devil-houses once standing in London and harkened to the speeches of many of the Devils Imps in their drinking and gaming and other lewd practises especially when a little cross'd and vexed Oh what language of Hell might have been heard How have those cursed Villains in the heat of their wine and anger shot vollies of Oaths in the face of the God of Heaven and whetting their tongues like a sharp sword they have not feared to wound the name of God when they have received any injury from men O what poyson of Asps hath there been under their lips but a worse poyson of sin in their hearts from the evil treasure and abundance of which these oaths and blasphemies have proceeded But who can find words to set forth the evil of this sin which hath not the temptation of pleasure advantage or honour as other sins have and therefore is a great argument of a monstrous wicked heart And who can express Gods displeasure for this sin for which he makes sometimes a whole land to mourn And hath not this sin provoked the Lord to utter his angry voice in Plaguing and burning the City that they might fear to abuse his Name any more 2. In profanc breaking of Gods day Sabbath breaking was an ordinary sin in London I say not it was so much broken in doing the ordinary works of the particular callings but in that which was worse How many did spend the Sabbath in eating to excess and drinking till they were drunk in sleeping in walking into the fields in sports and recreations Many wholly neglected the worship of God on that day and instead of that did the Devil more service on the Lords day then all the days of the week besides The many weeks of Sabbaths which London had in the time of the Plague methinks did reprove London for their profaning of the weekly Sabbath And the great fire I will not call it bon-fire because so destructive to London which was begun in the City on the Lords day did reprove London for those lesser fires I will not call them bon-fires because so offensive to God which not long before were kindled in the streets on that day which called for other kind of work Not to speak any thing whether there were any just occasion for those fires and ringing of bells most of which were melted before they were rung so generally again and such a shew of mirth and rejoycing at that time The Citizens carrying forth their goods and lying in the fields with grief and fear might put them in mind how often they had walked out into those fields on the Lords day for their recreation when they should rather have been hearing the word preached or if that were over repeating it in their own families giving and receiving instruction or in their closets at the throne of grace or employed in meditation As God delights in those that call his Sabbaths a delight and makes sweet promises to them so he is highly displeased with Sabbath breakers and hath denounced severe threatnings against them Jer. 17. 27. If ye will not hearken to me to hallow the Sabbath day I will kindle a fire in the gates of Jerusalem which shall devour the Palaces thereof and shall not he quenched 3. In profane scoffing at Gods people The name of a Saint and Godly man hath been ridiculous to many prophane Spirits in London and used by them in a way of reproach How have Gods people especially the more strict and zealous been made the drunkards song and laughed at in the streets Horrid impiety as if it were matter of more shame to be like the Holy God than to be like the Foul Devill and to be employed in the work of angels than to drudge in Satans chains No wonder if God is angry with such a place where such vipers have had their abode Prophaness is a great sin that hath brought ruine upon us 10. A tenth sin of London is Pride This sin being so odious to God so destructive where it abounds and so universal in London I shall speak of it the more largely both in regard of the inward workings and the outward expressions of it which when opened I believe there are none that will be able to say they are wholly free from it 1. In regard of the inward workings of pride Oh how hath the poison of this sin envenomed the spirits of the most in a very high degree How many self-admirers have there been in London who have been puft up with an overweening conceit of their own excellencies What high touring swelling thoughts have they had of themselves What secret self-pleasing and lifting up themselves in their own esteem Some esteeming themselves for that which is matter of shame admiring themselves for their own wit and parts when they have lain fallow and not been employed for God or when they have been employed to his dishonour when they have been wise but it hath been to do
the evening the hand was not with-drawn plentifull and powerfull hath preaching been in London in season and out of season on the Sabbath day and on the week day but hath London answered all Gods care and cost hath not God come for many years together seeking fruit and found nothing but the leaves of profession hath he not often threatned to cut down the unfruitfull Trees and not suffer them to cumber his ground any longer and when through the intercession of the Vine-dresser he hath spared them this year and another year hath not the same unfruitfulness still remained what could the Lord have done more to his Vine-yard than he hath done wherefore then when he looked for Grapes brought it forth only leaves or wilde Grapes And is it then to be wondred at if the Lord pluck down the hedge thereof that it might be eaten up by the wilde Boar and Beast of the field if he break down the wall thereof and make it waste and desolate Is it to be wondred at if he with-hold the Clouds that they rain not on it and suffer briars and thorns to spring up in it where the Plants did grow The Vine when it is unfruitful is the most unuseful of all Trees it is fit for nothing but the fire and the Lord hath threatned to gather the unfruitfull branches and to cast them into the fire and burn them and the Earth which drinketh in the rain that often falleth upon it and instead of herbs meet for the use of him by whom it is dressed bringeth forth nothing but bryars and thorns God rejecteth and curseth and in the end burneth O the unfruitfulness of London O the briars and thorns which have flourished in this ground whereby the seed of the Word hath been choaked O the hemlock the thistle and the wormwood that have sprung up in the furrowes of the field O the tares that have abounded and overtopped the wheat and how little good Corn hath there been brought forth O the wilde Olive Trees which have grown up in Gods Garden and wilde Figges and wilde Grapes which the Figg-Trees and Vines of God have yielded unto him O the leanness of his sheep in such fat pasture O the barrenness the barrenness of London under such plentifull showers of the Word instead of the fruits of righteousness which are to the praise and glory of God there have been the fruits of unrighteousness and wickedness which are to Gods dishonour instead of the fruits of the spirit which are love joy peace gentleness meekness temperance goodness faith there have been the works of the flesh fornication uncleanness lasciviousness hatred variance emulations wraths strifes seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like of which the Apostle tells us that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And those who have not abounded in the grosser works of the flesh very few of them have been very fruitfull in good works London hath had the means of grace and yet most of them without grace few of them have much grace London hath had powerfull Ordinances but but what powerful effect have they produced what have they to shew of all their Prayers and Sermons and Sacraments have they attained unto a great measure of mortification is grace grown up to a great heighth what evidences what experiences have the best got which they might have got had they been more diligent Give me leave a little more particularly to instance the unfruitfulness of London in regard of repentance faith love and new obedience the fruit which God so much looketh for and so much delighteth in 1. Where have been the fruits of Repentance in London Calls there have been to repentance frequent fervent reason for repentance sins numerous hainous need of repentance that judgments temporall eternall might be diverted that pardon happiness might be obtained and yet O the impenitency and hard-heartedness of London few bleeding hearts under the sharp sword of the Word little tenderness under the most melting discourses few converts and penitent persons did the most powerful preaching especially before the Gospels eclipse bring forth in London converting work was at a great stand though there were so many unconverted persons in the City and by the impenitency and hardness of heart in London Gods treasures of wrath have been filled up which in some measure he hath opened in these late judgments that he hath inflicted and yet the great day of his wrath is stil to come Rom. 2. 4 5. 2. Where have been the fruits of Faith in London how hath unbelief abounded the great Gospel sin more dangerous than any other and more hainous in London than in any other place O the thick vail of unbelief which hath hid Gospel mysteries and things afar off from the eyes of this people O the evil heart of unbelief which hath shut the door against the Lord Jesus Christ who hath knocked so long for entertainment O the sottishness of London to believe no more when truths have been made so plain and clear when promises have been made known so great and sure when Christ hath been preached and tendered and when Heaven hath been reveal'd and proffered and when all have such need for the most to shut the eye and ear and heart and through unbelief to refuse to give God the lye and turn upon him the back to give Christ a wound and tread his blood underfoot to give the spirit a repulse and send him away griev'd from the heart as men do by their unbelief this sin doth provoke the Lord to great displeasure 3. Where have been the fruits of love in London O the want of love to God and one to another the grace of love is necessary and sweet and hath been much pressed but little exercised in London there hath been much love of the World but little love of the Father hatred of the brethren hath abounded but there was little brotherly love burning anger there hath been litle burning love burning lusts litle burning love inordinate carnal love little true spiritual love carnal love hath exceeded the bounds but spiritual love hath been in a very low degree and when love in London hath waxed cold is it a wonder if Gods anger hath waxed so hot and broken forth into such flames as we have seen 4. Where have been the fruits of new obedience in London and expression of love to Jesus Christ by keeping of his commandments though his commandments are not grievous 3. A third sin of London is hypocrisy in the profession of religion This sin exceedingly prevailed in the late times when profession of religion was grown into fashion religion was neer in the mouths of most but far from the reins there was a general face of religion but it was no more than skin-deep It was seated in the countenance not rooted in the heart how many painted sepulchres had we in London outwardly fair and
doors of their houses upon them from whence they have come forth no more till they have been brought forth to their graves we may imagine the hideous thoughts and horrid perplexity of mind the tremblings confusions and anguish of spirit which some awakened sinners have had when the Plague hath broke in upon their houses and seized upon neer relations whose dying groans sounding in their ears have warned them to prepare when their doors have been shut up and fastned on the outside with an Inscription Lord have mercy upon us and none suffered to come in but a Nurse whom they have been more afraid of then the Plague it self when lovers and friends and companions in sin have stood aloof and not dared to come nigh the door of the house lest death should issue forth from thence upon them especially when the disease hath invaded themselves and first began with a pain and diziness in their head then trembling in their other members when they have felt boiles to arise under their arms and in their groins and seen blaines to come forth in other parts when the disease hath wrought in them to that height as to send forth those spots which most think are the certain tokens of neer approaching death and now they have received the sentence of death within themselves and have certainly concluded that within a few hours they must go down into the dust and their naked souls without the case of their body must make its passage into eternity and appear before the highest Majesty to render their accounts and receive their sentence None can utter the horrour which hath been upon the spirits of such through the lashes and stings of their guilty consciences when they have called to mind a life of sensuality and profaneness their uncleanness drunkenness injustice oaths curses derision of Saints and holiness neglect of their own salvation and when a thousand sins have been set in order before their eyes with another aspect than when they looked upon them in the temptation and they find God to be irreconcileably angry with them and that the day of grace is over the door of mercy is shut and that pardon and salvation which before they slighted is now unattainable that the grave is now opening its mouth to receive their bodies and hell opening its mouth to receive their souls and they apprehend that they are now just entring into a place of endless wo and torment and they must now take up their lodgings in the inferiour regions of utter darkness with devils and their fellow damned sinners and there abide for evermore in the extremity of misery without any hopes or possibility of a release and that they have foolishly brought themselves into this condition and been the cause of their own ruin we may guess that the dispairful agonies and anguish of such awakened sinners hath been of all things the most unsupportable except the very future miseries themselves which they have been afraid of In August how dreadful is the increase from 2010 the number amounts up to 2817 in one week and thence to 3880 the next thence to 4237 the next thence to 6102 the next and all these of the Plague besides other diseases Now the cloud is very black and the storm comes down upon us very sharp Now death rides triumphantly on his pale horse through our streets and breaks into every house almost where any inhabitants are to be found Now people fall as thick as leaves from the trees in Autumn when they are shaken by a mighty wind Now there is a dismal solitude in London-streets every day looks with the face of a Sabbath day observed with greater solemnity than it used to be in the City Now shops are shut in people rare and very few that walk about in so much that the grass begins to spring up in some places and a deep silence almost in every place especially within the walls no ratling Coaches no prancing Horses no calling in Customers nor offering Wares no London cries sounding in the ears if any voice be heard it is the groans of dying perions breathing forth their last and the funeral knells of them that are ready to be carried to their graves Now shutting up of visited houses there being so many is at an end and most of the well are mingled among the sick which otherwise would have got no help Now in some places where the people did generally stay not one house in an hundred but is infected and in many houses half the family is swept away in some the whole from the eldest to the youngest few escape with the death of but one or two never did so many husbands and wives die together never did so many parents carry their children with them to the grave and go together into the same house under earth who had lived together in the same house upon it Now the nights are too short to bury the dead the whole day though at so great a length is hardly sufficient to light the dead that fall therein into their beds Now we could hardly go forth but we should meet many coffins and see many with sores and limping in the streets amongst other sad spectacles methought two were very affecting one of a woman comming alone and weeping by the door where I lived which was in the midst of the infection with a little Coffin under her arm carrying it to the new Church yard I did judge that it was the mother of the childe and that all the family besides was dead and she was forced to coffin up and bury with her own hands this her last dead childe Another was of a man at the corner of the Artillery-wall that as I judge through the diziness of his head with the disease which seised upon him there had dasht his face against the wall and when I came by he lay hanging with his bloody face over the rails and bleeding upon the ground and as I came back he was removed under a tree in More-fields and lay upon his back I went and spake to him he could make me no answer but ratled in the throat and as I was informed within half an hour died in the place It would be endless to speak what we have seen and heard of some in their frensie rising out of their beds and leaping about their rooms others crying and roaring at their windows some comming forth almost naked and running into the streets strange things have others spoken and done when the disease was upon them But it was very sad to hear of one who being sick alone and it is like phrantick burnt himself in his bed Now the plague had broken in much amongst my acquaintance and of about 16. or more whose faces I used to see every day in our house within a little while I could finde but 4. or 6. of them alive scarcely a day past over my head for I think a moneth or more together but I should hear of
Murder Incest and the like It is not unlikely but they count such an action as this meritorious in their kind of merit which in the issue they will finde to merit the flames of eternal Fine instead of a Crown of Glory which I wonder that in their way they can have the least hopes of I believe that the people will now take more heed of them and their waies and instead of promoting their cause I hope that a contrary effect is produced and that the before Indifferency of a generation more newly sprung up who did not know them is now turned into loathing and detestation of such a religion as can allow of such practises My work is not to declare what hath been proved against the Papists before the Honourable Committee of Parliament appointed to enquire into their insolencies and the proofs which have been given in concerning the Fire and who have been accessory thereunto No I would rather endeavour to turn peoples eyes from men to God for whoever were the instruments God was the Authour of this evil which hath come upon us there being no evil in the City that is evil of punishment which the Lord as a righteous and the supream Judge doth not inflict And surely more of the extraordinary hand of God than of any men did appear in the burning of the City of London God could have prevented men by discovering their plots as he did that of the Gun powder-treason before they had taken effect God could have directed and given a blessing unto means for the quenching of it when it was first kindled God who hath the winds in his Fist could have gathered in the Wind and laid it asleep or so turned it the other way that it should have been a defence to the City or God who hath the Clouds at his command and the Bottles of Heaven in his hand could have gathered his thick Clouds together and squeez'd them opend his Bottles and poured down Rain in abundance upon the City so that if the wind had blown as it did it should have blown water upon the fire which would quickly have put it out But the Heavens at that time were Brass no showring Clouds to be seen the Fire begins is quickly taken notice of though in the midst of the night Fire Fire Fire doth resound the streets many Citizens start out of their sleep look out of their windows some dress themselves and run to the place The Lord Maior of the City comes with his Officers a confusion there is councell is taken away and London so famous for wisdom and dexterity can now find neither brains nor hands to prevent its ruine The hand of God was in it The Decree was come forth London must now fall and who could prevent it No wonder when so many Pillars are removed if the Building tumbles the prayers tears and faith which sometimes London hath had might have quenched the violence of the fire might have opened Heaven for rain and driven back the winde but now the fire gets mastery burns dreadfully and God with his great Bellows blowes upon it which makes it spread quickly go on with such force and rage overturning all so furiously that the whole City is brought into jeopardy of desolation That night most of the Londoners had taken their last sleep in their houses they little thought it would be so when they went into their beds they did not in the lest suspect when the doors of their ears were unlockt and the casement of their eyes were opened in the morning to hear of such an enemies invading the City and that they should see him with such fury enter the doors of their houses break into every room and look out of their casements with such a threatning countenance As it is said Lam. 4. 12. The inhabitants would not have believed that the adversary should have entered the gates of Ierusalem so the Inhabitants of the City would not have believed that the Fire should have entred and prevailed to burn London to the ground That which made the ruin the more dismall was that it was begun on the Lords day morning never was there the like Sabbath in London some Churches were in flames that day and God seems to come down and to preach himself in them as he did in Mount Sinai when the Mount burned with Fire such warmpreaching those Churches never had such Lightning dreadful Sermons never were before delivered in London In other Churches Ministers were preaching their Farewel Sermons and people were hearing with quaking and astonishment Instead of a holy Rest which Christians have taken on this day there is a tumultuous hurrying about the streets towards the place that burned and more tumultuous hurrying upon the spirits of those that sat still and had only the notice of the eare of the quick and strange spreading of the Fire Now the Train-bands are up in Arms watching at every quarter for Outlandish men because of the general fears and jealousies and rumours that Fire-Balls were thrown into houses by several of them to help on and provoke the too furious flames Now Goods are hastily removed from the lower parts of the City and the body of the people begin to retire and draw upwards as the people did from the Tabernacles of Corah Dathan and Abiram when the earth did cleave asunder and swallow them up or rather as Lot drew out from his house in Sodom before it was consumed by fire from Heaven Yet some hopes were retained on the Lords day that the Fire would be extinguished especially by them who lived in the remote parts they could scarcely imagine that the Fire a mile off should be able to reach their houses But the evening draws on and now the Fire is more visible and dreadful instead of the Black curtains of the night which used to be spread over the City now the curtains are Yellow the smoke that arose from the burning parts seemed like so much flame in the night which being blown upon the other parts by the winde the whole City at some distance seemed to be on fire Now hopes begin to sink and a general consternation seiseth upon the spirits of people little sleep is taken in London this night the amazement which the eye and ear doth effect upon the spirit doth either dry up or drive away the vapour which used to binde up the senses Some are at work to quench the fire with water others endeavour to stop its course by pulling down of houses but all to no purpose if it be a little allayed or beaten down or put to a stand in some places it is but a very little while it quickly recruits and recovers its force it leaps and mounts and makes the more furious onset drives back its opposers snatcheth their weapons out of their hands seiseth upon the Water-houses and Engines burns them spoils them and makes them unfit for service Some are upon their knees in the
in it and see how many spots it will discover which you never before did perceive not beauty spots but spots of deformity Plague-spots Death-marks Hell-tokens such as will bring upon you inevitable misery unless they be wiped off Take the Rule of the Word and measure your actions by it and you may quickly perceive how much they have fallen short how crooked they have been Rectum est index sui obliqui compare your actions with the straight rule of Gods Law and you may find out many irregularities If you do not find out your sins your sins will find you out and Gods judgements will find you out and if you be found out in your sins woe be to you O the horrour which will be upon your consciences when ruining judgements are inflicted upon you particularly and you cannot escape when Death looks you in the face and comes with the sting of sin in its mouth to devour you But O the horrour you will be under hereafter if you be taken away in your sins when your souls shall be summoned immediately after their separation unto the barr of God where you will be searched and tryed and condemned to everlasting torment by an inevitable and irreversible sentence of the Judge himself O therefore hearken to the voice of God in these temporal judgements on the City after which you still remain alive through infinite patience which calls upon you to search and try your wayes that you may escape more fearful judgements which may be preparing for you labour to find out your sins which are the cause of all judgements temporal and eternal and to help you in your search after sin read the Catalogue I have given you of Londons sins and examine your selves thereby be very serious and thorow and impartial in this search sequester your selves often from all company ease your mind of the load of worldly business leave the carriages at the bottom of the hill strive against temptations and indispositions to the work set your selves in the Presence of the Heart-searching God beg the help of his spirit to discover to you what hath displeased and provoked him search after sin as offensive to God and as destructive to your selves as your worst enemy as the cause of Plague and Fire in London and as that which will bring the Plagues and Fire of Hell upon you if it be not found out and subdued 4. God doth expect that London should acknowledge their sins unto him When the Prophet had directed the people to search and try their wayes after the execution of such Judgements upon them Lam. 3. 40. see the following direction v. 41 42. Let us lift our hearts with our hands unto God in the Heavens we have trangressed and have rebelled c. thus the Prophet doth confess the sins of Ierusalem Chap. 1. 8 9. Ierusalem hath greatly sinned therefore she is removed Her filthiness is in her skirts she remembred not her last end therefore she came down wonderfully and thus the Daughter of Zion as she bewaileth her affliction so she acknowledgeth her transgression v. 17 18 20. Zion spreadeth forth her hands and there is none to comfort her The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his commandment Behold O Lord for I am in distress my bowels are troubled mine heart is turned within me for I have grievously rebelled Thus Daniel after dreadful judgements maketh confession of the sins of the people of Israel chap. 9. 4 5 6. I prayed unto the Lord and made my confession and said O Lord the great and Dreadful God we have sinned and committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and thy judgements neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy name to our Kings our Princes and our Fathers and to all the people of the land and v. 11 12. Yea all Israel have transgressed thy law by departing that they might not obey thy voice therefore the curse is poured upon us and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God because we have sinned against him And he hath confirmed his word which he spake against us and against our judges that judged us by bringing upon us a great evil for under the whole Heaven hath it not been done as it hath been done upon Jerusalem God doth expect that London should find out their sins and having found them that they should make confession of them O that the Prophane and ungodly generation in London whose sins have been enumerated in the Catalogue would be perswaded to get alone by themselves and consider their evil wayes and what the consequents of their sins have been in bringing down temporal Judgements what the consequence of their sins is like to be even the bringing upon them eternal Judgements and that they would fall down and prostrate themselves at Gods foot and covering their cheeks with shame and blushing because of their filthiness and foul sins under the view of so holy an eye that they would acknowledge their transgressions unto him not only in general but also particularly with their heinous aggravations O that with an inward deep sense with a bleeding broken heart they would fill their mouths with confessions that they would take to themselves words and say We have rebelled against thee O Lord and done wickedly and grievously offended thee so foolish have we been and ignorant of thee we have been worse than beasts before thee the Oxe acknowledgeth his owner and the Ass his master but though we are thy creatures and live upon thy bounty and are daily at thy finding yet we have not acknowledged thee and have had less consideration than those creatures who have had no reason we have been a sinful people laden with iniquity a seed of evil doers children that have been corrupters who have forsaken thee and by our wickedness provoked thee to anger We have been stubborn and disobedient serving thine enemies the devil and our own lusts but have neglected yea refused to serve and worship thee in our families and closets living as if there had been no God in the world We have seldom if ever taken thy Name into our mouths unless it hath been in vain unless in our Oaths and Curses We have prophaned thy Sabboths and defiled thine ordinances and have often been more wicked on the Lords day than any day of the week besides When we were children we disobeyed our Parents but disobeyed thee much more who didest command us to honour them when we were children in years we were grown Men and Women in sin when we were weak in body we were strong in spirit to commit iniquity we learnt the trade of sin before any other and were apt Schollars in the School of the Devil when dull and blockish to learn any thing which was good we were wise to do evil when to do good we had no understanding our iniquities have