call upon me and I will answer him I will be with him in trouble Oh the precious presence of God with a mans spirit will sweeten every fiery dispensation and take off much of the bitterness and terribleness of it In the gracious presence of God with our spirits lyes 1. Our greatest Happiness 2. Our greatest Honor. 3. Our greatest profit and advantage 4. Our greatest joy and delight 5. Our greatest safety and security The Bush which was a Type of the Church consumed not all the while it burned with fire because God was in the midst of it The gracious presence of God with a mans spirit 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. will make heavy afflâ—ctions light and long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet Gods gracious presence makes every burden light He that has the presence of God with Psal 55. 22. his spirit can bear a burden without a burden What burden Deut. 33. 27 29. can sink that man that hath everlasting Armes under him and over him and round about him But Secondly There is wisdom in God to encourage them under all their tryals There is wisdom in God so to temper Jer. 24. 5. Rom. 8. 28. and order all judgements afflictions crosses and losses as to make them work kindly and sweetly for their good Whilst God is near us wisdom and counsel is at hand God is that wise and skilful Physitian that can turn Poyson into Cordials Diseases into Remedies Crosses into Crowns and the greatest losses into the greatest gains What can hurt us whilst an infinite wise God stands by us But Thirdly There is strength power and omnipotency in God to encourage them There is nothing too high for Prov. 18. 10. Psal 46. 1 2. Isa 26. 4. Psal 3. 17. him nor nothing too hard for him he is able easily and speedily to bring to pass all contrivances You read of many who have been mighty but you read but of one Almighty Rev. 4. 8. Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty Chap. 11. 17. We give thee thanks Lord God Almighty Chap. 15. 3. Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Chap. 16. 7. And I heard another out of the Altar say c. Even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy judgements Under all your fiery tryals an Almighty God can do mighty things for you And therefore it concerns you to encourage your selves in him even when you are stript of all O Christians it highly concerns you to beâ—r all your losses chearfully and thankfully In every thing give thanks saith the 1 Thes 5. 18. Apostle for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Chrysostom speaks excellently This saith he is the very Châ—ysost Toâ— 5. Hoâ—â—l 68. will of God to give thanks alwayes this argues a soul rightly instructed Hast thou suffered any evil if thou wilt it is no evil Give thanks to God and then thou hast turned the evil into good Say thou as Job said when he had lost all The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. What evil hast thou suffered What is it a disease This is no strange thing to us seeing our bodies are mortal and naturally born to suffer What dost thou want money this may be gotten here and lost here Whatsoever evils or losses therefore do oppress thee give thou thanks and thou haâ—â— changed the nature of them Job then did more deeply wound the Devil when being stript out of all he gave thanks to God than if he had distributed all to the poor and needy For it is much more to be stript of all and yet to bear it patiently generously and thankfully than for a rich man to give Alms as it here happened to righteous Job But hath fire suddenly taken hold upon thy house destroyed thy house and consumed thy whole substance Remember the sufferings of Job Give thanks to God who could though he did not have hindered that mischance and thou shalt be sure to receive as equal a reward as if thou hadst put all into the bosome of the indigent This he repeateth over again and saith thy reward being thankful is equal to his who gave all he had to the poor To wind up your hearts to thankfulness and chearfulness under this late desolating Judgement Consider 1. God might have taken away all 'T is good to bless When a Gentleman in Atheis had his Plate taken away by Ahashueâ—us as he was at dinner he smiled upon his friends saying I thank God that his Highness hath left me any thing him for what he has left 2. He has taken away more from others than he has taken away from you ergo be thankful 3. You are unworthy of the least mercy you deserve to be stript of every mercy and therefore be thankful for any thing that is left God has a Soveraign right over all you have and might have stript you as naked as the day wherein you were born 4. God has left you better and greater merciâ—s than any those were that he has stript you off viz. your lives your limbs your friends your Relations yea and the means of Grace which is better than all and more than all other mercies ergo be thankful 5. The Lord has given those choice things to you as shall never be taken from you viz. himself his Son his Spirit which shall abide with you for ever his Grace which is an abiding seed and his peace which none can give to you nor take from you John 16. 1 John 3. 9. ergo be thankful though God has laid all your pleasant things desolate 6. Thankfulness under crosses and losses speak out much integrity and ingenuity of Spirit Hypocrites and prophane persons are more apt to blaspheme than to bless a taking God ergo be thankful The Ancients say Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris say a man is unthankful and say he is any thing Ingratitude is a Monster in nature say some a Solecism in Manners a Paradox in Grace damming up the course of donations divine and humane If there be any sin in the world against the Holy Ghost said Queen Elizabeth in a Letter to Henry the fourth of France it is ingratitude The Laws of Persia Macedonia and Athens condemned the ungrateful to death and unthankfulness may well be styled the Epitome of Vices Ingratitude was so hateful to the Egyptians that they used to make Eunuchs of ungrateful persons that no posterity of theirs might remain Well Sirs remember this the best way to get much is to be thankful for a little God loves to sow much where he reaps much Thankfulness for one mercy makes way for another mercy as many thousand Christians have experienced The Lords Impost for all his blessings is our thankfulness if we neglect to pay this Impost the commodity is forfeit and so will take it back Our returnes must be according to our receipts Good men should be
Job lies on its dung-hill London like the Jewes lies Job 2. 8. in its ashes Esther 4. 3. And therefore it highly concerns all Londoners to put on sackcloth and ashes But Ninthly Surely such as have lookt upon London as the City of their solemnities such can't but weep to see the City of their Solemnities laid desolate Isa 33. 20 Look upon Zion the City of our solemnities or meetings Zion is here called a City because it stood in the midst of the City The City of Jerusalem was very large and Zion stood in the midst of it and 't is called a City of Solemnities because the people flocked thither to hear the Law to renew their Covenant with God to call upon his name and to offer Sacrifices O Sirs was not London the City of our Solemnities the City where we solemnly met to wait upon the Lord in the beauty 1 Chron. 16. 29. Psal 29. 2. of Holiness the City where we offered prayers and praises the City where we worshipped the Lord in Spirit and in truth the City wherein God and Christ and the great things of eternity were revealed to us the City wherein many thousands were converted and edified walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost the Acts 9. 31. City where we had the clearest the choicest and the highest enjoyments of God that ever we had in all our dayes the City wherein we have sate down under Christs shadow with great delight his fruit has been sweet unto our taste the Cant. 2. 3 4 5 6. City in which Christ has brought us to his banqueting house and â—is banner over us has been love the City in which Christ has Staid us with flaggons and comforted us with Apples the City in which Christs left hand hath been under our heads and his right hand hath imbraced us The City wherein the Lord of Hosts hath made unto his people a feast of fat things a Isa 25. 6. feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined London the City of our Solemnities is now laid desolate and therefore for this why should not we be disconsolate and mourn in secret before the Lord This frame of Spirit hath been upon the people of God of old Zeph. 3. 18. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was a burden By Solemn Assemblies are meant their several conventions at those set times which God had appointed them viz. on the weekly Sabbath the new Moons Deut. 16. the stated Feasts and Fasts which they were bound to observe Now for the want the lack the loss of those Solemn Assemblies such as did truly fear the Lord were solemnly sorrowfull Of all losses spiritual losses are most sadly resented by gracious souls When they had lost their houses their estates their Trades their relations their liberties and were led captive to Babylon which was an Iron Fornace a second Aegypt to them then the loss of their Solemn Assemblies made deeper impressions upon their hearts than all their outward losses did The Jews were famous Artists they stand upon record for their skill especially in Poetry Mathematicks and Musick but when their City was burnt and their Land laid desolate and their Solemn Assemblies broken in pieces then they could sing none of the Songs of Psalm 137. 1 2 3 4 5. Zion then they were more for mourning than for musick for sighing than for singing for lamenting than for laughing Nothing goes so near gracious hearts as the loss of their Solemn Assemblies as the loss of holy Ordinances health and wealth and friends and Trade are but meer Ichahods to the Saints Solemn Assemblies and to pure 1 Sam. 4 17 18. Ordinances When the Ark was taken Eli could live no longer but whether his heart or his neck was first broken upon that sad tydings is not easie to determine When Nehemiah understood that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and that the Gates thereof were burnt with fire 2 Kings 25. 8 9 10. and that the whole City was laid desolate by Nebuzâ—radan and his Chaldean Army he sits down and weeps and mourns and fasts and prayes he did so lay the burning of the City of their Solemnities to heart that all the smiles of King Artaxerxes could not raise him nor rejoice Neh. 1. 3 4. Chap. 2. Jer. 52. 12 13 14. him It was on the tenth day of the fifth moneth that Jerusalem was burnt with fire and upon that account the Jewes fasted upon every tenth day of the fifth moneth Now shall the Jews solemnly fast and mourn on the tenth day of the fifth moneth during their Captivity because their Zech. 7. 3. City and Temple and Solemn Assemblies were on that day buried in ashes and turned into a ruinous heap and and shall not we fast and mourn to see the City of our Solemnities buried in its own ruines But Tenthly and lastly That Incendiary that mischievous Villain Hubert confest the fact of firing the first house in Pudding Lane though he would not confess who set him at work and accordingly was executed at Tyburn for it There were some Ministers and several other sober prudent Citizens who did converse again and again with Hubert and are ready to attest that he was far from being mad and that he was not only very rational but also very cunning and subtile and so the fitter instrument for the Conclave of Rome or some subtle Jesuit to make use of to bring about our common wo. It was never known that Rome or Hell did ever make use of mad men or fools to bring about their Divilish Plots Now who can look upon the dreadful consequences the burning of a renowned City that followed upon the firing of the first house and not mourn over Londons desolations Hubert did confess to several persons of note and repute that he was a Catholick and did further declare that he believed confession to a Priest was necessary to his salvation And being advised by a Chaplain to a person of Honor to call upon God he repeated his Ave Mary which he confest was his usual prayer Father Harvey confest him and instructed him and we need not doubt but that he absolved him also according to the custom of the Romish Church Hubert died in the profession of the Romish faith stoutly asserting that he was no Hugonite I know that men of the Romish Religion and such who are one in Spirit with them would make the world believe that this Hubert who by order of Law was executed upon the account of his own publick and private confessions was mad distracted and what not But what mad men do these make the Judge and Jury to be for who but mad men would condemn to such a shameful death a mad man for confessing himself guilty of such a
bethink themselves and to turn to him who is able by a flaming fire quickly to turn them out of all The Jews have a saying That if war be begun in another Country yet they should fast and mourn because the war is begun and because they do not know how soon God may bring it to their doors O Sirs London is burnt and it highly concerns you to fast and mourn and pray and to take the Alarm for you do not know how soon a fire may be kindled in your own habitations Now God has made the once famous City of London a flaming Beacon before your eyes he expects and looks that you should all fear before him Secure your interest in him walk humbly with him and no more provoke the eyes of his jealousie and glory The design of Heaven by this late dreadful Fire is not to be confined to those particular persons upon whom it hath fallen heaviest but 't is to awaken all and warn all When a Beacon is fired it gives warning as much to the whole Country as to him who sets it on fire or as it does to him on whose ground the Beacon stands We can neither upon the foot of Reason or Religion conclude them to be the greatest sinners who have been the greatest suffererâ— for many times we find that the greatest Saints have been the greatest sufferers both from God and men Job Job 1. 1 2 3 4. was a non-such in his day for holiness uprightness and the fear of the Lord and yet by the wind and fire from Heaven on the one hand and by the Sabeans and Chaldeans on the other hand he is stript of all his children and of a fair estate in one day so that in the morning it might have been said Who so rich as Job and in the evening Who so poor as Job Job was poor even to a Proverb Look as wicked men are very incompetent Judges of divine favours and mercies so they are very incompetent Judges of divine tryals and severities and whatever they may think or say I dare conclude that they who have drank deepest of this Cup of sorrows of this Cup of desolation and fire in London are not greater sinners then all others in England who yet have not tasted of this bitter Cup. But more of this when I come to the Application of the Point O Sirs I beg upon the knee of my soul that you will not slight this dreadful warning of God that he has given to the whole Nation in turning London into ashes To that purpose seriously consider First Divine warnings slighted and neglected will certainly bring down the greater wrath and vengeance upon you Levit. 26. 16 17 18. 21 23 24. 27 28. Amos 4. 7. 8 9 10 11. Jer. 25. 4. to the 12. vers Isa 22. 12 13 14. as you may clearly see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margine together Secondly Slighting of Judgments is the greatest Judgment that can befal a people it speaks out much Pride Atheism Hardness Blindness and desperate Security and Contempt of the great God To be given up to slight divine warnings is a spiritual Judgment and therefore must of all Judgments be the greatest Judgment to be given up to Sword Famine Fire Pestilence burning Agues and Fevers is nothing so great a Judgment as to be given up to slight divine warnings for in the one you are but passive but in the other you are active Thirdly Heathens Jonah 3. have trembled and mended and reformed at divine warnings and therefore for you to slight them is to act below the Heathens yea 't is to do worse then the Heathens who will certainly one day rise up in Judgment against all such who have been slighters of the dreadful warnings of Heaven Fourthly Slighting of divine warnings lays men Prov. 1. 24. to vers 32. open to such anger and wrath as all the Angels in Heaven are not able to express nor all the men on earth able to conceive Fifthly Slighting and neglecting of divine warnings speaks out the greatest dis-ingenuity stoutness and stubbornness that is imaginable The ingenuous child easily takes warning and to an ingenuous Christian every divine warning is as the hand-writing upon the wall Sixthly Slighting of divine warnings provokes God many tâ—mes to Dan. 5. 5. give up men to be their own Executioners their own destroyers Saul had many warnings but he slighted and neglected 1 Sam. 31. 4. Joh. 6. 70 71. Mat. 26. 21 22 23 24 25. Mat. 27. 5. them all and at last God leaves him to fall on his own sword Christ cast Hell-fire often into Judas his face Thou hast a Devil and wo to that man by whom the Son of Man shall be betrayed it had been good for that man that he had never been born But Judas slights all these warnings and betrays his Lord and Master and then goes forth and hangs himseâ—f It was a strange conceit of the Cerinthians that honoured Judas the Traitor as some divine Irenaeus Aug. de Haeresi and super-humane power and called his Treason a blessed piece of Service and that he knowing how much the death of Christ would profit mankind did therefore betray him to death to save the race of mankind and to do a thing pleasing to God Judas withstood all divine warnings Some report of Judas that he slew his father married his mother and betrayed his Master from within and without and you know how the Tragedy ended he dyed a miserable death he perished by his own hands which were the most infamous hands in all the world he went and hanged himself And as Luke hath it he fell head-long and burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out In every passage of his death we may take notice of divine Justice and accordingly take heed of slighting divine warnings It was but just that he should hang in the air who for his sin was hated both of Heaven and Earth and that he should fall down head-long who was fallen from such a height of honour as he was fallen from and that the halter should strangle that throat through which the voice of Treason had sounded and that his bowels should be lost who had lost the bowels of all pity piety and compassion and that his Ghost should have his passage out of his midst He burst asunder in the midst saith the Text and not out of his lips because with a kiss of his lips he had betrayed our Lord Jesus But seventhly By slighting divine warnings you will arm both visible and 2 Kings 6. 8 9 10 11. 16. 17. Exod. 14. Judg. 5. 19 20. Isa 37. 7 8 9. 36. invisible Creatures against you Pharaoh slights divine warnings and God arms the winds against him to his destruction Sisera slights divine warnings and the Stars in their Course fought against Sisera Sennacherib slights divine warnings and an Angel of the Lord destroyed a hundred fourscore and
green and dry trees and that all these things were dark and of obscure to them they put off all the Prophet spoke as Allegorical as Mystical and as Aenigmatical and as dark visions and as dreams and imaginations and divinations of his own brain and therefore they needed not much mind what he said Now mark these Athâ—ists what do they do they provoke the Lord to kindle a fire a universal fire an unquenchable fire an inextinguishable fire in the midst of Jerusalem which is here termed a Forest by reason of its barrenness and unfruitfulness and the multitudes that were in it and because it was fit for nothing but the Ax and the fire Atheiâ—m is a sin that has brought the greatest woes miseries destructions and desolations imaginable upon the most flourishing Kingdoms and most glorious Cities in the World Holy Mr. Greenham was wont to say that he feared rather Atheism then Popery would be Englands ruine O Sirs were there none within the Walls of London that said in their hearts with Dâ—vids Atheistical Psal 14. 1. fool There is no God Caligula the Emperor was such a one and Claudius thought himself a God till the loud Thunder affrighted him and then he hid himself and cryed Claudius nâ—n est Dâ—us Claudius is not a â—od Leo the X. Hilderbrand the Magician and Alexander the vI and Juâ—w the II. were all most wretched Atheists and thought tâ—aâ— whatever was said of Christ of Heaven of Hell of the day of Judgment and of the â—mmortality of the Soul were but dreams impostures toys and old wives fables Pope Paul the III. at the time of his death said he should now be resolved of three Qâ—estions that he had doubted of all his life 1. Whether the Soul was immortal or no 2. Whether there were a Hell or no 3. Whether there were a God or no And another grand Atheist said I know what I have here but I know not what I shall have hereafter Now were there no such Atheists within the Walls of London before it was turned in ashes The Atheist in Psal 10. 11. say He will never see and in Psal 94. 7. they rise higher they say The Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it They labour to lay a Law of restraint upon God and to cast a mist before the Eye of his Providence And in Isa 29. 15. they say Who seeth us who knoweth us And in Ezek. 9. 9. they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not These Atheists shut up God in Heaven as a blind and ignorant God not knowing or not regarding what iâ— done on the Earth they imagine him to be a forgetful God or a God that seeth not Psal 73. 11. they say How doth God know and is there knowledge in the most High Thus they deny Gods Omnisciency and Gods Omnipresency which to do is to ungod the great God as much as in them lyes Now were there no such Atheists within the Walls of London before it was destroyed by fire O how did practicaâ— Atheism abound in London How many within thy Walls O London did profess they knew God but in their works did deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto Titus 1. 16. every good work reprobate O Sirs some there are that live loosely under the Gospel that run into all excâ—ss of riot and that in the face of all promises and threatnings mercies and Judgments yea in the very face of life and death of Heaven and Hell and others there are that sin freely in secret that can be drunk and filthy in the dark when the eye of man is not upon them Certainly those mens hearts are very Atheistical that dare do that in the sight of God which they tremble to do before the eyes of men How many are there that put the evil day far from them that flatter themselves in their sins that with Agage conclude surely the bitterness of death is past and that Hell and wrath is past and that they are in a fair way for Heaven when every step they take is towards the bottomless pit And divine vengeance hangs over their heads ready every moment to fall upon them Are there not many that seldom pray and when they do how cold how careless how dull how dead how heartless how irreverent are they in all their addresses to the great God Are there not many such Atheists that use no prayer nor Bible but make Lucian their Old Testament and Machiavel their New Are there not many that grant there is a God but then 't is such a God as is made up all of mercy and thereupon they think and speak and do as wickedly as they please And are there not some that look upon God as a sin-revenging God and thereupon wish that there were no God or else that they were above him as Spira did And are there not others that have very odd and foolish conceptions of God as if he were an old man sitting in Heaven with royal Robes upon his back a glorious Crown upon his head and a Kingly Scepter in his hand and as if he had all the parts and proportion of a man as the Papists are pleased to picture him Some there are that are so drowned in sensual pleasures that they scarce remember that they have a God to honour a Hell to escape a Heaven to secure Souls to save and an Account to give up And others there are who when they find conscience begin to accuse and terrifie them then with Cain they Gen. 4. 1 Sam. 18. 6. 10. Job 31. 24. Phil. 3. 19. go to their buildingâ— or with Saul to their musick or with the Drunkards to their cups or with the Gamesters to their sports Some there are that make their gold their God as the Covetous others make their bellies their God as the Drunkard and the Glutton Some make Honours their Amos 6. Math. 23. God as the Ambitious and others make pleasures their God as the Voluptuous Some make religious Duties their God as the carnal Gospellers and others make their moral vertues their God as the civil honest man Now what abundance of such Atheists were there within and without the Walls of London before the fiery Judgment past upon it The Scripture attributes the ruine of the old world to Gen. 6. Atheism and Prophaneness and why may not I attribute the ruine and desolation of London to the same Practical Atheists are enough to overthrow the most flourishing Nations and the most flourishing Cities that are in all the World But to prevent all mistakes in a business of so great a concernment give me leave to say That if we speak of Atheists in a strict and proper sense as meaning such as have simply and constantly denied all Deity then I must say that there was never any such creature in the world as simply and constantly to deny that there is a God It is an
inviolable principle and indelebly stampt upon mans nature that there is a God They that shall deny that there is a God must extinguish the very Light of Nature by which the very Heathen in all the Ages of the World have acknowledged a supream divine Being Bion of Boristenesa was a very great Laert. Atheist all his life time he denied the Gods despised their Temples and derided their Worship yet when death The stoutest Atheists that ever lived cannot resolutely and constantly believe there is no God hence Heathens have condemned some to death that denied there was a God came he would rather have endured the greatest torment then to have dyed and that not so much for fear of a natural death but for fear of what followed after lest God whom he had denied should give him up into the hand of the Devil whom he had served and therefore at the time of his death he put forth his hand crying Salve Pluto salve Welcome Devil welcome foolishly thinking to pacific the Devil by this flattering salutation And Tully observes of Epicurius that though no man seemed more to contemn both God and death yet no man feared more both the one and the other The Philosophers did with one consent affirm That there is a God and they called him Nomine Deum naturâ Spiritum ordine Motorem primum but knew him not He that shall deny there is a God sins with a very high hand against the light of Nature for every Creature yea the least Gnat and Fly and the meanest worm that crawls upon the ground will confute and confound that man that disputes whether there be a God or no. The Name of God is written in such full fair and shining Characters upon the whole Creation that all men may run and read that there is a God The Notion of a Deity is so strongly and deeply improst upon the tables of all mens hearts that to deny a God is to quench the very Principles of common Nature yea 't is formally Deicidium a killing of God as much as in the Creature lyes There are none of these Atheists in Hell for the Devils believe and tremble The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 2. 19. that is here used signifies properly the roaring of the Sea it implies such an extream fear as causeth not only trembling but also a roaring and screcking out Mark 6. 49. Acts 16. 29. The Devils believe and acknowledge four Articles of our Faith Mat. 8. 29. First they acknowledge God 2. Christ 3. The day of Judgment 4. That they shall be tormented then So that he that doth not believe that there is a God is more vile then a Devil to deny there is a God is a sort of Atheism that is not to be found in Hell On Earth are Atheists many In Hell there is not any Augustine speaking of Atheists saith That albeit there be some who think or would perswade themselves that there is no God yet the most vile and desperate Wretch that ever lived would not say there was no God Seneca hath a remarkable speech Mentiuntur qui dicunt se non sentire Deum â—sse nam etsi tibi affirmant interdiù noctu tamen dubitant They lye saith he who say they perceive not there is a God for although they affirm it to thee in the day-time yet by night they doubt of it Further saith the same Author I have heard of some that have denied that there was a God yet never knew the man but when he was sick he would seek unto God for help therefore they do but lye that say there is no God they sin against the light of their own consciences they who most studiously go about to deny God yet cannot do it but some check of conscience will flye in their faces Tully would say That there was never any Nation under Heaven so barbarous as to deny that there was a God I have seen a City without Walls but never any City but acknowledged a God Quicquid vides quicquid non vides Deus est Whatsoever thou seest and whatsoever thou seest not is God that is all things visible and invisible do express unto thee a Deity and lead thee as by the hand to contemplate heavenly spiritual and eternal things God is known by his effects though not by his Essence The Creation of the World is a glass wherein saith Paul we may Rom. 1. behold his eternal Power and God-head which that divine Poet hath well observed Du Bart. The World 's a School where in a general story God alway reads dumb Lectures of his glory Austin having gone round all the Creatures and seeing in Soliloquiis them the Characters of the God-head imprinted and seriously inquiring of them for God not one or two but all made him this Answer with an audible voice Non sum ego sed per ipsum sum ego quem quaeris in me I am not he but by him I am whom thou seekest in me I have heard saith my Author Mr. Francis Taylor on Pro. 6. 7. of some learned Atheists met together to discourse of the power of Nature to prove there was no God a poor shepherd present asked how the rain came then they bid him look upon a stiâ—l and he might know that vapours were drawn up by the Sun and let fall again as moisture in a still he replied I never yet could see a still work unless some man put fire to it This so wrought on one in the company that he gave glory to God and forsook his Companions I think Zeno hit the mark when he said to hear and see an Atheist dye will more demonstrate that there is a God then all the Learned can do by all their Arguments That Epitaph which was written upon Sennacheribs Tomb may well Herodot be written upon every Atheist He that looks upon us let him believe there is a God and learn to fear him In all the Ages of the World God has given a most severe testimony against Atheists That Assyrian that bragged at a Feast that he did never offer Sacrifice to a God was eaten up of Lice And Lucian a great Atheist going to Supper abroad left his Hounds fast when he went and as he returned home having railed against God and his Word his dogs fell mad met him and tore him in pieces I have read of some Heathens who being at Sea in a very dangerous storm where they were like to be cast away they began every one apart to examine themselves what should be the reason of so dreadful a storm and after that they had all cast up their accoâ—nts by querying with themselves What have I done said one and What have I done said another that has occasioned this storm At last it issued thus they remembred that they had Diagoras the Atheist on Board and rather then they would all perish for that Atheists sake they took him by
that cryed out if you take away our liquor you take away our lives Austin brings in the Drunkard saying Malle se vitam quà m vinum eripi He had rather lose his life then his wine And Ambrose speaks of one Theotimus who being told by his Physitians that much quaffing would make him blind answered then Vale lumen amicum farewel sweet light farewel sweet eyes if ye will not bear wine ye are no eyes for me Were there none within nor without thy Walls O London that did abuse the good Creatures of God so profusely so prodigaâ—ly so prodigiously as if they had been sent into the world for no other end but thus to abuse themselves reproach their Maker and destroy those choice blessings which God had given for more noble ends then to be spewed against the walls for these last six years a drunken health like the conclusion in a Syllogism must not upon any terms be denied especially in the company of such Grandees whose age whose place whose office should have taught them better things yea the custom of high drinking hath been these last six years so great within and without thy Walls O London that 't is no wonder if the Lord for that alone has laid thy glory in the dust yea and that shameful Hab. 2. 16. spewing is upon all thy glory considering what shameful spewing have been in thy Streets Taverns Haâ—ls Ale-houses and other great Mens houses where Temperance Righteousness Justice and Holiness should have dwelt in glory and triumph Ah London how many within and without thy Walls have been drinking wine in bowls when they should have been mourning over their sins and grieving for the afflictions of Joseph and sighing over those distressed Christians whose drink was nothing but sorrow and blood and tears These are the men that have kindled a burning upon all thy glory O Sirs that you would for ever remember that Intemperance Luxury is a sin an enemy that First Robs God of his glory it denies him all service and obedience Intemperate persons are neither fit for praying to God nor praising of God nor receiving from God Intemperance turns the Temple of the holy Ghost into a Sepulchre a Kitchin a Hog stye and what glory then can God have from an intemperate person But 1 Cor. 6. 19. Secondly It robs both God and man of much precious time time is a precious Jewel more worth then all the world One called his friends Thieves because they stole When Ignatius heard a clock strike he would say I have one hour more to answer for so precious a Jewel was time in his eye time from him and certainly there are no worse thieves then Intemperance for that robs men of their hearing-times and their praying-times and their reading-times There is so much precious time spent in the Tavern and in the Tipling-house that the intemperate person cannot be at leisure to spend any time in his Family or in his Closet c to save his own or others Souls but there will come a time either in this or the other world wherein all intemperate persons will wish that they had spent that precious time in serving of God and in saving their own and others Souls which they have spent in Luxury and excess carousing and drinking but all too late all too late Time is not only the fruit of Gods indulgence but also the fruit of Christs purchase That Doom passed upon Adam In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death or dying thou shalt dye had been put in execution immediately had not Christ interposed immediately between mans sin and Gods wrath What can there be of more weight and moment then Eternity It is the Heaven of Heaven and the very Hell of Hell without which neither would Heaven be so desirable nor Hell so formidable Now this depends upon time Time is the Prologue to Eternity the great weight of Eternity 2 Cor. 6. 2. Isa 49. 8. hangs upon the small wire of time our time whether it be longer or shorter is given us by God to provide for our everlasting condition we have Souls to save a Hell to escape a Heaven to make sure our pardon to sue out our interest in Christ to make good and all this must be quickly done or we undone and that for ever Mans eternal weal or wo depends upon his well or ill improvement of that inch of time that is allotted to him Now what a dreadful account will such give up at last who have wasted away their precious time in Luxury and Excess But Thirdly Luxury Intemperance it robs men of their names Bonosus a beastly drunken Emperor was called a Tankard and Tiberius was sirnamed Biberius for his tipling and Erasmus called Eccius Jeccius for the same cause and Diotimus of Athens was called a Tun-dish and young Cicero a Hogs-head But Fourthly Luxury Intemperance it robs men of their health for how many are there that by drinking other mens healths have destroyed their own Many more perish by Intemperance then by violence Intemperance is the source and nurse of all diseases more perish by surfeiting then by suffering every intemperate person digs his own grave with his own mouth and teeth and is certainly a self-tormenter a self-destroyer a self-murtherer I have read Radulph Fornerius select lib. 3. of a Monk at Prague who having heard at shrift the Confessions of many Drunkards wondred at it and for an experiment he would needs try his brain with this sin so accordingly he stole himself drunk Now after the vexation of three days sickness to all that confessed that sin he enjoyned no other penance but this Go and be drunk again intimating thereby that there was no punishment no torment that could be inflicted upon a Drunkard so great as that Go and be drunk again Besides all other plagues that attend this sin drunkenness is a wo to it self Temperance is the best and noblest Physick and they that use it commonly are most long-liv'd But Fifthly Intemperance robs men of their Estates it robs the Wife many times of her Dowry and the Children of their Portion and the Husband of his Inheritance his Trade his all The very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luxury properly signifies the not preventing or keeping of the good which at the present we enjoy Solomon hit the mark when he said The Prov. 23. 21. drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty The full cup makes an empty purse and a fat dish makes a lean bag he that draws thee wine out of the Pipe puts thy money into his own pocket and this Diogenes the Philosopher well understood when he askt of the frugal Citizen but a penny but begged of the Prodigal a Talent and being askt the reason of his practice he answered Because of the one he thought he might beg often but of the other who spent so fast he was like to receive but once Mr. Livins when he had
if slighted and contemned turn into the greatest fury and severity Divine wrath smoaks and burns against none so fiercely as it doth against those who are despisers of Gospel-mercies When gold is offered men care not how great or how base he is that offers it neither is it material by whom the Gospel is brought unto us whether it be brought unto us by Isaiah as some think a Prophet of the blood Royal or by Amos from amongst the Herdmen of Tekoa Let the hand be more noble or more mean that brings it if it be slighted and contemned provoked Justice will revenge it Such as slight the Gospel and contemn the Gospel they sin with a high hand against the remedy against the means of their recovery This is the condemnation this is that Joh. 3. 19. desperate sin that hastens Judgments upon Cities and Countries as Jury Asia Bohemia and other parts of the world have sadly experienced He that hath eat poyson and shall despise the means of his recovery must certainly dye for it He who when he hath committed Treason against his Prince shall not only refuse but scorn and flight his Princes favour and pardon and fling it from him with disdain is assuredly past all help and hope Sins against the Gospel are sins of a greater size of a louder cry and of a deeper dye then sins against the Law are and accordingly God suits his Judgments Where the Gospel shines in power it will either mend a people or mar a people it will either better them or worsen them it will either fit them for the greatest good or it will bring upon them the greatest evils Where it doth not reform there it will destroy And this London hath found by woful experience Slighting and contemning of the offers of grace in the Gospel is a sin that is not chargeable upon the greatest part of the world who lyeth in wickedness and who sit in darkness and in the region and shadow of death yea 1 Joh. 5. 19. Math. 4. 16. 't is a sin that is not chargeable upon the Devils themselves and therefore the more severely will God deal with those that are guilty of it The Gospel hath for above this hundred years shined forth out of the dark and thick clouds of Popery and Antichristianism which had over-spread the Nation And in no part of the Land hath the Gospel been preached with more clearness spiritualness life power and purity then in London And Oh that I had not cause to say that there was no part of the Nation where the Gospel was more undervalued slighted and contemned by many then in London For First Where the faithful and painful Ministers of the Gospel are slighted and contemned as Ministers of the Gospel there the Gospel is slighted and contemned Now were Math. 23. 37. Luke 10. 16. there none within nor without thy Walls O London that did slight scorn reproach and contemn the Embassadors of Christ who were faithful to their Light their Lord their Consciences and the Souls of their Hearers But Secondly Where the Ministrations of the Gospel where the Ordinances of the Gospel are slighted and contemned there the Gospel is slighted and contemned yea where any one Ordinance of the Gospel is slighted and contemned there the Gospel is slighted and contemned Where Baptism is slighted and contemned there the Gospel is slighted and contemned Where the Lords Supper is slighted and contemned there the Gospel is slighted and contemned where the offers A man upon whom the Gospel hath wrought savingly he will 1. prize all the Ordinances 2. practise all the Ordinances 3. praise the Lord for all the Ordinances Luke 1. 5 6. 2 Sam 19. 35. of the Gospel are slighted and contemned there â—e Gospel is slighted and contemned where the commands of the Gospel are slighted and contemned there the Gospel is slighted and contemned where the threatnings of the Gospel are slâ—ghted and contemned there the Gospel is slighted and contemned where the promises of the Gospel are slighted and contemned there the Gospel is slighted and contemned and where the comforts of the Gospel are slighted and contemned there the Gospel is slighted and contemned Now were there none within nor without thy Walls O London that did slight and contemn the Ministrations of the Gospel the Ordinances of the Gospel When old Barzillai had lost his taste and hearing he cared not for Davids Feasts and Musick There were many within and without the Walls of London that had lost their spiritual taste and hearing and so cared not for Gospel-ministrations for Gospel-ordinances There were many who under a pretence of living above Ordinances lived below Ordinances and made light of Ordinances yea who scorned vilified and contemned the precious Ordinances of Christ Thou art to them as a lovely song Ezek. 33. 31 32. saith the Prophet in the Hebrew it runs thus Thou art to them as one that breaks jests The Solemnity and Majesty of the Word was but as a dry jest unto them Ordinances were but as dry jests to many within and without the Walls of London and therefore no wonder if God hath been in such good earnest with them who have made but a jest of those precious Ordinances that are more worth then Heaven and Earth Many came to the Ordinances too much like the Egyptian Dog which laps a little as he runs by the side of Nilus but stays not to drink But Thirdly Such as are weary of the Gospel such slight the Gospel such contemn the Gospel Never were the Israelites more weary of Manna then many within and without the Numb 11. 6. Amos 8. 5. Walls of London were weary of the plain and powerful preaching of the Gospel We were better have a biting Gospel then a toothless Mass said blessed Bradford But were there not some that had rather have a toothless Mass then a biting Gospel Were there not many that were willing to let God go and Gospel go and Ordinances go and all go so they might be eased of their burdens and taxes and greaten their relations and have peace with all Nations and enjoy a sweeping trade and every one sit under his vine and under his fig-tree eating the fat and drinking the sweet and enjoy liberty to dishonour the Lord to gratifie their lusts to damn their own Souls and to bring others under their feet so weary were they of the blessed Gospel Fourthly Such as have but a low and mean opinion of the Gospel such are slighters and contemners of the Gospel such as prefer every toy and trifle and fashion and sinful custom 1 Cor. 1. 23. and base lust above the light of the Gospel the power of the Gospel the purity and simplicity of the Gospel the holiness and sweetness of the Gospel such are slighters and contemners of the Gospel Though it be better to present truth in her native plainness then to hang her ears with counterfeit Pearls yet there
lye Rev. 14. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God Now upon this account also I dare not charge the trade of lying upon thosâ— gracious Souls that feared the Lord within or without the Walls of London before it was turned into a ruinous heap But Eighthly and lastly Lyars are reckoned amongst the basest and the worst of sinners that you read of in all the Book of God Levit. 19. 11. Ye shall not steal neither deal falsely neither lye one to another Prov. 6. 16 17 18 19. These six things doth the Lord hate yea seven are an abomination to him A proud look a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations feeâ— that be swift in running to mischief A false witness that speaketh lyes and him that soweth discord among brethren So the Apostle Paul setting down a Catalogue of the basest and worst of sinners he ranks lyars in the rere of them 1 Tim. 1. 9 10. Knowing this that the law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and prophane for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers for man-slayers For whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for men-stealers for lyars for perjured persons So John numbers them amongst the damned crew Rev. 21. 8. That shall be sent to hell and that must perish for ever Rev. 21. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death In this Catalogue of the damned crew the fearful are placed in the Front and the lyars in the Rere See once more how the Holy Ghost couples lyars Rev. 22. 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and murtherers and whoremongers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye Thus you see in all these Scriptures that lyars are numbred up among the rabble of the most desperate and deplorable Wretches that are in all the world and therefore upon this account also I cannot charge the trade of lying upon them that feared the Lord whose habitations were once within or without the Walls of London The eighth sin that brings the Judgment of Fire is mens giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh Jude 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire In these words there are these three things observable First The places punished and they are Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them which were Admah and Zeboim Egesippus and Stephanus say that ten Cities were destroyed Deut. 29. 23. Hos 11. 8. and some say thirteen Cities were destroyed when Sodom was destroyed but these things I shall not impose upon you as Articles of Faith The overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them was total both in respect of the Inhabitants and the places themselves their sin was universal and their punishment was as universal That pride idleness and fulness of bread that is charged upon them by the Prophet Ezekiel did usher in those abominable Ezek. 16. 49 50. wickednesses that laid all waste and desolate Secondly The sins that brought these punishments viz. The giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh The first is Giving themselves over to fornication Now the word Fornication is not to be taken properly and strictly for that act of uncleanness that is often committed between persons unmarried but it is here to be taken for all sorts of carnal uncleanness The Heathen thought fornication no vice and therefore they made it a common custom and were wont to pray thus The Gods increase the number of the Harlots The second sin that is charged upon them is Their going after strange flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another flesh as the words in the Original run The Apostle in this modest and covert expression Going after strange flesh or other flesh or another flesh doth hint to us their monstrous and unlawful lusts that were against the Course Light and Law of Nature they gave themselves up to such filthiness as is scarce to be named among men they went after other flesh then what Nature or the God of Nature had appointed The Gen. 2. 21. ult great God never appointed that male and male but only that male and female should be one flesh 't is impossible that man and man in that execrable act should make one flesh as man and woman do The flesh of a male to a male must needs be another flesh The Apostle Paul expresseth their filthiness thus For even their women did change the natural Rom. 1. 26 27. use into that which is against nature and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the women burned in their lust one toward another men with men working that which is unseemly Chrysostom well observes on these words that whereas by Gods Ordinance in lawful copulation by Marriage two became one flesh both Sexes were joyned together in one by Sodomitical uncleanness the same flesh is divided into two men with men working uncleanness as with women of one Sex making as it were two The Genâ—iâ—es had left the God of Nature and therefore the Lord in his just Judgment left them to leave the order of Nature and so to cast scorn and comtempt upon the whole humane Nature Again There is another sort of pollution by strange flesh Levit. 18. 23. and that is a carnal joyning of a man with a beast which is prohibited Neither shalt thâ—u lye with any beast Oh what a sink of sin is in the nature of man the heart of man And as this pollution is prohibited so 't is punished with death And Chap. 20. 15. if a man lye with a beast he shall surely be put to death and ye shall slay the beast The Lord to shew the horridness and the hainousness of this beastly sin commands that even the poor harmless innocent beast that is neither capable of sin nor of provoking or enticing man to sin must be put to death Oh how great is that pollution that pollutes the very beasts and that makes the unclean more unclean and that doth debase the beast below a beast Now to this sort of pollution the beastly Sodomites had without doubt given up themselves The third thing observable in the words is the severity of their punishment Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire We commonly say that fire and water have no mercy and we have frequently experienced the truth of that saying When God would give the world a proof of his greatest severity against notorious sinners and notorious sins he doth it
being not so much to be called offences as monsters and not to be named without holy detestation by Saints though they be committed without shame by Sodomites The Saxons who of old inhabited this Land Boniface strangled the Adulteress being taken and then burnt her body with fire and hanged the Adulterer over a flaming fire burning him by degrees till he dyed Opilius Macrinus an Julius Capitâ—linus Emperor caused the body of the Adulterer and the Whore to be joyned together and so burnt with fire Aurelianus caused the Adulterers legs to be bound to the boughs of two trees bent together and then violently being lifted up again his body was torn asunder And the Julian Law among the Romans punished Adultery with death by cutting off the heads of those that were guilty of that fact And the Turks stone Adulterers to death Zaleucus King of the Locrians ordained that Adulterers should have their eyes put out and therefore when his Son was taken in Adultery that he might both keep the Law and be compassionate to his Son he put forth one of his own eyes to redeem one of his Sons I have read of some Heathens that have punished this sin with a most shameful death and the death was this they would have the Adulterers or Adulteresses head to be put into the paunch of a beast where lay all the filth and uncleaness of it and there to be stifâ—ed to death This was a fit punishment for so filthy a sin In old time the Egyptians Diodor. used to punish Adulteâ—y on this sort the man with a thousand jerks with a reed and the woman with cutting off her nose but he who forced a free woman to his lusts had his privy members cut off But Thirdly Such who give themselves over to fornication overthrow the state of mankind while no man knoweth his own wife nor no wife knoweth her own husband and while no father knows his own children nor no children know â—heir own father Affinities and Consanguiniâ—ies are the joynts and sinews of the world lose these and lose all Now what Affinities or Consanguinities can there be when there is nothing but confusion of blood the son knoweth not his father nor the father the son But Fourthly These expressions of giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh implies First Their making constant provisions for their base lusts O the time the pains the cost the charge that such Rom. 13. ult are at to make provision for their unsatiable lusts Secondly It implies an excessive violent spending of their strength beyond all measure and bounds in all lasciviousness and Sodomitical uncleanness Pliny tells of Cornelius Gallus Pliny lib. 7. and Q. Elerius two Roman Knights that dyed in the very action of filthiness Theodebert the eldest Son of Glotharius Pontanus Fulgos lib. 6. cap. 12. dyed amongst his Whores so did Bertrane Ferrier at Bacelone in Spain Giachet Geneve of Saluces who had both wife and children of his own being carnally joyned with a young woman was suddenly smitten with death his wife and children wondring why he stayed so long in his Study when it was time to go to bed called him and knockt at his door very hard but when no answer was made they broke open the doors that were locked on the inner side and found him lying upon the woman stark dead and her dead also Claudus of Asses Counsellor of the Parliament of Paris a desperate Persecutor of the Protestants whilst he was in the very act of committing filthiness with one of his waiting Maids was taken with an Apoplexy which immediately after made an end of him Many other instances might be produced but let these suffice Thirdly It implies their impudency and shamelesness in their filthiness and uncleanness they had a Whores forehead they proclaimed their lasciviousness before all the Jer. 3. 3. Chap. 6. 15. Isa 3. 10. Gen. 13. 13. world they were not ashamed neither could they blush hence 't is that the men of Sodom are said to be sinners before the Lord that is they sinned openly publickly and shamelesly without any regard to the eye of God at all Bring Gen. 19. 5. them out to us that we may know them O faces hatcht with impudency they shrowd not their sins in a mantle of secrecy but proclaim their filthiness before all the world they had out-sinn'd all shame and therefore they gloried in their shame they were so arrogant and impudent in sinning that they proclaimed their filthiness upon the house-top But Fourthly It implies their resolvedness and obstinacy in sinning in the face of all the terrible Warnings and Alarms that God had formerly given them by a bloody War and by Gen. 14. 10 11 12. the spoiling and plundering of their Cities and by taking away of their victuals fulness of bread was a part of their sin and now cleanness of teeth is made a piece of their punishment in Gods just Judgment and by Lots admonition Gen. 19. 11. and mild opposition It is observable that when they were smitten with blindness they wearied themselves to find the door God smote them with blindness both of body and mind and yet they continued groaping to find the door being highly resolved upon buggery and beastiality though they dyed for it O the hideous wickedness and prodigious madness of these Sodomites that when divine Justice had struck them blind their hearts should be so desperately set upon their lusts as to weary themselves to find the door But what will not Satans bond-slaves and fire-brands of Hell do Sottish and besotted sinners will never tremble when Phil. 2. 12. God strikes But Fifthly These expressions of giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh implies the delight Rom. 1. 32. pleasure content and satisfaction that they took in those abominable practices They have chosen their own ways and their souls delight in their abominations They had Isa 66. 3. 2 Thes 2. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 13. pleasure in unrighteousness Luther tells us of a certain Grandee in his Country that was so besotted with the sin of Whoredom that he was not ashamed to say that if he might ever live here and be carried from one Whore-house to another there to satisfie his lusts he would never desire any other Heaven This filthy Grandee did afterwards breathe out his wretched Soul betwixt two notorious Harlots All the pleasure and Heaven that these filthy Sodomites look after was to satisfie their brutish lusts Hark Scholar said the Harlot to Apulcius it is but a bitter-sweet that you are so sond of and this the Sodomites found true at the long run when God showred down fire and brimstone upon them But Sixthly and lastly These words of giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh implies their great setled security in those brutish practices The Old world was not more secure when God swept them away
which he presently began to do but God soon cut him off Thomas Blavar one of the Privy Counsellors of the King of Scots was a sore Persecutor of the people of God in that Theatrum Historicum Land when he lay on his dying-bed he fell into despair and cryed out that he was damned he was damned and when the Monks came about him to comfort him he cryed out upon them saying That their Masses and other trash would do him no good for he never believed them but all that he did was for love of money and not of Religion not respecting or believing that there was either a God or a Devil a Hell or a Heaven and therefore he was damned there was no remedy but he must go to Hell and in this case without a sign of repentance he dyed A Popish Magistrate having condemned a poor Protestant to death before his execution he caused his tongue to be cut out because he should not confess the truth but the Lord did retaliate it upon him for the next child he had was born without a tongue Cardinal Crescentius was a most desperate Persecutor of the people of God he was the Popes Embassador to the Anno 1552. Council of Trent and being one night busie in writing to his Master the Pope a huge black Dog with great flaming eyes and long ears dangling down to the ground appeared to him in his Chamber and went under the Table where he sate Upon which the Cardinal was amazed but as as soon as he had recovered himself he called his Servants to put out the black Dog that was come into his Chamber but they lookt round about his Chambers and the next Chambers but could find no black Dog upon which the Cardinal fell presently sick with a strong conceit which never left him till his death still crying out Drive away the black Dog drive away the black Dog which seemed to him to be climbing up his Bed and in that humour he dyed After the Martyrdom of Gregory the Bishop of Spoleta Flacchus Phil. Lonicer the Governour who was the Author thereof was struck with an Angel and vomited up his entrails at his mouth and dyed Mammea Agrippitus when he was fifteen years old because Cent. 3. cap. 12. he would not sacrifice to their Idols was apprehended at Preneste and whipt with Scourges and hanged up by the heels and at last slain with the Sword in the midst of whose torments the Governour of the City fell down dead from the Tribunal-seat Gensericus King of the Vandals an Arrian was a most Sigeb in Chron. cruel Persecutor of the Orthodox Christians he was possessed of the Devil and dyed a most miserable death in the year 477. Herod the Great who caused the Babes of Bethlehem to be Euseb Hist. slain hoping thereby to have destroyed Christ shortly after was plagued by God with an incurable disease having a slow and slack fire continually tormenting of his inward parts he had a vehement and greedy â—â— fire to eat and yet nothing would satisfie him his inward bowels rotted his breath was short and stinking some of his members rotted and in all his members he had so violent a cramp that nature was not able to bear it and so growing mad with pain he dyed miserably Herod Antipas who beheaded John Baptist not long after Euseb Hist falling into disgrace with the Roman Emperor with his incestuous Herodias the Suggester of that murther they were banished and fell into such misery and penury that they ended their wretched lives with much shame and misery Herod Agrippa was a great Persecutor of the Saints he was Acts 12. Joseph Antiq. lib. 19. cap. 7. eaten up of worms in the third year of his Raign as Josâ—phus observes He went to Caesarea to keep certain Plays in the Honour of Caesar the Gown he was in as the same Author relates was a Gown of Silver wonderfully wrought and the beams of the Sun reflecting upon it made so it glister that it dazled the eyes of the Beholders and when he had made an end of his starched Oration in this his Bravery his Flatterers Acts 12. 21 22 23. extolled him as a God crying out 'T is the voice of a God and not of a man Whereupon he was presently smitten by the Angel of the Lord and so dyed with worms that eat up his Joseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 13. entrails the blow the Angel gave him was an inward blow and not so visible to others and his torments more and more increasing upon him the people put on sack-cloth and made supplication for him but all in vain for his pains and torments growing stronger and stronger every day upon him they separated his wretched soul from his loathsom body within the compass of five days Euseb Hist Caiâ—phas the high Priest who gathered the Councel and suborned false Witness against the Lord Christ was shortly after put out of his Office and one Jonathan substituted in Euseb Hist lib. 2. cap. 7. his room whereupon he killed himself Not long after Pontius Pilate had condemned our Lord Christ he lost his Deputiship and Caesars favour and being fallen into disgrace with the Roman Emperour and banished by him he fell into such misery that he hanged himself Oh the dreadful Judgments that were inflicted upon the chief Actors in the Ten Persecutions Shall I give you a brief account of what befel them Nero that Monster of men who raised the first bloody Persecution to pick a quarrel with the Christians he set the City of Rome on fire and then charged it upon them under which pretence he exposes them to the fury of the people who cruelly tormented them as if they had been common burners and destroyers of Cities and the deadly enemies of mankind yea Nero himself caused them to be apprehended and clad in wild beasts skins and torn in pieces with Dogs others were crucified some he made Bonfires of to light him in his night-sports To be short such horrid cruelty he used towards them as caused many of their enemies to pity them But God found out this wretched Persecutor at last for being adjudged by the Senate an enemy to mankind he was condemned to be whipt to death for the prevention whereof he cut his own throat Domitian the Author of the second Persecution against the Christians having drawn a Catalogue of such as he was to kill in which was the name of his own Wife and other friends upon which he was by the consent of his Wife slain by his own Houshold-servants with Daggers in his Privy-Chamber his body was buried without Honour his Memory cursed to posterity and his Arms and Ensigns were thrown down and defaced Trajan raised the third Persecution against the Church he was continually vexed with Seditions and the vengeance of God followed him close For first he fell into a Palsie then lost the use of his senses afterwards
hath a Soveraign Right and an absolute Supremacy over the creature he is the only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords he is the Judge of 1 Tim. 1. 15. Gen. 18. 25. the whole world And shall not the Judge of all the earth do right But Sâ—condly I answer There is a Principle in man to sin eternally and therefore it is but just with God if he punish him eternally The duration of torment respects the disposition of the delinquent Poenae singulorum inaequales intentione Aqain poenae omnium aequales duratione If the sinner should live ever â—e would dishonor God ever and crucifie the Lord of Glory ever and grieve the Spirit of Grace ever and transgress a righteous Law ever and therefore 't is just with God to punish such sinners for ever If the sinner might live eternally â—t si pâ—ccatoâ—â— aeternum viâ—â—â—â—t in aeterâ—â—m pâ—ccaret he would sin eternally if he might live still he would sin still Though the sinner loses his life yet he dos not lose his will to sin Sinners sin as much as they can and as long as they can and did not the grave put a stop to their lusts 〈◊〉 si vâ—li◠〈…〉 their hearts would never put a stop to their lusts The sinner sins in his eternity and God punishes in his eternity The sinner never loses his will to sin his will to sin is everlasting and therefore 't is but just with God that his punishment should be everlasting A will to sin is sin in Gods account God looks more at the will than at the deed and therefore that being lasting the punishment must be so The mind and intention of the sinner is to sin everlastingly eternally if the sinner should live alwayes he would sin alwayes and therefore as one saith Quia mens in hac vita Gregory nunquam voluit carere peccato justum est nunquam caret supplicio Because the mind of man in this life would never be without sin it is just that it should never be without punishment in the life to come Many of the men of the old world lived eight or nine hundred years and yet faith and repentance was hid from their eyes that patience forbearance long-suffering gentleness and goodness which should 1 Pet. 3. 20. have lead them to aspeedy repentance to a serious repentance to a thorough repentance to that repentance that was never to be repented of was only made use of to patronize their lewdness and wickedness This is certain wicked men left to themselves will never be weary of their Peccant iâ— aeterâ—o sâ—o ergo pâ—â—iâ—â—tâ—r in aeterâ—o Dei Augustâ—ne The sinner alwayes sinned in his eternity therefore he shall alwayes be punished in Gods eternity sins nor never repent of their sins and therefore God will never be weary of plaguing them nor never repent of punishing thâ—m The sinner never leaves his sin till sin first leaves him did not death put a stop to his sin he would never cease from sin This may be illustrated by a similitude thus A company of Gamesters resolve to play all night and accordingly they sit down to Chess Tables or some other Game their Candle accidentally or unexpectedly goes out or is put out or burnt out their Candle being out they are forced to give over their Game and go to bed in the dark but had the Candle lasted all night they would have played all night This is every sinners case in regard of sin did not death put out the candle of life the sinner would sin still Should the sinner live for ever he would sin for ever and therefore it is a righteous thing with God to punish him for ever in hellish torments Every impenitent sinner would sin to the dayes of eternity if he might but live to the dayes of eternity Psal 74. 10. O God how long shall the adversary reproach Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever For ever and evermore or for ever and yet for so the Hebrew loves to exaggerate as if the sinner the blasphemer would set a term of duration longer than eternity to sin in The Psalmist implicitely saith Lord if thou dost but let them alone for ever they will certainly blaspheme thy name for ever and ever I have read of the Crocodile that he knows no Maximum quod sic he is alwayes growing bigger and bigger and never comes to a certain pitch of Monstrosity so long as he lives Quam diu vivit crescit Every habituated sinner would if he were let alone be such a Monster perpetually growing worser and worser But Thirdly I answer That God against whom they have sinned is an infinite and eternal good Now a finite creature can't bear an infinite punishment intensively and therefore he must bear it extensively They have sinned impenitently against an infinite Majâ—sty and accordingly their Sin is 〈◊〉 Deâ—m 〈◊〉 against an infiâ—ite Majesty punishment must be infinite Now because it cannot be infinite in râ—gard of the degree men being but finite creatures and so no capâ—ble of infinite torments at one time therefore their punishment must be infinite in the length and continuance of it What is wanting in torment mâ—st be made up in time Every sin is of an infinite nature because of the infinite dignity of the person against whom it is committed and therefore it deserveth an infinite punâ—shment which bâ—cause it can't be infinite secundum intentionem in the intention and greatness of it It râ—maineth that it should be infinite secundum durationem in râ—spect of the dâ—ration and Vâ—de August l. 21. c. 11. de Câ—vâ—tate De. â—ontinuance of the same Mark all punishments oâ—gâ—t to be levied according to the dignity of him against whom the offence is committed Words against common persons bear but common actions words against Noble men are scandala magnatum great scaâ—dals but words against Princes are Treason So the dignity oâ— the peâ—son against whom sin is committed dos exceedingly aggravate the sin To strike an inferiour man is matter of Arrest but to strike a King is matter of death Now what an infinite distance and disproportion is there between the Lord of Hosts and such poor crawling Worms as we are he being holiness and we sinfulness he fulness and we emptiness he omnipotency and we impotency he Majesty and we vanity he instar omnium all in all and we nothing at all Now to sin against such an infinite glorious Majesty deserves infinite punishment But Fourthly I answer Though the act of sin be transient yet it leaveth such a stain upon the soul as is permanent and continueth in it evermore and evermore it disposeth the sinner unto sin if it be not pardoned and purged out by mercy and Grace and therefore it is but just that this perpetual purpose of sinning should be punished with perpetuity Aâ— long as the guilt of sin remains punishments and torments will remain of pain The
guilt and stain of sin of its own nature and unpardoned endures eternally upon the soul and therefore what can follow but eternal torments The lasting continuance of sin is remarkably deseribed by the Prophet Jeremiah Chap. 17. 1. The sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond it is graven upon the table of their hearts Not only written but engraven that no hand can deface it Slight not the commission of any sin it perishes not with the acting The least vanity hath a perpetuity nay an eternity of guilt upon it Sin leaving a blot in the soul brings the matter of Hell fire is eternally punished because there is still matter for that everlasting fire to work upon But Fifthly I answer Though death put an end to mens lives yet not to sins Hell is as full of sin as it is of punishment or torment Though the Schoolmen determine that after this life men are capable neither of merit nor demerit and therefore by their sins do not incurr a greater measure of punishment yet they grant that they sin still Though when the creature is actually under the sentence of condemnation the Law ceases to any further punishment yet there is an obligation to the precepts of the Law still Though a man be bound only to the curse of the Law as he is a sinner yet he is bound to the precept of the Law as he is a creature so that though the demerit of sin ceaseth after death yet the nature of sin remaineth though by sinning they do not incurr a higher and a greater degree of punishment yet as they continue sinning so it is just with God there should be a continuation of the punishment already inflicted But Sixthly I answer It is no injustice in God to punish temporal offences with perpetual torments God measureth the punishment by the greatness of the offence and not by the time wherein the sin was acted Murder Adultery Sacriledge Treason and the like capital crimes are doomed in the Judicatories of men to death without mercy and sometimes to perpetual imprisonment or to perpetual banishment and yet these high offences were committed and done in a short time Now this bears a proportion with eternal torments O Sirs if the offences committed against God be infinitely heinous why may not the punishment be infinitely lasting Sinners offences as Austin well observes are not to be measured temporis longitudine Aug. de Câ—vâ—t Dâ—â— l. 1. c. 11. by the length of time wherein they were done but iniquitatis magnitudine by the foulness of the crime and if so then God is just in binding the sinner in everlasting chains We must remember that God is a great and a glorious God and that he is an omniscient and an omnipotent God and that he is a mighty yea an almighty God and that he is a â—oly and a just God and that he is out of Christ an incomprehensible incommunicable and very terrible God and that he is an infinite eternal and independent God And Heb. 12. 29. 30. we must remember that man is a shaddow a bubble a vapour a dream a base vile sinful worthless Worm Now these things being considered must we not confess that eternity it self is too short a space for God to revenge himself on sinners in But Seventhly and lastly I answer Such sinners have but what they chose Whilest they lived under the means of Grace the God of Grace sat before them Heaven and Hell Glory Deut. 11. 26 27. Chap. 30 15. Heb. 2. 2 3. Chap. 10. 28 29. John 3. 14 15 16 17 36. Chap. 1. 11. and misery eternal life and eternal death so that if they eternally miscarry they have none to blame but themselves for choosing Hell rather than Heaven misery rather than glory and eternal death rather than eternal life Ah how treely how fully how frequently how graciously how gloriously hath Christ been offered in the Gospel to poor sinners and yet they would not choose him they would not close with him they would not embrace him nor accept of him nor enter into a marriage Covenant with him nor resign themselves up to him nor part with their lusts to enjoy him They would not come to Christ that they might have John 5. 40. Matâ—h 22. 2 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. life they slighted infinite mercy and despised the riches of Grace and trode under foot the blood of the everlasting Covenant and scorned the offers of eternal salvation and therefore 't is but just that they should lye down in everlasting sorrows How can that sinner be saved that still refuses salvation How can mercy save him that will not be saved by mercy yea how can Christ save such a man that will not be saved by him All the world can't save that man from going to Hell who is peremptorily resolved that he will not go to Heaven Sinners have boldly and daily refused eternal life eternal mercy eternal glory and therefore 't is but just that thâ—y should endure eternal misery And let thus much suffice for answer to the Objection But Sir pray what are those duties that are incumbent upon Quest those that have been burnt up and whose habitations are nâ—w laid in its ashes I answer They are these that follow Answ First See the hand of the Lord in this late dreadful fire acknowledge the Lord to be the Author of all Judgements and of this in particular 'T is a high point of Christian Prudence Lev. 26. 41. Mich. 7. 9. and Piety to acknowledge the Lord to be the Author of all personal or National sufferings that bâ—fall us Jer. 9. 12. Who is the wise man that may understand this for what the Land perisheth and is burnt up like a Wilderness that none passeth through It is very great wiâ—dom to know from whom all our afflictions come and for what all our afflâ—ctions come upon us God looks that we should observe his hand in all our sufferings Hear the rod and who hath appointed it God challenges all sorts of afflictions as his own special Administration Mich. 6 9. See this Text fully opened in my first Epistle to my Treatise on â—loset Prayer Amos 3. 6. Is there any evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all thâ—se things Isa 45. 7. God takes it very hainously and looks upon it as a very great indignity that is put upon his Power Providence and Justice when men will neither see nor acknowledge his hand in those sore afflictions and sad sufferings that he brings upon them Of such the Prophet Isaiah complains Chap. 26. 11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see The hand the power of the Lord was so remarkable and conspicuous in the Judgements that were inflicted upon them as might very well wring an acknowledgement out
himself though at first his heart was in a strange violent motion yet he recovers himself and stands still before the Lord. you hold your peace now your houses are devoured by fire What were your houses to Aarons Sons All the houses in â—he world are not so near and dear to a man as his children are In this story concerning Aaron and his Sons there are many things remarkable As 1. That he had lost two of his Sons yea two of his eldest Sons together at a clap 2. These two were the most honourable of the Sons of Aaron as we may see Exod. 24. 1. in that they only with their Father and the seventy Elders are appointed to come up to the Lord. 3. They were cut off by a sudden and unexpected death when neither themselves nor their Father thought their ruine had been so near What misery to that of being suddenly surprized by a doleful death 4. They were cut off by a way which might seem to testifie Gods hot displeasure against them for they were devoured by fire from God They sinned by fire and they perished by fire Look as fire came from the Lord before in mercy so now fire is sâ—nt from the Lord in Judgement Certainly the manner of their death pointed out the sin for which they were smitten Now what Father had not rather lose all his children at once by an ordinary stroke of death than to see one of them destroyed by Gods immediate hand in such a terrible manner 5. They were thus smitten by the Lord on the very first day of their entring upon that high honour of their Priestly Function and when their hearts were doubtless full of joy now to be suddenly thunder-struck in such a Sun-shine day of mercy as this seemed to be must needs add weight to their calamity and misery 6. They were cut off with such great severity for a very small offence if reason may be permitted to sit as Judge in the case They were made monuments of divine vengeance only for taking fire to burn the Incense from one place when they should have taken it from another And this they did say some not purposely but through mistake and at such a time when they had much work lying upon their hands and were but newly entred upon their new employment Now notwithstanding all this Aaron held his peace It may be at first when he saw his Sons devoured by fire his heart began to wrangle and his passions began to work but when he considered the righteousness of God on the one hand and the glory that God would get to himself on the other hand he presently checks himself and layes his hand upon his mouth and stands still and silent before the Lord. Though it be not easie in great afflictions with Aaron to hold our peace yet it is very advantageous which the Heathens seemed to intimate in placing the Image of Angeronia with the mouth bound upon the Altar of Volupia to shew that they do prudently and patiently bear and conceal their troubles sorrows and anxieties they shall attain to comfort at last What the Apostle saith of the distressed Hebrews after the spoyling of their goods Ye have need Heb. 10. 34 36. of patience the same I may say to you who have lost your houseâ— your Shops your Trades your all you have need yea you have great need of patience Though thy mercies are few and thy miseries are many though thy mercies are small and thy miseries are great yet look that thy spirit be quiet and that thou dost sweetly acquiesce in the will of God Now God hath laid his fiery Rod upon your Psalm 39. 9. See my Mâ—lâ— Châ—istâ—aâ— under the smarting rod where the excelleâ—cy of patiâ—nce the evil of impatience is largely set forth backs it will be your greatest wisdom to lay your hands upon your mouths and to say with David I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it To be patient and silent under the sharpest Providences and the sorest Judgements is as much a Christians glory as it is his duty The patient Christian feels the want of nothing Patience will give contentment in the midst of want No loss no crosâ— no afflâ—ction will fit heavy upon a patient soul Dionysius saith that this benefit he had by the study of Philosophie viz. That he bore with patience all those alterations and changes that he met with in his outward condition Now shall Nature do more than Grace Shall the study of Phiâ—osophy do more than the study of Christ Scripture and a mans own heart But The fourth Duty that lyes upon those who have been burned up is to set up the Lord in a more eminent degree than ever as the great object of their fear Oh how should we fear and tremble before the great God who is able to turn the most serviâ—eable and useful creatures to us to be the means of destroying of us Hâ—b 12. 28. Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Verse 29. For our God is a consuming fire Here are two Arguments to work the Saints to set up God as the great object of their fear The first is drawn from the terribleness of Gods Majesty He is a consuming fire The second is drawn from the relation which is between God and his people Our God What a strange Title is this of the great God that we meet with in this place and yet this it one of the Titles of God expressing his nature and in which he glories that he is called a consuming fire Thâ—se words God is a consuming fire are not to be taken properly but metaphorically Fire we know is a very terrible and dreadful creature and so may very well serve to set forth to us the terribleness and dreadfulness of God Now God is here said to be a consuming or devouring fire The word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is doubly compounded and so the signification is augmented and encreased to note to us the exceeding terribleness of the fire that is here meant When God would set forth himself to be most terrible and dreadful to the sons of men he dos it by this resemblance of fire which of all things is most terrible and intolcrable Deut. 4. 24. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendered consuming doth properly signifie devouring or eating it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to devour and eat and by a Metaphor it signifieth to consume or destroy God is a devouring fire a eating fire and sinners and all they have is but bread and meat for divine wrath to feed upon Deut. 9. 3. See Psal 50 3. Isa 33. 14. Deut. 28. 58. Vnderstand therefore this day that the Lord thy God is he which goeth before thee as a consuming fire he shall destroy them and
which kept him from sinning under such great and grievous sufferings O Sirs it is a far greater mercy to be kept from sinnings under our sufferings than it is to be delivered from the greatest sufferings Jobs heart was so well seasoned with Grace that he would admit of no insolent or unfavoury thoughts of God or of his severest Providences In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly or with folly Some refer the former part of this Verse to the mind and the latter to the mouth shewing that Job though he had lost all neither thought in his heart nor uttered with his mouth any thing unmeet and unworthy of God The meek humble patient and gracious bâ—haviour of Job under all his sore losses and crosses is here owned renowned crowned and chronicled by God himself O Sirs sinning is worse than suffering it is better to see a people bleeding than blaspheming burning than cursing for by mens sins God is dishonoured but by their sufferings God is glorified O that the Christian Reader would seriously consider of these twelve things 1. That there is nothing that the great God hates Prov. 6. 16 17. Jer. 49. 4. Rom. 1. 18. Heb. 6. 6. Ephes 4 30. Matth. 26. ult Psal 30. 6 7. Isa 49. 1 2. Mal. 2. 2. Jer. 4. 18. but sin 2. That there is nothing that he has revealed his wrath from Heaven against but sin 3. That there is nothing that crucifies the Lord of Glory a fresh but sin 4. That there is nothing that grieves the Spirit of Grace but sin 5. That there is nothing that wounds the conscience but sin 6. That there is nothing that clouds the face of God but sin 7. That there is nothing that hinders the return of prayer but sin 8. That there is nothing that interrupts our communion with God but sin 9. That there is nothing that imbitters our mercies but sin 10. That there is nothing that puts a sting into all our troubles and tryals but sin 11. That there is nothing that renders us unserviceable in our places stations and conditions but sin 12. That there is nothing that makes Death the King of terrors and the terror of Kings to be so formidable and terrible to the Sons of men as sin And therefore under all your sorrows and sufferings crosses and losses make it your great business to arm your selves against sin and to pray against sin and to watch against sin and to turn from sin 2 Chron. 7. 14. Isa 16 17. Chap. 55. 7. Hos 14. 8. Isa 30. 22. and to cease from sin and to get rid of sin and to stand for ever in defiance of sin Assuredly every gracious heart had rather be rid of his sins than of his sufferings Job 7. 21. And why dost thou not take away mine iniquity or lift up as the Hebrew runs to note that though Job had many loads many burthens upon him yet none lay so heavy upon him as his sin Hos 14. 2. Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously 'T is not take away our captivity and receive us graciously but take away our iniquity and receive us graciously nor it is not take away this or that particular iniquity and receive us graciously but take away all iniquity and receive us graciously take away stain and sting crime and curse power and punishment that we may never hear more of it nor never feel more of it nor never be troubled any more with it Though their bondage was great very Dan. 9. 11 12 13. great yea greater than any people under Heaven were exercised with yet their sins were a more unsupportable burden to their spirits than their bondage was And therefore they cry out Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously And this was the usual method of David when he was under sore troubles and tryals he was more importunate with See Psal 79. 1 5 8. Psal 25. 7. Psal 32. 4 5. Psal 38. 3 4. God to be purged and pardoned than he was to be cased under his troubles or delivered from his troubles Psal 51. 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin verse 7. Purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow ver 9. Hide thy face from my sinâ— and blot out all mine iniquities ver 14. Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God When Pharaoh was under the Exod. 10. hand of the Lord he was all for removing of the Plagues the Frogs the Locusts c. But when David was under the hand of the Lord he was all for the removing of his sins and for the cleansing purging and washing away of his sins O that all the burnt Citizens of London would be more earnest and importunate with God to pardon and purge and take away all those iniquities that have brought the fiery rod upon them than they are studious and industrious to have their credits repaired their houses rebuilded their Trades restored and all their losses made up to them O that they might all be driven by what they have selt seriously to consider what they have done No man saith what have I done O that they would all blame themselves more and their sins more and to turn to him who has so sorely Jer. 8. 6. Hos 6. 1 2 3. Isa 56. 6. Ezek. 36. 33 37. smitten them and lay hold on his strength and make peace with him that so he may yet build up their waste places and make up their breaches and repair their losses and never turn away from doing of them good Jer. 32. 41 42 43 44. But The eleventh Duty that they are to learn that have been burnt up is to prepare and fit for greater troubles and tryals The anger of the Lord is not yet turned away but his hand is stretched out still The Nations are angry the Isa 9. 12. Rev. 11. 18. face of the times seem sorely to threaten us with greater troubles than any yet we have encountered with Ah London London Ah England England the Clouds that hang over thee seem every day to be blacker and blacker and thicker and thicker thou hast suffered much and thou hast cause to fear that thou mayest suffer more thou hast been brought low yea thou art this day brought very low in the eyes of the Nations round about thee and yet thou mayest be Deut. 28. 43. 2 Chron. 28. 18 19. Deut. 32. 36. brought lower before the day of thy exaltation comes When God intends to raise a person a City a Nation high very high he then usually brings them low very low and wheâ— Psal 79. 8. Psal 135. 23. Psal 142. 6. Isa 26. 10 11. Jer. 8. 6. they are at lowest then the day of their exaltation is nearest 'T is commonly darkest a little before break of day Thâ— hand of the Lord has been lifted up high yea very high over us and against us but who repents who