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
many were brought to the birth and I hope not a few were born again and brought forth a strange moving there was upon the hearts of multitudes in the City and I am perswaded that many were brought over effectually unto a closure with Jesus Christ whereof some dyed by the Plague with willingness and peace others remain stedfast in Gods wayes unto this day but convictions I believe many hundreds had if not thousands which I wish that none have stifled and with the Dog returned to their vomit with the Sow have wallowed again in the mire of their former sins The work was the more great because the instruments which were made use of was more obscure and unlikely whom the Lord did make choice of the rather that the glory by Ministers and people might be ascrib'd in full unto himself About the beginning of these Ministers preaching especially after their first Fast together the Lord begins to remit and turn his hand and cause some abatement of the disease From 7155 which dyed of the Plague in one week there is a decrease to 5538 the next which was at the latter end of September the next week a farther decrease to 4929. the next to 4327. the next to 2665. the next to 1421. the next to 1021. then there was an encrease the first week in November to 1414. but it fell the week after to 1050 and the week after to 652. and the week after that to 333. and so lessened more and more to the end of the year when we had a Bill of 97306. which dyed of all diseases which was an encrease of more then 79000 over what it was the year before and the number of them which dyed by the Plague was reckoned to be 68596 this year when there were but 6 which the Bill speaks of who dyed the year before Now the Citizens who had dispers'd themselves abroad into the Countries because of the Contagion think of their old Houses and Trades and begin to return though with fearfulness and trembling least some of the after-drops of the storm should fall upon them and O that many of them had not brought back their old hearts and sins which they carryed away with them O that there had been a general repentance and reformation and returning to the Lord that had smitten the City The Lord gave them leisure and Vacation from their Trades for the one necessary thing which had they improved and generally mourned for sin which brought the plague upon the City had they humbly and earnestly sought the Lord to turn from his fierce anger which was kindled against London it might have prevented the desolating judgment by Fire But alas how many spent their time of leisure in toys and trifles at best about feeding and preserving their bodies but no time in serious minding the salvation of their souls and if some were a little awakned with fear whilst the plague raged so greatly and they lookt upon themselves to be in such danger yet when they apprehended the danger to be over they dropt asleep faster than before still they are the same or worse than formerly They that were drunken are drunken still they that were filthy are filthy still and they that were unjust and covetous do still persevere in their sinfull course couzenilng and lying and swearing and cursing and Sabbath-breaking and pride and envy and flesh-pleasing and the like God-displeasing and God-provoking sins of which in the Catalogue of London's sins do abound in London as if there were no signification in Gods judgments by the Plague some return to their Houses and follow their worldly business and work as hard as they can to fetch up the time they have lost without minding and labouring to improve by the Judgment and Gods wonderfull preservation of them others return and sin as hard as they can having been taken off for a while from those opportunities and free liberties for sin which they had before most began now to sit down at rest in their houses when the Summer was come and the Plague did not return now they bring back all their Goods they had carried into the Country because of the Plague they did not imagine they should be forced to remove them again so soon Thus concerning the great Plague in London SECT VI. I Proceed now to give a Narration of the judgement of the Fire in which I shall be more brief it being dispatcht in fewer daies then the Plague was in months It was the 2. of September 1666. that the anger of the Lord was kindled against London and the Fire began It began in a Bakers house in Pudding-lane by Fishstreet-hill and now the Lord is making London like a fiery Oven in the time of his anger and in his wrath doth devour and swallow up our habitations It was in the depth and dead of the night when most doors and sences were lockt up in the City that the Fire doth break forth and appear abroad and like a mighty Gyant refresht with Wine doth awake and arm it self quickly gathers strength when it had made havock of some houses rusheth down the hill towards the Bridge crosseth Thames-street invadeth Magnus-Church at the Bridge foot and though that Church were so great yet it was not a sufficient Barracado against this Conqueror but having scaled and taken this Fort it shooteth flames with so much the greater advantage into all places round about and a great building of houses upon the Bridge is quickly thrown to the ground Then the Conquerour being stayed in his course at the Bridge marcheth back towards the City again and runs along with great noise and violence through Thames-street Westward where having such combustible matter in its teeth and such a fierce Winde upon its back it prevails with little resistance unto the astonishment of the beholders My business is not to speak of the hand of man which was made use of in the beginning and carrying on of this Fire The beginning of the Fire at such a time when there had been so much hot weather which had dried the houses and made them the more fit for fuel the beginning of it in such a place where there were so many Timber houses and the shops filled with so much combustible matter and the beginning of it just when the Winde did blow so fiercely upon that corner towards the rest of the City which then was like Tinder to the Sparks this doth smell of aPopish design so hatcht in the same place where the Gunpowder plot was contriv'd only that this was more successful The world sufficiently knows how correspondent this is to Popish principles and practises those who could intentionally blow up King and Parliament by Gunpowder might without any scruple of their kinds of conscience actually burn an heretical City as they count it into ashes for besides the Dispensations they can have from his Holiness or rather his Wickedness the Pope for the most horrid crimes of
11. he will be your refuge under oppression and present help in time of trouble Psal. 46. 1. he will be your rock and fortress your high tower to defend you or your deliverer to redeem you out of all your troubles trust in God alone for all things if you make use of creatures do not lean and stay upon them for they will slip from under you but stay your selves on God O the peace and quiet which this will yield in shaking troublesome dayes when others hearts tremble within them and are moved like leaves upon the approach of danger you shall not be afraid of evil tydings but have your hearts fixed trusting in the Lord Psal. 112. 7. 13. God doth expect that London should have Death in continual remembrance This God expects from the Judgement of the Plague the Death of so many thousands a week in London gave such a spectacle of Mortality and Preached such a Sermon in the City as should bring the remembrance of Death into their minds every day of their lives the death if it were but of one or two should put you in mind of your later end but when you have seen so many go down into the pit before you it should inscribe the remembrance of death more deeply upon your mindes the record of which you should look daily into the gates of the City in the year of the Plague seem'd to have this inscription upon them All Flesh is Grass Let that word sound every day in your ears and remember your bodies are exposed to the stroke of death every day and though you have out-lived the Plague that yet Death hath you in the chase and will ere long you know not how soon overtake you remember your glass is running and will quickly be run out and therefore all the dayes of your appointed time as you should remember so you should prepare for your great change God expects that the remaining inhabitants of London should be prepared well for death now when they have had death so much in their view some of you have been sick of the Plague and brought to the very brink of the Grave all of you have been in danger of the Plague when the disease was so sore and raging I fear most of you were unprepared for death at that time and had you dyed then that it would have been with horrour and I believe that there are few of you but did in the time of your fears and danger make vows and promises if the Lord would shelter you from the arrows which flew about you and spare your lives then that you would lead new lives and be more carefull to prepare for your change so that Death should not take you so unprovided any more God expects the fulfilling of your promises and that you should live up to the vowes which you made in the time of your distress and so provide your selves whilest you are well that the messenger of Death may have a welcome reception when ever he summoneth you to leave this world 14. God expects that London should retain great impressions of Eternity You have had the door of Eternity set wide open in your view when so many were thronging in at the door and I believe you had deeper apprehensions of Eternity in those dayes than ever you had in your lives take heed that those impressions do not wear off and that you lose not those apprehensions especially when you are drawing every day nearer and nearer thereunto Think often of the vast Ocean of Eternity without bottome or bank on the other side into which the whole stream of time will empty it self and how quickly the small rivulet of your appointed dayes may fall into it Think often of the unalterable state of Joy or Misery which you must enter into at the end of your course think how thin and short the pleasures of sin are in this life in comparison of the horrible and endless torments of hell and how light and momentaneous the afflictions of Gods people are here in comparison with the exceeding and eternal weight of glory prepared for them in Heaven 2 Cor. 4. 17. 15. God doth call upon London by the Fire which burnt down the City to secure themselves against the Fire of Hell London's Fire was Dreadful but the Fire of Hell will be a thousand-fold more Dreadfull The Fire of London was kindled by man be sure some second cause was made use of herein but the Fire of Hell will be kindled by God himself Isa. 30. 33. Tophet is ordained of old for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is Fire and much Wood and the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it The Fire of London burnt the houses of the City and consumed much of the goods but the Fire of Hell will burn the persons of the wicked Matth. 15. 41. Depart ye cursed into everlasting Fire The Fire of London did burn most but not all the houses in the City some are yet remaining but the Fire of Hell will burn all the persons of the wicked not one of them shall escape and remain The Fire of London was extinguished and did last but four dayes but the Fire of Hell will be unextinguishable it will burn for ever it is called everlasting Fire in which the damned must lye and burn eternally without any possibility of ever getting forth If you had known before of Londons Fire where it would begin and how it would spread and seize upon your houses surely you would have taken some course for the prevention of it you know before of the Fire of Hell the Word of God hath revealed it O take some course for prevention of it at least for securing of your selves against it when the Fire was burning in London you did fly from it least it should have consumed your persons as well as houses O fly from the Fire of Hell into which your persons will be thrown if you go on in sin fly from the wrath which is to come fly unto Jesus Christ who alone can deliver you 16. God doth call upon Londoners by the Fire to be like Strangers and Pilgrims in the World God hath burned you out of your habitations that he might loosen your affections from houses and riches and all things here below that he might unsettle you unhinge unfix you that you might never think of Rest and Settlement in the Creatures as long as you live God calls upon you by this Judgement to take off your hearts from this world which is so very uncertain and to be like Strangers and Pilgrims upon the earth who are to take up your lodging here but a few dayes and nights in your passage to the other world God expects you should live as those who have here no certain dwelling place and therefore that you should not lavish away too much of your thoughts and affections and time about these
nearest Relations and dearest Friends so that when the Disease hath first seized upon them and they have had the greatest need of succour they have left their friends in distress and flown away from them as if they had been their Enemies 2. A Deluge by Water is a Terrible Iudgement There have been several Floods which we read of in Histories that have suddenly broken in upon some places and overwhelmed Habitations and Inhabitants together But God never did and never will speak so Terribly by a Deluge of Water as by the great Deluge in the daies of Noah when the whole world was drowned thereby excepting Noah and those which were with him in the Ark. And because the Judgement was so dreadful and the History so affecting I shall set it before your eye out of Gen. 7. from the 11th ver to the end of the Chapter In the six hundredth year of Noahs life in the second moneth and the seventeenth day of the moneth in the same day were all the Fountains of the Great Deep broken up God withdrew the bounds which he had set to the great Sea so that the waters covered the earth as they did at the beginning and the Windowes of heaven were opened out of which God looked forth in anger upon the earth and powered forth a Viol of his wrath causing it to rain forty daies and forty nights in dreadful showres accompanied as is probable with stormy winds and hideous tempest which put the world into a fright and amazement when the Element of Air seemed to be changed into water and such a Torrent flowed in upon them on every side we may guess what fear they were over-whelmed withal but Noah and his Family were got into the Ark and the Lord shut them in then the waters encreased and bare up the Ark and it was lift up above the earth and the waters encreased and prevailed greatly upon the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Ark went upon the face of the waters so that all the high Hills and Mountains were covered fifteen Cubits Then all flesh died fowl and cattel and beast and every thing that creeped or moved on the earth and every man and Noah only remained alive and they that were with him in the Ark. God spake then terribly indeed unto the wicked world by the Flood which devoured them all together in the midst of their security and sin but God hath promised he will never speak thus by water any more 3. Fire is another terrible thing whereby God sometimes calls to contend by with a sinful People Fire is very dreadful when it hath a Commission from God and meets with much combustible matter and prevails without resistance God spake terribly by Fire unto Sodom and Gomorrah when he rained Fire and Brimstone on those Cities and consumed them See Gen. 19. from the 24th ver to the 29th The Lord rained fire and brimstone out of heaven and overthrew those Cities and the Inhabitants together and when Abraham looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah and the Land of the Plain he saw the smoke of the Country go up like the smoke of a Furnace God spake terribly though not so terribly to Ierusalem when he suffered their City to be set on fire by the Babylonians and their Temple to be burnt to the ground See Ier. 52. 12 13. But the most fearful Instances of Gods Terrible Voice by Fire are yet to come Thus God will speak by Fire unto Spiritual Babylon which may easily be proved to be Rome from Rev. 17. 18. She being the then great City which reigned over the Kings of the earth Babylons burning with fire you may read Rev. 18. 8 9 10 c. Therefore shall her Plagues come in one day Death and Mourning and Famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her And the Kings of the earth who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewail her and lament for her when they shall see the smoak of her burning standing afar off for fear of her torment saying Alas alas that great City Babylon that mighty City for in one hour is thy judgement come c. God spake terribly by fire when London was in flames of which in the application but he will speak far more terribly when Babylon shall be in flames and not only in part but wholly and utterly and irreparably burnt and turned into ashes when not only the City shall be consumed but also the Whore her self shall be hated and made desolate and devoured with fire by the Kings of the earth Rev. 17. 10. The last instance of Gods speaking terribly by fire will be the last day when the Lord Jesus Christ the Judge of Quick and Dead shall come down from heaven in flaming fire to take vengeance on all those that know not God and obey not the Gospel 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. And the Apostle Peter tells us that the heavens and the earth are reserved in store for fire against this day when the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat and the Earth and all the works therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3. 7 10. Then God will speak terribly by fire and above all most terribly to the ungodly world when he will sentence them unto and cast them into the Fire of Hell where they must dwell with devouring fire and inhabit everlasting burnings 4. The Sword is a dreadful Iudgement whereby God speaks sometimes very terribly especially when he draws it forth against his own and his peoples Enemies Hear how terribly God speaks as in Deut. 32. 39 40 41 42. See now that I even I am he and there is no God with me I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand For I lift up my hand to heaven and say I live for ever If I whet my glittering Sword and my hand take hold on Iudgement I will render vengeance to mine Enemies and reward them that hate me I will make mine Arrows drunk with blood and my Sword shall devoure flesh and that with the blood of the slain and of the Captives from the beginning of revenges upon the Enemies When God furbusheth his Sword and whets it when God girdeth his Sword upon his thigh and marcheth against his Enemies when he draweth his Sword and maketh slaughter with it when his Sword devoureth much flesh and is made drunk with the blood of the slain when God gives Commission to the Sword saying Sword go thorow such a Land as Ezek. 14. 17. And powers out his fury on the Land in blood as ver 19. So that the Sword is bathed in blood and garments are rowled in blood and the Land is soaked in blood when blood is powred forth like water and dead bodies are cast forth into the open field without burial and God makes an invitation to all
feathered fowl to gather themselves together and feast themselves upon the carkasses of the slain as Ezek. 39. 17 18 19 20. When God comes with died garments from Bozrah Isa. 63. 1. When he gathereth the Nations and brings them into the valley of Jehoshaphat and thither causeth his Mighty Ones to come down against them Ioel 3. 2. 11. When the day of Gods indignation doth come and he makes such slaughter amongst his Enemies that the Earth doth stink with their carkasses and the Mountains do melt with their blood Isa. 34. 2 3. When God treadeth the Wine-press of his wrath without the City and the blood comes out of the Wine-press even to the horses bridles Rev. 14. 20. In a word when the Lord shall come forth upon his White Horse with his Armies and shall destroy the Beast and all the Powers of the earth that take part with him as Rev. 19. from the 11th ver to the end Then God will speak terribly indeed against his Enemies by the Sword then he will roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Ierusalem and that in such a manner as will make both the heavens and the earth to tremble Ioel 3. 16. And indeed God speaks with a Terrible Voice where-ever he sends the Sword and makes the Alarm of War to be heard as sometimes he sends it amongst his own people for their sin 1 Kings 8. 33. When God brings into a Land a people of another Language and Religion of a fierce countenance and cruel disposition and gives them power to prevail and bring the Land under their feet so that the Mighty Men are cut off by them and the Men of Valour crushed in the gate the young men fly and fall before them and there is none to make any resistance when they break in upon Cities plunder houses ravish Women and Maids strip and spoil and put all to the sword the young with the grey-head cruelly rip up women with-childe and without any pity on little Infants dash them against the stones God speaks more terribly by such a Judgement than by Plague or Fire 5. The Famine is a dreadful Iudgement whereby God speaks sometime unto a people very terribly when God stretcheth upon a place the lines of confusion the stones of emptiness as Isa. 34. 11. When God sendeth cleanness of teeth into Cities as Amos 4. 6. When God shooteth into a Land the evil Arrows of Famine and it becomes exceeding sore this is one of the most dreadful Judgements of all Judgements in this world far beyond Plague or Fire or Sword See how pathetically the Famine amongst the Iews is described by Ieremiah in his Lamentations Chap. 4. from the 4th ver unto the 12. The tongue of the sucking Childe cleaveth to the roof of his mouth fâ—r thirst the young Children ask for bread and no man breaketh it unto them They that feed delicately are desolate in the streets They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghils For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom that was overthrown in a moment and no hand stayed on her The Nazarites were purer than snow whiter than milk they were more ruddy in body then Rubies their polishing was of saphire their vtsage is blacker than a coal they are not known in the streets their skin cleaveth to their lones it is withered it is become like a stick They that be slain with the sword are better than they which be slain with hunger for these pine away stricken through for want of the fruits of the Earth The hands of the pittiful women have sodden their own Children they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people The Lord hath accomplished his fury he hath poured out his fierce anger 6. The sixth terrible Iudgment is a Famine of the Word which is threatned Am. 8. 11 12. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will send a Famine in the Land not a Famine of Bread nor a thirst for Water but of hearing the words of the Lord And they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North to the East and they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and shall not finde it A Famine of the Word is a worse judgment than a Famine of Bread indeed few do really think so because the most judge according to sense but that it is so is evident to a Man of faith and consideration for as the soul is more excellent than the body and the concernments of the other life far beyond the concernments of this life so the provisions for the soul are more excellent than the provisions for the body and the means of getting eternal life to be preferred before the means of preserving temporal life and therefore by consequence the dearth scarcity of provisions for the soul must needs be a greater judgment than a scarcity of provisions for the body Unto which I might add that the Famine of the word doth usually bring with it many temporal judgments The burning of the Temple at Ierusalem and the failing of Vision was accompanied with slaughter by the sword and captivity of the Land 7. And lastly God speaks most terriblie unto a people when he sends divers of these Iudgments together as Lam. 1. 20. Abroad the sword bereaveth at home there is death when enemies without Plague and Famine within God speaks terribly when Fire and Sword goeth together or Sword and Famine or Famine and Plague or Famine of Bread and Famine of the Word These are some of the terrible things by which God doth sometimes speak SECT III. Why is it that the Lord doth speak unto a people 3. by such terrible things THe reason is because people don't hearken unto him speaking any other way God speaketh once yea twice but men perceive it not Iob 33. 14. Gods gentle voice is not heard or minded therefore he speaks more loudly and terribly that people might be awakened to hear Particularly God speaks thus terribly 1. Because People do not hearken to the voice of his word and messengers God speaks audibly by Ministers and when they are not regarded he speaks more feelingly by judgments he speaks first by threatnings when they are slighted he speaks by executions God first lifts up his voice and warns by his word before he lifts up his arme and strikes with his Rod when men grow thick of hearing the sweet calls of the Gospel God is even forced to thunder that he may peirce their ear when God speaks to the ears and they are shut God speaks to the eyes and other senses that his mind may be known especially when men obstinately refuse to hear God is exceedingly provoked to execute his terrible judgments upon them see Zach. 8. 11 12. But they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear yea
night pouring out tears before the Lord interceding for poor London in the day of its calamity but alas I fear there are too few weeping Ieremiah's at the throne of grace too few Moses's to stand in the gap too few Iacob's to wrestle with the Lord and hang about his arm Londons sins were too great and Gods anger against the City was too hot so easily presently to be quenched and allayed and if by the intercession of some a mitigation be obtained so that the Lord doth not stir up all his wrath utterly to destroy the place as he did Sodom and Gomorrah yet none can prevaile to call back that wrath and reverse that decree which is gone forth against the City The time of Londons fall is come the Fire hath received its commission from God to burn down the City and therefore all attempts to hinder it are in vain On the Lords day night the Fire had run as far as Garlick-hithe in Thames-street and had crept up into Cannon-street and levell'd it with the ground and still is making forward by the water-side and upward to the brow of the hill on which the City was built On Munday Grace-church-street is all in flames with Lumbard-street on the left hand and part of Fen-church-street on the right the Fire working though not so fast against the winde that way before it were pleasant and stately houses behind it ruinous and desolate heaps The burning then was in fashion of a Bow a dreadful Bow it was such as mine eyes never before had seen a Bow which had Gods Arrow in it with a flaming point It was a shining Bow not like that in the cloud which brings water with it and withall signified Gods Covenant not to destroy the world any more with water but it was a Bow which had Fire in it which signified Gods anger and his intention to destroy London with Fire Now the Flames break in upon Cornhill that large and spacious street and quickly crosse the way by the train of Wood that lay in the streets untaken away which had been pull'd down from houses to prevent its spreading and so they lick the whole street as they go they mount up to the top of the highest houses they descend down to the bottom of the lowest vaults and cellars and march along on both sides of the way with such a roaring noise as never was heard in the City of London no stately building so great as to resist their fury the Royal Exchange it self the glory of the Merchants is now invaded with much violence and when once the fire was entred how quickly did it run round the Galleries filling them with flames then came down staires compasseth the walkes giving forth flaming volleys and filleth the court with sheets of Fire by and by down fall all the Kings upon their faces and the greatest part of the stone-building after them the Founders statue only remaining with such a noise as was dreadful and astonishing Then then the City did shake indeed and the inhabitants did tremble and flew away in great amazement from their houses least the flames should devour them Ratle ratle ratle was the noise which the Fire struck upon the eare round about as if there had been a thousand Iron Chariots beating upon the stones and if you opened your eye to the opening of the streets where the Fire was come you might see in some places whole streets at once in flames that issued forth as if they had been so many great Forges from the opposite windowes which folding together were united into one great flame throughout the whole street and then you might see the Houses tumble tumble tumble from one end of the street to the other with a great crash leaving the foundations open to the view of the heavens Now fearfulness and terrour doth surprize the Citizens of London confusion and astonishment doth fall upon them at this unheard of unthought of Judgment It would have grieved the heart of an unconcern'd person to see the rufull looks the pale cheeks the tears trickling down from the eyes where the greatness of sorrow and amazement could give leave for such a vent the smiting of the brest the wringing of the hands to hear the sighs and groans the dolefull and weeping speeches of the distressed Citizens when they were bringing forth their wives some from their child bed and their little ones some from their sick bed out of their houses and sending them into the Countreys or some where into the Fields with their goods Now the hopes of London are gone their heart is sunk now there is a general remove in the City and that in a greater hurry than before the Plague their goods being in greater danger by the Fire than their persons were by the sickness Scarcely are some returned but they must remove again and not as before now without any more hopes of ever returning and living in those houses any more Now Carts and Draies and Coaches and Horses as many as could have entrance into the City were loaden and any money is given for help 5 l. 10 l. 20 l. 30 l. for a Cart to bear forth into the Fields some choice things which were ready to be consumed and some of the Countreys had the conscience to accept of the highest price which the Citizens did then offer in their extremity I am mistaken if such money do not burn worse than the Fire out of which it was rak'd Now Casks of Wine and Oyl and other commodities are tumbled along and the owners shove as much of their goods as they can towards the Gate every one now becomes a Porter to himself and scarcely a back either of Man or Woman that hath strength but had a burden on it in the streets It was very sad to see such throngs of poor Citizens coming in and going forth from the unburnt parts heavy loaden with some pieces of their goods but more heavy loaden with weighty grief and sorrow of heart so that it is wonderfull they did not quite sink under these burdens Munday night was a dreadfull night when the wings of the night had shadowed the light of the heavenly bodies there was no darkness of night in London for the Fire shines now round about with a fearful Blaze which yeilded such light in the streets as it had been the Sun at noon day Now the Fire having wrought backward strangely against the Winde to Billings-Gate c. along Thames-Street Eastward runs up the hill to Tower-Street and having marched on from Grace-Church-Street maketh further progress in Fen-Church-Street and having spread its wing beyond Queen-hithe in Thames-Street Westward mounts up from the Water-side through Dowgate and old Fish-street into Watling-street but the great fury of the Fire was in the broader Streets in the midst of the night it was come down Cornhill and laid it in the dust and runs along by the Stocks and there meets with another Fire which came down
sinned and done wickedly but these sheep what have they done 2 Sam. 24. 10-18 4. If it be enquired how Gods mercy to his people doth appear when these judgments have fallen so heavy upon many of them I Answer 1. Those of his own people who have fallen by the Plague are received to greater grace and mercy in Heaven than here they were capable of and they are moreover delivered from evil to come which hath since and may further come upon us 2. Those whose houses have fallen by the fire the Lord could and confident I am the Lord hath made them greater gainers another way they have lost it may be much in temporal things but they are or may be if they be not wanting to themselves gainers in spiritual things which are of a higher and more excellent nature I have known and heard of many of Gods people whose houses are burnt and goods spoyled who have taken the loss with so much chearfulness humility meekness patience contentment and thankfulness that any thing was saved if it were only their lives that it hath been my wonder and joy to gain such a spirit hath more of good than the loss of all externall enjoyments hath of evil 3. Further if these judgments have fallen upon Gods people we must know that they have their sins which have deserved them possibly some have begun now to comply with the wicked in their wicked wayes it may be they were grown more loose in their walking and formal in the service of God their hearts more set on the World of which sins more largely when I come to speak of the sins of the City and the sins of Gods people have more hainous aggravations than the sins of the wicked being committed against clearer light dearer love sweeter mercies stronger obligations and therefore provoke God the more to wrath therefore he threatneth his own people especially to punish them when they transgress Am. 3. 2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth and therefore I will punish you for your iniquities 5. Besides they may have need of awakening judgments to rouze them and humble them for sin to loosen and wean them from the World and it is in love and faithfulness that God doth inflict such judgments upon them 6. Lastly we must remember that it is Gods usual course to begin with his own house 1 Pet. 4. 17. Iudgement begins at the House of God 5. To conclude Do any of the ungodly question Gods righteousness because in these common calamities they have hitherto survived and escaped 1. It is but an ill requital and ill use which they make of Gods patience and goodness which he hath exercised towards them that hereby he might lead them unto repentance Rom. 2. 4 5. 2. Let them stay a while and God will answer them himself and give them an experimental conviction of his righteous judgments 1 Pet. 4. 17 18. If judgment begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear we read Psal. 75. 8. Of a Cup of red Wine in the hand of the Lord he may give his people to drink the top of it but the most bitter and dreggish part which is at the bottome the wicked shall wring forth and drink if God whip his children with rods he will scourge his enemies with scorpions I am perswaded that the notoriously ungodly of this generation will not go out of this World without some remarkable temporal judgment and that the Lord will make them feel something even here what an evil thing and a bitter it is so audaciously to fly in the face of the great God by their hideous oaths and blasphemies by their horrid wickedness and abominations whereby they do as it were challenge God to do his worst against them and when God doth draw forth his glittering Sword and make ready his sharp arrow upon the string when God doth cloathe himself with fury as with a garment and his hand doth take hold on vengeance when their iniquities are grown fully ripe and the day of their visitation and recompence is come how then will these sinners of England be afraid and what amazing terrour will there then surprize this vile generation Can their hearts endure or their hands be strong in the day that the Lord shall deal with them Ezek. 22. 14. Then the Lord will roar from his holy habitation with such a terrible voice as shall make their ears to tingle their hearts to quake and tremble he will roar like a Lion and tear them in pieces when there shall be none to deliver If the shaking of his rod hath moved them and the beginning of his judgments which he hath executed upon others hath affrighted them what will their behaviour be when the scourge is laid upon their own backs and judgment shall fall upon their own heads Surely the judgments intended purposely for the most ungodly are not yet come yet as they are like to be exceeding great because more of pure and unmixt wrath will accompany them so they are like to be very neer because they are filling up the measure of their wickedness so fast and they seem to be arrived even to the uttermost of sin surely their judgment doth neither linger nor slumber but is upon the wing hastning towards them surely the arme of the Lord is awakened and lifted up on high and though infinite patience doth hold it up a little while to try whether the judgments already executed upon others before their eyes will work any good effect upon them so as to awaken them and stop them and turn them from their evil wayes yet if they proceed in their sinfull course his arm I am perswaded will come down with such force and fury upon them that their destruction shall be remarkable to all that are round about them and I have much of that perswasion that the Lord will as it were hang up many of the villains of our times who have been guilty of such treachery and rebellion against the great King of heaven as it were in chains and make their punishment here as notorious as their sins have been that the whole World may hear and fear and take heed of such vile practises I suppose they may not now expect it nor fear it no more than the old World did their drowning or Sodom and Gomorrah did their burning because deceitful sin hath hardned their hearts long custome in sin with impunity hath seared their consciences as with a hot Iron but then they are in the greatest danger when they sleep with the greatest security when Men grow desperately hardned against often and all reproofs by word and rod too what followes but sudden destruction and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. and when men cry peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a
and even in them they are sweyed by some carnal Motives which are the secret spring to the wheel of all external services And O how abominable is all such Worship in the sight of God Hath not Formality in Worship been one sin of London which hath helpt to fill up the Ephah when the means God hath appointed for the turning away of his anger is used in such a manner that it self becomes a provocation no wonder if his wrath break forth without remedy 5. A fifth sin of London is Division amongst Professors different perswasions have made wide breaches and divisions in London and through Divisions have arisen great animosities and contentions unto the shame of Christianity and the Protestant Religion and hath not God been provoked to anger hereby hath not he contended with Professours and by the common scourge he hath brought upon them called aloud unto them for a union and more hearty accord and affection then formerly they have had and hath not he given them liberty and opportunity had they minded and cared to make use of it for meeting together in order unto healing but have professours of different parties been sensible of Gods meaning in the scourge upon their backs have they hearkened unto Gods call have they laid hold of and improved opportunities for closing up their wide breaches I hope some closing in affection there hath been amongst some but how rarely hath it been to be found and when there are such breaches still amongst us is it not just with God to make further breaches upon us as he hath done by his judgements 6. A sixth sin of London is neglect of Reformation Neglect of 1 Personal 2 Family 3 City 4 Church Reformation 1 Neglect of Personal reformation in Heart Life 1. Who in London have seriously and very diligently endeavoured the Reformation of their hearts when so unclean and polluted who have laboured to get them washed when such roots of bitterness have been springing forth and such weeds of Lust have been growing there who hath endeavoured to pluck them up outward neatness there hath been in London washing and rincing rubbing and scowring but O the inward sluttishness they who have had clean houses and clean garments and clean faces and hands have had foul hearts who have taken care every day to rince and scowre their inside to bring their hearts to the fountain set open for sin and uncleanness and to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit that they might arrive every day unto greater perfection in holiness they who have been careful to dress their bodies every day have been very careless in dressing their hearts neglecting to put on the white robes of Christs righteousness which alone can cover their spiritual nakedness and deformity and to get the jewels of grace which alone can adorn the soul and render it amiable in the sight of God Heart work is hard work and it is so hard that most have let it alone they have been discouraged with the difficulty the opposition of Sathan and Lust to this work hath been so strong that they have been quickly overpowered upon their first attempts and endeavours after a change and rectifying of the disorders which they have perceived Heart work is secret work many have employed themselves in the more open work of religion few have taken pains with their hearts in secret many take heed to their tongues what they speak and before whom to their hands what they do to their feet whither they go but few take heed to their hearts Murder Adultery Theft and the like sins have been committed in the heart by many who would have been afraid and ashamed of the outward acts O the unwatchfulness there hath been in London over the heart Citizens have watched their gates and watched their streets and watched their houses but how few have watched their hearts what cometh in and what goeth forth how few have set a watch before the door of their lips and ears and other senses which are the inlets of sin and upon their hearts from whence are the issues of sin how few have kept their hearts with all diligence how few have laboured to govern their thoughts to rule their passions to subjugate their wills to Christ and to deliver up all their affections to his dispose and obedience Heart reformation hath been much neglected 2. Who in London have endeavoured Life-Reformation as they should how few have there been effectually perswaded to put away the evil of their doings from before the eyes of the Lord to cease from evil and have learned to do well How few have broken off their sins by Repentance and throughly amended their ways measuring out their actions by the Rule of the word how few have got the Law of God written in their hearts and the transcript thereof in their lives exemplifying the precepts thereof in their conversations how few in London have been like so many Epistles of Christ in whom the will and grace of their Master might be read who have troden in Christs steps walking as he walked and followed him in the way of obedience and self-denyal who have shined like so many lights in dark places and times adorning their profession and living as becometh the Gospel Great irregularities there have been in the lives of most Londoners little Gospel-reformation little making Religion the business little holy exact living If a stranger had looked into our City and observed the lives of the most and not known them to have had the name of Christians would not he have judged them to be Heathens yea many of them in their dealing to be worse then Turks and Infidels Thus Personal Reformation hath been neglected 2. A great neglect there hath been of family reformation in London How few have with Ioshuah resolved and accordingly endeavoured that they and their houses should serve the Lord how few have set up Religious worship in their families have not many hundred houses in the City been without family-prayer in them from one end of the week to the other and is it strange that the Lord hath burned down those houses wherein the inhabitants would not vouchsafe to worship him And where there hath been some prayer in many families it was but once a day and that so late at night and when the body hath been so tryed and sleepy and the soul so dull and unfit for Gods service that the prayers have been no prayers or lost prayers such which instead of pleasing him have provoked him to anger how few did labour to instruct their families Catechize their children and servants to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord hath not God threatned to pour out his wrath upon irreligious families Ier. 10. 25. 3. Neglect of City-reformation have not the Magistrates of London been faulty here let them ask their own consciences whether to the uttermost of their power according to the trust and opportunity the Lord
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
39. 9. When Nadab and Abihu the two Sons of Aaron were consumed with Fire from Heaven for offering strange Fire before the Lord It is said that Aaron held his peace Lev. 10. 1 2 3. So when God hath consumed the City of London with Fire for the sins of the Inhabitants let them hold their peace because they have deserved it Let London be still and know that God is righteous let London lay her hand upon her mouth and her mouth in the dust let London close up her lips and seal them up with silence or if she open them let her mouth be filled with Confessions not with Complaints or if she complain let her complain to God but let her not complain of him if she complain let her complain against her self but let her not complain against God let her complain of her own sin and wickedness but not of Gods Judgement so righteous Let London wonder it is no worse with her when both her sin and her danger was so great let her wonder when God was so angry that he should put any restraint upon it that when wrath was come forth that it proceeded no further let her wonder that the Plague did not quite depopulate her and that the Fire did not wholly consume her let her wonder it is so well with her that she is not made a Desolation and say It is the Lords mercies we are not consumed Lam. 3. 22. 7. God doth expect that London should mourn for her sins We read Ier. 3. 21. A voice was heard upon the high places weeping and supplications of the house of Israel When the terrible voice of Gods Judgements hath been heard in London God doth hearken for the voice of Weeping and Supplications this Gods voice doth call for when breaches were made in the City of David Isa. 22. 9. then did the Lord of hosts call to weeping and to mourning to baldness and to girding with sackcloth v. 11. and when instead hereof there was joy and gladnesse eating flesh and drinking wine the Lord is so angry that he threatneth surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die v. 13 14. See also what the Lord calls for to the Daughter of Sion under her Judgements Lam. 2. 18 19. Let tears run down like a river day and night give thy self no rest let not the apple of thine eye cease Arise cry in the night in the beginning of the Watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord. God doth not only expect that his Ministers and Priests should weep between the Porch and the Altar when sore Judgements are upon his Land as Ioel 2. 17. but also that the People should weep too that the Bridegroom should go forth of his Chamber and the Bride out of her closet as v. 16. that people should be afflicted mourn and weep that their laughter should be turned into mourning and their joy into heaviness Jam. 4. 9. He expects that those which escape his Judgements should be like Doves upon the mountains every one mourning for his iniquities as Ezek. 6. 16. London may mourn for her Judgements which have been so dreadfull but God expects they should mourn more for his displeasure which hath been the cause of these Judgements and most of all for their sins which have been the cause of his displeasure Weep London weep for thy sins which have been so many and provoking let thine eye affect thine heart When thou lookest into thy Burying places and thinkest how many of thy people have lately there taken up their habitation it should draw tears from thine eyes to think of thy sins which opened the doors of those Lodgings unto them Methinks when thou passest thorow thy ruinous Habitations and seest the heaps of Stones at the top of thy streets when thou viewest thy half-Churches and bare Steeples and ragged Walls and open Vaults and the dismal Solitude in those places which not long ago were full of people it should fill thine heart with sorrow for thy sins which have kindled such anger in the breast of God as to send the late dreadfull Fire which hath made such desolations Mourn London mourn put on Sackcloth thou seest in part what an evil thing and a bitter it is to offend a Holy and Jealous God the effects of sin here are fearfull sometimes what evil is there is sin then which is the cause of thy Ruines God looks now that the sinners of London should become Mourners We read of a Mark which was set upon the foreheads of them in Ierusalem which did mourn and cry out for the Abominations that were done in the midst thereof and they were separated from temporal destruction which was brought upon the rest Ezek. 9. 4. 6. God doth set a mark upon them that mourn in London for the sins of London and however he may deal with them in regard of temporal Calamities be sure he will separate them and preserve them from eternal destruction Methinks the fall of London calls for a Mourning like the Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo where Iosiah fell in battle Zach. 12. 11. And there should not only be publick mourning but also private mourning and secret mourning Families apart and Persons apart It becomes Christians now after such strokes of Gods wrath to keep secret Fasts to bewail Londons ruines especially to bewail Londons sins their eyes should weep in secret places for the Abominations committed in the City and bedew Gods feet with their tears that if possible they might turn away his displeasure 8. God doth expect that London should labour to pacifie his anger When God threatned to send the Sword and to cut off from Israel the head and the tail the branch and the rush in one day and to send the Famine so sore that they should eat every man the flesh of his own arm yet it is said For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Isa. 9. 14 17 20 21. And now God hath executed his Judgements of Plague and Fire in London have not we reason to fear that his anger is not yet turned away but his hand is stretched out still When the houses of London were consumed which were the fuel to the late Fire then the Fire quickly went out and if the sins of London had been consumed with the houses if the Inhabitants of the City had not brought forth their sins when they were forced to leave their goods behinde unto the flames then we should have reason to think that the Fire of Gods anger was gone out and his wrath turned away from the escaped remnant of London insomuch as the sins of London have been the fuel as it were to this Dreadful Fire but when so much sin after such Judgements is saved alive untouch'd and unmortified when the Plague of sin doth rage so much after the Plague of Pestilence is removed and the Fire of lust doth
powder suppose whilest you are breathing forth threatnings against any of Christs Disciples and are in the heat of your rage and furious persecution of them you should hear such a voice as Paul did from Heaven Sinners sinners why persecute you me would it not cool and stop you you may hear this voice if you will open your ear unto the word It is Christ you persecute in his Disciples it is Christ you wound thorow their sides you would do the same to him as the Jews did were he alive amongst you and you had the same power as sometimes was put into their hands against the Lord of life I will not charge London with and therefore need not warn them generally against the sin of persecution of Gods people because they have been a shelter to them when the times have frowned most upon them but are there none have need of this warning are there no Iudas's amongst them none of Pauls spirit before his Conversion Persecutors forbear this sin which makes you as like the Devil as any that I know and locks you fastest in his arms which is the very next door to the sin against the Holy Ghost which will bring upon you swift destruction which will sink you into the lowest parts of the bottomless pit which will lash and sting your Consciences with horrible scourges hereafter if they be not awakened with horrour here turn from this sin before it be too late Imitate Paul and become friends to them against whom you have expressed so much enmity and spight 8. Covetous persons turn from your evil wayes God hath smitten you for the iniquity of your covetousness do not go frowardly on in this sin he hath substracted much of the fuel of this sin and burnt it in the fire let there be a greater decay in your lust of Covetousness than there hath been in any of your estates Covetousness is one of the sins which the Apostle would not have so much as named amongst the Saints Ephes. 5. 3. It is a sin if it reign which is inconsistent with the truth of grace and power of Godliness because it is Idolatry Col. 3. 5. and the Apostle tells us expresly that Covetous persons shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 9. 10. yea that the wrath of God shall come upon them Ephes. 5. 6. Covetous persons turn from your sin get this earthly member mortified get your hearts loosened from those things which you have hitherto made your God and in which you have sought for your chiefest felicity Have you little in the world be contented with the portion which God gives you you have as much as God seeth fit for you Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have Covetousness may not heal your poverty any more than riches can heal your Covetousness Have you much in the world do your riches encrease set not your heart upon them make use of what God hath given you without such pinching and self-deniall which the Lord Jesus never commanded in his precepts of that kind God never gave riches to save but to use take heed of exceeding the bounds in spending and do not spare the moderate use of what you have for fear of future wanting use part of your estates for your selves in what is needful for the body and sutable to your degree and quality lay aside part for your posterity and lay out part in the help of those in necessity for relief of the poor whereby you will lay up for your selves a good foundation for the time to come and at last lay hold on eternal life 1 Tim. 6. 18 19. 9. Vnrighteous persons turn from your evil wayes God hath been righteous in his Judgements because you have been unrighteous in your dealings and as his Judgements are a reproof of your sin so are they a warning to you to leave it Unrighteous gains will yield you little advantage in the issue See what the Apostle Iames speaks of the wealth which men get in such a way Chap. 5. 2 3 4. Your riches are corrupted and your garments Moth-eaten Your Gold and Silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ye have heaped treasure together for the last dayes Behold the hire of your labourers which have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back by fraud cryeth and the cryes have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabboth The curse of God goeth along with unlawfull unrighteous gains and is like Moth and Rust to corrupt and canker them they bring a fire into the flesh and bones which will eat and torment they pierce men thorow with many sorrows and at their latter end utterly consume them with terrours if their conscience be awakened Unrighteous persons do not heap up such treasures of wealth as by sin they heap up treasures of wrath against the last day the wrongs which they do to others cry with a loud voice to God and the Lord will be the avenger of all such as are defrauded Let them that have been unrighteous then be unrighteous no more you cannot wrong others so much by this sin as you wrong your selves shake your hands of dishonest gains make restitution of what you have defrauded others as you expect salvation non remittitur peccatum nisi restituctur ablatum This is a hard saying to some who have no other wealth but what they have gained in a dishonest and unrighteous way but will it not be harder to suffer the vengeance of Eternal fire for this sin is it not better to impoverish your selves that you may be just and honest whilest you live than to be damned and thrust into a place of torment when you die you must leave what you have if God do not take away what you have by some temporal Calamity before be sure Death will strip you of all and is it not better for you to part with it your selves to the just owners when this is the way to obtain pardon and peace and an Inheritance which is of a thousand fold more value And do not fear but God will make provision for you whilest you abide in the world if you resolve to be honest and put your trust in him who hath the dispose of the Earth and the fulness thereof Be righteous for the future do not swerve a hair from the Rule of Right what you would that others should do unto you do unto them this is a Principle inscribed upon the heart by Nature and this is the Law and the Prophets Matth. 7. 12. 10. Hypocrites turn from your evil wayes Methinks the terrible voice of God should affrighten you under your Hypocritical showes and outside Devotions Methinks you should now bend your hearts to please the Lord and approve your selves chiefly to him who hath expressed so much displeasure against sinners and is most highly
offended with Hypocrites what good will a Form do you without the Power of godliness what good will showes do you without sincere and substantial service what benefit will you get by counterfeit Graces if your Graces be not reall if your Repentance and Faith and Love and the like be feigned how uneffectual will they be to procure pardon and peace and salvation are you content to lose all your Bodily Exercise and to have all your heartless lifeless Duties rise up one day in Judgement against you What advantage will you get by a bare Profession of Religion especially in such times when profession if it be strict is discountenanced and Professors if their Lamp shine with any brightness and they carry any great sail expose themselves to danger And if you have not Sincerity which alone can yield you the true and sweet fruits of Religion you are like to lose all and of all others to make your selves most miserable you may suffer from Men because you have a Profession and you will suffer from God because you have no more than a Profession What then should you cast off your Profession No so you would turn Apostates and may fall into the sin against the Holy Ghost which will bring upon you inevitable Damnation but lay aside your hypocrisie and become sincere be that in truth which you are in show labour for sincerity in regard of your State and labour for sincerity in regard of your Duties Sinners God calls upon all of you to turn from your evil wayes by his thundering Voice Turn presently let the time past be sufficient wherein you have fulfilled the desires of the flesh and the minde go not a step forward in the way of sin least you meet with destruction suddenly and perish without remedy Turn universally say not of any sin as Lot did of Zoar It is a little one cast away all your transgressions and let no iniquity have dominion over you for the future Turn heartily from an inward Principle of hatred to sin and love to God and not from outward Considerations and meerly upon the account of sins dreadfull consequents Turn constantly and with full purpose of heart never to return unto your evil wayes of sin any more 10. The Lord doth expect after such Iudgements that London should seek him That they should not only turn from their evil wayes but also that they should turn unto him that hath smitten them and seek the Lord of Hosts Isa. 9. 13. We read Am. 5. 2. The Virgin of Israel is falen she is forsaken and none to raise her up whereupon God calls to this duty v. 4 5 6 8. Thus saith the Lord to the house of Israel Seek ye me and ye shall live but seek not Bethel c. seek the Lord and ye shall live least he break forth like fire in the house of Joseph and devour and there be none to quench seek him who made the seven Stars and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning c. the LORD is his Name and it follows v. 15. It may be the Lord will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph And when this Duty is neglected see the Threatning v. 16. Wailing shall be in all streets and they shall say in all the high wayes Alas alas and they shall call the Husbandmen to mourning and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing And now London is fallen doth not the Lord call upon them that they would call upon him and as they would turn away his anger and prevent their utter ruine that they would seek him who can turn the shadow of death into the Morning and the blackest night of affliction into a day of Prosperity and Rejoycing London seek the Lord that ye may live that there may be a reviving after the years of such death and ruines seek the Lord before the decree bring forth some other Judgement and ye pass away like Chaffe before the Whirlwinde in the day of the Lords fierce anger it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of this great City God expects that London should now pray at another rate than heretofore they have done It is said Dan. 9. 13. All this evil is come upon us yet made we not our prayer unto the Lord our God and when God had consumed Israel because of their iniquities the Prophet complains Isa. 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Had the Prayers of London been such as they should have been such as they have been the Desolations of London might have been prevented God expects that London under such Chastisements should pour out Prayers before him Isa. 26. 16. God hath spoken terribly unto them he expects that they should cry mightily unto him God expects that London should meet him in the way of his Judgements not only with weepings for their sins that they have provoked him unto so great displeasure but also with Supplications for his Mercies When Iacob was devoured and his dwelling-place laid waste Psal. 79. 7. you have their prayer v. 8 9 c. O Remember not against us former iniquities let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low Help us O Lord God of our salvation for the glory of thy Name deliver us and purge away our sins for thy Names sake And the Church under desolating Judgements doth in prayer express her self very pathetically Isa. 63. 15 c. Look down from Heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and thy glory where is thy zeal and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and thy mercies are they restrained Doubtless thou art our Father c. We are thine return for thy servants sake c. and chap. 64. 9. Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever behold see we beseech thee we are all thy people God hath been pleading and contending with London by his Judgements and God doth look that London should plead with him in prayer for his Mercies London seek the Lord of Hosts who hath come forth against you in battel and wounded you with his sharp arrows and yet hath not laid down his weapons get to your knees hang about Gods feet and arms fill your mouths with arguments to stay him in the course of his Judgements let not the Apple of your eye cease from weeping that you have displeased him and let not your tongue cease from humble and earnest Entreaties that he would pardon you and remove his displeasure from you Seek the Lord humbly put your mouths in the dust if so be there may be any hope God hears the Cry of the Humble and will not despise their Prayer Psal. 10. 17. Psal. 102. 17. Seek the Lord diligently He hath promised to be found of all them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. God looks for earnest hearty fervent Prayer There is a sweet Promise which God makes
uncertain things which are of so short a continuance and with which you cannot have a long abode God hath by his Judgements crucified the World very much before you and he expects that the world should be crucified in you God hath poured contempt upon the world and set a mark of disgrace thereon he hath cast dirt upon the face where you fancied before so much beauty to lye and he expects that you should fall in esteem and grow out of love with the world and never go a whoring from him to the creatures any more 17. God calls upon London to make him their habitation Psal. 90. 1. Lord thou hast been our dwelling places in all generations God is the hiding-place and he is the dwelling-place of his people you have lost your dwellings by the Fire make God your habitation and dwell in him to whom you may have constant resort and in whom you may have a sure abode Get possession of this house by your union to God through his Son and when you are in keep possession abide in this honse do not wander from him and turn your selves out of doors by breaking of his houshold laws make God your home and labour to be much acquainted at home spend your time with God and give your hearts to him Rest and repose your selves in God daily look for all your provisions in him and from him walk in him and with him Make God your habitation 18. God calleth upon London to seek after an abiding City Heb. 13. 14. We have here no continuing City but we seek one to come London hath reason to say the former therefore let London do the later you have seen the City fall by the Fire seek after a City which hath more lasting foundations and is of such strong building that neither time can wear and weaken nor flames of Fire reach and consume I mean the New Ierusalem which is above the Heavenly City whose builder and maker is God there are Mansions abiding places for the Saints Ioh. 14. 2. there the wicked will cease from troubling and the weary will be at rest seek after this City labour for a title to it lay up your Treasure in it get your affections set upon it above all Trades drive a Trade for Heaven which in the issue will yield you the best returns 19. God doth expect that London should labour to build his House The neglect of Gods House I believe hath been a great cause of the fall of so many Houses in the City by Fire God expects that now you should endeavour the building of his House otherwise I do not think that God will build again your Houses you may have an Act of Parliament for building the City and set Workmen about it but unless God do enact it too the building will never go forward unless God build the City the Workmen will labour in vain Read and consider the Prophesie of Haggai Set about the work of Reformation more vigorously especially in the House and Worship of God 20. God doth expect that Londoners should dedicate themselves and Families unto him You have broken your Baptismal and other Vows and God hath made great breaches upon you for your Infidelity now renew your Vows give up your selves to God avouch him to be your God and avouch your selves to be his People and live accordingly Take up Ioshuah's resolution that whatever others in the Land do that you and your Families will serve the Lord Make it your only business in the World to serve God let Religion have an influence upon all your actions do nothing without the Warrant of Gods Precept let your Conversation be such as becometh the Gospel govern your Families in the fear of God fill all your Relations with duty learn more righteousness by Gods Judgements and be quickned by them unto a more holy and strict walking And if you yield such Fruits as these which God expects after his plowing and harrowing of you if you open your Ear to the Terrible Voice of the Lord which hath uttered it self in the City and with full purpose of heart set about the practice of the duties he expects and calls for then you may hope that he will yet build you up and plant you that he will close your breaches and raise up your ruinous Habitations that he will make you glad according to the Years wherein he hath afflicted you and give you to see good dayes instead of those evil which you have seen and felt then the Lord will rejoyce over you to do you good and make London like Mount Zion where he will pitch his Tent and take up his Habitation then he will compass you about with the Bulwark of Salvation and prevent those further utterly Desolating Judgements which you are in danger of yea the Lord will be as a wall of fire round about you and the Glory in the midst of London from whence his Praise and your Fame shall sound throughout the whole World FINIS Soli Deo Gloria Hab. 3. 5. Psal. 18. 13 14. Isa. 29. 6. Isa. 30. 30. Psal. 18. 45 7. 5. Isa 7. 2. Psa. 21. 9. Num. 16. 27 31 32. Gen. 19. Luk. 13. Isa. 5. 4 5 6 Isa. 15. Ioh. 15. 6 Heb. 6. 7. Gal. 5. 19 24. Mat. 12. 43 44 45. Eccl. 9. Psal. 50.