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
they made their heart like an Adamant stone least they should hear the Law and the words which the Lord of Hosts had sent in his spirit by the former Prophets Therefore came there a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts So also when God gave up Ierusalem to desolation and ruine see the sin which provoked the Lord hereunto 2 Chron. 36. 16. They mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy 2. Because they do not hearken to the voice of his goodness and mercies The goodness and forbearance of God doth speak unto men from him and call upon them to forbear sin for shame to repent and return to him Rom. 1. 4. But when men despise the riches of his goodness and deafen their ear unto the language of his mercies and trample his patience under foot though God hath appointed a day of wrath hereafter wherein he will reckon with the whole ungodly World together and give them the just demerit of their sin yet sometimes his patience is turned hereby into fury and his anger doth break forth into a flame and consumes them by the blow of dreadfull temporal judgments 3. Because they will not hearken to the voice of lesser afflictions when Gods word is not heard he speaks by his Rod when his Rod is not heard he shoots with his arrowes strikes with his sword and if lesser afflictions be not minded then God speaks by more dreadful awakening judgments as the sins of men do precede the judgments of God so usually lesser judgments do precede greater judgments and as there are degrees and steps which men usually do make before they arrive to a great heighth in sin Nemo repentè fit turpissimus so there are degrees and steps which God usually doth take in inflicting his judgments for sin Look into one place for all which shews how God doth proceed from less to greater judgments Lev. 26. from the 15. v. to the 40 th when his statutes are despised and Covenant broken first he threatneth to send upon them consumption and a burning ague then he threatneth that they shall fall before their enemies and if they will not hearken to his voice in these judgments he threatneth to punish them seven times more for their sins and to make the Heavens as Iron and the Earth as brass and send a dearth amongst them And if they will not yet hearken he threatneth to send wild beasts which should devour their children and Cattel And if they would not be reformed by these things but still would walk contrary unto him he threatneth to walk contrary unto them and to punish them yet seven times more for their sins he threatneth to bring a sword upon them to avenge the quarrel of his Covenant and when they should be gathered together in their Cities to send the Pestilence amongst them and hereunto to adde the Famine And if they would not yet hearken unto God but still walk contrary unto him he threatneth that he will walk contrary unto them in fury and make them eat the flesh of their Sons and their Daughters and lay wast their Cities and make their Sanctuaries a desolation and upon them that are left alive he threatneth to send such faintness of heart that they should flee at the sound of a shaken leaf and fall when none pursued them and that they should pine away in their iniquities in the Land of their enemies Thus God proceeds by steps and degrees in the execution of his fierce anger upon a rebellious People when God speaks by ordinary diseases and is not heard then sometimes he sends a Plague and if after a Plague people will not return to him that smiteth them nor seek to pacify Gods anger which is kindled against them but walk so much the more contrary unto him he may walk contrary to them in fury and send fire into their Cities to devour their habitations And if the voice of the Fire be not heard he hath other judgments in readiness Sword Famine and the like And if temporal judgments be nâ—â— heeded he will bring upon them eternal judgments God is not heard any other way therefore he doth speak by such terrible things SECT IV. The Application God speaks sometimes to a People by terrible things THese few last years have given sad instances hereof in England especially the two last years in our City of London The voice of the Lord hath been in the City it hath been loud and full of terrour the Lord hath come forth against us with armed vengeance Frowns have been in his brow death and desolation in his looks thunder hath been in his voice flames of Fire in his hand the Pestilence hath gone before him and burning Coals at his feet He hath sent forth his Arrows which have scattered us and shot forth his lightnings which have discomfited us The Lord hath thundered in the Heavens and the highest gave his voice hail-stones and coals of fire the Lord hath visited us with storm and tempest and great noise yea he hath caused his glorious voice to be heard and shewed the lighting down of his arme with the indignation of his anger and with the flame of devouring Fire with scattering and tempest and hail-stones then the furrowes of the Earth were seen and the foundations of the City were discovered the Earth also shook because he was wrath and the Inhabitants of London trembled because of his fierce anger then the snares of death compassed us and the fears of hell gat hold on us and our hearts were moved within us as Trees when they are moved by the Wind. Dreadfull have Gods late judgments been in London the noise of which hath gone forth not only throughout the Land but also unto the outermost parts of the World Three things we should remark in this terrible voice of Gods judgments 1. The Iudgments themselves 2. The Cause of the Iudgments 3. The Design of the Iudgments In the first we have the sound of the voice In the two last the Interpretation of the voice 1. Concerning the Iudgments themselves Here I might speak of the judgment executed August 24th 1662. when so many Ministers were put out of their places and the judgment executed March 24th 1665. when so many Ministers were banished 5. miles from Corporations the former by way of introduction to the Plague which sometime after did spread in the Land but chiefly raged in the City the later by way of introduction to the Fire which quickly after did burn down London the greatest Corporation in England These judgments having been so lately and general in the Land and I presume so generally known with all their circumstances that it would be needless to give here a Narration of them But this I must say I could wish they were as generally believed to be judgments and accordingly laid to
hath put into their hands they have endeavoured the Reformation of the City whether as Gods under-officers they have improved their interest for the promotion of Religion in the zealous exercise of it yea whether they have put the Laws made in execution against Sabbath-breakers swearers drunkards endeavouring to find out and punish such offenders 4. Neglect of Church-reformation And is there no blame to be laid upon Church-officers hath there been that zeal for and faithful execution of Church-discipline according to the Rules of the word hath not the Lord Jesus Christ been affronted in his Kingly office by some who have imposed precepts of their own upon mens consciences instead of vigorously endeavouring the execution of his and taken the power of the Keyes out of the hands of those unto whom the Lord hath entrusted it hereby rendring the execution of discipline impossible according to the Laws of Christ have not the tender and most conscientious lain under the censures of some rather then the openly profane and scandalously wicked Neglect of Reformation am I speaking of nay have not many who call themselves Ministers endeavoured rather the overthrow then the promotion of it have they not had girds in their Pulpits at holiness and zealous profession which they have seconded by a conversation of dissoluteness malitious opposition and persecution of those especially who have been the most religious Sad neglects there have been of reformation in London and that when London lay under such obligations to reform as Christians they were obliged by baptismal and renewed vows as Protestants of the Reformed religion they were obliged to endeavour a reformation by Mercies they were obliged anâ— have they been under no other obligations And hath not the neglect of reformation notwithstanding all obligations rendred them guilty of disingenuity infideliy yea of perjury it self I verily believe this is the great sin God is scourging London for God is contending for a Reformation and if they do not endeavour it more vigorously the sooner I fear he will bring desolation upon them 7. A seventh sin of London is fearful Apostacy and a spirit of complyance with the sins of the times How many in London who formerly were great profestours have discovered themselves to be rotten hypocrites who casting off the sheeps clothing and laying aside all profession have given themselves up to dissoluteness and licentious living formerly they have seemed true penitents and to be washed from their iniquities but they have returned with the dogg to the vomit and with the Sow that is washed to the wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2. ult formerly they have been swept a little within and garnisht outwardly with a fair profession but the unclean spirit hath returned and without any great difficulty hath entered with seven worse spirits and defiled them more then before and made their last state worse then their first I speak not so much of those who worship God in this Mode or that Mode and of alterations herein but of those who sometimes professed religion and now do not worship God in any mode at all but wholly addict themselves to their lusts and are ashamed to be called or thought to be religious They would not now look like a Saint or speak like a Saint much less live like a Saint Thus have many in our dayes cast off all fear of God and devoted themselves with the Hell-hounds of the times to the service of the Devil resolving to do what in them lies to promote the interest of his Kingdom And if some are a little more aukward in his service and not altogether so like him and such apt Scholars presently as others whose education hath been in his School from their childhood yet they learn very fast and wonderfull is their proficiency in a short time and in regard of Apostacy they come neerer the Image of the Devil than those that have been alwayes tutor'd by him Now for any in London to forsake God that they might serve the Devil to draw off from the wayes of Holiness that they might walk in the wayes of Wickedness doth cast a great slurr upon God and his wayes They do in effect say That the Devil is a better Master than God and that the way of sin that leadeth to Hell is more eligible than the way of Holiness which alone can bring to Heaven The Lord threatneth that his Soul shall have no pleasure in such Apostates Heb. 10. 38. It is a Meiosis and we are to understand that the Lord is highly displeased with such persons See how God pleads with Apostatizing Israel Ier. 2. 9 10 c. Wherefore I will yet plead with you saith the Lord. Pass ye over to the Isles of Chittim and see and send unto Kedar and diligently consider if there be any such thing Hath any Nation changed their gods which yet are no gods But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord for my people have committed two great evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and have hewen out unto themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water And hence follows v. 15. The young lions roared and yelled upon him and laid his land waste his Cities are burnt without inhabitant and v. 17. Thou hast procured these things unto thy self because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and v. 19. Thy own wickedness shall correct thee and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of hosts And may not God thus plead with the Apostates of London and punish them as he did his people of Israel 8. The Eighth sin of London is deafning the Ear against all Gods Calls The Lord hath called upon London by his Ministers but they have been like the deaf Adder which will not hearken to the voice of the Charmer they have stopped their ears and turned away their shoulder and made their heart like an Adamant stone God hath called by his Mercies but this voice hath been too low and they have slept the more securely in sin God after other Means hath called by Afflictions first lighter then heavier and yet how many in London have and still do walk contrary unto God and will not return to him that hath smitten them They have been incorrigible under all Gods correcting Rods. When God spake by the Plague they were a little awakened but quickly dropt asleep again when the plague was a little over they return to their Trades again to their sins again but they do not return unto the Lord. And when the Judgement of the Plague was so much lost and ineffectual for their good this no doubt hath provoked God so quickly and unexpectedly to turn his hand upon them and
the God of Heaven by their sins but they were wounded and in the end destroyed sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death and wrath and misery for ever O then lay hold on Gods strength and make peace with him run to him take hold of the Scepter of grace and reconciliation which is held forth unto you take hold of his arm and plead with him for mercy take hold of his Son who is offered to you who is set forth to be a propitiation for the remission of sins which are past through the forbearance of God Rom. 3. 25. as yet God hath forborn you as yet you are on this side of the Grave and Hell and there is a possibility of turning away Gods anger which is kindled against you of flying from that wrath which is pursuing of you of escaping those miseries which are preparing for you and therefore lay hold on Christ who is freely tendered unto you who is able and willing to save you and make your peace with the Father and to procure a pardon for you and further to move you you are not only offered peace and reconciliation but you are entreated to be reconciled Ministers entreat you yea God himself and Jesus Christ by us doth entreat and pray and beseech you that you would accept of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 20. Be astonished O ye Heavens and wonder Oye Angels Be astonished much more ye Sinners and be rapt up with admiration O ye Rebels the King of glory against whom you have rebelled and who could crush you so easily without any injury to himself is not only willing to lay aside his anger but also entreats you to accept of reconciliation heartily embrace Jesus Christ upon his own terms and the work will be done otherwise the fury of the Lord will be so much the more provoked and the Fire of his anger will break forth into such a flame as none shall be able to quench otherwise the Lord will be so much the more enraged against you and meet you like a roaring and devouring Lyon or like a Bear bereaved of her Whelps and rent the Caul of your heart yea tear you in pieces when there shall be none to deliver Hos. 13. 7 8. Psal. 50. 22. 9. God doth expect that London should turn from her evil wayes 2 Chron. 7. 14. The Lord maketh a sweet promise under the dreadfull Judgements of Famine or Pestilence which sometimes he sendeth upon his people for their sins If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked wayes then will I hear from Heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their Land God doth not only expect that Londoners should now acknowledge their sins and humble themselves and mourn for their sins but also that they should turn from them otherwise pardon and healing and his favour is not to be obtained neither are further Judgements likely to be prevented they must confess and forsake their sins if they would find mercy Prov. 28. 13. the wicked must forsake their way of sin and turn unto the Lord and then he will have mercy and abundantly pardon Isa. 55. 7. God threatneth to go on to punish such as go on to transgress Psal. 68. 21. He will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their trespasses Break off then your sins by repentance and cast away all your transgressions from you put away the evil of your doings from before the holy and jealous eyes of God cease to do evil cleanse your hands you sinners and purifie your hearts ye wickedly-minded wash your selves in the fountain of Christs blood set open to you that you may be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and be partakers of holiness and the divine nature Deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts abstain from flesh-pleasing sins which war against the soulâ—â— and be not conformed to the wicked custâ—â—es of wicked men neither follow this ungodly generation to do evil much less run with them to the same excess of riot but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds and live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world and let the time past of your lives be sufficient wherein you have wrought the will of the flesh and served divers lusts and cast a blot upon the profession of Christianity now be blameless and harmless and unrebukeable in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation cast off the works of darkness lay aside your night-vail of ignorance put on the robes of light walk honestly as in the day shining as lights where you live forbear all works of darkness and sin and as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Sinners turn from your evil wayes otherwise iniquity will be your ruine 1. Drunkards turn from your evil wayes overcharge not your selves with excess where God allows you enough for use Look not upon the Wine when it is red when it giveth its colour in the Cup when it sparkleth and moveth it self aright At last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder Prov. 23. 31 32. wounds and woe are the issue of excessive drinking v. 29. this sin may be sweet and pleasing to the eye and appetite in the temptation but it will wound and sting the conscience worse than an Adder or Serpent can do the body in the reflection God hath put bitterness into the Cup by his Judgements and will you drink as deep as before are you resolved to taste the â—reggs that lye at bottome the Cup hath poison in it soul-poison and will you drink of it still though you murder and destroy your souls for ever by this sin the Cup hath wrath in it the wrath of an angry God and is it good for you to drink off the Wine of Gods wrath Drunkenness hath been your sin and if you go on God threatneth that Drunkenness shall be your punishment Jer. 15. 12. Speak unto them this word thus saith the Lord every bottle shall be filled with Wine Drunkards like this very well they are very well pleased that their bottles shall be filled with Wine that they may empty them but understand the meaning v. 13 14. Thus saith the Lord I will fill all the inhabitants of the Land with Drunkenness and I will dash them one against another even the Fathers and the Sans together I will not pity nor spare nor have mercy but destroy them Drunkards you reel and fall sometimes with your sin God will make you reel and fall by his Judgements and dash you one upon another yea dash you in pieces and destroy you without pity or mercy Will you not forbear your Cups and excesses God will put a Cup of trembling and astonishment into your hand he will put Gall and Wormwood into your Cup and make you taste the bitter effects of this sin
speaketh unto men with his Word by his Spirit when he doth thus effectually call them and he speaketh unto men also by his Spirit when he graciously visiteth them which are called when he teacheth melteth warmeth quickneth strengtheneth and refresheth them by his Spirit as they sit under the influence of his Ordinances when he speaketh peace unto their Consciences sheweth them his reconciled Face sheddeth abroad his love in their hearts and giveth such sweet comforts and ravishing joy as is unspeakable and full of Glory Ioh. 6. 45. Ioh. 14. 26. Luk. 24. 32. Psal. 143. 11. Eph. 3. 16. Act. 3. 19. Psa. 85. 8. Rom. 5. 5. Psa. 94. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 2. God speaketh unto men by his Works and that either by his works of Creation or by his works of Providence 1. God speaketh by his works of Creation the Heavens have a voice and declare Gods glory Psa. 19. 1. and the Earth hath not only an ear to hear Isa. 1. 2. but also a tongue as it were to speak Gods praise We read of the Seas roaring and the Floods clapping their hands of the Mountains singing and the Trees of the wood sounding forth their joyful acclamations yea beasts and all cattel creeping things and flying fowl Dragons and all Deeps Fire Hail Snow Rain and stormy winde as they fulfill his Word so they speak and in their way declare what their Maker is or rather in them and by them God doth speak and make known something of himself Psa. 148. 7 8 10. c. We read of the Voice of the Lord in Power the Voice of the Lord in Majesty the Voice of the Lord upon the waters the Voice of the Lord dividing the flames of fire the Voice of the Lord shaking the Wilderness of Cadesh breaking the Cedars of Lebanon and the like which is the Voice of the Lord in the terrible noise of Thunder Psa. 29. 3 4 5 6 7 8. And there is no one work of the Lord though not with such a noise which doth not with a loud voice as it were in the Name of the Lord proclaim unto the Children of men how great and glorious the Lord is who hath given it its being and use and place in the world especially the work of God in the Make of man his body the members and senses his Soul the powers and faculties doth without a tongue speak the praise of that God who curiously framed the body in the womb and immediately infused the living soul Psa. 139. 14 15. Zach. 12. 1. 2. God speaketh by his Works of Providence and that both merciful and afflictive 1. God speaketh by his Merciful Providences by his patience and bounty and goodness he calleth men unto repentance Rom. 2. 4. He giveth witness of himself in giving rain and fruitful seasons Act. 14. 17. Gods providing mercies Gods preventing mercies Gods preserving mercies Gods delivering mercies the number of Gods mercies which cannot be reckoned the order and strange method of Gods mercies which cannot be declared the greatness of Gods mercies in the kinds and strange circumstances which cannot be expressed do all with open mouth call upon men from the Lord to repent of their sins which they have committed against him and to yeild all love thankfulness and obedience unto him 2. God speaketh by his afflictive Providences There is a voice of God in his Rod as well as in his Word Mic. 6. 9. Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it when God chasteneth he teacheth Psal. 94. 12. When God lifteth up his hand and strikes he openeth his mouth also and speaks and sometimes openeth mens ears too and sealeth their instruction Iob 33. 16. Sometimes God speaks by Rods more mildly by lesser afflictions sometimes God speaks by Scorpions more terribly by greater Judgements which leads to the second particular SECT II. 2. What are those terrible things by which God doth sometimes speak THe word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth he feared Terrible things are such great Judgements of God as do usually make a general impression of fear upon the hearts of people Take some instances 1. The Plague is a Terrible Iudgement by which God speaks unto men The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he spake It is a speaking Judgement where God sends the Plague he speaks and he speaks terribly the Plague is very terrible as it effecteth terrour the Pestilence which walketh in darkness is called the Terrour by night Psal. 91. 5 6. The Plague is very terrible in that 1. It is so poysonous a disease it poysons the blood and spirits breeds a strange kind of venom in the body which breaketh forth sometimes in Boils and Blains and great Carbuncles or else works more dangerously when it preyeth upon the vitals more inwardly 2. It is so noysome a disease it turns the good humors into putrefaction which putting forth it self in the issues of running sores doth give a most noysome smell Such a disease for loathsomeness we read of Psa. 38. 5 7 11. My wounds stink and are corrupt my loins are filled with a loathsome disease and there is no soundness in my flesh my lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore and my Kinsmen stand afar off 3. It is so infectious a disease it spreadeth it self worse than the Leprosie amongst the Iews it infecteth not only those which are weak and infirm in body and full of ill humors but also those which are young strong healthful and of the best temperature and that sometimes sooner than others The Plague is infectious and greatly infectious whole Cities have been depopulated through its spreading many whole families have received infection and death one from another thereby which is the third thing that rendreth the Plague so terrible 4. It is so deadly it kills where it comes without mercy it kills I had almost said certainly very few do escape especially upon its first entrance and before its malignity be spent few are touched by it but they are killed by it and it kills suddenly as it gives no warning before it comes suddenly the arrow is shot which woundeth unto the heart so it gives little time of preparation before it brings to the Grave Under other diseases men may linger out many weeks and moneths under some divers years but the Plague usually killeth within a few daies sometimes within a few hours after its first approach though the body were never so strong and free from disease before The Plague is very terrible it is terrible to them that have it insomuch as it usually comes with Grim Death the King of Terrours in its hand and it is terrible to them which have it not because of their danger of being infected by it the fear of which hath made such an impression upon some that it hath rased out of their hearts for the while all affections of love and pitty to their
the death of some one or more that I knew The first day that they were smitten the next day some hopes of recovery and the third day that they were dead The September when we hoped for a decrease because of the season because of the number gone and the number already dead yet it was not come to its height but from 6102. which died by the Plague the last week of August the number is augmented to 6988 the first week in September and when we conceived some little hopes in the next weeks abatement to 6544 our hopes were quite dashed again when the next week it did rise to 7165. which was the highest Bill And a dreadful Bill it was and of the 130. Parishes in and about the City there were but 4 Parishes which were not infected and in those few people remaining that were not gone into the Country Now the grave doth open its mouth without measure Multitudes multitudes in the valley of the shadow of death thronging daily into eternity the Church-yards now are stufft so full with dead corpses that they are in many places swell'd two or three foot higher than they were before and new ground is broken up to bury the dead Now Hell from beneath is moved at the number of the guests that are received into its chambers the number of the wicked which have died by the Plague no doubt hath been far the greatest as we may reasonably conclude without breach of charity and it is certain that all the wicked which then died in sin were turned into Hell how then are the damned spirits now encreased some were damning themselves a little before in their oaths and God is now damning their souls for it and is passing the irreversible sentence of damnation upon them Some were drinking Wine in bowls a little before and strong drink without measure and now God hath put another cup into their hands a cup of red Wine even the Wine of the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty some were a little before feasting their senses pleasing their appetite satisfying the desires of the flesh and being past feeling had given themselves up to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness but now their laughter is turned into mourning and their joy into howling and woe Now they have recovered their feeling again but instead of the pleasures which they felt and their sensual delights which took away the feeling of their consciences they are made to feel the heavy hand of God and to endure such anguish and horrour through the sense of Gods wrath as no tongue can express Now the Atheists believe there is a God and the Anti-scripturists is convinced of the truth of Gods Word by the execution of Gods threatnings in the Word upon them Now the covetous and unjust the malicious and cruel the scoffers and profane begin to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire and the ignorant person with the civil who are unacquainted with Jesus Christ are not excused yea the hypocrites with all impenitent and unbelieving persons are sent down to the place of weeping and surely hell wonders to see so many come amongst them from such a City as London where they have enjoyed such plenty of such powerful means of grace and place is given to them even the lowest and hottest where Iudas and others are of the chiefest note Yet Hell doth not engross all that dye by the visitation some there are though not the first or most who have room made for them in the mansions which are above the Plague makes little difference between the righteous and the wicked except the Lord by a peculiar providence do shelter some under his wing and compass them with his favour as with a shield hereby keeping off the darts that are shot so thick about them yet as there is little difference in the body of the righteous and of others so this disease makes little discrimination and not a few fearing God are cut off amongst the rest they dye of the same distemper with the most profane they are buried in the same grave and there sleep together till the morning of the resurrection but as there is a difference in their spirits whilst they live so there is a difference and the chiefest difference in their place and state after their separation from the body Dives is carryed to Hell and Lazarus to Abrahams bosome though he dyed with his body full of sores Devils drag the souls of the wicked after they have received their final doom at the Bar of God into utter darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth but Angels convey the souls of the righteous into the heavenly Paradise the new Ierusalem which is above where God is in his glory and the Lord Jesus Christ at his right hand and thousand thousands stand before him and ten thousand times ten thousand administer unto him even an innumerable company of Angels and where the spirits of all just men and women made perfect were before gathered where there is fulness of joy and rivers of eternal pleasures running about the Throne of God the streams of which do make glad all the Inhabitants of new Jerusalem Now the weak prison doors of the body are broken down and the strong everlasting Gates of their Fathers Palace are lifted up and the Saints are received with joy and triumph into glory and they come with singing into Zion and everlasting joy in their hearts and all sorrow and sighing doth fly away like a cloud which never any more shall be seen Now the vail is rent and they enter the holy of holies where God dwells not in the darkness of a thick cloud as in the Temple of old but in the brightness of such marvelous light and glory as their eyes never did behold neither could enter into their heart to conceive there they have the vision of Gods face without any eclipse upon the light of his countenance there they have the treasures of Gods love opened and his armes to receive them with dearest and sweetest embracements which kindles in their hearts such a flame of love so ravishing and delightful as words cannot utter there they are entertained by the Lord Jesus Christ whom in the World they have served and he that shewed them his grace which they have wondred at when they were in the body doth now shew them his glory which they wonder at much more There they are welcomed by Angels who rejoyce if at their conversion much more at their coronation there they sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of their Father there they find Moses and David and Samuel and Paul and all the holy Martyrs and Saints which have dyed before them amongst whom they are numbred and placed who rejoyce in their increased society And as there is a great difference between the condition of the souls of the righteous and the wicked who dyed by the same disease of the Plague after
when the sins of the Land are so obvious and so hainous He is a great stranger in England that doth not know how wickedness hath abounded in these later years his eyes must be fast shut who doth not see what a deluge of profaneness and impiety hath broken in like a mighty torrent and overflowed the Land that hath not taken notice of those bare-fac'd villanies which have been committed amongst us which is a great question whether any ages before us could parallel we read in Scripture of Sodom and Gomorrah and the wickedness sometime of Ierusalem Profane Histories and Travellers make mention of Rome Venice Naples Paris and other places very wicked but who can equal England which calls it self Christian and Protestant for such desperate and audacious affronts and indignities which have been offered to the Highest Majesty by the Gallants as they are called of our times How was Hell as it were broke loose and how were men worse than those which in our Saviours time were possest with devils who cut themselves with stones and tore their own flesh even such who went about like so many Hell-hounds and incarnate devils cursing and banning swearing and blaspheming inventing new oaths and glorying therein delighting to tear the name of God and to spit forth their rancour and malice in his very face and can we then be at a loss for a reason of Gods righteousness in his thus punishing England by beginning thus furiously with London When there were so many Atheists about London and in the Land who denied the very being of God when so many Gentlemen who lookt upon it as one piece of their breeding to cast off all sentiments of a Deity did walk our streets and no arguments would work them to a perswasion of the truth of Gods being shall we wonder if the Lord appears in a terrible way that he might be known by the judgments which he executeth When so many denied the Divine Authority of the Scriptures the very foundation of our Christian faith and reckoned themselves by their principles amongst Turks Pagans and other Infidels however they called themselves Christians and hereby put such an affront upon the Lord Jesus Christ the only Son of the most high God is it strange that the Lord should speak so terribly to shew his indignation when there was such blowing at and endeavours to put out that light which would shew Men the way to Heaven such hatred and opposition against the power of godliness when the name of a Saint was matter of derision and scorn when there was such wallowing in filthy fornication and adultry in swinish drunkenness and intemperance when such oppression bribery such malice cruelty such unheard of wickedness and hideous impiety grown to such a heighth in the Land may not we reasonably think that such persons as were thus guilty being in the Ship were a great cause of the storme of Gods anger which hath made such a shipwrack The Plague indeed when it was come made little discrimination between the bodies of the righteous and the bodies of the wicked no more doth grace the difference is more inward and deepe it is the soul begins to be glorifyed hereby and hath the seed of eternal life put into it when it doth pass the new birth but the body is not changed with the soul the body remains as it was as frail and weak and exposed to diseases and death as before and as the body of any wicked person and therefore the infectious disease of the Plague coming into a populous City the bodies of the righteous amongst the rest receive the contagion and they fall in the common calamity there is a difference in the manner of their death and a difference in their place and state after death as hath been spoken of before but the kind of death is the same So the fire doth make no discrimination between the Houses of the godly and the Houses of the ungodly they are all made of the same combustible matter and are enkindled as bodies infected one by another indeed the godly have God to be their habitation and they are Citizens of the new Ierusalem which is above a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God an abiding City which the fire cannot reach and their persons are secured from the flames of eternal fire in Hell but they have no promise nor security for the preservation of their Houses from fire here in this World The judgments of the plague and fire being sent work according to their nature without distinguishing the righteous But if we further enquire into the reason why the plague was sent the last year and such a plague as hath not been known this forty year which raged so sorely when there was no such sultriness of weather as in other years to encrease it and why the fire was sent this year and such a fire as neither we nor our fore-fathers ever knew neither do we read of in any History of any so great in any place in time of peace what shall we say was the cause of these extraordinary national judgments but the extraordinary national sins It was an extraordinary hand of God which brought the plague of which no natural cause can be assigned why it should be so great that year more then in former years but that sin was grown to greater heighth and that a fire should prevaile against all attempts to quench it to burn down the City and that judgment just following upon the heels of the other what reason can be assigned but that Englands sins and Gods displeasure hath been extraordinary God is a God of patience and it is not a light thing will move him he is slow to anger it must needs be then some great provocation which makes him so furious he is highly offended before he lifts up his hand and he is exceedingly incens'd before his anger breaks forth into such a flame for my part I verily think if it had not been for the crying abominations of the times which are not chiefly to be limited to the City of London and if the means of Gods prescription according to the Rule of his Word which England sometime could had by England been made use of that both Plague and Fire had been prevented 3. Moreover it may be said that some particular persons by some more peculiar and notorious sins in the City may have provoked the Lord to bring punishment upon the whole place if the Land were not so generally profane and wicked the heathen could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A whole City may be punished for the wickedness of one Man yea we read of David though so good a man yet when he numbred the people a small sin in comparison with the sins of some others in our days God was provoked to send such a dreadful Plague not on himself but upon his people that there dyed 70000 men by it in three days and David said I have
beautiful inwardly full of rottenness and wickedness how much sounding brass had we then in our streets a great noise and stir hypocrites did make but they were hollow at heart our gold was most of it counterfeit water we had instead of wine and dross instead of silver O how was religion abused some made it a stirrop to get up by into the seat of honor others made it a cloak to cover their covetous practises many base and wicked designes were carried on under pretence of religion It would ask too much time to set forth hypocrites in all their shapes and to paint hypocrisy in all its colours London hath formerly abounded with hypocrites and more lately it hath not been free If Hell-fire be the portion especially of hypocrites hereafter Matth. 24. 51. No wonder then if God be angry with a place for this sin here 4. The fourth sin of London is Formality and lukewarmness in the Worship of God There was much formality when there was no Form and I suppose that Forms have not quickned unto more liveliness there was a face of Worship indeed in London and was there not only or little more than a Face in most places God is Holy and Jealous a great King and his Name is dreadful Mal. 1. 14. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Joh. 4. 24. But hath his Worship been accordingly in London hath there been that spiritual Worship which he requires Let London seriously reflect upon their carriage towards God in their Devotions have they had a due awe and dread of the great Name of God upon them when they have seemed to draw neer unto him have they worshipped him with reverence and godly fear outward reverence some have used more than he hath required in bowing at Names and before Places but have they had inward reverence and fear of God upon their hearts have they cloathed themselves with Humility when they have come into his presence hath there been inward fervour and delight accompanying their outward acts of Worship Alas how formal hath London been especially of late in Gods Worship they have prayed but what kinde of Prayers have they been could they deserve the name of Prayers were those prayers likely to prevent Judgement or turn away wrath some Confessions of sin have been made but so generall and formall that they have been very unlikely to work up the heart to sorrow and repentance and where some have been more particular hath not much formality cleaved to them where hath hearty grief for sin and sorrow been to be found would not a small Viol hold all the tears that have dropt from the eyes of great Assemblies even in the day of their most solemn Humiliations hath not sin been rolled under the tongue when Confession of sin hath been at the end of it Have not the Confessions of many been such as if they came to ask leave to commit sin rather than humbly to bewail it at least have they not taken leave whatever their Confessions have been Petitions have been made for pardon and grace and sanctification but hath it not been Lip-prayer without hearty desire hath it not been in such a manner as if they did not much care whether they did speed or no as if they could make shift well enough without a Pardon as if they had no need of Grace and Holiness but they must say something for Form and Custom hath there not been an enmity in the hearts of many against that which they have seemed to desire with their lips Who have stirr'd up themselves to lay hold on God Who have wrestled in Prayer with fervent desires with Faith and Importunity Hearing there hath been in London but how little Believing how little relishing the Word and receiving it with Love Singing there hath been but how little Joy and Melody of the heart in the Lord O how formal and lukewarm hath London been how much of the Laodicean temper have they had in all Ordinances And might not God say to London as he did of old to Ierusalem Isa. 1. 11 12 13 14. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me c. Such services are to no purpose they are vain Worship and do not attain the end thereof either to profit him that offereth them or to please him unto whom they are tendered can such formal services be effectual to procure pardon or peace can they bear up the spirit in a day of trouble will not the Morning cloud and early dew of such Righteousness flee away and vanish upon the approach of the Sun will not such Spiders webs be broken to pieces by a stormy winde how do Formalists behave themselves as if they had no Religion when they fall into trouble when God thunders by his Judgements what can a cold formal empty prayer do when Death appears before them with a grim countenance what comfort can such reap by reflection on such services what Evidences for Heaven can they gather from any of their outside Devotions And are not they to as little purpose in regard of God may not God say unto them of their Fastings and Prayers Did you fast unto me did you pray at all unto me Zach. 7. 5. Or as here to the Iews That he was full of their Services even to a loathing that he took no delight in them and who hath required these things at your hands to tread my Courts Bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an abomination unto me I cannot away with your Assemblies my soul hateth them they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them The Lord is much offended with formal hypocritical Services hereby they flatter and mock him and is he taken with flatteries Such services are like a dead cold black mangled rotten stinking Carkase without the Soul and spirit which must needs be very unsavoury and displeasing they are like the lame blinde halt sick Cattel which were not fit to be offered up in Sacrifice under the Law Mal. 1. 8. If ye offer the blinde for Sacrifice is it not evil and if ye offer the lame and sick is it not evil Offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee And will God then be pleased Such persons when they seem to serve God with their Outward man they serve the Devil and their own lusts with their Inward man God hath the Form sometimes the Devil hath the Power God hath the show the Devil hath the substance God hath the bark the rinde the shell the Devil hath the kernel God hath the Cabinet the Devil gets the Jewel they give God the Devils leavings and refuse as it were of their own lust for they spend the strength and vigour of soul and body in serving the Devil and gratifying their own lusts and then think to put God off with any thing giveing him only some dead cold faint empty heartless lifeless outward services
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
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
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