of the tongue Now if these last have hit the mark how highly doth at concern us all to set a watch before the door of our lips at all times but especially on the Lords day Now considering how wonderful apt and prone Christians are to be speaking their own words Yea foolish vain worldly and unprofitable words on the Lords day Give me leave â—o offer to your serious consideration these four things First Where the Lord hath commanded the whole man to rest from servile works there he commands the hand to rest from working the foot from walking and the tongue from talking But in the fourth Commandment Thou shalt do no manner of work the Lord hath commanded the whole Exod. 4. 10. man to rest from servile works And therefore the tongue from talking of this or that worldly business But Secondly Those things which as lets hinder the duties of the Lords day are forbidden But worldly words as lets hinder the duties of the Lords day therefore worldly words are forbidden But Thirdly Where bodily works are forbidden there those things are forbidden which hinder the sanctifying of the Sabbath as much or more than bodily works do but bodily works are forbidden in the fourth Commandment therefore worldly words which hinder more the sanctifying of the Sabbath than bodily works do are forbidden in the same Commandment That worldly words do hinder the sanctifying of the Sabbath as much or more than bodily works is evident by this among other arguments that might be produced that a man may work alone but he cannot talk alone But Fourthly That Commandment which tyes the outward man from the deed done that Commandment ties the tongue from talking of the same But the fourth Commandment ties the outward man from worldly works and therefore that Command ties the tongue from worldly words Certainly all those persons that make the Lords day a reckoning-day with workmen as some do or a directing-day what shall be done the next week as others do or a day of idle talk about this worldly business or that or about this person or that or about this fashion or that or about this mans matters or that or about this pleasure or that or about this profit or that or about this mans calling or that or about this Gossips Tale or that c. All such persons are prophaners and no sanctifiers of the Lords Day I have been the longer upon this particular to confute and recover those Christians who give their tongues too great a liberty on the Lords Day Now in these fourteen particulars I have shewed you how the Sabbath is to be sanctified O Sirs as you desire to see London rebuilt as you desire to see London in as great or greater prosperity and glory as she hath been in as you desire to see her once more the Bulwark of the Nation As Psaâ— 48. 12 13. Cant. 6. 4. Isa 60. 15. you desire to see her a shield and shelter to her faithful friends at home and a terror and dread to her proudest enemies abroad As you desire that she may be an eternal excellency Zech. 2. 5. a joy of many Generations As you desire the Lord to be for ever a wall of fire about her and a glory in the midst of her Mâ—ke conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath in a right manner Make it your great business and work to sanctifie the Sabbath according to those fourteen Rules which I have now laid down I know there is a desperate opposition and contrariety in the hearts of carnal men to the strict observation of the Sabbath When Moses had first received a Commandment Exod. 16. 25. 31. concerning the observation of the Sâ—bbath his Authority could not so prevail with the Jews but that some of them would be gâ—dding abroad to seek Manna on the Sabbath day contrary to an express prohibition yea when it was death Chap. 31 13 14 15 16. to gather sticks on that day yet in contempt of Heaven it self one ventures upon the breach of the Law How sadly and frequently the Prophets have lamented and complained of the breach of the Sabbath I have in this Treatise already discovered and therefore need say no more of it in this place The horrid prophanation of this day in France Holland Germany Sweden and in thâ—se three Nations England Scâ—tland and Ireland and among all Protestants every where else is and must be for a sore lamentation The Sabbath in all Ages hath been more or less crucified between prophaneness and superstition as Christ the Lord of the Sabbath was crucified between two Thieves When the observation of the Sabbath came to be more sacred and solemn in publick performances which was about Nehemiahs time as is conceived presently after Satan stirred up some Hypocrites who â—un into such an extream of superstition that they held that they might not stir out of their places nor kill a flea and a thousand such like fooleries Yea some dangerous fooleries they laboured to distill into the people as that they might not draw a Sword to defend themselves in a common Invasion c. For a close remember this that there are no Christians in all the world comparable to those for the power of godliness and heighths of grace holiness and communion with God who are most strict serious studious and conscientious in sanctifying of the Lords day Such as are careless remiss light slight formal and carnal upon the Sabbath day they will be as bad if not worse on every other day in the Week The true reason why the power of godliness is fallen to so low an ebb both in this and in other Countreys also is because the Sabbath is no more strictly and conscientiously observed in this Land and in those other Countreys where the name of the Lord is made known The Jews were never serious in the observation of their Sabbaths till they smarted seventy years in Babylon for their former prophanation of it And who can look upon the ashes of London and not see how dearly the Citizens have paid for their prophaning of the Lords day And Oh that all these short hints might be so blest from Heaven as to work us all to a more strict serious and conscientious sanctifying of the Lords day according to those Directions or Rules that I have in this Treatise laid before you And thus I have done with those Duties that are incumbent upon those who have been burnt up by that late dreadful fire that hath turned London into a ruinous heap I come now to those Duties that are incumbent upon those whose habitations are yet standing as monuments of divine Wisdom Power and Grace O Sirs the flames have been near you a devouring fire hath consumed many thousand habitations round about you and you and your habitations have bâ—en as so many brands pluckt out of the fire O how highly doth it concern you seriously and freqâ—ently to lay to heart the singular goodness
then they will bow and tremble under a sense of the Soveraignty of God The Soveraignty of God is that golden Scepter in his hand which he will make all bow to either by his Word or by his Works by his Mercies or by his Judgments This Scepter must be kist and submitted to or else fire and sword desolation and destruction will certainly follow Jer. 18. 2 3 4. 6. Arise and go down to the potters house and there will I cause thee to hear my word Then I went down to the potters house and behold he wrought a work on the wheels And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter so he made it again another vessel that seemed good to the potter to make it O house of Israel cannot I do with you as the potter saith the Lord. Behold as the clay is in the potters hand so are ye in my hand O house of Israel The Jews were so stupid and sottish that verbal teaching without signs would not work upon them and therefore the Lord sent Jeremiah to the potters house that he might see by what the potter did that though he had made them a People a Nation a Church a State yet he could as easily unmake them and mar them as the potter marred the vessel that he had made God would have this people to know that he had as much power over them and all they had as the potter had power over the clay that he works upon and that he had as much both might and right also to dispose of them at his pleasure as the potter had over his clay to dispose of it as he judged meet Nay Beloved the potter has not such an God hath jus ad omnia jus in omnibus a right to all things a right in all things absolute power over his pots and clay as the Lord has over the Sons of men to make them and break them at his pleasure and that partly because that the clay is none of his creature and partly because without God give him strength he has no power to make or break one vessel God by the Prophet would have the Jews to know that 't was meerly by his good pleasure and grace that they came to be so glorious and flourishing a Nation as they were at this time yea and further to know that they were not so great and rich and flourishing and setled and built but that he could as easily break them and mar them as the potter could the Isa 64. 8. vessel that was under his hand Ah Sirs God by that dreadful fire that has destroyed our houses and burnt up our substance and banished us from our habitations and levelled our stately Monuments of Antiquity and Glory even with the ground has given us a very high evidence of his Soveraignty both over our persons and all our concernments in this world Ah London London were there none within nor without thy Walls that did deny the Soveraignty of God that did belye the Soveraignty of God that did slight the Soveraignty of God that did make head against the Soveraignty of God Were there none within nor without thy Walls that did say We are Lords and we will come no more unto thee That did say Is not this great Babylon is Jer. 2. 31. Dan. 4. 30. Lam. 4. 12. not this great London that we have built That did say the Kings of the Earth and all the Inhabitants of the World would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy the flaming and consuming fire should have entred into the gates of Jerusalem into the Gates of London That Exod. 5. 2. did say Who is the Lord that we should obey his voice That did advance a worldly Soveraignty above and against the Soveraignty of God and Christ Ah London London if there were any such within or without thy Walls then never wonder that God has in a flaming and consuming fire proclaimed his Soveraignty over thee and that he hath given such Atheists to know from woful experience that both themselves and all their concernments are in the hands of the Lord as the clay is in the hands of the potter and that the sorest Judgments that any City can fall under are but the Isa 5. 16. demonstrations of his Soveraign Prerogative Psal 9. 16. The Lord is known by the Judgments which he executeth the Power Justice and Soveraignty of God shines most gloriously in the execution of his Judgments upon the world Secondly God inflicts great and sore Judgments upon the Sons of men that the world may stand in awe of him and that they may learn to fear and tremble before him when he Consult these Scriptures Exod. 15. 14 15 16. Josh 2. 10 11. Rev. 15. 4. appears as a consuming fire he expects that the Nation should tremble and that the Inhabitants should fear before him 1 Sam. 16. 4. And Samuel did that which the Lord spake and came to Bethlehem and the Elders of the Town trembled at his coming and said comest thou peaceable Shall the Elders of Bethlehem tremble for fear that Samuel came to denounce some grievous Judgment against them and shall not we tremble when God has executed his terrible Judgments 1 Kings 21. 20 21 22 23 24 27 28 29. upon us Shall Ahab tremble and humble himself and fast and lye in sackcloth when Judgments are but threatned and shall not we tremble and fear before the great God who has actually inflicted upon us his three great Judgments Pestilence Sword and Fire Shall the Ninevites both Princes Jonah 3. 3 4. 5 6 7 8 9 10. Nobles and people tremble and humble themselves in sackcloth and ashes when God doth but threaten to over-throw their great their rich their populous City and shall not we tremble and lye low before the Lord when we see great London rich and populous London laid in ashes before our eyes When the hand of the Lord was stretched out Exod. 15. 15 16. See 2 Kings 6. 30. and Chap. 7. 6 7. 15. Jer. 4. 7 8 9. against the Egyptians the Dukes of Edom were amazed and the mighty men of Moab trembled Ah how severely has the hand of the Lord been stretched out against London and all her Inhabitants and therefore what cause have we to be amazed and to tremble before that God who has appeared in flames of fire against us Lam. 2. 3 4. He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel he hath drawn back his right hand before the enemy and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire which devoureth round about He bent his bow like an enemy and poured out his fury like fire God burnt down their City their Temple their Gates their Princely Habitations their glorious Structures in the fierceness of his anger and in the greatness of his wrath O Sirs when God falls upon burning work when he pours out
stroke The power of bringing Judgements upon Cities God challengeth to himself Amos 3. 6. Shaâ—â— there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it Whatever the Judgement be that falls upon a City God is the Author of it he acts in it and orders it according to his own good pleasure There is no Judgement that casually falls upon any person City or Countrey Every Judgement is inflicted by a Divine Power and Providence The Chaldeâ—ns could never have burnt Jerusalem if the Lord had not granted The Souldiers Fire-brand by which was fired the famous Temple of Jerusalem was commissionated by a Divine Command them a commission Hence saith the Prophet Evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem Mich. 1. 12. 'T was a sore evil that Jerusalem which was one of the worlds wonders should be destroyed by fire but this evil was determined at the Counsel-board in Heaven Jerusalem was burnt by a Commission signed in Heaven both when the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar and when the Romans under Titus Vespasian laid it in Ashes All sorts of Judgements are more at the beck of God and under the command Matth. 8. 5. 11. Whatever Miscreants made the Fire-Balls yet God did blow the fire and so turned London into a Ruinous heap Certainly there was much of Gods hand whatever there was of mens heads in this fatal Fire of God than Servants are under the commands of their Masters or Souldiers under the commands of their General or Children under the command of their Parents Whatever Judgement God commands to destroy a Person a City or Countrey that Judgement shall certainly and effectually accomplish the command of God in spite of all that creatures can do God as he is our Creator Preserver and Soveraign Lord has an absolute power both over our persons lives estates and habitations and when we have transgressed his righteous Laws he may do with us and all we have as he pleases he may turn us out of house and home and burn up all our comforts round about us and yet do us no wrong Those things which seem accidental and casual unto us are ordered by the wise Councel Power and Providence of God Instruments can no more stir till God gives them a commission than the Axe or the Knife can cut of it self without an hand Job eyed God in the fire that fell from Heaven and in all the fiery tryals that befell him And therefore as one observes he doth not say the Lord gave Austiâ—e and the Devil took away nor the Lord gave and the Chaldeans and Sabeans took away but the Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken and blessed be the name of the Lord. Job 1. 20 21. Certainly without the cognizance and concurrence of a Wise Omniscient and Omnipotent God no creatures can move nor without his fore-sight and permission no event can befall any Person City or Countrey Acts 17. 28. For in him we live move and have our being No man can put forth a natural action without him Whatever the means or instruments of our misery be the hand is Gods and this the Saints in all the Ages of the world have confest It becomes us Levit. 10. 1 2 3 4. Heb. 11. 25 26. in every Judgement to see the hand of the Lord and to look through visible means to an invisible God for though the Lord may and many times do's make use of Satan and his instruments to scourge his dearest children yet it is but one hand and many instruments that he smites us with God makes use of what second causes he pleases for the execution of his pleasure And many times he makes the worst Isa 10. 5. to 20. of men the Rod of his indignation to chastise his people with Witneâ—s Pharaoh Ahab Haman Herod and the Assyrian Kings with scores of other instances that the Scripture affords And all Histories abound in nothing more than in Instances of this nature as all know that have read any thing of History The Conclave of Rome and the Conclave of Hell can do nothing without a commission from Heaven They can't make a Louse nor burn a House nor drown Exod. 8. 18. Jer. 21. 10. Matth. 8. 32. Chap. 10. 30. Luke 21. 18. a Pigg without a commission under the Broad Seal of Heaven A Sparrow lights not upon the ground nor a hair falls not from our heads no nor a bristle from a Sow's back saith Tertullian but by a Divine Providence All created creatures both in that upper and in this lower world depend upon God for their being motion and several activities Now in that God did not exert his Power neither to prevent nor check those furious flames which he knew without his interposure would lay all in ashes 't is evident that it was his Divine pleasure that London should be turned into a ruinous heap Gods not hindering the desolation of London was a tacit commissioning of the flames to burn down all that stood in their way That such are under a high mistake that ascribe the burning of London so to second causes as that they will allow no more Judgement of God in it than that which accompanies common casualty I shall sufficiently evidence before I have finished this first Use But I hope the prudent Reader will make it his business to see the signal hand of God in this late fiery dispensation and to remember that the Scribe is more properly said to write than the Pen and he that maketh and keepeth the Clock is more properly said to make it go and strike than the Wheels and Poizes that hang upon it and every Workman to effect his work rather than the tools which he useth as instruments So the Lord of Hosts who is the Chief Agent and Mover in all things and in all actions may more fitly and properly be said to effect and bring to pass all Judgements yea all things that are done in the earth than any inferiour or subordinate causes seeing they are but his tools and instruments which he rules and guides according to his own Will Power and Providence At this some of the more civilized Heathen hath long since hammered viz. That the same power dispenseth both comforts and crosses when they painted Fortune in two forms with two faces of contrary colours the foremost white the hindermost black to signifie that both good and evil came from the Goddess Fortune When 't was told Prince Henry that delitiae generis humani that darling of mankind That the sins of the people caused that affliction that was upon him O no said he I have sins enough of mine own to cause that So should we all confess that though God take occasion by another mans sin or by another mans hand to fire my house Yet the cause is just that it should be so and that I my self have deserved it whatsoever the occasion or the instrument be God had matter enough against
the more he laboured to block up the way of Christ the more passible As they said once of the Graeciaâ—s in the Epigramm whom they thought invuâ—nerable We shâ—ot at them but they fail not down we wound them but do'nt kill them See Exod. 1. 10 11 12 13. Acts 8. Acts 14. it became And what ever of Christ he thought to root out it rooted the deeper and rose the higher thereupon he resolved to engage no further but retired to a private life All the oppositions that the Dâ—vil and his instruments had raised against the Saints in all the ages of the world hath not diminished but encreased their number For the first three hundred years after Christ there was a most terible perfecution Historians tell us that by seven and twenty several sorts of deaths they tormented the poor people of God In these hot times of persecution many millions of Christians were destroyed And yet this was so far from diminishing of their number that it encreased their number for the more they were oppressed and perfecuted the more they were encreased And therefore some have well observed that though Julian used all means imaginable to suppress them yet he could never do it He shut up all their Schools that they might not have learning and yet never did learning more flourish than then He devised all manner of cruel torments to terrifie the Christians and to draw them from their holy faith and yet he saw that they encreased and multiplied so fast that he thought it his bâ—st course at last to give over his persecuting of the Saints not out of love but out of envy because that through his persecution they encreased This was represented unto Daniel Dan. 2. 34 35. in a vision Dan. 2. The Kingdom of Christ is set forth there by a little stone cut out of the Mountain without hands without art or industry without Engines and humane helps The stone was a growing stone and although in all the ages of the world there have been many hammers at work to break this stone in pieces yet they have not nor shall not prevail but the little stone shall grow more and more till it becomes a great Mountain and fills the whole earth And let this suffice for Answer to the first Objection I would justifie the Lord I would say he is righteous though Object 2 my house â—e burnt up but I have lost my goods I have lost my estate yea I have lost my all as to this world and how then can I sâ—y the Lord is righteous how can I justifie that God which has even stript me as naked as the day wherein I was born c. To this I answer Answ First Dâ—dst thou gain thy estate by just or unjust wayes and means If by unjust wayâ—s and means then be silent before the Lord. If â—y just wayes and means then know that the Lord will lay in that of himself and of his Son and of his Spirit and of his Grace and of Heavens glory that shall make up all thy losses to thee But Secondly Did you improve your estates for the glory of God and the good of others or did you not If not why do you complain If you did the reward that shall attend you at the long run may very well bear up your spirits under all your losses Consult these Scriptures 1 Cor. 1. 15. 2 Cor. 9. 6. Eccles 11. 1. Gal. 6. 7 8. Isa 32. 20. Isa 55. 10. Prov. 11. 18. Rev. 22. 12. But Thirdly What Trade did you drive Christ-wards and Heaven-wards and Holiness-wards If you did drive either The Stars which have least circuit are nearest the Pole and men that are least perplexed with business are commonly nearest to God no Trade heaven-wards or but a slender or inconstant Trade heaven-wards and holiness-wards never wonder that God by a fiery dispensation has spoiled your Civil Trade Doubtless there were many Citizens who did drive a close secret sinful Trade who had their by wayes and back-doors some to uncleanness others to merry meetings and others to secret Gaming Now if thou wert one of them that didst drive a secret Trade of sin never murmur because thy house is burnt and thy Trade destroyed but rather repent of thy secret Trade of sin and wonder that thy body is not in the grave and that thy soul is not a burning in everlasting flames Many there were in London who had so great a Trade so full a Trade so constant a Trade that they had no time to mind the everlasting concernments of their precious souls and the great things of Eternity They had so much to There were many who sacrificed their prâ—ciâ—us â—â—me â—â—ther to 〈◊〉 the Mâ—niâ—tâ—r of sleep or to Baccâ—us the Gâ—d of Wine or to 〈◊〉 â—he Goddes◠〈◊〉 Bâ—auty 〈◊〉 iâ— all â—ere due to the Bâ—d the Tavern and the â—rothel-house Numb 22. 32. 2 Pet 1. 10. do on Earth that they had no time to look up to Heaven as once the Dake of Alva told the King of Fraâ—ce Sr. Thomas More saith there is a Devil called negâ—tiuâ— business thâ—â— carrieth more souls to Hell then all the Dâ—vâ—â—s in Hell beside Many Citizens had so many Irons in the fire and were cumbred about with so many things that theâ— wholly neglected the one thing necessary and therefore it was but just with God to visit them with a fiery Rod. Look as much earth puts out the fire so much worldly bâ—siness puts out the fire of heavenly affections Look as the earth swallowed up Korah Dathan and Abiram so much worldly business swallows up so much precious time that many men have no leisure to secure their interest in Christ to make their calling and election sure to lay up treasure in Heaven to provide for eternity and if this have been any of your cases who are now burnt up it highly concerns you to justifie the Lord and to say he is righteous though he has burnt up your habitatâ—ons and destroyâ—d your Trade 'T is sad when a crowd of worldly business shall crowd God and Christ and Duty out of dooâ—s Many Citizens did drive so great a Publick Trade in their Shops that their private Trade to Heaven was quite laid by Such who were so busie about their Farm and their Merchandise that they had See Luke 14. 16. 22. no leisure to attend their souls concernments had their City set on fire about their ears Matth. 22. 5. But they made light of it that is of all the free rich and noble offâ—rs of Grace and mercy that God had made to them and went their wayes one to his farm another to his Merchandise Ver. 7. But when the King heard thereof he was wroth and he sent forth his Armies that is the Romans and destroyed those murderers and burnt up their City It is observable that the Exod. 20. 9. Vidâ— Exod. 29. 38 39. Numb 28. 3. Deut. 6. 6 7 8. Jews who were
humble thy self under the mighty hand of God God has abâ—sed theâ— and therefore make it thy work to bâ— base in thine own eyes Wâ—en Nâ—hemiah understood that the Chaldâ—ans There is nothing more more evident â—n History than this viz. That those dâ—eadful fires that have bâ—en kiâ—dâ—ed amongst the Christian have been still kindâ—ed by Idolatrous hands who were a generation of Idolaters had made Jerusalem desolâ—te by Fire he greatly humblâ—d himself under the mighty hand of God He lookt through all actâ—ve causes to the efficient cause and accordingly he abased himself before the Lâ—rd as you may see Neh. 1. 3 4. And they said unto me the remnant that are left of the Captivity there in the Province are in great â—â—flâ—ction and reproach the Wall of Jerusâ—lem also is broken down and the Gates thereof are burnt with fire And it came to pass when I heard these words that I sate down and wept and mourned certain dayes and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven When Nehemiah â—eard that thâ— Wall of Jerusalem was broken down and that the gates thereof were bâ—rnt with fire his grief was so great that he could not stand under it and therefore he sits down and weeps Who is there that is a man that is an Englishman that is a Câ—riâ—â—â—an that is a Protestant that can beholâ— the Ruâ—nes of Londâ—n and not at least the frame of his Spirit sit down and weeâ— ovâ—r those Râ—inâ—s The way of wayes â—o be truly yea â—ighly â—xâ—lted is to be thoroughly humbled The hâ—gâ—est Heavens and the lowest hearts do both alike please Isaiah 57. 15. the most high God God will certainly make it his work to exâ—lt them who make it their great work to abase themselves Such who are low in their owâ— eyes and can be be content to be low in the eyes of others such are most high and â—onoâ—rable in the eye of God in the esteem and account â—f God The lowly Christian is alwayes the moâ—â— lovely Câ—ristian Now God hath laid your City low youâ— all low he exâ—ects that your hearts should lye low undeâ— his mighty haâ—d All the world cannot long keep up thosâ— men who do'nt labour to keep down their hearts under Judgements inflicted or Judgements feared Remember the sad Catastrophe of Herod the great of Agrippa the great of Pompey the great and of Alexander the great If your spirits remain great under great Judgements 't is an evident sign that more raigning Judgements lye at your doors But Tâ—e seventh Dâ—ty that lyes upon those who have been burnt up is to bless a taking God as well as a giving God 't is to encourage themselves in the Lord their God though he has stript them of all their worldly goods Thus did Job when he had lost his all The Lord gave and the Loâ—d hath Job 1. 21. taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. One brings in holy Job standing by the ruined house under whose Walls his ten Children lay dead and buried and lifting up his Dâ—eâ—ellius in his Gynnasiun Patientâ—ae heart and hands towards Heaven saying Naked came I out of my Mothers womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the name of the Lord. Ecce spectaculum sayes he dignum ad quod respiciat intentus operi suo Deus Behold a spectacle a spectacle worthy of God himself were he never so intent upon his work in Heaven yet worthy of his cognizance When Ziklag was burnt with fire and David plundered by the Amalekites and his Wives carried captive yet then he encouraged 1 Sam. 30. 1 2 3 6. himself in the Lord his God His God notes 1. His nearness and dearness to God Saints are very near and dear to God Psal 148. 14. Ephes 2. 13. 2. His God notes his Relation to God God is the Saints Father 3. His God notes his right to God Whole God 2 Cor. 6. 18. is the believers All he has and all he can do is the believers From these and such other like considerations David encouraged himself in the Lord his God when all was gone and so should we So the believing Hebrews took joyfully the Heb. 10. 34. spoiling of their goods whether by fire or plundering or otherwise is not said knowing in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and more enduring substance And to this duty James exhorts James 1. 2. Count it all joy my brethren when you fall into divers temptations or tribulations or afflictions A Christian in his choicest deliberation ought to count it all joy when he falls into divers tribulations The words are emphatical the Apostle doth not say be patient or quiet when you fall into divers temptations or afflictions but be joyful Nor the Apostle doth not say be joyful with a little joy but be joyful with exceeding great joy All joy The words are an Hebraism is full joy all joy is perfect joy And this becomes the Saints when they fall or are begirt round not with some but with divers that is with any kind of affliction or tribulation An omnipotent God will certainly turn his peoples misery into felicity And therefore it concerns them to be divinely merry in the midst of their greatest misery Oh that all burnt Citizens would seriously consider of these three things 1. That this fiery Rod has been a Rod in a Fathers hand 2. That this fiery Rod shall sooner or later be like Aarons Rod a blooming Rod. Choice fruit will one day grow upon this burnt Tree London No man can tell what good God may do England by that fiery Rod that he has laid upon London 3. That this fiery Rod that has been laid upon London has not been laid on 1. According to the greatness of Gods anger Nor 2. According to the greatness of his power Nor. 3. According to the strictness of his justice Nor 4. According to the dâ—merits of our sins Nor 5. According to the expectations of men of a Romish faith who 't is to be feared Acts 1. 19. did hope to see every house laid desolate and London made an Aceldama a Field of Blood Nor 6. Accordingly to the extensiveness of many of your fears for many of you have feared worse things than yet you feel Now upon all these considerations how highly dos it concern the people of God to be thankful and cheerful yea and to encourage themselves in the Lord under that fiery dispensation that has lately past upon them But what is there considerable in God to encourage the soul under Quest heavy crosses and great lâ—sses and fiery tryals First There is his gracious his special and pecular presence Answ Psalm 23. 4. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow Dan. 3. 24 25. of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Psal 91. 15. He shall
LONDON'S LAMENTATIONS OR A serious Discourse concerning that late fiery Dispensation that turned our once renowned City into a ruinous Heap Also the several Lessons that are incumbent upon those whose Houses have escaped the consuming Flames By THOMAS BROOKS late Preacher of the Word at S. Margarets New-Fish-street where that Fatal Fire first began that turned London into a ruinous Heap Una dies interest inter magnam Civitatem nullam There is but the distance of one day between a great City and none said Seneca when a great City was burnt to Ashes Come behold the Works of the Lord what Desolations he hath made in the Earth Psal 46. 8. LONDON Printed for John Hancock and Nathaniel Ponder and are to be sold at the first Shop in Popes-Head-Alley in Cornhil at the Sign of the Three Bibles or at his Shop in Bishopsgate-street and at the Sign of the Peacock in Chancery lane 1670. TO THE Right Honourable Sir WILLIAM TVRNER Knight Lord Mayor of the City of London Right Honourable IT is not my design to blazon your Worth or write a Panegyrick of your Praises your brighter Name stands not in need of such a shadow as mens Applause to make it more renowned in the World native Worth is more respected than adventitious Glory your own works Prov. 31. 31. praise you in the gates It is London's Honour and Happiness Tranquility and Prosperity to have such a Magistrate that bears not the Sword of Justice in vain and that hath not Rom. 13. 4. brandished the Sword of Justice in the defence of the friends of Baal Balaam or Bacchus My Lord had your Sword of Justice been a Sword of Protection to desperate Swearers or to cruel Oppressors or to deceitful Dealers or to roaring Drunkards or to cursing Monsters or to Gospel-despisers or to Christ-contemners c. might not London have laid in her Ashes to this very day yea might not God have rained Hell out of Heaven upon those Parts of the City that were standing Monuments of Gods mercy as once he did upon Sodom and Gomorrah Wo to that sword Gen. 19. that is a devouring sword to the righteous to the meek to the upright and to the peaccable in the land O happy Sword Psal 35. 19 20. under which all sorts and ranks of men have worshipped God in peace and lived in peace and rested in peace and traded in peace and built their habitations in peace and have grown up in peace Sir every man hath sit under your Sword as under his own Vine and Fig-tree in peace Words are too weak to express how great a mercy this hath been to London yea I may say to England The Ancients set forth all their gods with Harps in their hands the Hieroglyphick of Peace The Grecians had the Statue of Peace with Pluto the God of Riches in her arms Some of the Ancients were wont to paint Peace in the form of a Woman with a horn of plenty in her hands viz. all blessings The Orator hit it when he said Dulce nomen pacis the very name of Peace is sweet No City so happy as that wherein the chief Magistrate has been as eyes to the blind legs to the lame ears to the deaf a father to the fatherless a husband Job 31. to the widow a Tower to the righteous and a Terrour to the wicked Certainly Rulers have no better friends than such as make The three things which God minds most loves best below Heaven are his Truth his Worship and his People conscience of their ways for none can be truly loyal but such as are truly religious witness Moses Joseph Daniel and the three Children Sincere Christians are as Lambs amongst Lyons as Sheep amongst Wolves as Lillies amongst Thorns they are exposed more to the rage wrath and malice of wicked men by reason of their holy Profâ—ssion their gracious Principles and Practices than any other men in all the world Now did not God raise up Magistrates and spirit Magistrates to owne them to stand by them and to defend them in all honest and just ways how soon would they be devoured and destroyed Certainly the Sword of the Magistrate is to be drawn forth for the natural good and civil good and moral good and spiritual good of all that live soberly and quietly under iâ— Stobaeus tells us of a Persian Law Stobaeus serm 42. p. 294. that after the death of their King every man had five days liberty to do what he pleased that by beholding the wickedness and disorder of those few days they might prize Government the better all their days after Certainly had some hot-headed and little-witted and fierce-spirited men had but two or three days liberty to have done what they pleased in this great City during your Lordships Mayoralty they would have made sad work in the midst of us When a righteous Government fails then 1. Order fails 2. Religion fails 3. Trade fails 4. Justice fails 5. Prosperity fails 6. Strength and Power fails 7. Fame and Honour fails 8. Wealth and Riches fails 9. Peace and Quiet fails 10. All humane Converse and Society fails To take a righteous Government out of the world is to take the Sun out of the Firmament and leave it no more a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beautiful Structure but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a confused Heap In such Towns Cities and Kingdoms where righteous Government fails there every mans hand will be quickly engaged Gen. 26. 12. against his brother O the sins the sorrows the desolations and destructions that will unavoidably break in like a Flood upon such a People Publick Pâ—rsons should have publick Spirits their gifts and There is a great truth in that old Maxim Magistratus virum indicat In my Epistle to my Treatise call'd A Cabinet of Choice Jewels the ingenious Reader may find six Arguments to encourage Magistrates to be men of publick Spirits goodness should diffuse themselves for the good of the whole It is a base and ignoble Spirit to pity Cataline more than to pity Rome to pity any particular sort of men more than to pity the whole it is cruelty to the good to justifie the bad it is wrong to the Sheep to animate the Wolves it is danger if not death to the Lambs not to restrain or chain up the Lyons but Sir from this ignoble Spirit God has delivered you The Ancients were wont to place the Statues of their Princes by their Fountains intimating that they were or at least should be Fountains of the publick Good Sir had not you been such a Fountain men would never have beâ—n so warm for your continuance My Lord the great God hath made you a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a publick Good a publick Blessing and this hath made your Name precious and your Government desirable and your Person honourable in the thoughts hearts and eyes of all people Many may I not say most of the
13. know that have but read any thing of Scripture or History S. Austin plainly denies that ever the Româ—n Politie could be called properly a Common-wealâ—h upon this ground that Ubi nâ—n est Justitiâ— non est Râ—spublica he calls Common wealths without justice but magna Lâ—tâ—ociniâ— or in Lipsius his language Congeries Confusio Turba 't is but an abuse of the word Respublica Common-wealth where the publick Good is not consulted by an impartial justice and equity 't is but a confused heap a rout of men or if we will call it so at present it will not be so long without impartial justice partly because injustice 1 Kings 12. 1 Sam. 8. 3. and oppression makes the multitude tumultuous and fills the peoples heads with dangerous designs as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margine together and partly because it lays a Nation open and obuoxious to the wrath and vengeance of God as might easily be made good by scores of Scriptures Impartial justice is the best establâ—shment of Kingdoms and Common-wealths The King by judgment establisheth the See Numb 25. 11. 2 Sam. 21 14. land Prov. 29. 4. It is the best security against desolating judgments Run ye through the streets of Jerusalem and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can find a man iâ— there be any that executeth judgment and I will pardon it Jer. 5 1. My Lord 〈◊〉 the Honour of a Magistrate to do justice impartially so iâ—â—s the Honour and Glory of a Magistrate to do justice speedily Jer. 28 12. O house of David thâ—s sâ—iâ—h the Lord execute judgment in the morning and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hâ—nd of the opprâ—ssâ—r lest my God is very speedy and swift in the execution of Justice Joel 3. 4. Gen. 19. Numb 16. Ezra 7. 20. In this as in other things it becomes Magistrates to be like to God sury go out like fiâ—e â—nd burn that none can quench it because of the evil of your doings After examination execution is to be done with expedition When men cry out for justice justice Magistrates must not cry out crâ—s craâ— to morrow to morrow Magistrates must do justice in the morning neiâ—her noon-justice nor afternoon justice nor evening-justice nor night-justice is so acâ—eptable to God or so honourable to Magistrates or so advantagious to the people as morning-justice is to delay justice is worse sometimes than to deny justice 't is a very dangerous thing for Magistrates to be as long a bringing forth their Verdicts as the Elephant her young Delay of justice makes many more irreconcileable it makes many men go up and down this world with heavy hearts empty purses and thred bare coats I have read of a famous passage of Theodorick King of the Romans who when a Widow came to him with a sad complaint that she had a suit depending in the Court three years which might have been ended in a few days the King demands of her the Judges names she tells him he sends a special Command to them to give all the speedy dispatch that was possible to the Widows Cause which they did and in two days determined it to the Widows liking this being done the King calls for the Judges and they supposing that they should have both applause and reward for their expedition hastned to him full of joy but after the King had propounded several things to them about their former delayâ— he commanded both their heads to be struck off because they had spun out that Cause to a three years length which two days would have ended Here was Royal justice and speedy justice indeed Psal 101. 8. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land Summomane I will do morning-justice Festinanter so Genebrad I will hastily do it Justice should be on the wing delays are very dangerous and injurious Prov. 13. 12. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick the Hebrew word Memushshacah that is here rendred deferred is from Mashâ—ch that signifies to draw out at length Men are short-breathed and short-spirited and Hopes hours are full of Eternity and when their hopes are drawn ouâ— at length this makes their hearts sick and Ah what a world of such sick souls lyes lâ—nguishing at Hopes Hospital all the world over Hope in the Text is put for the good things hoped for Now when the good things men hope for be it justice or a quick dispatch c. are deferred and delayed this makes the poor Client sick at heart A lingring hope always breeds in the heart a lingring Consumption Julius Caesars quick dispatch is noted in three words Veni vidi vici I came I saw I overcame the harder travel hope hath and the more strongly it labours to bring forth and yet is deferred and delayed the more deadly sick the Client grows The speedy execution of justice is the very life and soul of justice Amos 5. 24. Buâ— let judgment run down as waters and righteousâ—eâ—s as a mighty stream The Hebrew word Veiiggal that is here rendred run down is from Galal that signifies to rowl down freely plentifully vigorously constantly speedily as the greaâ— Billows of the Sea or as waves rowl speedily over the Rocks Judgment and Righteousness like a mighty stream should bear down all before it Fiat justitia tuat orbâ—s let justice be done whatever come of it Deut. 16. 20. That which is altogeâ—her just shalt thou follow or rather as the Hebrew hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsedek Tsedek justice justice shalt thou follow that is all manner of justice thou shalt follow and nothing but â—ustice shalt thou follow and thou shalt follow justice sincerely out of love to justice and thou shalt follow justice exactly without turning to the right hand or the left and thou shalt follow justice resolutely in spite of the world the flesh and the Devil and thou shalt follow justice speedily without delays or excuses A Magistrate that has the sword of justice in his hand must never plead there is a Lyon in the way My Lord this will be your Honour while you live and your Comfort when you come to dye that whilst the Sword was in your hand you did justice speedily as well as impartially You did justice in the morning and justice at noon and justice in the afternoon and justice at night what has been your whole Mayoralty but one continued day of justice Who can sum up the many thousand Causes that you have heard and determined and the many thousand differences that you have sweetly and friendly composed and ended If the Lawyers please but to speak out they must ingenuously confess that your Lordship has eased them of a great deal of work My Lord as it is the Honour and Glory of a Magistrate to do justice speedily so it is the Honour and Glory of a Magistrate to do justice resolutely couragiously valiantly It is observable that as soon as ever Joshua came into the
5. Hos 2. 6 7. burnt child dreads the fire Sin is but a bitter sweet 't is an evil worse then Hell it self Salt brine preserves from putrefaction and salt Marshes keep the sheep from rotting and so sharp Tryals severe Providences preserve the Saints from spiritual putrefying and from spiritual rotting The Rabbins to keep their Scholars from sin were wont to tell them that sin made Gods head ake and Saints under fiery tryals do find by experience that sin makes not only their heads but also their hearts ake and by this means God preserves his people from many sins which otherwise they would certainly fall into Beloved God by his fiery Dispensations has destroyed many or most of your outward comforts but little do you know the horrible sins that by this means the Lord has preserved you from A full Estate lays men most open to the greatest sins the worst of shares and the deadliest temptations The best of men have fallen foulest under their highest worldly enjoyments witness David Solomon Hezekiah c. Under your outward fulness how low was your communion with God how languishing were your Graces how lean were your Souls and how was your spring of inward Comforts dryed up How little had God of your thoughts your hearts your time your strength O Sirs how bad would you have been by this time if God had not removed those things that were but fuel to your lusts and quench-coals to your grace Well often think of this 't is a greater mercy to be preserved from sin yea from the least sin then 't is to enjoy the whole world But Thirdly By severe Providences and by fiery Tryals God designs the imbittering of sin to his people When God shall come and burn up mens comforts round about them then they will cry out Ah what a bitter thing is sin that puts God upon burning work then they will speak that language to their own Souls that the Prophet once spake to the Jews Jer. 2. 15. They made his land waste his cities are burnt with fire Vers 17. Hast thou not procured these things to thy self Vers 19. Thine 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 So Chap. 4. 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thy heart Yea now they will say that sin is bitternesses in the abstract and in the plural number also according to that of the Prophet Hosea Hos 12. 14. Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly or with bitternesses as the Hebrew has it Relations and friends may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and conscience may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and good books may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and men under terrours and horrours of spirit may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and the fore and heavy Judgments of God upon others may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and the Spirit by his secret whispers may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and Ministers may tell us that sin is a bitter thing they may tell you that 't is bitter to God it being the only thing in all the world that he has revealed his wrath from Heaven against and that is contrary to the Nature of God the Law of God the Being of God the Glory of God and the grand Designs of God They may tell you that 't is bitter to Christ witness his crying out in the bitterness of his Soul My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and witness the sorrows and heaviness of his Soul and his sweating clods of blood When he hung upon the Cross they gave him gall and vinegar to drink but no gall was so bitter to him as your sins They may tell you that sin is bitter to the Spirit of God Gen. 6. 3. Eph. 4. 29. for nothing grieves him and provokes him and vexes him but sin They may tell you that sin is bitter to the good Angels every sin that you commit is as a dagger at their hearts there is nothing in all the world so bitter to them as to see their Lord and Master daily yea hourly crucified by sinners fins They may tell you that sin is bitter to the evil Angels it being the only thing for which they were banished the Court of Heaven and turned down to the lowest Hell where they are kept in chains of darkness to the Judgment Jude 6. of the great day They may tell you that sin is bitter to the worst of men witness Adams hiding of himself and Gen. 3. 10. Math. 27. Gen. 4. 13. Rom. 8. 20 21 22. Judas his hanging of himself and Cains crying out My burden is greater then I am able to bear They may tell you that 't is bitter to the Creatures who groan under their burdens and who long to be delivered from that bondage that the sin of man hath subjected them to and yet for all this we will not feelingly affectionately experimentally say that sin is bitter till God comes and burns us up Lam. 4. 11. And gives us gall and wormwood to drink Chap. 3. 19 20. Remembring mine affliction and my misery the wormwood and the gall My soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me O Sirs how bitter should sin be to you who have seen London all in flames Certainly God by burning up your sweet pleasant and delightful things would teach you to taste a greater bitterness in sin then ever O happy Fire that shall render God and Christ and Heaven and Promises and Ordinances more sweet and sin more bitter to poor sinners Souls Doubtless one of Gods great designs by this late Judgment of Fire is to imbitter sin to all sorts of men When Judgments imbitter our sins to us then they work kindly powerfully effectually and then we may conclude that there was a hand of love in those Judgments and then we shall justifie the Lord and say with the Church Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against him or as the Hebrew runs Because I have imbittered him he is righteous in all the sore judgments that he hath inflicted upon me for I have imbittered him against me by my most bitter sins But Fourthly By severe Providences and fiery Tryals God designs the mortifying and purging away of his peoples sins Isa 1. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee to wit to correct or chastise thee and purely purge away thy dross or drosses Dan. 11. 35. Mal. 3. 1 2 3. Gods fire is in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem Isa 31. 9. and take away all thy tin or tins in the plural number Some by dross understand gross
men under their losses crosses tryals and sufferings from the people of God When they are under fiery tryals what an evil spirit what a desperate spirit what a sullen spirit what a proud spirit what a Satanical spirit what a hellish spirit do they discover they tell all the world that they are under the power and dominion of the God of this Phil. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 26. World But when the people of God are under fiery tryals they make conscience of carrying of it so as that they may convince the world that God is in them of a truth and that they are sincere and upright before the Lord however they are judged and censured as Hypocrites Deceivers Dissemblers and what not O that all that are sufferers by this fiery Dispensation would make it their business their work their Heaven so to carry it under their present tryals as to convince all gain-sayers of the sincerity integrity and uprightness of their hearts both towards the Lord his people his ways his Ordinances his interest and all his concernments in this world And thus much for the gracious Ends that God aims at in all those severe Providences and fiery Tryals that of late he has exercised his people with The next thing we are to inquire after is those sins for which the Lord inflicts so heavy a Judgment as this of Fire upon the Sons of men Now for the opening of this give me leave to propose this Question Viz. What are those sins that bring the fiery Dispensation that Quest bring the Judgment of Fire upon Cities Nations and Countries Now that I may give a full and fair Answer to this necessary and important Qâ—estion will you please to premise with me these four things First We need not question but that some of all sorts ranks and degrees of men in and about that once great and glorious City did eminently contribute to the bringing down of that dreadful Judgment of Fire that has turned that renowned City into Ashes doubtless Superiors and Inferiors Ministers and People Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants Rich and Poor Honourable and Base Bond and Free have all had a hand in the bringing down that Judgment of Fire that has turned London into a ruinous heap But Secondly Premise this with me viz. That 't is a greater Argument of humility integrity and holy ingenuity to fear our selves and to be jealous of our selves rather then others as the Disciples of Christ did Mat. 26. 21 22. And as they Math. 26. 21 22. did eat he said Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me And they were exceeding sorrowful and began every one of them to say unto him Lord is it I 'T is better for every man to do his best to ransack and search his own Soul and to find out the Achan the accursed thing in his own bosom Lam. 3. 40. Joshua 7. that has brought that dreadful Judgment of Fire upon us then for men without any Scripture-warrant to fix it upon this party and that this sort of men and that There is no Christian to him that smites upon his own heart his own â—â—east his own thigh saying What have I done The neglect of this duty the Prophet long since has complained of No man repents himself of his wickedness saying Jer. 8. 6. What have I done that is none comparatively So how rare is it to find a burnt Citizen repenting himself of his wickedness and saying What have I done Most men are ready to blame others more then themselves and to judge Math. 7. 1 2 3 4. others rather then themselves to be the persons that have brought down this Judgment of Fire upon us 'T was a good Saying of one of the Ancients Amat Deus seipsos judicantes Augustine non judicare God loves to judge them that judge others rashly but not those that judge themselves religiously But Thirdly Premise this with me in times of common Judgements common Calamities and Miseries other of the Saints and Servants of God have lookt upon their own sins as the procuring-causes of the common Calamity Thus David did in that 2 Sam. 24. 15. So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed and there dyed of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men but mark the 17. verse And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the Angel that smote the people and said Lo I have sinned and I have done wickedly but these sheep what have they done let thy hand I pray thee be against me and against my fathers house And thus did good Nebemiah Nehem. 1. 3 6 7. And they said unto me The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down and the gates thereof burnt with fire Both I and my fathers house have sinned we have dealt very corruptly against thee and have not kept thy commandments nor the statutes nor the judgments which thou commandest thy servant Moses Now certainly 't is as much our glory as our duty to write after these blessed Copies that these Worthies have set before us Alexander had somewhat a wry neck and his Souldiers thought it an honour to be like him How much more should we count it an honour to be like to David and Nehemiah in such a practice as is honourable to the Lord and advantagious to our selves But what Plutarch said of Demosthenes That he was excellent at praising the worthy Acts of his Ancestors but not so at imitating them is applicable to the present case and to many who have been burnt up in our day But Fourthly and lastly Premise this with me there were many sins amongst them that did profess to fear God in that great City which may and ought to work them to justifie the Lord and to say that he is righteous in his fiery Dispensations I may well say to the burnt Citizens of London what the Prophet Oded to them in that 2 Chron. 28. 10. But are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord your God But you will say What sins were there among the professing people in London that may and ought to work them to justifie the Lord and to say that he is just and righteous and that he has done them no wrong though he has burnt them up and turned them out of all I answer That there were these seven sins among others Answ to be found amongst many of them I say not amongst all of them all which call aloud upon them to lye low at the foot of God and to subscribe to the Righteousness of God though he has turned them out of house and home and burnt up their substance on every hand First There was among many Professors of the Gospel in London too great a conformity to the fashions of the
much sweetness in it that it made him say that hâ— would not live in Paradise if he might without the Word at cum Verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere but with the Word he could live in Hell it self Dolphins they say love Musick and so do gracious Souls love the Musick of the Gospel The Gospel is like the stone Garamantides that hath drops of gold within it self enriching all that will embrace it and conform to it and this the Saints have found by experience and therefore they cannot but delight in it and draw sweetness from it Aglutuidas never relished any dish better then what was distâ—sted by others So do the Saints relish that Gospel best that others distaste most and therefore I cannot charge this sin fairly upon them But Fourthly There are none that do so highly prize the Gospel and that set so high a value upon the Gospel as those do who have experienced the saving power of the Gospel upon their own Souls such prefer the Gospel before all their nearest and dearest concernments and enjoyments that they Rev. 12. 11. Rev. 2. 12 13. Heb. 11. 33 38. Luther speaking of the Gospel saith that the shortest line and the least letter thereof is more then all Heaven and Earth Tertul. Apol. cap. 5. have in this world As might be made evident from their practice in the primitive times and in the Marian days and in those late years that are now past over our heads The Tabernacle was covered over with red and the purple Feathers tell us they take that habit for the same intent to note that we must defend the truth of the Gospel even to the effusion of blood and this they have made good in all the Ages of the World who have found the saving power of the Gospel upon their own Souls Tertullian concludes that the Gospel must needs be a precious thing because Nero hated it and indeed it was so precious to the Saints in his days that they very willingly and chearfully laid down their lives for the Gospel sake Now the same Spirit rests upon the Saints in our days and therefore upon this ground I cannot charge that horrid sin of slighting scorning and contemning of the Gospel upon them Israel had three Crowns as the Talmud observes 1. of the King 2. of the Priest 3. of the Law but the Crown of the Law that was the chief of the three Fifthly Who were so ready and free to countenance the Gospel and to maintain the Gospel and to encourage the faithful and painful Preachers of the Gospel as those that had found the sweet of the Gospel and the saving power of the Gospel upon their own Souls They like well of Religion without expence in Basil and a Gospel without charge in Nazianzene but if it grow costly 't is no commodity for their money Now this was the very frame and temper of many thousands in London who never experienced the saving work of the Gospel upon their poor Souls but they were of another frame and temper of spirit in London upon whom the Gospel was fallen in power and therefore I may not charge upon them this odious sin of slighting scorning and contemning the Gospel But Sixthly Who were there within or without the Walls of London that were so much in a hearty and serious blessing praising and admiring of the Lord and his goodness for bringing them forth in Gospel-times as those that had a saving work of the Gospel upon their own Souls When Alexander was born his Father Philip blessed such Gods as he had not so much that he had a Son as that he had him in Aristotles days he was thankful for natural and moraldiscoveries The clearest the choicest the fullest and the sweetest visions and discoveries that we have of God on this side Eternity we have in the Gospel and this they frequently experience who have found the Gospel falling in power upon their Souls and therefore they cannot but always have Harps in their hands and Hallelujahs in their mouths Rev. 14. 1 2. 3 4. Chap. 19. 1. to vers 8. upon this very account that they have lived under the warm Sun-shine of the Gospel and therefore I shall not charge this vile sin of slighting scornâ—ng and contemning the Gospel upon them who above all oâ—her men were most exercised in a serious and hearty blessing and praising of God for his glorious Gospel Some there were that blest God for their yearly incomes and others there were that blest God for their prosperous relations and friends and many there were that blest God for their deliverance from various perils and dangers But those that had the Gospel working in power upon them they made it their business and work above all to bless the Lord for the Gospel and therefore who dare charge upon them the contempt of the Gospel But Seventhly and lastly There were none within nor without the Walls of London that have suffered so many things and such hard things for the enjoyment of the Gospel in its power and purity as they have done who have found the powerful and saving work of the Gospel upon their own Souls such have been as signs and wonders in Israel in London Now what folly and vanity would it be to charge Isa 8. 18. them with slighting scorning and contemning of the Gospel who have been the only sufferers for the Gospel sake And thus much for the twelfth sin that brings the fiery Dispensation upon Cities and People The sin that brings the fiery Dispensation upon a People and that provokes the Lord to lay their Cities desolate is a course a trade of lying Nahum 3. 1. Wo to the bloody City it is all full of lyes Verse 7. And it shall come to pass that alâ— they that look upon thee shall flee from thee and say Nineveh is laid waste who will bemoan her whence shall I seek comforters for thee Verse 13. Behold thy people in the midst of thee are women the gates of thy land shall be set wide open to thine enemies the fire shall devour thy bars that is thy strong holds for so the word bars is frequently taken as you may see by comparing the â—criptures in the Margine together Nineveh 1 Sam. 23. 7. 1 Kings 4. 13 2 Chron. 8. 5. Chap. 14. 7. Jer. 49. 31. and Chap. 51. 30. Lam. 2. 9. Amos 1. 5. was a great City a rich City a populous city a trading City 't was a City that was wholly made up of fraud and falshood it was all full of lyes or it was full of all sorts of lyes there was no truth to be found either in her private contracts or in her publick transactions and capitulations with other Nations and therefore the Lord resolves to lay her desolate and to consume her with fire So Jâ—r 9. 3. And they bend their tongues like their how for lyes Verse 5. And they will deceive every one his neighbour and
by inflicting the Judgment of Fire when the Sodomites burned in their lusts one towards another Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven The Lord rained brimstone and fire from the Lord that is by an elegant Hebraism from himself it being usual with the Hebrews to put the Noun for the Pronoun as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margine together Gen. 1. 27. 1 Sam. 15. 22. 2 Chron. 7. 2. 1 Kings 8. 1. Now this fiery vengeance came not from any inferior cause but from the supream cause even God himself This brimstone and material fire that was rained by the Lord out of Heaven was not by any ordinary course of Nature but by the immediate almighty power of God Doubtless it was the supernatural and miraculous work of the Lord and not from any natural cause that such showers not of water as when the Old world was drowned but of material fire and brimstone should fall from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah to which add Adama and Zeboim for all these four Cities were burnt together God rained not sprinkled yea he rained not fire only but fire and brimstone for the increase of their torment and that they might have a Hell above ground a Hell on this sâ—de Hell They had hot fire for their burning lusts and stinking brimstone for their stinking brutishness They burned with vile and unnatural lusts and therefore against the course of Nature fire falls down from Heaven and devours them and their stinking abominable â—â—lthiness is punished with the stench of brimstone mingled with fire Thus God delights to suit mens punishments to their sins yea that temporal fire that God rained out of Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah was but a fore-runner of their everlasting punishment in that Lake which burns with Rev. 21. 8. fire and brimstone for evermore The temporal punishment of the impenitent Sodomites did but make way to their Jude 7. eternal punishments as Jude tells us I readily grant that the fire of Hell was typified by that fire which fell from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah but I cannot conceive that the Apostle Jude in the place last-cited doth intend or design to prove that the Sodomites were destroyed by Hell-fire for in the History of Genesis to which the Apostle alludes there is no mention at all of Hell-fire or of Eternal fire and doubtless the example that should warn sinners to repent of their sins and to turn to the most High is to be taken from the History in Genesis I cannot at present see how Sodom and Gomorrah can be set forth as an example to sinners by suffering the punishment of Hell-fire when the History is wholly silent as to any such fire Some to mollifie the seeming austerity of that Phrase which Jude uâ—es viz. Eternal fire read the words thus Were made an example of eternal fire suffering vengeance by which construction they gather that the fire which hath irreparably destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah was a type and figure of that fire of Hell of that Eternal fire that is reserved for wicked men and by which sinners ought to be warned Others by eternal fire understand the duration of the effects of the first temporal punishment the soil thereabout wearing the marks of divine displeasure to this very day Several Authors write that the Air there is so infectious that no creature can live there Josephus Tertullian Augustine c. and though the Apples and other fruit that grow there seem pleasant unto the eye yet if you do but touch them they presently turn into cinders and ashes The stinking Lake of Asphaltes near to Sodom is left as a perpetual Monument of Gods Vengeance killing all fish that swimmeth in it and fowls that flye over it Others by eternal fire understand an utter destruction according to that 2 Pet. 2. 6. And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow that is utterly destroyed them making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly God hangs them up in Gibbets as it were that others might hear and fear and not dare to do wickedly as they had done What though it be said that the fire wherewith these Sodomites were destroyed was eternal yet there is no necessity to understand it of Hell-fire for even that very fire which consumed those Cities may be called Eternal because the punishment that was inflicted on Sodom and Gomorrah by fire was a punishment that should last as long as the world lasted God resolved those Cities should never be rebuilt but remain perpetual desolations in all generations Now in this sense the word Eternal is often used in the Scripture Again the fire and brimstone that fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah was a type and figure of that eternal fire or those eternal torments that shall be inflicted upon all impenitent sinners for ever and ever The sum of all is this that the Sodomites by giving themselves over to fornication and by going after strange flesh did provoke the Lord to rain Hell out of Heaven upon them they did provoke the Lord to rain material fire and brimstone both upon their persons and their habitations Now give me leave to say that doubtless the body of the inhabitants of that famous City which is now laid in ashaes were as free from giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh as any in any part of the Nation yea more free then many in some parrs of the Nation yea give me leave to say that I cannot see how these sins that are charged upon the Sodomites can be clearly or groundedly charged upon any of the precious Servants of the Lord that did truly fear him in that renowned City And my Reasons are these First Because in all their solemn and secret Addresses to the Lord they have seriously lamented and mourned over these crying abominations Secondly Because mens giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are such high and horrid sins against the Light and Law of Nature that God commonly preserves his Chosen from them He shall be an Apoâ—lo to me that can produce any one instance in the Old or New Testament of any one person that after real and through Conversion did ever give himself over to fornication and to go after strange flesh Aristotle calls beastiality a furpassing wickedness By the Laws of those two Emperors Theodisius and Arcadius Sodomites were adjudged to the fire In the Councel of Vienna the Templers who were found guilty of this sin were decreed to be burnt And among the Romans it was lawful for him who was attempted to that abuse to kill him who made the assault Tertullian brings in Christianity triumphing over Paganism because this sin was peculiar to Heathens and that Christians never changed the Sex nor accompanied with any but their own wives This and such like as Tertullian speaks
sabbaths to be a sign between me and them that they may know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them The singular blessings that the right sanctifying of the Sabbath will bring upon us are 1. Spiritual they that conscientiously sanctifie the Sabbath they shall see and know the work of God the work of Grace upon their own Souls There are many precious Christians that have a work of God a work of Grace upon their own Souls who would give ten thousand worlds were there so many in their hands to give to see that work to know that work Oh but now they that sanctifie the Sabbath they shall both see and know the work of God upon their own Souls And they shall find â—he Lord carrying on the work of Grace and Holiness in their Souls they shall find the Lord destroying their sins and filling their hearts with joy and with a blessed assurance of his favour and love Isa 56. 6 7. Also the sons of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the Name of the Lord to be his servants Every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold on my Covenant Even them will I bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon my Altar for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people So Isa 58. 13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord. Now in the second place the other blessings that the right sanctifying of the Sabbath will invest us with are temporal blessings for so they follow in the Scripture last cited And I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth here is honour and esteem and safety and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father Now the Land of Canaan was the Inheritance Gen. 28. 13. And Chap. 48. 4. which God promised to Jacob. Hereby is noted that comfortable provision that God would make for them that sanctified his Sabbaths Such as make the Sabbath their delight they shall never want protection nor provision God will be a Wall of fire about them and a Canaan to them But Fifthly Consider that our Lord Jesus who is the Lord of the Sabbath and whom the Law it self commands us to Math. 12. 8. Deut. 18. 18 19. hear did alter it from the seventh day to the first day of the week which we now keep For the holy Evangelists note that our Lord came into the midst of the Assembly on the two first days of the two weeks immediately following his Resurrection and then blessed the Church breathing on them the Holy Ghost Joh. 20. 19-26 Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you And after eight days again his disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace â—e unto you Look as Christ was forty days instructing Moses in Sinai what he should teach and how he should govern the Church under the Law so he continued forty days teaching his Disciples what they shoult preach and how they should govern the Church under the Gospel Acts 1. 2 3. Vntil the day in which he was taken up after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chosen To whom also he shewed himself alive after his Passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God And it is not to be doubted but that within those forty days he likewise ordained on what day they should likewise keep the Sabbath and 't is observable that on this first day of the week he sent down from Heaven the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles Acts 2. 1-4 And when the day of the Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance So that on that day they first began and ever after continued the publick exercise of their Ministry Christ who was Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 28. had a soveraign right to change and alter it to what day he pleased But Sixthly Consider that according to the Lords mind and Commandment and the direction of the Holy Ghost the Apostles in all the Christian Churches ordained that they should keep the holy Sabbath upon the first day of the week 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Now concerning the collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches â—â— Galatia Even so do ye upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gathering when I come In which words you may observe these five things First That the Apostles ordained this day to be kept holy therefore 't is of a Divine institution Secondly That the day is named the first day of the week therefore not the Jewish seventh or any other Thirdly Every first day of the week which sheweth its perpetuity Fourthly That it was ordained in the Churches of Galatia as well as of Corinth and he setled one uniform in all the Churches of the Saints therefore it was universal 1 Cor. 14. 33. For God is not the Author of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the Saints Fifthly That there should be collections for the poor on that day after the other Ordinances were ended Now why should the Apostles require collections to be made on the first day of the week but because on that day of the week the Saints assembled themselves together in the Apostles time And in the same Epistle he protesteth that he delivered them no other Ordinance or Doctrine but what he had received from the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread 1 Cor. 14. 37. If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. Now mark he wrote to them and ordained among them to keep their Sabbath on the first day of the week therefore to keep the Sabbath on that day is the very Commandment of the Lord. But Seventhly Consider the Apostles on that day ordinarily dispensed the holy Ordinances
Joh. 20. 19-26 Acts 20 7. And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his speech until midnight 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. 1 Cor. 11. 23. But Eighthly Consider such things as are named the Lords in Scripture are ever of the Lords institution As the Word of the Lord 1 Tim. 6. 3. The Cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 27. The Supper of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 20. And so the Lords Day Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day Now why does John call it the Lords day but because it was a day known to be generally kept holy to the honour of the Lord Jesus who rose from death to life upon that day throughout all the Churches which the Apostles had planted which St. John calls the Lords day that he might the better stir up Christians to a thankful remembrance of their Redemption by Christs Resurrection from the dead But Ninthly Consider that a right sanctifying of the Sabbath is one of the best signs in the Bible that God is our God and that his sanctifying work is past in power upon us Ezek. 20. When the primitive Christians had this question put to them Servasti Dominicum Hast thou kept the Lords day answered Christianus sum omittere non possum I am a Christian I cannot but keep it 20. And hallow my sabbaths and they shall be a sign between me and you that ye may know that I am the Lord your God So Exod. 31. 13. Speak thou also unto the Children of Israel saying Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you Look as Circumcision and the Passeover were signs that the Jews were in Covenanâ— with God so likewise was the Sabbath Ezek. 31. 13. and because it was a sign of the Covenant between God and them Vers 16. Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keep the sabbath to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual Covenant God tells them that they must observe it for a perpetual Covenant and hence it was that when they violated the Sabbath God accounted it the violation of the Covenant between him and them The sanctifying of the Sabbath in the primitive times was the main Character by which sincere Christians were differenced from others they judged of mens sanctity by their sanctifying of the Sabbath And indeed as there cannot be a greater argument or evidence of a prophane heart then the prophaning the Sabbath so there cannot be a greater argument or evidence of a gracious heart then a right sanctifying of the Sabbath But Tenthly Consider a right sanctifying of the Sabbath will 10. be a most sure and certain pledge pawn and earnest of our keeping of an everlasting Sabbath with God in Heaven Heb. 4. 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God Gr. a sabbatism an eternal rest a sabbath that hath no evening Now mark if this Sabbath be a sign and pledge of Heaven then we must keep it till we come there For if we lose the pledge of a benefit we lose the evidence of that benefit whereof it is a pledge A man that is in the Spirit on the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. he is in Heaven on the Lords day there cannot be a more lively resemblance of Heaven on this side Heaven then the sanctifying of the Sabbath in a heavenly manner What is Heaven but an eternal Sabbath And what is a temporal Sabbath but a short Heaven a little Heaven on this side Heaven Our delighting to sanctifiâ— Gods Sabbath on Earth gives full assurance to our faith grounded upon Gods infallible promise that we shall enter into Gods eternal Rest in Heaven for so runs the promise Isa 58. ult Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The former part of the verse relates to earthly blessings but these words I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father that is with a heavenly inheritance for what is the heritage of Jacob but Canaan in the Type and Heaven it self in the Antitype But should I thus sanctifie the Sabbath should I be sure of going to Heaven yes for so it roundly follows in the next words The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it But Eleventhly Consider that of all days God hath put the highest honour upon his Sabbaths by appointing his precious Ordinances in a special manner to be used on those days The Sabbath is a gold Ring and the Ordinances are as so many costly sparkling Diamonds in that Ring All the works of the new Creation are commonly wrought on this day this is the joyful day wherein ordinarily God gives spiritual sight to the blind and spiritual ears to the deaf and spiritual tongues to the dumb and spiritual feet to the lame That Exod. 12. 42. is here applicable It is a night to be much observed to the Lord for bringing them out from the Land of Egypt this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the Children of Israel in their generation Those that are new-born are commonly new-born on this day and therefore 't is a day to be much observed to the Lord. Those that are converted are ordinarily converted on this day and therefore 't is that day of the Lord that ought to be observed by all the converted Israel of God Those that are edified are commonly most edified on this day O the sweet communion O the choice converse O the singular discoveries O the blessed manifestations O the excellent enjoyments that Christ vouchsafes to his people on this day O the discoveries of Grace O the exercise of Grace O the increase of Grace the progress in Grace O the comforts of Grace that God vouchsafes to his Chosen on this day Experience shews that the right sanctifying of the Sabbath is a powerful means under Christ to sanctifie us and to increase our faith and raise our hope and inflame our love and to kindle our zeal and to enlarge our desires and to melt our hearts and to weaken our sins But Twelfthly and lastly Consider this that a right sanctifying of the Sabbath will cross Satans grand design it will spoil his plot his master-piece Satan is a deadly enemy to the right sanctifying of the Sabbath witness the many temptations that many Christians are more troubled with on this day then they are on any other day in the whole week and witness the many vain wandring and distracting thoughts that many precious Christians are more afflicted with on this day then they are on all the days of the week beside and witness that high and hot opposition
the seventy thousand that died of the Plague though Davids sin were the occasion yet the meritorious cause was in them Certainly there is no man that hath been a sufferer by this late dreadful Fire but upon an easie search into his own heart and life he may find matter enough to silence himself and to satisfie himself that though God has turn'd him out of his habitation and burnt up all his comforts round about him yet he has done him no wrong Surely in the burning of the City of London there was more of the extraordinary hand of God than there was of the hand of Papist or Atheist God if he had pleased could have prevented brutish and skilful men to destroy Ezek. 21. 31. and burn by discovering of their hellish plots before they had taken effect as he did Ahitophels 2 Sam. 17. 10. to the 24. and as he did Tobiahs and Sanballats Neh. 4. 7. to v. 16. And as he did the Jews who took counsel to kill Paul Acts 9. 23 24 25. Acts 23. 12. to 25. And as he did that of the Gun-Powder-Treason And God could have directed and spirited men to the use of the means and then have given such a blessing to the means as should have been effectual to the quenching of it when it was first kindled but he would not which is a clear evidence that he had given from Heaven a commission to the Fire to burn with that force and violence as it did till all was laid in ashes Now that you may the better see and acknowledge the hand of the Lord in the late dreadful Fire that has been amongst us Consider seriously with me these ten following particulars First Consider the intemperate heat the drought of the season such a hot and dry Summer as that was has not been known for many years How by this means every mans habitation Nah. 1. 10. Joâ—l 2. 5. By this parching season every mans house was prepared for fuel was as stubble fully dry prepared and fitted for the burning flames Before God would strike fire he made our houses like tinder When fuell is wet and green what puffing and blowing must there be to kindle a fire and to make it burn but when fuell is light and dry it is so conceptive of fire that even the very smell of fire puts it into a flame And this was poor London's case for every mans house had lain long a Sunning under the scorching beams of the Sun and much brightness of weather which made every thing so dry and combustible that sparks and flakes of fire were sufficient to set mens houses all in a flame about their ears Now this finger of God we are neither to overlook nor yet deny 't is our wisdom as well as our work Exod. 8. 19. to see not only the finger but the hand of the Lord in every circumstance that relates to that fore Judgement of fire that we are still sighing under 'T is God that withholds seasonable showers and that causeth it to rain upon one City Amos 4. 7. and not upon another The Earth cannot open her bowels and yield seed to the Sower and bread to the Eater if not 1 King 17. 1 2. Job 38. 31. Doubtless there was much wrath in his that the Water-house which served much of the City with water should be burnt down in a few hours after the fire first began To want a proper â—emedy when we are under a growing misery is no small calamity 'T is sad with the people that have nothing to quench the furious flames but their own tears and blood To be stript of water when God strikes a people with that tremendous Judgement of Fire is wrath to the utmost watered from above nor the Heaven cannot drop down fatness upon the Earth if God close it up and withhold the seasonable showers This the very Heathens acknowledged in their fictions of Jupiter and Juno God only can make the Heavens as Brass and the Earth as Iron and restraiâ—â—â—he Celestial influences Can man bind the sweet influences of Pleiades or loose the bonds of Orion Can any but God forbid the Clouds to drop fatness Surely no. Beloved drought and scantness of water upon a Land a City c. is a Judgement of God 'T is no small misery to have the streams dried up when the fire is at our doors Jer. 50. 38. A drought is upon her waters and they shall be dried up for it is the Land of Graven Images and they are mad upon their Idols Jer. 51. 35 36. The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon shall the inhabitant of Zion say and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea shall Jerusalem say Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee and I will dry up her Sea and make her Springs dry Now mark what follows ver 37. And Babylon shall become heaps a dwelling place for Dragons an astonishment and an hissing without an inhabitant When God comes to plead the cause of Zion against Babylon not by words but by deeds by blowes by terrible Judgements When he comes to burn up the inhabitants of Babylon and to turn them out of house and home he first dryes up her Sea and makes her Springs dry Haggai 1 11. And I called for a drought upon the Land and upon the Mountains and upon the Corn and upon the new Wine and upon the Oyl and upon that which the ground bringeth forth and upon Men and upon Cattel and upon all the labour of the hands 'T is God that brings droughts and rain and that opens and stops the Clouds the bottles of Heaven at his pleasure Jer. 14. 2 3 4. Judah mourneth and the gates thereof languish they are black unto the ground and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up And their Nobles have sent their little ones to the waters they came to the pits and found no water they returned with their vessels empty they were ashamed and confounded they covered their heads They muffled up their heads and faces as a token of great grief and sorrow as close mourners do with us Because the ground is chapt for there was no rain in the earth the Plowmen were ashamed they covered their heads There are many calamities that are brought upon us by humane means that are also avoidable by humane helps but drought and want of water â—specially when a devouring fire is kindled in the midst of a people is no small judgement of Heaven upon that people to want water when the house is all in flames is a high evidence of Divine displeasure We had no rain a long time before the fire and the Springs were low and the Water-works at the Bridge-foot which carried water into that part of the City that was first in flames were burnt dowâ— the first day of the fire And was there not wrath from Heaven in this Surely yes Look as 't
had set both their City and Temple in a flame before their eyes Now mark sudden and unexpected Judgements do alwayes carry a great deal of the anger and severity of God in them Deut. 7. 4. So will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and destroy thee suddenly God being greatly angry with Jerusalem Isa 29. 1 2 3 4. He tells her that her Judgement should be at an instant suddenly ver 5. Psal 64. 7. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded Hab. 2. 7. Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee and awake that shall vex thee and thou shalt be for booties unto them Prov. 6. 14 15. Frowardness is in his heart be deviseth mischief continually he soweth discord Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly suddenly shall he be broken without remedy Here is a dismal doom not bruised but broken yea suddenly broken when they least dream or dread the danger And this without remedy there shall be no possibility of piecing them up again or putting them into a better condition Chap. 24. 22. Their calamity shall rise suddenly when they think that they have made all cock-sure then ruine and desolation lyes at their door Certainly there are no judgements so dreadful and amazing as those which come most suddenly and unexpectedly upon the sons of men for these cut off all hope they hinder the exercise of reason they cloud mens minds they distress mens spirits they marr mens councils and they weaken mens courage and they daunt mens hearts so that they can neither be serviceable to themselves nor their friends not the publick all this was evidently seen upon the body of the Citizens when London was in flames The more eminent cause have we to take notice of the hand of the Lord in that late fiery dispensation that has past upon us The year 1666. according to the computation of several sober wise learned men should have been the Christians Jubilee many mens expectations were high that Rome that year should be laid in ashes but it never entered into any of our hearts or thoughts that this very year London should be laid in ashes O unexpected blow Berlin in Germany who in the Pulpit Scultet Aâ—â—aâ— charged the Apostle Paul with a lie was suddenly smitten with an Apoplexy while the words were yet in his mouth and fâ—ll down dead in the place The Parson of Chrondal in Kent having got a Pardon from Cardinal Pool as the Popes Substitute in that work the next Lords Day in his own Parish presses all his people to do the lâ—ke with this Argument that he was now so free from all his sins that he could die presently and God presently so struck him in the Pulpit that he died and never spoke more As Bibulus a Roman General was riding in triumph in all his glory a Tyle fell from the house in the Street and knockt out his brains Otho the Emperour slew himself with his own hands but slept so soundly the night before that the Grooms of his Chamber heard him snort And Plutarch reporteth the like of Cato Lepidus and Aufidius stumbled at the very threshold of the Senate and died the blow came in a cloud from Heaven Sophocles died suddenly by excessive joy and Homer by immoderate grief Mr. Perkins speaks of one who when it thundered scoffingly said it was nothing but Tom Tumbril a hooping his Tubs and presently he was struck dead with a Thunderbolt Olympus the Arrian Heretick bathing himself Theatre of Gods Judgements lib. 1. ap 9. p. 64. uttered sad words against the blessed Trinity but suddenly a threefold Thunderbolt struck him dead in the same place Attilus King of the Huns proudly gave out that the Stars fell before him and the earth trembled at his presence and how he would be the scourge of all Nations but soon after he died by a flux of blood breaking out of his mouth which choaked him on his wedding-day King Henry the Second of France upon the Marriage of his Sister with the King of Spain was so puffed up that he called him self by a new Title Tres-heurâ—use Roy The thrice happy King But to confute him in solemnizing that Marriage he was slain at Tilt by the Captain of his Guard though against his will but not without Gods determinate counsel in the very beginning of his supposed happiness Now every one that is a man either of reason or Religion will certainly say that in these sudden Judgements that befell these persons there was the angry and displeased hand of God to be seen O how much more then should we see the angry and displeased hand of the Lord in that sudden dreadful fire that has turned our once renowned City into a ruinous heap Jer. 8. 15. In this year 1666. many thought that there had been many great and glorious things in the womb of Providence that would have been now brought forth but they were mistaken for unexpectedly London is laid in ashes But Thirdly Consider the force violence vehemency and irresistibleness of it despising and triumphing over all those Many Authors speak much of the Greek Fire some of which burnt the Saracens Fleet to be of such force that the Ancients accounted no other means would extinguish it but Vinegar And certainly several firâ—s that have been enkindled by Romish Jesuits have not been less turious weak endeavours that were used This Fire broke forth with that violence and raged with that fury and appeared in that dreadfulness and spread it self with that dismalness and continued for so long a time with that irresistibleness that discouraged hearts and weak hands with their Buckets Engines Ladders Hooks opening of Pipes and sweeping of Channels could give no check to it This fire broke in upon the Inhabitants like an Arm of the Sea and roared and raged like a Bear robbed of her Whelps until it had laid our glory in ashes When the fire was here and there a little allayed or beaten down or put to a stand how soon did it recover its force and violence and make the more furious onsets burning down Water-houses Engines Churches and the most strong pleasant and stately houses nothing being able to stand before its rage How soon did the flames mount up to the tops of the highest houses and as soon descend down to the bottom of the lowest Vaults and Cellars Stone walls and Brick-walls and those noble and strong Pieces of Architecture were all but fuel to those furious flames How did they march along Jehu-like on both sides of the Streets with such a roaring dreadful and astonishing noise as never was heard in the City of London before Londons sins were now so great and Gods wrath was now so hot that there was no quenching of the furious flames The Decree for the burning of London was now gone forth and none could reverse it The time of Londons fall was now come The fire had
now received its commission under the Broad Seal of Heaven to burn down the City and to turn it into a ruinous heap and therefore it defied and contemned all remedies and scorned to be supprest by humanâ— attempts Who ever kindled this fire God blew the coal and therefore no arts counsels or endeavours of men were able to quench it If God commission the Sword to walk abroad and to glut it self with blood who can command it into the Scabbard again No art power or policy can cause that Sword to lie still that God has drawn in the Nations round us untill it hath accomplished the ends for which he has drawn it As to our present case when I weigh things in the ballance of right reason I can't but be of opinion that had Magistrates and People vigorously and conscienciously discharged their duties much of London by the blessing of God upon their endeavours that is now ruined might happily have been preserved When in a storm the Ship and all the vast treasure that is in it is in danger to be lost 't is sad to see every Officer and Marriner to mind more and endeavour more the preservation of their Chests Cabins and particular interests than the preservation of the Ship and the vast treasure that is in it Now this was just our case Cicero Lib. 1. Ep. 15. ad Atticum in his time laughed at the folly of those men who conceited that their Fish-ponds and places of pleasure should be safe when the Common-wealth was lost And we may well mourn over the folly and vanity of those men who were so amazed confounded distracted besotted and infatuated if not worse as not to improve all heads hands hearts councils and offers that were made for the preservation of the City This is and this must be for a lamentation that in the midst of publick dangers all ranks and sorts of men should take more care for the preservation of their trifling Fardels for so is any particular mans estate though never so great when compared with the riches of a Rich Trading Populous City than they do for the preservation of the publick good That there might have been rational and probable anticipations of those dreadful conflagrating progresses I suppose all sober men will grant that these were either hid from some mens eyes and seen by others and not improved was Londons wo. When London was almost destroyed then some began to blow up some houses for the preservation of that little that was left and God blest their endeavours but had some had encouragement who long before were ready for that work and who offered themselves in the case ' â—is vâ—ry probâ—ble that a great part of London might have been preserved But what shall I say Divine Justice dos as eminently sparkle and shine in the shutting of mens eyes and in the stopping of mens ears and in the hardning mens hearts against the visible and probable means of their outward preservation as in any one thing This we must seriously consider and then lay our hands upon our mouths and be silent before the Lord. The force and violence of this fire was so great that many that removed their goods once twice thrice yea and some oftner yet lost all at last The fire followed them so close from place to place that some saved but little and others lost all Now how well dos it become us in the rage and fury of the flames to see the hand of the Lord and to bow before him as this fire being like Time which devours all before it Jerusalem was the glory and beauty of the whole Earth and the Temple was one of the worlds wonders but when Titus Vespasian's Souldiers had set it on Josâ—phus fire it burnt with that rage and fury that all the industry and skill that ever could be used imagined or thought on could not quench it though Titus would gladly havâ— preserved it as a matchless monument They threw both water and the blood of the slain into it but it burnt with that violence that nothing could extinguish it King Herod for eight years together before the ruine of it had imployed ten thousand men at work to beautifie it but when once 't was on fire it burnt with that fierceness that there was no preserving of it the Dâ—cree of Heaven been gone out against it c. But Fourthly Consider the swiftness of it It flew upon the wings of the wind that it might the sooner come to its journies end It ran along like the fire and hail in Aegypt destroying and consuming all before it The Apostle James Psalm 18. 10. Exod. 9. 23 24. James 3. 6. 2. The winds are the Fan of Nature to cool and purge the Aâ—r. But at this time God brought the winds out of his Treasury to scatter the flames of his indignation that so London might become a desolation speaks of fierce winds The wind was so boistrous that it scattered and carried the fire the flames sometimes one way sometimes another in despite of all the restraints resistances and limits that the amazed Citizens could have set to it I shall not trouble you with the various notions of Philosophers concerning the wind partly because they will do no service in the present case and partly because our work is to look higher than all natural causes All that either is or can be said of the Wind I suppose may be thus summed up that it is a creature that may be 1. Felt 2. Heard and Little understood Very wonderful is the rice of the Winds when it is so calm and still upon the Seas that scarce a breath of air is perceivable upon a sudden the wind is here and there and every where Eccles 1. 6. The wind goeth toward the South and turneth about unto the North it whirleth about continually and the wind returneth again according to his circuits Psal 135. 7. He bringeth the wind out of his treasuries But what those treasuries are and where they are no man on earth can certainly tell us The Wind is one of the great wonders of the Lord in which and by which the Lords Name is wonderfully magnified Psal 107. 24 25. They that go down to the Sea see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep What wonders He commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind although some thing may bek nown of this creature in the natural causes of it yet it is a wonder John 3. 8. above all that we can know of it What the Wind is and from whence it comes and whither it goes none can tell God is the great Generalissimo and Soveraign Commander Mat. 8. 27. Num. 11. 31. Isa 27. 8. Num. 11. 13. Gen. 8. Exod. 1. 10. Chap. 13. of the Winds so that a blast of wind cannot pass without his leave licence and cognizance Jonah 1. 4. But the Lord sent a great wind into the Sea and there was a mighty Tempest in
or else a waiting upon the Lord in his publick Ordinances Fire in thâ— night is terrible to all but mostly to such whose spirits and bodies were tired out in the preceding day Wasting and destroying Judgements are sad any day but saddest when they fall on the Lords Day For how do they disturb distress and distract the thoughts the minds the hearts and the spirits of men So that they can neither wait on God nor wrestle with God nor act for God nor receive from God in any of the duties or services of his day And this the poor Citizens found by sad experience when London was in flames about their ears Certainly the anger and wrath of God was very high and very hot when he made his day of rest to be a day of labour and disquiet When his people should have been a meeting hearing reading praising praying For the Lord now to scatter them and to deliver them their substance and habitations as a prey to the devouring fire what dos this speak our but high displeasure That the fire of Gods wrath should begin on the day of his rest and solemn Worship is and must be for a lamentation In several of those Churches where some might not preach there God himself preacht to the Parishioners in flames of fire And such who loved darkness rather than light John 3. 19. Exod. 19. 16 17 18. because their deeds were evil might now see their Churches all in a flaming fire What a terrifying and an amazing Sermon did God preach to his people of old in Mount Sinai when the Mount burned with fire And so what terrifying and amazing Sermons did God preach to the Citizens on his own day when their Temples and their habitations were all in flames Instead of holy rest what hurries were there in every street yea in the spirits of men Now instead of takeing up of Buckets men in every Street take up arms fearing a worse thing than fire The Jealousies and Rumors that fire balls were thrown into several houses and Churches by such that had no English tongues but out-landish hands to make the furious flames flame more furiously were so great that many were at a stand and others even at their wits end Now relations friends and neighbours hastened one another out of their houses as the Angels hastened Lot out of Sodom Gen. 19. 15 16 17. Such were the fears and frights and sad apprehensions that had generally seized upon the Citizens Not many Sabbaths before when men should have been instructing of their families what bonfires what ringing of Bells and what joy and rejoycing was there in our Streets for burning the Dutch Ships in their Harbour where many English and others were highly concerned as well as the Dutch little did they think who were pleasing and warming themselves at those lesser fires that the great God would in so short a time after kindle so great a fire in the midst of their Streets as should melt their Bells lay their habitations in ashes and make their Streets desolate So that those that were so jolly before might well take up that sad lamentation of weeping Jeremiah The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob and hath not pittied he hath thrown down in his Lam. 2. 2 3. wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Jâ—dah he hath brought them down to the ground He burned against Jacob like a flaming fire which devoureth round about May we not soberly guess that there were as many strict observers and sanctifiers of the Lords Day who did turn away their feet from doing their Isa 58. 13. pleasure on Gods holy day and that did call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord and honourable within the Walls of London as in a great part of the Nation besides Now for the Lord of the Saâ—bath to kindle such a devouring fire in such a City and that on his own day O what extraordinary wrath and displeasure dos this speak out When God by his Royal Law had bound the hands of his people from doing their own works for him now to fall upon his strange work and by a flaming consuming fire to turn a populous City a pious City an honourable City and an Ancient City into a ruinous heap what indignation to this indignation O Sirs it highly concerns us to take notice of the Judgements of the Lord that fall upon us on any day but especially those that fall upon us on his own day because they carry with them more than a tincture of Gods deep dâ—splâ—asure In the Council of Paris every one labouring to perswadâ— unto a more religious keeping of the Sabbath Day When Concil Paris lio 1. cap. 50. they had justly complained that as many other things so also the obsâ—rvation of the Sabbath was greatly decayed through the abuse of Chrâ—stian lâ—bâ—rty in that men too much followed the deligâ—â—s of the world and their own worldly pleasures both wicked and dangerous They further add For many of us have been eye witnesses many have intelligence of it bâ— the relation of others that some men upon this day being about their husbandry have been strucken with Thunder some have been maimed and made lame somâ— have had their bodies even bones and all burnt in a moment with visible fire and have consumed to ashes and many other Judgements of God have been and are daily inflicted upon Sabbath Breakers Stratford upon Sluon was twice on the same day twelve moneth being the Lords Day almost consumed with fire The Theatre of Gods Judgements pag. 419 420. chiefly for prophaning the Lords Day and contemning his word in the mouth of his faithful Minister Feverton in Devonsâ—ire whose remembrance makes my heart bleed saith my Author was oftentimes admonished by her godly Preachers that God would bring some heavy Judgement on the Town for their horrible prophanation of the Lords Day occasioned châ—efly by their Market on the day following Not long after his death on the third of April 1598. God in less than half an hour consumed with a sudden and fearful fire the whole Town except only the Church the Court-house and the Alms-houses or a few poor peoples dwellings where a man might have seen four hundred dwelling houses all at oâ—â—e on â—ire and above fifty persons consumed with the flames And on the fifth of August 1612. fourtâ—en years since the former fire the whole Town was again fired and consumed except some thirty houses of poor people with the School-house and Alms-houses Now certainly they must be much left of God hardned in sin and blinded by Satan who do not nor will not see the dreadful hand of God that is lifted up in his fiery dispensations upon his own day But Tenthly and lastly Consider That the burning of London 10. is a National Judgement God in smiting of London has smitten England round the stroke of God upon London was When one member in the natural
into encouragements to sin then you have more cause to fear that the Lord may farther blast you than you have to hope that God will make up your losses to you But Secondly Did you daily and seriously labour to enjoy much of God in all those worldly enjoyments which formerly you were blest withal If so 't is very probable that the Lord may make up all your losses to you But if you made a God of your worldly enjoyments if they had more of your thoughts and hearts and time than God himself had then you have more cause to fear a further curse than to expect a future blessing Prov. 3. 33. Mal. 2. 2. â—ut Thirdly Did your hearts commonly ordinarily habitually lye low under your worldly enjoyments Abraham under all his worldly enjoyments was but dust and ashes and Gen. 13. 17. Chap. 32. 10. Jacob under his was lâ—ss than the least of all mercies And so David under all Gods royal favours his heart lyâ—s low Psal 22. 6. But I am a worm and no man David in the Arabick Tongue signifies a Worm to which he seems to allude Tâ—e word in the Hebrew for Worm is Tolagnath which signifies such a very little Worm that a man can very hardly see it or perceive it Tâ—ough David was high in the world yet he was little yea very little in his own eyes Was it commonly mostly thus with you when your comforts compâ—ssed you round about If so then 't is very probable that the Lord in this world will make up all your losses to you But if your blood did commonly rise with your outward goods and if your hearts did usually so swell under your worldly enjoyments as to say with Pharaoh Who is the Lord Exod. 5. 2. that I should obey his voice or to say with Nebuchadnâ—zzâ—r Who is that God that can deliver you out of my hands or to Dan. 3. 15. say with those proud Atheists Who is Lord over us or to Psalm 12. 4. Jer. 2. 3. say with those proud Monsters We are Lords we will come no more unto thee c. then you have great cause to fear that God that hath yet some further controversie with you and except you repent will rather strip you of what you enjoy than multiply further favours or blessings upon you But Fourthly Since God has burnt up your worldly goods have you been servent and frequent with God that he would burn up those lusts that have burnt up your comforts before your eyes Have you pleaded hard with God that a Spirit of burning might rest upon you even that Spirit of burning Isa 9. 2. Chap. 4. 4. which alone can burn up your sins your dross Since London hath been laid in ashes have you made it your great business to treat and trade with God about the destruction of those sins that have laid all desolate If so then you have cause to hope that God will turn your captivity and make up all your losses to you Job 42. 10. But Fifthly Since God has turned you out of all are you turned turnnearer and closer to himself though you havâ— been prodigals yet have you in the light of Lâ—ndons flâ—mes seen and Luke 15. found your way to your Fathers housâ— thâ—n God will make up all your losses to you When Judgements are so sanctified as to bring a people nearer to himself then God will drop down mercies upon them Hos 2. 18. ult But Sixthly Has the fire of London been as a pillar of fire to lead you Canaan ward Heaven-wards Has God by burning Exod. 13. 21 22. up the good things of this world caused you to set your hearts and affections more than ever upon the great things of another world If so then 't is a hundred to ten but that the Lord will make up all your losses to you But Seventhly Are your hearts under this fiery dispensation brought into such a quiet submission to the good will and pleasure of God as that you can now be contented to be at Phil. 4. 12 13 14. Gods finding at Gods allowance Can you now be contented to be rich or poor to have much or little to be high or low to be something or nothing to have all again or to have nothing but necessaries again Are you now willing that God shall choose for you Can you sit down satisfied with Gods allowance though it be far short of what once you had Content is the Deputy of outward felicity and supplies the place where its absent A contented frame of heart as to all outward occurrences is like Ballast to a Ship which will help it to sail boldly and safely in all waters When a mans mind is conformable to his means all is well One brings in God rebuking a discontented Christian thus What is thy faith Have I promised thee these things What wer 't thou made a Christian that thou shouldst flourish here in Augustine upon Psaâ—m 12. this world 'T is an excellent expression that Bellarmine hath in his Catechism Suppose saith he a King having many children of several ages should apparel them in Cloth of Gold now he that is sixteen years old hath more Gold in his Robe than the Child that is but five or six years old yet the child would rather have his own garment than his elder Brothers because 't is fitter for him Surely the fittest estate is the best estate for us Look as a great Shoe fits not a little foot nor a great Sail a little Ship nor a great Ring a little Finger so a great estate is not alwayes the fittest for us He tâ—at hath most wants something and he that hath least wants nothing if he wants not a contented Spirit O Sirs let not Heathens put you to a blush He that can be content to be at Gods finding as a Guest at a Epiâ—tâ—â—â—s Eâ—chiâ—id c. 21. Table that takes what is carved for him and no more hâ— needs not fawn upon any man much less violate his conscience foâ— the great things of the world When a mans heart is brought down to his condition he is then temptation-proof Wheâ— one told the Philosopher that if he would but please Dionysius he need not feed upon green hearbs the Phâ—losopher replied If thou wer 't but content to feed upon green hearbs thou needest not flatter Dionysius A man that can be contented with a little will keep his ground in an hour of Temptation Diogenes the Cynick housed in his Tub and making ever with his victuals and the day together being invited tâ— a great Feast could say I had rather lick Salt at Athens thaâ— feast with Craterus Diogenes had more content with his Tub. to shelter him from the injuries of the weather and with his wooden dish to eat and drink in than Alexander had with the conquest of half the world and the fruition of all the honoâ—s pompâ— treasures and pleasures of Asia The way to true riches
commanded six dayes to labour were also commanded to offer Morning and Evening Sacrifice daily They had their Morning Sacrifice when they entred upon their work and they had their Evening Sacrifice when they ended their work Their particular callings did not steal away their hearts from their general callings The Jews divided the day into three parts the first ad Tephilla orationem Wâ—emse Mor. Law p. 223. to prayer the second ad Torah legem for the reading of the Law the third ad Malacha opus for the works of their lawful callings Although they were dayes appointed for work yet they gave God his part they gave God a share of them every day God who is the Lord of all time hath reserved to himself a part of our time every day And therefore mens particular callings ought to give way to their general calling But alas before London was in flames many mens Oh that I could not say most mens particular callings swallowed up their general calling The noise is such in a Mill as hinders all intercourse betwen man and man So many of the burnt Citizens had such a multitude of worldly businesses lying upon their hands and that made such a noise as that all intercourse between God and them was hindered Seneca one of the most refined Heathens could say I do not give but only lend my self to my business I am afraid this Heathen will one day rise in Judgement against those burnt Citizens who have not lended themselves to their business but wholly given up themselves to their business as if they had no God to honour no souls to save no Hell to escape nor no Heaven to make sure But Fourthly Job lost all and recovered all again he lost a fair estate and God doubles his estate to him So David Compare the first and last Chapters of Job together lâ—st all and recovered all again 1 Sam. 30. 18. And David recovered all that the Amalakites had carried away and David rescued his two wives Ver. 19. And there was nothing lacking to them neither small nor great neither Sons nor Daughters neither spoil nor any thing that they had taken to them David recovered all Here the end was better than the beginning but the contrary befell the Amalekites who a little before had framed Comoedies out of poor Ziklags Tragoedies In the beginning of the Chapter you may see that David had lost all that ever he had in the world All the spoil that he Verse 1 2 3 4 5. had taken from others were gone his Corn gone his Cattel gone his Wives gone and his City burnt with fire and turned into a ruinous heap so that he had not a house a habitation in all the world to put his head in he had nothing left him but a poor grieved madded and enraged Army The people spâ—ke of stoning of him but what Verse 6. was the event now why David recovers all again O Sirs when a Christian is in greatest distress when he hath Remember that of Zeno who said he never sailed better than when he suffered shipwrack lost all when he is not worth one penny in all the world yet then he hath a God to go to at last David encouraged himself in the Lord his God A Christians case is never so desperate but he hat still a God to go to When a Christian has lost all the best way to recover all again is to encourage himself in the Lord his God God sometimes stripâ— his people of outward mercies and then restores to them again those very mercies that he had stript them off I have read a story of a poor man that God served fâ—ithfully and yet was oppressed cruelly having all his goods taken from him by an exacting Knight whereupon in a melancholy humour he perswaded himself that God was dead who had formerly been so faithful to him and now as he thought had left him It so fell out that an old man met him and desired him to deliver a Letter into the hands of his oppressor upon the receipt and perusal of which the Knight was so convinced that immediately he confessed his fault and restored the poor man his goods which made the poor man say Now I see that God may seem to sleep but can never dye If God has taken away all yet remember that God has a thousand thousand wayes to make up all thy losses to thee which thou knowest not of therefore do'nt murmur don't fret do'nt faint nor do'nt limit the Holy One of Israel If thou madest no improvement of thy house thy estate thy Trade then 't is thy wisdom and thy work rather to be displeased with thy self for thy non improvement of mercies than to be discontented at that hand of Heaven that hath deprived thee of thy mercies Remember Oh ye burnt Citizens of London that you are not the first that have lost your all Besides the instances already cited you must remember what they suffered in the tenth and eleventh Chapters of the Hebrews and you must remember that in the Ten Persecutions many thousands of the people of God were stript of their all and so were very many also in the Marian dayes who shrugs or complains of a common Lot It was grace upon the Throne that thou enjoyedst thy house thy estate thy Trade so long and therefore it concerns thee to be rather thankful that thy mercies were continued so long unto thee than to murmur because thou art now stript of all But Fifthly When all is gone yet mercy may be near and thou not see it When Hagars Bottle was empty the Well Gen. 21. 19. of Water was near though she saw it not Mercies many times are never nearer to us than when with Hagar we sit down and weep because our bottle is empty because our streams of mercy are dried up The Well was there before but she saw it not till her eyes were â—pened Though mercy be near though it be even at the door yet till the great God shall irradiate both the Organ and the object we can neither see our mercies nor suck the breasts of mercy Christ the spring of mercy the fountain of mercy was near the Disciples yea he talked with the Disciples and yet they Luke 24. 15. knew him not Look as dangers are nearest to wicked men when they see them not when they fear them not As Haman Esther 6. was nearest the Gallows when he thought himself the only man that the King would honour And so when Sisâ—ra dreamed of a Kingdom Jael was near with her Hammer Judges 4. and her Nail ready to fasten him to the ground And so when Agag said Surely the bitterness of death is past Samuel 1 Sam. 15 32 33. stood ready with his drawn Sword to cut him in pieces in Gilgal before the Lord. So when Pharaoh said They are entangled Exod. 14. 3 Cha. 15. 9. 10. in the Land the Wilderness hath shut
times so dark intricate and mysterious that it will pose men of the most raised parts and of the choicest experiences and of the greatest Graces to be able to discern the wayes of God in them There are many mysteries in the works of God as well as in the word of God But Thirdly Sometimes Gods own people sin with others and therefore they smart with others Thus Moses and Aaron sinned with others and therefore they were shut out of Canaan and their Carkasses fell in the Wilderness as well as Numb 20. others Psal 106. 35. They were mingled among the Heathen and learned their works Verse 40. Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people insomuch that he abhorred his inheritance Jer. 9. 25 26. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Judah and Edom and the children of Ammon and Moab and all that are in the utmost corners that dwell in the Wilderness for all these Nations are uncircumcised Vid. Rom. 2. 28 29. and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart Such as were outwardly but not inwardly circumcised should be sure to be punished in the day of Gods wrath with those who were neither inwardly nor outwardly circumâ—ised When the good and the bad joyn in common provocations Ezek. 9. 6. Rev. 18. 4. 1 Pet. 4 17. no wonder if they suffer in common desolations Though gross impieties like Pitch or Gunpowder enrages â—he fire yet the sins the infiâ—mities of Gods people add to the flame Not only Manâ—ssâ—s his blood-shed but also good Hâ—zâ—kiahs pride and vanity of spirit boasting and glorying in his wâ—rldly riches brought on the Babylonish Captivity 2 Chron 32. upon the Jâ—ws But Fourâ—hly The people of God many times suffer in common calamities as they are parts and members of that Politick 2. Sam. 24. 10. 10 18. body that is punished The sins of a City a Society a Company oâ— a Nation may involve all the membâ—rs in the same Judgement Though Lot was not guilty of the sins of Gen. 14. 12 16. Common caâ—amities make no discrimination between persons and persons or houses and houses All comâ—on Judgements work according to their commission and according to their nature without distâ—nguishing the righteous from the wicked Sodom yet Lot was carried away in the Captivity of Sodom as co-habiting with them And so though many of the precious Servants of the Lord in London were not guilty of those gross impieties that their neighbours were guilty of yet co-habiting either with them or near them they were burnt up and destroyed with them Achans Family were not guilty of Achans Sacriledge and yet Achans Family were destroyed for Achans Sacriledge The burning of London was a National Judgement and this National Judgement was the product of National sins as I have formerly proved Now mark though the people of God may be personally innocent yet because they are members of a nocent body they are liable to undergo the temporal smart of National Judgements Doubtless a whole City may be laid desolate for the wickedness of one man or of a few men that dwelleth in it Eccles 9. 18. One sinner destroyeth much good But Fifthly When good men who can't be justly charged with publick sins do yet fall with wicked men by publick judgements you must remember that God has several different ends in inflicting one and the same Judgements both upon the good and upon the bad The mettal and the dross go Zech. 13. 9. Eccl. 8. 12 13. both into the fire together but the dross is consumed and the mettal refined The stalk and the ear of corn fall upon the threshing floor under one and the same Flayl but the one is shattered in pieces the other is preserved From one and the same Olive and from under one and the same Press is crushed out both Oyl and dâ—egs but the one is tunn'd up for use the other thrown out as unserviceable The samâ— Judgements that befall the wicked may befall the righteous but not upon the same accompt The righteous are cast into the Furnance for tryal but the wicked for their ruine The righteous are signally sanctified by fiery dispensations Jer. 24. 1 2 3 5. but the wicked are signally worsened by the same dispensations The very self same Judgement that is as a Load-stone to draw the righteous towards Heaven will be as a Mill-stone to sink the wicked down to Hell The Pillar of fire that went before Israel had a light side and a dark side Exod. 14. 20. the light side was towards Gods people and the dark side was towards the Egyptians Thâ— flames of London will prove such a Pillar both to the righteous and the wicked That will certainly be made good upon the righteous and the wicked whose habitations have been destroyed by Londons flames that the Greek Epigramm speaks of the Silver Ax the Ensign of Justice That Sword that cuts the bad in Twain The good doth wound and heal again Those dreadful Judgements that have been the Ax of Gods revenging Justice to wound and break the wicked in pieces shall be righteous mens cures and their Golden restoratives But Sixthly and lastly God sometimes wraps up his own people with the wicked in desolating Judgements that he may before all the world wipe off that reproach which Atheists and wicked men are apt to cast upon him as if he were partial as if he were a respecter of persons and as if his wayes Ezek. 18. 25. 29. Chap. 33. 20. were not just and equall God to stop the mouth of iniquity the mouth of blasphemy hath made his own people as desolate as others by that fiery calamity that has past upon them Such men that have been eye witnesses of Gods impartial dealing with his own people in those dayes when London was in flames must say that God is neither partial nor fond And let thus much suffice by way of Answer to this Objection The third Duty that lyes upon those that have been burnt up is for them in patience to possess their own souls and Luke 21. 19. quietly to acquiesce in what the Lord has done O Sirs hold your peace and bridle your passions and quietly submit to the stroke of Divine Justice When Aarons Sons were devoured by fire Aaron held his peace And will not Lev. 10. 2 3. The Hebrew word Damam â—ignifies sience or stilâ—ess it signifies a staying of the heart a quieting of the mind Aarons mind was quiet and still all his unruly affections and passions were stilled and allayed Oleaste observes that Joshuah in speaking to the Sun Staâ—d still in Gibeon useth the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here used Joshua 12. 10. So that this Phrase Aaâ—on hâ—ld his peace imports thus much That Aaâ—oâ— stood still or stayed from further vexing or troubling or disquieting of
call upon me and I will answer him I will be with him in trouble Oh the precious presence of God with a mans spirit will sweeten every fiery dispensation and take off much of the bitterness and terribleness of it In the gracious presence of God with our spirits lyes 1. Our greatest Happiness 2. Our greatest Honor. 3. Our greatest profit and advantage 4. Our greatest joy and delight 5. Our greatest safety and security The Bush which was a Type of the Church consumed not all the while it burned with fire because God was in the midst of it The gracious presence of God with a mans spirit 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. will make heavy afflâ—ctions light and long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet Gods gracious presence makes every burden light He that has the presence of God with Psal 55. 22. his spirit can bear a burden without a burden What burden Deut. 33. 27 29. can sink that man that hath everlasting Armes under him and over him and round about him But Secondly There is wisdom in God to encourage them under all their tryals There is wisdom in God so to temper Jer. 24. 5. Rom. 8. 28. and order all judgements afflictions crosses and losses as to make them work kindly and sweetly for their good Whilst God is near us wisdom and counsel is at hand God is that wise and skilful Physitian that can turn Poyson into Cordials Diseases into Remedies Crosses into Crowns and the greatest losses into the greatest gains What can hurt us whilst an infinite wise God stands by us But Thirdly There is strength power and omnipotency in God to encourage them There is nothing too high for Prov. 18. 10. Psal 46. 1 2. Isa 26. 4. Psal 3. 17. him nor nothing too hard for him he is able easily and speedily to bring to pass all contrivances You read of many who have been mighty but you read but of one Almighty Rev. 4. 8. Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty Chap. 11. 17. We give thee thanks Lord God Almighty Chap. 15. 3. Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Chap. 16. 7. And I heard another out of the Altar say c. Even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy judgements Under all your fiery tryals an Almighty God can do mighty things for you And therefore it concerns you to encourage your selves in him even when you are stript of all O Christians it highly concerns you to beâ—r all your losses chearfully and thankfully In every thing give thanks saith the 1 Thes 5. 18. Apostle for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Chrysostom speaks excellently This saith he is the very Châ—ysost Toâ— 5. Hoâ—â—l 68. will of God to give thanks alwayes this argues a soul rightly instructed Hast thou suffered any evil if thou wilt it is no evil Give thanks to God and then thou hast turned the evil into good Say thou as Job said when he had lost all The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. What evil hast thou suffered What is it a disease This is no strange thing to us seeing our bodies are mortal and naturally born to suffer What dost thou want money this may be gotten here and lost here Whatsoever evils or losses therefore do oppress thee give thou thanks and thou haâ—â— changed the nature of them Job then did more deeply wound the Devil when being stript out of all he gave thanks to God than if he had distributed all to the poor and needy For it is much more to be stript of all and yet to bear it patiently generously and thankfully than for a rich man to give Alms as it here happened to righteous Job But hath fire suddenly taken hold upon thy house destroyed thy house and consumed thy whole substance Remember the sufferings of Job Give thanks to God who could though he did not have hindered that mischance and thou shalt be sure to receive as equal a reward as if thou hadst put all into the bosome of the indigent This he repeateth over again and saith thy reward being thankful is equal to his who gave all he had to the poor To wind up your hearts to thankfulness and chearfulness under this late desolating Judgement Consider 1. God might have taken away all 'T is good to bless When a Gentleman in Atheis had his Plate taken away by Ahashueâ—us as he was at dinner he smiled upon his friends saying I thank God that his Highness hath left me any thing him for what he has left 2. He has taken away more from others than he has taken away from you ergo be thankful 3. You are unworthy of the least mercy you deserve to be stript of every mercy and therefore be thankful for any thing that is left God has a Soveraign right over all you have and might have stript you as naked as the day wherein you were born 4. God has left you better and greater merciâ—s than any those were that he has stript you off viz. your lives your limbs your friends your Relations yea and the means of Grace which is better than all and more than all other mercies ergo be thankful 5. The Lord has given those choice things to you as shall never be taken from you viz. himself his Son his Spirit which shall abide with you for ever his Grace which is an abiding seed and his peace which none can give to you nor take from you John 16. 1 John 3. 9. ergo be thankful though God has laid all your pleasant things desolate 6. Thankfulness under crosses and losses speak out much integrity and ingenuity of Spirit Hypocrites and prophane persons are more apt to blaspheme than to bless a taking God ergo be thankful The Ancients say Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris say a man is unthankful and say he is any thing Ingratitude is a Monster in nature say some a Solecism in Manners a Paradox in Grace damming up the course of donations divine and humane If there be any sin in the world against the Holy Ghost said Queen Elizabeth in a Letter to Henry the fourth of France it is ingratitude The Laws of Persia Macedonia and Athens condemned the ungrateful to death and unthankfulness may well be styled the Epitome of Vices Ingratitude was so hateful to the Egyptians that they used to make Eunuchs of ungrateful persons that no posterity of theirs might remain Well Sirs remember this the best way to get much is to be thankful for a little God loves to sow much where he reaps much Thankfulness for one mercy makes way for another mercy as many thousand Christians have experienced The Lords Impost for all his blessings is our thankfulness if we neglect to pay this Impost the commodity is forfeit and so will take it back Our returnes must be according to our receipts Good men should be
laborious how industrious are men to add spots to spots bâ—gs to bags houses to houses and lands to lands and Lordships to Lordships as if there were no Hell to escaps nor no Heaven to make sure O Sirs the voice of God in that fiery dispensation that has lately past upon us seems to be this O ye Citizens of London whose habitations and glory I have laid in dust and ashes set loose from this world and set your affections upon Col. 3. 1. Heb. 11. 13. Jâ—r 50. 6. Mich. 2. 10. things above Lâ—ve in this world as Pilgâ—ims and Strangers Remember this is not your resting place never be inordinate in your love to the world nor in your delight in the world nor in your pâ—rsuit of the world any more Never spend so many thoughts upon the wâ—rld nor never send forth so many wishes after the world nor never spend so much precious time to gain the world as you have formerly done Take off your thoughts take off yoâ—r hearts take off your hands from all these uncertain things Remember it will not be long before you must all go to your long home and a little of the world will serve to bear your charges till you get to Heaven Remember I have burnt up your City I have poured contempt upon your City I have stained the pride and glory of your City that so seeing you have here Heb. 13. 14. no continuing City you may seek one to come Remember I have destroyed your houses that so you may make sure a house not made with hands but one eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. I have taken away your uncertain Riches that so you may make sure more durable Riches I have spoiled many of your Prov. 8. 18. Phil. 3. 20. brave full Trades that so you might drive a more brave full Trade towards Heaven Oh that I had no just grounds to be jealous that many who have been great losers by the fire are now more mad upon the world and more eagerly carried after the world than ever they have been as if the great design of God in setting them on fire round about was only to enlarge their desires more after the world and more effectually to engage them to moil and toil as in the fire to lay up treasure for another fire to consume Before I close up this particular let me offer a few things to your consideration First Are there none of the burnt Citizens who seek the world in the first place and Christ and Heaven in the last place that are first for earth and then for Heaven first for Matth. 6. 33. John 6. 27. the world and then for Christ first for the meat that perisheth and then for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life The old Poets note was first for money and then for Christ But Secondly Are there none of the burnt Citizens whose love and hearts and affections are running more out after the world than they are after God and Christ and the 1 Tim. 6 9. Jer. 17. 11. great things of eternity Are there none of the burnt Citizens that are peremptorily resolved to gain the world what ever it costs them The Gnosticks were a sort of Professors that made no use of their Religion but to their secular advantages and therefore when the world and their Religion stood in competition they made no scruple no bones of renouncing their profession to enjoy the world Oh the deadness the barrenness the listlesness the heartlesness to any thing that is divine and heavenly that dos alwayes attend such Christians who are resolved to be rich or great or some body in the world what ever comes on 't O the time the thoughts the strength the spirits that these men spend upon the world whilst their souls lye a bleeding and eternity is posting on upon them Men that are highly and fully resolved to be rich by hook or by crook will certainly forget God undervalue Christ grieve the Spirit despise Sâ—bbaths slâ—ght Ordinances and neglâ—ct such gracious opportunities as might make them happy for ever Rich Felix had no leisure to hear poor Paul though the hearing of a Sermon might have saved Act. 24. 24. ult hit soul But Thirdly Are there none of the burnt Citizens who spend the first of their time and the best of their time and the Pythagoras saith that time is Anima Coelâ— the soul of Heaven And we may say it is a Pearl of price that cost Christ his blood most of their time about the things of the world and who ordinarily put off Christ and their souls with the least and last and worst of their time The world shall freely have many hours when Christ can hardly get one Are there none who will have their eating times and their drinking times and their sleeping times and their buying times and their selling times and their feasting times and their sporting times yea and their sinning times who yet can spare no time to hear or read or pray or mourn or repent or reform or to set up Christ in their families or to wait upon him in their closets Are there not many who will have time for every thing but to honour the Lord and to secure their interest in Christ and to make themselves happy for ever Look as Pharaohs lean Kine eat up the fat so many now are fallen into such a crowd of worldly business as eats up all that precious time which should be spent in holy and heavenly exercises Fourthly Are there none of the burnt Citizens who daily prefer the world before Christ yea the worst of the world before the best of Christ The Gergesins preferred their Swine Matth. 8. 28. ult before a Saviour they had rather lose Christ than lose their Hoggs They had rather that the Devil should still possâ—ss their souls than that he should drown their Piggs They preferred their Swine before their salvation and presented a wretched Petition for their own damnation For they besought him who had all love and life and light and grace and glory and fulness in himself that he would depart out of Col. 1. 19. Chap. 2. 3. their coasts Though there be no misery no plague no curse no wrath no Hell to Christs departure from a people Yet Hos 9. 12. The Reubinites preferred the Countrey that was commodious for the feeding of their Cattle though it were far from the Temple far from the Means of Grace beforâ— their interest in the Land of Canaan men that are mad upon the world will desire this Bernard had rather be in his Chimney corner with Christ than in Heaven without him At so high a rate he valued Christ There was a good man who once cryed out I had rather have one Christ than a thousand worlds Another mourn ed because he could not prize Christ enough But how few burnt Citizens are of these mens minds It was a sweet prayer of one
Neh. 3. 1. Jer. 35. 11. is a soul out of Gun-shot no Devil shall there tempt no wicked men shall there assault no fire-balls shall be there cast about to disturb the peace of the heavenly inhabitants Secondly A City is compact it is made up of many habitations so in Heaven there are many habitations many Iohn 14. 2. Mansions In our common Cities many times the inhabitants are much shut up and streightned for want of room out in Heaven there is Elbow-room enough not only for God and Christ and the Angels those glistering and shineing Courteours but also for all bâ—lievers for all the elect â—f God Thirdly A City hath sundry degrees of pâ—rsons appertaining unto it as chief Magistrates and other Officers of Heb. 12. 22 23. sundry sorts with a multitude of Commoners So in Heaven there is God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost and an innumerable company of Angels and â—aints Fourthly In a City you have all manner of provisions and useful commodities so in Heaven there is nothing wanting that is needful or useful Fifthly A City hath Laws Statutes and Orders for the better Government thereof 't is so in Heaven and indeed there is no Government to the Government that is in Heaven Certainly there is no Government that is managed with that Love Wisdom Prudence Holiness and Righteousness c. as the Government of Heaven is managed with Sixthly Every City hath its peculiar priviledges and immunities so it is in Heaven Heaven is a place of the greatest Rev. 3. 12. priviledges and immunities Seventhly Cities are commonly very populous and so is Heaven a very populous City Dan. 7. 10. Rev. 5. 11. Rev. 7. 9. Eighthly None but Free-men may Trade and keep open Shop in a City so none shall have any thing to do in Heaven Rev. 21. 27. but such whose name are written in the Lambs Book of Life Believers are the only persons that are inrolled as Freemen in the Records of the heavenly City Ninthly Cities are full of earthly riches and so is Heaven of glorious Riches there are no riches to the riches of Isa 23. 8. Rev. 21. the heavenly Jerusalem All the riches of the most famoâ—s Cities in the world are but Dross Brass Copper Tinn c. to the riches of Heaven O Sirs how should the consideration of these things work us all to look and long and to prepare and fit for this heavenly City this continuing City this City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God The Holy Ghost frequently calling believers Pilgrims sojourners strangers Heb. 11. 13. 1 Pet. 2 11. Psal 119. 54 doth sufficienâ—ly evidence that there is no abiding for them in this world this world is not their Countrey their City their home their habitation and therefore they are not to place their hopes or hearts or affections upon things below Heaven is their chief City their best Countrey their Col. 3. 1 2. most desirable home and their everlasting habitation and Luke 16. 9. Rev. 22. 17. therefore the hopes desires breathings longings and workings of their souls should still be heaven-ward glory-ward Oh when shall grace be swallowed up in glory when shall John 14. 2 3 4 we take possession of our eternal Mansions when shall we be with Christ which for us is best of all The late fire Phil. 1. 23. hath turned all ranks and sorts of men out of the houses where they once dwelt and it will not be long before death will turn the same persons out of their present habitations and carry them to their long homes Death will turn Princes Eccles 12. 5. out of their most stately Palaces and great men out of their most sumptuous Edifices and rich men out of their most pleasant houses and warlike men out of their strongest Castles and poor men out of their meanest Cottages The Princes Palace the great mans Edifice the rich mans house the warlike mans Castle and the poor mans Cottage are of no long continuance O how should this awaken and alarm all sorts and ranks of men to seek after a City which hath foundations to make sure their interest in the New Jerusalem which is above in those heavenly Mansions that no time can wear nor flames consume But Sixteenthly and lastly Was London in flames on the Lords Day and was the prophanation of that day one of those great sins that brought that dreadful judgement of fire upâ—n London that hath turned that glorious City into a ruinous heap then Oh that all that have been sufferers by that â—amâ—ntable fire and all others also would make it their â—usiness their work their Heaven to sanctifie the Sabbath â—nd to keep it holy all their dayes that the Lord may be no more provoked to lay London more desolate than 't is laid this day Let it be enough that this day of the Lord hath been so greatly prophaned by sinful omâ—ssions and by sinful commissions by the Immorality Dâ—bauchery Gluttony Dâ—unkenness Wantoâ—ness Filthiness Uâ—cleanness Rioting Revelling and Chambering that multitudes were given up to before the Lord appeared against them in that flaming fire that hath laid our renowned City in Ashes Let it be enough that the Lord has been more dishonoured and blasphemed that Christ hath been more reproached despised and reâ—used and that the Spirit hath been more grieved vexed provoked and quenched on the Lords Day than on all the other dayes in the week Let it be enough that on this day of the Lord many have been a playing when they should â—ave been a praying and that many have been a sporting when they should have been a mourning for the afflictions of Joseph And that many have been a courting of their Amos 6. 6. Mistrisses when they should have been a waiting on the Ordinances And that many have been fitting at their doors when they should have been instructing of their families and that many have been walking in the Fields when they should have been a sighing and expostulating with God in their Clossâ—ts and that many have made that a day of common labour which God hath made to be a day of special rest from sin from the world and from their particular callings Oh that all men who have paid so dear for prophaning of Sabbaths would now bend all their force strength power and might to sanctifie those Sabbaths that yet they may enjoy on this side eternity c. But you will reply upon me How is the Sabbath to be sanctified Quest I shall endeavour to give a clear full and satisfactory Answer Answ to this necessary and noble Question And therefore take me thus First We are to sanctifie the Sabbath by resting from all servil labour and work on that day Exod. 20. 10. But the Exod. 16. 29 30. Neh. 13 15 16 17 18. seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy
Son nor thy Daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattel nor thy stranger that is within thy gates Jer. 17. 22. Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath Day neither do ye any work but hallow ye the Sabbath Day as I commanded your fathers Isa 58. 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking of thine own words Here are three things distinctly observable in the words 1. Words 2. Works 3. Pleasure Not doing thine own wayes that is works not speaking thine own words not finding thine own pleasure Now mark we have stronger reasons to engage us to a stricter observation and sanctification of the Lords Day than they had for their Sabbath which may be thus evinced Not to speak of their double Sacrifices upon their Sâ—bbath Numb 28. 9 10. which as some think might typifie our double devotion on the Lords Day nor yet to speak of those six Lambs whereby others conjecture was fore-prophesied the abundant services in the time of the Gospel Ezek. 46. 1 -5 First Our Motives are far greater and more efficacious For First Our day hath many priviledges above theirs witness the honourable Tâ—tles given to it by holy and learned men As the Queen of dayes Princess Principal Primate a Royal day higher than the highest the first fruits of the days yea saith Hierom The Lords Day is better than any other common day than all Festivals New-moons and Sabbaths of Moses By these Titles 't is evident that the Ancients had the Lords Day in very hâ—gh esteem and veneration Sirs look what Gold is among inferiour Mettals and what among other Grain c. the same is the Lords Day above all other dayes of the week Secondly Their Sabbath was celebrated for the memorial of the Creation ours for the great work of Redemption But Thirdly Theirs was celebrated for their deliverance out of Aegypt ours for our deliverance from Hell Now if the Jews were bound and that for a whole day not to do their own works nor speak their own words nor find their own pleasure how much more solemnity belongs to our Lords Day O what a day is the Lords Day and how solemnly and devoutly ought it to be observed and sanctified But Sâ—condly We have greater means and helps for the sanctification of the Sabbath than the Jews had for a long time or than the Primitive Christians had for three hundred years Mark the holy observation of the Sabbath among them came in by degrees long after the day was settled and the reason was this because for a good while they had no word written to be read nor no Synagogues built to read it in It was well nigh a thousand years or above a thousand years after the giving of the Law before the reading of the Law in Synagogues came up For a long time they had no Books among them but the five Books of Moses and those Books neither were not well understood by the common people And it is further observable that the children of Israel being in Aegypt under sore pressures afflictions and cruel bondage c. neither did nor could keep the Sabbath in any solemn manner not being permitted either to rest or enjoy any solemn assemblies And when they were in their wilderness condition they had many stations diversions and incursions of enemies so that they could not keep the Sabbath in any solemn publick manner as afterwards they did when they were setled in peace and safety in the Land of Canaan And so the Primitive Christians for three hundred years liveing undâ—r very great and violent Persecutions they neither did nor could keep the Lords Day with that solemnity that they should or would but as for place they met not openly but secretly in Woods and Desarts and Holes and Caves and Dens of the earth and so for time sometimes they met in the day and often they met in the night But as for us who have lived and do live in these dayes of the Son of man what rare means and helps what abundance of means and helps what choice and precious means and helps have we had and still have in spite of all oppositions from high or low to enable us to sanctifie the Sabbath And O that all the means and helps that we yet enjoy may be signally blest to that purpose But Thirdly The Heathens by the very light of nature held it but reasonable that the dayes consecrated to their Gods should totally be observed with rest and sanctity the Flamins which were their Priests affirmed that the Holy-dayes were polluted if any work were done upon the solemn dayes besides it was not lawful for the King of the Sacrifices Macrobâ—us l. 1. c. 16. and the Flamins their Priests to see a work done on the holy dayes and therefore by a Cryer it was proclaimed that no such things should be done and he that neglected the Precept was fined and besides the fine he which did ought unawares on such dayes was to offer Sacrifices for expiation And Scaevòla the High Priest affirmed that the wilful offendor could have no expiation Now shall Heathens be so strict in the observation of their holy dayes and shall not Christians be as strict in their observation of the Lords Day These Heathens will one day rise in judgement against the slight observers and the gross prophaners of the Lords Day But Secondly We must sanctifie the Sabbath by preparing ouâ— selves before hand for that day and all the duties of that day Eccles 5. 1 2. Hence it is that God hath fixt a Memorandum upon this Command more than he hath upon any other Command Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Sabbath dayes are our Market-dayes Now men that are worldly wise they consider before hand what to buy and what to sell The Husband-man dungs dresses plowes harrows and all to prepare it for seed I will saith holy David Psalm 26. 6. wash my hands in innocency so will I compass thine Altar O Lord. Signifying that to holy performances there ought to be holy preparations When the Temple was to be built the Stones were hewen and the Timber squared and fitted before they were brought to the place where the Temple stood The Application is easie First The Jews had their preparations Mark 15. 42. And now when the Even was come because it was the preparation that is the day before the Sabbath c. Their preparation began at three a clock in the after-noon which the Hebrews called the Sabbath Eve The Jews as I have read were so careful in their preparation for the Sabbath that to further it the best and wealthiest of them even those that had many servants and were Masters of Families would chop
Hearbs sweep the house cleave wood and kindle the fire and do such like things c. Sâ—condly The Heathens did use to prepare themselves by a strict kind of holiness before they would offer Sacrifices to several of their Gods They had as Authors write their stone pots of water set at the doors of their Temples where they used to wash before they went to Sacrifice Thirdly The works of the day are great and glorious and what excellent works are there in nature but requires some previous preparation c. Fourthly Consider the Dignity Majesty Authority and Purity of that God with whom you have to do in all the duties of the day When men are to converse and treat with earthly Princes or to give them entertainment how do they prepare and make ready And will you carry it worse towards 1 Tim. 6. 15 16. the King of Kings and Lord of Lords than men do carry it towards mortal Princes whose breath is in their nostrils and whose glory shall assuredly be laid in the dust c. Fifthly Consider if you do not prepare your selves beforâ— hand for that day of the Lord and all the duties of that day what difference will there be between you and the worst of Hypocrites Formalists Superstitious or prophane persons who rush upon holy duties as the Horse rusheth into the Battel Dost thou dress up thy house thy Husband thy self thy children so do the worst of persons If you do not prepare for the dutiâ—s of the day and to meet with God in those duties what singular thing do ye Matth. 5. 27. Sixthly Consider what blessed yearnings you have made on those Sabbaths wherein you have been prepared to meet with the Lord and to manage the duties of those dayes O the joy the peace the comfort the communion the satisfaction the enlargements that you have then met with and on the other hand consider what poor yearnings you have made of it when you have been careless and rash and have not prepared your selves for the duties of the day and for the enjoyment of God in those duties Oh how flat how cold how dull how dead how straitned have you been on those Sabbâ—ths wherein you have not prepared to meet with the Lord c. But you may say Wherein doth our preparation for the Sabbath Quest consist In these three things Answ First In a holy care so to order all our worldly business and affairs on the day before that they may not encrease upon us on the Lords Day to trouble us or distract us in the duties of that day Secondly In putting iniquity far from you in laying aside all superfluity of naughtiness that you may receive the ingrafted Job 11. 14 15. James 1. 12. word with meekness which is able to save your souls When the vessel is unclean it sowres quickly the sweetest liquors that are poured into it And so when the heart is filthy and unclean it loses all the good it might otherwise gain by Ordinances If the stomach be foul it must be purged before it be fed or else the meat will never nourish and strengthen nature but encrease ill humours So the souls of men must be purged from soul enormities and gross impieties or else they will never gain any saving good by Ordinances 2 Tim. 2. 21. If a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work c. Thirdly In acting your graces in all the duties of the day Sleepy habits will do you no good nor bring God no glory all the honour he hath and all the comfort and advantage Isaiah 50. 10. you have is from the active part of grace and therefore you must still be a stirring up the grace of God that is in you 2 Tim. 1. 6. Stir up the gift of God that is in thee I know the Apostle speaks of the Ministerial gift but it is as true of the work of grace for the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies grace as well as gift Stir up the grace of God in thee Mark the phrase it is a remarkable phrase for in the Original it is to blow up thy grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just as a man blowes up a fire that growes dull or is hid under the ashes blow up the grace of God in thee Some think that it is a Metaphor taken from a spark kept in ashes which by gentle Calvâ—n and others blowing is stirred up till it take a flame Others say it is an allusion to the fire in the Temple which was alwayes to be kept burning Look as the fire is encreased and preserved by blowing so are our graces preserved and encreased by our acting of them We get nothing by dead and useless habits Talents hid in a Napkin gather rust Look as the noblest faculties are imbased when they are not improved when they are not exercised So the noblest graces are imbased when they are not improved when they are not exercised Grace is bettered and made more perfect by acting neglect of our graces is the ground of their decrease and decay Wells are the sweeter for drawing and so are our graces for acting We had need pray hard with the Spouse Cant. 4. ult Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruit Satans grand design is not to keep men from going the round of duties nor yet to keep men from attending on Ordinances but his grand design is to hinder the exercise of grace All other exercises without the exercise of grace will do a Christian no good as you may see Luke 22. 31 32 33. 1 Tim. 4 8 Isa â—â— 1 -8 Neh. 7. 4 5. 6. by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together The more grace is exercised the more corruptions will be weakned and mortified As one buâ—ket in the Wâ—ll rises up the other goâ—s down so as grace rises higher and higher corruptions fall lower and lower There was two Lawrâ—ls at Rome and when the one flourished the other withered so where grace flourishes corruptions wither As the house 2 Sam. 3. 1. of David grew stronger and stronger so the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker So as grace in its exercise grows stronger and stronger So sin like the house of Saul will every day grow weaker and weaker If you keep not grace Mark 4. 40. in exercise it may most fail you when it should stand you most in stead If a man uses a knife but now and then he may have his knife to seek when he should use it That Sword grows rusty in the scabbard that is used but now and then You know how to apply it But Thirdly You must sanctâ—fie the Sabbath by looking upon the enjoyment of Sabbaths and Ordinances as your great happiness by
ye shall certainly drink ver 29. For lo I begin to bring evil on the City which is called by my name and should ye be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of Hosts When Jerusalem hath drunk of the cup if God be God the Nations round shall certainly drink of it God hath begun with London poor London hath drunk deeply of the cup of Gods fury and therefore let the Nations round repent or prepare to drink of Londons cup. Most of those sins that bring the fiery Rod if not all are to be found in all the great Cities of the world And therefore let all the great Cities in France Spain Italy Germany Holland England Ireland Scotland c. take warning by Londons desolation and prepare to meet the Lord in the way of his fury let them cease from doing evil and learn to do well let them repent in dust and ashes lest they are laid in dust and ashes Let them break off their sins lest God throws down their walls and habitations by furious and devouring flames Let all those whose habitations are still standing remember that the same sins the same wrath and the same malicious hands that has laid so many thousand habitations desolate can lay theirs also desolate except they reform and turn to the Most High Fifthly It highly concerns you whose houses are standing monuments of Gods mercy to shew much love bowels pity Gen. 18. Psal 102. 13. 2 Cor. 11. 29. and compassion to those who are burnt up and turned out of all who are houseless harbourless and pennyless this day God takes it well at our hands when we pity those whom he thinks meet to punish One of Gods great ends in punishing of some is to stir up pity and compassion in others towards them It should melt your hearts to see other mens substances melted in the flames God hath threatned an Obad. 12. 13. evil an only evil without the least mixture of mercy to such as shew no mercy to those in misery Whoever have James 2. 13. behâ—ld London in its former prosperity and glory that cannot lament to see London laid desolate The ashes of London seems to cry out have pity upon me O my friends They that Jâ—b 6. 14. will not lament upon the burnt Citizens as the greatest objects of their pity may one day be ingulfed under the greatest misery He was a Nâ—bal a sapless fellow who shut up all bowels of pity against David in his misery They were cursed â— Sam. 25. 10 â—â— â—salm 137. 6 7 8. Edomites who did behold the râ—iâ—e of Zion and noâ— mourn over it Let all burnt Citizens remember that usually God pities them most whom men pities least but burnt Citizens are not to be mocked or menaâ—ed but mourned over Sixthly It highly concerns you whose houses are standing monuments of Gods mercy to lift up a prayer for all those as are fallen under this heavy judgement of fire When Numb 11. 1 2 3. 2 Kings 19. 4. you are in the Mount be sure you bear the sad condition of the burnt Citizâ—ns upon your hearts Nehem. 1. 3. And they said unto me the remnant that are left of the captivity there in the Province are in great affliction and reproach the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down and the gates thereof are burnt with fire Well what doth Nehemiab do Answ He lifts up a prayer for them verse 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. O Sirs your prayers must not be penâ— or confined to your own private interests but extended to the benefit of all Gods suffering servants Philo the Jew discoursing of Aarons Ephod which he put on when he went to pray saith it was a representation of the whole world having in it all colours to represent the condition of all states of all people whatsoever 'T is brave when we are in the Mount to bear the conditions of others upon our hearts as well as our own especially theirs whom the hand of the Lord hath severely reacht The best of men Rom. 1. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 3. have been much in prayer for others witness Moses David Job Jeremiah Daniel Paul And it is very observable that our Lord Jesus Christ who is our great pattern was very much in this noble work for you shall find in John 17. that he puts up but one petition for himself in verse 1. which petition is repeated again in verse 5. And all the rest of his time he spent in praying both for the converted and unconverted Now shall our Lord Jesus Christ put up many requests for others and but one for himself and shall we put up all our requests for our selves and not one for others Among the Persians he that offered Sacrifice prayed for all Herodot lib. 1. his Countrey men These Persians will one day rise in Judgement against many who are called Christians and yet make no conscience of lifting up a prayer for those that are under the afflicting hand of God He that prayeth for himself and not for others is fiâ—ly compared by some to an Hedge-hogg who laps himself within his own soft down and turns his Brissels to all the world besides The Jews have a saying That since the destruction of Jerusalem the door of prayer hath been shut up Oh that we had not cause to fear that since the burning of London the door of prayer both for our selves and one another hath bâ—en too much shut amongst us O that all you whose habitations are standing would seriously consider 1. That none need prayer more than the burnt Citizens 2. You do not know how soon their case may be yours the same hand or hands that hath made them desolate may make you desolate also 3. Else what do you more than others Matth. 5. 47. 4. To pity and pray for those that are in misery is honourable and commendable 5. 'T is one of the most compendious wayes in the world to prevent all those calamities and miseries that now you fear and that you think you shall shortly feel 6. To lift up a prayer for those whose sufferings have been sore is no costly nor chargeable duty and therefore buckle to it But Seventhly It highly concerns you whose houses are standing monuments of Gods mercy seriously to consider that some mens escaping of very great Judgements is not properly a preservation but a reservation to some greater destruction witness those Kings who escaped the edge of the Gen. 14. and Chap. 19. compared Exod. 14. 28. 1 Kings 19. Sword and were afterwards destroyed by fire and brimstone from Heaven and witness Pharaoh who escaped all the ten plagues of Egypt in order to his being buried with his Host in the red Sea And witness Sennacherib who escaped the Sword of the destroying Angel in order to his falling by the swords of his own Sons Upon what discontentment