Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	city_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	29	3	8.7485	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64990	God's terrible voice in the city by T.V.	Vincent, Thomas, 1634-1678.	1667 (1667)	Wing V440; ESTC R24578	131,670	248

hath put into their hands they have endeavoured the Reformation of the City whether as Gods under-officers they have improved their interest for the promotion of Religion in the zealous exercise of it yea whether they have put the Laws made in execution against Sabbath-breakers swearers drunkards endeavouring to find out and punish such offenders 4. Neglect of Church-reformation And is there no blame to be laid upon Church-officers hath there been that zeal for and faithful execution of Church-discipline according to the Rules of the word hath not the Lord Jesus Christ been affronted in his Kingly office by some who have imposed precepts of their own upon mens consciences instead of vigorously endeavouring the execution of his and taken the power of the Keyes out of the hands of those unto whom the Lord hath entrusted it hereby rendring the execution of discipline impossible according to the Laws of Christ have not the tender and most conscientious lain under the censures of some rather then the openly profane and scandalously wicked Neglect of Reformation am I speaking of nay have not many who call themselves Ministers endeavoured rather the overthrow then the promotion of it have they not had girds in their Pulpits at holiness and zealous profession which they have seconded by a conversation of dissoluteness malitious opposition and persecution of those especially who have been the most religious Sad neglects there have been of reformation in London and that when London lay under such obligations to reform as Christians they were obliged by baptismal and renewed vows as Protestants of the Reformed religion they were obliged to endeavour a reformation by Mercies they were obliged an● have they been under no other obligations And hath not the neglect of reformation notwithstanding all obligations rendred them guilty of disingenuity infideliy yea of perjury it self I verily believe this is the great sin God is scourging London for God is contending for a Reformation and if they do not endeavour it more vigorously the sooner I fear he will bring desolation upon them 7. A seventh sin of London is fearful Apostacy and a spirit of complyance with the sins of the times How many in London who formerly were great profestours have discovered themselves to be rotten hypocrites who casting off the sheeps clothing and laying aside all profession have given themselves up to dissoluteness and licentious living formerly they have seemed true penitents and to be washed from their iniquities but they have returned with the dogg to the vomit and with the Sow that is washed to the wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2. ult formerly they have been swept a little within and garnisht outwardly with a fair profession but the unclean spirit hath returned and without any great difficulty hath entered with seven worse spirits and defiled them more then before and made their last state worse then their first I speak not so much of those who worship God in this Mode or that Mode and of alterations herein but of those who sometimes professed religion and now do not worship God in any mode at all but wholly addict themselves to their lusts and are ashamed to be called or thought to be religious They would not now look like a Saint or speak like a Saint much less live like a Saint Thus have many in our dayes cast off all fear of God and devoted themselves with the Hell-hounds of the times to the service of the Devil resolving to do what in them lies to promote the interest of his Kingdom And if some are a little more aukward in his service and not altogether so like him and such apt Scholars presently as others whose education hath been in his School from their childhood yet they learn very fast and wonderfull is their proficiency in a short time and in regard of Apostacy they come neerer the Image of the Devil than those that have been alwayes tutor'd by him Now for any in London to forsake God that they might serve the Devil to draw off from the wayes of Holiness that they might walk in the wayes of Wickedness doth cast a great slurr upon God and his wayes They do in effect say That the Devil is a better Master than God and that the way of sin that leadeth to Hell is more eligible than the way of Holiness which alone can bring to Heaven The Lord threatneth that his Soul shall have no pleasure in such Apostates Heb. 10. 38. It is a Meiosis and we are to understand that the Lord is highly displeased with such persons See how God pleads with Apostatizing Israel Ier. 2. 9 10 c. Wherefore I will yet plead with you saith the Lord. Pass ye over to the Isles of Chittim and see and send unto Kedar and diligently consider if there be any such thing Hath any Nation changed their gods which yet are no gods But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord for my people have committed two great evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and have hewen out unto themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water And hence follows v. 15. The young lions roared and yelled upon him and laid his land waste his Cities are burnt without inhabitant and v. 17. Thou hast procured these things unto thy self because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and v. 19. Thy own wickedness shall correct thee and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of hosts And may not God thus plead with the Apostates of London and punish them as he did his people of Israel 8. The Eighth sin of London is deafning the Ear against all Gods Calls The Lord hath called upon London by his Ministers but they have been like the deaf Adder which will not hearken to the voice of the Charmer they have stopped their ears and turned away their shoulder and made their heart like an Adamant stone God hath called by his Mercies but this voice hath been too low and they have slept the more securely in sin God after other Means hath called by Afflictions first lighter then heavier and yet how many in London have and still do walk contrary unto God and will not return to him that hath smitten them They have been incorrigible under all Gods correcting Rods. When God spake by the Plague they were a little awakened but quickly dropt asleep again when the plague was a little over they return to their Trades again to their sins again but they do not return unto the Lord. And when the Judgement of the Plague was so much lost and ineffectual for their good this no doubt hath provoked God so quickly and unexpectedly to turn his hand upon them and

Thred-needle-street a little further with another which came up from Wall-brook a little further with another which comes up from Bucklers-bury and all these four joyning together break into one great flame at the corner of Cheap-side with such a dazling light and burning heat and roaring noise by the fall of so many houses together that was very amazing and though it were something stopt in its swift course at Mercers Chappel yet with great force in a while it conquers the place and burns through it and then with great rage proceedeth forward in Cheapside On Tuesday was the Fire burning up the very bowels of London Cheapside is all in a light fire in a few hours time many Fires meeting there as in the center from Soper-lane Bow-lane Bread-street Friday-street and Old-change the Fire comes up almost together and breaks furiously into the Broad-street and most of that side of the way was together in flames a dreadful spectacle and then partly by the Fire which came down by Mercers Chappel partly by the fall of the Houses cross the way the other side is quickly kindled and doth not stand long after it Now the Fire gets into Black-fryers and so continues its course by the water and makes up towards Paul's Church on that side and Cheap-side Fire besets the great building on this side and the Church though all of stone outward though naked of houses about it and though so high above all buildings in the City yet within a while doth yield to the violent assaults of the conquering flames and strangely takes Fire at the top now the lead melts and runs down as if it had been snow before the Sun and the great beames and massy stones with a great noise fall on the Pavement and break through into Faith-Church under neath now great flakes of stone scale and peel off strangely from the side of the Walls the Conqueror having got this high Fort darts its flames round about now Pater-noster-rowe Newgate-market the old Baily and Ludgate-hill have submitted themselves to the devouring Fire which with wonderful speed rusheth down the Hill into Fleet-street Now Cheap-side Fire marcheth along Iron-monger-lane old Iury Lawrence-lane Milk-street Wood-street Gutter-lane Foster-lane Now it runs along Lothbury Cat-eaten-street c. From Newgate-Market it assaults Christ-Church and conquers that great building and burns through Martin's lane towards Alders-gate and all about so furiously as if it would not leave a House standing upon the ground Now horrible flakes of fire mount up the sky and the yellow smoke of London ascendeth up towards Heaven like the smoak of a great Furnace a smoak so great as darkned the Sun at noon-day it at any time the Sun peeped forth it looked red like blood the Cloud of smoak was so great that travellers did ride at noon day some miles together in the shaddow thereof though there were no other cloud beside to be seen in the sky And if Munday night was dreadfull Tuesday night was more dreadfull when far the greatest part of the City was consumed many thousands who on Saturday had Houses convenient in the City both for themselves and to entertain others now have not where to lay their head and the fields are the only receptacle which they can find for themselves and their goods most of the late Inhabitants of London lye all night in the open Ayr with no other canopy over them but that of the Heavens The fire is still making towards them and threatneth the Suburbs it was amazing to see how it had spread it self several miles in compass and amongst other things that night the sight of Guild-hall was a fearfull spectacle which stood the whole body of it together in view for several hours together after the fire had taken it without flames I suppose because the timber was such solid Oake in a bright shining coale as if it had been a Pallace of gold or a great building of burnished Brass On Wednesday morning when people expected that the Suburbs would be burnt as well as the City and with speed were preparing their flight as well as they could with their luggage into the Countreys and neighbouring Villages Then the Lord hath pitty on poor London his bowels begin to relent his heart is turned within him and he stayes his rough wind in the day of the East wind his fury begins to be allayed he hath a remnant of people in London and there shall a remnant of houses escape the wind now is husht the Commission of the fire is withdrawing and it burns so gently even where it meets with no opposition that it was not hard to be quenched in many places with a few hands now the Citizens begin to gather a little heart and encouragement in their endeavours to quench the Fire A check it had at Leaden-hall by that great building a stop it had in Bishopsgate-street Fen-church-street Lime-street Mark-lane and towards the Tower one means under God was the blowing up of houses with Gunpowder Now it is stayed in Lothbury Broad-street Coleman-street towards the gates it burnt but not with any great violence at the Temple also it is stayed and in Holbourn where it had got no great footing and when once the fire was got under it was kept under and on Thursday the flames were extinguished But on Wednesday-night when the people late of London now of the fields hoped to get a little rest on the ground where they had spread their beds a more dreadful fear fals upon them than they had before through a rumour that the French were comming armed against them to cut their throats and spoil them of what they had saved out of the Fire they were now naked and weak and in ill condition to defend themselves and the hearts especially of the females do quake and tremble and are ready to die within them yet many Citizens having lost their houses and almost all that they had are fired with rage and fury and they begin to stir up themselves like Lyons or like Bears bereaved of their whelps and now Arm Arm Arm doth resound the Fields and Suburbs with a dreadful voice We may guess at the distress and perplexity of the people this night which was something alleviated when the falsness of the alarm was perceived Thus fell great London that ancient City that populous City London which was the Queen City of the Land and as famous as most Cities in the world none so famous for the Gospel and zealous profession of the reformed Religion And yet how is London departed like smoak and her glory laid in the dust how is her destruction come which no man thought of and her desolation in a moment how do the Nations about gaze and wonder how doth the whole Land tremble at the noise of her fall how do her Citizens droop and hang down their heads her Women and Virgins weep and sit in the dust Oh the paleness that now sits upon the cheeks the