S. Of the Sabbath Prophanation of the Sabbath brings the judgment of Fire pag. 137 138 139. Twelve Arguments to prove that God hath been very just and righteous in inflicting the late dreadful judgment of Fire upon those that prophaned his Sabbaths in London pag. 139 to 149. Six Arguments to prove that this abominable sin of prophaning the Sabbath cannot with any clear evidence be charged upon the people of God that did truly fear him within or without the Walls of London pag. 150. Burnt Citizens should sanctifie the Sabbath all their days pag. 232. The first Part of the Application Fourteen ways we should sanctifie the Sabbath pag. 233 to 263. Of the Sins of the professing people of London There were seven sins among the professing people in London that ought to work them to justifie the Lord though he hath burnt them up and turned them out of all pag. 55 to 63. The first Part of the Book Of the several Sins that bring the fiery Judgment upon Cities and Coâ—nâ—â—ies First Gross Atheism practical Atheism brings desolating judgments pag. 67 to 75. Secondly Intemperance pag. 75 to 84. Thirdly The sins that were to be found in the Citizens Callings pag. 84 to 92. Fourthly Desperate incorrigibleness and unreformedness under former wasting and destroying Judgments brings the Judgment of Fire upon a people pag. 92 93 94. Fifthly Insolent and cruel oppressing of the poor brings desolating Judgments upon a people pag. 95 to 100. Sixthly Rejecting the Gospel contemning the Gospel and slighting the free and gracious offers of Christ in the Gospel brings the fiery Dispensation upon a people pag. 100 to 104. Seventhly A course of Lying a trade of Lying brings desolating Judgments upon Cities and people pag. 112 to 128. The eighth sin that brings the Judgment of Fire is mens giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh pag. 128 to 133. The ninth sin that brings the Judgment of Fire upon a people is profanation of the Sabbath pag. 137 to 151. Tenthly The prophaneness lewdness blindness and wickedness of the Clergie brings the Judgment of Fire pag. 151 152 153. Eleventhly Sometimes the sins of Princes and Rulers bring the Judgment of Fire upon persons and places pag. 153. Twelfthly The abusing mocking and despising of the Messengers of the Lord brings the fiery Dispensation upon a people pag. 153 154. Thirteenthly Shedding of the blood of the just is a crying sin that brings the Judgment of Fire and lays all desolate pag. 154 to 168. Of Sin and of Gods Peoples Sins By fiery tryals God will make a fuller discovery of his peoples sins pag. 34 35. By fiery tryals God designs the preventing of sin pag. 35 36. By fiery tryals God designs the imbittering of sin to his people pag. 36 37 38. By fiery tryals God designs the mortifying and purging away of his peoples sins pag. 38 39 40. 41. Sin in the general brings the judgment of Fire upon a people pag. 64 65 66 67. Twelve obâ—ervable things about sin pag. 218 219. The first Part of the Application Thirteen â—upports to bear up their hearts who have either lost all or much or most of what they had in this World The first support is this the great God might have burnt up all be might not have left one house standing pag. 57 to 60. The second support is this viz. That God has given them their lives for a prey pag. 60 to 70. The third support is this viz. This has been the Common Lot the common Case both of sinners and Saints pag. 70 71. The fourth support is this viz. That though they have lost much as they are men as they are Citizens Merchants Tradesmen yet they have lost nothing as they are Christians as they are Saints as they are the Called of God pag. 71 72 73. The fifth support is this viz. That the Lord will certainly one way or another make up all their losses to them pag. 74 75 76. The sixth support is this viz. That by fiery Dispensations the Lord will make way for the new Heavens and the new Earth he will make way for the glorious deliverance of his people pag. 80 81 82. The seventh support is this viz. That by fiery Dispensations God will bring about the ruine and destruction of his and his peoples enemies pag. 82 83. The eighth support is this viz. That all shall end well all shall work for good pag. 83 84 85. The ninth support is this viz. That there was a great mixture of mercy in that dreadful judgment of Fire that turned London into a ruinous heap pag. 85 86 87 88 89 90 91. The tenth support is this viz. That there are worse judgments then the judgment of Fire which God might but has not inflicted upon the Citizens of London this is made good five ways from pag. 91 to 99. The eleventh support is this viz. Your outward condition is not worse then Christs was when he was in the world pag. 99 100 101. The twelfth support is this viz. That your outward condition in this world is not worse then theirs was of whom this world was not worthy pag. 101. 102. The thirteenth support is viz. There is a worse fire then that which has turned London into a ruinous heap viz. the fire of Hell which Christ has freed Believers from pag. 102 to 125. T. Of the Text. The Text opened pag. 1 2 3 4 5. The first Part of the Book Of Thankfulness Six Arguments to encourage Christians to thankfulness and cheerfulness under the late dâ—solating Judgment of Fire pag. 179 180 181. The first Part of the Application W. Of Divine Warnings and the danger of slighting them Ten Arguments to work men to take lâ—â—d of slighting Divine Warnings pag. 23 to 28. The first Part of the Book Of the Wicked The Wicked are compared to four things in Scripture pag. 82 83. The first Part of the Application Of the World and the Vanity of it and of a worldly Spirit The Vanity of the World discovered pag. 184 185 186 187. Ten Arguments to prove that a worldly spirit still hangs upon the burnt Citizens pag. 187 to 193. Ten Maxims for the burnt Citizens seriously and frequently to dwell upon as they would have their affections moderated to the things of this World pag. 193 to 216. How we may lawfully desire the things of the World exprest in three Particulars pag. 216 217. There was a great deal of Worldliness among the professing people of London pag. 58 59. The first Part of the Book An inordinate love to the World will expose a man to seven great losses pag. 59 60 61. ISAIAH 42. 24 25. Who gave Jacob to the spoil and Israel to the Robbers did not I the Lord he against whom we have sinned for they would not walk in his ways neither were they obedient to his Law Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battel and it hath
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
them lâ—b de superstitione Sun and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire And the men were scorched with great heat and blasphemed the Name of God which hath power over these plagues and they repâ—nted not to give him glory Vers 10. And the fifth Angel poured out his vial upon the scent of the Beast and his Kingdom was full of darkness and they gnawed their tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds The top of the Judgment that is and shall be upon the wicked is this that under the sorest and heaviest Judgments that shall come This will be the case of all the worshippers of the Beast one day Deut. 8. 2. 15 16. upon them they shall not repent nor give glory to God they shall blaspheme the Name of God and they shall blaspheme the God of Heaven and they shall be scorched with great heat and they shall gnaw their tongues for pain but they shall not repent of their deeds nor give glory to that hand that smites them The fierce and fiery Dispensations of God upon the followers and worshippers of the Beast shall draw out their sins but they shall never reform their lives nor better their souls God kept the Jews forty years in the Wilderness and exercised them with many sore and smart afflictions that he might prove them and make a more full discovery of themselves to themselves and did not the heavy tryals that they met with in their wilderness condition make a very great discovery of that pride that unbelief that hypocrisie that impatience that discontent that self-love that murmuring c. that was wrapt up close in all their souls O Sirs since God has turned our renowned City into ashes what discoveries has he made of that pride that unbelief that worldliness that earthliness that self-love that inordinate affection to relations and to the good things of the world that discontent that disquietness that faint-heartedness that has been closely wrapt up in the spirits of many thousands whose habitations are now laid in ashes We try metals by fire and by knocking and God has tryed many thousands this day by his fiery Dispensations and knocking Judgments that have been in the midst of us I believe there are many thousands who have been deep sufferers by the late dreadful Fire who never did think that there had been so much sin and so little grace so much of the Creature and so little of God so much earth and so little of Heaven in their hearts as they now find by woful experience and how many wretched sinners are there who have more blasphemed God and dishonoured Christ and provoked divine Justice and abused their best mercies and debased and be-beasted themselves since the late Fire then they have done in many years before But Sixthly God inflicts great and sore Judgments upon Persons Cities and Countries that others may be warned by his severities to break off their sins and to return to the most High Gods Judgments upon one City should be advertisements to all other Cities to look about them and to Heb. 12. 29. tremble before him who is a consuming fire The flaming Rod of correction that is laid upon one City should be a Rod of instruction to all other Cities Jer. 22. 6 7 8 9. I will make thee a wilderness and cities which are not inhabited and many nations shall pass by this city and they shall say every man to his neighbour Wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this great City Then shall they answer Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God and worshipped other gods and served them God punisheth one City that all others Cities may take warning There is no Judgment of God be it Sword Pestilence Famine or Fire upon any People City Nation or Country but what is speaking and Mich. 6. 9. teaching to all others had they but eyes to see ears to hear and hearts to understand Thus Tyrus shall be devoured with fire saith the Prophet Ashkelon shall see it and fear Zach. 9. 4 5. Gaza and Ekron shall be very sorrowful When Ashkelon Gaza and Ekron shall see the destruction of Tyre by fire it shall make them afraid of the like Judgment they shall be a little more concerned then some were at the Siege of Rhodes and then others were at the Ruine and Desolation of Troy by fire London's sufferings should warn others to take heed of London's sins London's Conflagration should warn others to take heed of London's abominations it should warn others to stand and wonder at the patience Rom. 2. 4 5. long-suffering gentleness and goodness of God towards them who have deserved as hard things from the hand of God as London have felt in 1665. and 1666. It should warn others to search their hearts and try their ways and break off their sins and turn to the Lord lest his anger should break forth in flames of fire against them and none should be able to deliver them It should warn others to Lam. 3. 40. fear and tremble before that Power Justice Severity and Soveraignty that shine in Gods fiery Dispensations towards us Ezek. 30. 7 8 9. And they shall be desolate in the midst Exod. 15. 14 15 16. Isa 13. 6 7 8. â—f the countries that are desolate and her Cities meaning Egypt shall be in the midst of the Cities that are wasted And they shall know that I am the Lord when I have set a fire in Egypt In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make the careless Aethiopians afraid and great pain shall câ—me upon them as in the day of Egypt for lo it cometh God by his secret Instinct and Providence would so order the matter as that the news of the Chaldeans inrode into Egypt laying all their Cities and Towns waste by fire and sword should be carried over into Aethiopia and hereupon the secure Aethiopians should fear and tremble and be in pain as a woman is that is in travel or as the Egyptians were when they were destroyed at the Red-sea or as they were when the Lord smote their first-born throughout the Land of Egypt Now shall the Aethiopians the poor blind Heathens fear and tremble and be in pain when they hear that Egypt is laid waste by fire and sword and shall not Christians all the world over fear and tremble and be in pain when they shall hear that London is laid waste that London is destroyed by fire What though Papists and Atheists have warmed themselves at the flames of London saying Aha so would we have it yet let all that have the Name of God upon them fear and tremble and take warning and learn righteousness by his righteous Judgments upon desolate London Isa 26. 8 9. London's murdering-piece should be Englands warning-piece to awaken them and to work them to
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
sometimes naked withered and as it were even dead So 't is sometimes with the graces of the Saints but the Lord by one fiery tryal or another will revive and recover and raise their graces again Epiphanius makes mention of those that Lib. de Anchorat travel by the Desarts of Syria where are nothing but miserable Marshes and Sands destitute of all Commodities nothing to be had for love or money Now if it so happen that their fire go out by the way then they light it again at the heat of the Sun by the means of a Burning-glass and thus if the fire of zeal if the sparks of divine grace by the prevalency of some strong corruption or by the violence of some dreadful temptation should be put out or dye as to its lively operations by a Burning-glass or by one fiery Dispensation or another God will inflame the zeal and enliven the dying graces of his poor people I know the saving graces of the Spirit viz. such as Faith Love Hope c. cannot 1 Joh. 3. 9. 11. Rom. 29. 13. Heb. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Joh 10. 28 29 30 31. be finally and totally extinguished in the Souls when they are once wrought there by the Spirit yet their lustre their radiancy their activity their shine and flame may be clouded and covered whilst the season of temptation lasteth as living coals may be so covered with ashes that neithâ—r light nor smoak nor heat may appear and yet when the embers the ashes are stirred to the bottom then live coals appear and by a little blowing a flame breaks forth There are several cases wherein grace in a Christians breast may seem to be hid cold dead and covered over as sap in the winter is hid in the roots of trees or as flowers and fruits are hid in the seeds or roots in the earth or as sparks of fire are hid in the ashes or as bits of gold are hid in a dust heap or as pearls may be hid in the mire I but God by one severe providence or another by one fiery tryal or another will blow that heavenly grace that divine fire into a perfect flame he will cause their hid graces to revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine and blossom as the Lilly and smell as the Wine of Lebanon Hos 14 5 6 7. O Sirs how many Christians were there amongst us who were much decayed and withered in their graces in their duties in there converses in their comforts in their spiritual enjoyments in their As a man may take infection or get some inward bruise or spring a vein and yet not know of it communions with God and with one another and yet were not sensible of their decays nor humbled under their decays nor industrious to recover themselves out of their withering and dying condition and therefore no wonder if the Lord to recover them and raise them hath brought fiery tryals upon them But Secondly God by severe Providences and by fiery Tryals designs a further exercise of his Childrens graces sleepy habits bring him no glory nor do us no good All the honour he has and all the advantage we have in this world is from the active part of grace consult the Scriptures in the Job 15. 3. 2 Chron. 20. 12 13. Jam. 1. 4. Chap. 5. 11. Hab. 2. 3 4. Mich. 7. 7 8 9. Rev. 13. 10. compared with Chap. 14. 12. Margine There is little difference as to the comfort and sweet of grace between grace out of exercise and no grace at all A man that has millions but has no heart to use what he has wherein is he better as to the comfort and sweetness of his life then a man that hath but a few mites in the world Eccle. 6. 1 2-4 Mark 40. How is it that you have no faith saith Christ to his Disciples when they were in a dreadful storm and in danger of drowning and so stood in most need of their faith yet they had then their faith to seek they had faith in the habit but not in the exercise and therefore Christ looks upon their faith as no faith How is it that you have no faith what is the sheath without the knife the scabbard without the sword the Musket without the match the Cannon without the bullet the Granado without powder no more are all your graces when not in exercise The strongest Creature the Lyon and the subtlest Creature the Serpent if they are dormant are as easily surprised and destroyed as the weakest worm So the strongest Saints if grace be not in exercise are as easily surprised and captivated by Sin Satan and the World as the weakest Saints are O Sirs if Christians will not stir up the grace of God that is in them if they will not look to the daily exercise of grace God by some severe providence or other by some fiery Dispensation or other will stir up their graces for them Ah Jonah 1. 6. ult sluggish slumbering Christians who are careless as to the exercise of your graces how sadly how sorely do you provoke the Lord to let Satan loose to tempt you and corruptions grow strong to weary you and the world grow cross to vex you and friends turn enemies to plague you and the Lam. 1. 16. spirit withdraw to discomfit you and fiery tryals to break in to awaken you And all this to bring you to live in a daily exercise of grace God was fain to be a Moth a Worm a â—yon yea a young Lyon to Ephraim and Judah before he Hos 5. 12. 14. could bring them up to an exercise of grace but when he was all this to them then they fall roundly upon a lively exâ—rcise of grace Hos 6. 1 2 3. Come let us return unto thâ— Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten â—nd he will bind us up After two days he will revive us in the â—hird day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come unto us as the rain as the latter and former rain unto the earth Here you see â—hâ—ir faith their repentance their love their hope all in eâ—ercise When a Souldiers courage metal and gallantry lyes as it were hid his Captain will put him upon such haâ—dâ—hips hâ—zards and dangers as shall rouse up his courage metal and gallantry If a Scholar has excellent acquired parts and abilities and will not use them nor improve them his Master will put him upon such Tasks as shall draw out all his parts and abilities to the height So when the Lord has laid into the souls of his people a stock of grace and they grow idle and careless and will not improve that stock for his glory and their own good he will then exercise them with such severe providences and fiery tryals as
such things either trouble our thoughts or break our hearts The whole world is but a Paradisâ— for fools 't is a beautiful but deceitful Harlot 't is a drâ—amed sweetness and a very Ocean of Gall. There is nothing to be found in it that has not mutability and uncertainty vanity and vexation stampt upon it And therefore he can't be happy that enjoyes it nor he miserable that wants it And why then should not he be contented that has but but a little of it The greatest outward happiness is but honied poison and therefore don't shrug nor faint because thou hast but little of the world All thy crosses and losses shall be so tempered by a hand of Heaven as that they shall become wholesome Medicines they shall be steps to thy future glory they are thy only Hell thy Heaven is to come And therefore be contented in the midst of all thy sorrows and suâ—â—erings Remember that many times they who have most of the world in their hands have 'T is only an infinite good and infinite God that can fill and satisfie the soul of man Plato could say The mind is not satisfied nor quieted â—ill it return thither from whence it came least of God of Christ of the Spirit of Grace of Heaven in their hearts And remember that a man wâ—re better to have much of God with a little of the world than to have much of the world with a little of God God alone is a thousand thousand felicities and a world of happiness the only life and light Algerius the Martyr being swallowed up in a sweet fruition of God found more light in his Dungeon than was without in all the world O Sirs if upon casting up of your accounts for another world you find that Heaven is your home the world your footstool the Angels your Attendants your Creator your Father your Judge your Brother the Holy Spirit your comforter if you find that God is ever with you ever bâ—fore you evâ—r within you ever round about you and ever a making of provision more or less for you why should you not be contented with your present condition with your present proportion be it more or be it less But The sixth Duty that lyes upon those who have bâ—en burnt up is to mourn to lye low to keep humble under this dreadful Judgement of fire under this mighty hand of God When Zicklag was burnt by the Amalekites David and the people lifted up their voices and wept until they had no 1 Sam. 30. 1 2 3 4. power to weep They wept their utmost they wept themselves even blind They did not Stoically slight that fiery Rod but prudently laid it to heart Tears are callâ—d the blood of the soul Now a shower of tears a shower of blood they poured out to quench those flames that the Amalakites had kindled When they saw their City laid desolate by fire their sorrow was so great that they were over-burthened with the weight of it And therefore they sought ease in venting their sorrow in a shower of tears And so when Nehemiah understood that the wall of Jerusalem was Neh. 1. 3 4. broken down and the gates thereof were burnt with fire he sate down and wept and mourned certain dayeâ— Some Authors report that the Jews to this day come yearly to Naziaâ—zeâ— ad Hieron c. the place where Jerusalem the City of their fathers stood which was by Titus and Adrian destroyed by fire and sword and upon the day of the destruction of it weep over it Oh how well dos it become all burnt Citizens to Deut. 8. 16. Lev. 26. 40 41 42. Luke 14. 11. Dan. 5. 22. Augustine saith that the first second and third Virtue of a Christian is humility If I were asked saith he what is the readiest way to attain true happiness I would answer the first the second the third thing is humility humility humility As often as I was asked I would say humility Humility doth not only entitle to happiness but to the highest degree of happiness Matth. 18. 4. stand and weep over the ashes of London and greatly to abase themselves under that mighty hand of God that has been lifted up against them 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves under the mighty band of God that he may exalt you in due time Ah London London how hath the mighty hand of tâ—e Lord been lifted up against theâ— how hath he by flames of â—ire laâ—d all thy glory in the dust The Lord by â—ire Swoâ—d 〈◊〉 Pâ—stileâ—câ— hath greatly humbled thâ—e Aâ—d O wâ—eâ— shall it oncâ— be that â—â—ou wilt bâ— humble under â—â—e mighty hand of God! 'T is one tâ—iâ—g to be humâ—led by Jâ—â—gements 't is another thing to be humbâ—e under Judgâ—mâ—â—ts There have been many Natâ—oâ—s Citiâ—s aâ—â— particular pâ—rsoâ—s who have been greatly humbled by amazing and aâ—â—oâ—â—sâ—ing Judgements who yâ—t nâ—vâ—r had so much grace as to lye humble under thosâ— Judgâ—mâ—â—ts Whâ—n Gods hand is lifted up very high he expects that our hearts should fall very low To be poor and proud is to be douâ—ly misâ—rable If mens spirits are high when their estates are low the next blow will be more dreadful God has laid our habitations in dust and ashâ—s and he expects that we should even humble our selves in dust and ashes The only way to avoid Cannon shot is to fall down flat on the ground The Application is easie Humility exalteth he that is most humble shall be most honourable Moses in his Wilderness-condition was the meekest man on earth and God made him the most honourablest calling him up unto himself in the Mount and making of him the Leader of his people Israel Gideâ—n was very little in his own eyes The least in his Fathers house in his own apprehension and God exalted him making him the deliverer of his Israel He that is little in his own account is alwayes high in Gods esteem When one asked the Philopher What God was a doing he answered That his whole work was to lift up the humble and cast down the proud Those brave creatures the Lyon and the Eagle were not offered in Sacrifice unto God but the poor Lamb and Dove was offered in Sacrifice to note to us that God regards not your brave high lofty spirits and that he is all for such that are of a Dove-like and a Lamb-like spirit They say if dust be sprinkled upon the wings of Bees their noises humming and risings will quickly cease The Lord in the late fiery dispensation has sprinklâ—d dust and ashes upon us all And Oh that our proud noises hummings and risings of heart might cease from before the Lord who is risen out of his holy place Ah London London thou hast been proud of thy Trade and proud of thy Strength and proud of thy Riches and proud of thy stately Buildings and Edifices bâ—t God has now laid all thy glory in dust and ashes And therefore it highly concerns thee to
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
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
tempted with money and preferment he answered The fashion of this world passeth away as the waters of a River that runs by a City or as Basil in 40. Martyrs In Queen Maries time when some offered a certain Martyr money he refused it saying I am going to a Countrey where money will bear no price a fair picture drawn upon the Ice that melts away with it Pecuniam da quae permaneat c. Give money said he that may last for ever and glory that may eternally flourish I have read of a mortified Christian who being tempted with of fers of money to desert his Religion gave this excellent answer Let not any think that he will embrace other mens goods to forsake Christ who hath forsaken his own proper goods to follow Christ It was an excellent answer of one of the Martyrs when he was offered riches and honours if he would recant Do but offer me somewhat that is better than my Lord Jesus Christ and you shall see what I will say to you Thus you see that men that are crucified to this world don't only resist but also triumph over all the glittering temptations of a tempting and enticing world And O that such a spiriâ— might rest upon all those whose habitations are laid desolate But Tenthly and lastly Are there no burnt Câ—tâ—zens who go to the utmost of their line and liberty for the gaining of the â—hings of this world Ah how near the Pits brink how near the borders of sin how near the flames of vengeance how near the infernal fire do many venture to gain the things oâ— this world And what dos this speak out but an inordinaâ—â— love of this world O Sirs what do all these things evidence but this that though God has fired many men out oâ— their houses yet the inordinate love of this world is not fired out of their hearts O Sirs to moderate your affections to the things of this world and to put a stop to your too eager pursuit after earthly things seriously and frequently dwell upon thâ—se teâ— Maxims First That the shortest surest and safest way to be rich is to be content with your present portion The Philosopher Eccles 5. 12. could say He that is content wants nothing and he that wants content enjoyes nothing One might have riches yet be very poor One might have little yet have all and more Sâ—condly He who is contented with a little will never be satisfied with much he who is not content with pounds Much Treasure stoppeth not a Misers mouth saith the Proverb will never be satisfied with hundreds and he who is not content with a few hundreds will never be satisfied with many thousands Eccles 5. 10. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor be that loveth abundance with increase Money of it self cannot satisfie any desire of Nature If a man be hungry it cannot feed him if naked it cannot clothe him if cold it cannot warm him if sick it cannot recover him A circle cannot fill a triangle no more can the whole world fill the heart of man A man may as soon fill a Chest with Grace as an heart with wealth The soul of man may be busied about earthly things but it can never be filled nor satisfied with earthly things Air shall as soon fill the body as money shall satisfie the mind There is many a worldling who hath enough of the world to sink him who will never have enough of the world to satisfie him The more an hydropical man drinketh the more he thirsteth So the more money is encreased the more the love of money is encreased and the more the love of mony is encreased the more the soul is unsatisfied 'T is only an infinite God and an infinite good that can fill and satisfie the Gen. 15. 1. precious and immortal soul of man Look as nothing fits the ear but sounds and as nothing fits the smell but odours so nothing fits the soul but God Nothing below the great God can fit and fill animmortal soul Nothing can content the soul of man but the fruition of God God never rested till he Nature hath taught all men to seek after a summum boâ—um made man and man can never rest till he enjoyes his God Every man has a soul within him of a vast capacity and nothing can fill it to the brim but he that 's fulness it self Should we knock at every creatures door for happiness they would all answer us round that it is not in them The man in Plutarch that heard the Philosophers wrangle about summum bonum one placing of it in this and another in that went to the Market and bought up all that was good hopeing among all he should not miss of happiness and yet he mist of it The soul of man is of so glorious a make that nothing below him that made it can satisfie it The summ of all that the creatures amount to according to Solomons reckoning is vanity and vexation of Spirit Vanity and vexation is the very quintescence of the creature and all that can possibly be extracted out of it Now if vanity can satisfie or if vexation can give content if you can gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles than go on and dote upon the world still and be alwayes enamoured with a shadow of perishing beauty Oramuzes the Enchanter boasted that in his Egg all the happiness in the world was included but being broken there was nothing in it but wind and emptiness But Thirdly 'T is infinitely better to have much of God of Christ of the Spirit of Holiness and of Heaven in our hearts with a little of the world in our hands than to have much 2 Cor. 6. 10. of the world in our hands and but a little of God and Chrâ—st in our hearts 'T is infinitely better to be rich towards Gâ—d and poor towards the world than to be poor towards God and to be rich towards the world There are some very Eccles 5. 12. Prov. 11. 24. rich who yet are very poor there are others who are very poor and yet are very rich 'T is infinitely better to be poor men and rich Christians than to be rich men and poor Christians But Fourthly The best and surest way under Heaven to gain much of the world is to mind the world less and God and Christ and Grace and Heaven more 1 Kings 3. 9. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great a people Ver. 10. And the Speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing Ver. 11. And God said unto him because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long life neither hast asked riches for thy self nor hast asked the life of thine enemies but hast asked for thy self understanding to discern judgement ver 12.
This is spoken of the King of Babylon who though he had gathered to him all Nations and people yea and all their vast Treasures also Isa 10. 13. I have robbed their treasures ver 14. And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of his people and as one gathereth Eggs that are left have I gathered all the earth and there was none that moved the wing or opened the mouth or peeped And yet for all this was his desire enlarged as Hell and could not be satisfied The desires of worldlings are boundless and endless and there is no satisfying of them 'T is not all the Gold of Ophir or Peru nor all the Pearls or Mines of India 't is not Josephs Chains nor Davids Crowns nor Hamans Honours nor Daniels Dignities nor Dives his riches that can satisfie an immortal soul Tenthly The little that the righteous man hath is more stable durable and lasting than the riches of the wicked and therefore his little is better than their much his mite Job 5. 20 21 22. is better than their millions Psal 34. 9 10. O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him The young Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Such as are separated from the worlds lusts can live with a little Such as set up God as the object of their fear have no cause to fear the want of any thing When David was a captive amongst the Philistins he wanted nothing Paul had nothing and yet 2 Cor. 6. 10. possessed all things A godly man may want many good things that he thinks to be good for him but he shall never Heb. 13 5 6. Prov. 10. 3 want any good thing that the Lord knows to be good for him We do not esteem of Tenure for life as we do of freehold because life is a most uncertain thâ—ng Ten pound a year for ever is better than a hundred in hand All the promises are Gods Bonds and a Christian may put them in suit when he will and hold God to his word and that not only for his spiritual and eternal life but also for his natural life his temporal life but so can't the wicked The temporal Prov. 10. 3. Psalm 37. 34 35 36. Jer. 17. 11. Job 20. 20. ult estate of the wicked is seldom long-liv'd as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together Alexander the Great Conqueror of the world caused to be painted on a Table a Sword in the compass of a Wheel shewing thereby that what he had gotten by the Sword was subject to be turned about the wheel of Providence There is no more hold to be had of riches honours or preferments than Saul had of Samuels lap They do but like the Rainbow shew themselves in all their dainty colours and then vanâ—sh away There are so many sins and so many crosses and so many curses that usually attend the riches of the wicked that 't is very rare to see their estates long-liv'd Hence their great estates are compared to the Chaffe which a puff of wind disperseth to the Grass which the scorching Sun quickly withers to the tops of Corn which are soon Job 24. 24. cut off and to the unripe Grape Job 15. 33. He shall shake off his unripe Grape as the Vine and shall cast off his flower as the Olive Every dayes experience confirms us in this truth But Eleventhly and lastly The little that the righteous man hath is better than the riches of the wicked in respâ—ct of his last reckoning in respâ—ct of his last accounts God will never call his childrâ—n in the great dâ—y either to the book or to thâ— bâ—r for the mercies that he has given them be they few or be they many be they great or be they small Though the Mercer brings his Customer to the book for what he has and for what he wears yet he never brings his Child to the book for what he has and for what he wears Though the Vintner or Inn-keeper brings their guest to the barr for the provisions they have yet they never bring their children to the barr for the provisions they make for them In the great day the Lord will take an exâ—ct account of all the good Matth. 25. that his children have done for others but he will never bring them to an account for what he has done for them Christ in this great day will 1. Remember all the individual offices of love and friendship that hath been shewed to any of his members 2. He will mention many good things which his children did which they themselvâ—s never minded Verse 37. 3 The least and lowest acts of love and pity that have been shewed to Christs suffering servants shall be interpreted Verse 40. as a special kindness shewed to himself 4. The recompence that Christ will give to his people in Verse 44 46. that day shall be exceeding great Here is no calling of them to the book or to the barr for the merciâ—s that they were entrusted with But O the sad the great accounts that the wicked have to give up for all their Lands and Lordships for all their Honors Offices Dignities and Riches To whom Luke 12. 48. much is given much shall be required Christ in the great day will reckon with all the Grandees of the world for every thousand for every hundred for every pound yea for every penny that he has entrusted them with All Princes Rev. 6. 15 16 17. Luke 16. 2. Eccles 12. 14. Nobles and people that are not interested in the Lord Jesus shall be brought to the book to the barr in the great day to give an account of all they have received and done in the flesh But Christs darlings shall then be the only welcome guess Matth. 25. 34. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Before the world was founded the Saints were crowned in Gods eternal counsel Here is no mention made of the book or the Some of the more refined Heathen have had some kind of dread and fear in their spirits upon the consideration of a day of account as the writings of Plato and Tully c. do sufficiently evidence barr but of a Kingdom a Crown a Diadem Now by these eleven Arguments 't is most evident that the little that the righteous man hath is better than the riches of the wicked the righteous mans mite is better than the wicked mans millions But The eighth Maxim that I shall lay down to put a stop to your too eager pursuit after the things of this world is this viz. That the life of man consists not in the enjoyment of these earthly things which he is so apt inordinately to affect Luke 12. 15. And he said unto