the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the Land of the Plain and beheld and lo the â—…ke of the Countrey went up as the smoke of a â—…urnace And it came to passe when God destroyed the Cities of the Plain that God remembred Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the Cities wherein Lot dwelled In treating of this subject concerning the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone I shall speak First Of the cause of this Judgement Secondly Of the Judgement it self Thirdly Of persons on whom it was inflicted and how they were affâ—…cted Fourthly Of the persons that escaped Fifthly Of the Spectators Lastly Of the use and improvement which we may make of it Concerning the cause of this Iudgement The efficient cause was God The meritorious cause was Sodoms sins First The efficient cause of the judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah was the Lord. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah Brimstone and Fire from the Lord out of Heaven Every judgement whereof there are second causes in nature is from the Lord but this judgement was miraculous and therefore the hand of the Lord was in it more immediately It was beyond the power of any second causes to effect this great thing and therefore the Lord doth put forth his own great power and stretcheth forth his mighty arm that he might take vengeance on the wicked Sodomits who had so highly provoked him by their sins It is said Deut. 29. 23. The Lord overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim in his anger and in his wrath The Lord heard the cry of Sodom's sins and was wrath a fire of anger was kindled in his breast and fury came up into his face therefore girding himself with his irresistible power and clothing himself with flaming vengeance as with a garment he came done to plead with this ungodly and wicked people for their sins rendering his rebukes in such a way as never before was heard of It was the day of the Lords recompence the day of his wrath and fierce anger a day of trouble and distresse of wasting and desolation It was a day in which the Lord was revealed from Heaven in flaming Fire to take vengeance upon the Sodomits whom he punished with a most fearful destruction devouring those wicked Cities by the fire of his jealousie that he might make a speedy riddance of all the sinners which dwelled in them The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah Brimstone and Fire from the Lord out of Heaven By the Lord on Earth we are to understand the Son of God the second most glorious Person in the Trinity by the Lord in Heaven we are to understand the Father the first Person who hath committed all Judgement unto the Son Ioh. 5. 22. From whom he received power to execute the appointed vengeance on wicked Sodom Secondly The miritorious cause of the Judgement upon Sodom and Gomorrah was the sins of those wicked Cities when the Lord ariseth from his place to take vengeance upon a Nation especially in some notable and remarkable judgement he is first exceedingly provoked hereunto by the sins of that people It is said Gen. 13. 13. that the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly They exceeded all other Nations in their sins and therefore they exceeded all other Nations in their punishment And Chap. 18. 20. We read the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah was great and their sin was very grievous It was not their prayers which sent up such a cry unto Heaven no they were wholly irreligious and Ungodly but it was their sins like the blood of Abel which cryed from the ground for vengeance on him that shed it the cry of Sodoms sins was so loud that it came up into Gods ears and would give him no rest until he came down to punish Their sin was very grievous not only grievous unto righteous Lot who was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2. 7. But it was most grievous unto the most Holy and Righteous God it was as a heavy load upon him grievous and hard to be boarn it grieved God as it were to the heart and therefore he doth ease himself of the burden of their Sin by suffering it to fall down with a heavy weight upon themselves so as to crush and destroy them together There are five sins of Sodom spoken of together Ezek. 16. 49 50. Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom Pride fullness of Bread and abundance of Idleness was in her and in her Daughters that is her neighbour inferiour Cities neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy And they were haughty and committed abomination before me therefore I took them away as I saw good The Sins were First Pride and Haughtiness Secondly Fulness of Bread Thirdly Abundance of Idelness Fourthly Unmercifulness to the Poor Fifthly Abomination The first Sin of Sodom was Pride and Haughtiness Prov. 16. 18. Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall The Pride and haughtiness of the Sodomits did discover it self in their carriage towards Lot Gen. 19. 7 9. Lot is meek and humble he speaketh fairly and kindly I pray you Brethren do not so wickedly But they are high rough and very haughty in their answer And they said stand back and they said again this one fellow came in to sojourn and he will needs be a Iudge As if they should have said Pray who are you that take upon you to speak thus unto us do you know whom you speak to you are a bold and saucy fellow to tell us of wickedness Will you needs be our Iudge shall we indeed be judg'd by such a fellow as you pray stay untill we make choice of you and place you in that office shall we submit our selves to be judged by one so contemptible No no we will never endure it it is below our birth and breeding to be curb'd by any one especially by you who are a stranger and of such a low spirit as dare not join with us in the way and practice of our City We will deal worse with you than with them we will make you know that we are your betters and that we have power in our bands to bring you to your knees and to tread you under our feet that we can do both with you and yours what we please we have been often provoked by you before now we will forbear no longer but make you to feel as well as to see in what disdain we have taken all your reproofs of our conversation Pride was grown to a great heigth in Sodom it was monstrously great and big-bellied conceiving and bringing forth many Daughters such as Hatred Malice Envie Revenge Wrath Strife Contention Bitterness evil speaking Slanders Backbiting Whisperings Tumults Brawls Blood and the like these and many other â—…ins
eat her Flesh and burn her with Fre. And again Chap. 18. throwout we have the destruction and burning of Babylon or Rome set forth at large Ver. 2. Babylon the great is fallen is fallen Ver. 4. Come out of her my people that ye pertake not of her Plagues Ver. 7. As she hath glorifyed her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Ver. 8. Her plagues shall come in one day and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her The Kings of the Earth that committed Fornication with her and Merchants and Ship-masters shall bewail her when they see the smoke of her burning Ver. 9. But in Heaven there shall be joy The Lord will rejoice the Prophets and Apostles will rejoice and all the Saints will rejoice in the vengeance which shall then be taken upon Her Ver. 20. Rome was standing and did rejoice when London was burning and I hope London will be standing and much more rejoice when Rome is burning London was burnt but in part Rome shall be utterly burnt with Fire London after it's burning is rebuilt in a great measure but Rome shall never be rebuilt after this burning This Babylon when it falleth shall never rise more Ver. 21. And a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great Mile-stone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all As a great Mile-stone thrown into the midst of the Sea is overwhelmed with Water so shall Rome be overwhelmed with Fire and as a Mile-stone cannot be raised and drawn out of the Sea so Rome when burnt shall never be raised again out of it's ashes and ruines Dreadful will the destruction of Rome be when the time of her barning is come those which stand a far off for fear of her torment who have been friends to her shall lament what lamentâ—…tions then will there be by such as shall be found in the place it self when it shall be set on Fire about their eares when the Pope and Cardinals and the other Inhabitants of that Filthy and Abominably wicked City shall be consumed together as is likely in the midst of the flames O the hideous out-crys which then will be made in every street when they are surrounded with Fire on all sides and there is no way left for them to escape when their Houses and Wealth and Persons shall be consumed together by the devouring flames when God by such a dreadful fire on Earth shall convey them down to the more dreadful fire of Hell Then the Lord will avenge all the blood of his Saints which under the Anti-Christian tyranny hath been shed for so many generations then he will avenge all the Idolatry Pride Covetousness Oppression Blasphemy Filthiness Cruelty and Wickedness of Rome together When the Grape â— of this Vine are fully ripe the Angel with his sharp Sicle will cut it and throw it into the Winepress of Gods wrath where it shall be squiesed and crusht to pieces When their iniquities are full then their ruine shall come And surely the time is not far off I am much of the perswasion that this generation shall not passe away before God will accomplish what he hath threatn'd concerning Râ—…nes burning and destruction the last Sands of the hour of Gods Patience seem to be running the forty and two months seem to be expiring and the two witnesses civilly slain it may be are arising and then Rome will quickly be faâ—…ling CHAP. X. Concerning the burning of the World 2 BY the burning of Mount Aetna we may be minded also of the burning of the World I mean the last general conslagration of the World at the end thereof whether Aetna's burning be a Prognostick of Rome's burning is not so certain but that it is a Prognostic of the Worlds burning and dissolution by Fire may be proved from Scripture as Luke 21. 11. Where our Saviour foretelling his Disciples what the signs should be of his coming and the end of the World amongst Wars Pestilences Earth-quakes doth reckon up fearful sights as one Fore-runner and I verily think there hath not been a more fearful sight since the days of our Saviour then this of the Eruption of Firâ—… and Brimstone from this flaming Mountain the Inhabitant of the place expected a general conflagration then but we may well say that this fearful sight is a Fore-runner of it foretold by Christ and therefore should put us in mind of it The notice of this great and universal burning of the World we have not from reason but from the Scripture the clearest and fullest place to prove this is 2 Pet. 3. 5 6 7. By the Word of God the Heavens were of Old and the Earth standing out of the Water and in the Water Whereby the World that then was being overflowed with Water perished But the Heavers and Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the day of Iudgement and perdition of Ungodly men And Ver. 10. The day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Here Note First That as the World of old was drowned by Water so that the World that now is shall be consumed by Fire as certainly as the former was sâ—… certainly the later shall be and as dreadful as the Flood was to Sinners on that day so dreadful and much more dreadful will the Fire be to Sinners on the last day Secondly It is by the Word of the Lord that this general Conflagration shall be effected by the Word of the Lord the World was made and by the Word of the Lord the World was Drown'd and by the Word of the Lord the world shall be burn'd In his word he hath foretold it and by his Word he will effect it Thirdly The Heavens and Earth are said to be reserved in store for fire when the Old World was drowned it was only the Earth and Inhabitants thereof the Heavens were untouch'd and the Earth also did remain undissolved and the same Earth did appear afterwards when the Flood was drawn off by God but at the last day the Heavens and Earth too shall be dissolved by Fire not by subterranean Fire as some imagine and that as when the World was drowned the Fountains of the great deep were opened and the Waters kept before in Store-houses were brought forth which overwhelmed the Earth so that there are Fountains of Fire in the bowels of the Eatth and that there it is kept in Store-houses all which then shall be opened and that the fire shall break forth in a more dreadful flame then ever was seen at Mount Aetna and set the whole Fabrick of the World on â—…ire For as
did run into But the Sodomits slight all Lot's sayings they deafen their ears against his reproofs and will be led by none of his example nothing prevails with them to repent The second aggravation of the Sodomits Sins was thâ—…ir Incorrigibleness As it was said of the Jews aftâ—…rward Ier. 5. 3. So it might have been said of the Sodomits then Though God had stricken them yet they did not grieve though God had consumed them yet they refused to receive correction They did not take warning by lesser judgements so as to be corrected and amended thereby They were smitten before their enemies their City not long before had been sackt their goods taken away and themselves were led into Captivity with their Wives and Children and yet they were insensible of their Sins the cause of all this evil that came upon them and were so far from being bettered hereby that they grew worse than they were before The third aggravation of the Sodomits Sins was their Ingratitude They were not only ungrateful unto Lot upon whose account Abraham did deliver them out of the hands of their enemies which not only laid an obligation of respect to Lot upon them as long as they liv'd but chiefly they were ungrateful unto God the Author of this deliverance by Abraham and who moreover had been very bountiful unto them in giving them such a place of plenty and pleasure for their habitation that it was like unto the Garden of the Lord for fruitfulness the greater Gods Mercy and Bounty to them the greater was their ingratitude and the more highly aggravated were their Sins The fourth aggravation of the Sodomits Sins was the Universality of their Sins There were no righteous persons amongst them except it were Lot and his Family they were generally corrupt they were all dross and no Gold all Water and no Wine all wicked when Lot was departed As the Earth of old was filled with violence so Sodom then was filled with Filthiness which was very offensive unto the pure and Holy Eyes of God and provoked him to destroy them The fifth aggravation of the Sodomits Sins was their Shamlesness What was spoken of Israel Ier. 6. 5. Might have been said of Sodom were they ashamed when they had committed abomination nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush When the Prophet would set forth the shamlesness of Iudah's Sins he compareth them unto Sodom Isa. 3. 9. The shew of their countenance doth witnesse against them they declare their Sin like Sodom they hide it not None had more reason to blush and be ashamed than such filthy Sinners as they and yet none were so little ashamed instead of being ashamed of their Sins they gloried in their shame The sixth aggravation of the Sodomits Sins was their Security They eat they drank they bought they solde they planted they builded until the the judgement did overtake them Luke 17. 28. They were generally secure though they had so greatly sinned and by their Sins so highly provoked the Lord to take vengeance upon them They put the evil day far from them Lot's Sons in Law although foretold and forewarn'd by their Father would not believe it was so near much lesse did the rest of the Sodomits believe any such thing who had no intimation thereof given unto them they little thought what a day would bring forth their impunity for a while did encrease their security and their security under the guilt of such Heaven-dareing Sins did aggravate their Sins exceedingly And now the lusts of the Sodomits having conceived and brought forth such Sins and their Sins so aggravated do arrive unto perfection and they bring forth death Their iniquities now are full and the Viols of Gods wrath also are full and he poureth them down upon their heads which leadeth unto the next particular to speak of the judgement it self inflicted upon Sodom and Gomorrah CHAP. IV. A particular description of Sodom and Gomorrah's burning by Fire and Brimstone from Heaven COncerning the judgement it self which was inflicted on Sodom and Gomorrah It was Fire and Brimstone which was rained down from Heaven upon those Cities The morning was clear when Lot went forth of Sodom and the Sun was risen upon the Earth when he entered into Zoar But then a strange darkness did quickly fill the face of the Heavens and hide the Sun from the view we may conceive that the fashion of the Heaven was altered and that the clouds which carried this horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone in their Bowels were of another shape than those which carry in them ordinary storms of Rain or Hail of Thunder and Lightning It was over Sodom and Gomorrah that these dreadful clouds were gathered which upon the command of the Lord brake asunder and it is likely with fearful lightening accompained with great cracks and amazing noise as if Heaven and Earth and Hell had been coming together let down these flaming showers which strangely turned the Air into Fire and with such irresistible violence beat upon the Houses of the Sodomits that they were foreed to yield unto the fury of these devouring flames This Rain probably was not in small drops like that which falling upon the tender Grass causeth it to spring forth and flourish but in great flakes of of scalding Sulphurious matter enkindled by the breath of God great sheets of Fire it is likely came down from Heaven like the Flying Roll spoken of Zach. 5. 2 3 4. the length whereof was twenty Cubits and the bredth thereof ten Cubits which entered into the House of the Thief and False-swearer and consumed the Timber thereof and the stones thereof So did these sheets and rolls of fire fly about the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and entered into the houses of the unjust and profane the filthy and unclean smiting and consuming Inhabitants with their Habitations This storm of Fire and Brimstone coming down with a commission from God to destroy the whole Place doth arm it self with unexpressible rage and fury and first smiting the heads and tops of all the houses in the City setteth them on fire together which mounting a great flame upward and that mingling with the sulphurious fire which came downward was exceedingly the more enraged and we may conceive that from thence came such horrid blazes to the eye and such dreadful roarings to the ear as awakened all the wicked Inhabitans of the City out of their sleep and security and filled them with unconceiveable horrour and perplexity when they saw inevitable ruine so near unto them Then the streets of the City were filled with flames and the Rain from Heaven likely did raise Floods and Streams of burning Brimstone which poured into the houses on every side such fire as no Water could quench no Stone Walls nor Iron Bars or Gates could resist or defend any of the Inhabitans from being devoured thereby thus Gods hand did find out all his enemies in these wicked Cities together
his right hand did lay hold on them that hated him and took no heed to his Laws and making Sodom and Gomorrah as a fiery Oven in the time of his anger he swallowed up all the Sinners of those Places in his Wrath and devoured them with this unquenchable fire the Place now is like a fiery Oven or like a great fiery Furnace the smoke of whofe flame was so great that far and near it might be seen concerning the horror of the Sodomits when compassed about with Flames I shall speak more under the third particular only here add these things which were remarkable in in this judgement First The strangeness of it Secondly The suddenness and unexpectedness of it Thirdly The dreadfulness of it First This Judgement was very Strange It is the nature of Fire to ascend towards Heaven but here Fire and Brimstone together do descend from Heaven this is very strange the Sodomits had an unnatural Fire within them and they have an unnatural Fire sent upon them they lust after strange Flesh Iud. 7. And God punished them with strange Fire Iob 31. 3. Is not destruction to the wicked and a strange punishment unto the workers of Iniquity But of all strange punishments this is one of the most strange never such a thing was heard of before or hath been known since as I may apply what Moses speaketh on another occasion Deut. 4. 32. Aske now of the days which are past which were before since God Created Man upon the Earth and ask from one side of Heaven unto the other whether there hath been such a thing as this great thing or hath been like it that God should Rain Fire and Brimstone from Heaven to punish wicked Cities We read of Fire sent down from Heaven by the Lord upon the request of Elijah which consumed his Sacrifice although he had drenched it often and surrounded it with Water all which was licked up by the fire unto the wonder and astonishment of the People whereby the Lord discovered his power beyond Baal whose Priests could not by all their prayers and cutting themselves prevail with their God to effect any such thing 1 Kings 18. 26 28 37 38. And we read of Fire sent down from Heaven which destroyed two Captains and their fifty's upon the request of the same Prophet these things were exceeding strange but the rain of Fire and Brimstone from Heaven which consumed several Cities and all their Inbitants together was far more strange Fire hath come from Heaven but never so great Fire Fire hath come down from Heaven but never Fire mingled with Brimstone Fire and Brimstone hath come forth of the bowels of the Earth of which in the second discourse but never did Fire and Brimstone come down from Heaven either before or since Secondly This judgement was sudden and unexpected It was like the Flood to the old World which was drowned or like the coming of Christ to the Sinners on Earth which shall be damned when the greatest judgements are most near the Sinners which shall be destroyed thereby are most secure and thus it was with the Sinners of Sodom the day before there was no appearance of any such destruction near there was no sign in the Earth or in the Heavens of any such thing the night before also was like other nights no fire beginning in any place only the fire of lust which burned and raged in the hearts of that wicked people but they had no apprehension of danger from those flames when the morning was come it was like other mornings there were no fiery dews or fore-drops of the fiery rain to give them warning of what would follow The shaddows of the night were chased away by the beams of the morning Sun there was no appearance of the shaddows of the night of Death ready to stretch forth themselves upon all the Inhabitants of Sodom and Neighbour Cities together But so soon as Lot was entered into Zear the Lord rained Fire and Brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah and brought such a sudden destruction upon them as they could not escape Even as it will be ere long with Babylon Rev. 18. 7 8. So it was with Sodom she lived deliciously and securely and in one day death and mourning came upon her and she was utterly burnt with Fire Could the Sodomits have foreseen and certainly foreknown what destruction would have befallen their City that day they would have hastened out of the place the day before at furthest they would have delayed no longer than that morning when Lot did depart they would have flocked about him old and young from every quarter and have departed with him they would not have vallued houses of goods so that they might have but sav'd their lives But the Sodomits did not in the least apprehend their destruction to be so near The Angels knew it but they discover the thing unto Lot only if they had made it know unto the Sodomits it is most likely they would not have believed it any more than Lot's Sons in Law did believe Lot when from their mouth he did declare it The Sodomits are jovial and secure as if their life and mirth should continue many a year when neither of them were a days standing longer Thirdly This judgement was most dreadful we read in the Scriptures and have seen with our eyes very great judgements but none so dreadful all things considered as this of Fire and Brimstone from Heaven Indeed the Flood which devoured the whole old World together Noah and his Family excepted did strike the most universal dread upon the children of men of any judgement that ever hath been since the Worlds Creation yet the Fire and Brimstone from Heaven which devoured Sodom and Gomorrah with all their Inhabitants Lot only and his Family excepted had more of particular dread in it in as much as death by Fire is more painful than death by Water especially such Fire as came down from Heaven It was a terrible day to the old World when they saw the Windows of Heaven opened and Water to come forth from thence in such great abundance as to swell into a Flood and that so great a Flood as drowned all Man-kind which were not found in the Ark But it was a more terrible day to the Sodomits when they saw the Windows of Heaven opened and Fire to come forth from thence Fire mingled with Brimstone and Gods fiery indignation which falling upon their Houses and heads put all into flames this last judgement as it had more strangeness in it so it did strike more terrour into the hearts of those which did endure it When the ground clave asunder and the Earth opening her mouth swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram with all that appertained to them when they went thus down alive into the pit and the Earth closing upon them again they perished from the Congregation Num. 16. vers 32. 33. This was a very feaful judgement but the opening
help or relief refuge faileth them and there is no escaping no enduring of this pain and yet they must endure it until extremity of pain doth take away all sence of pain The terrour of the Sodomits through apprehensions of their present and unavoidable death before them was great but surely the way and manner of it namely by Fire from Heaven did cause greater terrour If it had been an ordinary Fire of which some natural cause might have been assigned it had not been so much but when it was a miraculous fire from Heaven created on purpose by the Lord to destroy those Cities surely their dread was extraordinary they could not chuse but see the more immediate hand of God in it and withall his frown and dreadful displeasure with the Fire â—… Brimstone which fell down from Heaven upon their houses and bodies they had scalding drops of Gods wrath â—…ch fell down upon their consciences we may think what impressions they had of the wrath of the Sin-revenging God on their spirits which caused a greatâ—… horror within than the bare apprehension of death in any shape could of it self effect when the guilt of so great Sins and the apprehensions of so great wrath did meet together in their consciences and they had no time nor way to get the guilt of Sin removed and the wrath of God appeased when conscience before asleep was awakened in the midst of flames when there was a Fire above the Sodomits the Fire of Gods anger Fire about and upon the Sodomits the fire which came down from Heaven Fire beneath the Sodomits the fire of Hell and fire within the Sodomits the fire kindled in their consciences O the horrour when Hell was already begun within them in the flashes and sparks of it words cannot utter the horrible anguish which then they had upon them CHAP. VI. Concerning the Persons that escaped 4 THe persons that escaped this dreadful judgement were Lot and his Family Like as it was in the Old World Noah was an upright man in his generation when the whole world besides were wicked and God provided an Ark wherein he saved Noah and his Family when all the kindreds and Nations of the world besides were drowned in the Deluge of Waters which was brought upon the Earth so also Lot being the only upright and righteous man in Sodom when all the City together with the neighbouring Cities were wicked God provided a Zoar for Lot whilst he brought a Deluge of fire upon those wicked Cities which consumed them and all the wicked together which dwelt in them 2 Pet. 2. 5 6 7 8. When the destroying Angels were sent unto Sodom God remembred righteous Lot and a mark for preservation was set upon his forehead because he did sigh and cry out for the abominations which were committed in the midst of the City And God remembred Abraham his Friend who had made intercession for Lot therefore he sent him out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the City wherein Lot dwelt CHAP. VII Concerning the Spectators of Sodom's burnings 5 COncerning the Spectators of this Judgement Abraham however remote his habitation was had a plain prospect of this Fire and burning of Sodom We read Gen. 19. 27 28. And Abraham gat up early in the morning unto the place where he stood before the Lord and he looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the Land of the Plain and beheld and lo the smoke of the Countrey went up as the smoke of a Furnace Abrahams heart did misgive him that those wicked Cities would not escape destruction what ever conditional promise the Lord had made unto him of their preservation therefore it is likely he arose and came to this place that he might see what became of the Cities and quickly he 〈◊〉 them to be all in flames by the great smoke which mounted up from them what his thoughts were is not mentioned but it is likely he was more than ordinarily affected with this more than ordinary Judgement such an appearance of God in the World clothed with such wrath and vengeance might well make even Abraham himself whatever Interest he had in God to quake and be astonished When he looked up to Heaven he saw God all in flames of anger when he looked down to the Earth he saw Sodom and Gomorrah all in flames of Fire He knew that Lot did dwell there and he did not know it may be but that Lot with his Family might be burning there and this might cause him to lift up his voice and weep be sure he knew that the wickedness of the Sodomits was very great and that the righteous of the place were very few if any when the Lord had promised him to spare the whole City for the sake of Ten righteous persons could they there have been found Ah Lord thought he what a wicked place is Sodom that it should not yeild Ten righteous persons O what an evil thing and a bitter is it to Sin against God and hereby to provoke him unto anger and what a fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God when his anger is stirr'd up and doth burn thus like fire And if Abraham could so clearly discern the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah the Inhabitants of Zoar who dwelt so near might more clearly discern it An allarm they have in the morning which doth startle and awaken them they are called forth out of their houses to see this dreadful and tremendous sight The noise of Fire Fire Fire doth sound in their ear Fire from Heaven Fire in the Air Fire on the Earth Sodom on Fire Gomorrah on Fire Admah and Zeboim on Fire every place near them on Fire this they hear this they see the flames all about are very visible and very terrible O with what ruful countenances do they look upwards towards Heaven from whence the Fire did come and forwards towards Sodom and Gomorrah where the Fire was kindled they see all the Cities together in flames which being all cituated upon the Plain without any Mountain or Hill between they might in the Fields or on the tops of their houses have an easie prospect of And surely the Sinners of Zoar are now affraid and fearfulness doth exceedingly surprize the guiltâ—… surely their consciences now are awakened â—…nd do cause a trembling within them when they see God's vengeance executed in flaming fire upon their fellow-sinners before them Alas wo be to us who can endure such devouring fire who can bear such horrible burnings Hath Sodom and Gomorrah provoked God to destroy them with Fire from Heaven what then will become of us who have shared with them in the same guilt and have deserved the same punishment O whether can we flee to hide us from the wrath of God and shelter us from his fiery indignation Lot also who though he did not look back as his Wife did before he got into Zoar yet from thence no doubt
of the Gospel they would not lavish their time as they do they would not sleep in the Harvest and waste the whole day in Idleness and Sin until the night of death did overtake and suddenly surprize them when the least minute of time cannot be recalled though they could and would give ten thousand Worlds for it Fourthly Unmercifulness to the poor was another of Sodoms sins which the Ungodly are chargeable with here and shall be charged with and condemned for at the day of Christs appearance Math. 25. 41 42. It is no wonder that those who have no pitty on their own souls should have their bowels shut up against the poor that those who spend so much on their lusts should not spare any thing for the relief of other's wants None have more marâ—…le bowels than those who have the hardest hearts and none more unmerciful than those which are most Ungodly and Sinful Fifthly Abominable Filthiness is the last and chief Sin of the Sodomits And if the skirts of England were turned up what filthiness would there appear under them It is a shame to speak what is done of some in secreet yea too many declare their uncleanness like Sodom and are not ashamed to practice it in the sight of the Sun Whoredom and Adultrey what more common in this debauched generation Yea I wish that too many in England as well as Italy be not guilty of the Sin of Sodom properly so called I mean the lusting after strange flesh such vile affections some are given up unto through the just Judgement of God I might here further reprove the Ungodly of this generation for some Sins which the Sodomits did fall short in namely the hideous Oaths and blasphemy of some profane wretches who hereby bâ—…lch out their professed enmity against the God of Heaven and offer so open indignity unto him that we may wonder he is not provoked to rain down Fire and Brimstone upon them or to cause the Earth to open its mouth to devour them unto which I might add the aggravation which the Sins of nominal Christians receive from the Gospel light which shineth about them beyond what the Sodomits Sins were capable of which rendereth their Sins the more inexcusable and abominable in the sight of God but I hasten II. This example of Sodom's burning doth warn the ungodly to repent Repent O all the ungodly ones and turn from your evil ways otherwise your iniquities like the Sodomits will be your ruine otherwise Gods Judgement will overtake you and surprize you and you shall not be able to escape otherwise you shall be destroyed suddenly and that without remedy You seâ—… in this instance the fruit of ungodlinesse the wages of Sin the bitter issue and effect of flesh-pleasing and sensuality you see that God can be angry and that his anger doth burn worse than fire when it is kindled If you repent not God may bring some dreadfull temporal judgements upon you you have seen much in your days Plague Fire Sword you have heard of more in former days You know not what further calamities may be brought upon this City and Nation God may bring Plague and Famine together so that such who do not fall suddenly by the Plague shall be consumed more leasurely by the Famine he may bring a Famine of Bread and Famine of hearing the Word together wherein the Body shall starve and dye and the Soul starve and be damn'd and perish everlastingly he may bring Fire and the Sword together your houses may be set on Fire and your persons Massacred at the same time And alasâ—… what will you that are Ungodly do in a time of general calamity if the Pestilence should walk about your streets if the evil Arrows of Famine should fly about your ears if fire should consume your houses if the Sword should be made drunk with your Blood if Death should sit in your Windows if all things should be turned into uproar and confusion you that drink in iniquity like Water and lade your selves with guilt dayly you that are profane and ungodly and spend your time in idlenesse and all kind of luxury sleeping in the Harvest and shutting your ears against all the tenders of grace and mercy which are made unto you what wiâ—…l become of you in the Winter of affliction what comfort can you have upon a Bed of Sickness what refuge in a time of trouble A Godly Man hath his God to fly to in times of greatest danger and distress and there he shall find entertainment and welcome But whether will you fly God is your enemy who will laugh at your calamity Prov. 1. 26. Sinners what will you do in the evil day which may overtake you here on Earth when all refuge and support shall fail you when your comforts and enjoyments shall be taken from you or taking leave of you when God shall smite you and conscience bite you and Friends forsake you when the black Catalogue of your Sins shall be spread before you and grimm Death shall appear unto you bidding you come down into the Grave and the Devil shall wait for you to drag you down into Hell O the confusion that then you will be in when you perceive that you cannot live and you dare not dye when you feel your eye strings crack and your heart-strings break and your souls are now coming forth of their ruinous habitation where they will become a prey to Devils and be immediately conveyed to a place of torments think O think what your horrour is like to be here if awakened in the evil day through the apprehension of future Judgements what then will your horrour â—…e if you do not repent when the future and last Judgement is come and Christ is come in flaming Fire to take vengeance upon you and he shall rain on you Fire and Brimstone and a horrible Tempest but of this more when I come to treat of the everlasting burnings of Hell which the Lord Jesus will condemn all the Ungodly unto at the last day I shall only say that the burnings of Hell will not only exceed the burnings of Sodom and Gomorrah in feirceness and duration as through Gods help I shall show in the third discourse but also the Fire of Hell will be more intollerable by you than by the Sodomits themselves however vile Sinners they were Math. 11. 24. But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Iudgement than for thee As your Sins who have enjoyed the means of Grace are aggravated beyond the Sins of the Sodomits in this respect so your condemnation will be the greater and your punishment the sorer and more intolerable if you do not now take warning to repent CHAP. IX Application to the Righteous 2 LOt's escaping out of the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah is an example for the encouragement of the Righteous what ever judgement the Lord bringeth upon the wicked
be three or four miles Towards it's head it is rocky and steep and some part of it is always covered with Snow towards the middle it is beautifyed with Trees and Woods towards the bottom it is enriched with Corn and Vines and exceeding fruitful The Hill hath two shoulders Eastward and between both an eminent head in the middle which may be seen at the distance of fifty leagues as some affirm by Sailors on the Sea But that which hath rendered this Mountain most famous hath not been so much the height and bigness of it as the smoking head and flaming mouth thereof of which both ancient and modern Authors have written I shall instance in some few Dâ—…genes Laertius in his 8th Book de viris Philosephorum maketh mention of Mouâ—…t Aetna into the 〈◊〉 mouth of which Emâ—…edocles the Philosopher he saiâ—… was â—…am'd to have thrown himself that not 〈◊〉 found by his companions they might think he was translated to Heaven and made an immortal God but the Fire of the Hill casting forth one of his brâ—…zen Sanâ—…ls the dâ—…ceit was discovered and so insteaâ—… of purchasing to himself the repute of a God he discovered himself in that respect to be beneath a man Horaâ—…e also recordeth the same lib. de Arte l'â—…etica Deus immortalis hal eri Dum cupit Empedocles ardentem frigidus Aetnam Insiluit Empedocles himself into the mouth doth thrâ—…w Of burning Aetna that not being found below He might be fam'd a God immortal Pliny in his second Book of natural History doth discourse of this Hill In montium 〈…〉 Aetna noctibus semper tantoque aevo ignium materiae sufficit Amongst the miracles of Mountains Aetna doth flame always by night and doth afford matter for perpetual fire Iustins in his 4th Book of History Chap. 1st giveth the reason why Aetnae Montis per tot secula durat incendium the burning of Mount Aetna hath lasted for so many ages Strabo in his sixth Book of Geography telleth us of Aetna's open mouth whereby it doth breath forth flames and cast forth fiery stones Ovid concerning Aetna saith Flammam fero vomit ore It vomits fire out of it's feirce mouth Seneca in his Thyestes describeth Aetna Ignis aeternis resâ—…nans caminis Resounding with eternal tunnels or breathing holes of fire Claudian de raptu Proserpinae lib. 1. Aetnaeos apiâ—…s sols cognoscere visu Non aditu tentare licet Quae tanta cavernas Vis glomerat quo fonteruat Vulcanius igniâ—… None may approach Mount Aetna's head to know With foot 't is only reacht with th' eye below Great force within round caverns makes From whence rush forth Vulcanian flakes Of fire as from a Fountain But Virgil giveth the most notable decription of Aetna's burning in his third Book of Aeneids Sed horrificis juxta tonat Aetna ruinis Intâ—…rdumque atram prorumpit ad aether a nubem Turbine fumantem piceo candente favilla Attollitque globos slammarum sidera lambit Interdum scopulos avulsaque viscera montis Erigit eructans liquefactaque saxa per aur as Cum gemitu glomer at fundoque exaestuat imo Fama est Enceladi semustum fulâ—…ine corpus Urgeri mole hâc ingentemque insuper Aetnam Impositam ruptis flammam expirare caminis Et fessum quoties mutat latus intremere omnem Murmure Trinacriam caelum subtexere fumo In English thus Through horrid falls within like noise of thundeâ—… Mount Aetna sounds as if 't would break asunder Thence first a cloud break forth as black as night With pitchy curls with sparks like stars to sight Then follow globes of flames which mount a loft As if to kisse the Orbes of Heaven they sought The bottom-fire like boiling furnace glowes Which melts the hardest stones and upward throwes Great Rocks through th' air with groans The fame doth go That great Enceladus do lye below Who being thunder-struck and on him thrown Huge Aetna Mount with weight to keep him down When weary he shifts sides and turns about He shakes the Mount his breath in flames goes out As at a Furnace mouth the Heavens above Are cloth'd with smoak Trinacria trembles I shall add but one Author more and that is of a late Geographer namely Varenius who in his first Book of Geography page 105. doth both describe this Mount and giveth relation of one noâ—…able eruption of fire not much above a hundred years since Celeberrimus est Aetna Siciliae Mons hodie Gibel e cujus vertice flammae fumi longissima distantia in Mari Mediterraneo cernuntur Etsi continua sit flammarum fumorâ—…m ejaculatio tamen interdum majori impetu furit Anno 1537 a primo die Maii ad duodecimum tremuit 〈◊〉 Sicilia deinde ingens horrendus 〈◊〉 fragor auditus est quasi magna tormenta bellica exploderâ—…tur 〈◊〉 est multorum aedificiorum per totam insulâ—…m 〈◊〉 Haeâ—… saeâ—…itia per undecim dies cum contiâ—…nasset 〈◊〉 fuit vel hiatu se apâ—…ruit hic indâ—… terra unâ—… magna vis sâ—…amma igâ—…is prâ—…rupit quâ—… intra quatuor dies omnia absumpta sunt 〈◊〉 quae 〈◊〉 ultra quinque leucarum distantiaâ—… ab Aetna aberant Pâ—…lo pâ—…st crater qui est in vertice montis per tres intâ—…gros dies ingentem copiam Faâ—…illae â—…inerum ejecit quae non tantum per totam inâ—…ulam aispersa fuit sed etiam trans Mare in Italiam delaâ—… Naves in Mari cum ducentis leucis a Sicilia abessent Venetias tenderent damnum passae sunt That is Aetna in Sicily now called Mount Gibel is most famous from whose top the flames and smoak may be seen at a very great distance on the Mediterranean Sea and although the casting forth of fire and smoak be continual yet sometimes it breatheth forth with more force and fury In the year 1537. from the first day of May until the 12th the whole Island of Sicily trembled and then was heard a great roaring and cracking noise as if great pieces of Ordinance had been discharged after this followed the ruine and overthrow of many buildings thorowout tâ—…e whole Island This raging continued for eleven whole days together in which time the Earth on the side of the Mount was rent and opened it self in wide clefts from whence did issue forth flames of fire with such force and strength that all things within 15. miles of Aetna were thereby consumed and burnt up A little after the Cup which is on the top of the Mount for three whole days together did cast forth such a large quantity of burning coals and ashes that they were dispersed not only throughout the whole Island but they were also carried over Sea into Italy yea some Ships two hundred leagues from Sicily received damage hereby in their voyage to Venice Thus Varenius There have been other great eruptions of fire from this Mountain besides what is ordinary which Writters record but none that I ever read of like unto this
that place being so thin and hollow and penetrable by the Winds and the nature of the soil so Sulphurious and so fit matter for the begetting and nourishing of Fire the motion of the Wind closed in doth kindle the Fire which belâ—…heth forth in smoke and flames and hence it is that the burning of Aetna hath endured for so many ages Unto which he addeth a little after speaking of the fall of the Waters Eadeâ—… causâ—… etiam Aetnae Montis â—…erpetuos ignes fâ—…cit Nam aquarum ille conâ—…ursus râ—…tum secum spiritum in imum sundum trahit atqâ—…e ibi suffecatâ—… tamdiutenet donec per spiramenta Terrae diffâ—…sus nutrimenta ignis incendat The cause of Aetna's perpetual Fire is from the great and perpetual fall of the Water near at hand which carryeth down the Wind and Air and suffoâ—…ateth it at the bottom whence it breatheth away through some crevices of the Earth towards the Mountain and this kindleth and bloweth up the Flames Another assigneth the cause more clearly thus â—… tnam constat ab â—…a parte qua Eurus Affricus flant habere speluncas plenas Sulphuris ad Mare deduct as Haespeluncae recipientes in se flâ—…ctus ventum creant qui agitatus ignem gignit ex Sulphures Mount Aetna saith he that way which the East and South wind do blow hath Caverns and Vaults full of Sulphur which reach so far as the Sâ—…a which Vaults receiving into them the Waves of the Sea Wind is begot hereby which Winds being violently moved doth beget the Fire out of the Sulphur and therefore afterward he telleth us that as the East and South Wind do blow so this Mountain doth more on lesser vomit up sparks and fire Lucretius Lib. 6. doth set forth the cause Primum totius subcava Montis Est natura fere â—…ilicum suffulta cavernis Omnibus est porro in speluâ—…eis ventus are c. The Mountain Aetna hollow is throughout With stones of Flint it's Cave are lin'd about Whereby it is held up The wind is there In every Cave begot by moved Air Through motion heat's engender'd iâ—… the Earth Thence fire springs forth and flames have birth Besides against the Mountain's Roots the Main Break her swoln Waves and swallow them again From whence unto the top of it's ascent The undermining Caves have their extent Through which the Bellows breath and cast forth flames With showers of stones ashes Thus concerning the cause of Aetna's burning which as to the second cause may rather be guessed at then fully understood CHAP. VII The Use of the Burning of Aetna THese late dreadful Eruption of Fire and Brimstone from Mount Aetna should carry our eyes upward unto God the Author hereof The Lord hath been lately upon the Earth he hath shown himself in great Majesty a Fire hath devoured before him and it hath been very tempestuous round about a smoke hath gone out of his mouth and Coals have been under his feet he hath clothed himself with flames and of late appeared very terribly in these Europaean parts he hath not only kindled fires in houses and Cities turning them into ashes and ruinous heaps but he hath also kindled a fire in a great Mountain which hath broken forth with a great flame We read Psal. 27. The voice of the Lord is powerful and full of Majesty the voice of the Lord is upon the Waters the God of Glory thunâ—…reth the voice of the Lordâ—… upon many Waters the voice of the Lord shaketh the Wilderness and maketh Lebanon to Ship like a young Unicorn Such Majesty and Power hath been in Gods voice which was heard from this Mount the voice of the Lord hath sounded from the Earth the God of Glory hath thundered out of the bowels of a great Mountain whereby the foundations thereof have been so shaken as if he would have overturned it in his anger Formerly the Lord brought forth streams of Water out of the hard Rock and lately he hath brought forth streams of Fire out of the deep Earth This is the Lord 's doing and it should be marvellous in our eyes If we wonder at the work let us wonder more at the Worker if we admire to hear of such floods of fire we have more reason to admire Gods infinite Power who hath effected this Use 2. The Relation of Aetna's burning should awaken impenitent Sinners out of their carnal security whilst they consider the hand of God herein and that this God who kindled such a Fire in the Mountain is highly incensed against them so long as they allow and indulge themselves in any Sinful practices and that the Fire of Gods anger which is kindled in his breast against them is ten thousand times more dreadful than the Fire which was kindled in the bowels of the Mountain yea that God is preparing the Fire of Hell for them which shall burn them everlastingly if they do not repent that God who hath power to kindle a Fire in the Earth hath power to kindle the Fire of Hell and he that hath power to keep alive the fire of this mountain for some thousands of years hath power to keep alive the Fire of Hell unto Eternity this he can do and this he will do and oh how fearful a thing will it be to be thrown into everlasting flames of which more largely in the next discourse Awake then all ye Sons and Daughters of sleep and security ye children of night and darkness and all ye workers of iniquity Look up and see how powerful and terrible the Lord is and how unable you are to make resistance when once his hand shall take hold on vengeance Gods anger now doth but smoke against you ere long it will break forth into a flame which will burn to the lowest Hell and never shall be extinguished Let me therefore perswade you to break off your Sins by repentance and apply your selves to Christ by Faith that the anger of the Lord towards you may bâ—… appeased and that being reconciled you may escape the dreadful effects of his displeasure CHAP. VIII Concerning the burning of London that may be Use. 3. THe Relation of Aetna's burning should lead us unto the consideration of the Burnings which may be and the Burnings which will be First Consider the Burnings which may be our dear and beloved City of London may be burnt again with fire and that not only â—…he Suburbs and Southwark and remaining Timber houses which the last Fire spared but also the New-built Houses of Brick many of them have been tryed that they can burn for no Building on Earth is a sufficient defence against Fire I don't think we are in danger of any such Fire as that of Aetna to break forth from under our feet out of the bowels of the Earth but we may be in danger of a Fire Forged in Hell I mean some Develish wicked men may be contriving again the burning of the City It is not long since this
and utmost diligence to enquire whether you are in danger and how you might do to escape The most Men and Women that live this day upon the face of the Earth are in danger of being thrown into the flames of Hell the whole World may be devided into two parts they are either such as are in a state of nature or such as are in a state of grace the former are many thousand times the greater number and the Apostle telleth us expressely that such are Children of Wrath Eph. 2. 3. And if children then heirs the children of God are heirs of Heaven the children of wrath who also are called the children of the Devil are heirs of Hell The later only I mean such as are in a state of grace are in a state of Salvation they only are free from all obligation to the punishment of Hell having Interest in Christ's satisfaction There are two ways in one of which all the Sons and Daughters of men may be found Math 7. 13. 14. One is a narrow way which hath a strait Gate and very few are to be found therein and that is the way of Holiness of self-denial of Mortification and Gospel-obedience and although this be the way of Life and Salvation the way to glory and honour and everlasting happiness yet it hath but few passengers few take this course the other is a broad way which hath the greatest crowd and throng although it lead unto destruction and this is the way of Sin the way of Profaness Licentiousness Unrightiousness disobedience this is the course of the World this way hath a wide Gate and many there be that go in thereat and the reason our Saviour giveth because the other way hath so strait a Gate because of the difficulty of it's passage namely the wicket of regeneration few attempt to go thorow this strait passage or if they do attempt they are quickly discouraged with the difficulty and so let it alone taking the broader because the easier way of Sin the steps of which will certainly take hold of Death and Hell I beseech you all with the greatest seriousness to examine your selves whether you be in a state of Nature or in a state of Grace you have been all born once have you been born again you have been born of the Flesh have you been born of the Spirit you have born the Image of the Earthly Adam do you bear the Image of the Heavenly Adam you are partakers of the Humane Nature are you partakers of the Divine Nature have you new and clean hearts are they changed do you lead new and Holy lives are they reformed I beseech you examine which of the two ways you are walking in is it the broad way of Sin and wickedness or is it the narrow way of Faith and Holiness these are questions of great moment to be resolved in your everlasting weal or wo your Salvation or Damnation doth depend upon them if you be brought into a state of Grace and are got in thorow the strait Gate into the narrow way you are made Men and Women happy you that ever you were born you not shall perish with the wicked but most assuredly attain eternal Life and glory but if you be in a state of Nature if you be in the broad way and continue therein to the end of your lives you are undone Men Women wo be to you that ever you were born Heaven will be shut upon you and Hell will be opened unto you where you shall be unconceivably and eternally tormented in the flames of that unquenchable fire Take heed that you do not mistake your state and way thousands have gone to Hell through a mistake it is very easie to mistake it is difficult not to mistake and no mistake is worse than this mistake all is not Gold that glisters all is not grace that hath the show of it all are not in the way to Heaven that pretend to it many deceive others much deceive themselves much more Nothing is likely to hinder you more effectually from attaining grace than ungrounded conceits that you already have it if you should nourish in your selves a false Faith and false Hope they would be so far from saving you that they would fasten you the more strongly in Sathans Chains whereby he will the more unperceivably and inevitably drag you unto Hell And think if you should go out of the World under a mistake with fair but groundless hopes of Heaven and shall find your selves unalterably judg'd by God unto Hell how this will render the lose of Heaven the more bitter and the pains of Hell the more grievous the disappointment of happiness especially so great happiness and to be overtaken with misery especially so great misery and that when all means are cut off for ever of attaining the one or avoiding the other this will be unspeakable vexations And let me tell you that it is better to be mistake on the other hand than on this it is better to fear when you are gracious than to hope when you are ungracious a dangerless fear is better than a fearless danger the former may cause you to go droopingly for a while towards Heaven the later if it cause you to go merrily it will also cause you to go securely and surely to Hell I need not spend time neither may I least this Volume swell to big in telling you that Idolaters and Adulterers and Drunkards and Swearers and Blasphemers and Scoffers of Religion and Persecuters of Gods People and Thieves and Murderers and Lyars and Apostates and profane persons and all the more notorious Workers of Iniquity shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone amongst whom if any of you who â—…ast your eyes upon these lines be numbered and your conscience with a slight reflection do accuse you herein give me leave to hold you a little by the arm and ask you why so fast what meanâ—… this hast why so furious what means this eager pursuance of lust Do you know whom you serve and do you think what your wages will be do you know what is before you do you see the end of a sinful course do you know what Hell is Is it desirable to dwell with devouring Fire do you think to escape in this way But the awakening Use is afterward But let me beseech you that are more sober and although professors of Religion to examine your state take heed you do not deceive your selves and thereby undo your selves irrecoveably Have you been under convictions of Sin and these followed with contrition and that backed with found humialiation such as hath rendered Sin above all things most odious and your selves of all other persons most vile in your own eyes have you had conviction of Christ's Righteousness and this working hungering desires after him and these accompained with Faith and that bringing you to Christ choosing him as â—…ost precious and needful for you casting