Selected quad for the lemma: fire_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
fire_n	aaron_n	altar_n	host_n	30	3	8.7160	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57597	Shlohavot, or, The burning of London in the year 1666 commemorated and improved in a CX discourses, meditations, and contemplations, divided into four parts treating of I. The sins, or spiritual causes procuring that judgment, II. The natural causes of fire, morally applied, III. The most remarkable passages and circumstances of that dreadful fire, IV. Councels and comfort unto such as are sufferers by the said judgment / by Samuel Rolle ...	Rolle, Samuel, fl. 1657-1678.; Rolle, Samuel, fl. 1657-1678. Preliminary discourses.; Rolle, Samuel, fl. 1657-1678. Physical contemplations.; Rolle, Samuel, fl. 1657-1678. Sixty one meditations.; Rolle, Samuel, fl. 1657-1678. Twenty seven meditations.	1667 (1667)	Wing R1877; Wing R1882_PARTIAL; Wing R1884_PARTIAL; ESTC R21820	301,379	534

lavished them upon their pride exhausted them by their luxury spent them upon their uncleanness which as so many Cormorants devoured that which might and ought to have been given to the poor I see then there are moral causes of evil as well as natural and these are some of them He is bruitish that thinks otherwise Do not the ends and interests of men sway the World next to God himself and what are they but moral causes and if such be to be taken notice of why not sin which is more considerable than all the rest Then O yee late Inhabitants of that famous City which is now in ashes as ever you desire it should flourish again repent of your pride fulness of bread abundance of idleness neglect of the poor and abominable uncleanness so many of you as were guilty of all or any of these for all were not and let others mourne over them that have sinned and have not repented that God may repent of the evil which he hath brought upon you and may build up your waste places in his good time Continue not in the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah lest their punishment be either not removed from you or if so again revived upon you MEDITATION II. Of destroying Fire procured by offering strange fire WE read concerning Nadab and Abihu that there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them and they died before the Lord Lev. 10.2 Why that heavy judgment befell those two Sons of Aaron the Saints of the Lord the preceding verse will tell us viz. because they took their censers put incense therein and offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded them not Their fault was this God had sent down fire from heaven upon his Altar Levit. 9.24 It should seem it was the pleasure of God and doubtless they knew it that his sacrifice which one calls his meat as the Altar his Table should be kindled and prepared with that fire only which by continual adding of suel as need required was to be kept from ever going out as is supposed Levit. 16.10 There 't is said Aaron shall take a censer full of Coales of fire from off the Altar and his hands full of incense and bring it within the vaile Now they presumed to offer incense to God with common fire which came not from the Altar before the Lord and for this they were burnt to death Upon this passage Bishop Hall worthily called our English Seneca reflects thus It is a dangerous thing saith he in the service of God to decline from his own institutions we have to do with a power which is wise to prescribe his own worship just to require what he hath prescribed powerful to revenge that which he hath not required MEDITATION III. Of fire enkindled by murmuring IN Numb 11. the first and third verses I read these words When the people complained it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt amongst them and consumed them that were in the utmost parts of the Camp And he called the name of the place Taberah because the fire of the Lord burnt among them It doth not much concern our present purpose to enquire what the cause of this their murr●uring was which yet is thought to have been want of meat in the Wilderness and thence the place where they were punished to have been called the graves of lust as our Margents do English kiberoth hattaavah neither need we be infallibly resolved what kind of fire it was that God sent amongst them for their murmuring it is all we need observe at the present that they were punished by fire and that murmuring was the sin they were punished for Our punishment I am sure hath been by fire as well as theirs ought we not then to examine whether cur provocation was not much-what by murmuring even as theirs was were we contented when the City was standing yea did we not grumble and repine at one thing or other every day and yet we think we should be more than contented that is to say very thankfull and joyfull if we had but London again if that great City Phenix-like might but rise out of the ashes and our places know us once more It should seem then we had enough then to be contented with and thankfull for but we knew it not as it is said of husbandmen Faelices nimium sua si bona norant If some were in worse condition than formerly would that justify their murmuring were not the Israelites in the Wilderness when they were punished for murmuring and had they not enjoyed a better condition than that in former times Do we murmurers think that men are to blame and was not Shimei to blame when he cursed Daivd and yet David looking higher viz. unto God submissively replied it may be the Lord hath bid him curse me The Robbers and spoilers of Israel were in fault Yet seeing it was God that gave Jacob to the spoile and Israel to the robbers that was reason enough why they should be dumb as a sheep before the Shearer and not open their mouths in any way of murmuring If we so remember our miseries as to forget our mercies if we aggravate our evil things and extenuate our good if we be so vexed and displeased with men as if they were sole authors of all our troubles and as if God who owes and payes us such chastisements had no hand in them If in our hearts we quarrel with God as if he were a hard master and had done us wrong if when we had food and raiment we were not content if when we had something and that considerable and how could our loss have been considerable if our enjoyment had not been so we were as unsatisfied as if we had just nothing If so do not these things plainly prove that we were murmurets many of us and whose experience doth not tell him that these things were so how many things have we repined at that men could not help as namely the pestilence now in such cases it is evident that we have not murmured against men but against the Lord Exod. 16.8 Nay if men be punished far less than their sin● deserve and yet will not accept of that their punishment but fret at him that inflicted it what must we call that but murmuring And was not that our case I had almost said that England even before this fire was so full of discontent whatsoever the cause were as if all the plagues of Egypt had been upon it and how after this i● can swell more without bursting is hard to conceive So little had we learn'd good Eli's note It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good to him Now if the Law of retaliation be burning for ●urning as we read it was Exod. 21.25 How just was it with the great God to send a Fire upon us for our grievous discontents and murmurings Murmurers are full of

with his earnest prayers that assisted by the spirit of God they may kindly co-operate together with the late judgment and all others upon the heart both of the writer and readers The Author doubts not but there is a great deale of hay and stubble in the superstructure of this work of his as in and with all other his performances and it may be thine too though not so much Pray for the pardon of his defects and miscarriages as he would do of thine cover them with love which covereth a multitude of infirmities if there be any passage in this work one or more that God shall make to thee as Gold Silver or precious Stones give God the glory of it for he it is must make it so and take to thy self these following words on the unworthy Author his behalf viz. that though all that hay and stubble which is found upon him or upon any service of his must be burnt up yet himself may be saved though as by Fire in which and all other needfull requests he desireth heartily to reciprocate ●●●h thee who is Yet an unprofitable Servant to Christ and his Church but desirous to be otherwise S. R. THE Heads of the ensuing Discourses Meditations and Contemplations PART I. Discourses 1. OF the great duty of Considering in an evil time Discourses 2. Of Gods being a consuming Fire Meditations 1. Of the sins for which God sent Fire upon Sod●m and Gomorrah Meditations 2. Of destroying Fire procured by offering strange Fire Meditations 3. Of Fire enkindled by murmuring Meditations 4. Of Rebellion against Moses and Aaron procuring a destructive Fire Numb ●6 Meditations 5. Of Sabbath-breaking mentioned in Scripture as one great 〈…〉 God 's punishing a people by Fire Meditations 6. Of Gods 〈…〉 by Fire for the sins of Idolatry and S●●●r 〈…〉 Meditations 7. Of 〈…〉 Theft Deceit false Ballances mention● 〈…〉 Scripture as causes of Gods contending by Fire Meditations 8. Of lying s●●aring and for-swearing as further causes of Gods contending by Fire Meditations 9. Of the abounding of Drunkenness as one cause of the Fire Meditations 10 Of Gods punishing a People by Fire for their great unprofitableness Meditations 11. Of the universall Corruption and Debauchery of a people punished by God with Fire Meditations 12. Of Gods bringing Fire upon a people for their incorrigibleness under other Judgments Meditations 13. Of the Aggravations of the sins of London PART II. Contemplations 1. COncerning the Nature of Fire and the use that may be made of that Contemplation Contemplations 2. Touching the Nature of Sulphur which is the principal matter and cause of Fire and how it comes to be so mischeivous in the World Contemplations 3. Concerning the true cause of Combustibility or what it is that doth make Bodies obnoxious to fire together with the improvement of that consideration Contemplations 4. Of Fire kindled by Fire Contemplations 5. Of Fire kindled by Putrefaction Contemplations 6. Of Fire kindled by the collision of two hard bodies Contemplations 7. Of Fire kindled for want of vent as in Hay c. Contemplations 8. Of Fire kindled by pouring on Water as in Lime PART III. Meditations 1. OF the weight of Gods hand in the destruction of London by fire Meditations 2. Upon sight of the weekly Bill since the fire Meditations 3. Vpon the discourses occasioned by the late fire both then and since Meditations 4. Upon the dishonest Carters that exacted excessive rates Meditations 5. Upon those that stole what they could in the time of the fire Meditations 6. Upon unconscionable Land-lords demanding excessive Fines and Rents since the Fire Meditations 7. Upon the burning down of many Churches Meditations 8. Upon the burning multitudes of Books of all sorts Meditations 9. Upon the burning of the Royal Exchange Meditations 10. Vpon the burning of Hospitals and Rents thereunto belonging Meditations 11. Vpon the burning of publick Halls Meditations 12. Of the burning of publick Schools Meditations 13. Vpon the burning of Tombs and Graves and dead bodies that were buried therein Meditations 14. Upon the burning of Writings as Bils Bonds c. Meditations 15. On the burning of St. Pauls Church and the unconsumed body of Bishop Brabrooke Meditations 16. Upon the visibleness of Gods hand in the destruction of London Meditations 17. Upon burning of the Sessions-house in the Old-Baily Meditations 18. On the Gates and Prisons of London that were burnt Meditations 19. Upon the Conflagration of the Universe Meditations 20. Upon the Fire of Hell Meditations 21. Upon the coming of that most dreadful Fire in so idolized a year as 1666. Meditations 22. Upon the Fire its beginning on the Lords day Meditations 23. Upon the place where this dreadful Fire began viz. at a Bakers-house in Pudding-lane Meditations 24. Upon the great pitty that ought to be extended to Londoners since the Fire Meditations 25. Upon those that have lost all by the Fire Meditations 26. On those that have lost but half their Estates by this Fire or some such proportion Meditations 25. Vpon those that have lost nothing by the Fire Meditations 26. Vpon those that were gainers by the late Fire Meditations 27. Upon the enducements unto rebuilding of London and some waies of promoting it Meditations 28. Upon the Wines and Oile● that swa●● in the streets and did augment the flames Meditations 29. Upon the water running down hill so fast as that they could not stop it for their use Meditations 30. Upon mens being unwilling there should be no Fire though Fire hath done so much hurt Meditations 31. Upon the usefulness of Fire in its proper place and the danger of it elsewhere Meditations 32. Upon the blowing up of houses Meditations 31. Upon preventing the beginning of evils Meditations 32. Upon the City Ministers whose Churches were saved from the fire Meditations 33. Upon those Ministers whose Churches were burned Meditations 34. Upon the killing of several people by the fall of some parts of ruinous Churches Meditations 35. Upon the Fire it s not exceeding the Liberties of the City Meditations 36. Upon the Suburbs comming into more request than ever since the Fire Meditations 37. Upon the Tongue its being a Fire c. Meditations 38. Upon the Angels their being called flames of fire Meditations 39. Upon the Word of God its being compared to Fire Meditations 40. Upon the spoiling of Conduits and other Aqueducts by this Fire Meditations 41. Upon the retorts and reproaches of Papists occasioned by this Fire Meditations 42. On the pains which the Kings Majesty is said to have taken in helping to extinguish the Fire Meditations 43. Upon meer Worldlings who lost their All by this Fire Meditations 44. Upon that forbearance which it becometh Citizens to use one towards another since the Fire Meditations 45. Upon such as are said or supposed to have rejoyced at the comming and consequences of this Fire Meditations 46. Of the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah compared with the burning of London Meditations 47 Of

so great an embleme or so lively a picture of the power of God Yet did they very ill to worship it sith the power of fire though great is but finite and as much transcended by the power of God as it self transcends the power of other things Of the Power of God transcending the power of Fire If a little Fire one single Fire taking its rise it may be but from a spark or two can do such great things what cannot he do who made all the Fires in the World and that of Tophet or Hell to boot which is greater than all the rest the Pile whereof is much wood and the breath of the Lord like a mighty streame of brimstone kindleth it Isa 30.33 How powerfull is he that hath all the Fires in the World at his beck ready to execute his pleasure Psal 148.8 Fire and haile fulfilling his Word He that hath an host of fires wherewith to fight his battles and avenge his quarrel can easily incounter all his enemies if all the World were such If it be made appear that the power of God be far beyond that of all the fires in the World who then can deny his power to be incomparably great and that it is so we may plainly see for that God suspends the influence of fire at his pleasure Witness the three Children who though in midst of a burning fiery furnace yet not so much as a haire of their heads was singed nor had the smell of fire passed upon them Dan. 3.27 He can do more than fire who can so limit fire its self that it can do just nothing God forbid I should adore fire as the heathen did but he that can do what he will by fire or without fire yea against Fire it self he I say must needs be worthy of humblest adoration and that in reference to his power Of the dreadfulness and terribleness of fire Neither do we see in Fire a representation of the power of God only but also of his awfull and terrifying presence If we do but hear people crying out either by day or night Fire Fire how doth it affright us as if a potent enemy were at out Gates but if we come and see it is so indeed and that we are not abused with a false alarme how much more terrour doth that strike us with our eyes then affecting our hearts and causing them even to sink and die within us how ghastly did men and women look how distractedly did they run about how did their haire even stand an end how little did they know what they said or did whilst with safety enough to their persons they did at a sufficient distance gaze at the Fire consuming their own and other mens houses had they themselves been in their houses at the same time as at other times they might have been burnt in their Beds some fast asleep others but newly awake the fire might possibly have had only dead Carcasses to consume as having been first killed by the greatness of their feares Read Heb. 12.21 where it is said so terrible was the sight of Mount Sinai that burned vers 18 that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake even that Moses that did not fear the wrath of Pharaoh could not without trembling stand and behold Mount Sinai all on fire And yet what is it to see the most dreadful Fires in comparison of what it is to feel or live amidst the smallest flames To lie or think of lying one hour in a fiery Oven were much more terrible than to have stood at a distance and beheld Sodom or any other City all in flames Wonder not then that sinners in Zion are afraid whilst they say who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings No execution so terrible to men as that which is performed by fire and therefore that is reserved for the greatest of malefactors as wizards witches and such like unless when bloody Papists have had the dispensin● of it and then it was the portion of the choicest Christians Saints and Martyrs They forsooth will provide fiery Chariots for Gods Elijah's to ascend up to heaven in But we know that kind of punishment is due only to the worst of men because the greatest of earthly punishments and the most like to hell If Fire be not exceeding terrible why did the generality of men flie before it as fast as they could and leave all that was near it to its mercy or rather cruelty yea it is commonly reported that some of the strongest and most undaunted bruits as Wolves and Bears and Lions are kept in awe by Fire and dare not approach it So that Fire is as it were a wall of defence to Men against those salvage enemies If the Lion roare saith the Scripture shall not all the ●easts of the Forrest tremble and yet himself trembles at the sight of Fire In a word if it be the professed opinion of Papists as I think it is that all persons and consequently themselves must abide for some time more or less in the Fire of Purgatory I wonder that every person so believing should not live in continual horrour crying out as those finners in Zion Isa 32.14 Who can dwell with devouring fire were it but for the space of a few moneths or daies much more for many years together and in a smaller time few of them seem to expech a release from that place of torment though they have advantages for that purpose above most other persons If it were possible for a man to lie but one day in fire unconsumed and he did know and believe he should do so would not the expectation thereof anticipate the comfort of hi● whole life From that natural dread of fire that is in men and every mans apprehensiveness of that kind of torment being intollerable I am led to think that all Papists are either miserable or hypocritical miscrable in believing an uncomfortable lie viz. the doctrine of Purgatory or hypocritical in not believing that which they profess to own as a great and necessary truth But enough as concerning the terribleness of our material Fire Of the terribleness of God Consider we now whether the great God be not also exceeding terrible in that respect fitly stiled a consuming fire Deut. 7.2 The Lord thy God is amongst you a mighty God and terrible also Deut. 10.17 and Nehom. 1.5 The great and terrible God that keepeth Covenant And Job 37.22 With God is terrible Majesty And Psal 65.5 By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us O God c. and Psal 66.3 Say unto God how terrible art thou in thy works Psal 68.15 O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places Psal 76.12 He is terrible to the Kings of the earth Jacob had a great dread of God when God spake no other than good and comfortable words to him when he saw God standing above the ladder which was shewed him in his

heart-burnings against God himself discontent is a Fire within that flies and flames up against the great God as Ahaz said who with his tongue did speak but the language of the hearts of many others This evill is of the Lord why should I wait on him any longer wonder not then if the anger of God have burnt against those that did burn against him if he hath given us fire for fire We were alwayes murmuring when we had no such cause as now we have and now God hath given us as it were something to murmur for and yet let me recall my self that was spoken but vulgarly For though God should punish us with Scorpions in stead of Rods he will no tallow us to murmur but commands us to filence our selves with such a question and answer as this Why doth the living man complain man for the punishment of his sin Who so considers how unthankfull we were for what we had before the fire will see no cause to wonder at what we have lost but rather to wonder at this that such as have lost but a part did not lose all For with Parents nothing is more common than to take away those things from their Children quite and clean for which they will not so much as give them thanks as not being satisfied with them Then say Parents give them us again you shal have none of them they shal be given to them that will be thankfull for them yea say they not sometimes in their anger we will throw such a thing in the fire before such unthankful Children shall have it I see London full of open Cellars and Vaults as it were so many open Graves and Earth lying by ready to cover them How unwilling am I to say that Kiberoth Hat●aavah might justly be written upon them that is the graves of those that lusted after more and by that meanes lost what they had If I were one of the murmurers as there were few exempted from that guilt O Lord I have cause to own thy justice in whatsoever this Fire hath or shall contribute to my loss and prejudice and also to adore thy mercy if my share in this loss were not proportionably so great as that of many others and those my betters MEDITATION IV. Of Rebellion against Moses and Aaron procuring a destructive Fire Numb 16. THe sixteenth Chapter of the Book called Numbers in the 35 verse thereof tells us how that a Fire came down from the Lord and consumed no less then 250 Men that offered Incense not their Houses but their very Persons Some would hardly think that so small a crime as opposition to Magistracy and Ministry are in their account should have been the only causes of so heavy a judgment And yet we finde that alledged as the main if not the only reason of Corah and his Complices being consumed by fire The Confederates of Korah Dathan and Abiram are said to have been 250 Princes of the Assembly famous in the Congregation men of renown Yet when such as they who one would think might better afford to do such a thing than meaner men gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron saying why lift ye up your selves above the Cougregation of the Lord and they themselves would be Priests and Princes as well as they verse 10. Seek ye the Priesthood also said Moses to them yee Sons of Levi. And in the 13 verse they qua●rel with Moses for making himself which was false for it was God that had made him so altogether a Prince over them as who shall say they would have no body above themselves either in Church or State I say when they shewed this kinde of spirit and principle you see how God punished it These were right Levellers if I mistake not they pretend they would have all to be alike vers 3. ye take too much upon you all the Congregation are holy every one of them wherefore then say they to Moses and Aaron lift ye up your selves above others But to pretend they would have none inferiour to them surely was but a stratagem to bring to pass that they might have no Superiors or rather that themselves might be superiour to all others This was like to come to good they would have neither head nor taile in Church or State or else it should be all head or all taile But from these principles of Anarchy and Ataxy set at work I say from the displeasure of God against them upon that account sprang the fire which we there read of Much of this spirit hath been in England within a few years past when not a few gloried in the name of Levellers at leastwise in the character and principles of men so called If any of those embers be still raked up under ashes I should fear least a Fire of tumult and confusion might break out from thence and by their meanes as soon as any way nor do I question at all but that the sin and guilt of such vile and antiscriptural tenets might help to kindle that fire which lately devoured the City God will not suffer two such great Ordinances as Magistracy and Ministry which so greatly concern the good of the World nor either of them to be trampled upon St. Jude speaks sharply of such men calling them filthy dreamers who despise dominion and speak evil of dignities they who would level these the God of order will level them for such are said to perish in the gain-saying of Korah Jude 11. Of such it is said in 2 Pet. 2.12 That as bruit Boasts they are made to be taken and to be destroyed and that they shall utterly perish in their own corruption But then if we consider Moses and Aaron one as a holy Magistrate the other as a holy Minister that did greatly aggravate the sin of Korah and his Complices in rising up against and seeking to depose them for as such they had a double ●tamp of God upon them viz. both as Magistrates and as good For as such they were not only called Gods but also partakers of the divine nature and if we must be subject to Superiours that are naught and froward 1 Pet. 2.18 much more to them that are good and gentle the destruction of usefull Magistrates and Ministers is one of the greatest disservices that can be done to the World and will as soon kindle the wrath of God as almost any sin that men commit 2 Chron. 36.16 But they mocked the messengers of God and misused his Prophets till the wrath of God arose against them till there was no remedy Mat. 23.36 There we finde these words O Jerusalem that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee c. Behold your house is left unto you desolate in Numb 16.11 Moses told Corah and his Company that they were gathered together against the Lord. For what is done against Magistrates and Ministers either as Officers ordained of God or as good in their places

first so in heart Now if the hearts of many be such as their most fantastick and garish habits make show of those words of Solomon Eccles 9.3 Must needs be verified in them The heart of the Sons of Men is full of evil madness is in their heart whilst they live c. Yet for all this I would exercise charity concerning the habits of men and women though that be hard to do did not the common practise and course of this Age assure me that it is universally corrupt and degenerate and as it were expound the meaning of such suspicious habits It is no difficult thing to prove the sins of this Age because men now adayes declare their sins like Sodom and do as it were spread a Tent in the face of the Sun as did Absalom I am much mistaken and so are many more if the gross sins of swearing cursing Sabbath breaking drunkenness whoredome together with too great a connivance at and impunity to these and some others be not more chargable upon England at this day than they had wont to be Are not these the things which male-contents do alledge to justify their murmurings though neither are they or can they be thereby justified as I have plainly shewed in that Chapter in which I have discoursed of Rebellion against Moses and Aaron We must keep our stations and do our duties though other men should refuse to do theirs If a Wise play the harlot may her Husband in requital commit adultery no such matter This premised I may the more boldly say whatsoever the matter is and whence so ever it comes a very general corruption there is amongst us What is said of the soul viz. that it is Tota in toto tota in qualibet parte wholly in the whole body and wholly in every part may be applied to sin as if it were become the very soul that did animate and inform the Nation I was about to say I fear good men are generally not so good as they had wont to be and bad men are become a great deale worse the former having suffered like strong constitutions that have been impaired by bad aire and the other like unsound bodies which are almost brought to the Grave thereby And now let me say with Jeremy O that my head were a fountain of teares that I could weep day and night for the corruption as he said for the destruction of the daughter of my people and O that I could say with David mine eyes run down Rivers of teares because men keep not thy Laws at leastwise that with righteous Lot of whom it is said without the least hyperbole that he did vex his righteous soul with the conversation of the Sodomites so could I mine with the sins of England mine own and others O Lord thou seest how even the whole Mass of English blood is wofully corrupted by sin as it fareth with those that have had a Dart struck thorough their Liver in that sense Solomon is by some supposed to intend it viz. as a periphrasis of the fowle disease so that there is hardly any good blood in all our ●●ines and arteries outward applications whether of judgments or mercies of themselves cannot cure us Inwardly cleanse us we beseech thee by the inspiration of thy spirit and purge our Consciences from dead works to serve thee that thy wrath may no more burn against us as Fire but that at length thou maist call us Heptzibah a people in whom thy soul may delight MEDITATION XII Of God's bringing Fire upon a People for their incorrigibleness under other Judgments WE have already spoken of twelve several causes of God's contending with a people by Fire and yet there is one behind as much in fault as any of all the rest and that is the sin of incorrigibleness I could presently produce three sufficient witnesses as it were to depose what I say One is that text in Isaiah Chap. 1. vers 5 7. Compared together Why should yee be smitten any more yee will revolt more and more your Countrey is desolate your Cities are burnt with Fire The next is Isa 9.13 compared with the 19. The People turneth not to him that smiteth them Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts shall the People be as the Fewel of the Fire But Amos speaks out yet more plainly if that can be Amos 4.6 I have given you cleanness of teeth yet have you not returned to me saith the Lord vers 8. I have with-holden the Rain from you vers 9. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew c. vers 10. I have sent among you the Pestilence after the manner of Egypt Now the burthen of all the Indictment is Yet have yee not returned to me saith the Lord. Then in the next verse he brings in God speaking thus I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah vers 11. And how was that but by fire So that you see the judgment of fire came as it were to avenge the quarrel of other abused judgments when Famine and Pestilence had done no good upon them then God used Fire which as being the worst was reserved to the last Most of the judgments denounced by Amos go under the notion of Fire Chap. ● 2. and incorrigibleness you see is one main reason rendered of Gods inflicting those judgment Now England hold up thy hand at the Bar and answer Art thou guilty or not guilty of the great sin of incorrigibleness and you dispersed inhabitants of that once famous City which now lieth in the dust little did I ever think to have called you by that name speak out and say were you guilty or not guilty of much incorrigibleness under other judgments before such time as God began to contend with you by that Fire which hath now almost consumed you Plead your innocency if you can Either prove you were never warned or sufficiently warned by preceding judgments or make it appear that you took warning and mended upon it That war by Sea which hath been as a bloody issue upon the Nation for several yeares past and is not yet stanched was that no warning piece That impoverishing decay of trade which hath made so many murmur was it no warning to us to repent and reform If it were a great judgment did it not call upon us to reform and if but a small one why did we so much repine at it That devouring pestilence which in one years time swept away above a hundred thousand in and about London was it not a sufficient warning to us from heaven Yet after all this how few did smite upon their thighs and said what have I done I doubt few have been the better for all these and many the worse who since God hath so smitten us have revolted more and more which is such a thing as if Jonah should have presumed to provoke God more than ever even then when he was in the great deep and

admonitions and reproofs in kindling and increasing zeal in others by warm and affectionate counsels a fire refreshing the hearts of others by a due and seasonable application of divine and comfortable considerations They whose tongues are a fire in the worse sense viz. inflaming the world with contention concupiscence and other noisome lusts shall have for their reward sharp arrows of the Almighty with coals of Juniper Psal 120.4 Yea the time is coming when in case they repent not they shall cry out with Dives Father Abraham send ●●z●arus that he may dip the tip of hi● singer in water and cool my tongue tormented in this flame Luk. 16. As fire is one of usefullest things in the world when well imployed so is the Tongue of man therefore called his glory but as that when it exceeds it's bounds is greatly pernicious so are the Tongues of men and therefore look what care is taken to keep fire within our Chymnies and other places proper for it the like should be taken to set a watch before the door of our lips that we offend not with our Tongues no wonder S. James should say that He who offendeth not in words is a perfect man ●ble to bridle the whole body For he that can master his tongue can master fire which of all creatures is most untameable MEDITATION XXXVIII Upon the Angels being called flames of fire Heb. 1. IS it for their Agility or for their spirituality or for their great power or for their likeness to God that Angels are called flames of five or rather is it not for all of these How quickly doth a flash of lightnings shoot its self from East to West Nor are the Angels of God less nimble Light and fire and slames comprehend both are as spiritual bodies as any we know the fitter therefore to resemble those who are meer Spirits and as the Text calls them ministring Spirits The power of fire and particularly in destroving we know to our cost And did that single Angel show himself less powerful who in one night destroyed a hundred fourscore five thousand men belonging to the host of Senacherib Isa 37.36 It is not for nothing that Angels are called Principalities and Powers Neither have good Angels less power to save than to destroy when they are appointed thereunto God himself being called a fire it is probable enough that Angels go by the same name because of the resemblance which they bear to God who have more of Gods image than man himself though man hath more of it then all other creatures The Chariots of fire which Elisha saw 2 King 6.17 What were they but so many Angels of God that were sent to guard him which made him say there were more with than against him Yea the fiery chariot in which Elijah was said to have been taken up to heaven possibly was no other then a convoy of Angels such as carried Lazarus into Abrahams bosom How happy are the Servants of God in having a guard of Angels How safe are they being compassed about with such walls of fire No wonder that the righteous are more bold than a Lion as Solomon speaks wild beasts are afraid of fire and if there be a sort of men as savage as they yet can those good Angels which God hath ordered to protect his people keep those Salvages in awe What a comfort is it that God hath such nimble Messengers to dispatch upon any expedition for our good An host of Angels can be with us presently even as soon as lightning can glance thorough the air It is well for believers that Angels are so powerful that they excell in strength seeing they are theirs appointed to minister for their good In how much less danger are Gods children many times than they apprehend themselves because their guard is spiritual and invisible which made Elisha's servant more afraid one while than otherwise he would have been than afterwards he was If every Angel be a flame of fire what the Prophet told his man in another case may be applied in this There are more flames and fires I mean with Gods people than are against them MEDITATION XXXIX Upon the word of God it 's being compared to fire Jer. 23.29 HOw shall we understand that question Jer. 22.29 It not my word like as a fire saith the Lord Wherein consists the resemblance betwixt the word of God and fire Surely it 's warnting the hearts of men in whom it takes place is one reason of it's being so called For so said the Disciples of Christ Did not our hearts even burn within us whilst he opened the Scriptures to us Luk. 24.32 Or else it may be so called from it's efficacy in which sense it is also called a Hammer which breaketh the rocks in pieces Fire is able to demolish the strongest places of which we many have sad instances at this day so the Word is said to be mighty through God to pull down strong holds We read of Gold tried by fire 1 Pet. 1.7 and is not the Word of God a trying thing It is said I shall not here examine in what sense that God sent forth his word and tried Joseph Psal 10.19 Who knows not the purifying nature of fire whereby metals are refined and did not Christ ascribe the like virtue to his Word saying Now are ye clean through the word that I have spoken to you What more piercing then fire and in that ●espect also it is much an Embleme of the Word of God which is said to be sharper than a two-edged sword piercing to the dividing a-sunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow Heb. 4.12 These are but some of the Parallels that might be made betwixt the word of God and Fire He whose word it is would have it to be as Fire And if it be Fire where it hath once broken out and got head it will be hard to smother or suppresse it as that Evangelical Fire which was kindled by Luther in Germany could never be extinguished to this day Saint Paul saith though he suffered bonds yet the word of God was not bound 2 Tim. 2.4 And in Phil. 1.12 he saith that the troubles which befell him had happened rather to the furtherano●●f the Gospel and many did wax confident by his bonds to speak the word without fear If the word of God be Fire as it is I wonder not that there are such combustions in the world by means of it as Christ telling us what through the corruption of men would insue upon his Gospel saith He came not to send peace upon earth but a sword Mat. 10.34 It is not Gods word but something else those men would have who would have nothing preached to them that should be as fire to consume their Lusts or to make their consciences smart at the remembrance of them That which is not apt to search and pierce is nothing akin to fire and therefore cannot be the word of God