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 murrâ—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 sinâ— 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 iâ— 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 â—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 â—â—â—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 Sodâ—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 â—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 Sâ—â—â—r 〈…〉 Meditations 7. Of 〈…〉 Theft Deceit false Ballances mention◠〈…〉 Scripture as causes of Gods contending by Fire Meditations 8. Of lying sâ—â—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 Oileâ— that swaâ—â— 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
the burning of Troy compared with the burning of London Meditations 48. Upon the burning of Jerusalem compared with that of London Meditations 49. Upon people taking the first and greatest care to save those things from the Fire which they did most value Meditations 50. Of people scarce knowing whâ—re their houses stood soon after the Fire Meditations 51. Of the Statue of Sir Thomas Gresham left standing after the Fire in the Old Exchange Meditations 52. Of the Pillar of Brass or Stone appointed to be erected in remembrance of the Fire Meditations 53. Of the Anniversary Fast perpetually to be observed in remembrance of the Fire Meditations 54. Of the burning of Sion-Colledge Meditations 55. Of Citizens dwelling in Booths or House like Booths as in Moor-fields c. Meditations 56. Of certain Timber-houses and other sleight buildings at which the Fire stopt as in Smith-field c. Meditations 57. Upon the warning which other places may and ought to take by the burning of London Reader take notice that through mistake the Numbers 25 26 31 32. in the third part are twice printed which makes them end with 57. instead of 61. PART IV. Discourses 1. OF Deliverance under losses and troubles as well as out of them Discourses 2. Of this that the life of man consists not in the abundance of what he possesseth Discourses 3. Of the Lessons of an afflicted estate well learnt their making way for prosperity to ensue Discourses 4. Of being content with Food and Rayment Discourses 5. Of the way to be assured of Food and Rayment Discourses 6. Of a good conscience being a continual feast Discourses 7. Of getting and living upon a stock of spiritual comfort Discourses 8. Of its being a great mercy to most Men that their lives are continued though their livelihoods are greatly impaired Discourses 9. Of the comfort that may be received by doing good more than ever Discourses 10. Of abstracting from fancy and looking at those that are below our selves rather than at others Discourses 11. Of neer Relations and Friends being greater comforts each to other than they had wont to be Discourses 12. Of training up children in Religion that they may come to have God for their portion Discourses 13. Of that comfort under trouble which may be drawn from the consideration of Gods nature Discourses 14. Of drawing the waters of comfort under affliction out of the Wells of Gods Promises Discourses 15. Of fetching comfort from the usual proceedings of God with his people in and under affliction Discourses 16. Of that relief and support which the commonness of the case of affliction may afford us Discourses 17. Of the lightness of all temporal afflictions Discourses 18. Of the shortness of temporal Afflictions Discourses 19. Of the needfulness and usefulness of Affliction Discourses 20. Of the mixture of mercies with judgments Discourses 21. Of the Discommodities of Prosperity and Benefits of Affliction Discourses 22. Of the gracious ends and intendments of God in afflicting his people Discourses 23. Of Resignation to God and acquiescing in his good pleasure Discourses 24. Of taking occasion by this to study the vanity and uncertainty of all earthly things Discourses 25. Of not being too eager upon the world after this great loss Discourses 26. Of chusing rather to continue under affliction than to escape by sin Discourses 27. Of preparing for our own dissolution now we have seen the destruction of London Next to this place the Title Part I. and the Epistle to the Earl of Northumberland PRELIMINARY DISCOURSES AND Meditations OF THE SINS FOR Which God hath first and last brought THE JUDGMENT OF FIRE PART I. By SAMVEL ROLLE Minister of the Word and sometime Fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge LONDON Printed by R. I. for Tho. Parkhurst Nath. Ranew and Jonathan Robinson 1667. To the Right Honorable ALGERNOON Earl of Northumberland Baron Percy Poinings Fitz-pain and Bryan Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter and one of his Majesties most honourable Privy Counsel To the Right Honorable EDWARD Earl of Manchester Baron of Kimbolton Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter Chamberlain of his Majesties Houshold and one of his Majesties most honourable Privy Counsel AND To the Right Honourable Sir THOMAS INGRAM Chancellor of the Dutchy and one of his Majesties most honourable Privy Counsel S. R. Sometime Minister of Thistleworth and your Honours much obliged Servant humbly dedicateth the ensuing Discourses and Meditations with Apprecation of all Grace and Happiness Preliminary Discourses DISCOURSE I. Of the great duty of Considering in an evil time HE that would see my Commission for engaging in the work of meditation at such a time as this in which few men know what to do or say or think may read it in those words of Salomon Eccles 7.14 But in the day of Adversity consider Times of extraordinary trouble as they afford most matter to the Pen of an Historian so likewise to the mind and heart of an observing Christian Not considering in such times is called not seeing the hand of God when it is lifted up or refusing to see it For the word translated here consider is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is see Now saith the Prophet They will not see when thy hand is lifted up but they shall see and be ashamed c. Yea thâ— fire of thine enemies shall devour them Isa 26.11 Wherefore is it that God doth call upon his people to enter into their chambers shut their doors upon them hide themselves till the indignation be overpast for the Lord commeth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquities Isa 26.20 Is it not that men might then and there consider what God hath done and is doing He can do little in his chamber as a christian that might not be done elsewhere that knows not how to meditate and pray there nor can the latter be well performed without the former Therefore the Psalmist doth well joyn those two together Psal 19.14 saying Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord. Sure I am Affliction calls for a great deal of seriousness even to a degree of sadness James 5.1 Go to now you rich men weep and houl for your miseries which shall come upon you And should they not weep as much for those that are come upon them already and can no waies be prevented Now great seriousness there cannot be where there is no musing and considering and wheresoever considering is such as ought to be there must needs be seriousness I shall think that man despiseth the chastening of the Lord which is strictly forbidden Heb. 12.5 who is not thereby put upon considering such things as are behooveful for him and suteable to the circumstances under which he is So much is hinted to us by these words Isa 5.12 They regarded not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation
thou hast considered this no more Much less know I what to think of those that have not considered it so much as seeming to think of nothing else but how they may make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof How many thought they could have said when time was If I forget thee O London let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth which yet have almost forgotten poor London and now God hath burned it round about scarce lay it to their hearts Methinks we are in an age in which are more Pharaohs than of any other sort of men infinite wisdome can scarce invent judgments that will awaken and make us look about us and consider The Iron age is a name too good for us Fire with the addition of some small matter besides as vinegar c. will melt Iron but will not melt us it will make that capable of any impression or to be cast into any mould but it will not do so by us Lord I see the heart of man will yield to nothing but thy self It can play with judgments and plagues though they were greater than those which came upon Pharaoh and so far forth contemn them as scarce seriously to consider of them at leastwise when past and gone Nor yet whilst present and incumbent as they ought to do Thou who hast created a day of great adversity such as we never lookt for create I beseech thee in me and in others a heart duly to consider it and together with it the things that do belong both to our present and future to our temporal and eternal peace DISCOURSE II. Of God's being a consuming Fire THree several times do I call to mind the holy Scripture saying expresly besides what it mentioneth elsewhere to the same effect that our God is a consuming Fire twice in the old Testament and once in the new First by way of caution Deut. 4.23 24. Take heed to your selves least you forget the Covenant of the Lord your God which he hath made with you and make you a graven Image or the likeness of any thing which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee For the Lord thy God is a consuming Fire even a jealous God Secondly by way of comfort Deut. 9.3 The Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee as a consuming Fire meaning to their enemies as the next words do show he shall destroy them viz. those children of Anak of whom they had learn'd to say who can stand before them vers 2. them and their Cities great and fenced up to Heaven as they are called vers 1. Thirdly by way of counsel or positive exhortation unto serving God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.28 For saith the text vers 29. Our God is a consuming Fire And well may God be so stiled not only effectivé as he is the first cause and authour of all those fires that consume houses Towns and Cities as God is pleased to own Isa 42.25 That he had set Jacob and Israel on fire round about nor careth the great God who knowes yea he would have all the World to know that all evil of punishment as such and so far forth as it is only such is from himself Amos 3.6 Shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it But not only in that sense may God be called a consuming Fire for that he is so essicienter as Christ upon such an accompt is called the resurrection and the life but also and chiefly because the fire of all Elements yea of all inanimate creatures seemes to bear the greatest resemblance of God in respect of more than one of his glorious attributes as namely of his irresistible power his awfull presence and affrighting Majesty his impartial and devouring severity his consuming anger c. Of the strength and power of Fire What creature here below so powerfull as fire who or what can stand before it how applicable unto fire are many of those expressions whereby God in his answer to Job sets forth some of the most untameable creatures as that which is spoken of the wilde Ass Job 39.7 He scorneth the multitude of the City Did not the fire do so and that of God concerning Behemoth Job 41.4 Will he make a Covenant with thee wilt thou take him for a servant for ever Who can master fire though it be never good but when it is as a servant also in some sense those words in the 27. vers may be applied to this powerful Element It esteemeth Iron as straw and Brass as rotten wood also those words in the last verse He beholdeth all high things He is a King over all the children of pride Methinks some lofty expressions which are used concerning God himself are more applicable to fire than to any other creature It is said of God Isa 40.15 That he taketh up the Islands as a very little thing So doth fire though not whole Islands yet things of great bulk as houses Churches and such like which are easily blown up by it as it were at one breath or puff It darts them up into the aire in an instant like a fleete arrow shot from a strong bow Cranes though made on purpose to mount heavy things yet are long in doing it yea seem to squeek and groan in raising one great beam at a time as if the burthen were more than they could well bear whereas this Giant Fire if I may so call it makes nothing of it to take whole houses upon its back with all their weighty beames massy stones leaden roofes lumbering goods and mount them into the aire presently Moreover it is said of God vers 16. That Lebanon is not sufficient for him to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering Surely London was far before Lebanon and yet when the most of it was burnt up did the fire say it was enough Could not that ravenous Lion have devoured the Suburbs presently with as great an appetite as it had done the City if the great God had not stopt its mouth or pluckt away its prey Doth not Solomon rank fire amongst the Cormorants that are never satisfied Prov. 30.16 Who can write or almost think what Fire can do what building so high be it beacon or steeple that fire cannot presently climbe to the top of it What mettle so hard that fire cannot melt it such as the fire may be It was only for hast that it left the out-sides of Churches standing pickt out the meat as it were and left the bones untouched In length of time it could have so calcined those bricks and stones as to have made them good for nothing but ready like the Apples of Sodom presently to crumble to dust But should I think of all that fire can do I must think of nothing else I less wonder at those Heathens that did worship fire than at those who worshiped any other creature sith no visible creature is
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 dispensinâ— 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 â—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 hiâ— 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 Hatâ—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 quaâ—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 â—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
publick worship but in the very season of it in so much that there was more company sometimes in the fields on the Lords day than in the Churches was it for want of Churches to repair to how could that be when there were so many within the City it self that now the Fire hath destroyed above fourscore yet some remain It could not be for want of room in Churches for many were almost empty and some of those in which I doubt not but the sincere milk of Gods Word might have been enjoyed Why were Taverns and Ale-houses that stood in the fields so frequented on the Lords daies more than on working daies as if they had been the Churches and Bacchus the God that men ought to worship yea it is vehemently suspected that Stewes and Baudy-houses were not without their customers on that day as well as on any others Oh the wanton carriages that mine eyes have seen on that day in the open fields The greatest part of those I met seemed to be on the merry pin laughing jesting and disporting themselves one with another both young men and maidens By their behaviour one would have took it for some jovial time rather than for a day holy to the Lord in which men are enjoyned not to think their own thoughts speak their own words or finde their own pleasures How few have I heard taking the name of God into their months on that day otherwise than in vain and by cursed oaths as I have walked some miles an end I verily think that many people had wont to spend the Lords day worse generally than any day in the whole week Many did spend other daies in honest labour who mis-spent the Lords day in dishonest recreations So far were most from preparing for it before it came that few kept it holy when it was come Jews will not omit the preparations to their Sabbaths but Christians did not only so but pollute the Lords day its self I might speak of such as did take the boldness to work on the Lords day notwithstanding that they read to the contrary in Neh. 13.15 Jer. 17.21 and expresly in the fourth Commandement in which it is said Exod. 20.10 In it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy servant and yet did not some hard masters exact all their labours of their servants on those daies when they had hast of work Have we not others set their wits on work to dispute against that day and to write against it witness many ill Treatises extant to that purpose And why might they not as well have written against the other nine Commandements as against the fourth Why must that only be thought Ceremonial when all the rest are confessed to be Morral If God have seemed to change it from the last to the first day of the Week can we take a just occasion from thence to abrogate it I doubt not but the day we now keep by the name of the Lords day was intended in the second Commandement as well as that which they under the Old Testament kept which was called the Sabbath A seventh day or one day in every seven is provided for by that Commandment to be kept holy but not alwaies the seventh day from the creation For it is not said that God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it but that he blessed the Sabbath-day or that day which himself had or should appoint to be kept as a Sabbath or time of holy rest which under the Old Testament was the last but under the New is the first day of the week called the Lords day for that Christ rose again as on that day Although the first administration of the Lords Supper was in unleavenned bread yet the institution of it is for the use of bread not of that which is unleavenned So though God rested on the seventh day from the Creation yet his legal Ordinance doth not precisely require the observation of that day but of one day in seven Who doubts but baptisme and the Lords Supper are now as much in force by vertue of the second Commandment as Circumcision the Passover were of old that Commandment referring to such Ordinances as God should appoint as well as to those which he had appointed and so the fourth Commandement to any day in seven that God should enjoyn as well as to that which he had enjoyned Why should not the practice of the Apostles be a sufficient warrant for changing of the day 1 Cor. 16.2 On the first day of the week let every of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him It appeareth that was their day of meeting for worship because on that day they made their Collections for the poor and in Act. 20.7 it is said that on the first day of the week when the disciples met to break bread Paul preached to them intimating that was their day for partaking of the Lords Supper and therefore in all likelihood for other religious services Now would the Apostles have ventured to change the day without leave and command from God so to do But if any man be not convinced by these arguments that the day ought to be so changed yet let him shew me the least colour of reason for abrogating of the fourth Commandment and observing no day in the week as a Sabbath to the Lord. Most men if they must keep one day in the week holy had as lieve it should be the first day of the week as the last Most of those that quarrel at the observation of the first day or Christian Sabbath I fear do it because they would observe none at all but as for those that conscientiously observe a seventh-day Sabbath I dare not call them Jews for Judaizing in that one thing but think they may be better Christians than many that are more Orthodox as to the Time and Day But as for those profane persons that have and do refuse to dedicate either the last or first day of the week to God as a Sabbath or holy rest I must be bold to tell them if they be English-men they had a great hand in setting London on fire which was a vast loss to the whole Nation and came doubtless for the sins of the whole Nation as well as for the sins of its inhabitants I say you had a great hand in it and particularly by your prophanation of the Lords day as the Text I quoted from Jer. 17.21 leads me to think I had almost said that was become a National sin as by the general practice of it so for want of due endeavours to restrain it such as Nehemiah used Nehem. 13.16 and therefore no wonder if God have punished with that which was is and will be a sore stroke upon the body of the Nation But besides the gross prophanation of the Lords day whereof wicked men were guilty viz. by working playing and doing more wickedness then than at other times I fear few of the better
persons I have described are past all question useless and meer cumber-grounds like dead trees fit for nothing but to burn I shall not take the boldness to say that England doth and London did abound with such persons as these or that such walking carkasses carried about by that evil spirit that possessed them and did as it were assume them were to be seen every day but whether it were so or no they better know that know London know all England better than I pretend to do And if it were so indeed it is not so much wonder that the houses of such men were burnt as that their persons did escape or that God did not rather consume their persons and spare their houses like Lightning that spares the Scabbard and melts the Sword Sin had made a great part of the inhabitants as much dry wood in one sense as want of rain had made their houses such I marvel not then that so great a Fire approaching such prepared fewel both within and without did so much execution but rather that it did no more May the issue of that dismal Fire which was lately amongst us be the same that husbandmen effect or design in burning their Lands viz. that we as they which before were barren and unprofitable may become useful and fruitful which Lord grant for Christ his sake MEDITATION XI Of the universal Corruption and Debauchery of a people punished by God with Fire I Need not go far from that Text on which I grafted the next preceding meditation To finde another that will plainly prove the universal corruption and degeneration of a people to have as it were inforced God though he be slow to anger and rich in mercy to contend with them by Fire yea and consume them The same Prophet furnisheth me with a large instance in that kind too large to transcribe and therefore I shall rehearse but part of it and refer to the rest For it reacheth from Ezek. 22.19 to the end of the 31 verse Thus saith the Lord because ye are all become dross therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem v. 20. as silver into the midst of a furnace and I will leave you there and melt you v. 22. And ye shall know that I the Lord have poured out my fury upon you That they were all become Dross signifies no more but this that they were universally depraved and debauched as appeareth plainly by that Indictment which is given in against their Priests and Prophets and Princes and common people that is against persons of all ranks and conditions in the sequel of the Chapter The like charge there is to be found Isa 9.27 For every one is an hypocrite and an evil doer and every mouth speaketh folly v. 14. Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail branch and rush in one day v. 18. For wickedness burneth as the fire it shall devour the briars and the thorns That is the wicked amongst them the best of which was as a briar or as a thorny hedg It is sad to consider that there have been certain times in which no sort of men have kept themselves pure and unspotted but all have defiled their garments in which the fire of sin hath spread as much more than in other ages as the late Fire upon London spread it self beyond all the Fires that City had known formerly Some time before the destruction of the old world by water it is said that All flesh had corrupted his way Gen. 6.11 and when God was about to rain Fire and Brimstone upon Sodom not ten righteous persons could be found to stand in the gap And a strange challenge it is which God makes Jerem. 5.1 Run through the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know if ye can finde a man if there be any that executeth judgment and seeketh the truth and I will pardon it Is it so with us at this day or is it not Are we universally corrupt and degenerate and debauched or are we not Have all sorts of men corrupted their waies and done abominably or have they not Possibly in this our Sardis there are some few names that have not defiled their garments but alas how few are they and what are so few names to the generality and body of a Nation Are those words of Isaiah applicable to us or not There is no soundness but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores from the sole of the foot even to the head Isa 1.7 and then followeth your Country is desolate your Cities are burnt with Fire Might I take leave to be particular I would say that City and Countrey and Court and Inns of Court and Universities all have exceedingly corrupted their waies what a corruption in judgment hath over-spread us some turning to Socinianism others to Popery others to Atheism yea great and Leviathan-like Atheism How great a corruption is there at this day in the habits gates and gestures of men and women which I would not trouble my self to speak of but that as little a thing as it may seem it is a symptome of great evil within for many times the habits of the mind are signified by those of the body A proud habit and a proud heart a wanton habit and a wanton heart do often if not alwaies meet For what modest woman would put on the attire of an harlot or who cares to make shew of more evil than is really in them and not rather to conceale that which is A modest habit is not so sure a sign of a chaste heart for that may be worn for a cloak of dis-honesty as an immodest habit is of one that is unchaste For what woâ—an that is conscious to her own chastity would render her self suspected for a whore It may seem a small matter for sick people to play with feathers and to make babies with their sheets but it is an usual fore-runner and consequently a sign of death So the habits of men and women when they carry with them a great appearance of Pride Levity Wantonness Inconsistency of mind Prodigality Fantastickness Inconstancy do give great jealousie to wise men who can discern much light sometimes through small crevices that the Age or rather persons of this Age do abound with such kind of vices and that there is some kind of Fatallity belonging to it because people use such antick postures and gestures as dying persons are wont to use I wish the fore-mentioned vices had get no neerer men than their skins that they were but skin-deep but as the Itch and such like diseases are first within and then strike out first insect the mass of blood and not till afâ—erwards the habit and surface of the body yeâ— and often strike in again and corrupt the blood a second time so it is to be feared that men and women are generally proud and wanton in heart before they are so in habit and become so in habit because they were
likewise Now where shall I begin my discourse of Londons calamity Or how can I do it without premising those words of the Prophet Jerem. 9.11 Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears c. If my eyes be not a fountain my heart must needs be a Rock and Lord smite thou that Rock that waters may gush out whil'st I mention those things that should be bewailed even with tears of blood That which first presents its self is the consideration of what London was nor can it be better expressed than in those words Lam. 1.1 The City that was Great amongst the Nations and Princesse amongst the Provinces Sure I am London was the glory of England yea the glory of Great Britain yea the glory of these three Nations if not in some sense the glory of the whole World But as the Prophet speaks of Ierusalem ver 9. She came down wonderfully the same may be said of London But alas What is London now but another Sodome lying in ashes What is it but a heap of dust and rubbish The greatest part of it seems to be convered into so many Church-yards as consisting of nothing but the Reliques of Churches with waste ground round about them full of open Vaults or Cellers like so many uncovered Graves and fragments of houses like so many dead mens bones scattered on every side of them I had almost called it another Smithfield â—alluding to the use that place was put to in the Marian dayes for that every house was a kind of Martyr sacrificed to the flames and that as is vehemently suspected by men of the same Religion with those that burnt the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes Witness that Frenchman that was convicted and executed upon his own acknowledgement of having begun the Fire in London whose confession tels us that he was instigated by Papists one or more and the choice of his Confessor that he was one himself We can now no longer say of London Here it stands but Hie jacet as we say of one that is dead and buried Here it lies not that here it is but that here it was May we not go on with those words of Ieremy Lam. 1.1 How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people How is she become as a Widow Where are those multitudes that inhabited London a few moneths since How are they dispersed and scatteâ—ed into corners some crowded into the Suburbs others gone into the Country disabled in all likely hood from ever returning again to settle as before Who complains not that they scarce know where to find any body even those that they had wont to converse and trade with for that their former places know them no more yea they hardly know the places again where they dwelt formerly or can find where those houses stood which they inhabited many years together To see a populous City so wofully depopulated in a few dayes time and the late Inhabitants driven away as stubble before the wind Whose heart would it not cause to bleed How oft have I heard men say since the Fire we have occasion to use such and such tradesmen that use to work to us but know not were to find them we should speak with such and such Friends but know not what is become of them or whether they are gone How many thousand houses that were lately such do not now contain one Inhabitant nor are sit to do it This also should be for a lamentation Did the Egyptians mourn when but one was missing in every house and shall not we when multitudes of whole housholds and houses are swept away all at once Why should I doubt to say that a great part of the strength and defence of all England yea of all the three Kingdomes is lost and taken away in and by the destruction of London Was not that great City able to have raised a mighty force in a short time wherewith to have opposed an invading Forreigner Was it not a Mine of Treasure able to supply vast summes of monie for the use of King and Kingdome at a short warning and found as willing as able to do it If a vast and stately Ship as most that swim in the Ocean had been lost how soon could and did that famous City build such another Surely London was the sinews and the very right hand of all great and publick undertakings and that they knew full well that said in their hearts Rase it Rase it to the very ground Are we not now like Sampson when his hair was cut and should we go out to shake our selves as he did Judg. 16.20 should we not presently find it Yea are we not become like the men of Sechem when they were fore presently after their being circumcised whom Simeon and Levi flew Gen. â—4 25 Who can be a friend to England or have any true English blood running in his veins and not lament to see so much of the strength of the Nation taken away at once As Jeremâ— speaking of what God had done to Jerusalem as in his own person saith He hath made my strength to fall Lament 1.14 and then adds He hath delivered me into their hands from whom I am not able to rise up That is not our case as yet but how soon may it be our present weaknesse and obnoxiousness considered Is it not worth taking notice of that the beauty and splendor of England is defaced and lost by the destruction of London How deformed is a body without a head and was not London the head of England in that sence that Damascus is said to have been the head of Syria and the head of Ephraim to have been Samaria Isa 7.8 That is the head City for we acknowledge a head Superiour to that yea Supreme under God viz. our Sovereign as it is ver 9. the head of Ephraim is Remaliahs Son As the face is to the body so was London to England viz. the beautifullest part of it and look how men reckon it a great prejudice to their bodies when their faces are marred by any great deformity so is it to the whole Land which is to be considered as one body and all the parts of it as members of each other when scarce any thing of that is left which was the very face of it They that saw only the other parts of England saw as I may allude with reverence but it 's back parts Was not London as it were the Throne of the Kings of England successively and other places in comparison of it but as it were their Footstool you know to what I allude Now London is gone may we not write Icabod upon the Nation for that the honour of it is departed Now who can be a true Englishman and unconcerned for the honour of his Nation and not troubled to see it lie in the dust How is the honour of a Nation insisted on How many wars are commenced and continued in the world to
true that coppy of them which is within his own breast may be lost or missing at leastwise for a time but then there is a counter-part of them kept in heaven which can never be lost for The foundation of God stands sure and he knoweth who are his It is happy for us that uncertain things are those of less value but that those things which are most valuable though indeed only they may be ascertained and insured in heavenly things Sad was the loss of Writings as they were Evidences of mens Estates but methinks more sad as they were the Vouchers of mens honesty or if by this meanes either honest men become suspected or those that have been otherwise cannot be detected and discovered But methinks where alwayes heretofore found faithful it is but equal to admit no jealousie of them upon this occasion No doubt but he that was faithful till the fire will be faithfull after it and not be worse for that Purgatory if I may so call it O Lord Art not thou he that didst find out a way to acquit those chast Women that were suspected of Adultery Numb 5.28 Art not thou he who didst furnish Solomon with wisdom to know which was the true Mother of the living child to which two Women laid an equal claim 1 Kings 3 Art not thou he that didst direct Queen Emma and others to passe the hot plow-shares bare-foot and blind-fold without hurting her self when by that ardent fire proof was to be made of her unspotted chastity Clear up I beseech thee the integrity of thy innocent servants whose Accompts and Acquittances this fire hath destroyed but as for others search out their wickedness till thou find none or as thou saidst thou wouldst search Jerusalem with candles Zeph. 1.12 What work hath this burning of Writings made for greedy Lawyers What a barvest are they like to have by that means One sire I doubt will beget another viz. that of endless contention and Law-suits Now the sire hath gotten mens Vintage I wish unjust Claimers on one hand and Lawyers on the other do not sweep awar their Gleanings They are newly leapt out of the fire and Most they presently come into the frying-pan Can the wisdom of our Governors find out no way whereby to prevent vexations Suits that will otherwise arise upon this occasion to preserve the rights of honest men now their Writings are gone and to prevent the unjust claims of those that are dishonest If ever Magistrates needed a Priest one or more to ask Counsel for them after the Judgment of Urim before the Lord Numâ— â—7 20 as Eleazar did for Joshuâ— now is the time Howsoever thou O Lord who girdest up the wrath of men or so much of it as will not turn to thy praise vouchsafe to put such a restraint upon the spirits of men that those who were half-undone by the fire may not be utterly so either by merciless Lawyers or by unrighteous Adversaries and unjust Claimers MEDITATION XV. Upon the Burning of Saint Pauls Church the unconsumed Body of Bishop Brabrook HOw long was this goodly Cathedral in building How leasurely did it proceed Insomuch that it became a Proverb when men did any thing slowly That they made Pauls-work of it But so did not the fire when it came to destroy it but consumed it presently as if it had been but Jonas his gourd which sprang up in a night Dying Persons are oft-times very restless they shift from one side of their beds to the other and talk much of removing to other places So have I observed this noble Structure not long before its fatal period to have shifted often First it was a Church then a Stable as some were pleased to make it within these few years but the argument was far fetcht if they think that because Christ himself did sometimes lie in a Stable and in a Manger that therefore one and the same place might well serve both for brutish and for sacred uses Otherwhile if not at the very same time it was made a Court of Guard without any intention as I believe to make it an Emblem of the Church Militant or to exhibit any other religious mystery And then of late it wheel'd about again to its Primitive use to be a place appropriated to Divine Worship Few expected it would continue long a Stable or a Court of Guard for great alienations like strong sticks that are much bent do quickly start back again but when it became once more a Church they that considered it had stood above five hundred years from its first Erection yea and Conflagration which latter was in 1087. after which it was soon built again and did observe it to bear its years well as if it were at most but of a middle age saw no cause to doubt but it might last as much longer But alas How were they deceived and How was its destruction at the very door Surely Papists are deceived in thinking Crucifixes to carry a safeguard and protection with them considering that this Cathedral was built in the figure of a Cross and yet when Fire did appreach had no relief by it It had been a comfortable sight to have beheld the first erection of that stately Church considering the Scituation and Dedication of it that whereas before in the same place stood a Temple Dedicated to Diama and as is supposed a Wood and Grove about it devoted to her use there was then another in the room of it the name whereof might speak the place alienated from heathenism to Christianity from the service of a false goddesse to the service of the true God and of his Son Jesus Christ Twice hath that famous Structure been fired before at leastwise part of it both times by lightning and thereunto exposed by the transcendent height of its Steeple One of those times it burnt a great part of the City of London if I mistake not and now the City by a kind of unintended retaliation hath helpt to burn it Great pity it is to see so noble a building in the dust and yet it is likely some will but little pity it if not rejoyce in the ruins of it especially it s disaffected neighbours whose houses that had wont to lean to the sides of it like Vines climbing upon a wall had at leastwise received sentence to be pulled down But should not men regard the honor of their Nation whatsoever became of private interests One strange and remarkable passage that did relate to this Cathedral I cannot but reflect upon viz. The unheard of continuance of a certain dead Body viz. the Body of one Dr. Bâ—aybroâ—k sometimes Bishop of London and Lord Chancellor of England which was there interred above two hundred years ago and as several that have seen it do inform was taken up since this fire and found to retain much of it's manly shape and most of it's external parts to the amazement of such as beheld it and did withall believe it
Combustible Materials to wit Pitch Tar Oils Hemp and Powder it's self viz. Thames-street Moreover how near was it to the Water-houses the burning down of which places was just like a subtle Enemy his seizing upon some considerable Forts which might otherwise stand in his way and obstruct his design It makes me think of what is spoken Psal 78.50 how that God did make a way to his anger as if he would have nothing to hinder the passage of it And upon the whole I cannot but recount those words of God by his Prophet to the Jews Jer. 18.11 Behold I frame evil against you and devise a device against you for methinks it appeareth like a Destruction wisely framed and devised But as for such as think it came neither by Treachery nor by Casualty they must needs ascribe it to meer Providence and to nothing else not onely to God but to God alone like the burning of Nadab and Abihu or of Sodom and Gomorrah So that let men derive the pedigree of this fire whence they will as there are three conjectures about it they cannot exclude the Providence of God from having signally appeared in it It is a sign the great God is not ashamed of what he hath done and that he cares not who knows it For how easie had it been for him to have contrived the burning of London in such a way as that himself might scarce have been seen in it that men would generally have thought it had been the hand of Man and not of God any more than every thing else is But now methinks it is as if the great God had said If any man ask Who set London on fire let the Circumstances tell them it was I that did it Surely something is the matter that God should as it were glory in making known that he it was that set London on fire Was it not to show that he had a Controversie with us Might it not be also lest his governing of the World should be called in question if so great a thing should have hapned to all appearance by meer chance and fortune Was it not also to make us stoop and submit to so great a loss upon such an accompt as David did when he said I held my peace because thou Lord didst it Or Might it not be also to tell us That he challengeth to himself just Power and Authority to burn up great Cities at his pleasure and Who shall say unto him what doest thou As Lebanon is said not to be sufficient for him to burn so neither was London more than sufficient O London Disdain not to fall by that hand by which thou art fallen It was not that poor Miscreant that ended his dayes at Tyburn that did or could by his own power destroy thee though possibly he may be somewhere Canonized for the Saint that did it If God had not first dried thee he and a hundred more could never have burnt thee If he kindled the fire it would have gone out again if God had not blowed the coal It was he that saith Behold I shake heaven and earth It is he that can take hold of the Pillars of the Universe and tumble it down when he pleaseth It is he that in processe of time will serve the whole World as he served thee It was he I say that bid thee come down and lie in the dust Humble thy self under his mighty hand He can raise thee up again and make thee a Princesse among the Nations when Paris and Rome may chance to lie in Ashes MEDITATION XVII Upon the burning of the Sessions-house in the Old-Baily VVHat a rebuke is it to the Censoriousnesse of men who are ready to charge London with greater sins than other places are guilty of because this great Judgment fell upon it I say what a rebuke is it to them to behold the most eminent seat of Justice in all those parts consumed by the same fire Who dare or who truly can in this case apply those words of Solemon Eccles 3.16 I saw under the Sun the place of Judgment that Wickednesse was there and the place of Righteousnesse that Iniquity was there For amidst all the complaints of men about other matters and particular distastes they have taken at particular persons or passages I do not know that man that will deny that there is as much of Law and Conscience to be found amongst the Reverend Judges which are at this day as amongst the Judges of any Time and Age whatsoever The consideration whereof may be no small comfort to the poor Citizens whose difficult Cases relating to the fire are like to lie in their breasts and be subjected to their wise determination which I hope will be such as may abundantly confirm that honourable Character which I think but justice to give concerning them Yet was that honourable and most eminent place of their Sessions within the City burnt amongst the rest How commodious was that place for their work for that it was scituare near to the great Den of Theeves and Receptacle of Felons Newgate I mean it being requisite that Justice and Sin should not dwell far asunder but that the former should as it were tread upon the heels of the latter From thence had many Malefactors received sentence to be deservedly executed but now the place itself which for what cause we know not had received an unexpected sentence in heaven had it executed accordingly and came to an untimely end yet had it stood so long as to acquire the name of Old being called the Old-Baily and as one Author thinks was a Court of Justice for some purposes above three hundred years since viz. in the year 1356. And what more than Old or very Old can be attributed to any Creature upon earth in point of duration none of which in this world shall be perpetual for that is more than the world it self shall be The Apostle telling us that all these things shall be dissolved When places of Justice are destroyed perhaps Malefactors will rejoyce though they have little cause for change of place will no whit mitigate their punishment but all true and honest men will be sorry May there nere want a place in which to try and arraign Malefactors in case there be any such but much rather do I wish there might no more be any Malefactors deserving to be tried MEDITATION XVIII Upon the Gates and Prisons of London that were burnt COncerning those that use an after care and provide too late our Proverb is That when the Steed is stolen they shut the Stable door but the fire when it had stollen the Steed I mean destroyed the City slung open the Gates or rather demolished and ruinated severall of them Gates without a City being as insignificant and to as little purpose as a City without Gates is unsafe Yet had those Gates been standing which are not I mean in strength and perfection it might have carried a good Omen and Presage
and succour you therefore say not You are undone though all be lost for the present How many have from a fair Estate been brought to a morsel of Bread not by Casualty but by Crimes such as God might have left you to as by that fire which Job saith will consume to destruction and root out all a mans increase Job 31.12 Now consider how much better your condition is than theirs Are you as those that have nothing think of the Apostles words a Cor. 6.10 As having nothing yet possessing all things If either you are true Believers or shall hereafter be such those words of the same Apostle will be verified in you 1 Cor. 3.21 All things are yours ye are Christs and Christ is Gods MEDITATION XXIV Upon those that have lost but half their Estates by this Fire or some such proportion VVHat a mercy is it that you have lost but half when so many others have lost all How much better is half a Loaf as our Proverb speaks than no Bread As David said to Mephibosheth Thou and Zibah divide so hath God decided the case betwixt the fire and you You are at most but like David's Servants the one half of whose Beards were shaven by Hanan and their Garments cut in the middle How much better is it to have one Arm than none to have but one Eye than to be stark blind The man that was wounded and left but half dead recovered again by the help and favour of the good Samaritan and so may you Possibly that half or part which is left you is more than many mens All Your Gleanings better than the Vintage of many others The Ancients ran much upon such a saying as this Dimidium plus toto that half was better then the whole meaning the former with quietness and contentment was much better then the latter without it God can give you twice so much contentment with half so much Estate If you say and say truly that you had scarce enough before and now have but half so much as you had then there are that have more by half then they needed and how knowest thou but God may incline them to consider thee who hast scarce half enough But Oh! the miserable world in which many whose cup overflows will let others have nothing of theirs if they have but something of their own though that something be next to nothing If men that have ten children have but enough to maintain one are they no objects of pity and charity If a man have doublet and breeches such as may serve his turn but neither hat to his head nor shoos to his feet will you not commiserate him Did the good Samaritane overlook the man he met because he was but half dead did he stay till he were ready to give up the ghost before he would do any thing for him This is the manner of but too many men but the comfort is your heavenly Father he knows whereof you stand in need Whether the moiety of what thou sometimes hadst be or be not enough for thy occasions Bless God for it That will be the way to have it multiplied as those loaves were with which Christ fed five thousand to the full Try what double industry double frugality will do towards â—eaking out that allowance that seems to fall short and above all conclusions try if doubling thy faith and confidence in God will not double thy maintenance if need require Learn to think that God did not grudge thee the whole but hath therefore retrencht thee as thou art retrencht because he knew that but half was better for thee MEDITATION XXV Upon those that lost nothing by the Fire HOw well came you off not so much as a hair of your head sindged not so much as the smell of fire about you I cannot call you brands snatcht out of the fire for you were better than so brands are partly burnt so were not you Fall down and adore that distinguishing-mercy which hath so preserved you and made a hedge about you Alas if all had been great losers how should one have been able to help another whereas now some are able to succor others if they be but as willing God is trying you what good Stewards you will be of those Talents which he hath continued to you full and whole whilest others are either totally deprived of theirs or at leastwise much diminished He expects you should make yourselves poorer for the present by your Charity though he hath not made you so by the Fire and woe be to you if you do it not He could have forced all your Estates from you as he did from others but he thought fit to prove you as to what you would part with freely He would see what influence that Text hath upon you He that hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother in want and shuts up his loads of compassion How dwelleth the love of God in him Think not that all that is left you is lest you for yourselves for it is no such matter It is that you should disperse and give to the poor that your righteousness may remain You are but Feoffees in trust for others as to some good proportion of what is continued with you I expect God will cast fire upon your houses next if you cast not your bread upon the waters Charity may secure what you enjoy and the want of it may hazard all It might have been your lot to have stood in need of receiving and now you are left able to give which is a more blessed thing will you not do it All that was saved from the fire was given you again and will you not lend God a part who hath given you the whole and what is that lending to God but giving to the Poor God hath been tender of your Tabernacles and will not you be kind to his living Temples They that were sent to fetch the Ass that Christ was to ride upon were bid to say The Lord had need of him Now if ever hath Christ need to borrow of those that are able as in reference to his poor members and woe to them that can and will not lend to their Lord and Saviour He could supply them otherwise without being beholden to you but it is your love he values more than your liberality and the latter but as an Expression of the former It is not so much A gift which he desireth as fruit that may abound to your own account as the Apostle speaks Phil. 4.17 You may pretend you are thankful for the great Deliverance vouchsafed you but neither God nor Men will believe you are so unless you be also Charitable to them that were not Delivered MEDITATION XXVI Upon those that were Gainers by the late Fire VVE say It is an evil wind that blows no body any good Some were honest gainers and much good may it do them others dishonest Some could not let their Tenements before the fire who
have since let them for moderate Rents such are honest gainers Others have let their houses at most excessive Rates and such have loaded themselves with dishonest gain But be their gains one way or another I think no man ought for the present to pocket the money which he hath clearly gotten by the fire if it be so they can spare it David would not drink of the waters of Bethlehem which were brought to him because as he said They were the price of Blood meaning his Souldiers had ventured their lives for it What men have gotten by this fire is little lesse than the price of Blood considering how many were impoverished that a few might be inriched or rather that the inriching of but a very few is by the undoing of many thousands Men may look upon their gains by this fire as Deodates Let as many as are able be their own Almoners and give it back to God Is it not a Sabbatical year in a doleful sense for that the poor City now injoyeth it's Sabbath and in a Sabbatical year that did bear a better interpretation the rich were not suffered to reap but were to leave the Crop to the poor as appeareth by comparing Exod. 23.11 with Levit. 25.5 If men who have only saved what they had before ought to contribute to them that have lost how much more ought they who have received an Addition by this very means To Build upon the Ruines of others is one of the worst Foundations that can be Let it never be said The fire hath made you rich whilst such multitudes continue poor miserably poor whom meerly the fire hath made so We use to say Men have gotten those things out of the fire which they came hardly by But what men got by or out of the late fire was easily come by well may it go leightly for it leightly came yet neither doth that go leightly which goes to the use of Charity When I consider how this fire which hath ruined many hath raised some it brings to mind what is said Luke 1.52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away How strangely and by seeming contraries doth the providence of God bring things to pass that when a dismall fire hapned some men should be made by it So a Prison made way for Joseph's preferment and Onesimus his running away from his Master for his returning to God and to himself and a better Servant to his Master than ever And Estate cast upon men by the desolating Fire sounds like such a Riddle as that of Sampson Out of the eater came meat and out the strong came sweetness Is it not as a Honey-comb found in the Carcase of a Lion You whom God by this fire hath unexpectedly enabled more than ever to eat the Fat and drink the Sweet you know what I allude to see that you send portion to them for whom nothing is provided MEDITATION XXVII Upon the Inducements unto re-building of London and some wayes of promoting it THat London should be re-built is so much the concern of England both in point of Honour and of Trade as hardly any thing can be more Whilst that lieth in the dust our Glory lieth with it Our Enemies rejoice to see it where it is but should we let it lie there long Oh! how would they scorn us for it and conclude it were because we had not wherewithall to build it up again They know as well as we that there is no part of England situate so commodiously for Trade as London is which name is said to signifie in the Language of the Britains it's first Inhabitants Shipton or a Town of Ships in regard that the famous River which runs by the side of it is able to entertain the greatest Ships that can ride upon the Sea which thing hath made it so famous a Mart those Ships bringing in all the rich commodities the world can afford Hence London for so many Ages past hath held it's Primacy over all other parts of England and none hath been thought fit to succeed it in that dignity though the shifting of Trade from one City to another and an alternate Superlativeness hath been frequent in other parts of the world where one place hath been as commodious as another But London never had rival that did or could pretend it's self as fit to make the great Emporium and Metropolis of England as was it's self The River of Thames made it so at first and that under God will and must make it so again It perished by fire and must be saved by water for that if any thing will make it once again what it was before as Job saith of a Tree onely the Root whereof is left in the ground that thorough the scent of water it will sprout again How venerable is London were it but for its Antiquity of which Ammianus Marcellinus reports that it was called an ancient City in his time which was above twelve hundreds years ago and Cornelius Tacitus seems to do the like three hundred years before him telling us that for multitudes of Merchants and Commerce London was very renowned fifteen hundred years ago nor can we suppose it to have presently arrived at that perfection Who would not assist the building of another City in that place hoping it may continue as many Ages as the other did and longer too if God be pleased to prevent the like disaster I confess I love not to hear men boast at such a time as this what they will do or what shall be done as to the building of London more glorious than ever The Inhabitants of Samaria are blamed for saying The Bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen Stones the Sycamores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars We are but putting on our harness as to re-building let us not boast as if we were putting of it off This is not a time in which to say much though it becomes us to do all we can If we may see but such another City it will be a great mercy but one more glorious than that we may scarce expect till we see it Alas how many difficulties is that work clogg'd with How scarce and dear are all materials How poor are many that desire to build How hard and almost impossible will it be to satisfie the Interest of all proprietors Amongst all the Models that are presented for that purpose How hard will it be to know how to pitch upon that which may be most convenient If we build every where as before it will be incommodious for Passage dangerous for Fire if by a new Platform it is hard not to be injuxious to multitudes of People whose Houses stood inconveniently as to the Publick Lord Give our Senators double and treble wisdom that they may be satisfactory-Repairers of so great breaches But
to live upon but what came in that way Few men make a worse shift in the world than Schollars especially Ministers when put out of their course They that have lived as it were out of the world can worst of all skill how to live in it Swords may be beaten into Plough-shares so cannot Books Moreover the liberalness and ingenuousness of the Education of Schollars makes them greater objects of pity than many others are when poverty overtakes them It is pity that they who desire to live that they may study should be put upon studying little else but how to live One half years time without the help of a Living may so pinch some honest Ministers who have great Families as that they can scarcely bear it They may have hope the grass will grow again but they fear lest mean time the Steed should starve What shall be done for those Ministers whom only the fire hath sequestred How shall they be provided for There is a saving of Christ in Luk. 3.11 which Analogically applied and practised might go a great way and it is this He that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none he that hath meat let him do likewise But that which I have more hope of is that the Nobility and Gentry of England who either have or shortly may have good Livings to dispose of will lay to heart how many worthy Labourers stand idle in the Market-place since the Fire because there is none to set them on work and will use their best indeavours that they may be sent forth into Gods Vineyard What God saith of Joshuâ—â—h the High-Priest Zach. 3.2 Is not this a brand pluckt out of the Fire is me-thinks applicable to those Ministers whose Churches were burnt and themselves spared for what is a â—â—and but a stick partly burnt and partly unburnt Now as God was pleased to adde concerning Joshu◠〈◊〉 away the filthy garments from him and I will clothe him with change of reiments Some such thing in a Moral sense should the several Patrons in England resolve to do for those able Ministers whose Churches were consumed viz. To invest them with Livings worthy of them and suffer them no longer as it were to were sackcloth and to lie in ashes The Statutes of some Colledges have wisely provided that when there is any competition for places of preferment caeteris 〈◊〉 they that have most need of it should be first chosen they that have least wealth should carry it if they have as much worth May Patrons go by the same Rule viz. To prefer the poorest first which to do is as I may call it Simony inversed or the just opposite to base Simony for where Simony takes place they that have most and are most free to part with it do always carry it but where Charity bears sway the lot falls upon those that have least I see how you may exercise a threefold Charity in one viz. Charity to unimployed and impoverished Ministers Charity to the places where and people amongst whom you live For some Ministers do not more want good places then many places do want good Ministers Yea Charity to your selves and families to whom honest and able Ministers would be no small blessings Let me therefore beg for such Ministers as the Italians use to beg for themselves by saying to our Honourable Nobility and Gentry as they to those of whom they ask Pray remember to be good to your selves MEDITATION XXXIV Upon the killing of several People by the falling of some part of ruinous Churches MEn were never afraid till of late to pass by the out-sides of Churches though there were not a few that did not much care to come within them Alas that those places in which many Souls have formerly been saved by the faithful Preaching of Gods VVord should now serve to no other end but to destroy mens Bodies Seeing the greatest part of so many Churches were burnt How happy had it been for divers persons if not one stone had been left upon another which had not been thrown down Those tall Ruins those high Trophies of the Fire have cost many lives already and God only knows how many more they may cost first and last I was never the man that did as too many others wish the Churches down to the very ground till since the Fire and now I wish it with all my heart concerning as many of them as are burnt for VVhy should they stand to ruin some and to terrifie all that pass by them especially in a VVindy-season I know not to whom it belongs to take care that ruinated-Buildings should be quite pulled down but sure I am they have had fair warning and if they take it not by the same reason That he who digged a sit and â—â—vered it not in case a beast fell into it was to make satisfaction to the owner and that he whose Oxe gâ—red another mans Oxe to death knowing that the Oxe had wont to push in time past and the owner hed not kept him in waâ— by Moses his Law to pay Oxe for Oxe and the dead was to be his own Exod. 21.36 I say by parity of reason ought they who know the danger of Fragments of Churches and other Buildings standing as they do to satisfie for the lives of those Men and VVomen who shall happen hereafter to be killed by the fall of those places which it was their duty to have taken down Great pity it is that so much notice was not taken of the first person that perished by that means as might have prevented the destruction of all the rest But of that we speak too late Had those Churches been either persectly standing or perfectly demolish'd they could have done no hurt but being between both they were in a capacity to do mischief though as for matter of service they were in no capacity at all I am deceived if it be not just so with almost but not altogether-ruin'd Persons as with Places of that sore Though they can do or receive little good themselves yet may they prove incomparably destructive to others especially in such high-Winds as may blow and therefore prudence may suggest that such Persons as are not judged worthy to be perfectly ruin'd and as it were destroyed from off the face of the earth had better be left standing in some tolerable condition than in such a tottering and ruinous way as in case any violent tempest or unexpected Herricaue should happen might indanger the ruin of many upon whom they may chance to fall I cannot dismiss this Subject till I have considered how securely those Persons that were killed by the fall of ruinous-Buildings may have been supposed to have passed by them till perchance their utter-destruction gave them the first apprehensions of their dangers or rather anticipated the apprehensions of it Alas How unexpected a guest oft-times is Death How often doth it draw the latch and come in upon men unawares when
they dream of nothing less How comes it like a thief in the night when men are in a profound sleep of security It is like those People thought that seeing so many persons had gon that way with safety the self-same-day yea it may be the self-same-hour so might they as well as the rest But I see there is no Topick from which men argue for security how probable soever but fails them now and then neither is there any safety in probable immunity from sudden death but only in due preparation for it As for those who have often passed to and fro the Ruins and by the sides of tottering-Walls but never received any hurt I wish they may consider How infinitely they are bound to God for the gracious watchfulness of his good Providence over them and for putting so vast a difference betwixt them and others as not to let them lose one hair of their heads by ruinated-Buildings whereby others have lost their lives And may such as have occasion to pass-by such places from day to day duly consider That God hath created more dangers than were formerly and therefore ought they to walk with more circumspection than they had wont to do and to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long and to be in readiness for the worst that can befall them as men that carry their lives in their hands and do walk in the midst of menacing-perils There is a Promise if I may so call it Job 5.23 that it were good for a man to have interest in especially at such a time as this Then shalt be in league with the stones as well as the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee MEDITATION XXXV Of the Fire it s not exceeding the Liberties of the City VVHen I consider the Compass this fire took how far it went and where it stopt I see cause to wonder at several things First That it did burn much-what about the Proportion of the whole City within the Walls that is to say look how much was left standing within the Walls as if it had been by way of exchange and compensation so much or thereabouts it burnt without Secondly That though it threw down the Gates and got without the Walls yet it no where went beyond the Liberties of the City of London as if the Bars had been a greater fence against it which indeed were no sence at all than the Gates and Walls could be Had the Cittizens gone in Procession or had the Lord Mayor and his Brethren took a Survey of the Bounds and Limits of their Jurisdiction they could not have kept much more within compass than the Fire did Did not he who sets bounds to the Sea and saith to the proud waves thereof â—hitherto shalt thou go and no further I say did not he say the same thing to those proud stames How admirable is the work of God in causing Creatures that are without Reason yea without Life to act as if they well understood what they did Doth he not cause the day-spring to know its place Job 38.12 and the Sun to know its gâ—ing down Psalm 104.19 The Storck in the heavens knoweth her appointed time and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallme observe the time of their comming Jer. 8.7 When I consider how the fire took just such a proportion as if it had been markt out it brings to mind that usual saying That God doth all things in weight and measure and makes me think of such passages of Scripture as where God saith Isaiah 28.16 that He would lay Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet Also where God speaks of a people meted out viz. for destruction Isâ— 18.2 and 7. and trvden under foâ—t Also where it is said of God that He weighed out a path to his anger Psalm 78.50 Which we translate that He made a way to his anger the meaning is He did proportion it as if he had dispensed it by weight How great a Mercy was it that the Suburbs were spared considering how great how populous and how poor they were Being so great and capacious they can contain all the exiles of the City but it had been impossible for the City if it had stood and they had been burnt to have contained all the out-casts of the more spacious Suburbs Considering their populousness if the fire had fallen to their lot possibly five times so many persons as now are had been undone and so many families had been reduced to utmost penury as all England had scarce been sufficient to relieve Lastly considering their Poverty they had much more generally been unable to bear their losses than Citizens or those within the Walls were Neither was the sparing of the Suburbs a thing more desirable than it was improbable when the fire was in its Meridian or Zenith if I may so call it For as the Sun which sets out in the East finisheth not its race till it come about to the West so did this dreadfull Fire threateâ— not to stop till it had run thorough the Suburbs as well as the City its self But God who causeth it to rain upon one City and not upon another and who kept that Storm of fire from falling upon Zoak which destroyed Sodom and three other Cities of that which was called Pentapolis He thus divided the flames of fire that most parts of the City should have their share but the Suburbs though in great danger should have none I think if men had designed to have burnt so farâ— and no further as easy as it was to kindle it was hard to extinguish such a fire when and where they would But if any malicious persons did conduct it so far and there leave it VVhat they have done secretly will one day be proclaimed upon the House-top MEDITATION XXXVI Upon the Suburbs coming into more request then ever since the fire HOw much more considerable are the Suburbs now than they lately were Some places of despicable termination and as mean account but a few moneths since such as Hounds-ditch and Shorditch do now contain not a few Citizens of very good fashion Philosophers say that Corruptiounius est generctio alterius so was the marring of the City the making of the Suburbs What rich commodities cannot the Suburbs now supply us with which heretofore could be had onely within the walls Time was that rich Citizens would almost have held their Noses if they had past by those places where now it may be they are constrained to dwell they would hardly have kept the dogs of their flâ—ck to use Jobs words with some variation where now they are forced to keep themselves Had London been standing in the places where some of them do now inhabit Zijim and Ochinâ— might have dwelt for them and the Satyrs might have danced there to allude to Isa 13.21 In how great request at this day is poor Piedmont as I may call it Southwark I mean which
which is said to be quick and powerful as fire its self The fires which God kindleth for the good of the world whereof his word is one of the chief woe be to any that shall go about to quench Quenching of prophecying is next unto quenching of the Spirit yea and is one way of doing it as Divines observe I see cause to blesse the God of heaven who hath created some fires as profitable as others are mischievous namely his word for one a fire that never doth hurt otherwise than by accident neither indeed would other fires kept within their due bounds but so much good as no tongue can express O Lord that through thine insinite goodness I might experiment in my self and others all those excellent properties of fire meeting in thy word of which I have now been speaking that my heart and theirs might burn within us at the hearing of it as did the hearts of thy Disciples that it may be mighty through thee to pull down all the strong-holds of Sin and Sathan that are within us that it might trye us as gold is tryed in the fire and at the same time resined and purisied that it might pierce unto the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow that the sin which is as it were bred in our bones may be gotten out of the very flesh May the fire of thy word have such influence as this upon us we shall then be sure to escape the fire of thy wrath and to arrive to that happiness which is called The inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1.12 MEDITATION XL. Upon the spoiling of Conduits and other Aqueducts by this Fire ME-thinks the several Conduits that were in London stood like so many little but strong Forts to confront and give check to that great enemy Fire if any occasion should be There me-thinks the water was as it were intrenched and ingarrisoned The several Pipes and Vehicles of water that were within those Conduits all of them charged with water till by the turning of the Cocks they were discharged again were as so many Souldiers within those Forts with their Musquets charged and ready to be discharged upon the drawing of their several Cocks to keep and defend those places And look how Enemies are wont to deal with those Castles which they take to be impregnable and dispair of ever getting by storm viz. to attempt the starving of them by a close Siege intercepting all provision of Victuals from coming at them so went the fire to work with those little Castles of stone which were not easie for it to burn down witness their standing to this day spoiled them or almost spoiled them it hath for present by cutting off those supplies of water which had wont to slow to them melting those leaden Channels in which the water had wont to be conveyed to them and thereby as it were starving those Garrisons which they could not take by storm What the Scripture speaks of the Land of Jordan that it was well watered every where before the Lord destroyed Sodom even as the Garden of the Lord like the Land of Egypt made fruitful by the River Nilus the same might have been said of London before this fire It was watered like Paradise its self yea whereas Paradise had but one River though it parted into four heads Gen. 2.10 London had two at least deviding its self or rather devided into many branches and dispersing its self several wayes For besides the noble River of Thames gliding not only by the sides but thorow the bowels of London there was another called the New-River brought from Hartfordshire thither by the industry and ingenuity of that worthy and never to be forgotten Knight Sir Hugh Middleton the spring of whose deserved fame is such as the late Fire its self though the dreadfullest of all that we have known hath not nor will not be able to dry up but continue it will a Fountain of praise and honour bubling up to all posterity As nature by Veins and Arteries some great some small placed up and down all parts of the Body ministreth blood and nourishment to every member thereof and part of each member so was that wholsome Water which was as necessary for the good of London as blood is for the life and health of the body conveyed by Pipes wooden or metalline as by so many veins into all parts of that famous City If water were as we may call it the blood of London then were its several Conduits as it were the Liver and Spleen of that City which are reckoned as the Fountains of blood in humane bodies for that the great Trunks of veins conveying blood about the body are seated there as great Roots fixed in the Earth shooting out their branches divers and sundry wayes But alas how were those Livers inflamed and how unfit have they been since to do their wonted Office What pity it is to see those breasts of London for so I may also call them almost dryed up and the poor Citizens mean time so loth as they are to be weaned from their former place They were lovely streams indeed which did refresh that noble City one of which was alwayes at work pouring out its self when the rest lay still As if the Fire had been angry with the poor old Tankard-bearers both Men and Women for propagating that Element which was contrary to it and carrying it upon their shoulders as it were in State and Triumph it hath even destroyed their Trade and threatned to make them perish by fire who had wont to live by water Seeing there are few or none to suck those Breasts at this day the matter is not so great if they be almost empty and dry at present may they but sill again and their Milk be renewed so soon as the honest Citizens shall come again to their former scituations O Lord that it might be thy good pleasure to let London be first restor'd and ever after preserved from Fire and when once restored let it be as plentifully and commodiously supplied with water as ever it was formerly Make it once again as the Paradise of God but never suffer any destroying Serpent any more to come there MEDITATION XLI Upon the Retorts and Reproaches of Papists occasioned by this fire ME-thinks I hear some Reman-Catholicks as they are pleased to call themselves saying Some of your Protestants did confidently foretel That within this present year 1666 Rome should down Babylon should fall Antichrist should be destroyed But now your own City is destroyed in the self-same-year which according to you doth show that London was the true Babylon and that the true Antichrist is amongst your selves Yet upon due examination it will be found that there is as little strength in the Argument which they have brought as there is sense in the name whereby they are called viz. Roman-Catholicks which is as much as to say Members of the particular
bestirring Himself to give check to those Flames which threatned to lay both His great City and Suburbs all in ashes Who had the faces to stand still and look on as many did at other times whilst their Soveraign Himself was so imployed Whilst Princes work Subjects cannot have the confidence to be idle Oh the power and efficacy of Princely Examples Regis ad exemplum c. When Princes will help to extinguish fires themselves the work is like to succeed and when that is done the greatest thanks are due to them next unto the King of Kings I wish there were not many other fires at this day within the Bowels of this Nation viz. of fears and jealousies envy and emulation wrath and revenge dissatisfaction and discontent dissension and division May he who is the Wonderful Counsellor and God only wise instruct His Majesty how and which way to extinguish them and mean-time to increase one other fire and only that viz. of love and affection first to God nextly to Himself and then amongst all his Subjects one towards another Solomon tells of a poor man who by his wisdom saved a little City when a great king came against it and besieged it Eccles 9.14 By this means may His Majesty save and preserve not only one City but three Kingdoms which those fires threaten to destroy for our Saviour tells us That a kingdom divided against it self cannot stand And though no man remembred that poor man because he was poor yet when a more glorious action shall be done by a Princely hand surely no man will or can forget it Will it not be a considerable accession of honour even to a great King to be inrolled amongst the Peace-makers whom Christ pronounceth blessed As for His Majesties inclination to all such Atchievements as sweetness of temper may induce men to let all His Subjects be well perswaded of by the tears he shed when he beheld the Flames of London which I had not reported but from a very credible Author How amiable a sight is it to behold Kings weeping over the miseries of their Subjects and what assurance doth it give that they will not be backward to redress them so far as is within their power Had His head been a fountain of tears as the Prophet Jeremy upon occasion wisht his own I doubt not but he had poured it forth when he came near to Cripplegate with resolution to do all a King could do to put out those flames May we alwayes see a blessed contention betwixt our King and his People Which shall most resent and bewail each others sufferings Which shall most promote and rejoyce in each others happiness MEDITATION XLIII Of meer Worldlings who lost their All by this Fire THis it is for men to venture all they have and hope for in one bottom and that unfound and apt to leak Some lay up no treasures for themselves any where but upon earth and upon earth there is no safe place to lay up treasures in but some are more hazardous than others as namely Housâ— subject to the common casualty of fire and yet some who have contented themselves with a portion in this World only have laid up all there So just is it with God to let them be foolish even in relation to Time that would not be wise for Eternity weak even as to this World that would not be wise for the next The Prodigal that desired to make sure of his Patrimony by having all in hand presently spent it and was reduced to husks When he saw his error surely he became sensible that less in possession and more in reversion would have done better Were there not some who when they would bless themselves under a presence of blessing God had nothing else to say neither cared for any thing else but this Blessed be God! for I am rich But in how small a time are they become poor as Job as our Proverb is Had they not fair Warning Did not the Scripture charge them Not to trust in uncertain riches Did it not tell them That Riches hâ—d â—â—ings and would fly away Alass What will such People do Whither will they turn themselves Interest in Heaven they never had any and interest on Earth they have none left They are in such like case as Saul was when he said The Philistims were come up against him and God was departed Heaven and earth frowns upon them both at once Had you been in that case that Christ would have had the Young man in the Gospel to have put himself into when he counselled him To sell all that he had and give it to She poor telling him that if he would do so He should have treasures in Heaven you had not been the hundredth part so miserable Yea happy had you been as to the main But now all sorts of men conclude you in a wofull case Good men do so because you neither had nor have any thing but this Worlds goods Bad men yea the worst of men because you have now lost what you had But mistake me not as if I were urging People in that case to despair God forbid I am so far from that that I question not but even they may be happier than ever they were heretofore if the fault be not their own for whereas before they had interest in the World but none in God hereafter may they have interest in God which is far better though perchance they may have little or none in the World Christ told the Church of Laodicea in a spiritual sense That she was miserable and poor and maked so are these men in both senses viz. Spiritual and Temporal but let them take that Counsel which Christ there gives and all will be well viz. Buy of Christ gold tried in the fire raiment c. All your losses may be reckoned as dross and dung in comparison of your gains if you shall gain this by your losses viz. To win Christ and to be found in him Say now whether you your selves were not the fools and they whom you counted fools the truly wise whose care it was to lay up for themselves Treasures in heaven where moth eates not rust corrupts not thieves steal not and let me add where fire cannot break in and consume MEDITATION XLIV Upon that Vorlâ—â—rance which it becometh Citizens to use one towards another since the Fire NOw the Fire hath arrested so many honest Citizens and made such woful distress upon them what pity is it that over-hasty Creditors should clap in their Actions upon them thick and threefold as if seeing them stoop they were resolved to break them or thinking them fallen for the present they would never suffer them to rise more If you think them well able to pay you presently and know yourselves unable to be without your moneys any longer that is another matter or if you have reason to think they will not be honest unless you make them so by a surprise and
three things Troy could never be destroyed One was they must get the Palladium or image of Pallas out of the City which Virgil saith they did by means of Ulysses Pallas was counted the Goddess of wisdom Had not the Pallâ—dâ—um been taken away for the time or had those that were concern'd been so wise at first as they were at last London had scarcely been burnt to the ground in spight of all the treachery that was suspected or could have been used Another thing was If they would destroy Troy they must provide a great Wodden-horse which accordingly they did putting some of their choifest men into the belly of it which pretending to dedicate to Mâ—â—crva they left before the City having made it higher than the gates hoping as it proved that the Troâ—â—s would pull down part of the wall to take it in whilst they had withdrawn themselves to the 〈◊〉 Teâ—â—dot The Trâ—jans brake down the wall took in the horse placed it in the Castle but in the night Sinon who was one of those Greâ—â—â—â— that were in the Horse's belly giving notice by sire the Greeks came from Tenedos who finding the Trojans had drunk themselves fast asleep sackt the City and burnt it Thus Troy perished partly by the Credulity Security Weakness and Intemperance of it's Inhabitants in a little time after it had for ten years together withstood the fruitless attempts of its adversaries Was there not some such thing went to the destruction of London Were there not a sort of men within that City as is vehemently suspected who might not unsitly be compared to the Greeks that were hid in the Belly of the forementioned Wodden-horse people of a concealed Religion and therefore I call them hid and amongst the rest was there not one Sinon as I may call him because he was the first that kindled the fire witness his own confession Had not the Gates of London been set too wide open for such treacherous Greeks to enter in possibly that famous City had been standing to this very day But what was a Proverb concerning Trojans Sero sapiunt Phryges The Trojans use to be wise when it is too late was too applicable to our selves We begin to wish the gates of London had been shut against such dangerous Persons when alass in some places it hath no Gates to shut It is likely the Gentlemen that lay Couchant before in the Belly of the Woodden-horse are now not without greater hopes than ever that they shall get up and ride But he that sits in heaven can make the second of September produce them as little good as did their infamous fifth of November But why was it that London was destroyed by the same means as was old Troy Will any say that the old Proverb that such a one is a trusty Trojan was as applicable to the new Trojans as to the old I do not think that was the reason For though there might be some faithless men in London as there are in all places yet I doubt not but Londoners take one with another might and may safely be trusted as far as any sort of men and have as much Faith and Conscience amongst them as is elsewhere to be sound But that God who found sin enough in Job to justifie all that he did against him all the evil he brought upon him could not but have a sufficient controversie with London which absolutely considered was bad enough though if compared with other places and People it was certainly one of the best MEDITATION XLVIII Upon the burning of Jerusalem compared with the Burning of London MAny Prodigies there were as Josephus tells us that went before the destruction of Jerusalem by Fire namely that a great Gate of the Temple which twenty men could hardly pull open opened of its own accord and that an Oxe brought forth a Lamb in the Temple with several others which I forbear to mention These were dark Texts for men to expound yet some did venture to give the sense and meaning of them as if each of them had been a token for good whereas the event did manifest the quite contrary So was the destruction of London ushered in with several Prodigies Blazing-Stars and others which did precede it at no such distance of time but that it was probable enough they might veâ—er to the fire as well as to the foregoing-Pestilence Neither may we doubt but there weâ—e some who did put a good construction upon those ill-Signes as if they had been fore-runners of the good things which they themselves expected in the year -66 though as to their enemies they might have an ill-aspect and ominous signification Thus far some involved themselves in the same practise with the Jews of old and God hath involved them in the same kind of calamity It is dangerous doing as Jews lest we suffer as they But besides Prodigies there were also sundry Prophesies which did precede the destruction of Jerusalem Christ fore-told it at large as is reported by several Evangelists Mat. 24. Mark 13. Luk. 21.5 Luk. 19.44 with the several antecedents and concomitants of it how That the Sun should be darkned and the Moon not give her light Matt. 24.29 There were also humane Prophesies concerning it as particularly by that Man who ran thorough the Streets of Jerusalem and cried Woe to it several dayes together which considering what Christ himself had said was at no hand to be slighted We find no Text in Scripture Prophesying the burning of London and in such a year but I have heard that some did considently assert before any thing of the Fire did happen that London would be burnt in the year -66 as others had done that it would be visited with a great Plague in -65 VVhich things coming to pass accordingly may reasonably incline us to believe that God though by what way and means we know not had imparted the fore-knowledg of that Event to such as did peremptorily Prophesie concerning it For though it be too much credulousness to believe a Human Prophesie before it be fulfilled yet to dis-believe that it was a real Prophesie when it is fulfilled is on the other hand too much moroseness and incredulity It is not unusual with God to reveal to one or other those great and strange things which he is about to do in the VVorld though because there are many false pretenders to Revelations we ought to suspend our belief of such things delivered to us by others till the event do attest them The burning of Jerusalem at leastwise of the Temple is said to have been begun by one of Vespatian's Souldiers contrary to his known will and pleasure but when it was once begun there were many more that did help it forward with an eye to gain and plunder So the burning of London seems to have taken its first rise from one hand viz. His that suffered for it but is vehemently presumed to have been earried on by many more of the same
go out MEDITATION L. Upon some who sâ—on after the Fire could hardly tell whereabouts their own houses did stand SO it was that some who attempted to visit the Ruines and Reliques of those Houses in which they dwelt not above a week before though they found the Street in which they stood yet had much ado to be certain which was the ground they stood upon He that should have told them but one day before the Fire began that within five or six dayes they being in London and in the same Street where their dwelling was should not be able to find the way to their own Houses where they had lived it may be twenty years and upwards would have been lookt upon as mad or replied to in some such language as this What should aile us Shall we be out of our wits within that time or Shall we be struck with blindness as the Sodomites were that sought for Lots door or if so we think we could find our own Houses blindfold or in the darkest night at so small a distance or Shall London be changed as much as Sodom and Gomorrah which were fair Cities but are now a filthy Lake Or how and by what means should it be so much altered He did not more express his admiration and disbelief of what was foretold in another case who said If God would make Windows in Heaven how could this be than most men would have expressed theirs as to this Yet do we see the thing which could enter into no mans heart to conceive till he saw it is come to pass Methinks it is sad to hear men that knew London well enough before as they walk along the Ruins asking at every turn Which is the way to such a place and What street is this and What Street is that But yet more sad to think of men that have sought their own Houses not far from the place where they had wont to stand and could not easily find them There is a phrase in Scripture of Mens places knowing them no more but in this case that phrase was inversed viz. Men for the time knew their places no more Oh stupendious Judgment I see it is easie for God to do such things as are hardly possible for men to believe till they see them done So true is it that the wayes of God are above our wayes and his thoughts above our thoughts as much as the Heaveris are above the Harth How good is it then to be armed against all sorts of evil not only such as are likely and probable but even those which are no more than possible and What evil is there which he cannot inslict to whom all things are possible For ought I see no man is secured against any kind of Judgment but he that is secured against all in some sense by vertue of that promise Prov. 12.21 Wo evil shall happen to the just with others of the same import Nothing could be more improbable than that so many Calamities of different kinds should befall Job not successively but at one and the same time viz. The Sabaeâ—ms taking away his Cattel and killing his servants Job 1.14 And that whilest the first Messenger was yet speaking another should come and tell him that fire falling from Heaven 〈…〉 up his sheep and his servants and that before the words were out of his mouth another should come and inform him That the Caldeans had â—â—rried away his Camels and slain others of his servants and that before he had made an end of his story another should come and tell him That a great Wind had killed his Sons and Daughters by throwing down the house upon them where they were eating and drinking together and that only one person should escape each of these dangers being reserved as it were on purpose to bring him the tidings of it Such a conspiracy of Providences as I may call it to strip a man of all his Comforts at once could scarce have been imagined till the event did declare it Unexpected and unimaginable miseries are not much more rare than unexpected and unlookt-for Mercies Upon this occasion I cannot but think of three other sorts of houses as we may term them which men have or may seek for and not be able to find First our bodies they are the Houses or Tabernacles in which our souls dwell as he said Anima Galbre male habitat Galba's soul dwelt in an ill-body when those houses shall be crumbled away to dust or devoured of worms who will be able to find them or to say Which were they The Graves of men they are the Houses or Receptacles of their dead bodies Job 17.13 If I wait the grave is my house and the grave is called the house appointed for all living Job 30.23 How many such houses as those could not be found if they should never so carefully be sought for How ordinarily are the dead turned out of possession and the living come in their room that is Charnel-houses have been turned into dwelling-houses and many more such instances are like to be so that it hath and will become impossible not only to know the bodies of dead men again but their very graves And the then Earth it 's self that is as it were the house of all graves the great Golgotha or place of skulls Now when that time shall come which is spoken of 2 Pet. 3.10 in which the earth and all the works that are therein shall be burnt up that great House of houses and graves if it be sought for will be found no more MEDITATION LI. On the Statue of Sir Thomas Gresham left standing at the Old-Exchange HOw great and particular a respect did the Fire shew to the Essigies of that worthy Knight the honourable Founder of that which was the Royal-Exchange and doner of Gresham-Colledge which for present succeeds in the room of it I say how great a respect by the appointment of Divine Providence without which not a hair falleth from our heads did that Fire shew to his Effigies in particular which it left standing and undefaced whilst mean time the Statues of all the Kings and Queens of England since the Conquest were demolished and thrown down by it No man could have answered it to have put more honour upon a fellow-Subject than upon his lawful Prince much lesse upon one Subject than upon many that had swayed the Scepter within his native Soil for certainly there is an honour which Kings as Kings may challenge from their own people greater than is due to any of their Subjects but God who is the King of Kings may do what he please He may pull down the mighty from their seats and exalt them of low degree as it is Luke 1.52 Men must have regard to political claimes and rights in dispensing their respects and give honour to whom honour is due upon that account but moral considerations are those which the Great God takes notice of who is otherwise no respecter
both wish and hope concerning it The first is That it may be very humble giving God the glory of his righteous Judgements and taking to our selves the shame of our great demerits Secondly That the Confession which shall be there Ingraven may be as impartial as the judgement its self was not charging the guilt for which that fire came upon a few only but acknowledging that all have sinned as all have been punished Far be it from any man to say that his sins did not help to burn London that cannot also say and who that is know not that neither he nor any of his either is or are ever like to be any thing the worse for that dreadful fire Lastly whereas some of the same Religion with those that did hatch the Powder-plot are and have been vehemently suspected to have been the Incendiaries by whose means London was burned I earnestly desire that if time and further discovery be able to acquit them from any such guilt that Pillar may record their Innocency and may make themselves as an Iron Pillar or Brazen Wall as I may allude to Jer. 1.18 against all the accusations of those that suspect them but if indeed and in truth that Fire either came or was carried on and continued by their treachery that the Inscription of the Pillar may consigne over their names to perpetual hatred and infamy Though I have thought too long already upon this subject yet me-thinks I cannot but muse yet a little further How men will or ought to be affected with seeing that Pillar and reading such an Inscription as I presume will be made upon it Will they not reflect and say Alas Is the greatest part of a famous City come to this or rather was it brought to this What nothing but a brazen Pillar in lieu of the major part of a renowned City Doleful exchange As the Angel we read of Matth. 28.6 told the Women that came to Christs Sepulchre He is not here for he is risen So this Pillar stands but to tell men that a glorious City that sometimes stood hereabouts is not here now for it or most of it is burnt and gone How uncomfortable is this in comparison of the two Pillars we read of viz. a Pillar of Cloud and a Pillar of Fire Numb 14.14 Those were Pillars for direction but this was in token of destruction In those God went before his people by day and by night but in the Fire which occasioned this Pillar he came against us Then was God to his people as a Shadow from the heat of the rage of their enemies as a Wall of fire for their protection but this Pillar calls that time to remembrance in which God covered himself as with a cloud that the prayers of Londoners should not passe unto him and came forth not as a conserving but a consuming fire not for but against poor London Surely the place where that Pillar shall stand will be made a Bochim for who will be able to passe by it and not shed some tears Yet as woful tidings as that Pillar is to be charged with How do I long to see it once erected which if I never do God grant that others may for surely that will never be done till men can say of London as the Prodigals Father of his converted Son It as he was dead and is alive again â—as lost and is sound MEDITATION LIII Upon the Anniversary Fast appointed to be kept in remembrance of the Fire HOw do we play an after-game Yet better late than never What Epimethâ—usses are we Now the City is burnt we design to keep a perpetual yearly Fast whereas there is little doubt but the burning of it might have been prevented if before that judgement came we had set ourselves to keep such a fast as is spoken of Isa 58.6 Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness to undo the heavy burthens and to let the oppressed go free and that ye break every Yoke c. The Ninivites were wiser then we for when Jonah preach't to them that within forty dayes Nineveh should be overthrown They took that short warning proclaimed a Fast yea and turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them Jonah 3.10 We have now and then fasted after a sort but was it not so that God might justly expostulate with us as with the Jews of old Is it such a Fast as I have chosen a day for a man 〈◊〉 â—fflict his Soul Wilt thou call this a Fâ—st and an acceptable day to the Lord But have we turned from our evil wayes as the Ninevites are said to have done Preventing Fasts like preventing Physick are much the best but when they have been omitted or not observed as they ought to be which surely hath been our case then curing or restoring Fasts as I may call them are exceeding necessary as therapeutical or healing Physick is where prophylactical or preventing remedies have not taken place A Fast both Anniversary and Perpetual is not without its president in scripture The Jewes had such a Fast by Gods appointment Lev. 16.24 This shall be a statute for ever to you that in the seventh mâ—nth ye shall afflict your sâ—uls ver 34. This shall be an everlasting Statute to you to make an attonement for the Children of Israel for all their sins once a year So it is that the Jews their Anniversary Fast or day of Atonements I say theirs and ours were and are both in the seventh month of the Year reckoning March the first as it is upon a civil accompt and this we know came to passe not by humane designation but by the determination of divine Providence which brought the Fire in September and it was but meet that the Fast in relation to it should be in the same month and on the same day the Fire was Yea possibly the zeal of Esther if such a thing had hapned in her time would have continued the Fast as many dayes together as the Fire it self did continue for we read that She fasted three dayes and three nights together Esther 4.16 and it is probable would have held out one day longer if so solemn an occasion had called her to it How suitable it is that a Fast should be proclaimed upon such an occasion as this were easie to make appear Fasts are a kind of Sabbaths for Moses speaking of the Jews their Anniversary Fast Lev. 16.31 saith It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you and ye shall afflict your soules by a Statue for ever Now the City resteth and injoyeth her Sabbaths in that doleful if not ironicall sense in which that phrase is used Lev. 26.34 viz. for a place that lieth desolate reason good that Citizens should keep a Sabbath too at leastwise every year as that doth every day When London lieth in ashes why should not Londoners do so to at leastwise for a
LIV. Upon the burning down of Zion Colledge LOndon was an Epitome of England if not also of the whole World In it was something of almost every thing and amongst the rest Colledges erected or designed for most kinds and parts of good Learning only two of which I shall now instance in viz. Gresham and Zion-Colledges The former which was to be for Divinity and other Sciences yet standing the latter which was intended only for Divines and for Theology now lying in the dust Doubtless Learning is a great advantage and stay to Religion as the Apostle himself intimateth when he speaks of some who being ignorant and unlearned do wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction and if men as much as in them is would root Religion out of the world they could use no means more effectual than that which Julian applied himself to viz. the extinguishing of all good literature This came to mind when I remembred that Colledge to be yet standing where Divinity and other Sciences dwell together though I am far from assigning that as the reason why that Colledge rather than the other did escape the Fire But my work is to treat of those places that did not escape and now particularly of Zion-Colledge The place where that Colledge stood from the first time that I can receive any account of it was alwayes a seat of Charity first in the Oare as I may call it and afterwards refined By Charity in the Ore I mean that which was popish and superstitions For the first Foundation that I read of in that place was a Nunnery After that it was converted to an Hospital in the year 1332. for the relief of one hundred blind men and was called the Priory or Hospital of Saint Mary the Virgin founded by William Elsing the which VVilliam became the first Prior there In the same place where that Priory was situated was since erected the Colledge I am speaking of for the Clergy of London and Liberties thereof and for the sustentation of twenty poor people ten men and ten women An exemplary and well-contrived piece of Bounty and Charity was the founding of that Colledge and the Alms-houses thereunto belonging Which I must needs speak in praise of those it's worthy Founders whose Names should alwayes live though their Works be now demolished Of the Charity that built that Colledge and the Library belonging to it I can say no less than that iâ— was a Liberal a Living an Extensive an Humble and a Handsome respectful Charity and in all those respects greatly Exemplary That it was Liberal appeareth by the quality of those two Divines that were the Founders of it one of the Colledge its self viz. Doctor Thomas VVhite the other of the Library viz. Master John Simâ—son All the prefeâ—â—ent that I can find either of these Gentlemen had in and from the Church was that the former was Vicar of Saint Dunstans in the West and onâ— of the Canons residentiary of Saint Paul's Church London and the other viz. Mr. John Simâ—sâ—â— was onely Reâ—â—or of Saint Olaves Hart-street London Some men do a great deal of good with a little the Church doth little for them and yet they do much for it others do but a little good with a great deal Many whose Titles and Ecclesiastical Revenues have swelled ten times higher than either of theirs did never were half so much Benefactors to the Church and world as was the least of them but have hoorded up their money as if they meant when they left the world to take it with them And as their Charity was liberal which I may call intensive so was it no lesse extensive Charity like seed should not all be sown in one surrow but scattered some here some there as the Scripture speaking of a good man saith He hath dispersed he hath given to the poor and his righteousness remaineth I say their Charity was extensive because first it did reach and extend to soul and body both yea I might have said in the Apostles phrase Soul Body and Spirit There was provision made for the bodies of so many poor there were helps 〈◊〉 Learning whereby to accommodate the mindâ— and souls of such as were lovers of it and lastly there was Religion or rather helps to Religion by the promoting of Divinity for the spirits of men by which I mean the sublimet faculties of men which are more especially the 〈◊〉 and subjects of Religion There was Charity shewed to both Sexes so much to one as to anothers whereas some Sensuallists have no charity but for that Sex which is not their own Pharaoh-like who took care to save the females though he gave charge to drown the males as if they had been so many Mice And certain Humorists on the other hand pretend to set their whole love upon their own Sex professing themselves to be Misogynists or haters of Women which whether in pretence or in reality is another sinful extreme Again That Colledge was kind and Charitable both to the Learned and Unlearned as Paul saith that he was a Doctor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians both to the wise and to the foolish Whereas some meer Schollars themselves have no love for any but Learned men and others again have a kind of Antipathy to Schollars as such Lastly The extensiveness of the Charity that gave that Colledge appeareth in that it was a benefit both to Rich and Poor for as to some things those that are Rich may need help as truly as those that are poor Thither might Persons of Quality whose Libraries and usual Divellings were in the Country repair and be furnished with those Books they could not meet with elsewhere An extensive Charity ought much to be imiâ—ated because the Scripture saith Do good to all men And one great fault of this Age is That the Charity of men like their respects is consined in some only to Pauls in others to Cephas in others to Apollos as I may allude but the World will never be right till men have learnt to love all good People as such On Mr. Simpsons part who founded the Library it was as some call it a Living-Charity for he built it in his life-time at his own proper cost and charges whereas some others have in effect said That their Mony should go to good uses when they had nothing else to do with it then and not till then yea possibly repented of that too ere they died I have moreover called it an hurable-Charity a Charity that did not vaunt it self because the aforesaid Founder of the Library did not scorn to build upon another mans Foundation or to spend himself in adding to another mans Work who it was to be expected would bear the name of the Principal Founder Happy is he that can seek the good of others and not seek his own honour at the same time that so others be benefited doth not much care though himself be over lookt Lastly I said It
for Countrey houses If men had had materials as at other 〈◊〉 wherewith to have built strong and 〈…〉 tations where their booths now stand 〈…〉 scarce have done it because they wait for a remove and expect the good time when they may have opportunity to dwell in or near the places where they dwelt before Is there nothing to be learnt from thence Why should not all the provision we make for this World be only such and so slender as may argue us mindful that We have here 〈◊〉 City but look for one to come a City that hath Foundations whose maker and builder is God MEDITATION LVII Upon certain slight Timber-houses that did escape the Fire though better Houses were burned on each side of them IT is plain this Fire had a Commission from above what to take and what to leave else it had never come to pass that those houses should escape that were in most danger viz. Slight Old Timber-houses that were like so much tinder and some such did escape whilst so many goodly Buildings and stately Fabricks of Brick and Stone that seemed able to have made their own Defence were cousumed by the Fire It makes me think of Gods words to the Prophet Jeremy 1.18 Behold I have made thee a defenced City and an iron pillâ—r and brazen walls against the whole 〈◊〉 They shalt sight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee ver 19. Alas What was one poor Prophet against so many Kings of Juâ—oh Princes Priests and People as is there expressed yet God said He would make him as a brazen Wall against them all they should not be able to prevail against him So stood these poor Old-houses at a very small distance from that Fire which destroyed others at their right hand and at their left they stood I say so securely under the wing of Divine Providence as if they had been so many Iron Pillars or Walls of Brass It calls to mind that passage where the Prophet speaking of God saith That he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength Isa 40.29 To be sure those houses had no might or strength of their own against such a Fire had it seized them it would have made but a blaze of them it would have swallowed them up quick unless the great God had interposed as he did on behalf of the three Children in the fiery Furnace The preservation of those houses I reflect upon not as if it were a Miracle but as a very great wonder and demonstration of Divine Providence Mira Miracula that is Wonders and Miracles are usually distinguished Miracles put Nature out of its course as when the Sun was made to stand still the Red-sea dried up c. but I cannot say that in this case any such thing was done Possibly the wind say still or blew another way at what time the Fire came near those houses but Who was it that called the wind into his treasurie again at that very time or else appointed it to blow from another Coast Was it not that Great God who is said to ride upon the wings of the wind and to make the Clouds his Chariots and for that end as may be meet for us to conceive that he might convince the world that all Safety and Danger is as he pleaseth to make it that he can expose those things which seem to be most secure and secure those things which are most exposed Of this we have many Instances In the time of the last great Plague how many persons were there infected with it yea and died of it who to all appearance were out of harms way whereas others again who lived as it were in the mouth of danger and jaws of death as namely in infected families yea some in Pest-houses were preserved and are alive to this very day When the Arrows of God slew about some stood not knowing how to help it as it were at the very mark and yet it was the pleasure of him that had the bow in his hand not to shoot them others stood either wide of the Butt or far beyond it and yet a Dart struck thorow their Liver an invenomed Arrow took hold of them and drunk up their Spirits So it fals out in Spiritual things How great was Lot's danger in Sodom the very air of which place seemed to be infectious as to matter of filthiness yet there he continued chaste how safe would one have thought him upon the Mountains as for any such matter yet God leaving him there he became incestuous with his own Daughters The Almighty seemeth to take pleasure yea and to glory in doing unlikely things The Prophet Isa 64.3 ascribeth to God terrible things such as men looked not for Having the issues of life and death in his hands he so ordereth it many times for his own glory that persons notoriously weak and crazy should hold out a long siege of distempers yea and overcome them at last after several years of drooping whereas others of Sampson-like strength in comparison of them fall sick and die within a few days So weak Christians both as to grace and gifts are many times kept unspotted of the present world and enabled to quench all the fiery darts of Sathan whilst some that excell them both in gifts and graces are sometime left of God in order to their greater humbling to take shamefull falls and for a time to be overcome of the evil one witness David and others So the soft Scabbard much more in danger as one would think oft-times receiveth no hurt by lightning whilst the same lightning passing thorough it doth melt the Stee within Paul observed by himself that when he was weak then he was strong meaning stronger or more strengthned by God than at other times which words imply that when he was strongest to his own thinking then was he really weaker than at other times because then he had less of the presence of God with him All these Instances are such like things in effect as was the preservation of old timber-houses whilst newer Buildings of Brick or Stone that stood near to them were presently demolished It refresheth me so much the more to think that all this came to pass without any thing of a Miracle because the working of Miracles we ought not to expect in these dayes nor can we without presumption and tempting of God pray to him to supersede over-rule or invert the course of Nature for our sakes but to seek a wonder of God when need requires is no presumption or sin at all and the instance before us doth make evident that Wonders may sometime stead us as much as Miracles even as the Houses I am speaking of as near to danger as they were were as effectually secured by God's either stilling or diverting the Wind in the very nick of time as they could have been by the working of the greatest Miracle We
their aptness to vanish and disappear from their taking wings and flying away from us then surely the vanishing and flying away of a famous City upon the wings of the fire and of the wind which were the bellowes inraging that fire are a great argument of the vanity of all things here below Amongst all sublunary things what could be thought to have more stability and certainty in it than the City of London had as to the body and bulk of it else why were so many wise men willing to venture all they had in the world in that one bottome Most men dreampt as little of the burning of all or the most of London as of burning up the whole World before the day of Judgment and it is like did think it not only improbable but upon the matter impossible as not doubting but if fire did happen in any part of the City one or more there would be men and meanes enough to extinguish it as they use to do This Mountain was thought to stand so strong as that it could not be removed in such a way as it was He that had said but what if the whole City should be burnt would have been answered by most men with the Proverb what if the skie should fall yet have we seen this famous City wither like Jonah's Gourd though not in one day yet in a very few May we not apply to it those words of David used in another case we have lately seen it in great power spreading it self like a green Bay Tree we passed by and loe it was not we sought it and it could not be found Psal 37.35 Who can but think of the Psalmist's expressions upon this occasion Psal 74.5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up Axes upon the thick Trees viz. in order to building the Temple so likewise to build the City or any part of it but now they break down the carved work thereof with Axes and Hammers such execution hath the Fire done that greater could not have been done nor yet so great by Axes and Hammers and vers 7. and 8. They have cast Fire into the Sanctuary they have burnt up the Synagogues of God in the Land We read of Sodom's being overthrown in a moment and no hands stayed on her Lam. 4.6 Was it not so with London Is any Man's life so certain as the continuance of London was thought to be Who did not expect that both he and his should have been in their Graves before London had come to lie in ashes who thought not that the City which had survived many ages past would also have survived many ages to come who would not have thought that a Lease for so long as London should stand had been more durable than if it had run for the lives of a hundred men yet even in it have we seen those words fulfilled Isa 40.6 All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the Field Psal 90.6 In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up in the evening it is cut down and withered But may some say Land is certain though houses be casual neither can moth eat it nor rust corrupt it nor theeves steale it nor yet fire consume it for that matter all that can be said Land is like to stand where it is but that it will alwayes abide by the present and proper owners of it that is as uncertain as any thing else If Ahab have a minde to Naboth's Vineyard Jezabel knowes how to get it for him though Naboth would not part with it It is but paper and parchment that men have to show for their Lands and are not they more easily consumed than a whole City or may they not be lost or stollen or so bafled by the artifice of corrupt Lawyers that they shall do us no good we see then that which was lookt upon by all men to be as great a certainty as this World hath any is dried up like a deceitfull Brook in Summer Job 6.17 O Lord when I remember these things I cannot but pour out my soul in me and my supplication unto thee saying O Lord give me not my portion in these things which may so easily be taken away suffer me not to set my heart upon things of which it is said they are not because they take wings flie away but give me to inherit durable substance or that which is as thou hast called it Heb. tesh Prov. Fire me out of the love of the World by what thou hast done to the City and give me to minde what thou hast said 1 John 2.15 Love not the world nor the things of the world for the world passeth away c. Give me to consider how miserable I am if I have interest in no good things but those which one nights fire or one daies trial at law may take away from me I see we are all tenants at will as to all we have in this world and thou sealest a lease of ejectment when thou pleasest but there is an inheritance incorruptible and that fadeth not away reserved for thy people in the heavens Oh give us here an abundant entrance into it and hereafter the endless possession of it And as experience sheweth us the vanity of all things here below let us by means of faith which is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen foresee the reality and in part fore-enjoy the sweetness of those better things that are above DISCOURSE XXV Of not being too eager upon the world after this great loss I Am jealous over some men pardon me a godly jealousie lest they should verefie that Proverb which saith that Fasting from two meales makes the third a glutton Trading hath been twice interrupted of late once by the Plague and since by the Fire and now it is much to be feared lest men should fall too eagerly to it again like those that having been almost starved when they come at meat again are apt to surfeit Now God hath burnt your former houses take heed of burning your own fingers in hiring new ones at too great Fines and Rents Remember the words of God to Baruch Jer. 45.4 Behold that which I have built will I break down and seekest thou great things for thy self See the world better before you have more to do with it than you needs must Children that draw a breast too hard that hath but little in it what do they but fill themselves with wind Trust not your selves too far with the world for it is a slippery thing and may serve you such another trick who would toile as in the Fire to lay up treasure for another Fire to consume Ought they that have wives and not much more they that have trades to be as though they had none 1 Cor. 7.30 Because the fashion of the world passeth away A moderate care to recruit some part of our losses is not to be blamed but an immoderate
stamp Before Jerusalem was set on fire it had indured a close Siege and a terrible Fire of which thousands yea millions of People died No Siege or Famine blessed be God! but a very terrible Plague is well known to have preâ—eded the burning of London One judgment going off without its deligned effect doth not exempt men from but transmit them to another as where one of Pharaoh's Plagues ended another began he still refusing to let Israel go Some part of Jerusalem was left standing viz. the West-end of the Wall and three Towers for their strength and beauty preserved by the command of Titus to bear testimony of the stateliness of the City to posterity So by the Providence of God was and is a tenth part of London or thereabouts preserved to this day as it were in memorial of what London was It must needs be confessed that the destruction of Jerusalem was far greater than that of London all things considered because millions of Jews were put to the sword besides several other cruelties that were inflicted upon others of them one where of was that upon a mistrust that some of them had swallowed gold two thousand of them were ript up by the Souldiers hoping to have rob'd those Mines which made them Goldsinders but not in such a sense as they expected to have been These were aggravations of misery which Londoners were exempted from thanks to His infinite goodness who in judgement was pleased to remember mercy But it is not so much the disparity as the parallel betwixt the destruction of Jerusalem and of London that I aim to speak of whereof I shall adde two instances one is this Jerusalem and London were both fired in the same moneth viz. Septemter which moneth history informs us to have been fatal to many other Cities and as I take it to Jerusalem more then once Lastly Jerusalem was set on fire by Romans and as is strongly suspected By Romanists too was London burnt If it were otherwise may their Innocency appear and may those worthy Patriots who had the matter under examination acquit them before all the world MEDITATION XLIX Vpon People's taking the first and greatest care to save those things from the Fire which they did most value VVHo knows not that the method which men used in removing was first to send away their VVifes and Children as being their greatest treasure next to them their Writings of consequence such as Books of accompt Bills Bonds and others of great moment and after them their first and greatest care was to secure their Jewels such as had any their Cash their Plate and such like precious things Next to them their care was for their Shop-goods and first for those that were of greatest price In a word what things men did most value those they did labour in the first place to secure deferring the removal of their lumber to the very last so that for want of time much of that was consumed So Jacob prizing Rachel and her Children above the rest of his family took the greatest care to secure them by putting them in the rear of his Company when he went out to meet his Brother Esau coming against him in a hostile way but the handmaids and their Children he put in the front and as it were in the forlorn-hope exposing them to most danger for whom he had least love and respect Gen. 33.2 Alas that men should use a worse method in reserence to spiritual things than they naturally fall into in relation to temporals For how ordinary is it with men in matters of Religion to commit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our English Proverb doth phrase Setting the Cart before the Herse or setting that first which should be last How many take care to save the lumber of Religion as I may call it whilst mean time that better part of it which is like Plate and Jewels is in danger to be â—ost So did those Scribes and Pharisees who â—ook great care to pay tithe of mint anise and cummin and omitted the weightier matters of the Law viz. Judgment Mercy and Faith Mat. 23.23 There are some Truths unspeakably greater and of more consequence than others Those should most of all be contended for There are some enemies to our Religion which would not onely build with hay and stubble but even lay another Foundation besides that which is laid viz. The Lord Jesus Christ though other Foundation that will bear can no man lay 1 Cor. 3.11 Such should most of all be contended against For others are but disparately opposite to us as Green to Yellow and other intermediate colours are to White but such are as quite contrary to us as Black can be to White Some Duties there are the performance whereof are as it were the very Pillars of a Church which it cannot stand without Others again are for their nature more disputable for their use more indifferent and lesse necessary God forbid but the first of these should alwayes take place of the last and that we may more regard those things of which Christ saith These things ought you to have done and then those other of which he speaketh more diminutively saying And the other you should not have left undone There are certain sins which Sâ—mpson-like do take hold upon the Pillars of the House I mean Church and State and threaten to pull it down How preposterous would it be to punish peccadillo's with Scorpions and let such crimes of the first magnitude scarce be punished with Rods What men did in relation to the Fire may ever teach them to mind those things in the first place which are of greatest consequence If men had Iron-ware and Gun-powder in the same Shop did they not strive to remove their Gun-powder before their Iron because that would do most hurt It is the Apostle's rule that all things should be done decently and in order To begin with those things which are most necessary and then proceed gradually to those which are of less consequence is one of the most necessary pieces of Order that can be observed It is a good rule that we should first do those things that must be done and afterwards those that may be done Joseph was overseen in presenting Ephraim to his Father 's left hand and Manasseh to his right and Jacob observing it laid his right hand upon Ephraim and his left upon Manasseh Gen. 48.14 In like manner there is frequent cause for us to cross our hands and place our right where we are moved to place our left nothing being more incident to us than to mind those things in the last which we ought to regard in the first place By as good reason as men secured their Wives and Children before their goods their Gold and Silver before their lumber ought men who know their souls to be more worth than all other things first of all to secure them from that worm that never-dyes from that fire that never will