39. 9. When Nadab and Abihu the two Sons of Aaron were consumed with Fire from Heaven for offering strange Fire before the Lord It is said that Aaron held his peace Lev. 10. 1 2 3. So when God hath consumed the City of London with Fire for the sins of the Inhabitants let them hold their peace because they have deserved it Let London be still and know that God is righteous let London lay her hand upon her mouth and her mouth in the dust let London close up her lips and seal them up with silence or if she open them let her mouth be filled with Confessions not with Complaints or if she complain let her complain to God but let her not complain of him if she complain let her complain against her self but let her not complain against God let her complain of her own sin and wickedness but not of Gods Judgement so righteous Let London wonder it is no worse with her when both her sin and her danger was so great let her wonder when God was so angry that he should put any restraint upon it that when wrath was come forth that it proceeded no further let her wonder that the Plague did not quite depopulate her and that the Fire did not wholly consume her let her wonder it is so well with her that she is not made a Desolation and say It is the Lords mercies we are not consumed Lam. 3. 22. 7. God doth expect that London should mourn for her sins We read Ier. 3. 21. A voice was heard upon the high places weeping and supplications of the house of Israel When the terrible voice of Gods Judgements hath been heard in London God doth hearken for the voice of Weeping and Supplications this Gods voice doth call for when breaches were made in the City of David Isa. 22. 9. then did the Lord of hosts call to weeping and to mourning to baldness and to girding with sackcloth v. 11. and when instead hereof there was joy and gladnesse eating flesh and drinking wine the Lord is so angry that he threatneth surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die v. 13 14. See also what the Lord calls for to the Daughter of Sion under her Judgements Lam. 2. 18 19. Let tears run down like a river day and night give thy self no rest let not the apple of thine eye cease Arise cry in the night in the beginning of the Watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord. God doth not only expect that his Ministers and Priests should weep between the Porch and the Altar when sore Judgements are upon his Land as Ioel 2. 17. but also that the People should weep too that the Bridegroom should go forth of his Chamber and the Bride out of her closet as v. 16. that people should be afflicted mourn and weep that their laughter should be turned into mourning and their joy into heaviness Jam. 4. 9. He expects that those which escape his Judgements should be like Doves upon the mountains every one mourning for his iniquities as Ezek. 6. 16. London may mourn for her Judgements which have been so dreadfull but God expects they should mourn more for his displeasure which hath been the cause of these Judgements and most of all for their sins which have been the cause of his displeasure Weep London weep for thy sins which have been so many and provoking let thine eye affect thine heart When thou lookest into thy Burying places and thinkest how many of thy people have lately there taken up their habitation it should draw tears from thine eyes to think of thy sins which opened the doors of those Lodgings unto them Methinks when thou passest thorow thy ruinous Habitations and seest the heaps of Stones at the top of thy streets when thou viewest thy half-Churches and bare Steeples and ragged Walls and open Vaults and the dismal Solitude in those places which not long ago were full of people it should fill thine heart with sorrow for thy sins which have kindled such anger in the breast of God as to send the late dreadfull Fire which hath made such desolations Mourn London mourn put on Sackcloth thou seest in part what an evil thing and a bitter it is to offend a Holy and Jealous God the effects of sin here are fearfull sometimes what evil is there is sin then which is the cause of thy Ruines God looks now that the sinners of London should become Mourners We read of a Mark which was set upon the foreheads of them in Ierusalem which did mourn and cry out for the Abominations that were done in the midst thereof and they were separated from temporal destruction which was brought upon the rest Ezek. 9. 4. 6. God doth set a mark upon them that mourn in London for the sins of London and however he may deal with them in regard of temporal Calamities be sure he will separate them and preserve them from eternal destruction Methinks the fall of London calls for a Mourning like the Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo where Iosiah fell in battle Zach. 12. 11. And there should not only be publick mourning but also private mourning and secret mourning Families apart and Persons apart It becomes Christians now after such strokes of Gods wrath to keep secret Fasts to bewail Londons ruines especially to bewail Londons sins their eyes should weep in secret places for the Abominations committed in the City and bedew Gods feet with their tears that if possible they might turn away his displeasure 8. God doth expect that London should labour to pacifie his anger When God threatned to send the Sword and to cut off from Israel the head and the tail the branch and the rush in one day and to send the Famine so sore that they should eat every man the flesh of his own arm yet it is said For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Isa. 9. 14 17 20 21. And now God hath executed his Judgements of Plague and Fire in London have not we reason to fear that his anger is not yet turned away but his hand is stretched out still When the houses of London were consumed which were the fuel to the late Fire then the Fire quickly went out and if the sins of London had been consumed with the houses if the Inhabitants of the City had not brought forth their sins when they were forced to leave their goods behinde unto the flames then we should have reason to think that the Fire of Gods anger was gone out and his wrath turned away from the escaped remnant of London insomuch as the sins of London have been the fuel as it were to this Dreadful Fire but when so much sin after such Judgements is saved alive untouch'd and unmortified when the Plague of sin doth rage so much after the Plague of Pestilence is removed and the Fire of lust doth
GOD'S Terrible Voice IN THE CITY Wherein you have I. The sound of the voice in the Narration of the two late Dreadfull Judgments of Plague and Fire inflicted by the Lord upon the City of London the former in the year 1665 the latter in the year 1666. II. The interpretation of the voice in a Discovery 1. Of the cause of these Judgments where you have a Catalogue of London's sins 2. Of the design of these Judgments where you have an enumeration of the Duties God calls for by this terrible voice By T. V. Micah 6. 9. The voice of the Lord cryeth unto the City and the Man of wisdome shall see thy name Hear ye the Rod and who hath appointed it Printed in the Year 1667. TO All such of the CITY WHO Have seen the Desolations OF LONDON BY The late Judgments of PLAGUE and FIRE IT might have seemed more seasonable unto some if a work of this nature had come forth unto view more immediately after the sound of Gods terrible voice and execution at least of the last dreadfull Iudgment of the Fire because if a Man strikes whilst the Iron is hot it is likely to make the more deep impression which when it grows cool growes hard and unmalleable and if the hammer of the Word had been used when London was newly come forth of the Furnace some might think they would have yielded the more easily unto it's strokes and the better have received the fashion which this Hammer would work them unto and that since the fresh and lively remembrance of the judgement is more worn off it is to be feared that they are more cooled and hardned and therefore in likelihood it will be more difficult to effect a due impression of the Iudgements by the Word upon them yet besides that it was not in my thoughts to attempt this Work until the greatest part of the Winter was spent I may further adde that though a discourse concerning the Plague would have been most seasonable under the Iudgment it self when people who were generally taken off from their trading had room and time for retirement and consideration more than ever they had in their lives before and therefore were more likely to lay to heart what might be spoken or written unto them on that Subject yet the reason is not the same in the Iudgement of the Fire which however startling and astonishing was so far from giving them retiring time for consideration as the former Iudgement of the Plague had done that it did engage them unto more labourious works than ever they had not only while London was burning in removing what they could save of their goods from the Fire but also since in looking out new Habitations and fitting their Houses and Shops for Trades which hath given them occasion for so much distraction that I fear they could hardly settle their mindes to read and consider so seriously as they should what the Lord hath been doing with them speaking unto them by this Terrible Voice which hath sounded so loud in their ears but by this time I hope that the most have attained to some kinde of settlement at least so much as to give them leave to sit down and ponder upon the meaning of God in these strange and dreadful Iudgements of Plague and Fire in the City and therefore this Book may be more seasonable unto the most than if it had been written and presented to them immediately after the Fire had burnt them out of their habitations Friends It is high time for all of you to retire your selves and bethink your selves and wisely to consider Gods dealings with you to open your ear and labour to understand these speaking Iudgments least if God be provoked by your deafness and incorrigibleness to speak a third time it be in your utter ruine and desolation If these Papers be any wayes helpfull to revive in your memories the Iudgments themselves by the Historicall Narration which here you have of them to work your hearts to some sense of sin in discovery of the cause and to perswade you unto a ready compliance with Gods design in the declaring of what God now expects from you after such dreadfull executions as yours will be the benefit so I desire that God may have the whole glory and that you would make this return for my help of you to help me with your prayers that I may be the more helpfull to you in mine who am Your dearly affectionate friend and servant in the Lord. T. V. Gods terrible Voice IN THE CITY Psalm 65. part of the fifth Verse By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us INTRODUCTION SHall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the people not be afraid Shall there be evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it The Lyon hath roared who will not fear the Lord God hath spoken who can but Prophesie Am. 3. 6. 8. When the Pharisees spake to our Saviour to rebuke his Disciples for their loud praises of the Lord with Hosanna's he tells them If they should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out Luk. 19. 39 40. And we read in Habakkuk Chap. 2. 11. Of the stone crying out of the wall and the beam out of the timber making answer Certainly we in London have lately heard the cry of stones and walls of timber and beams in their fall and flames I mean in the late Dreadful Fire which hath laid out Ierusalem in heaps or rather we have heard the Voice of God in this and other terrible things which have come upon us Let none then rebuke if one so unfit do make an attempt to speak something of the meaning of Londons Fire or of Gods Terrible Voice in this and other Judgements when by the mouth of Babes God can declare his Will SECT 1. By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us THis whole Psalm breathes forth nothing but grace and goodness unto the people of God from the beginning of it to the end yea in the verse of my Text where God speaks most terribly and righteously in the Judgements and Destructions which he bringeth upon their Enemies yet he is called the God of their Salvation and those terrible things by which God speaks are not only a righteous answer unto their Enemies sins but also a gracious answer unto his peoples prayers By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us I shall not speak of terrible things in the restrained sense as they befall the Enemies only of Gods people and the wicked whilst the righteous do escape and it may be hereby are preserved but as they may befall any people not excluding Gods people whom the Lord may answer by terrible things in righteousness Two Doctrines we may observe Doct. 1. That God doth sometimes speak unto a People by terrible things Doct. 2. That when God doth speak most terribly he doth answer most righteously First That God doth sometimes speak unto
heart for I fear that the great insensibility which people have been under of these judgments because they have not reached the Flesh and their sottish inconsideration of Gods dreadfull displeasure herein hath provoked the Lord to send such judgments as have come nearer to sense that they might perceive God was angry indeed before and that his greater displeasure in the former might be known by his more sensible displeasure in the latter Let London seriously consider whether her Gospel priviledges were not her best defence against temporal calamities and whether since her slighting abuse and forfeiture and Gods seisure and stripping her so much of these she hath not been laid naked to those heavy strokes of extraordinary judgments which she hath lately received London had the Gospel Ordinances powerfull pure plentifull Ministers excellently qualified and rarely furnished with ministerial abilities London had as many burning and shining lights as any one such spot of ground under the cope of heaven Not to speak of their abilities for preaching and defence of the truth such gifts of prayer London Ministers had which were no small defence of the City as I believe no City in the World could parallel O what prayers have there formerly been in London Pulpits especially on dayes of solemn humiliation how have the spirits of Ministers been carried forth sometime in prayer for several hours together without tautologies and vain repetitions in such variety of affectionate enlargements and with such raisedness and transports of spirit as if they had been just leaving the body and going to live and abide with God and would converse no more with men or worldly things In their confessions of sin how have they rak'd into the dunghill of a rotten heart and laid abroad its inward filthiness how have they trac'd the foot-steps of its deceitfulness through the maze and wilderness of its many windings and turnings how have they peirced into the very bowels of sin and ript it up as it were to the back-bone bringing forth its very entrals to open view how have they anatomiz'd as it were the body of death in all the parts and members of it discovering withall the several diseases of every part with their cause and manner of working and all this in such pathetical cutting expressions accompanied with such brokenness and bleeding of heart as no form can imitate or effect In their supplications for the pardon of sin for spiritual and heavenly riches O with what feeling and fervour did they express themselves O with what faith and importunity did they wrestle and plead at the Throne of Grace for such favours beyond the importunity of poor prisoners through the grates or poor beggars at the doors when they are most earnest for relief yea how did they besiege God as it were and seem as if they would scale the walls of Heaven it self and take the Kingdome of Heaven with violence and force how have they even pressed in upon God with the dint of argument and laid hold on him with the hand of faith resolving not to let him go without a blessing In their supplications for the Church and Land they have behaved themselves as if they had no private concernments But how did they bear London upon their hearts when they came to the throne of grace what yearning bowels had they towards and for the City how many teares have they shed in bewailing her sins how have they stood in the breach when the Lord hath been coming forth against this place how have they held his arme when it hath been lifted up to strike how have they stood weeping between the Porch and the Altar crying spare thy People O Lord and do not destroy London and many times have they prevailed to appease Gods wrath and turn away his fierce anger which hath been kindled against us Gospel-Ordinances and Gospel-Ministers were the safe-guard of London the glory and defence But when the Ordinances were slighted and the Ministers were mocked and misused by some who called themselves Professors and both were fallen so much in the esteem of the most and London did not yield the fruit which God looked for under such dressing of which more when I come to speak of Londons sins God is provoked not only to call for some of his Messengers home to himself but also to suffer the rest which were most consciencious to be thrust into Corners This this did presage London's near approaching ruine and desolation though few did believe it and because they did not believe it and were insensible of Gods wrath in this judgment therefore their danger was the greater of the other judgments which have come upon them when so many stakes were pluckt out no wonder if the hedge be broken when so many Pillars were removed no wonder if the building tumble to the ground But I proceed to give a narration of the later judgments of Plague and Fire SECT V. THe Plague so great so lately should not be forgotten yet lest the fire more lately and propotionably more great and the amazing fears which since have risen within us should shuffle former thoughts out of our minds and rase out the impressions which by the Plague we had and should labour to retain to our dying hour therefore I shall give a brief narration of this sad judgment and some observations of mine own who was here in the City from the beginning to the end of it both to keep alive in my self and others the memory of the judgment that we may be the better prepared for compliance with Gods designe in sending the Plague amongst us It was in the year of our Lord 1665. that the Plague began in our City of London after we were warned by the great Plague in Holland in the year 1664. the beginning of it in some remote parts of our Land the same year not to speak any thing whether there was any signification and influence in the Blazing-star not long before that appeared in the view of London and struck some amazement upon the spirits of many It was in the moneth of May that the Plague was first taken notice of our Bill of Mortality did let us know but of three which died of the disease in the whole year before but in the beginning of May the bill tels us of nine which fell by the Plague just in the heart of the City the other eight in the Suburbs This was the first arrow of warning that was shot from Heaven amongst us and fear quickly begins to creep upon peoples hearts great thoughts and discourse there is in Town about the Plague and they cast in their minds whether they should go if the Plague should increase Yet when the next weeks Bill signifieth to them the disease from 9 to 3. their minds are something appeased discourse of that subject cools fears are husht and hopes take place that the black cloud did but threaten and give a few drops but the wind would drive
Murder Incest and the like It is not unlikely but they count such an action as this meritorious in their kind of merit which in the issue they will finde to merit the flames of eternal Fine instead of a Crown of Glory which I wonder that in their way they can have the least hopes of I believe that the people will now take more heed of them and their waies and instead of promoting their cause I hope that a contrary effect is produced and that the before Indifferency of a generation more newly sprung up who did not know them is now turned into loathing and detestation of such a religion as can allow of such practises My work is not to declare what hath been proved against the Papists before the Honourable Committee of Parliament appointed to enquire into their insolencies and the proofs which have been given in concerning the Fire and who have been accessory thereunto No I would rather endeavour to turn peoples eyes from men to God for whoever were the instruments God was the Authour of this evil which hath come upon us there being no evil in the City that is evil of punishment which the Lord as a righteous and the supream Judge doth not inflict And surely more of the extraordinary hand of God than of any men did appear in the burning of the City of London God could have prevented men by discovering their plots as he did that of the Gun powder-treason before they had taken effect God could have directed and given a blessing unto means for the quenching of it when it was first kindled God who hath the winds in his Fist could have gathered in the Wind and laid it asleep or so turned it the other way that it should have been a defence to the City or God who hath the Clouds at his command and the Bottles of Heaven in his hand could have gathered his thick Clouds together and squeez'd them opend his Bottles and poured down Rain in abundance upon the City so that if the wind had blown as it did it should have blown water upon the fire which would quickly have put it out But the Heavens at that time were Brass no showring Clouds to be seen the Fire begins is quickly taken notice of though in the midst of the night Fire Fire Fire doth resound the streets many Citizens start out of their sleep look out of their windows some dress themselves and run to the place The Lord Maior of the City comes with his Officers a confusion there is councell is taken away and London so famous for wisdom and dexterity can now find neither brains nor hands to prevent its ruine The hand of God was in it The Decree was come forth London must now fall and who could prevent it No wonder when so many Pillars are removed if the Building tumbles the prayers tears and faith which sometimes London hath had might have quenched the violence of the fire might have opened Heaven for rain and driven back the winde but now the fire gets mastery burns dreadfully and God with his great Bellows blowes upon it which makes it spread quickly go on with such force and rage overturning all so furiously that the whole City is brought into jeopardy of desolation That night most of the Londoners had taken their last sleep in their houses they little thought it would be so when they went into their beds they did not in the lest suspect when the doors of their ears were unlockt and the casement of their eyes were opened in the morning to hear of such an enemies invading the City and that they should see him with such fury enter the doors of their houses break into every room and look out of their casements with such a threatning countenance As it is said Lam. 4. 12. The inhabitants would not have believed that the adversary should have entered the gates of Ierusalem so the Inhabitants of the City would not have believed that the Fire should have entred and prevailed to burn London to the ground That which made the ruin the more dismall was that it was begun on the Lords day morning never was there the like Sabbath in London some Churches were in flames that day and God seems to come down and to preach himself in them as he did in Mount Sinai when the Mount burned with Fire such warmpreaching those Churches never had such Lightning dreadful Sermons never were before delivered in London In other Churches Ministers were preaching their Farewel Sermons and people were hearing with quaking and astonishment Instead of a holy Rest which Christians have taken on this day there is a tumultuous hurrying about the streets towards the place that burned and more tumultuous hurrying upon the spirits of those that sat still and had only the notice of the eare of the quick and strange spreading of the Fire Now the Train-bands are up in Arms watching at every quarter for Outlandish men because of the general fears and jealousies and rumours that Fire-Balls were thrown into houses by several of them to help on and provoke the too furious flames Now Goods are hastily removed from the lower parts of the City and the body of the people begin to retire and draw upwards as the people did from the Tabernacles of Corah Dathan and Abiram when the earth did cleave asunder and swallow them up or rather as Lot drew out from his house in Sodom before it was consumed by fire from Heaven Yet some hopes were retained on the Lords day that the Fire would be extinguished especially by them who lived in the remote parts they could scarcely imagine that the Fire a mile off should be able to reach their houses But the evening draws on and now the Fire is more visible and dreadful instead of the Black curtains of the night which used to be spread over the City now the curtains are Yellow the smoke that arose from the burning parts seemed like so much flame in the night which being blown upon the other parts by the winde the whole City at some distance seemed to be on fire Now hopes begin to sink and a general consternation seiseth upon the spirits of people little sleep is taken in London this night the amazement which the eye and ear doth effect upon the spirit doth either dry up or drive away the vapour which used to binde up the senses Some are at work to quench the fire with water others endeavour to stop its course by pulling down of houses but all to no purpose if it be a little allayed or beaten down or put to a stand in some places it is but a very little while it quickly recruits and recovers its force it leaps and mounts and makes the more furious onset drives back its opposers snatcheth their weapons out of their hands seiseth upon the Water-houses and Engines burns them spoils them and makes them unfit for service Some are upon their knees in the
when the sins of the Land are so obvious and so hainous He is a great stranger in England that doth not know how wickedness hath abounded in these later years his eyes must be fast shut who doth not see what a deluge of profaneness and impiety hath broken in like a mighty torrent and overflowed the Land that hath not taken notice of those bare-fac'd villanies which have been committed amongst us which is a great question whether any ages before us could parallel we read in Scripture of Sodom and Gomorrah and the wickedness sometime of Ierusalem Profane Histories and Travellers make mention of Rome Venice Naples Paris and other places very wicked but who can equal England which calls it self Christian and Protestant for such desperate and audacious affronts and indignities which have been offered to the Highest Majesty by the Gallants as they are called of our times How was Hell as it were broke loose and how were men worse than those which in our Saviours time were possest with devils who cut themselves with stones and tore their own flesh even such who went about like so many Hell-hounds and incarnate devils cursing and banning swearing and blaspheming inventing new oaths and glorying therein delighting to tear the name of God and to spit forth their rancour and malice in his very face and can we then be at a loss for a reason of Gods righteousness in his thus punishing England by beginning thus furiously with London When there were so many Atheists about London and in the Land who denied the very being of God when so many Gentlemen who lookt upon it as one piece of their breeding to cast off all sentiments of a Deity did walk our streets and no arguments would work them to a perswasion of the truth of Gods being shall we wonder if the Lord appears in a terrible way that he might be known by the judgments which he executeth When so many denied the Divine Authority of the Scriptures the very foundation of our Christian faith and reckoned themselves by their principles amongst Turks Pagans and other Infidels however they called themselves Christians and hereby put such an affront upon the Lord Jesus Christ the only Son of the most high God is it strange that the Lord should speak so terribly to shew his indignation when there was such blowing at and endeavours to put out that light which would shew Men the way to Heaven such hatred and opposition against the power of godliness when the name of a Saint was matter of derision and scorn when there was such wallowing in filthy fornication and adultry in swinish drunkenness and intemperance when such oppression bribery such malice cruelty such unheard of wickedness and hideous impiety grown to such a heighth in the Land may not we reasonably think that such persons as were thus guilty being in the Ship were a great cause of the storme of Gods anger which hath made such a shipwrack The Plague indeed when it was come made little discrimination between the bodies of the righteous and the bodies of the wicked no more doth grace the difference is more inward and deepe it is the soul begins to be glorifyed hereby and hath the seed of eternal life put into it when it doth pass the new birth but the body is not changed with the soul the body remains as it was as frail and weak and exposed to diseases and death as before and as the body of any wicked person and therefore the infectious disease of the Plague coming into a populous City the bodies of the righteous amongst the rest receive the contagion and they fall in the common calamity there is a difference in the manner of their death and a difference in their place and state after death as hath been spoken of before but the kind of death is the same So the fire doth make no discrimination between the Houses of the godly and the Houses of the ungodly they are all made of the same combustible matter and are enkindled as bodies infected one by another indeed the godly have God to be their habitation and they are Citizens of the new Ierusalem which is above a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God an abiding City which the fire cannot reach and their persons are secured from the flames of eternal fire in Hell but they have no promise nor security for the preservation of their Houses from fire here in this World The judgments of the plague and fire being sent work according to their nature without distinguishing the righteous But if we further enquire into the reason why the plague was sent the last year and such a plague as hath not been known this forty year which raged so sorely when there was no such sultriness of weather as in other years to encrease it and why the fire was sent this year and such a fire as neither we nor our fore-fathers ever knew neither do we read of in any History of any so great in any place in time of peace what shall we say was the cause of these extraordinary national judgments but the extraordinary national sins It was an extraordinary hand of God which brought the plague of which no natural cause can be assigned why it should be so great that year more then in former years but that sin was grown to greater heighth and that a fire should prevaile against all attempts to quench it to burn down the City and that judgment just following upon the heels of the other what reason can be assigned but that Englands sins and Gods displeasure hath been extraordinary God is a God of patience and it is not a light thing will move him he is slow to anger it must needs be then some great provocation which makes him so furious he is highly offended before he lifts up his hand and he is exceedingly incens'd before his anger breaks forth into such a flame for my part I verily think if it had not been for the crying abominations of the times which are not chiefly to be limited to the City of London and if the means of Gods prescription according to the Rule of his Word which England sometime could had by England been made use of that both Plague and Fire had been prevented 3. Moreover it may be said that some particular persons by some more peculiar and notorious sins in the City may have provoked the Lord to bring punishment upon the whole place if the Land were not so generally profane and wicked the heathen could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A whole City may be punished for the wickedness of one Man yea we read of David though so good a man yet when he numbred the people a small sin in comparison with the sins of some others in our days God was provoked to send such a dreadful Plague not on himself but upon his people that there dyed 70000 men by it in three days and David said I have
with every mind of doctrine by the slight of them which led them aside Eph. 4. 11 12 13 14. Now all these persons have been slighters of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Ignorant the Profane the Hypocrite and the Erroneous and if you place them all in one company how few will there remain in London that have sincerely and heartily imbraced the truth as it is in Jesus and upon whom the Gospel hath made a powerful and saving impression And even amongst those that have been affected and converted by the preaching of the Gospel and had it greatly in esteem at first hearing and believing how was their esteem of the Gospel fallen and their affection cooled did not Gospel-ordinances begin to loose their worth and excellency and grow tedious and wearisome unto them O how generally unthankful was London for the Gospel priviledges and liberties yea many began to be very nice and wanton the Gospel was not relished unless it were served up with such neatnesses dressings in which some Ministers possibly did too much endeavour to please themselves and the people and then the sauce was more relished than the food it selfe and the appetite of many was so spoiled that plain wholsome soul-saving truths would not down with them Londoners began to be glutted with the Gospel and like the Israelites in the Wilderness their souls began to loathe the Mannah which came down from Heaven a strange curiosity there was in spiritual pallates which in many turned to a loathing of the food in so much that the Gospel became a burden unto them and thence it was that many turned away their ears from the truth and were turned unto errours and they could not indure to hear sound doctrine but having itching ears heaped up unto themselves teachers according to their lusts 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. And those that continued stedfast in the truth did not duly prize the Gospel none of them according to its dignity and worth No wonder then if God grows angry at such contempts and affronts as were hereby offered unto him and easeth them so much of their burden and withdraws the food so much which they grew so weary of No wonder that he suffers so many of their teachers to be thrust into corners and so much withdraws the beams of that light which was so much abused and when they are not sensible of his displeasure in this no wonder if he sends the Plague and Fire to awaken them unto a sensibility When the King sent forth his servants to call the guests to the Wedding-feast and they make light of it and excuse themselves and go away one to his Farm another to his Merchandize and the remnant took his servants and entreated them spightfully and slew them The King was wroth and sent forth his Armies to destroy those murderers and burn their City Matth. 22. from v. 1. to v. 8. God hath sent forth his fervants to call Londoners to this Feast how many invitations have they had to come unto Christ to accept of him to save them and feed upon him from whom alone they can get any Spiritual nourishment but how many in London have had their excuses they have been following their Merchandize and other business and could not come and what entertainment his servants hath had the Lord knows I do not say that London hath entertained them despightfully and slain them but have not their message been slighted by London and is it a wonder then if the King that sent them be wroth and send a Fire to burn down the City No greater favour could be shewed no greater priviledge could be enjoyed than to have the Gospel powerfully preached and ordinances purely administred but hath it been generally so accounted in London hath not Merchandize and thriving in the world which yet they have not thrived in been preferred before this by many thousands in the City when God hath been at such an expence to work out a way for mans salvation when he hath discovered such wonders of astonishing Love in sending his only begotten Son out of Heaven to cloath himself in our flesh that therein he might purchase life and salvation for us who were sunk so low from our Primitive state by sin and were exposed to death and wrath unavoidable endless misery in Hell and hath sent his Embassadours of peace to bring unto us the glad tidings hereof and in his name to make known the thing the Authour the tearms the way and to intreat us that we would accept of life and reconciliation to God who without any injury to himself could ruin us everlastingly and get himself a name thereby and yet when the Gospel is preached that we should undervalue and slight both messenger message surely this hath been an affront to the Lord who hath sent his Embassadours on this errand and doth carry with it such ingratitude as cannot be paralleld No doubt but this sin of slighting the Gospel is a prime sin which hath provoked God against London to come forth in such fury and if London do not repent the sooner and labour to recover its relish and esteem for the Gospel and make more evident demonstrations of it I fear the Lord will quite remove the Gospel from them and then nothing is like to follow but desolation and wo God doth not remove his glory at once but by steps first the glory of the Lord departs from the Inner-court to the Threshold of the house Ezek. 10. 3 4. from the Threshold of the house to the Door of the East-gate v. 18 19. then it goes from the midst of the City and standeth upon the Mountain Chap. 11. 23. The Gospel is the glory of London and hath the glory of the Lord made none of these removes is it not come forth of the Inner-court hath it not left the Threshold is not a departing of it quite from the City threatned will any thing recover it if we do not recover our appetite and prize and cry after it If the Gospel go God will go the Gospel being the sign and means of his special presence and wo be unto us when God shall depart from us Hos. 9. 12. And if God depart with the Gospel farewel peace and prosperity in England nothing I dare be confident but temporal misery and ruine will be the consequent if the Ecclipse bring such misery what will the quite darkning of the Sun doe 2. The second sin of London is Vnfruitfulness in such a fertile soile This sin hath been an attendant upon and a consequent of the former London was not only a Goshen but an Eden God chose out London to be his Garden he hath hedged it planted watered prun'd and manur'd it no place in the world hath had more plenty of the means of grace God hath given the former and the latter rain and sweet dews of Heaven both morning and evening did fall upon this place in the morning seed was sown and in
bring the Judgement of the Fire and if they will still walk contrary to God they must expect that God will walk contrary to them untill he have consumed them 9. A Ninth sin of London is Profaneness and a loose and frothy spirit especially in the Youth and springing generation I do not tax all for I am confident there is a serious and godly Youth growing up But O that there were not reason to say that the generality of Youth is profane and wicked as well as those who are grown more mature in wickedness And this Profaneness hath shewed it self In 1 Profane using Gods Name 2 Profane breaking of Gods Day 3 Profane scoffing at Gods People 1. In profane using of Gods Name How grosly hath the third Commandment been broken in the City how hath the great and dreadfull Name of the Lord God which should make men to tremble in the mention of it and command their spirits into aw and reverence been vainly taken by many and used to fill up the sentence of their ordinary discourse And not only so but how hath the Name of God been tossed in the black mouths of the Children of darkness and even torn in pieces by their hideous Oaths and Execrations What an hellish noyse hath the sound of full-mouth'd Oaths made sometimes in the streets enough to make the hair stand on end of one who hath a sence of the greatness of that Majesty upon his spirit which hereby is so audaciously affronted Oh the Swearing that hath been used by Londoners in buying and selling Many Parents have been so addicted to this sin in their Families that their little Children have no sooner learned to speak but they have also learned of them to swear by the Name of God which hath been all the teaching of God that they have given them a devilish teaching indeed which hereafter they will curse and bann them for in Hell But if you should have laid your ears unto the Taverns and Ale-houses and Whore-houses and other Devil-houses once standing in London and harkened to the speeches of many of the Devils Imps in their drinking and gaming and other lewd practises especially when a little cross'd and vexed Oh what language of Hell might have been heard How have those cursed Villains in the heat of their wine and anger shot vollies of Oaths in the face of the God of Heaven and whetting their tongues like a sharp sword they have not feared to wound the name of God when they have received any injury from men O what poyson of Asps hath there been under their lips but a worse poyson of sin in their hearts from the evil treasure and abundance of which these oaths and blasphemies have proceeded But who can find words to set forth the evil of this sin which hath not the temptation of pleasure advantage or honour as other sins have and therefore is a great argument of a monstrous wicked heart And who can express Gods displeasure for this sin for which he makes sometimes a whole land to mourn And hath not this sin provoked the Lord to utter his angry voice in Plaguing and burning the City that they might fear to abuse his Name any more 2. In profanc breaking of Gods day Sabbath breaking was an ordinary sin in London I say not it was so much broken in doing the ordinary works of the particular callings but in that which was worse How many did spend the Sabbath in eating to excess and drinking till they were drunk in sleeping in walking into the fields in sports and recreations Many wholly neglected the worship of God on that day and instead of that did the Devil more service on the Lords day then all the days of the week besides The many weeks of Sabbaths which London had in the time of the Plague methinks did reprove London for their profaning of the weekly Sabbath And the great fire I will not call it bon-fire because so destructive to London which was begun in the City on the Lords day did reprove London for those lesser fires I will not call them bon-fires because so offensive to God which not long before were kindled in the streets on that day which called for other kind of work Not to speak any thing whether there were any just occasion for those fires and ringing of bells most of which were melted before they were rung so generally again and such a shew of mirth and rejoycing at that time The Citizens carrying forth their goods and lying in the fields with grief and fear might put them in mind how often they had walked out into those fields on the Lords day for their recreation when they should rather have been hearing the word preached or if that were over repeating it in their own families giving and receiving instruction or in their closets at the throne of grace or employed in meditation As God delights in those that call his Sabbaths a delight and makes sweet promises to them so he is highly displeased with Sabbath breakers and hath denounced severe threatnings against them Jer. 17. 27. If ye will not hearken to me to hallow the Sabbath day I will kindle a fire in the gates of Jerusalem which shall devour the Palaces thereof and shall not he quenched 3. In profane scoffing at Gods people The name of a Saint and Godly man hath been ridiculous to many prophane Spirits in London and used by them in a way of reproach How have Gods people especially the more strict and zealous been made the drunkards song and laughed at in the streets Horrid impiety as if it were matter of more shame to be like the Holy God than to be like the Foul Devill and to be employed in the work of angels than to drudge in Satans chains No wonder if God is angry with such a place where such vipers have had their abode Prophaness is a great sin that hath brought ruine upon us 10. A tenth sin of London is Pride This sin being so odious to God so destructive where it abounds and so universal in London I shall speak of it the more largely both in regard of the inward workings and the outward expressions of it which when opened I believe there are none that will be able to say they are wholly free from it 1. In regard of the inward workings of pride Oh how hath the poison of this sin envenomed the spirits of the most in a very high degree How many self-admirers have there been in London who have been puft up with an overweening conceit of their own excellencies What high touring swelling thoughts have they had of themselves What secret self-pleasing and lifting up themselves in their own esteem Some esteeming themselves for that which is matter of shame admiring themselves for their own wit and parts when they have lain fallow and not been employed for God or when they have been employed to his dishonour when they have been wise but it hath been to do
is envying And this sin was to be found not only in Women which envied others that exceeded them in beauty of body in cloaths and dressing and such like toyes but also in men who envied them who were of the same trade which had better houses and shops more custome and wealth than themselves as Hesiod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea this envying was to be found among many Ministers who envied others that had better parts and more learning greater applause and more auditors than themselves There was a spirit among us which lusted to envy Jam. 4. 5. which besides the great torment that it brings to the spirit where it reigns is a very great provocation to the Lord. 23. The twenty third sin of London is slandering and backbiting which hath been the consequent of the former The ninth commandment hath been exceedingly broken in London especially in a private way of bearing false witness against the neighbour and wounding his reputation by a slanderous tongue some inventing lyes and raising slanders which they have in their consciences known to be false others taking up slanders readily believing them without any just proof This sin you have set forth with a caution to take heed of such persons Ier. 9. 4 5. London hath been full of backbiters and tale-bearers and too many professours have been guilty of this sin few have entertained backbiters with an angry countenance which as the wind driveth away rain would have driven them out of sight I might here add the hatred of one another that hath been in London much through slanders the emulation that hath risen from hatred the wrath that hath risen from emulation and the wrath of God which hath arisen from these and other works of the flesh spoken of Gal. 5. 19 20. 24. The twentyfourth sin of London is murmuring and that not only in want and under losses and crosses but also in fulness and plenty Many Farmers in the Countrey have murmured at the plenty and cheapness of Corn many tradesmen in the City have murmured at the plenty of the commodities which they have dealt in because however such plenty is a publick and unspeakable mercy yet they have had the less private advantage which hath been chiefly regarded by them Yea some in their murmuring have wished for a Plague that the survivers might have the better trade And I have heard that a Fire also hath been wisht for to take off the plenty of such commodities that the remainder might bear the higher rate Is it a wonder then if God have sent Plague and Fire which some have called for by such murmuring speeches The Israelites in the Wilderness were plagued for their murmuring and the murmuring company of Corah that were not swallowed up with him were consumed by a fire from Heaven 25. The twenty fifth and last sin of London which I shall speak of is Carnal security another of Sodoms sins It is said of the Sodomites Luk. 17. 28 29. In the days of Lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all When London had provoked God so highly by so many sins yet how secure were they before his judgements broke forth upon them they eat and drank they bought and sold c. They sate at ease and put far from them the evil day as Amos 6. they were still and at rest little expecting such changes as have come upon them and taking little care to prevent them they were secure and trusted in arms of flesh broken reeds which have alwayes failed And I might add here as a cause of the security of some the presumptuous confidences of future events which belong only to God to foreknow which some have taken upon them so absolutely to determine as if they had looked into the book of Gods decrees or had an infallible revelation from him of what should come to pass O the good dayes that some have looked for upon the presumption of what they had no ground for Great expectations many had of the Fall of Antichrist and Babylon in the year 1666. and other events limiting times which God hath not clearly revealed which is an entrenching upon Gods prerogative and I believe a greater provocation than such persons are aware of This may be one reason why London is fallen instead of Babylon in this year of such expectation and presumption By this time it may be the Reader may be wearied with reading as I am with thinking and writing of Londons sins But how hath the Lord been wearied with the bearing of them how hath he been pressed with the weight of them as a Cart is pressed that is full of Sheaves Amos 2. 13. If when you have read of Londons judgements withall you consider Londons provocations you must needs acknowledge that God is righteous in that he hath punished London no more than they have deserved for these sins 2. GOds Righteousness will further appear if we consider that he hath punished London less than her iniquities deserved 1. God might have punished London deservedly with more dreadful judgements here and that both in the same and another kind 1. God might have deservedly punished London worse in the same kind 1. In the judgement of the Plague It was a dreadful Plague indeed but God could have made it more dreadful where he shot one arrow he might have shot an hundred he visited many families he might have visited every family and swept every house with the beesome of destruction Though so many fell yet I believe that five parts in six of the inhabitants of London were preserved God might have taken away the five parts and have left but one alive yea it might have been said of London as it was of Israel Amos 5. 2 3. The Virgin of Israel is fallen she shall rise no more the City that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred God might have made every hundred that dyed by the Plague a thousand he might have sent out his arrows after all the inhabitants of London that were gone into the Countrey and smitten them wheresoever he found them or he might have met with them upon their return home and given commission to Death to lay hold on them assoon as they entred into their doors He might have depopulated the City of London by the Plague so that every house should have had dead Corpses lying and none to bury them He might have made our Plague wonderful fearful and of long continuance We that have survived so great a mortality have reason to say that deservedly it might have been greater that we deserved as much or more to fall for our more heinous sins than thousands that are gone down into the pitt surely it is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed he was merciful in sparing of us he would have
burn so much when the other Fire is extinguished when Londoners who have taken new houses have brought into them their old hearts and live in the practice of their old sins when the Swearers and Prophane the Drunkards and Unclean the Covetous Unrighteous and loose Livers still persevere in their wicked courses and no Judgement will put a stop to them but they grow more hardened and incorrigible when as it is said Ier. 5. 3. the Lord hath stricken them for sin but they are not grieved consumed them but they refuse to receive correction making their faces harder than a rock and refuse to return what can we conclude but that Gods anger doth still remain yea is more enraged by this aggravation of their wickedness and that he is stretching forth his hand to give them another blow God doth expect that London should use some means to pacifie his anger and he gives them time for it by the pauses which he mâ—kes between his Judgements being still slow to anger and unwilling if he be not even forced unto it utterly to destroy this place where his Name hath been called upon O that London would be perswaded unto this Duty which doth so much concern their safety and happiness when the Fire was in London and it burned so furiously and dreadfully on the Monday and Tuesday Londoners hearts were sunk within them having little hopes of getting victory over this conquerer which marched thorow their streets and therefore little resistance was made but all were busily employed in flying from him with their goods but when the fury of the Fire was something abated on the Wednesday and they began to conceive any hopes that it might be extinguished then they pluck up their spirits and join their forces and many thousand hands are at work in drawing waters and pouring them upon the Flames and their pains through Gods blessing was not unsuccessful The Fire of Gods wrath which shall devour the wicked and burn them everlastingly will be so furious and dreadful that the hearts of the damned will sink under it without the least hopes of ever extinguishing this Flame or flying from it when it hath once got hold of them And therefore they will not attempt but let alone all endeavours for ever to turn away Gods displeasure and to put out the unquenchable Fire of Hell but the Fire of Gods wrath and anger here may be put out and the flames of his anger may be turned into flames of Love Gods anger which hath been so hot against London may be cooled his wrath alleviated and his displeasure removed there is Hope in Israel concerning this thing God is not yet grown so furious that he will not be spoken unto he is easie to be entreated and therefore London may be encouraged in their endeavours to pacifie his anger Let them not say as Israel of old Jer. 2. 25. There is no hope no for I have loved strangers and after them will I go Though Gods anger be not yet turned away yet it may be turned away and though one hand be stretched out to destroy you yet the other hand is stretched forth to save you for he stretcheth forth his hand all the day long to a disobedient and gain-saying people Rom. 10. 21. O Labour then to pacifie Gods anger to quench this Fire arise and gird your selves with humility pluck up your spirits and stir up your selves to lay hold on God and stop him in the march of his Judgements bring forth your buckets draw water and pour it forth before the Lord let your eyes be like Fountains of tears the voice of weeping and mourning for sin doth turn Gods bowels within him Ier. 31. 18 19 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised c. and when he repented after such chastisements and was ashamed of his sin God doth relent and his bowels are moved for him Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him and I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. If London would be chastised and receive the impressions of grief and shame for their sins by these Judgements Gods bowels would be moved and his fierce anger would be changed into tender compassions and though he hath spoken terribly against London yet he would now speak comfortably unto her he would earnestly remember her and make her glad according to the dayes wherein he hath afflicted her and the years wherein she hath seen evil there is an excellent vertue in the tears of true repentance accompanied with the blood of Christ applyed by faith to quench the fire of Gods anger Sinners God is angry with you Psal. 7. 11. God is angry with the wicked every day and it is worse to have God angry with you than all the men in the world his favour is better than Life his displeasure is worse than Death to have God angry with you who is so Just and Jealous who is so potent and furious is very dreadful if the wrath of an earthly King be like the roaring of a Lyon what is the wrath of the King of Heaven and when his anger is stirred up by your sins and blown into a flame and breaks forth upon you what will you do you cannot hide your selves in any place where his all seeing eye will not find you you cannot flie into any place where his stretched-forth arm will not reach you you cannot gather such strength as to make head against him and defend your selves from the strokes of his vengeance who can stand in his sight when once he is angry Psal. 76. 7. O then labour to pacifie his anger you cannot fly from him O then fly unto him you cannot stand in his sight when he is angry O then fall down at his feet make peace with this adversary whilest you are upon the way before he deliver you to the officer Death and cast you into the prison of Hell Sinners Gods patience doth as yet hold his arm and his mercy calls upon you to repent and he invites you to make your peace with him Isa. 27. 4 5. Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle I would go thorow them I would burn them together or let him take hold on my strength and make peace with me and he shall make peace with me You will be like briers and thorns which will easily take fire and quickly be consumed in the time of Gods anger and if briers and thorns do offer to contend with devouring Fire what will be the issue but the burning of them up without remedy you will find it sharp and painful for your feet if you kick against the pricks you will dash out your brains if you run your head against a Rock or a brazen wall none ever hardened themselves against God and prospered none ever fought against