inflamed and distempered themselves with excessive drinking 16. A sixteenth sin of London is perverting of judgement This is a God-provoking sin when none calleth for justice nor any pleadeth for truth when men make to themselves crooked paths and there is no judgement in their goings yea when judgment is turned away backward and justice standeth afarr off and truth is fallen in the streets and equity cannot enter when truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey c. as the Prophet speaks Isa. 59. When Magigistrates are lovers of gifts and followers after rewards when they judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widdow come unto them then the Lord cryeth Ah! I will ease me of mine adversaries and aveuge me of mine enemies Isaiah 1. 23 24. I cannot charge London deeply with this sin not having been my self present much in their Courts of Judicature and I would hope that justice hath taken place here as much as in most Cities in the world but when I read what the Lord saith concerning Ierusalem Jer. 5. 1. Run ye too and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can find a man if there be any that executeth judgement that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it and when withall I consider the dreadfull judgments of God upon the City of London whereby the glory of the Magistracy and government of the City is so much stained I would submit it to enquiry whether there hath not been a failure and perverting of judgment in the City whether bribes and rewards have not blinded the eyes and the edge of the Law hath not been turned against well doers instead of evil doers wheâ—her the Fatherless and the Widdow have not been sent weeping to their heavenly Father to complain of injustice It is not a time to cover faults but to confess and leave them least unavoidable ruine come upon us when it will be too late 17. A seventeenth sin of London is Covetousness How universally hath this sin reigned in the City so that it may almost be said of London as it was of Ierusalem Jer. 6. 13. From the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness Those who have been free from gluttony drunkenness adultery and the like expensive sins have on the other hand addicted themselves to the sin of covetousness I do not charge all but oh how almost universal hath this sin among tradesmen been which hath evidenced it self both in their getting and keeping riches 1. In getting what eager desires after the world and their obtaining an estate by their trades What studies and consultations what wracking the brains and torturing the wits to find out the best way of thriving in the world what earnest prosecutions have there been and laborious endeavours rising up early and sitting up late and wearying the body and the mind all the day eating the bread of carefulness and mingling the drink with sollicitousness crouding up the whole time with worldly business so that their own health hath been disregarded as well as the worship of God neglected in the families of these worldlings and all to scrape a little worldly riches together which some have mist of notwithstanding all their endeavours and if they have obtained yet they have remained more poor in contentment than when they were more poor in their estates for as their estates have increased so their desires have increased and been farther off from satisfaction as they have enlarged their shops and trades and wealth hath flowed in upon them so they have enlarged their desires like Hell and like the Grave have never said It is enough when they have added bag to bag and house to house the more cares and fears and sometimes piercing sorrows have accompanied their gains but far have they been from finding the contentment and comfort in their riches that they looked for 2. This covetousness hath appeared in keeping what they have gotten keeping I say for covetous persons have had little heart to spend though in necessary uses what they have scraped together they have had wealth but the use of it they have not had it hath been to them like a treasure in a chest of which they had lost the key or like another mans money in their keeping which they must not meddle withall Whatever abundance they have had in the bag and in the coffer their families have been in want the table hath been penurious the back and belly have been pinched they have lived at a meaner rate than those that have been of a meaner degree The poor might starve at their doors no pitty towards others in want and misery and the least pitty towards themselves whilest they have saved for fear least afterwards they should want they have all along wanted whilest they have been saving and it may be at last they have lost what they have been keeping to the unexpressible grief and it may be breaking of their hearts which have been so set upon these things This sin of covetousness in some hath had deeper rooting in most hath had too much footing and in all hath been very heinous and abominable before God This sin is termed Idolatry in Scripture and the covetous are stigmatized with the name of Idolaters Col. 3. 5. Ephes. 5. 5. It is heart idolatry forbidden in the first commandment That thing we make a God to our selves which we chiefly affect if it be the world then we make the world our God which is inconsistent with the true love of God the Father the only true God 1 Joh. 2. 15. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him This sin of covetousness is hateful to God and provokes his wrath Isa. 57. 17. for the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him Hath not God smitten London with the plague and fire among other iniquities for this iniquity of Covetousness When London was eagerly pursuing after the World and all minding and seeking their own Interest without any regard to the Interest of Gods glory and Kingdom or care of their soul-interest and salvation which their worldly business would not allow time for did not the Lord send a Plague to put a stop to their Trade and gave them time to seek him and to make their peace with him in their retirements which they could not or rather would not finde before And when they returned with more eagerness to their Trades after the Plague was a little over that they might fetch up if they could what they had miss'd by that intermission did not the Lord send a Fire to consume much of that which they had set their hearts upon and in large legible Letters write Vanity upon this Idol which so many had worshipped Let London consider and lay to
the death of some one or more that I knew The first day that they were smitten the next day some hopes of recovery and the third day that they were dead The September when we hoped for a decrease because of the season because of the number gone and the number already dead yet it was not come to its height but from 6102. which died by the Plague the last week of August the number is augmented to 6988 the first week in September and when we conceived some little hopes in the next weeks abatement to 6544 our hopes were quite dashed again when the next week it did rise to 7165. which was the highest Bill And a dreadful Bill it was and of the 130. Parishes in and about the City there were but 4 Parishes which were not infected and in those few people remaining that were not gone into the Country Now the grave doth open its mouth without measure Multitudes multitudes in the valley of the shadow of death thronging daily into eternity the Church-yards now are stufft so full with dead corpses that they are in many places swell'd two or three foot higher than they were before and new ground is broken up to bury the dead Now Hell from beneath is moved at the number of the guests that are received into its chambers the number of the wicked which have died by the Plague no doubt hath been far the greatest as we may reasonably conclude without breach of charity and it is certain that all the wicked which then died in sin were turned into Hell how then are the damned spirits now encreased some were damning themselves a little before in their oaths and God is now damning their souls for it and is passing the irreversible sentence of damnation upon them Some were drinking Wine in bowls a little before and strong drink without measure and now God hath put another cup into their hands a cup of red Wine even the Wine of the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty some were a little before feasting their senses pleasing their appetite satisfying the desires of the flesh and being past feeling had given themselves up to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness but now their laughter is turned into mourning and their joy into howling and woe Now they have recovered their feeling again but instead of the pleasures which they felt and their sensual delights which took away the feeling of their consciences they are made to feel the heavy hand of God and to endure such anguish and horrour through the sense of Gods wrath as no tongue can express Now the Atheists believe there is a God and the Anti-scripturists is convinced of the truth of Gods Word by the execution of Gods threatnings in the Word upon them Now the covetous and unjust the malicious and cruel the scoffers and profane begin to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire and the ignorant person with the civil who are unacquainted with Jesus Christ are not excused yea the hypocrites with all impenitent and unbelieving persons are sent down to the place of weeping and surely hell wonders to see so many come amongst them from such a City as London where they have enjoyed such plenty of such powerful means of grace and place is given to them even the lowest and hottest where Iudas and others are of the chiefest note Yet Hell doth not engross all that dye by the visitation some there are though not the first or most who have room made for them in the mansions which are above the Plague makes little difference between the righteous and the wicked except the Lord by a peculiar providence do shelter some under his wing and compass them with his favour as with a shield hereby keeping off the darts that are shot so thick about them yet as there is little difference in the body of the righteous and of others so this disease makes little discrimination and not a few fearing God are cut off amongst the rest they dye of the same distemper with the most profane they are buried in the same grave and there sleep together till the morning of the resurrection but as there is a difference in their spirits whilst they live so there is a difference and the chiefest difference in their place and state after their separation from the body Dives is carryed to Hell and Lazarus to Abrahams bosome though he dyed with his body full of sores Devils drag the souls of the wicked after they have received their final doom at the Bar of God into utter darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth but Angels convey the souls of the righteous into the heavenly Paradise the new Ierusalem which is above where God is in his glory and the Lord Jesus Christ at his right hand and thousand thousands stand before him and ten thousand times ten thousand administer unto him even an innumerable company of Angels and where the spirits of all just men and women made perfect were before gathered where there is fulness of joy and rivers of eternal pleasures running about the Throne of God the streams of which do make glad all the Inhabitants of new Jerusalem Now the weak prison doors of the body are broken down and the strong everlasting Gates of their Fathers Palace are lifted up and the Saints are received with joy and triumph into glory and they come with singing into Zion and everlasting joy in their hearts and all sorrow and sighing doth fly away like a cloud which never any more shall be seen Now the vail is rent and they enter the holy of holies where God dwells not in the darkness of a thick cloud as in the Temple of old but in the brightness of such marvelous light and glory as their eyes never did behold neither could enter into their heart to conceive there they have the vision of Gods face without any eclipse upon the light of his countenance there they have the treasures of Gods love opened and his armes to receive them with dearest and sweetest embracements which kindles in their hearts such a flame of love so ravishing and delightful as words cannot utter there they are entertained by the Lord Jesus Christ whom in the World they have served and he that shewed them his grace which they have wondred at when they were in the body doth now shew them his glory which they wonder at much more There they are welcomed by Angels who rejoyce if at their conversion much more at their coronation there they sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of their Father there they find Moses and David and Samuel and Paul and all the holy Martyrs and Saints which have dyed before them amongst whom they are numbred and placed who rejoyce in their increased society And as there is a great difference between the condition of the souls of the righteous and the wicked who dyed by the same disease of the Plague after
the evening the hand was not with-drawn plentifull and powerfull hath preaching been in London in season and out of season on the Sabbath day and on the week day but hath London answered all Gods care and cost hath not God come for many years together seeking fruit and found nothing but the leaves of profession hath he not often threatned to cut down the unfruitfull Trees and not suffer them to cumber his ground any longer and when through the intercession of the Vine-dresser he hath spared them this year and another year hath not the same unfruitfulness still remained what could the Lord have done more to his Vine-yard than he hath done wherefore then when he looked for Grapes brought it forth only leaves or wilde Grapes And is it then to be wondred at if the Lord pluck down the hedge thereof that it might be eaten up by the wilde Boar and Beast of the field if he break down the wall thereof and make it waste and desolate Is it to be wondred at if he with-hold the Clouds that they rain not on it and suffer briars and thorns to spring up in it where the Plants did grow The Vine when it is unfruitful is the most unuseful of all Trees it is fit for nothing but the fire and the Lord hath threatned to gather the unfruitfull branches and to cast them into the fire and burn them and the Earth which drinketh in the rain that often falleth upon it and instead of herbs meet for the use of him by whom it is dressed bringeth forth nothing but bryars and thorns God rejecteth and curseth and in the end burneth O the unfruitfulness of London O the briars and thorns which have flourished in this ground whereby the seed of the Word hath been choaked O the hemlock the thistle and the wormwood that have sprung up in the furrowes of the field O the tares that have abounded and overtopped the wheat and how little good Corn hath there been brought forth O the wilde Olive Trees which have grown up in Gods Garden and wilde Figges and wilde Grapes which the Figg-Trees and Vines of God have yielded unto him O the leanness of his sheep in such fat pasture O the barrenness the barrenness of London under such plentifull showers of the Word instead of the fruits of righteousness which are to the praise and glory of God there have been the fruits of unrighteousness and wickedness which are to Gods dishonour instead of the fruits of the spirit which are love joy peace gentleness meekness temperance goodness faith there have been the works of the flesh fornication uncleanness lasciviousness hatred variance emulations wraths strifes seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like of which the Apostle tells us that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And those who have not abounded in the grosser works of the flesh very few of them have been very fruitfull in good works London hath had the means of grace and yet most of them without grace few of them have much grace London hath had powerfull Ordinances but but what powerful effect have they produced what have they to shew of all their Prayers and Sermons and Sacraments have they attained unto a great measure of mortification is grace grown up to a great heighth what evidences what experiences have the best got which they might have got had they been more diligent Give me leave a little more particularly to instance the unfruitfulness of London in regard of repentance faith love and new obedience the fruit which God so much looketh for and so much delighteth in 1. Where have been the fruits of Repentance in London Calls there have been to repentance frequent fervent reason for repentance sins numerous hainous need of repentance that judgments temporall eternall might be diverted that pardon happiness might be obtained and yet O the impenitency and hard-heartedness of London few bleeding hearts under the sharp sword of the Word little tenderness under the most melting discourses few converts and penitent persons did the most powerful preaching especially before the Gospels eclipse bring forth in London converting work was at a great stand though there were so many unconverted persons in the City and by the impenitency and hardness of heart in London Gods treasures of wrath have been filled up which in some measure he hath opened in these late judgments that he hath inflicted and yet the great day of his wrath is stil to come Rom. 2. 4 5. 2. Where have been the fruits of Faith in London how hath unbelief abounded the great Gospel sin more dangerous than any other and more hainous in London than in any other place O the thick vail of unbelief which hath hid Gospel mysteries and things afar off from the eyes of this people O the evil heart of unbelief which hath shut the door against the Lord Jesus Christ who hath knocked so long for entertainment O the sottishness of London to believe no more when truths have been made so plain and clear when promises have been made known so great and sure when Christ hath been preached and tendered and when Heaven hath been reveal'd and proffered and when all have such need for the most to shut the eye and ear and heart and through unbelief to refuse to give God the lye and turn upon him the back to give Christ a wound and tread his blood underfoot to give the spirit a repulse and send him away griev'd from the heart as men do by their unbelief this sin doth provoke the Lord to great displeasure 3. Where have been the fruits of love in London O the want of love to God and one to another the grace of love is necessary and sweet and hath been much pressed but little exercised in London there hath been much love of the World but little love of the Father hatred of the brethren hath abounded but there was little brotherly love burning anger there hath been litle burning love burning lusts litle burning love inordinate carnal love little true spiritual love carnal love hath exceeded the bounds but spiritual love hath been in a very low degree and when love in London hath waxed cold is it a wonder if Gods anger hath waxed so hot and broken forth into such flames as we have seen 4. Where have been the fruits of new obedience in London and expression of love to Jesus Christ by keeping of his commandments though his commandments are not grievous 3. A third sin of London is hypocrisy in the profession of religion This sin exceedingly prevailed in the late times when profession of religion was grown into fashion religion was neer in the mouths of most but far from the reins there was a general face of religion but it was no more than skin-deep It was seated in the countenance not rooted in the heart how many painted sepulchres had we in London outwardly fair and
speaketh unto men with his Word by his Spirit when he doth thus effectually call them and he speaketh unto men also by his Spirit when he graciously visiteth them which are called when he teacheth melteth warmeth quickneth strengtheneth and refresheth them by his Spirit as they sit under the influence of his Ordinances when he speaketh peace unto their Consciences sheweth them his reconciled Face sheddeth abroad his love in their hearts and giveth such sweet comforts and ravishing joy as is unspeakable and full of Glory Ioh. 6. 45. Ioh. 14. 26. Luk. 24. 32. Psal. 143. 11. Eph. 3. 16. Act. 3. 19. Psa. 85. 8. Rom. 5. 5. Psa. 94. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 2. God speaketh unto men by his Works and that either by his works of Creation or by his works of Providence 1. God speaketh by his works of Creation the Heavens have a voice and declare Gods glory Psa. 19. 1. and the Earth hath not only an ear to hear Isa. 1. 2. but also a tongue as it were to speak Gods praise We read of the Seas roaring and the Floods clapping their hands of the Mountains singing and the Trees of the wood sounding forth their joyful acclamations yea beasts and all cattel creeping things and flying fowl Dragons and all Deeps Fire Hail Snow Rain and stormy winde as they fulfill his Word so they speak and in their way declare what their Maker is or rather in them and by them God doth speak and make known something of himself Psa. 148. 7 8 10. c. We read of the Voice of the Lord in Power the Voice of the Lord in Majesty the Voice of the Lord upon the waters the Voice of the Lord dividing the flames of fire the Voice of the Lord shaking the Wilderness of Cadesh breaking the Cedars of Lebanon and the like which is the Voice of the Lord in the terrible noise of Thunder Psa. 29. 3 4 5 6 7 8. And there is no one work of the Lord though not with such a noise which doth not with a loud voice as it were in the Name of the Lord proclaim unto the Children of men how great and glorious the Lord is who hath given it its being and use and place in the world especially the work of God in the Make of man his body the members and senses his Soul the powers and faculties doth without a tongue speak the praise of that God who curiously framed the body in the womb and immediately infused the living soul Psa. 139. 14 15. Zach. 12. 1. 2. God speaketh by his Works of Providence and that both merciful and afflictive 1. God speaketh by his Merciful Providences by his patience and bounty and goodness he calleth men unto repentance Rom. 2. 4. He giveth witness of himself in giving rain and fruitful seasons Act. 14. 17. Gods providing mercies Gods preventing mercies Gods preserving mercies Gods delivering mercies the number of Gods mercies which cannot be reckoned the order and strange method of Gods mercies which cannot be declared the greatness of Gods mercies in the kinds and strange circumstances which cannot be expressed do all with open mouth call upon men from the Lord to repent of their sins which they have committed against him and to yeild all love thankfulness and obedience unto him 2. God speaketh by his afflictive Providences There is a voice of God in his Rod as well as in his Word Mic. 6. 9. Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it when God chasteneth he teacheth Psal. 94. 12. When God lifteth up his hand and strikes he openeth his mouth also and speaks and sometimes openeth mens ears too and sealeth their instruction Iob 33. 16. Sometimes God speaks by Rods more mildly by lesser afflictions sometimes God speaks by Scorpions more terribly by greater Judgements which leads to the second particular SECT II. 2. What are those terrible things by which God doth sometimes speak THe word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth he feared Terrible things are such great Judgements of God as do usually make a general impression of fear upon the hearts of people Take some instances 1. The Plague is a Terrible Iudgement by which God speaks unto men The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he spake It is a speaking Judgement where God sends the Plague he speaks and he speaks terribly the Plague is very terrible as it effecteth terrour the Pestilence which walketh in darkness is called the Terrour by night Psal. 91. 5 6. The Plague is very terrible in that 1. It is so poysonous a disease it poysons the blood and spirits breeds a strange kind of venom in the body which breaketh forth sometimes in Boils and Blains and great Carbuncles or else works more dangerously when it preyeth upon the vitals more inwardly 2. It is so noysome a disease it turns the good humors into putrefaction which putting forth it self in the issues of running sores doth give a most noysome smell Such a disease for loathsomeness we read of Psa. 38. 5 7 11. My wounds stink and are corrupt my loins are filled with a loathsome disease and there is no soundness in my flesh my lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore and my Kinsmen stand afar off 3. It is so infectious a disease it spreadeth it self worse than the Leprosie amongst the Iews it infecteth not only those which are weak and infirm in body and full of ill humors but also those which are young strong healthful and of the best temperature and that sometimes sooner than others The Plague is infectious and greatly infectious whole Cities have been depopulated through its spreading many whole families have received infection and death one from another thereby which is the third thing that rendreth the Plague so terrible 4. It is so deadly it kills where it comes without mercy it kills I had almost said certainly very few do escape especially upon its first entrance and before its malignity be spent few are touched by it but they are killed by it and it kills suddenly as it gives no warning before it comes suddenly the arrow is shot which woundeth unto the heart so it gives little time of preparation before it brings to the Grave Under other diseases men may linger out many weeks and moneths under some divers years but the Plague usually killeth within a few daies sometimes within a few hours after its first approach though the body were never so strong and free from disease before The Plague is very terrible it is terrible to them that have it insomuch as it usually comes with Grim Death the King of Terrours in its hand and it is terrible to them which have it not because of their danger of being infected by it the fear of which hath made such an impression upon some that it hath rased out of their hearts for the while all affections of love and pitty to their
sinned and done wickedly but these sheep what have they done 2 Sam. 24. 10-18 4. If it be enquired how Gods mercy to his people doth appear when these judgments have fallen so heavy upon many of them I Answer 1. Those of his own people who have fallen by the Plague are received to greater grace and mercy in Heaven than here they were capable of and they are moreover delivered from evil to come which hath since and may further come upon us 2. Those whose houses have fallen by the fire the Lord could and confident I am the Lord hath made them greater gainers another way they have lost it may be much in temporal things but they are or may be if they be not wanting to themselves gainers in spiritual things which are of a higher and more excellent nature I have known and heard of many of Gods people whose houses are burnt and goods spoyled who have taken the loss with so much chearfulness humility meekness patience contentment and thankfulness that any thing was saved if it were only their lives that it hath been my wonder and joy to gain such a spirit hath more of good than the loss of all externall enjoyments hath of evil 3. Further if these judgments have fallen upon Gods people we must know that they have their sins which have deserved them possibly some have begun now to comply with the wicked in their wicked wayes it may be they were grown more loose in their walking and formal in the service of God their hearts more set on the World of which sins more largely when I come to speak of the sins of the City and the sins of Gods people have more hainous aggravations than the sins of the wicked being committed against clearer light dearer love sweeter mercies stronger obligations and therefore provoke God the more to wrath therefore he threatneth his own people especially to punish them when they transgress Am. 3. 2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth and therefore I will punish you for your iniquities 5. Besides they may have need of awakening judgments to rouze them and humble them for sin to loosen and wean them from the World and it is in love and faithfulness that God doth inflict such judgments upon them 6. Lastly we must remember that it is Gods usual course to begin with his own house 1 Pet. 4. 17. Iudgement begins at the House of God 5. To conclude Do any of the ungodly question Gods righteousness because in these common calamities they have hitherto survived and escaped 1. It is but an ill requital and ill use which they make of Gods patience and goodness which he hath exercised towards them that hereby he might lead them unto repentance Rom. 2. 4 5. 2. Let them stay a while and God will answer them himself and give them an experimental conviction of his righteous judgments 1 Pet. 4. 17 18. If judgment begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear we read Psal. 75. 8. Of a Cup of red Wine in the hand of the Lord he may give his people to drink the top of it but the most bitter and dreggish part which is at the bottome the wicked shall wring forth and drink if God whip his children with rods he will scourge his enemies with scorpions I am perswaded that the notoriously ungodly of this generation will not go out of this World without some remarkable temporal judgment and that the Lord will make them feel something even here what an evil thing and a bitter it is so audaciously to fly in the face of the great God by their hideous oaths and blasphemies by their horrid wickedness and abominations whereby they do as it were challenge God to do his worst against them and when God doth draw forth his glittering Sword and make ready his sharp arrow upon the string when God doth cloathe himself with fury as with a garment and his hand doth take hold on vengeance when their iniquities are grown fully ripe and the day of their visitation and recompence is come how then will these sinners of England be afraid and what amazing terrour will there then surprize this vile generation Can their hearts endure or their hands be strong in the day that the Lord shall deal with them Ezek. 22. 14. Then the Lord will roar from his holy habitation with such a terrible voice as shall make their ears to tingle their hearts to quake and tremble he will roar like a Lion and tear them in pieces when there shall be none to deliver If the shaking of his rod hath moved them and the beginning of his judgments which he hath executed upon others hath affrighted them what will their behaviour be when the scourge is laid upon their own backs and judgment shall fall upon their own heads Surely the judgments intended purposely for the most ungodly are not yet come yet as they are like to be exceeding great because more of pure and unmixt wrath will accompany them so they are like to be very neer because they are filling up the measure of their wickedness so fast and they seem to be arrived even to the uttermost of sin surely their judgment doth neither linger nor slumber but is upon the wing hastning towards them surely the arme of the Lord is awakened and lifted up on high and though infinite patience doth hold it up a little while to try whether the judgments already executed upon others before their eyes will work any good effect upon them so as to awaken them and stop them and turn them from their evil wayes yet if they proceed in their sinfull course his arm I am perswaded will come down with such force and fury upon them that their destruction shall be remarkable to all that are round about them and I have much of that perswasion that the Lord will as it were hang up many of the villains of our times who have been guilty of such treachery and rebellion against the great King of heaven as it were in chains and make their punishment here as notorious as their sins have been that the whole World may hear and fear and take heed of such vile practises I suppose they may not now expect it nor fear it no more than the old World did their drowning or Sodom and Gomorrah did their burning because deceitful sin hath hardned their hearts long custome in sin with impunity hath seared their consciences as with a hot Iron but then they are in the greatest danger when they sleep with the greatest security when Men grow desperately hardned against often and all reproofs by word and rod too what followes but sudden destruction and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. and when men cry peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a
Woman with childe and they shall not escape 1 Thess. 5. 3. And if some of this untoward and wicked Generation do drop away without a remarkable temporal destruction God will make his righteousness evident to them in the other World when he claps up their souls close Prisoners in the lowest dungeon of Hell appointing black Devils to be their Jaylors flames of fire to be their cloathing hideous terrours and woe to be their food Cain Iudas and other damned tormented spirits to be their companions where they must lye bound in chains of darkness till the judgment of the great day and when the general assize is come and the Angels have blown the last Trumpet and gathered the elect to the right hand of Christ then they will be sent with the Keys of the bottomless Pit and the Prison will be opened for a while and like so many Rogues in Chains they shall together with all their fellow sinners be brought forth and finde out the dirty flesh of their bodies which like a nasty ragg they shall then put on and with most rufull looks and trembling joynts and horrible shreeks and unexpressible confusion and terrour they shall behold the Lord Jesus Christ whom in life time they despised and affronted come down from Heaven in flaming fire to take vengeance upon them who will sentence them to the flames of eternal fire and drive them from his Throne and presence into utter darkness where they must take up their lodging for evermore Then Then there will be a clear revelation of the righteous and dreadful judgments of this great God unto the world and upon this accursed generation But more fully to clear up the reason of London's judgments and the righteousness of God herein God hath indeed spoken very terribly but he hath answered us very righteously London was not so godly as some speak by way of scoff no! If London had been more generally godly and more powerfully godly these judgments might have been escaped and the ruins of the City prevented No! it was the ungodliness of London which brought the Plague and fire upon London There was a general Plague upon the heart a more dangerous infection and deadly Plague of sin before there was sent a Plague upon the body there was a fire of divers lusts which was enkindled and did burn in the bosome som tâ—mes issuing out flames at the door of the mouth and at the windows of the eyes of the inhabitants before the fire was kindled in the City which swallowed up so many habitations We have fallen thousands of persons into the grave by the Plague thousands of houses as a great monument upon them by the fire and whence is it we are fallen by our iniquities Hosea 14. 1. the Crown is fallen from our heads and what is the reason because we have sinned against the Lord. Lam. 5. 16. God hath spoken terribly but he hath answered righteously as he gives great and especial mercies in answer unto prayer so he sendeth great and extraordinary judgments in answer unto sin there is a voice and loud cry especially in some sins which entreth into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath 1 Sam. 5. 4. When God speaks by terrible things he makes but a righteous return to this cry And though these Judgments of Plague and Fire are National judgments and may be the product of National sins and I verily am perswaded that God was more highly provoked by some that dwelt out of the City than with those which dwelt in it I mean the profane and ungodly generation who chiefly did inhabit more remotely and that God being so provokt was the more ready to strike and let his hand fall so heavy upon London yet since many of the ungodly crew were got into the City it self and most in the City that were not of them did not dare to commit their impieties yet made themselves guilty by not mourning for them and labouring in their place what they could after a redress and since London it self hath been guilty of so many crying sins as I shall endeavour to shew Gods righteousness in the terrible things of London will be evident especially if we consider 1. That God hath punished London no more than their iniquities have deserved 2. That God hath punished London less than their iniquities have deserved 1. God hath punished London no more than their iniquities deserved Great sins deserve great Plagues and have not the sins of London been great Let us make an inquity after Londons sins Here I shall offer some sins to consideration and let London judge whether she be not guilty and whether the Lord hath not been plaguing her and burning her and possibly yea probably will bring utter ruin and desolation upon her except she see and mourn and turn the sooner It is out of dear and tender love to London with whom I could willingly live and die that I write these things to put them in mind of their sins that they might take some speedy course for a redress and turning away the fierce anger of the Lord which is kindled against them for sin lest he next proceed to bring utter ruin upon them surely they have not more reason to think that Gods anger is turned away since the fire than they had to think it was turned away after the Plague but rather they may conclude that though the fire of the City bee quenched yet the fire of Gods anger doth burn still more dreadfully than the other fire and that his hand is stretched out still to destroy Therefore O all yee inhabitants about Londâ—n open your eyes and ears and hearts and suffer a word of reproof for your sins and deal not with this Catalogue of your sins as Iehojakim did with Ieremiah's roll who burnt it in the fire not being able to bear his words but do with it as Iohn did with his little book eat it and digest it though it be bitter in the mouth as well as in the belly it is bitter Physick but necessary for the preservation of a sick languishing City which is even ready to give up the Ghost And here I shall begin with more Gospel-sins which though natural conscience is not so ready to accuse of yet in the account of God are the most heinous sins And I would have a regard not only to latter but also to former sins which possibly may now be more out of view and forgotten and which some may be hardned in because the guilty have not been so particularly and sensibly punished though Gods sparing of them hath been in order to their repentance or their punishments in some kinde hath been accounted by them no punishments or their punishments have been mistaken and their hearts have swelled against instruments made use of by God therein instead of accepting of the punishment of their iniquity and humbling themselves deeply before the Lord. I say I would call to remembrance former sins as well as
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
and do no more so wickedly Because God was patient formerly you presumed because sentence against your evil works was not speedily executed therefore your hearts were hardened and resolved in your evil ways Because the Lord kept silence you thought he was altogether such an one as your selves You thought it may be that he took no more notice of you than you did of him or that you had no more reason to fear him than he had to fear you You thought it may be that God had forsaken the Earth or had hidden his face and should never see your wickedness And oh how bold have you been how audacious and fearless in sin You were afraid to offend man though a Worm and yet you have not been afraid to offend God the King of the whole World Mens Laws have kept you from some sins but the Laws of God have not put upon you the least restraint You have lived and sin'd as if there were no God or as if he had been so gentle and milde and mercifull that you might do any thing to him and he not be displeased with you or as if though he were displeased yet his displeasure were not to be regarded and that he had no power to execute vengeance upon you But now Gods patience hath in a great measure been turned into fury Now sinners you may perceive a little that God can be angry and when his anger is kindled but a little if it doth express it self so dreadfully what dreadfull expressions will there be of it when it breaks forth into an open flame If his anger be such in the day of some lighter temporal Judgements what will it be in the day of the Revelation of the treasures of it upon all the wicked at the appearance of Jesus Christ But Gods vengeance now in these Judgements should work your hearts to a fear and awe of this righteous Judge who hath done such executions in the City it should bridle and stay you in that fearless course of sin in which you were rushing on as the Horse rusheth into the battle When Balaams Ass saw the Angel stand in the way with a drawn Sword he was afraid and would not go forward though spurr'd on and beaten by his Master And when God stands in the way with his Sword of Judgement which hath made such slaughter already and is lifted up again to strike you methinks you should be afraid and turn back It is the way to Hell that God stands in by his Judgements and will you break through all into those flames Oh stand in awe and sin not commune with your own hearts Consider what hath been doing in London and who hath done these things You have neerly escaped it may be with your lives Oh learn to fear the glorious and fearfull Name of the Lord God in these dreadfull Judgements And as God doth expect that the World and his Enemies should stand in awe of him so also much more that the righteous and his people should Some it may be when God gave them free access to him and admitted unto familiarity with him and encouraged them to boldness and confidence and strowed their path with nothing but Mercy it may be might abuse his goodness and forget to mingle faith and love with due reverence and respect and began to be too sawcy with God and peremptory and did not consider their originall and distance and forgat the severity which they deserved for sin Therefore God appears in the way of these Judgements with such terrible rebukes that his own people might be brought unto a due awe and fear of his Name that if they love him they may fear him too if they pray with boldness they may pray also with reverence if they rejoyce in his goodness they may tremble also at his Judgements 3. God doth expect that London should now search and try their wayes When God had punished Ierusalem with dreadfull Judgements in the Lamentation of which the Prophet Ieremiah doth spend a Book see what use and improvement he calls upon the People to make hereof Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our wayes and turn again unto the Lord. This was the practice of David in the day of his trouble Psal. 77. 6. I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search It hath been a day of Gods wrath in London a day of trouble and distress a day of wasting and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess a day of clouds and thick darkness as it was in Ierusalem Zeph. 1. 15. There have been dark and thick Clouds over London which in part have broken into dreadfull storms and amazing Tempests of Gods anger expressed in the late Judgements and all have been the product of Londons sins which may yet produce far worse effects London is then called upon with a loud voice to search and finde out those sins which have been the troublers of the City I suppose that true Citizens would be forward to search after those persons that had a hand in the first kindling and carrying on the Fire which burned their Habitations to the ground give me leave and I shall make a discovery of Londons Incendiaries how you may finde the persons how you may trace their footsteps what marks they bare what their Names are and where their abode and need I lead you far in the search The sinners the sinners of London did kindle the Fire of London it was sin which fired the first house and sin was like Oyl poured upon the flames which put such fury unto them that none could withstand untill the greatest part of the City was fallen and turned into ashes the Swearers the Sabbath-breakers the Adulterers the Drunkards the Unrighteous the Prophane and the like sinners have been Londons Incendiaries and had a hand in pulling down this and other judgements upon the place where they lived and is it hard to find out these persons are they gone far from the place of their former abode the skirts of London are remaining and if you turn up the skirts or turn your eye under them and look into the houses standing about the City may you not find many of these persons these vile sinners inhabiting who are still blowing hard at the Fire of Gods anger and pulling hard with cords of vanity and sin for further judgements Search London search and find out thine enemies thy destroyers hast not thou destroyed thy self Search and find out thy sins which have brought such mischiefs and ruines upon thee Sinners enter into your closets retire into your selves take the candle of the Lord and look into your inner rooms make a strict search into your hearts find out those filthy Lusts which lodge in dark corners and bring them forth to be slain read over the old records of your lives consult the Register of your Consciences revolve in your minds your former sins take the glass of the Word and look upon your faces
offended with Hypocrites what good will a Form do you without the Power of godliness what good will showes do you without sincere and substantial service what benefit will you get by counterfeit Graces if your Graces be not reall if your Repentance and Faith and Love and the like be feigned how uneffectual will they be to procure pardon and peace and salvation are you content to lose all your Bodily Exercise and to have all your heartless lifeless Duties rise up one day in Judgement against you What advantage will you get by a bare Profession of Religion especially in such times when profession if it be strict is discountenanced and Professors if their Lamp shine with any brightness and they carry any great sail expose themselves to danger And if you have not Sincerity which alone can yield you the true and sweet fruits of Religion you are like to lose all and of all others to make your selves most miserable you may suffer from Men because you have a Profession and you will suffer from God because you have no more than a Profession What then should you cast off your Profession No so you would turn Apostates and may fall into the sin against the Holy Ghost which will bring upon you inevitable Damnation but lay aside your hypocrisie and become sincere be that in truth which you are in show labour for sincerity in regard of your State and labour for sincerity in regard of your Duties Sinners God calls upon all of you to turn from your evil wayes by his thundering Voice Turn presently let the time past be sufficient wherein you have fulfilled the desires of the flesh and the minde go not a step forward in the way of sin least you meet with destruction suddenly and perish without remedy Turn universally say not of any sin as Lot did of Zoar It is a little one cast away all your transgressions and let no iniquity have dominion over you for the future Turn heartily from an inward Principle of hatred to sin and love to God and not from outward Considerations and meerly upon the account of sins dreadfull consequents Turn constantly and with full purpose of heart never to return unto your evil wayes of sin any more 10. The Lord doth expect after such Iudgements that London should seek him That they should not only turn from their evil wayes but also that they should turn unto him that hath smitten them and seek the Lord of Hosts Isa. 9. 13. We read Am. 5. 2. The Virgin of Israel is falen she is forsaken and none to raise her up whereupon God calls to this duty v. 4 5 6 8. Thus saith the Lord to the house of Israel Seek ye me and ye shall live but seek not Bethel c. seek the Lord and ye shall live least he break forth like fire in the house of Joseph and devour and there be none to quench seek him who made the seven Stars and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning c. the LORD is his Name and it follows v. 15. It may be the Lord will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph And when this Duty is neglected see the Threatning v. 16. Wailing shall be in all streets and they shall say in all the high wayes Alas alas and they shall call the Husbandmen to mourning and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing And now London is fallen doth not the Lord call upon them that they would call upon him and as they would turn away his anger and prevent their utter ruine that they would seek him who can turn the shadow of death into the Morning and the blackest night of affliction into a day of Prosperity and Rejoycing London seek the Lord that ye may live that there may be a reviving after the years of such death and ruines seek the Lord before the decree bring forth some other Judgement and ye pass away like Chaffe before the Whirlwinde in the day of the Lords fierce anger it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of this great City God expects that London should now pray at another rate than heretofore they have done It is said Dan. 9. 13. All this evil is come upon us yet made we not our prayer unto the Lord our God and when God had consumed Israel because of their iniquities the Prophet complains Isa. 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Had the Prayers of London been such as they should have been such as they have been the Desolations of London might have been prevented God expects that London under such Chastisements should pour out Prayers before him Isa. 26. 16. God hath spoken terribly unto them he expects that they should cry mightily unto him God expects that London should meet him in the way of his Judgements not only with weepings for their sins that they have provoked him unto so great displeasure but also with Supplications for his Mercies When Iacob was devoured and his dwelling-place laid waste Psal. 79. 7. you have their prayer v. 8 9 c. O Remember not against us former iniquities let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low Help us O Lord God of our salvation for the glory of thy Name deliver us and purge away our sins for thy Names sake And the Church under desolating Judgements doth in prayer express her self very pathetically Isa. 63. 15 c. Look down from Heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and thy glory where is thy zeal and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and thy mercies are they restrained Doubtless thou art our Father c. We are thine return for thy servants sake c. and chap. 64. 9. Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever behold see we beseech thee we are all thy people God hath been pleading and contending with London by his Judgements and God doth look that London should plead with him in prayer for his Mercies London seek the Lord of Hosts who hath come forth against you in battel and wounded you with his sharp arrows and yet hath not laid down his weapons get to your knees hang about Gods feet and arms fill your mouths with arguments to stay him in the course of his Judgements let not the Apple of your eye cease from weeping that you have displeased him and let not your tongue cease from humble and earnest Entreaties that he would pardon you and remove his displeasure from you Seek the Lord humbly put your mouths in the dust if so be there may be any hope God hears the Cry of the Humble and will not despise their Prayer Psal. 10. 17. Psal. 102. 17. Seek the Lord diligently He hath promised to be found of all them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. God looks for earnest hearty fervent Prayer There is a sweet Promise which God makes