like the Bells that ring as pleasantly at a Funeral as at a Wedding They should be as thankful when it goes ill with them as when it goes well with them Cicero complained of old that it was a hard thing to find a thankful man Oh how hard a thing is it to find burnt Citizens really cordially frequently and practically thankful that they are alive that they are out of the grave out of Hell and that yet they have bread to eat and clothes to wear though their habitations are laid in ashes and all their pleasant things destroyed But The eighth Duty that lyes upon those who have been burnt up is to keep in their hearts a constant Remembrance of the late dreadful conflagration God expects that his children should commemorate his Judgements as well as his mercies The sore Judgement that God inflicted upon Isa 26. 8 9. Psal 119. 30. 120. Sodom is mentioned thirteen times in the blessed Scripture and all to work us to mind it and to abhorr those sins that laid that City desolate The Lord looks that his people should keep up fresh in their memories such Judgements that have been long before executed Jer. 7. 12. Go to my place which was in Shilo where I set my name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people The Ark 1 Sam. 4. 10 11. of old stood at Shilo but after it was taken and carried away by the Philistins it was never brought back and from that time Shilo lay ever after desolate And this the Lord would have engraven upon their memories and upon their hearts Though stony hearts are bad yet Iron memories are good Luke 17. 32. Remember Lots wife Consider her sin and her punishment that so fearing the one you may learn to take heed of the other 2 Pet. 2. 6. And turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly There is much in those words That after should live ungodly Why hath God turned those rich and populous Cities into ashes and set them up as burning Beaconâ— but to warn all the world that they live not ungodly and to work them to keep alive in their memories the desolating Judgements of God The Rabbins say that the Jews at this day when they are to boild an house they are to leave one part of it unfinished and lying Rude in remembrance that Jerusalem and the Temple are at present desolate Oh let the remembrance of Londons desolation by fire be for ever kept up in all your hearts To this purpose consider 1. That the burning of London is a very great Judgement as I have formerly proved now great Judgements like great mercies should be alwayes kept up fresh in our memories 2. The burning of London is a National Judgement as I have formerly proved now National Judgements should be alwayes fresh in our memories 3. 'T is a Judgement that câ—rries much of the wrath and anger of the Lord in it Amos 3. 6. Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the people not be afraid Shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it V. 8. The Lion hath roared who will not fear The Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesie Now the more anger and wrath we read in any Judgement the more highly it concerns us to remember that Judgement 4. A serious commemoration of Gods Judgements is a thing that is highly pleasing to the Lord. God delights as much in the glory of his Justice as he dos in the glory of his Mercy or Grace Now when we commemorate his Judgements we glorifie his Justice that has inflicted them 5. Severe Judgements contribute much to the enlightning Hos 5. 14 15. Chap. 6. 1 2 3. Jer. 24. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Chap. 22. 8 9. of mens understandings and to the awakening of their consciences and the reforming of their lives and to work men to judge them and justifie the Lord. And therefore it highly concerns you to keep up the Remembrance of Londons Desolation by fire alwayes fresh and flourishing in your souls 6. Smart Judgements are teaching things All Gods Rods have a voice Hear ye the Rod and him that hath appointed Mich. 6. 9. it Look as Gideon taught the men of Succoth by Thorns and Bryars So God by piercing Judgements teaches both sinners and Saints to take heed of despising his patience and long-suffering and to cease from doing evil and to learn to do well And to fear and fly from all such sinful courses oâ— Isa 1. 16 17. practices that bring destructive judgements upon the mosâ— glorious Cities in the world And upon this account how deeply dos it concern us to have alwayes the late fiery dispensation in our thoughts and upon our hearts 7. All Gods Judgements are his Messengers they are all at his command The Centurion had not such a Soveraign power over his servants as the great God hath over all sorts Ezek. 14. 13 15 17 19. Maâ—th 21. 8. Isa 7. 18 19. of Judgements If the Lord do but hiss for the Fly of Egypt and the Bee of Assyria they shall come and do their office Now all Gods messengers as well as his mercies should still be kept in our eye But 8. and lastly Consider a serious commemoration of the Judgements of God will difference and distinguish you from all prophane persons and unsound Professors Psal 10. 5. Thy judgements are far above out of his sight Thy Judgements that is the plagues and punishments that thou layest upon the ungodly are high above his sight that is he fears them not he thinks not of them he minds them not he dos not seriously consider of them he is not kindly or deeply affected with them he regards them no more than a tale that is told or than Forreign Wars wherein he is not concerned Others carry the words thus He câ—steth thy Judgements out of his sight he will not so much as once mind them they are too high for him to set them before him they are hidden before him they are above the reach of his understanding and apprehension both mercies and judgements have much of God in them They speak and speak aloud but wicked men can neither see nor hear nor understand the voice of God either in the one or in the other I have read of such a Pestilential disease once at Athens as took away the memories of those who were infected with it so that they forgot even their own names One Pestilential disease or another usually so seizeth upon wicked men that they easily and usually forget the Judgements of God If God set in with these eight Arguments they will contribute more to the enabling of you to keep the late fâ—ery dispensations of God fresh in your memories than all the Pillars of Brass or Stone in the world Yet I am far
they that Lam. 4. 5. were brought up in Scarlet embraced dunghills They were scattered among the Heathen who did mock at their Sabbaths and Chap. 1. who trod their mighty men under foot yea they sought their bread with the peril of their lives And yet saith the Prophet Why Chap 5. 9. doth the living man complain Though City and Temple and Goods and Estates were all consumed in the flames yet some had their lives for a prâ—y And upon that very account they ought not to complain God might have â—urnâ—d them into ashes as he had turned their houses into â—shes and it was meer Grace that he did not which the Church wisely and ingeniously observes when she saith It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed She doth Chap. 3. â—2 not say 't is of the Lords mercy that our houses are not consumed but 't is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed nor she doâ— not say 't is of the Lords mercy that our goods are not consumed but 't is of the Lords mercy that we are not consum d The Church saw mercy much mercy tender mercy yea bowels of mercy as the word there imports that a remnant had their lives given them when their City and Substance was turned into ashes O Sirs others have lost their goods and their lives together and 't is miraculous mercy that you haâ—'t when mens wits were puzzel'd their hearts discouraged and their industry tirâ—d out When the wind was at the highest and the fire at the hottest and the hopes of most at the lowest that then you should be as brands pluckt out of the fire was glorious mercy c. In the Reign of Achmâ—t the eighth Emperor of the Turks Knolles his General History of the Turks p. 1244. a great fire arose in the City of Constantinople wherein many both men and women perished with above five hundred Shops and Ware-houses full of rich Merchandize most of which belonged unto the Jews of whom almost two hundred are said to be burnt These lost their goods and their lives together but so have not you the greater obligâ—tion lyes upon you both to think well of God and to speak well of God and to lay out your lives to the uttermost for God Certain Tartars at Constantinople in their insolency set fire upon a certain Jews house whereof arose such a terrible Knolles pag. 1266. fire as bâ—rnt not only many houses but a great many of the Jews themselves Here lives and estates went together Though Out-landish hands have set our City our houses on fire yet God has prâ—served our lives in the midst of the flames and this is a mercy more worth than all we have lost c. There was a stately Palace in Jerusalem that Solâ—mon had built which joyned near to the Temple this Palace Josephus the Jews abundantly anointed all over with Brimstone and Pitch so that when the Romans pursued the Jews unto this Palace they entered the Palace â—fter the Jews who went ouâ— again another way and shut up the Palace and set fire on the Gates which they had before anointed with Brimstone and Pitch and straight way the side walls of the house and the whole building began to be on a light fire so that the Romans had no way to escape because the fire compassed the house on every side The Jews also stood round about the Palace with their drawn Swords to cut off any that should attempt to escape the flames Now there was two and twenty thousand of the Romans destroyed in this fire Titus hearing the lamentable cry of the Romans that were compassed about in flames of fire made speed with all his Army to come and rescue them but the fire burnt so vehemently that he could save none of them Upon which Titus and his Army wept bitterly O Sirs when London was in flames if men of a Romish faith had compassed the City round about with their drawn Swords that none should have escaped the furious flames how dreadfull would such a day have been Whether such a thing was intended or designed and by any strange Providence prevented we shall know in the fittest season Numantium a City in Spain being besieged by the Romans and after it had born the brunt of War along time and made many desperate Sallies upon their enemies and were almost consumed with famine rather than they would bow their necks to the Roman yoke they barred their Gates and set all on fire and so burned themselves in the flames of their City that so they might leave the enemy nothing but ashes for his prey and triumph Here City and Citizens are destroyed together and 't is infinite mercy that this was not the fate the doom of the Citizens of London They and their City might have fallen together but God was good and a very present help in time of trouble O Sirs if not only your houses Psal 46. your shops your goods your wares but also your persons had been enclosed with flames and no possibility of escape how dreadful would the fire have been then O what tongue can express or heart conceive the sighs the groans the cryes the tears the gashful looks the horrible shrieks the dreadful amazement and the matchless astonishment that would have been upon all sorts and ranks of people that had been compassed round about with flames and could see no door of deliverance open to them O what a mercy is it that we are yet alive though we are stript of many comforts and contentments which formerly we have enjoyed Now here give me leave to open my self a little in these following particulars First What a mercy was this to all unregenerate and unconverted persons that they have had their lives for a Austin saith that he would not be a wicked man one half hour for all the world because he might die in that half hour and then he was undone for ever prey when London was in flames Had God by the flames or any other accident put an end to their natural dayes they might at this time have been a Rolling up and down in unquenchable flames Sinners Sinners the greatest weights hang upon the smallest Wyars Eternity Eternity depends upon your improvement of that time that life and those seasons and opportunities of Grace that yet you do enjoy That Rabbi hit it who said Nemo est cui non sit hora suâ— Every man hath his hour He who overslips that season may never meet with the like again all his dayes O Sirs to have a little more time to believe to repent to secure your interest iâ— Christ a changed nature a sanctified frame of heart a pardon in the bosom is a mercy more worth than ten thousand worlds To have a little more time to make your calling and election sure and to get the New Name and 2 Pet 1. 10. Rev. 2. 17. Heb. 11. 10. Chap. 12. 28. 1
into encouragements to sin then you have more cause to fear that the Lord may farther blast you than you have to hope that God will make up your losses to you But Secondly Did you daily and seriously labour to enjoy much of God in all those worldly enjoyments which formerly you were blest withal If so 't is very probable that the Lord may make up all your losses to you But if you made a God of your worldly enjoyments if they had more of your thoughts and hearts and time than God himself had then you have more cause to fear a further curse than to expect a future blessing Prov. 3. 33. Mal. 2. 2. â—ut Thirdly Did your hearts commonly ordinarily habitually lye low under your worldly enjoyments Abraham under all his worldly enjoyments was but dust and ashes and Gen. 13. 17. Chap. 32. 10. Jacob under his was lâ—ss than the least of all mercies And so David under all Gods royal favours his heart lyâ—s low Psal 22. 6. But I am a worm and no man David in the Arabick Tongue signifies a Worm to which he seems to allude Tâ—e word in the Hebrew for Worm is Tolagnath which signifies such a very little Worm that a man can very hardly see it or perceive it Tâ—ough David was high in the world yet he was little yea very little in his own eyes Was it commonly mostly thus with you when your comforts compâ—ssed you round about If so then 't is very probable that the Lord in this world will make up all your losses to you But if your blood did commonly rise with your outward goods and if your hearts did usually so swell under your worldly enjoyments as to say with Pharaoh Who is the Lord Exod. 5. 2. that I should obey his voice or to say with Nebuchadnâ—zzâ—r Who is that God that can deliver you out of my hands or to Dan. 3. 15. say with those proud Atheists Who is Lord over us or to Psalm 12. 4. Jer. 2. 3. say with those proud Monsters We are Lords we will come no more unto thee c. then you have great cause to fear that God that hath yet some further controversie with you and except you repent will rather strip you of what you enjoy than multiply further favours or blessings upon you But Fourthly Since God has burnt up your worldly goods have you been servent and frequent with God that he would burn up those lusts that have burnt up your comforts before your eyes Have you pleaded hard with God that a Spirit of burning might rest upon you even that Spirit of burning Isa 9. 2. Chap. 4. 4. which alone can burn up your sins your dross Since London hath been laid in ashes have you made it your great business to treat and trade with God about the destruction of those sins that have laid all desolate If so then you have cause to hope that God will turn your captivity and make up all your losses to you Job 42. 10. But Fifthly Since God has turned you out of all are you turned turnnearer and closer to himself though you havâ— been prodigals yet have you in the light of Lâ—ndons flâ—mes seen and Luke 15. found your way to your Fathers housâ— thâ—n God will make up all your losses to you When Judgements are so sanctified as to bring a people nearer to himself then God will drop down mercies upon them Hos 2. 18. ult But Sixthly Has the fire of London been as a pillar of fire to lead you Canaan ward Heaven-wards Has God by burning Exod. 13. 21 22. up the good things of this world caused you to set your hearts and affections more than ever upon the great things of another world If so then 't is a hundred to ten but that the Lord will make up all your losses to you But Seventhly Are your hearts under this fiery dispensation brought into such a quiet submission to the good will and pleasure of God as that you can now be contented to be at Phil. 4. 12 13 14. Gods finding at Gods allowance Can you now be contented to be rich or poor to have much or little to be high or low to be something or nothing to have all again or to have nothing but necessaries again Are you now willing that God shall choose for you Can you sit down satisfied with Gods allowance though it be far short of what once you had Content is the Deputy of outward felicity and supplies the place where its absent A contented frame of heart as to all outward occurrences is like Ballast to a Ship which will help it to sail boldly and safely in all waters When a mans mind is conformable to his means all is well One brings in God rebuking a discontented Christian thus What is thy faith Have I promised thee these things What wer 't thou made a Christian that thou shouldst flourish here in Augustine upon Psaâ—m 12. this world 'T is an excellent expression that Bellarmine hath in his Catechism Suppose saith he a King having many children of several ages should apparel them in Cloth of Gold now he that is sixteen years old hath more Gold in his Robe than the Child that is but five or six years old yet the child would rather have his own garment than his elder Brothers because 't is fitter for him Surely the fittest estate is the best estate for us Look as a great Shoe fits not a little foot nor a great Sail a little Ship nor a great Ring a little Finger so a great estate is not alwayes the fittest for us He tâ—at hath most wants something and he that hath least wants nothing if he wants not a contented Spirit O Sirs let not Heathens put you to a blush He that can be content to be at Gods finding as a Guest at a Epiâ—tâ—â—â—s Eâ—chiâ—id c. 21. Table that takes what is carved for him and no more hâ— needs not fawn upon any man much less violate his conscience foâ— the great things of the world When a mans heart is brought down to his condition he is then temptation-proof Wheâ— one told the Philosopher that if he would but please Dionysius he need not feed upon green hearbs the Phâ—losopher replied If thou wer 't but content to feed upon green hearbs thou needest not flatter Dionysius A man that can be contented with a little will keep his ground in an hour of Temptation Diogenes the Cynick housed in his Tub and making ever with his victuals and the day together being invited tâ— a great Feast could say I had rather lick Salt at Athens thaâ— feast with Craterus Diogenes had more content with his Tub. to shelter him from the injuries of the weather and with his wooden dish to eat and drink in than Alexander had with the conquest of half the world and the fruition of all the honoâ—s pompâ— treasures and pleasures of Asia The way to true riches
vessels of Honour Commonly the most afflicted Christians are the most golden Christians Zechary 13. 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tried they shall call on my name and I will hear them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God The fire of London was rather Physick than Poison there was more of a Paternal chastisement than there was of an extirpating vengeance in it and therefore certainly it shall work well it shall issue well The ninth Support to bear up the hearts of the people of God under the late fiery dispensation is this viz. That there was a great mixture of mercy in that dreadful Judgement of fire that has turned London into a ruinous heap At the final destruction of Jerusalem there was not one stone left upon Luke 19. 41. 45. another This might have been thy case O London had not mercy triumphed over Justice and over all the plots and designs of men Though many thousand houses are destroyed yet to the praise of free grace many thousand houses in the City and Suburbs have been preserved from the rage and violence of the flames What a mercy wâ—s that that Zâ—ar should be standing when Sodom was laid in ashâ—s Gen. 19. And what a mercy was this that your houses should be standing when so many thousand houses have been laid desolate Is more than a third part of the Ciâ—y destroyed by fire Wâ—y the whole City might have been destroyed by fire and all the Suburbs round about it But in the midst of wrath God has remembred mercy in the midst of great seveâ—ity Psalm 136. 23. God has exercised great clemency Had the fire come on with that rage fury and triumph as to have laid both City and Subâ—rbs level we must have said with thâ— Church The Lâ—rd is â—ighteous Had the three Children their Songs Lam. 1. 18. in the midst of the fiery Furnace and why should not they have their Songs of praise whose housâ—s by a miraculous Providenâ—e were preserved in the miâ—st oâ— Londons flames O Sirs what a mixture of mercy was there in this fiery calamity that all your lives should be spared and that many of your houses should be preserved and that much of your goods your wares your commodâ—ties shouâ—d be snatcht as so many fire-brands out of the fire If ever there were an obligation put upon a people to cry Grace Grace Grace the Lord has put one upon you wâ—o hâ—ve bâ—â—n shâ—â—â—rs in that mixture of mercy that God has exâ—ended to â—he many thousand sufferers by Lâ—ndons flames Had this Jâ—dgement of fire been inflâ—cted when tâ—e raging Pâ—stilence swâ—pt away some thousands every Week and when he City was even left naked as to her inhabâ—tants and when the whole Nation Josh 2. 9 10 11. was under a dreaâ—ful â—â—ar â—reâ—bling anâ— dâ—smayedness of spirit might there not have been far greater desolations both of houses goods and lives in the midst of us Had God conâ—ended with London by Pesâ—ilence and fire at once who would â—â—ve lodged your persons in their beds or your goods in heir Barns Had these two dreadful Judgements met Londoners would have met with but few frienâ—s in the world Well when I look upon Londons sins and deserts on the onâ— hand and upon the principles old hatred plots designs rage and wrath of some malicious persons on the other Ezek. 25. 15. hand instead of wondering that so much of the City and Suburbs is destroyed I rather wonder that any one house Tacitus writing of Rome saith Sâ—quituâ— clades omâ—ibus quid â—bi pâ—r violâ—â—â—iam igâ—ium accideraâ— gravior atque aâ—â—oior Aâ—â—al lib. 15. p. â—91 It was rich mercy that it was not so wiâ—h Loâ—don in the City or Suburbs is preserved Whilst London was in flames and all men under a high distraction and all tâ—ings in a sad confusion a secret subtle designing powerful enemy mâ—ght have risen up in the midst of you that might have spoiled your goods ravâ—shed your wives defloured your daughters and after all this have sheathed their swords in all your bowels and in that it fell not out thus what cause have Londâ—ners to bow for ever before preventing and restraining Grace Since the creation of the world God has never been so severe in the execution of his most dreadful Judgements as not to remember mercy in the midst of wrath When he drowned the old world who before were drowned in lusts and pleasures he extended mercy to Noah and his family When he rained Hell out of Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah turning those rich and pleasant Gen. 19. Cities into ruinous heaps he gave Lot and his Daughters their lives for a prey And when by fire and sword he had made Jerusalem a dreadful spectacle of his wrath and vengeance Isa 6. 11 12 13. Jer. 5. 10. 18. yet then a remnant did escape This truth we Citizens have experienced or else we and our all before this day had been destroyed Every Citizen should have this Motto written in characters of Gold on his fore-head It is of Lam. 3. 22. the Lords mercies that we are not consumed God might have made London like Sodom and Gomorrah but in the day of his anger some beams of his favour darted forth upon your London By which means the hopes of some are so far revived as to expect that London yet may be re-built and blest That 's a dreadful word When he begins he will make an end 1 Sam. 3. 12. Jer. 4. 4. Chap. 21. 12. and the fire of his wrath shall burn and none shall quench it These eradicating Judgements had certainly fallen upon London had not the Lord in the midst of his fury remembred mercy If the Lord had not been on our side may London now Psalm 124. 1 2 3. say if the Lord had not been on our side when the fire rose up against us then the fire had swallowed us up quick when its rage was kindled against us Doubtless God ne-never mingled a cup of wrath with more mercy than this Tâ—ough the fire of London was a very great and dreadful fire yet it was not so great nor so dreadful a fire as that of Sâ—dom and Gomorrah was for that fire of Sodom and Gomâ—rrah First It was a miraculous fire a fire that was besides beyond and against the course of Nature Gen. 19. 24. Then They sinned agaâ—nâ—t the light and course of nature and theâ—efore they were destroyâ—d against the course of nature by fire from Heaven the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire frâ—m the Lord out of Heaven Fire mingled with brimstone hath bâ—en found 1. Most obnoxious to the eyâ—s 2. Most loathsome to the smell And 3. Most fierce in burning He hit the mark who speaking of fire and brimâ—â—one sâ—id
himself though at first his heart was in a strange violent motion yet he recovers himself and stands still before the Lord. you hold your peace now your houses are devoured by fire What were your houses to Aarons Sons All the houses in â—he world are not so near and dear to a man as his children are In this story concerning Aaron and his Sons there are many things remarkable As 1. That he had lost two of his Sons yea two of his eldest Sons together at a clap 2. These two were the most honourable of the Sons of Aaron as we may see Exod. 24. 1. in that they only with their Father and the seventy Elders are appointed to come up to the Lord. 3. They were cut off by a sudden and unexpected death when neither themselves nor their Father thought their ruine had been so near What misery to that of being suddenly surprized by a doleful death 4. They were cut off by a way which might seem to testifie Gods hot displeasure against them for they were devoured by fire from God They sinned by fire and they perished by fire Look as fire came from the Lord before in mercy so now fire is sâ—nt from the Lord in Judgement Certainly the manner of their death pointed out the sin for which they were smitten Now what Father had not rather lose all his children at once by an ordinary stroke of death than to see one of them destroyed by Gods immediate hand in such a terrible manner 5. They were thus smitten by the Lord on the very first day of their entring upon that high honour of their Priestly Function and when their hearts were doubtless full of joy now to be suddenly thunder-struck in such a Sun-shine day of mercy as this seemed to be must needs add weight to their calamity and misery 6. They were cut off with such great severity for a very small offence if reason may be permitted to sit as Judge in the case They were made monuments of divine vengeance only for taking fire to burn the Incense from one place when they should have taken it from another And this they did say some not purposely but through mistake and at such a time when they had much work lying upon their hands and were but newly entred upon their new employment Now notwithstanding all this Aaron held his peace It may be at first when he saw his Sons devoured by fire his heart began to wrangle and his passions began to work but when he considered the righteousness of God on the one hand and the glory that God would get to himself on the other hand he presently checks himself and layes his hand upon his mouth and stands still and silent before the Lord. Though it be not easie in great afflictions with Aaron to hold our peace yet it is very advantageous which the Heathens seemed to intimate in placing the Image of Angeronia with the mouth bound upon the Altar of Volupia to shew that they do prudently and patiently bear and conceal their troubles sorrows and anxieties they shall attain to comfort at last What the Apostle saith of the distressed Hebrews after the spoyling of their goods Ye have need Heb. 10. 34 36. of patience the same I may say to you who have lost your houseâ— your Shops your Trades your all you have need yea you have great need of patience Though thy mercies are few and thy miseries are many though thy mercies are small and thy miseries are great yet look that thy spirit be quiet and that thou dost sweetly acquiesce in the will of God Now God hath laid his fiery Rod upon your Psalm 39. 9. See my Mâ—lâ— Châ—istâ—aâ— under the smarting rod where the excelleâ—cy of patiâ—nce the evil of impatience is largely set forth backs it will be your greatest wisdom to lay your hands upon your mouths and to say with David I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it To be patient and silent under the sharpest Providences and the sorest Judgements is as much a Christians glory as it is his duty The patient Christian feels the want of nothing Patience will give contentment in the midst of want No loss no crosâ— no afflâ—ction will fit heavy upon a patient soul Dionysius saith that this benefit he had by the study of Philosophie viz. That he bore with patience all those alterations and changes that he met with in his outward condition Now shall Nature do more than Grace Shall the study of Phiâ—osophy do more than the study of Christ Scripture and a mans own heart But The fourth Duty that lyes upon those who have been burned up is to set up the Lord in a more eminent degree than ever as the great object of their fear Oh how should we fear and tremble before the great God who is able to turn the most serviâ—eable and useful creatures to us to be the means of destroying of us Hâ—b 12. 28. Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Verse 29. For our God is a consuming fire Here are two Arguments to work the Saints to set up God as the great object of their fear The first is drawn from the terribleness of Gods Majesty He is a consuming fire The second is drawn from the relation which is between God and his people Our God What a strange Title is this of the great God that we meet with in this place and yet this it one of the Titles of God expressing his nature and in which he glories that he is called a consuming fire Thâ—se words God is a consuming fire are not to be taken properly but metaphorically Fire we know is a very terrible and dreadful creature and so may very well serve to set forth to us the terribleness and dreadfulness of God Now God is here said to be a consuming or devouring fire The word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is doubly compounded and so the signification is augmented and encreased to note to us the exceeding terribleness of the fire that is here meant When God would set forth himself to be most terrible and dreadful to the sons of men he dos it by this resemblance of fire which of all things is most terrible and intolcrable Deut. 4. 24. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendered consuming doth properly signifie devouring or eating it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to devour and eat and by a Metaphor it signifieth to consume or destroy God is a devouring fire a eating fire and sinners and all they have is but bread and meat for divine wrath to feed upon Deut. 9. 3. See Psal 50 3. Isa 33. 14. Deut. 28. 58. Vnderstand therefore this day that the Lord thy God is he which goeth before thee as a consuming fire he shall destroy them and
a few Fishes yea Lazarus his scraps crusts and raggs and Johns Garment of Camels hair from reconciled love is infinitely better than all the riches and dainties of the wicked which are all mixed and mingled with crosses and curses All the mercies and Prov. 3. 33. Mal. 2. 2. Psal 78. 30 31. abundance that wicked men have is in wrath and from wrath there is wrath in every cup they drink in and in every dish they eat in and in every bed they lye on and in every stool they sit on But the little the righteous man hath flowes from the sweetest springs of divine love so that they may well say as Gideon did The gleanings of the Grapes Judges 8. 2. of Ephraim is it not better than the Vintage of Abiezer The very gleanings of the righteous are better than the greatest Vintages of the wicked The abundance of the wicked still flowes in upon them from the bitter streams of Divine Wrath. A little water flowing from a sweet spring is much better than a great deal that flowes from the salt Sea The loving kindness of God dos raise the least estate above the greatest estate in the world yea it raiseth it above life it self or lives Chajim which is the best of all temporal Psalm 63. 3. blessings Ten pound given by a King out of favour and respect is a better gift than a thousand given in wrath and displeasure But Fourthly The little that the righteous man hath is blest and sanctified to him as you may see by comparing the Deut. 28. 8 9. Psalm 3. 8. Gen. 22. 17. Chap. 26. 12. Prov. 10. 22. Deut. 28. 16 17 18 19 20. Prov. 3. 33. Mal. 2. 2. Scriptures in the Margent together A little blest unto a man is better than all the world curst Now all the blessings and mercies that the wicked do enjoy though they are matetially blessings yet they are formally curses as all the crosses that befalls a righteous man though they are materially crosses yet they are formally blessings The habitations relations honors riches c. of the wicked are all crust unto them There is poyson in every cup the wicked man drinks and snares in every dish he puts his fingers in the Plague in all the clothes he wears and a curse upon the house in which he dwells Zech. 5. 3 4. Then he said unto me this is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it I will bring it forth saith the Lord of Hosts and it shall enter into the house of the Thief and into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my Name and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof So Job 24. 18. Their portion is cursed in the earth A fat purse and a fat heart a whole estate and a whole heart a fat body and a lean soul Psal 106. 15. He sent leanness into their souls All the blessings of the wicked have their but. As the Cup in Benjamins Sack which proved a snare to him rather than a mercy O the curses and vexations that attend all the blessings of the wicked It may be said of the little that a righteous man hath as it was once said of Jacobs Garment It is like a field which the Lord hath blessed He blesseth the habitations of the just Esau had Prov. 3. 33. a fair estate left him and Jacob a less yet Jacobs was a better estate than Esau's because his little was blest to him when Esau's much was curst to him One little draught of clear watâ—r is better than a Sea of brackish salt water The application is easie But Fifthly A little improved and well husbanded is better than a great deal that is either not improved or but ill improved Every estate is as 't is improved a little Farm well improved is much better than a great Farm that is either not improved or ill improved A little money a little stock in a Shop well improved is better than a great deal of money a great stock that is either not improved or ill improved Now here give me leave to shew you briefly how a godly man improves his little Take me thus First A godly man improves his little to the stirring up of his bea rt to thankfulness and to be much in admiring and Psalm 103. 1 2 3. Psalm 116. 12 13. blessing of God for a little Every drop the Dove drinks he lifts up his head to Heaven Every Bird in his kind saith Ambrose doth chirp forth thankfulness to his Maker So the righteous man will bless God much for a little yea he will bless God very much for a very little But Secondly A righteous man improves his little to the humbling and abasing of himself before the Lord as one that is 2 Sam. 7. 18. much below the least of mercies Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies which thou hast shewed unto thy servant A righteous man labours to have his heart lye low under the sense of the least sin and under the smart of the least rod and under the sight of the least mercy But Thirdly A righteous man improves his little to the arming and fencing of himself against sinful temptations Little Gen. 39. 7 8 9 10. mercies are many times great arguments to keep a gracious soul from sin But Fourthly A righteous man improves his little to the relief and refreshing of the bowels of others that are in want 2 Cor. 8. 1 2 3 4. Heb. 6. 10. and whose pinching necessities call for supplyes A poor man begging at a Christians door who was very poor he spoke to his Wife to give him something she answered that she had but three-pence in the house saith he give him that for if we never sow we shall never reap There was another Christian who having given a little of his little to a man began to think whether he had injured himself but presently he corrected himself with these thoughts that he had lent â—â— one that would pay all again with advantage with interest upon interest within an hour after he had it restored above seven-fold in a way which he never thought of The Italian form of begging is Do good for your selves But Fifthly A righteous man improves his little to the stirring up and provoking of his own heart to look after better and greater mercies viz. spiritual and eternal favours O saith the righteous man if there be so much sweetness in a few drops and sips and small draughts and crusts and scraps Psal 16. ult Joh. 4. 10 11. 14. Chap. 6. 4. Rev. 19. 8. What is in those everlasting springs of pleasure and delight that be at Gods right
hand If there be so much pleasantness in a piece of bread and so much warmth in a course Suit of clothes what sweetness is there in the waters of life and what pleasantness is there in that bread of life that came down from Heaven and what warmth is there in that fine Linnen that is the righteousness of the Saints c. A righteous man looks upon his least temporals to be a strong engagement upon him to seek after eternals But now Matth 25. wicked men are so far from improving their much their riches their great riches that they either hide their Talents as that evil servant did his or else they prove Jaylors to their mercies and make them servants to their lusts as pride drunkenness uncleanness c. Compare these Scriptures together Job 21. 1 -10 Amos 6. 1 -7 Psalm 73. Hos 4. 7. Jer. 2. 31. Chap. 5. 7 8 9. Deut. 32. 13 14 15 16 17 18. James 5. 1 2 3 4 5 6. But Sixthly The few mercies the least mercies that the righteous man hath are pledges and pawns and an earnest of more mercies of better mercies and of greater mercies than any yet they do enjoy Now a farthing given as an earnest of a thousand a year is better than many pounds given as a present reward Wicked men have outward blessings as their portion their Heaven their all Son remember Psalm 17. 14. Luke 16. 25. that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things But now that little that a godly man hath he has it as a pledge of Heaven and as an earnest of eternal favours and mercies The little mercies the Saints enjoy are doors of hope to let in greater and better mercies those mercies a righteous man has are but in-lets to further mercies When Râ—â—â—el had a Son she called his name Joseph saying the Lord shall add to me another Son Every mercy that a righteous man enjoyes Gen. 30. 24. may well be called Joseph because 't is a certain pledge of some further and greater mercy that is to be added to those the righteous man already enjoyes But Seventhly The righteous man enjoyes his little with a great deal of comfort peace quiet and contentment the righteous man with his little sits Noah like quiet and still Phil. 4. 12 13. in the midst of all the hurries distractions combustions and confusions that be in the world Though the righteous Prov. 10. 22. Chap. 15. 16 17. man has but from hand to mouth yet seeing that God feeds him from Heaven as it were with Manna he is quiet and cheerful but now wicked men have abundance of vexation with their worldly abundance as you see in Haman Esther 5. 9 11 12. 13. Then went Haman forth that day joyfully and with a glad heart But when Haman saw Mordicai in the If I had an enemy saith Latâ—mer to whom I might lawfully wish evil I would chiefly wish him great store of riches for then he should never enjoy quiet Kings gate that he stood not up nor moved for him he was full of indignation against Mordicai And Haman told them of the glory of his riches and the multitude of his children and all the things wherein the King had promoted him and how he had advanced him above the Princes and servants of the King Haman said moreover yea Esther the Queen did let no man come in with the King unto the Banquet that she had prepared but my self and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the King Yet all this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordicai the Jew sitting at the Kings gate It is seldom seen that God allows unto the greatest darlings of the world a perfect contentment Something they must have to complain of that shall give an unsavoury verdure to their sweetest morsels and make their felicity miserable It was not simply Mordicais sitting at the Kings gate but Mordicais refusing to stand up or to move either Hat head or hand or to bow any part of his body that dampt all Hamans joy and that filled him with rage and vexation of spirit The want of little things viz. a knee a hat will exceedingly vex and discompose an ambitious spirit So Ahab though a King yet when he was sick for Naboths Vineyard his heart did more afflict and vex it self with greedy longing for that bit of 1 Kings 21. 4. â—arth than the vast and spacious compass of a Kingdom could counter-comfort And so Alexander the Great in the midst of all his glory he was exceedingly vexed and discontented because he could not make Ivy to grow in his Garden in â—hâ—raulus a â—oor man was wearied out with care in keeping those grâ—at â—iâ—hes which Cyrus had bestowed upon him Babylon Contentment is a flower that dos not grow in Natures Garden All the Honors riches pleasures profits and preferments of this world can't yield a man one dayes contentment they are all surrounded with briars and thorns you look upon my Crown and my Purple Robes said that great King Cyrus but did you but know how they were lined with Thorns you would never stoop to take them up Charles the Fifth Emperour of Germany whom of all men the world judged most happy cryed out at last with grief and detestation to all his honours pleasures trophies riches Abite hinc abite longe Get you hence let me hear no mâ—re of you Who can summ up the many grievances fears jealousies disgraces interruptions temptations and Oh how sweet is it to want â—hese bitter-sweets vexations that men meet with in their very pursuit after tâ—e things of this world Riches are compared to thorns and indeed all the comforts the wicked enjoy they have more or less of the thorn in them And indeed riches may well be called thorns because they pierce both head and heart the one with care of getting and the other with grief in parting with them The world and all the glory thereof is like a beautiful Harlot a Paradise to the eye but a Purgatory to the soul A wicked man under all his enjoyments 1. Enjoyes not the peace of his conscience upon any just or solid grounds 2. He enjoyes not the peace of contentment upon any sober or righteous grounds But now a righteous man with his little enjoyes both peace of conscience and peace of contentment and this makes every better sweet and every little sweet to be exceeding sweet A dish of green Hearbs with peace of conscience and peace of contentment is a noble feast a continual feast to a gracious soul But Eighthly the righteous man sees God and acknowledges God and enjoyes God in his little Look as he that can't Job 1. 21. Gen. 27. 28. Chap. 33. 10 11. see God in the least affliction in the least judgement will never be truly humbled so he that can't see God in the least mercy will never be truly thankful nor cheerful in every crust
office of Magistracy God charges him no less then three times in a Josh 1. 6 7. 9. breath as it were to be very couragious A Magistrate that is timorous will quickly be treacherous A Magistrate that is fearful can never be faithful Solomons Throne was supported with Lyons to shew that Magistrates should be men of metal and courage The Athenian Judges sate in Mâ—rs Acts 17. 22. street to shew that they had Martial hearts and that they were men of courage and metal The Grecians placed justice betwixt Leo and Libra to signifie that as there must be indifferency in determining so there ought to be courage in executing Where there is courage without knowledge there the eye of justice is blind and where there is knowledge without courage there the Sword of justice is blunt A Magistrates heart a Judges heart and his Robes must be both dyed in grain else the colour of the one and the courage of the other will quickly fade Why should not the Standard be of steel and the chief posts of the house be heart of Oak It hath been long since said of Cato Fabricius and Aristides that it was as easie to remove the Sun out of the Firmament as to remove them from justice and equity they were men of such couragious and magnanimous spirits for justice and righteousness No Scarlet Robe doth so well become a Magistrate as holy courage and stoutness doth As bodily Physitians so State-Physitians should have an Eagles eye a Ladies hand and a Lyons heart Cowardly and timo râ—us Magistrates will never set up Monuments of their Victories over sin and prophaneness It is very sad when we may say of our Magistrates as the Heathen did of Magistrates in his time they were very good si audeant quae sentiunt if they Cic. de Mil. durst but do what they ought to do My Lord had not the Lord of Lords put a great spirit of courage boldness and resolution Rev. 1. 5 6. Chap. 1â— 14. upon you you had never been able to have managed your Government as you have done counting the various winds that have blown upon you and the several difficulties and discouragements that have risen up before you My Lord once more give me leave to say that in a Magistrate justice and mercy justice and clemency ought to go hand Truth in Scripture is frequently put for Justice in hand Prov. 20. 28. Mercy and truth preserve the King and his Throne is upholden by mercy All justice will not preserve the King nor all mercy will not preserve the King there must be a mixture both of justice and mercy to preserve the King and to uphold his Throne and to shew that mercy is more requisite then justice the word Mercy is doubled in the Text. Justice without mercy turns into rigour and so becomes hateful Mercy without justice turns into fond pity and so becomes contemptible Look as the Rod of Aaron and King John thought to strengthen himself by gathering a great deal of money together but neglecting the exercise of mercy and justice clemency and lenity he lost his peoples affections and so after many endless turmoyls he came to an unhappy end he Pot of Manna were by Gods own Command laid up in the same Ark so must mercy and justice be preserved intire in he bosom of the same Magistrate mercy and justice mildness and righteousness leniâ—y and fidelity are a safer and a stronger Guard to Princes and people then rich Mines Munitions of Rocks mighty Armies powerful Navies or any warlike Preparations It is very observable that Christ is called but once the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah in the Book of the Revelation and that is in Chap. 5. vers 5. But he is called a Lamb no less then nine and twenty times in that Book and what is this but to shew us the transcendent mercy clemency lenity mildness and sweetness that is in Jesus Christ and to shew that he is infinitely more inclined to the exercise of mercy then he is to the exercise of justice It is true Magistrates should be Lyons in the execution of justice and it is as true that â—hey should be Lambs in the exercise of mercy and clemency mildness and sweetness and the more ready and inclinable they are to the exercise of mercy where mâ—rcy is to be shewed the more like to Christ the Lamb they are God is slow to anger he abounds in pity though he be great in power Seneca hath long Psal 68. 18. Psal 103. 13 14. Hosea 11. 8. Vide Aug. de civit Dei l. 5. cap. 26. Orosius lib. 7. cap. 34. since observed that the Custom of anointing Kings was to shew that Kings above all other men should be men of the greatest sweetness and mildness their anointing being a sign of that Kingly sweetness and mildness that should be in them Theodosius the Emperour by his loveliness and clemency gained many Kingdoms The Goths after the death of their own King beholding his temperance patience and justice mixt with mercy and clemency gave themselves up to his Government When Cicero would claw Caesar he tells him that his Valour and Victories were common with the rest of his Souldiers but his clemency and goodness were wholly his own Neroes Speech hath great praise who in the beginning of his Reign when he was to subscribe to the death of any condemned person would say Uâ—inam nescirem literas I wish I did not know how to write I know there are a thousand thousand cases wherein severity is to be used But yet I must say that 't is much safer â—o account for mercy then for cruelty 't is best that the sword of justice should be always furbisht with the oyl of mercy My Lord in the management of your Government you have been so assisted and helpt from on high that stoutness and mildness justice and mercy justice and clemency hath like a silver thred run through all your Mayoralty and by this means you have very signally served the Interest of the Crown the Interest of the City the Interest of the Nation and that which is more then all the rest the Interest of your own Soul Rigour breeds rebellion Rehoboam by his severity by his cruelty lost ten Tribes in one day 1 Kings 12. 16. My Lord your prudence justice and moderation your burning zeal against the horrid hideous heady vices of this day your punishing of Oaths Drunkenness and the false Ballance your singular Sobriety and Temperance in the midst of all your high Entertainments your Fidelity and Activity your eminent Self-denial A self-seeking Magistrate is one of the worst of Plagues and Judgments that can befal a people he is a Gangrene in the head which brings both a more speedy and a more certain ruine then if it were in some inferior and less noble part of the body in respect of your Perquisites your unwearied Endeavours to see London raised out
Judgment of Fire pag. 128. to 132. The first Part of the Book Several Reasons to prove that this sin of Fornication cannot groundedly be charged upon any of the precious Servants of the Lord that did truly fear him in the City of London p. 132. to 137. These Expressions of giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange flesh implies six things pag. 134 135 136 137. G. Of God His God notes three things pag. 176. The first Part of the Application There are three things in God to encourage Christians under all their fiery tryals pag. 178 179. Of the Gospel The slighting of the Gospel brings desolating judgments pag. 100. to 104. The first Part of the Book Six sorts of slighters of the Gospel pag. 104. to 108. Saints no slighters of the Gospel of Grace and of the Graces of the Saints proved by seven Arguments pag. 108. to 112. God by fiery tryals designs the reviving quickning and recovering of the decayed Graces of his people pag. 41 42 43. God by fiery tryals designs a further exercise of his Childrens Graces pag. 43 44 45 46. God by fiery tryals designs the growth of his peoples Graces pag. 46 47 48 49. God by fiery tryals designs the tryal of his peoples Graces and the discovery of their sincerity and integrity to the world pag. 49 50 51 52 53. Many Christians Graces in London were withering before the fiery Dispensation pag. 61 62. H. Of Heaven Heaven is a City that is built upon a fivefold foundation pag. 228 229. The first Part of the Application The resemblance betwixt Heaven and a City holds in nine respects pag. 229 230 231. Hand See the Hand of the Lord in this late fiery Dispensation Ten Arguments to work you to this pag. 1. to 38. Of Holiness In these days of the Gospel all Holiness of places is taken away pag. 141. to 146. I. Of Intemperance Intemperance brings desolating judgments pag. 75 76 77 78. The first Part of the Book Six things Intemperance robs men of pag. 78. to 84. Of Judgments In eight respects great judgments are like to fire 7 8 9. The ends of God in inflicting the late judgment of Fire in respect of the wicked are seven pag. 12 to 31. The ends of God in inflicting the late judgment of Fire in respect of the Righteous are at large discovered pag. 31 to 53. The Sword is a worse judgment then that of Fire pag. 91 92. The first Part of the Application Famine is a more dreadful judgment then that of Fire pag. 92 93 94 95. Dreadful Earth quakes are a more terrible judgment then that of Fire pag. 95 96 97 98. That judgment that befel Korah Dathan and Abiram a more terrible judgment then that which befel the burnt Citizens pag. 98 99. That judgment that came upon Sodom and Gomorrah was a worse judgment then that was inflicted upon the burnt Citizens pag. 99. Eight Arguments to encourage the burnt Citizens to commemorate the late judgment of Fire pag. 182 183 184. There are seven sorts of men that have cause to fear worser judgments then any yet have been inflicted on them pag. 222 L. Lamentation Lament and mourn that London is laid in Ashes pag. 38 39 40. Ten Considerations to work you to lament over London's ashes pag. 40. to 57. Of a Little The righteous mans little is better then the multitude of Riches that many wicked men enjoy this blessed truth is made good by an induction of eleven particulars pag. 197. to 212. Five ways shewing how a righteous man improves his little pag. 203 204. Of London The burning of London was ushered in by sad Prodigies anâ— dreadful fore-runners pag. 40 41 42. London was an ancient City a City of great Antiquity pag. 42 43. London was an honourable City a renowned City pag. 43 44 45. London was the Bulwark the strong Hold of the Nation pag. 45 46 47 48. London was a Fountain a Sanctuary a City of Refuge to the poor afflicted and impoverished people of God pag. 48 49. London was a City compact a City advantagiously situated for Trade and Commerce pag. 49 50. Englands worst Enemies rejoyce and triumph in London's Ashes pag. 50. London was once the City of our solemn Solemnities pag. 50 51 52. Hubert confest the fact of firing the first house in London pag. 52 53 54 55 56 57. Of Losses Seven great losses an inordinate love to the world will expose a man to pag. 59 60 61. The first Part of the Book Eight ways whereby the burnt Citizens may know whether in this world God will make up their losses by the late Fire or no pag. 76 77 78 79 80. The first Part of the Application There are ten choice Jewels that a Christian can never lose in this world pag. 156 157 158 159. Of Luke-warmness There was much Luke-warmness among many Professors in London pag. 57 58. Of Lying A trade or course of Lying brings the judgment of Fire pag. 112 113. The first Part of the Book The School-men reduce all sorts of Lyes to three pag. 113 114 115 116. The greatness of the sin of Lying exprest in four particulars pag. 116. to 123. Eight Arguments to prove that this trade this course of Lying cannot by any clear evidence be charged upon those that truly feared the Lord whose Habitations were once within the Walls of London pag. 123. to 128. M. Of Mercy It was a very great mercy to six sorts of men that they had their lives for a prey when London was in flames pag. 60 to 70. O. Objections Object I would say the Lord is righteous but by this fiery Dispensation I am turned out of house and home Answ Four ways pag. 135 to 148. Object I would justifie the Lord but I have lost my all as to this world Seven Answers you have from pag. 150 to 159. Object I would justifie the Lord though I am turned out of all but this is that which troubles me that I have not an Estate to do that good which formerly I have done Four Answers you have from pag. 159 160 161. Object I would justifie the Lord though he hath turned me out of all but God hath punished the righteous with the wicked this fiery Rod hath fallen heavier upon many Saints then upon many sinners How then can I say that the Lord is righteous Six Answers are given to this Objection pag. 161 to 166. P. Of Punishment Quest How will it stand with the unspotted Holiness Justice and Râ—ghteousness of God to punish a temporary offence with eternal punishments Seven Answers to this Question pag. 125 to 131. Q. Quest What are those sins that bring the fiery Dispensation upon Cities Nations and Countries Answ From pag. 53 to 168. The first part of the Book Quest What sins were there among the professing people in London that might bring down the fiery Rod upon them Answ Seven pag. 55 to 63. Quest Four Questions proposed pag. 63 64.
the face of the Earth Some Heathen Philosophers thought anger an unseemly Attribute to ascribe to God And some Hereticks conceived the God of the New Testament void of all anger They imagined two Gods the God of the Old Testament was in their account Deus justus a Deity severe and revengeful But the God of the New Testament was Deus bonus the good God a God made up all of mercy they would have no anger in him but Christians do know that God proclaims this Attribute among his Titles of Honour Nehem. 1. 2. God is jealous and the Lord revengeth and is furious he reserveth wrath for his enemies 'T is the high-way to Atheism and Prophaneness to fancy to our selves a God made up all of mercy to think that God cannot tell how to be angry and wroth with the sons of men Surely they that have seen London in flames or believe that 't is now laid in ashes they will believe that God knows how to be angry and how to fix the tokens of his wrath upon us But Fourthly God inflicts great and sore Judgments upon the sons of men and upon Cities and Countries that they may cease from sin receive instruction and reform and return to the most High as you may evidently see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margine together Gods corrections should be our instructions his lashes should be our lessons Isa 26. 9. Psal 94. 12. Prov. 3. 12 13. Chap. 6. 23. his scourges should be our School-masters his chastisements should be our advertisements And to note this the Hebrews and the Greeks both express chastising and teaching by one the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Masar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paideia because Job 36. 8 9 10. and chap. 33. 19 20. the latter is the true end of the former according to that in the Proverb Smart makes wit and vexation gives understanding Whence Luther fitly calls affliction Theologiam Christianorum Levit. 26. Deut. 28. 2 Chron. 7. 13 14. Amos 4. 6. to verse 12. Isa 9. 13. Jer. 5. 3. Jer. 6. 29 30. Ezek. 23. 25 26 27. The Christian mans Divinity Jer. 6. 8. Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soul depart from thee lest I make thee desolate a land not inhabited Zeph. 3. 6 7. I have cut off the nations their towers are desolate I made their streets waste that none passed by their cities are destroyed so that there is no man that there is no inhabitant I said Surely thou wilt fear me thou wilt receive instruction so their dwellings should not be cut off However I punished them but they rose early and corrupted all their doings By all the desolations that God had made before their eyes he designed their instruction and reformation From those words Judg. 3. 20. I have a message from God unto thee O King said Ehud Lo his Ponyard was Gods message from whence one well observes That not only the vocal admonitions but the real Judgments of God are his Errands and instructions to the world God delights to win men to himself by favours and mercies but 't is rare that God this way makes a conquest upon them Jer. 22. 21. I spake unto thee in thy prosperity Deut. 32. 14 15 16 17. Jer. 5. 7 8 9 10. Psal 73. 1. 10. saith God but thou saidst I will not hear and therefore 't is that he delivers them over into the hands of severe Judgments as into the hands of so many curst School-masters as Basil speaks that so they may learn obedience by the things â—hey suffer as the Apostle speaks It is said of Gideon he took Judg. 8. 16. bryars and thorns and with them he taught the men of Succoth Ah poor London how has God taught thee with bryars and thorns with Sword Pestilence and Fire and all because thou wouldst not be taught by prosperity and mercy to do justice to love mercy and to walk humbly with Mich. 6. 8. â—am 3 32 33. Isa 28. 21. Schola crucis schola laciâ— â—y God God delights in the Reformation of a Nation but he doth not delight in the desolation of any Nation Gods greatest severity is to prevent utter ruine and misery If God will but make Londons destruction Englands instruction it may save the Land from a total desolation Ah London London I would willingly hope that this fiery Rod that has been upon thy back has been only to awaken thee and to instruct thee and to refine thee and to reform thee that after this sore desolation God may delight to build thee and beautifie thee and make thee an eternal excellency a joy of many generations But Isa 60. 15. Fifthly God inflicts sore and great Judgments upon the sons of men that he may try them and make a more full discovery of themselves to themselves Wicked men will never believe that their lusts are so strong and that their hearts are so base as indeed they are 2 Kings 8. 12 13. And Hazael said Why weepeth my Lord and he answered Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the Children of Israel their strong holds wilt thou set on fire and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt dash their children and rip up their women with child And Hazael said But what is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing And Elishu answered The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be King over Syria Hazael could not imagine that he should be as fierce cruel murderous and merciless as a dog that will tear all in pieces that he can come at It could never enter into his thoughts that ever he should do such cruel barbarous horrid and inhumane acts as the Prophet spoke of but he did noâ— know the depth of his own corruption nor the desperateness nor deceitfuâ—ness of his own heart Isa Jer. 17. 9. 8. 21. And they shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry and it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry they shall frâ—t themselves and curse their King and their God and look upward When Judgments are upon them then their wickedness appears rampant They shall curse their own King for not defending protecting or relieving of them they shall look upon him as the cause of all their wants sorrows and sufferings and as men overwhelmed with misery and full of indignation they shall fall a cursing of him And they shall curse their God as well as their King that is say some the true God who deservedly brought these plagues upon them Their God that is say others their Melchom to whom they had sacrificed and in whom they see now that they vainly trusted So those desperate wretches under the Beast Rev. 16. 8 9. And the fourth Angel poured out his vial upon thâ— Plutarch observes that it is the quality of Tygers to grow mad and tear themselves in pieces if they hearbut Drums or Tabers to sound about
them lâ—b de superstitione Sun and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire And the men were scorched with great heat and blasphemed the Name of God which hath power over these plagues and they repâ—nted not to give him glory Vers 10. And the fifth Angel poured out his vial upon the scent of the Beast and his Kingdom was full of darkness and they gnawed their tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds The top of the Judgment that is and shall be upon the wicked is this that under the sorest and heaviest Judgments that shall come This will be the case of all the worshippers of the Beast one day Deut. 8. 2. 15 16. upon them they shall not repent nor give glory to God they shall blaspheme the Name of God and they shall blaspheme the God of Heaven and they shall be scorched with great heat and they shall gnaw their tongues for pain but they shall not repent of their deeds nor give glory to that hand that smites them The fierce and fiery Dispensations of God upon the followers and worshippers of the Beast shall draw out their sins but they shall never reform their lives nor better their souls God kept the Jews forty years in the Wilderness and exercised them with many sore and smart afflictions that he might prove them and make a more full discovery of themselves to themselves and did not the heavy tryals that they met with in their wilderness condition make a very great discovery of that pride that unbelief that hypocrisie that impatience that discontent that self-love that murmuring c. that was wrapt up close in all their souls O Sirs since God has turned our renowned City into ashes what discoveries has he made of that pride that unbelief that worldliness that earthliness that self-love that inordinate affection to relations and to the good things of the world that discontent that disquietness that faint-heartedness that has been closely wrapt up in the spirits of many thousands whose habitations are now laid in ashes We try metals by fire and by knocking and God has tryed many thousands this day by his fiery Dispensations and knocking Judgments that have been in the midst of us I believe there are many thousands who have been deep sufferers by the late dreadful Fire who never did think that there had been so much sin and so little grace so much of the Creature and so little of God so much earth and so little of Heaven in their hearts as they now find by woful experience and how many wretched sinners are there who have more blasphemed God and dishonoured Christ and provoked divine Justice and abused their best mercies and debased and be-beasted themselves since the late Fire then they have done in many years before But Sixthly God inflicts great and sore Judgments upon Persons Cities and Countries that others may be warned by his severities to break off their sins and to return to the most High Gods Judgments upon one City should be advertisements to all other Cities to look about them and to Heb. 12. 29. tremble before him who is a consuming fire The flaming Rod of correction that is laid upon one City should be a Rod of instruction to all other Cities Jer. 22. 6 7 8 9. I will make thee a wilderness and cities which are not inhabited and many nations shall pass by this city and they shall say every man to his neighbour Wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this great City Then shall they answer Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God and worshipped other gods and served them God punisheth one City that all others Cities may take warning There is no Judgment of God be it Sword Pestilence Famine or Fire upon any People City Nation or Country but what is speaking and Mich. 6. 9. teaching to all others had they but eyes to see ears to hear and hearts to understand Thus Tyrus shall be devoured with fire saith the Prophet Ashkelon shall see it and fear Zach. 9. 4 5. Gaza and Ekron shall be very sorrowful When Ashkelon Gaza and Ekron shall see the destruction of Tyre by fire it shall make them afraid of the like Judgment they shall be a little more concerned then some were at the Siege of Rhodes and then others were at the Ruine and Desolation of Troy by fire London's sufferings should warn others to take heed of London's sins London's Conflagration should warn others to take heed of London's abominations it should warn others to stand and wonder at the patience Rom. 2. 4 5. long-suffering gentleness and goodness of God towards them who have deserved as hard things from the hand of God as London have felt in 1665. and 1666. It should warn others to search their hearts and try their ways and break off their sins and turn to the Lord lest his anger should break forth in flames of fire against them and none should be able to deliver them It should warn others to Lam. 3. 40. fear and tremble before that Power Justice Severity and Soveraignty that shine in Gods fiery Dispensations towards us Ezek. 30. 7 8 9. And they shall be desolate in the midst Exod. 15. 14 15 16. Isa 13. 6 7 8. â—f the countries that are desolate and her Cities meaning Egypt shall be in the midst of the Cities that are wasted And they shall know that I am the Lord when I have set a fire in Egypt In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make the careless Aethiopians afraid and great pain shall câ—me upon them as in the day of Egypt for lo it cometh God by his secret Instinct and Providence would so order the matter as that the news of the Chaldeans inrode into Egypt laying all their Cities and Towns waste by fire and sword should be carried over into Aethiopia and hereupon the secure Aethiopians should fear and tremble and be in pain as a woman is that is in travel or as the Egyptians were when they were destroyed at the Red-sea or as they were when the Lord smote their first-born throughout the Land of Egypt Now shall the Aethiopians the poor blind Heathens fear and tremble and be in pain when they hear that Egypt is laid waste by fire and sword and shall not Christians all the world over fear and tremble and be in pain when they shall hear that London is laid waste that London is destroyed by fire What though Papists and Atheists have warmed themselves at the flames of London saying Aha so would we have it yet let all that have the Name of God upon them fear and tremble and take warning and learn righteousness by his righteous Judgments upon desolate London Isa 26. 8 9. London's murdering-piece should be Englands warning-piece to awaken them and to work them to
not say more of a holy Liberty Liberty to serve and worship the Lord according to his own prescriptions and directions laid down in his blessed Word by which all worship and worshippers must be tryed at last is a pearl of price that none can sufficiently value Justinus the second Emperors Motto was Libertas res inaestimabilis Liberty is unvaluable The Lord give his people holy wise prudent sober humble and understanding hearts that they may know both how to prize and how to improve those liberties and mercies that he has handed to them through terrible Dispensations But Secondly God inflicts great Tryals and sore Judgments upon Persons and Places that he may awaken his own people out of that deep security that oftentimes seizeth upon Psal 30. 5 6 7 8 9. Math. 25. 5. 2 Sam. 2. 7. 15. and Chap. 24 15 16 17. 2 Kings 14. 25. Math. 12. 40. Jonah 1. 1 2 3. them What deep security had seized upon David so that God was forced to make use of the bloody Sword and of the sweeping Pestilence to awaken him Jonah was a Prophet he was a Servant of the Lord he was a Type of Christ he was a good man his name Jonah signifies a Dove though he had but little of the Dove in him being as passionate a man of an honest man as you have lightly heard of saith Luther Now Jonah having contracted guilt upon his conscience by acting quite contrary to Gods royal Call what a desperate senseless stupidity and security had seized upon him what a spiritual lethargy was poor Jonah in not much unlike that of the Smith Dog whom neither thâ— hammers above him nor the sparks of fire falling round about him can awake Jonah was not in a slumber but in a sound heavy deep and dead sleep and what a wonder what a prodigie was here that in all this stir and tumult and danger the winds whiâ—â—ling and roaring the Sea working raging swelling frothing foaming and boiling like a pot the waves mounting up to Heaven and sinking down again to Hell as the Psalmist speaks the ship tumbling and tossing like a Tennis-ball the Mariners as stout fellows as they were surprized with fear and running up and down like men at their wits end like men that could not look pale death in the face with blood in their cheeks that yet Jonah should sleep and be as secure in that dreadful danger as if he had been in his own house sleeping on a bed of doune Oh the desperate security that may seize upon the best of Saints but this security God will cure in his Jonas's by some smart Tryal or by some heavy Judgment or other The Lethargy is best cured by a burning Ague Absolon 2 Sam. 14. 30. sends once or twice to Joab to come and speak with him but when he saw that Joab would not come he commands his corn-fields to be set on fire and this awakens him and fetches him with a witness So God by fiery afflictions and by burning up our comforts round about us awakens us and brings us to himself with a witness When Iron grows rusty we put it into the fire to purifie it and so when the people of God grow rusty and secure then the Lord brings them under fiery tryals to awaken them and to purifie them If Nero was so angry with Vespasian because he slept at his Musick how much more may the Lord be angry with all such as sleep and are secure under the most amazing and awakning Judgments But my hope and prayer is that the Lord has and will more and more graciously and effectually awaken all the wise slumbring Virgins upon whom this fiery Dispensation has past And therefore Thirdly In respect of his peoples sins God has several special ends that he aims at by all the fiery Tryals and smart Providences that he exercises them and others with As First God by these means designs a further and a fuller discovery of their sins In standing waters you cannot see the mud that lyes at the bottom of the Pool or Pond but Deut. 8. 2. when once the water is drawn away then it appears In times of prosperity there is a great deal of mud a great deal of Atheism unbelief discontent murmuring impatience passion pride c. that lyes at the bottom of mens hearts undiscovered Oh but when God shall once empty them of their Estates and burn up all their outward comforts and set them with Job upon the dunghil then the mud appears then a whole army of lusts discover themselves as we see in many this day whom you shall rarely find without tears in their eyes sighs in their hearts and complaints in their mouths Severe Providences are pills made purposely to clear the eye-sight 1 Kings 17. 18. And she said unto Elijah What have I to do with thee O thou man of God art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son If God had not taken away her son her sin had not been brought to remembrance O Sirs if God by this late dreadful Fire had not taken away your houses your goods your estates your trades many of your sins had not been brought to your remembrance though now you have lost most or all You may say with the Psalmist My Psal 51. 3. Turn to the Scriptures Gen. 42. 21. Jon. 4. 8 9. Jer. 9. 7. ult sins are ever before me my pride is ever before me my unbelief is ever before me my frowardness is ever before me my murmuring is ever before me my discontent is ever before me and my impatience is ever before me c. Good men never come to know how bad they are till they come to be exercised with severe Providences and smart Tryals It was the speech of a Holy man in a great sickness In thiâ— disease I have learned how great God is and what the evil of sin is I never knew to purpose what God was before nor what sin was before Afflictions are a Christians Glass in which they may run and read the greatness of God and the vileness of sin But Secondly By severe Providences and fiery Tryals God designs the preventing of sin Paul was one of the holiest men on earth called by some an earthly Angel and yet he needed a thorn in the flesh to prevent pride 2 Cor. 12. 7. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure Paul was in very great danger of being exalted above measure witness the doubling of those words in one verse Lest I should be exalted Lest I should be exalted Prudent Physicians sometimes give Physick to prevent diseases and so does the Physician of Souls as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margine together The Job 33. 19-17 Chap. 34. 31 32. Job 40. 4
5. Hos 2. 6 7. burnt child dreads the fire Sin is but a bitter sweet 't is an evil worse then Hell it self Salt brine preserves from putrefaction and salt Marshes keep the sheep from rotting and so sharp Tryals severe Providences preserve the Saints from spiritual putrefying and from spiritual rotting The Rabbins to keep their Scholars from sin were wont to tell them that sin made Gods head ake and Saints under fiery tryals do find by experience that sin makes not only their heads but also their hearts ake and by this means God preserves his people from many sins which otherwise they would certainly fall into Beloved God by his fiery Dispensations has destroyed many or most of your outward comforts but little do you know the horrible sins that by this means the Lord has preserved you from A full Estate lays men most open to the greatest sins the worst of shares and the deadliest temptations The best of men have fallen foulest under their highest worldly enjoyments witness David Solomon Hezekiah c. Under your outward fulness how low was your communion with God how languishing were your Graces how lean were your Souls and how was your spring of inward Comforts dryed up How little had God of your thoughts your hearts your time your strength O Sirs how bad would you have been by this time if God had not removed those things that were but fuel to your lusts and quench-coals to your grace Well often think of this 't is a greater mercy to be preserved from sin yea from the least sin then 't is to enjoy the whole world But Thirdly By severe Providences and by fiery Tryals God designs the imbittering of sin to his people When God shall come and burn up mens comforts round about them then they will cry out Ah what a bitter thing is sin that puts God upon burning work then they will speak that language to their own Souls that the Prophet once spake to the Jews Jer. 2. 15. They made his land waste his cities are burnt with fire Vers 17. Hast thou not procured these things to thy self Vers 19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of Hosts So Chap. 4. 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thy heart Yea now they will say that sin is bitternesses in the abstract and in the plural number also according to that of the Prophet Hosea Hos 12. 14. Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly or with bitternesses as the Hebrew has it Relations and friends may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and conscience may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and good books may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and men under terrours and horrours of spirit may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and the fore and heavy Judgments of God upon others may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and the Spirit by his secret whispers may tell us that sin is a bitter thing and Ministers may tell us that sin is a bitter thing they may tell you that 't is bitter to God it being the only thing in all the world that he has revealed his wrath from Heaven against and that is contrary to the Nature of God the Law of God the Being of God the Glory of God and the grand Designs of God They may tell you that 't is bitter to Christ witness his crying out in the bitterness of his Soul My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and witness the sorrows and heaviness of his Soul and his sweating clods of blood When he hung upon the Cross they gave him gall and vinegar to drink but no gall was so bitter to him as your sins They may tell you that sin is bitter to the Spirit of God Gen. 6. 3. Eph. 4. 29. for nothing grieves him and provokes him and vexes him but sin They may tell you that sin is bitter to the good Angels every sin that you commit is as a dagger at their hearts there is nothing in all the world so bitter to them as to see their Lord and Master daily yea hourly crucified by sinners fins They may tell you that sin is bitter to the evil Angels it being the only thing for which they were banished the Court of Heaven and turned down to the lowest Hell where they are kept in chains of darkness to the Judgment Jude 6. of the great day They may tell you that sin is bitter to the worst of men witness Adams hiding of himself and Gen. 3. 10. Math. 27. Gen. 4. 13. Rom. 8. 20 21 22. Judas his hanging of himself and Cains crying out My burden is greater then I am able to bear They may tell you that 't is bitter to the Creatures who groan under their burdens and who long to be delivered from that bondage that the sin of man hath subjected them to and yet for all this we will not feelingly affectionately experimentally say that sin is bitter till God comes and burns us up Lam. 4. 11. And gives us gall and wormwood to drink Chap. 3. 19 20. Remembring mine affliction and my misery the wormwood and the gall My soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me O Sirs how bitter should sin be to you who have seen London all in flames Certainly God by burning up your sweet pleasant and delightful things would teach you to taste a greater bitterness in sin then ever O happy Fire that shall render God and Christ and Heaven and Promises and Ordinances more sweet and sin more bitter to poor sinners Souls Doubtless one of Gods great designs by this late Judgment of Fire is to imbitter sin to all sorts of men When Judgments imbitter our sins to us then they work kindly powerfully effectually and then we may conclude that there was a hand of love in those Judgments and then we shall justifie the Lord and say with the Church Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against him or as the Hebrew runs Because I have imbittered him he is righteous in all the sore judgments that he hath inflicted upon me for I have imbittered him against me by my most bitter sins But Fourthly By severe Providences and fiery Tryals God designs the mortifying and purging away of his peoples sins Isa 1. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee to wit to correct or chastise thee and purely purge away thy dross or drosses Dan. 11. 35. Mal. 3. 1 2 3. Gods fire is in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem Isa 31. 9. and take away all thy tin or tins in the plural number Some by dross understand gross
the Sea The winds are Gods Posts they are sometimes messengers of mercy and sometimes messengers of wrath Psal 147. 18. He causeth his wind to blow The winds are at Gods command to come and go and go and come at his pleasure When there is nothing but a sweet smooth and silver calm on the Seas if God dos but give forth a word of command how soon are they thrown into Hills and Mountains and how dreadfully do the waves dash and clash one against another Psal 148. 8. Fire and Hail Snow and Vapours stormy Wind fulfilling his word Sometimes the word that God has to fulfill is a saving word and sometimes 't is a destroying word a drowning word a sinking word Now according to the word that God has to fulfill so do the winds alwayes blow The Lord hath the winds at command to be his Executioners and administrators either of destruction or preservation What are stormy winds at Sea or a Shore but the utterings of Gods voice in wrath and judgement Sometimes God is said to fly upon the wings of Psal 18. 10. 2 Sam. 22. 11. Psal 104. 3. the wind and sometimes he is said to ride upon the wings of the wind and sometimes he is said to walk upon the wings of the wind Now these things are spoken after the manner of men to shew that the winds are continually acted and governed by a Divine Power God flies upon the wings of the tempestuous winds speedily to execute the vengeance Exod. 15. 10. Exod. 14. 21. written and he rides and walks upon the wings of the more sâ—â—t easie and gentle gales of the wind that he may make good the mercies promised No creatures in Heaven or on Earth hath the winds at command but God solely and properly Every wind that blows has a commission under the Great Seal of Heaven to bare it out in all it dos If the winds should be examined questioned and required to give in a full and exact account of the many thousand Marriners that they have drowned and of the many thousand Ships that they have spoyled and destroyed and of the many ten thousand houses that they have blown down at some times and of the many score thousand houses that when the fire has been kindled they have helpt to consume and reduce to ashes at other times they would shew you the hand and seal of Heaven for all they have done The Soveraignty and greatness of God doth eminently shine and sparkle in this that the winds are originally in his hand He gathereth the wind in his fâ—st God keeps the Prov. 30. 4. royaltie of all the creatures in his own hand The winds are greater or lesser of a longer or shorter continuance according to the will and pleasure of the great God and not according to the workings of second causes The more civilized Heathens had this notion amongst them That the winds were under the Dominion of one Supream Power and therefore dividing the world among sundry Gods they gave the honor of the Winds to Aeâ—lus whom they ignorâ—ntly suppose had a power to lock them fast or to let them loose at his pleasure These poor besotted Heathens thought that their feigned God Aeâ—lus had power to govern and bridle the winds and to turn them this way and that way as a man governs the Charâ—ot in which he ridâ—th And many ignorant Atheistical wretches when the winds are boisterous and violent they are ready to say that there is conjuring abroad and that the Dâ—vil is at work but they must know that the Devil has not power of himself to raise one blast of wind no nor so much wind as will stir a sea ther. I know that the Devil is the Prince of the power of Ephes 2 2. the air and that when God will give him leave to play Râ—x for ends best known to himself he can then raise such storms and tempests both at Sea and a Shore as shall dash the stoutest Ships in pieces and remove Mountains and makâ— the most glorious Cities in the world a ruinous heap he can easily and quickly raze the foundations of the fairest the Job 1. 19. richest the strongest and the renownest and the oldest buildings in the world if God will but permit him But without Divine permission no Angel in Heaven no Devil in Hell nor no Witch on Earth can raise or continue the winds one moment Satans power over the wind is only a derivative power a permissive power but the Lords power over the wind is a supream power an absolute power an independant power Now O what eminent cause have we to see the hand of the Lord in that boisterous wind that continued four dayes and nights and that carried the fire to all points of the Compass to all parts of the City if I may so speak till our glorious City was laid in Ashes Oh how great were the sins of that people Oh how great was the anger of that God who united two of the most dreadfullest elements Fire and Wind to destroy our City and lay our glory in the dust When the Romans put fire to the Walls of Jerusalem at first the North Wâ—nd blew it furiously upon the Josâ—phus Aniq l. 7. c. 28. Romans themselves but suddenly the wind changing and blowing from the South as it were by Gods Providence saith my Author it turned the fire again upon the wall and so all was consumed and turned into ashes And this Eleazâ—r in his Oration to his companions takes special notice of where he saith Neither hath our Castle by nature inexpugnable Page 75 8. any thing profited us to our preservation but we having store of victuals and armour and all other necessaries have lost all hope of safety God himself opâ—nly taking it from us For the fire that once was carried against our enemies did not of it self return against us and unto the wall we built Suppose the Romans or some set on by the Conclave of Rome did at first â—et our City on fire by casting their fire-brands for by that means Jerusalem was set on fire or fire balls here and there yet how highly dos it concern us when we consider the furious wind that helpt on the fury of the fire to lay our hands upon our loynes and to say the Lord is righteous â—nd that our present ruine is but the product of incensed Justice c. When the Lord hath any service for the wind to do it is presently upon the march to run and dispatch his errands whether of indignation or of mercy If the Lord General of Heaven and Earth the great the supream Commander of the winds will have them to destroy a people and to help on the destruction of their houses when the flames are kindled or to break and dash in pieces their Ships at Sea it shall soon be accomplished 2 Chron. 20 37. Because thou hast joyned thy self with Ahaziah the Lord hath broken thy
magnificence of the buildings he might be the more careful to preserve them from destruction Others think that the Disciples shewed him these strong and stately buildings to insinuate secretly thereby how difficult yea impossible it was for them to be destroyed especially considering the strength of the City also And hence our Saviour seems to answer See ye not all these things Verily I say unto you there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down c. But when was this prediction fulfilled That not one stone should Quest be left upon another which should not be thrown dâ—wn c. This was fulfilled forty years after Christs Ascension by Answ Vespasian the Emperor and his Son Titus as Eusebius and Josephus do declare Yea this Prophecy was not only accomplished in the destruction of the old Temple but then also when in Juâ—iâ—n the Apostates time the Jews to spite the Christians were by him encouraged to build the Temple at his charge and they attempting it accordingly were hindered from Heaven by a mighty Earthquake which cast down that in the night which was built in the day and besides a fire from Heaven that consumed the work and work-mens instruments which Cyrillus Bishop of Jerusalem Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 17. then seeing applied unto that event this predict on of our Saviour There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Ah London London this might have been thy doom that there should not have been one house standing neither within nor without thy walls yea this might have been thy doom that there should not have been one stone left upon another that should not have been thrown down In that 't is otherwise with thee thou hast cause O London to cry Grace Grace to him that sits upon the Throne and is blessed for ever c. Carthage was a Noble City Mistris of Africa and Paragon to Rome She made her part good against Rome for many years but at length by means of her own inward civil jarrs she was utterly destroyed by them For the inhabitants Oros Eâ—trop being not able to stand any longer in their own defence were constrained to yield themselves to the mercy of their enemies the Women to the number of five and twenty thousand marching first forth and after them the men in number thirty thousand following all which poor Captives were sold for bond-slaves a few only of the principal excepted and then fire was put to the City which burnt seventeen dayes without ceasing even till it was clean consumed This might have been thy doom O London but God in the midst of Judgement hath remembred mercy Athens was once the most famous flourishing City of Greece for her fair buildings large Precincts and multitude of inhabitants but especially for her Philosophy by means whereof recourse was made from all parts to her as the fountain and well-spring of Arts and the School and University of the whole world Whose Policy and manner of Government was so much esteemed by the Romans that they drew from thence their Laws but now she lies dead and buried in the ashes of forgetfulness not carrying any of her former proportion or appearance If this had been thy doom O London we must all have set to our seales that the Lord had been Righteous but blessed be the Lord London is not and I hope never shall let Rome and Hell do their worst be buried in the ashes of forgetfulness c. But The second Support to bear up the hearts and to cheer up the Spirits of all that has smarted by the late fiery dispensation is this viz. that God has given them their lives for a prey O Sirs what a mercy is it that though the fire has reacht your houses your shops your goods your commodities your warehouses your treasure that yet it has not reacht your lives nor the lives of your relations or friends though your habitations are consumed and your The Philosopher saith that a Flye is more excellent than the Heavens because the Fly has life which the Heavens have not losses have been great yet that in the midst of so many deaths and dangers by the flames and by the press of the people and notwithstanding all the confusions that was in all parts of the City you should have your lives for a prey and be snatcht as so many fire-brands out of the burning O how should this miraculous Providence of God be owned and admired by you The Devil hit the mark when he said Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life Job 2. 4. Mens estates in those times did lye mostly in Cattel Now saith Satan Job is a very great life lover he is Proximus quisque sibi Every man is nearest to himself fond of life and afraid of death and therefore he will give skin upon skin to save his life he will give many skins abundance of skins yea all his skins to save his life he will give his Cattels skins and his Servants skins and his Sons skins to save himself in a whole skin By this Proverbial Speech Skin for skin c. Satan intimates that Job cared not for the loss of his Cattel nor for the loss of his servants nor for the loss of his children so he might secure his own life Job set a higher price upon his own life than he did upon all other lives let others sink or swim so he might escape all was well Natural life is a precious Jewel a man will cast all over-board when he is in danger of drowning to save his life A man will hold up his arms to save his head or suffer the loss of a limb to save his life Men will bleed sweat vomit purge part with an estate yea with some of their limbs to preserve their lives As he who cryed out Give me any deformity any torment any misery so you spare my life Wherefore doth a living man complain or murmur a man for the punishment of his sin Lam. 3. 39. O what a simple senseless bruitish blockish thing is it for a man a mortal man a sinful man a man on this side the grave on this side Hell to complain or murmur against a holy and righteous God! He that is alive on this side everlasting burnings Isa 33. 14. on this side a devouring fire has no just cause to complain what ever his losses crosses or sufferings are He that has deserved a hanging if he escape with a whipping has no cause to complain or murmur Men that have deservâ—d a damning if they escape with the loss of house goods estates c. they have no cause to complain or murmur Mark at this time Jerusalem was burnt City and Temple was laid in ashes the Citizens were turned out of house and home and stript of all their comforts and contentments They that did feed delicately were desolate in the Streets
Pet. 1. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 2. 10. James 1. 1â— 1 Pet. 5. 4. White Stone that none knows but those that are the favourites of Heaven To have time to make sure a City that hath foundations a Kindgom that shakes not Riches that corrupt not an inheritance that â—adeth not away a house not made with hands but one eternal in the heavens To have time to make sure to your selves a Crown of Righteousness a Crown of Life a Crown of Glory a Crown of immortality are mercies bâ—yond all the expressions and above all the valuations of the Sons of men The Poets paint Time with wings to shew the volubility and swiftness of it Sumptus pretiocissimus tempus time is of precious Sophocles Phocilides cost saith Theophrastus Know time lose not a minute saith Pittacus Aelian gives this testimony of the Lacedaemonians That they were hugely covetous of their time spending it all about necessary things and suffering no Citizen either to be idle or play Titus Vespasian having spent a day without doing Suetonius any man any good as he sate at Supper he uttered this memorable and praise worthy Apothegme Amici diem perdidi My friends I have lost a day O Sirs will not these poor Heathens rise in Jâ—dgement against all those that trifle and fool and sin away their precious time Take heed of crying cras cras to morrow to morrow O play not the Courtier with your precious souls the Courtier doth all things late he rises late and dines late and supps late and goes to bed late and repents late Remember that Manna must be gathered in the morning The Orient Pearl is generated of the morning dew There is nothing puts a more serious frame into a mans Spirit than to know the worth of his time 'T is very dangerous putting off that to another day which must be done to day or else undone to morrow Nunc aut nunquam Now or Never was the saying of old If not done now it may never be done and then undone for ever Eternity depends on this moment of time What Beroaldus speakâ— of a Fool who cried out Oh Repentance Râ—pentance where aâ—t thou where art thou Repentance would not many a man give for a day when it is a day too late Whilst many blind Sodomites have been groping to find a door of hope God has rained Hell out of Heaven upon them The seasons of Grace are not under your locks and keyes Many thousand poor sinners have lost their seasons and their souls together Judas repented and Esau mourned but neither timely nor truly and therefore they perished to all eternity The damned in Hell may weep their eyes out of their heads but they can never weep sin out of their souls nor their souls out of Hell c. O that the flames of London might be so sanctified to every poor sinner who have had their lives for a prey in that doleful day that they may no longer neglect those precious seasons and opportunities of Grace that yet are continued to them lest God should swear in his wrath that they should never Heb. 2. 3. Heb. 3. 18. enter into his rest O Sirs yet you have a world of gracious opportunities and O that God would give you that heavenly wisdom that you may never neglect one gracious opportunity though it were to gain a whole world God by giving you your lives in the midst of those furious and amazing flames has given you time and opportunity to secure the internal and the eternal welfare of your precious and immortal souls which is a mercy that can never bâ— sufficiently prized or improved But Secondly What a mercy was this to poor doubting staggering Christians that they have had their lives for a prey when London was in flames For by this means they have gained time to pray down their doubts and to argue down their doubts and to wrestle and weep down their doubts c. Christ ascended to Heaven in a cloud and the Angel ascended Acts 1. 9 10. Judg. 14. 20. to Heaven in the flame of the Altar 'T is ten to one out this had been the case of many doubting trembling Christians had they dyed when London was in flames I know 't is good getting to Heaven any way though it be in a whirlewind of affliction or in a fiery Chariot of temptation or in the flames of Persecution or in a cloud of fears doubts and darkness but yet that man is more happy that gets to Heaven in a quiet calm of inward peace and The whole Scripture saith Luther doth principally aim at this thing that we should not doubt but that we should hope that we should trust and that we should believe that God is a merciful a bountiful a gracious and patient God to his people in the fair Sunshine of joy and assurance 'T is a good thing for a man to get into a safe Harbour though it be in a Winter night and through many Storms and tempests hazards dangers and deaths with the loss of Masts Cables and Anchors but yet he is more happy that gets into a safe Harbour in a clear calm fair Sun-shiny day top and top-gallant and with Colours flying and Trumpets sounding The prudent Reader knows how to apply it O that al poor doubting Christians would seriously lay this to heart viz. That for them to have time to have their judgements and understandings enlightned their doubts resolved their objections answered their consciences setled and their souls assured that all is well and shall be for ever well between God and them is a mercy more worth than all the world But Thirdly What a mercy was this to poor languishing declining and decaying Christians that they have had their lives for a prey when London was in flames There werâ— a great many in London who were fallen from their first love and whose Sun was set in a cloud There were many whose Graces were languishing whose comforts were declining Rev. 2. 4. whose souls were withered and whose communion with God was greatly impaired Many within and without the Walls of London had a Worm knawing at the root of their Graces they had lost their spiritual rellish of God of Christ of Ordinances as dying men lose their rellish Dying men can rellish nothing they sip or eat or drink they had lost theâ—â— spiritual strength and they knew it not as Sampson had lost hâ—s natural strength and knew it not O what an Image of deaâ—â— Judg. 16. 20. was upon their highest professions Now for these men to livâ— for these men to have time to get their Graces repaired their comforts revived their spiritual strength restored their soulâ— fatned and their communion with God raised O what a matchless what an incomparable mercy is this But Fourthly What a mercy was this to poor clouded deserted and benighted Christians that they have had their lives for a prey when London
world Afflictions are the common lot of the Saints and who shrugs repines complains murmurs or faints under a common John 16. ult Acts 14. 22. lot it s at the Sun because it scorches c. There are none of the brother-hood but first or last they shall know what the fiery tryal what the fiery fornace means Jerom writing to a sick friend hath this expression I account it a part of unhappiness not to know adversity I judge you to be the more miserable because you have not been miserable it being the common lot of the people of God to be exercised with adversity and misery I think he hit it who said Impunitas securitatis Bâ—rnard mater virtutum noverca religionis virus tinea Sanctitatis i. e. freedom from punishment is the Mother of security the Step-mother of Vertue the poison of Religion the Moth of holiness Nihil est infoelicius eo cui nil unquam contigit Seneca adversi There is nothing more unhappy than he who never felt adversity said the refined Heathen and shall not Grace rise as high as nature The calamity has been common therefore wipe your eyes and don't say there is no Lam. 1. 12. sorrow to my sorrow no loss to my loss no ruine to my ruine Under common calamities men should neither groan nor grumble Look as no man may conclude upon the Eccles 9. 1 2. account of common mercies that he is really beloved of God so no man may conclude upon the account of common calamities that he is really hated of God And therefore bear up sweetly bear up chearfully under your present trials In the common calamity of the Plague the destroying Angel perceiving the blood of sprinkling upon the posts of your doors and upon the doors of your hearts Exod. 1â— 7. 13. past you by and said unto you Live But by the common calamity of the Fire the Lord has turned you out of house and home and burnt up your substance before your eyes Now do but lay your hands seriously upon your hearts and tell me whether you have not more cause to admire at the mercy of God towards you in 65. than you have cause to complain of the severities of God towards you in 66. The fourth Support to bear up the hearts and to cheer up the spirits of the people of God who have been sufferers deep sufferers under the late fiery dispensation is this viz. That though they have lost much as they are men as they are Citizens Merchants Tradesmen yet they have lost nothing as they are Christians as they are Saints as they are the called and chosen of God Though they have lost their goods yet they have not lost their God Though they Rev. 17. 14. have lost their Shops and Chests yet they have not lost their Christ Though they have lost their outward comforts yet they have not lost the comforts of the Holy Ghost Though Joh. 14. 16. 26. 2 Cor. 5. 1. they have lost their houses made with hands yet thâ—y have not lost their house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Though they have lost their earthly inheriâ—ance 1 Pet. 1. 4. yet they have not lost their heavenly inheritance Thougâ— they have lost their temporal portions yet they have not lost Psal 73. 25. their eternal portions Though they have lost their open Publick Trade yet they have not lost their Secret Trade Matth. 6. 6. their private Trade to Heaven I readily grant that your stately houses and your well furnisht Shops are turned into ashes and that your credit is gone and your trading gone and your money gone and you utterly undone as to this Gen 18. 25. world and yet in all this God has done you no hurt he has done you no wrong and though this at first sight may seem to be a great Paradox a very strange Assertion yet I shall thus evidence it to be an unquestionable truth The happiness of man in this life consists 1. In his Union with God 2. In his Communion with God 3. In his Conformity to God and Fourthly and lastly in his spiritual fruition and enjoyment of God Now none of those losses crosses and afflictive dispensations that have past upon you have or can make any breach upon your happiness or upon any one of those four things of which your happiness is made up The top of mans happiness in Heaven lyes in his near unâ—on with God and in the beatifical vision of God and in his full communion with God and in his exact and perfect conformity to God and in his everlasting fruition and enjoyment of God Now the more of these things any Christian enjoyes in this world the more of Heaven he enjoyes on this side Heaven the more happiness he has on this happiness and therefore I would willingly know how it is possible for any outward troubles or tryaâ—s to make a breach upon a Christians happiness Doubâ—less Job was as happy Job 2. when he sate upon the Dunghil without a ragg on his back or a penny in his purse as he was when he sate Chief and Joâ— 29. 25. dwelt as a King in the Army If God be the most perfect Being then to enjoy him and resemble him is our greatest perfection If God be the best of Beings then our communion with him and fruition of him must be our greatest glory and highest felicity Let what will befall our outward Omne bonum in summo bono man as long as our union and communion with God holds good as long as our precious and immortal souls are in a safe and flourishing condition as long as the Springs of Grace of holiness of comfort of assurance rises in our souls we are happy and no outward miseries can make us miserable There is saith one Bona Throni and there is Bona Scabelli Augustine there is goods of the Throne as God Christ the Spirit Grace the favour of God pardon of sin peace of conscience c. And there is goods of the footstool as food raiment house honors riches trade credit and all bodily conveniencies and accommodations Now it was not in the power of the flames to burn up the goods of the Throne they still remain safe and secure to you all that the flames could reach too was only the goods of the footstool the lumber of this world And therefore what cause have you to bear up cheerfully quietly sweetly and contentedly under all your crosses and losses trials and troubles They which adorn Clâ—mens Alexandrinus Grâ—gory the Great themselves with Gold saith one and think themselves bettered thereby are worse than Gold and no Lords of it as all should be He is poor saith Another whose soul is void of Grace not whose coffers are empty of money By these short hints you may clearly see that the people of God are never the worse for all their losses they are as happy now
them in I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my Sword my hand shall destroy them But presently God blows with his Wind and the Sea covered them and they sank as Lead in the mighty Waters Soon after Sennacherib had sent a Blasphemous Leâ—ter to King Hezâ—kiah The Angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold Isaiah 37. they were all dead corpse and within five and fifty dayes after Sennacherib himself was butchered by his own Sons No Tobit 1. 21. sooner had the people as prophane Sycophants applauded Herod and given him the honour due to God but he was smitten by the Angel of the Lord or eaten up of Worms or with Vetmin with Lice as his Grand-father Herod had Act. 12. â—2 23. been before him Roffâ—nsis had a Cardinâ—ls Hat sent him but his head was cut off bâ—fore it came the Ax was nearer his head than his Hat The Heathen Hâ—storian could not but observe that as soon as Alexander the Great hâ—d summoned a Parliament before him of the world he was summoned himself by death to appear before God in the other world Now as you see by these instances that dangers are nearest the wicked when they see them not when they fear them not So mercies are very near to the people of God when they see them not when they expect them not The Israelites found it so in Asa his time and in Jebasaphats time Psal 126. 2 3. 2 Chron. 14. Chap. 20. Exod. 15. 2 Kings 19. Esther 6. 8. 1 Kings 17. 12 13 14 15 16. and in Pharaohs time and in Hezekiahs time and in Esthers time and in the time of the Judges as is evident throughout the Book of Judges When there was but a handful of Meal in the Barrel and a little Oyl in the Cruze supply was at hand Her Barrel and Cruze had no bottom who out of a little gave a little In all the Ages of the world God has made that word good Isa 41. 17. When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue saileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them Verse 18. I will open Rivers in high places and Fountains in the midst of the Valleys I will make the Wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water Chrysostome observes That 't is very delightful to the Mother to have her breasts drawn Oh how much more then is it delightful to God to have his breasts of mercy drawn O Sirs look as many times the Mothers breasts are drawn and near the Child though the Child sees them not so Gods breasts of mercy are many times drawn and near his people and yet they see them not Geographers wriâ—e that the City of Syracuse in Sicily is so curiously scituated that the Sun is never out of sight Certainly the mercies of God are never out of sight though sometimes the people of God are so clouded and benighted that they can't see their mercies though they are near them yea though they stand before them But Sixthly I answer That God many times by taking away some outward mercies comforts and contentments dos but make way for greater and better mercies to come in the room of those he has taken away He took from David an Psa 71. 20 21. Absalom and gave him a Solomon he took from him a scoffing Michal and gave him a prudent Abagail He took Gen. 24. 67. away from Isaac his Mother Sarah and made up his loss by giving of him Rebeckah to wife He took away much from Job but laid twice as much in the room of all the mercies that he had stript him off The Lord many times takes away small mercies to make room for greater mercies and many times takes away great mercies to make room for greater mercies yea the greatest of mercies But Seventhly and lastly Though thou hast lost all thy outward comforts in this world yet if thou art a believer there are ten choice Jewels that thou shalt never that thou canst never lose 1. Thou shalt never totally or finally lose thy God Hosea 2. 19 20. 2. Thou shalt never lose thy interest in Christ Whatever thy outward losses are yet thy interest in Christ still holds good Rom. 8. 33. ult 3. Thou shalt never lose the Spirit of Grace John 14. 16. And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever 4. Thou shalt never lose the seed of Grace the habits of Grace 1 John 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin that is doth not give himself over to a voluntary serving 1 Cor. 1. 8. Luke 22. 32. of sin he dos not make a Trade of sin he sins not totally finally maliciously habitually studiously resolutely wilfully delightfully deadly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he dos not make it his work to sin he cannot follow his lusts as a work-man follows his Trade for his seed remaineth in him The seed of God the seed of Grace is an abiding seed 5. Thou shalt never lose the forgiveness of thy sins though thou maist lose the sense and assurance of thy forgiveness Jer. 31. 34. For I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more Mich. 7. 19. 6. Thou shalt never lose thy interest in the Covenant of Grace Psal 89. 30. 35. Jer. 31. 31. 38. Isâ— 54. 10. Once in Covenant and for ever in Covenant 7. Thou shalt never lose thy union with Christ John 15 1. 6. In John 17. Christ prayed that we might be one as he and his Father are one not essentially nor personally but spiritually so as no other creature is united to God There can be no Divorce between Christ and the believing soul Christ hates putting away Sin may for a time seemingly separate Mal. 2. 16. between Christ and the believer but it can never finally separate between Christ and the Believer Look as it is impossible for the Leaven that is in the Dough to be separated from the Dough after it is once mixed for it turneth Luther the nature of the Dough into it self so it is impossible for the Saints ever to be separated from Christ for Christ is in the Saints as nearly and as really as the Leaven is in the very Dough. Christ and believers are so incorporated as if Christ and they were one lump Our nature is now joyned to God by the indissolvable tye of the Hypostatical Union in the second Person and we in our persons are joyned to God by the Mystical indissolvable bond of the Spirit the third Person Our union with the Lord is so near and so glorious that it makes us one Spirit with him In this blessed union the
advantage and the very next night after his departure he appeared to the Bishop delivering the Bond cancelled and fully discharged thereby acknowledging that what was promised was made good It is probable that the relation is fabulous But this is certain viz. That one dayes being in Heaven will make us a sufficient recompence for whatsoever we have given or do give or shall give in this world But Thirdly If the constant frame and disposition of your hearts be to do as much good as ever you did or more good than ever you did then you may be confident that the Lord accepts of your will for the deed 2 Cor. 8. 12. For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not God prefers a willing mind before a worthy work God measures all his people not by their works but by their wills When thâ— will is strongly enclined and byassed to works of charity so that a man would fain be a giving to the poor and a supplying the wants and necessities of the needy but can't foâ— want of an estate in this case God accepts of the will foâ— the deed David had a purpose and a will to build God a house and God took it so kindly at his hands that he dispatches 2 Chron 6. 8 an Embassadour to him to tell him how highly he resented his purpose and good will to build him a house The Widows will was in her two mites which she cast into Gods Treasury and therefore Christ sets a more honourable Mark â—2 41 42 43. 44. value upon them than he dos upon all the vast summs that others cast in Many Princes and Queâ—ns Lords and Ladies are forgotten when this poor Widow who had a will to be nobly charitable has her name written in letters of Gold and her charity put upon record for all eternity The King of Persia did lovingly accept of the poor mans handful of water because his good will was in it and put it into a Golden Vessel and gave the poor man the Vessel of Gold And do you think that the King of Kings will be out-done by the King of Persia Surely no. But Fourthly and lastly As there are more wayes to the Wood than one so there are more wayes of doing good to others than one If thou canst not do so much good to others as formerly thou hast done by thy Purse yet thou maâ—st do more good to others than ever yet thou hast done by thy Pen thy Parts thy Prayers thy Gifts thy Graces thy examples Though thou art less servicable to their bodies yet if thou art more serviceable than ever to their souls Thou hast no reason to complain there is no love no compassion no pity no charity no mercy to that which reaches immortal souls and which will turn most to a mans account in the great day of our Lord Jesus I would justifie the Lord I would say he is righteous though Object 3 my house be burnt up and I am turned out of all but God has punished the righteous with the wicked if not more than the wicked this fiery Rod has fallen heavier upon many Saints than upon many sinners c. How then can I justifie God How then câ—n I say that the Lord is righteous c. In all the Ages of the world Gods dearest children have Answ 1 been deep sharers with the wicked in all common calamities Abraham and his Family were by Famine driven into Aegypt Gen. 1. 12. Gen. 26. as well as others And Isaac and his Family were by Famine driven into the Philistins Countrey as well as others And Jacob and his Family by Famine were driven into Aegypt Gen. 42. 2 Sam. 21. 1. 1 Kings 18 2. Matth. 5. 4 5. as well as others And in Davids time there was a Famine for three years And in Elijahs time there was a sore Famine in Samaria The difference that God puts between his own and others are not seen in the administration of these outward things All things come alike to all there is Eccles 9. 2. one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and Communia esse voluit c. commoda prophanis c. Incommoda suis Tertul. to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an Oath The priviledges of the Saints lye in temporals but in spirituals and eternals else Religion would not be a matter of faith but sense and men would serve God not for himself but for the gay and gallant things of this world But Secondly There are as many Mysteries in Providences as there are in Prophecies and many Texts of Providence are as hard to understand as many Texts of Scriptures are Gods way is in the Sea his paths are in the great waters and his footsteps are not known His judgements are unsearchable and Psalm 77. 19. Rom. 11. 33. Psalm 97. 2. Psalm 36. 6. his wayes are past finding out And yet when clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his Throne When his Judgements are a great deep yet then his righteousness is like the great Mountains There are many Mysteries in nature and many mysteries of State which we are ignorant of and why then should we wonder that there are many mysteries in Providence that we do not understand Let a man but sâ—riously consider how many pâ—ssible deaths lurk in his own bowels and the innumerable Hosts of external dangers which beleaguers him on every side how many invisible Arrows fly about his ears continually and yet how few have hit him I have read of a Father and hâ—s Son who being shipwrackt at Sea the Son sailed to shoar upon the back of his dead Father What a strange mysterious Providence was this Plâ—â— Nat. Hâ—st lib. 2. cap. 51. and that none hitherto have mortally wounded him and it will doubtless so far affect his heart as to work him to conclude that great and many and mysterious are the Providences that daily attend upon him Vives reports of a Jew that having gone over a deep River on a narrow planck in a dark night and coming the next day to see what danger he had escaped fell down dead with astonishment Should God many times but open to us the misteriousness of his Providences they would be matter of matter of amazement and astonishment to us I have read that Marcia a Roman Princess being great with child had the Babe in her killed with lightning she her self escaping the danger What a mysterious Providence was this Gods Providence towards his Servants is as a wheel in the midst of a wheel whose motion Ezek. 1. 16. and work and end in working is not discerned by a common eye The actings of Divine Providence are many
call upon me and I will answer him I will be with him in trouble Oh the precious presence of God with a mans spirit will sweeten every fiery dispensation and take off much of the bitterness and terribleness of it In the gracious presence of God with our spirits lyes 1. Our greatest Happiness 2. Our greatest Honor. 3. Our greatest profit and advantage 4. Our greatest joy and delight 5. Our greatest safety and security The Bush which was a Type of the Church consumed not all the while it burned with fire because God was in the midst of it The gracious presence of God with a mans spirit 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. will make heavy afflâ—ctions light and long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet Gods gracious presence makes every burden light He that has the presence of God with Psal 55. 22. his spirit can bear a burden without a burden What burden Deut. 33. 27 29. can sink that man that hath everlasting Armes under him and over him and round about him But Secondly There is wisdom in God to encourage them under all their tryals There is wisdom in God so to temper Jer. 24. 5. Rom. 8. 28. and order all judgements afflictions crosses and losses as to make them work kindly and sweetly for their good Whilst God is near us wisdom and counsel is at hand God is that wise and skilful Physitian that can turn Poyson into Cordials Diseases into Remedies Crosses into Crowns and the greatest losses into the greatest gains What can hurt us whilst an infinite wise God stands by us But Thirdly There is strength power and omnipotency in God to encourage them There is nothing too high for Prov. 18. 10. Psal 46. 1 2. Isa 26. 4. Psal 3. 17. him nor nothing too hard for him he is able easily and speedily to bring to pass all contrivances You read of many who have been mighty but you read but of one Almighty Rev. 4. 8. Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty Chap. 11. 17. We give thee thanks Lord God Almighty Chap. 15. 3. Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Chap. 16. 7. And I heard another out of the Altar say c. Even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy judgements Under all your fiery tryals an Almighty God can do mighty things for you And therefore it concerns you to encourage your selves in him even when you are stript of all O Christians it highly concerns you to beâ—r all your losses chearfully and thankfully In every thing give thanks saith the 1 Thes 5. 18. Apostle for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Chrysostom speaks excellently This saith he is the very Châ—ysost Toâ— 5. Hoâ—â—l 68. will of God to give thanks alwayes this argues a soul rightly instructed Hast thou suffered any evil if thou wilt it is no evil Give thanks to God and then thou hast turned the evil into good Say thou as Job said when he had lost all The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. What evil hast thou suffered What is it a disease This is no strange thing to us seeing our bodies are mortal and naturally born to suffer What dost thou want money this may be gotten here and lost here Whatsoever evils or losses therefore do oppress thee give thou thanks and thou haâ—â— changed the nature of them Job then did more deeply wound the Devil when being stript out of all he gave thanks to God than if he had distributed all to the poor and needy For it is much more to be stript of all and yet to bear it patiently generously and thankfully than for a rich man to give Alms as it here happened to righteous Job But hath fire suddenly taken hold upon thy house destroyed thy house and consumed thy whole substance Remember the sufferings of Job Give thanks to God who could though he did not have hindered that mischance and thou shalt be sure to receive as equal a reward as if thou hadst put all into the bosome of the indigent This he repeateth over again and saith thy reward being thankful is equal to his who gave all he had to the poor To wind up your hearts to thankfulness and chearfulness under this late desolating Judgement Consider 1. God might have taken away all 'T is good to bless When a Gentleman in Atheis had his Plate taken away by Ahashueâ—us as he was at dinner he smiled upon his friends saying I thank God that his Highness hath left me any thing him for what he has left 2. He has taken away more from others than he has taken away from you ergo be thankful 3. You are unworthy of the least mercy you deserve to be stript of every mercy and therefore be thankful for any thing that is left God has a Soveraign right over all you have and might have stript you as naked as the day wherein you were born 4. God has left you better and greater merciâ—s than any those were that he has stript you off viz. your lives your limbs your friends your Relations yea and the means of Grace which is better than all and more than all other mercies ergo be thankful 5. The Lord has given those choice things to you as shall never be taken from you viz. himself his Son his Spirit which shall abide with you for ever his Grace which is an abiding seed and his peace which none can give to you nor take from you John 16. 1 John 3. 9. ergo be thankful though God has laid all your pleasant things desolate 6. Thankfulness under crosses and losses speak out much integrity and ingenuity of Spirit Hypocrites and prophane persons are more apt to blaspheme than to bless a taking God ergo be thankful The Ancients say Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris say a man is unthankful and say he is any thing Ingratitude is a Monster in nature say some a Solecism in Manners a Paradox in Grace damming up the course of donations divine and humane If there be any sin in the world against the Holy Ghost said Queen Elizabeth in a Letter to Henry the fourth of France it is ingratitude The Laws of Persia Macedonia and Athens condemned the ungrateful to death and unthankfulness may well be styled the Epitome of Vices Ingratitude was so hateful to the Egyptians that they used to make Eunuchs of ungrateful persons that no posterity of theirs might remain Well Sirs remember this the best way to get much is to be thankful for a little God loves to sow much where he reaps much Thankfulness for one mercy makes way for another mercy as many thousand Christians have experienced The Lords Impost for all his blessings is our thankfulness if we neglect to pay this Impost the commodity is forfeit and so will take it back Our returnes must be according to our receipts Good men should be
Make thy Son dear very dear exceeding dear only dear and precious to me or not at all But do all burnt Citizens lift up such a prayer I suppose you have either read or heard of that rich and wretched Cardinal who profest that he would not leave his part in Paris for a part in Paradise But Fifthly Are there no burnt Citizens who follow the world so close that they gain no good by the word like Ezekiels hearers and like the stony ground Some Writers Ezek. 33. 31 32 33. Matth. 13. 22. say that nothing will grow where Gold grows Certainly where an inordinate love of the world grows there nothing will grow that is good A heart filled either with the love of the world or with the profits of the world or with the pleasures of the world or with the honours of the world or with the cares of the world or with the business of the world is a heart incapacitated to receive any divine counsâ—l or comfort from the word The Poets tells us of Licaons being turned into a Wolâ— but when a worldling is wrought upon by the word there is a Wolf turned into a man yea an incarnaâ—e Devil turned into a glorious Saint Thâ—refore the Holy Ghost speaking of Zâ—cheus whose soul was set upon the world brings him in with an Ecce behold Luke 19. 2. as if it were a wonder of wonders that ever such a worldling should be subdued by Grace and brought in to Christ But Sixthly Are there no burnt Citizens that are very angry and impatient when they meet with opposition disappointments or procrastination in their earnest pursuing after the things of the world Balaam was so intent and mad upon the world that he dâ—sperately puts on upon the drawn Numb 22. 21. to 35. Sword of the Angel Are there no burnt Citizens who are so intent and mad upon the world that they will put warmly on for the world though the Lord draws and conscience drawes and the Scriptures draw their Swords upon them But Seventhly Are there no burnt Citizens who are grown cold very cold yea even stark cold in their pursuit after God and Christ and Heaven and holiness who once were for taking the Kingdom of Heaven by violence who were Matth. 11. 12. As a Castle or Town is taken by Storm so eagerly and earnestly set upon making a prey or a prize of the great things of that upper world that they were highly and fully resolved to make sure of them whatever pains or perils they run thorough Aristotle observes that Dogs can't hunt where the smell of sweet flowers is because the sweet scent diverteth the smell Ah how has the scent of the sweet flowers of this world hindered many a forward Professor from hunting after God and Christ and the great things of eternity The Arabick Proverb saith That the world is a carkass and they that bunt after it are Dogs Ah how many are there who once set their fâ—ces towards heaven who now hunt more after earth than Heaven who hunt more after Terrestial than Celestial things who hunt more after nothingnesses and emptinesses than they do after those fulnesses and swetnesses that be in God in Christ in the Covenant in Heaven and in those paths that lead to happiness When one desired to know what kind of man Basil was there was presented to him in a dream saith the History a Pillar of fire with this Motto Talis est Basilius Basil is such a one all on a light fire for God Before London was in flâ—mes there were some who for a time were all on a light fire for God who now are grown either cold or luke-warm like the luke-warm Laodiceans Rev. 3. 14 19. But Eighthly Are there no burnt Citizâ—ns whose hearts are filled with solicitous cares and who are inordinately troubled 2 Cor. 7. 10. grieved dâ—jâ—cted and overwhelmed upon the account of their late losses and what dos this speak out but an inordinate love of these earthly things When Jonahs Gourd Jon. 4. 6. ult withered Jonah was much enraged and dejected 'T is said of Adam that he turned his face towards the Garden of Eden and from his heart lamented his fall Ah how many are there in this day who turning their faces towards their late lost mercies their lost Shops Trades Houses Riches do so bitterly and excessively lament and mourn Jer. 31. 15. that with Rachel they refuse to be comforted and with Jacob they will go down into the Grave mourning Heraclitus Gen. 37. 35. the Philosopher was alwayes weeping but such a frame of Spirit is no honour to God nor no ornament to Religion One cryes out How shall I live now I have lost my Trade another cryes out What shall I do when I am old another cryes out What shall I and my six Children do when you are dead another cryes out I have but a handful of Meal in the Barrel and a little Oyl in the Cruise and when that is spent I must lye down and dye 1 Kingâ— 17. 12. c. 1. There is a holy sadness which arises from the sense of our sins and our Saviours suffâ—rings this is commendable 2. There is a natural sadness which sometimes rises from sickness weakness and indisposition of body this is to be pitied and cured 3. There is a sinful sadness which usually is very furious and hath no ears and is rather cured by Miracle than precept this usually flows from the loss of such near and dear comforts upon which men have in ordinately set their hearts and in the enjoyment of which they have promised themselves no small felicity Oh that such sad souls would seriously râ—membâ—r that there is nothing beyond remedy but the tears of the damned A man who mâ—y notwithstanding all his losses and crosses be found walking in the way to Paradise should never place himself in the condition of a little-Hell And he that may or can hope for that great-all ought not to be excessively sad for any losses or crosses that he meets with in this world But Ninthly Are there no burnt Citizens who to gain the world do very easily and frequently fall down before the temptations of the world And what dos this speak out but their inordinate love to the world That man who is as Numb 22. 15. to 23. Josh 7. 20 21 22. Jude 11. soon conquered as tempted vanquished as assaulted by the world that man is doubtless in love with the world yea bewitcht by the world The Champions could not wring an Apple out of Milo's hand by strong hand but a fair Maid by fair means got it presently The easie conquests that the temptations of the world make upon many men is a fair and a full evidence that their hearts are greatly endeared to it Luther was a man weaned from the world and therefore when honours preferments and riches were offered to him he despised them So when Basil was
Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours But how come they to be interested in this large Charâ—er the Apostle answers it in ver 23. Ye are Christs and Christ is Gods All comes to us by Jesus Christ All the Corn in Egypt came through Josephs Gen. 41. hands So all we have be it little or much we have iâ— through Christs hands upon the account of our marriage union with Christ We may say as Hamar and Sechem said to their people Shall not all their Cattel and substance and Gen. 34. 23. every beast of the field be ours So being married to Christ and become one with him all comes to be ours through him who is the heir of all By vertue of our marriage union with Christ our title to the creatures is not only restored but strengthened That little we have is entailed upon us by Christ in a more firm and bâ—tter way than ever In the first Adam our Tenure was lower and meaner and baser and uncertainer than now it is for our Title our Tenure by Christ is more honourable and stronger and sweeter and lastinger than ever it was before For now we hold all we have in Capite Christ is our head and husband and by him we hold all we have But now wicked men by the fall of Adam have lost their Original Patent and Charter which once they had to shew for the things of this life By Adams fall they have forfeited Gods primitive donation of all right in the creatures every wicked man in the world has forfeited his right to the creatures in Adam and lies under that forfeiture But to the glory of divine patience be it spoken God has not sued out his forfeiture God has not brought a Writ of ejection against him and by this means he comes to be lawfully possessed of those earthly blessings he dos enjoy As a Fellon though he hath forfeited his life and estate to the Kings Justice and is still subject to ejection at the Kings pleasure yet while the King forbears him his possession is good and lawful and no man may disturb him Wicked men are lawful owners and possessors of the good things God hath given them Numb 22. 30. Am not I thine Ass Whence you may observe 1. That the silliest and simplest being wronged may justly speak in their own defence 2. That they who have done many good Offices and fail in one are often not only unrewarded for former services but punished for that one offence 3. That when the creatures formerly officious to serve us start from their former obedience man ought to reflect upon his own sin as the sole cause thereof 4. That the worst men have good title to their own Consult these Scriptures Deut. 32. 8. Acts 17. 26. Luke 3. 14. goods For though Balaam was a Sorcerer yet the Ass confesseth twice that he was his Ass Luke 12. 33. Sell and give are words of propriety And God hath set the eighth Commandment as a hedge as a fence to every mans possession Dan. 4. 17. This matter is by the Decree of the Watchers and the demand by the word of the Holy Ones to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will and setteth up over it the basest of men He that gave Canaan to Jacob gave Mount-Seir to Esau and did not Jacob Gen. 23. 3. 4 5 9. Gen. 42. 3 5. buy a burying place of the Sons of Hâ—â—h and did he not buy Corn of the Egyptians by all which they did acknowledge that those wicked men and Idolaters had a lawful Title to those temporal blessings that they did enjoy Now mark God as he is the God of Nature by common Providence alloâ—s to wicked men their lawful possessions and this is the best Tenure they hold by O bâ—t now that little that a child of God has â—he holds it by a more glorâ—ous tenure and honourable Title and therâ—fore his mâ—te is bâ—â—ter than a wicked mans millions But Secondly That little a righteous man hath he hath thâ—ough the Covenant and through precious promises Now 2 Pet. 1. 4. a little mercy reacht out to a man through the Covenant and as a fruit of the promise is more worth than a world of blessings that flow in upon a man meerly by a genâ—râ—l Providence There are no mercies so sweet so sure so firm so lasting as those that flow in upon us through the Covenant of Grace O this sweetens every drop and sip and crust and crum of mercy that a godly man enjoyes All the paths Psalm 25. 10. of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his Covenant This is a sweet promise a precious promise a soul satisfying promise a promise more worth than all the riches of the Indies Mark all the paths of the Lord to his people are not only mercy but they are mercy and truth that Consult these Scriptures Josh 23. 14 15. 1 Tim. 4. 8. is they are sure mercies that strâ—am in upon them through the Covenant Well Sirs you must remember this viz. That the least mercy the least blessing flowing in upon us through the promise is more worth than a thousand blessings that flow in upon us from a general Providence the least blessing flowing in upon us through the Covâ—nâ—nt is better than ten thousand Talents that are the meer products of a general Providence For First Such as enjoy all they have only from a general Providence they enjoy their mercies from that common source or Psalm 145. 15 16. pring that feeds the Birds of the Air and the beasts of the Field The same common bounty of God that feeds and clothes the wicked feeds the Birds and Beasts that perish But Secondly There is no certainty of the continuance of such mercies that are only the product of a common Providence Isa 33. 16. But now the mercies that flow in upon the Saints through the Covenant of Grace they shall be sure to us so long as the Chap. 55. 3. continuance of them may be for our good and Gods glory Now the least mercies held by Covenant are infinitely better than the greatest riches in the world that only drop up on us out of the hand of a common Providence Thirdly The Righteous man hath his little from the special love and favour of God All his little flowes in upon Psal 146. 8. Prov. 15. 17. him from that very same love which moved the Lord to bestow Christ upon him All the righteous mans little is from the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush his little comes Deut. 33. 16. from a reconciled God as well as a bountiful God from a tender Father as well as a merciful Creator A Dinner of Dan. 1. 12. green Hearbs Daniels Pulse Barley Loaves
Sabbaths more and dutiâ—s more you would then be more early in your communion with God as the Spouse was Mary Magdelen loved Cant. 7. 11 1â— Christ much Luke 7. 47. And she came early to the Sepulchre to seek him She came to look after Christ as soon as it began to down Matth. 28. 1. Mark 16. 1 2. Luke 24. 1. Joh. 20. 1. Men that love the world can rise early to gain the world Now shall nature do more than grace Shall the love of the world out-do the love of Christ the Lord forbid And thus I have done with those Considerations that should quicken you up to sanctifie the Sabbath by rising as early in the morning as your age health strength ability and bodily infirmities will permit But Fifthly You must sanctifie the Sabbath by a Religious performance of all the duties of the day What are they Quest 1. Publick Answ 2. Private What are the publick duties that are to be performed on that Quest day Fiâ—st To assemble your selves with the people of God to Answ hear his Word Neh. 8 1 -9 Mâ—tth 13. 54. Joel 1. 13. 14. Chap. 15. 16. Luke 4. 16 17. John 20. 19 26. Acts 2. 1. 44. 46. Acts 5. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 20. Secondly Prayer Psalm 5. 7. Psalm 42 4. Psalm 118. 24 25 26. Isâ— 56. 7. Matth. 21. 13. Acts 1. 13 14. Acts 2 46 47. Acts 16. 13. Heb. 13. 15. Thirdly The Administrations of the Seals Acts 2. 46. Chap. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 11. 20 33. Fourthâ—y Singing of Psalms Hymns or Spiritual Songs Psalm 92. 1. Matth. 26. 30. 1 Cor. 14. 15. James 5. 13. Heb. 2. 12. Fifthly Works of Mercy and Charity Nehemiah 8. 9 10 11 12. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Sixthly and lastly The Censures of the Church as casting out of communion the obstinate and in receiving such into communion as the Lord hath received into communion and fellowship with himself 1 Tim. 5. 20 21. 1 Cor. 5. 4. 2 Cor. 2. 6 7. Rom. 14. 1. Chap. 15. 7. c. What are the private duties that are to be performed on that Quest day First Prayer in our Families and Closets Colossiâ—ns 3. 17. Answ Luke 18. 1 2. 1 Thess 5. 18. Ephes 6. 18. See my Treatise on Closet Prayer c. Secondly Reading of the Word Joshuah 1. 8. Deut. 6. 6 8 9 10. Chap. 11. 19. and Chap. 4. 10. John 5. 35. Col. 3. 16. Rev. 1. 3. Thirdly Meditation Psalm 1. 2. Psalm 119. 97. 1 Cor. 14. 5. 1 Tim. 2. 11 18. But on what must we meditate Quest 1. Upon the holiness greatness and graciousness of God Answ 2. Upon the person natures offices excellencies beauties glories riches fulness and sweetness of Christ 3. Upon the blessed truths that we either hear or read 4. Upon our own emptiness nothingness baseness vileneâ—s and un worthiness 5 Upon the works of Creation and Redemption 6. Upon our spiritual and internal wants 7. Upon that eternal rest that is reserved for the people of God Heb. 4 9. Fourthly Instructing examining and preparing of your famâ—lies according to the measures of grace you have received Deut. 6. 7. Deut. 11. 18 20. Gen. 18. 19 20. Joshuah 24 15. Fifthly Singing of Psalms James 5. 13. Coloss 3. 16. Ephes 5. 19. Sixthly Holy Conference upon the Word Luke 14 8 9 10 11 12 15 16. Chap. 24. 14 17 18. Col. 4. 6. Mol. 3. 16 17 c. Seventhly Visiting and relieving the sick the poor the distressed afflâ—cted and imprisoned Saints of God Matth. 15. 34 -40 James 1. 27 c. Now mark when the Publick Ordinances may be enjoyed in Christs way and in their liberty purity and glory it will be your wisdom so to manage all your family duties and closet duties as that you do not shut out more publick Worship It is more observable that the Sabbaths and publick service are joyned together Lev. 19. 30. Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord. Now what God hath solemnly joyned together let no man put assunder Every Christian should make it his great care that private duties do not eat up publick Ordinances and that publick Ordinances do not shut out private duties More of this you may see in my Discourse on Closet prayer But God is totus â—culus all eye As the eyes of a well-drawn Picture are fastâ—ed on the which way soever thou turnest so are the eyes of the Lord. Sixthly You must sanctifie the Sabbath by managing all the duties of that day as under the eye of God Gods eye is very much upon his people whilst they are in Religious duties and services Therefore in the Tabernacle the place of Gods publick Worship it was thus commanded Exod. 25. 37 Thou shalt make seven Lamps and they shall light the Lamps that they may give light To teach us that nothing there escapes his sight for in his house there is alwayes light and so when the Temple was built Mine eyes saith God shall be there perpetually It was an excellent 1 Kings 9. 3. saying of Ambrose If thou canst not hide thy self from the Sun which is Gods Minister of light how impoâ—sible will Ambros Offic. l. 1. c. 14. it be to hide thy self from him whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun Subjects will carry themselves sweetly and loyally when they are under their Soveraigns eye and children will carry themselves dutifully when they are under their Pâ—rents eye and servants will carry them selves wisely and prudently when they are under their Mâ—steâ—s eye Gods eye is the best Tutor to keep the soul in a gracious frame It is good to have a fixed eye on him whose Job 31. 5 6. Prov. 15. 9. Cha. 5. 20 21. eye is alwayes fixed on thee The best way on earth to keep close to Gods Precepts is alwayes to walk as in his presence no man on earth by day or night can draw a curtain between God and him There is a threefold eye of God that is present in the assemblies of his people As First There is the eye of observation and inspection God seeth what uprightness and seriousness what inâ—egrity ingenuity and fervency you have in his services Mine eyes are upon all their wayes Jer. 16. 17. Psalm 16. 8. I have set the Lord alwayes before me Psalm 119. 168. I have kept thy precâ—pts and thy Testimonies for all my wayes are before thee Jâ—b 31. 4. Doth not he see all my wayes and count all my steps O Sirs whether you are praying or hearing or reading or meditating or singing or receiving the Lords Supper or Mal. 3 17. conferring one with another The eye of the Lord is still upon you But Secondly There is an eye of favour and benediction Amos 9. 4. I will set mine eyes upon them for good 2 Chro. 7. 16. Mine eye and my heart shall be there that is in my house Gods eye is here to approve and to bless and to
ye shall certainly drink ver 29. For lo I begin to bring evil on the City which is called by my name and should ye be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of Hosts When Jerusalem hath drunk of the cup if God be God the Nations round shall certainly drink of it God hath begun with London poor London hath drunk deeply of the cup of Gods fury and therefore let the Nations round repent or prepare to drink of Londons cup. Most of those sins that bring the fiery Rod if not all are to be found in all the great Cities of the world And therefore let all the great Cities in France Spain Italy Germany Holland England Ireland Scotland c. take warning by Londons desolation and prepare to meet the Lord in the way of his fury let them cease from doing evil and learn to do well let them repent in dust and ashes lest they are laid in dust and ashes Let them break off their sins lest God throws down their walls and habitations by furious and devouring flames Let all those whose habitations are still standing remember that the same sins the same wrath and the same malicious hands that has laid so many thousand habitations desolate can lay theirs also desolate except they reform and turn to the Most High Fifthly It highly concerns you whose houses are standing monuments of Gods mercy to shew much love bowels pity Gen. 18. Psal 102. 13. 2 Cor. 11. 29. and compassion to those who are burnt up and turned out of all who are houseless harbourless and pennyless this day God takes it well at our hands when we pity those whom he thinks meet to punish One of Gods great ends in punishing of some is to stir up pity and compassion in others towards them It should melt your hearts to see other mens substances melted in the flames God hath threatned an Obad. 12. 13. evil an only evil without the least mixture of mercy to such as shew no mercy to those in misery Whoever have James 2. 13. behâ—ld London in its former prosperity and glory that cannot lament to see London laid desolate The ashes of London seems to cry out have pity upon me O my friends They that Jâ—b 6. 14. will not lament upon the burnt Citizens as the greatest objects of their pity may one day be ingulfed under the greatest misery He was a Nâ—bal a sapless fellow who shut up all bowels of pity against David in his misery They were cursed â— Sam. 25. 10 â—â— â—salm 137. 6 7 8. Edomites who did behold the râ—iâ—e of Zion and noâ— mourn over it Let all burnt Citizens remember that usually God pities them most whom men pities least but burnt Citizens are not to be mocked or menaâ—ed but mourned over Sixthly It highly concerns you whose houses are standing monuments of Gods mercy to lift up a prayer for all those as are fallen under this heavy judgement of fire When Numb 11. 1 2 3. 2 Kings 19. 4. you are in the Mount be sure you bear the sad condition of the burnt Citizâ—ns upon your hearts Nehem. 1. 3. And they said unto me the remnant that are left of the captivity there in the Province are in great affliction and reproach the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down and the gates thereof are burnt with fire Well what doth Nehemiab do Answ He lifts up a prayer for them verse 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. O Sirs your prayers must not be penâ— or confined to your own private interests but extended to the benefit of all Gods suffering servants Philo the Jew discoursing of Aarons Ephod which he put on when he went to pray saith it was a representation of the whole world having in it all colours to represent the condition of all states of all people whatsoever 'T is brave when we are in the Mount to bear the conditions of others upon our hearts as well as our own especially theirs whom the hand of the Lord hath severely reacht The best of men Rom. 1. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 3. have been much in prayer for others witness Moses David Job Jeremiah Daniel Paul And it is very observable that our Lord Jesus Christ who is our great pattern was very much in this noble work for you shall find in John 17. that he puts up but one petition for himself in verse 1. which petition is repeated again in verse 5. And all the rest of his time he spent in praying both for the converted and unconverted Now shall our Lord Jesus Christ put up many requests for others and but one for himself and shall we put up all our requests for our selves and not one for others Among the Persians he that offered Sacrifice prayed for all Herodot lib. 1. his Countrey men These Persians will one day rise in Judgement against many who are called Christians and yet make no conscience of lifting up a prayer for those that are under the afflicting hand of God He that prayeth for himself and not for others is fiâ—ly compared by some to an Hedge-hogg who laps himself within his own soft down and turns his Brissels to all the world besides The Jews have a saying That since the destruction of Jerusalem the door of prayer hath been shut up Oh that we had not cause to fear that since the burning of London the door of prayer both for our selves and one another hath bâ—en too much shut amongst us O that all you whose habitations are standing would seriously consider 1. That none need prayer more than the burnt Citizens 2. You do not know how soon their case may be yours the same hand or hands that hath made them desolate may make you desolate also 3. Else what do you more than others Matth. 5. 47. 4. To pity and pray for those that are in misery is honourable and commendable 5. 'T is one of the most compendious wayes in the world to prevent all those calamities and miseries that now you fear and that you think you shall shortly feel 6. To lift up a prayer for those whose sufferings have been sore is no costly nor chargeable duty and therefore buckle to it But Seventhly It highly concerns you whose houses are standing monuments of Gods mercy seriously to consider that some mens escaping of very great Judgements is not properly a preservation but a reservation to some greater destruction witness those Kings who escaped the edge of the Gen. 14. and Chap. 19. compared Exod. 14. 28. 1 Kings 19. Sword and were afterwards destroyed by fire and brimstone from Heaven and witness Pharaoh who escaped all the ten plagues of Egypt in order to his being buried with his Host in the red Sea And witness Sennacherib who escaped the Sword of the destroying Angel in order to his falling by the swords of his own Sons Upon what discontentment
lye Rev. 14. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God Now upon this account also I dare not charge the trade of lying upon thosâ— gracious Souls that feared the Lord within or without the Walls of London before it was turned into a ruinous heap But Eighthly and lastly Lyars are reckoned amongst the basest and the worst of sinners that you read of in all the Book of God Levit. 19. 11. Ye shall not steal neither deal falsely neither lye one to another Prov. 6. 16 17 18 19. These six things doth the Lord hate yea seven are an abomination to him A proud look a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations feeâ— that be swift in running to mischief A false witness that speaketh lyes and him that soweth discord among brethren So the Apostle Paul setting down a Catalogue of the basest and worst of sinners he ranks lyars in the rere of them 1 Tim. 1. 9 10. Knowing this that the law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and prophane for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers for man-slayers For whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for men-stealers for lyars for perjured persons So John numbers them amongst the damned crew Rev. 21. 8. That shall be sent to hell and that must perish for ever Rev. 21. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death In this Catalogue of the damned crew the fearful are placed in the Front and the lyars in the Rere See once more how the Holy Ghost couples lyars Rev. 22. 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and murtherers and whoremongers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye Thus you see in all these Scriptures that lyars are numbred up among the rabble of the most desperate and deplorable Wretches that are in all the world and therefore upon this account also I cannot charge the trade of lying upon them that feared the Lord whose habitations were once within or without the Walls of London The eighth sin that brings the Judgment of Fire is mens giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh Jude 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire In these words there are these three things observable First The places punished and they are Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them which were Admah and Zeboim Egesippus and Stephanus say that ten Cities were destroyed Deut. 29. 23. Hos 11. 8. and some say thirteen Cities were destroyed when Sodom was destroyed but these things I shall not impose upon you as Articles of Faith The overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them was total both in respect of the Inhabitants and the places themselves their sin was universal and their punishment was as universal That pride idleness and fulness of bread that is charged upon them by the Prophet Ezekiel did usher in those abominable Ezek. 16. 49 50. wickednesses that laid all waste and desolate Secondly The sins that brought these punishments viz. The giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh The first is Giving themselves over to fornication Now the word Fornication is not to be taken properly and strictly for that act of uncleanness that is often committed between persons unmarried but it is here to be taken for all sorts of carnal uncleanness The Heathen thought fornication no vice and therefore they made it a common custom and were wont to pray thus The Gods increase the number of the Harlots The second sin that is charged upon them is Their going after strange flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another flesh as the words in the Original run The Apostle in this modest and covert expression Going after strange flesh or other flesh or another flesh doth hint to us their monstrous and unlawful lusts that were against the Course Light and Law of Nature they gave themselves up to such filthiness as is scarce to be named among men they went after other flesh then what Nature or the God of Nature had appointed The Gen. 2. 21. ult great God never appointed that male and male but only that male and female should be one flesh 't is impossible that man and man in that execrable act should make one flesh as man and woman do The flesh of a male to a male must needs be another flesh The Apostle Paul expresseth their filthiness thus For even their women did change the natural Rom. 1. 26 27. use into that which is against nature and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the women burned in their lust one toward another men with men working that which is unseemly Chrysostom well observes on these words that whereas by Gods Ordinance in lawful copulation by Marriage two became one flesh both Sexes were joyned together in one by Sodomitical uncleanness the same flesh is divided into two men with men working uncleanness as with women of one Sex making as it were two The Genâ—iâ—es had left the God of Nature and therefore the Lord in his just Judgment left them to leave the order of Nature and so to cast scorn and comtempt upon the whole humane Nature Again There is another sort of pollution by strange flesh Levit. 18. 23. and that is a carnal joyning of a man with a beast which is prohibited Neither shalt thâ—u lye with any beast Oh what a sink of sin is in the nature of man the heart of man And as this pollution is prohibited so 't is punished with death And Chap. 20. 15. if a man lye with a beast he shall surely be put to death and ye shall slay the beast The Lord to shew the horridness and the hainousness of this beastly sin commands that even the poor harmless innocent beast that is neither capable of sin nor of provoking or enticing man to sin must be put to death Oh how great is that pollution that pollutes the very beasts and that makes the unclean more unclean and that doth debase the beast below a beast Now to this sort of pollution the beastly Sodomites had without doubt given up themselves The third thing observable in the words is the severity of their punishment Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire We commonly say that fire and water have no mercy and we have frequently experienced the truth of that saying When God would give the world a proof of his greatest severity against notorious sinners and notorious sins he doth it
by inflicting the Judgment of Fire when the Sodomites burned in their lusts one towards another Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven The Lord rained brimstone and fire from the Lord that is by an elegant Hebraism from himself it being usual with the Hebrews to put the Noun for the Pronoun as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margine together Gen. 1. 27. 1 Sam. 15. 22. 2 Chron. 7. 2. 1 Kings 8. 1. Now this fiery vengeance came not from any inferior cause but from the supream cause even God himself This brimstone and material fire that was rained by the Lord out of Heaven was not by any ordinary course of Nature but by the immediate almighty power of God Doubtless it was the supernatural and miraculous work of the Lord and not from any natural cause that such showers not of water as when the Old world was drowned but of material fire and brimstone should fall from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah to which add Adama and Zeboim for all these four Cities were burnt together God rained not sprinkled yea he rained not fire only but fire and brimstone for the increase of their torment and that they might have a Hell above ground a Hell on this sâ—de Hell They had hot fire for their burning lusts and stinking brimstone for their stinking brutishness They burned with vile and unnatural lusts and therefore against the course of Nature fire falls down from Heaven and devours them and their stinking abominable â—â—lthiness is punished with the stench of brimstone mingled with fire Thus God delights to suit mens punishments to their sins yea that temporal fire that God rained out of Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah was but a fore-runner of their everlasting punishment in that Lake which burns with Rev. 21. 8. fire and brimstone for evermore The temporal punishment of the impenitent Sodomites did but make way to their Jude 7. eternal punishments as Jude tells us I readily grant that the fire of Hell was typified by that fire which fell from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah but I cannot conceive that the Apostle Jude in the place last-cited doth intend or design to prove that the Sodomites were destroyed by Hell-fire for in the History of Genesis to which the Apostle alludes there is no mention at all of Hell-fire or of Eternal fire and doubtless the example that should warn sinners to repent of their sins and to turn to the most High is to be taken from the History in Genesis I cannot at present see how Sodom and Gomorrah can be set forth as an example to sinners by suffering the punishment of Hell-fire when the History is wholly silent as to any such fire Some to mollifie the seeming austerity of that Phrase which Jude uâ—es viz. Eternal fire read the words thus Were made an example of eternal fire suffering vengeance by which construction they gather that the fire which hath irreparably destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah was a type and figure of that fire of Hell of that Eternal fire that is reserved for wicked men and by which sinners ought to be warned Others by eternal fire understand the duration of the effects of the first temporal punishment the soil thereabout wearing the marks of divine displeasure to this very day Several Authors write that the Air there is so infectious that no creature can live there Josephus Tertullian Augustine c. and though the Apples and other fruit that grow there seem pleasant unto the eye yet if you do but touch them they presently turn into cinders and ashes The stinking Lake of Asphaltes near to Sodom is left as a perpetual Monument of Gods Vengeance killing all fish that swimmeth in it and fowls that flye over it Others by eternal fire understand an utter destruction according to that 2 Pet. 2. 6. And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow that is utterly destroyed them making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly God hangs them up in Gibbets as it were that others might hear and fear and not dare to do wickedly as they had done What though it be said that the fire wherewith these Sodomites were destroyed was eternal yet there is no necessity to understand it of Hell-fire for even that very fire which consumed those Cities may be called Eternal because the punishment that was inflicted on Sodom and Gomorrah by fire was a punishment that should last as long as the world lasted God resolved those Cities should never be rebuilt but remain perpetual desolations in all generations Now in this sense the word Eternal is often used in the Scripture Again the fire and brimstone that fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah was a type and figure of that eternal fire or those eternal torments that shall be inflicted upon all impenitent sinners for ever and ever The sum of all is this that the Sodomites by giving themselves over to fornication and by going after strange flesh did provoke the Lord to rain Hell out of Heaven upon them they did provoke the Lord to rain material fire and brimstone both upon their persons and their habitations Now give me leave to say that doubtless the body of the inhabitants of that famous City which is now laid in ashaes were as free from giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh as any in any part of the Nation yea more free then many in some parrs of the Nation yea give me leave to say that I cannot see how these sins that are charged upon the Sodomites can be clearly or groundedly charged upon any of the precious Servants of the Lord that did truly fear him in that renowned City And my Reasons are these First Because in all their solemn and secret Addresses to the Lord they have seriously lamented and mourned over these crying abominations Secondly Because mens giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are such high and horrid sins against the Light and Law of Nature that God commonly preserves his Chosen from them He shall be an Apoâ—lo to me that can produce any one instance in the Old or New Testament of any one person that after real and through Conversion did ever give himself over to fornication and to go after strange flesh Aristotle calls beastiality a furpassing wickedness By the Laws of those two Emperors Theodisius and Arcadius Sodomites were adjudged to the fire In the Councel of Vienna the Templers who were found guilty of this sin were decreed to be burnt And among the Romans it was lawful for him who was attempted to that abuse to kill him who made the assault Tertullian brings in Christianity triumphing over Paganism because this sin was peculiar to Heathens and that Christians never changed the Sex nor accompanied with any but their own wives This and such like as Tertullian speaks
they are houseless monyless breadless friendless tradeless as ever they were when they were most surrounded with all the comforts of this life Wo wo would be to the people of God if their happiness should hang upon the comforts of this world which like a Ball are tost from man to man a Ball of fire a storm at Sea a false Oath a subtle enemy a treacherous friend may easily deprive a man of all his earthly blessings at a clap Now who so miserable as that man whose blessedness lyes in earthly blessings But The Fifth Support to bear up the hearts of the people of God under the late fiery dispensation is this viz. That the Lord will certainly one way or another make up all their losses to them Sometimes God makes up his peoples outward losses by giving them more of himself more of his Son more of his Spirit more of his favour more of his John 16. Grace as he did by the Disciples of Christ When God takes away your carnals and gives you more spirituals your temporals and gives you more eternals your outward losses are made up to you Now this was the very case of those believing Hebrews who were turned out of house and home and who were driven to live in holes and caves and dens of the earth and who had lost all their goods not Heb. 11. having a Bed to lye on or a Stool to sit on nor a dish to drink in and who had lost all their Apparel not having a ragg to hang on their backs and therefore cloathed themselves in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing in themselves that they had in Ver. 3 4. Heaven a better and an enduring substance When under outward When God takes away Christians estates in this world Manet altera Coelo he looks for a better in Heaven losses God shall seal to his people a Bill of Exchange of better and greater things than any they have lost their losses then are made up to them If a man should loose several baggs of Counters and have a Bill of Exchange sealed to him for the receiving of so many baggs of Gold would not his loss be abundantly made up to him When God takes away our earthly treasures and seals up in our hearts a Bill of Exchange to receive all again with interest upon interest in eternal treasures then certainly our losses are abundantly made up to us If men should take away your old cloathes and give you new your Raggs and give you Robes your Chaff and give you Wheat your Water and give you Wine your Tinn and give you Silver your Brass and give you Gold your Pibble and give you Pearls your Cottages and give you Royal Palaces certainly you would have no cause to complain you would have no cause to cry out undone undone If God takes away your houses your goods your Trades your honors and gives you more of himself and more Grace and more Assurance of Glory he dos you no injury It is an excellent change to get eternals for temporals If God takes away your earthly riches and makes you more rich in Grace in spiritual comforts in holy experiences in divine employments then you are no loseâ—s but gâ—eat gainers What are all the necessary comforts of this life to union and communion with God to interest in Christ to pardon of sin to peace of conscience and to that loving kindness that is better than life or better Chaiim Psal 63 3. than lives as the Hebrew runs If you put many lives together there is more excellency and glory in the least discovery of divine love than in them all Many a man has been weary of his life but never was any man yet weary of the love and favour of God The least drop of Grace the least Cant. 2. 3 4 5 6 7. smile from Heaven the least cast of Christs countenance the least kiss of his mouth the least embrace of his arm the least hint of his favour is more worth than ten thousand worlds That Christian cant be poor that is rich in Grace nor that Christian can't be miserable that has God for his Rev. 2. 8 9. Lam. 3. 24. John 14. 1 2 3 4. Heb. 11. 37 38. Rev. 2. 17. John 4. 30 31. portion That Christian can't be unhappy who hath a mansion prepared for him in Heaven though he hath not a cottage to hide his head in in this world nor that Christian has no cause to complain of want of food for his body whose soul is feasted with Manna with the dainties of Heaven with those rarities that are better than Angels food He that hath but raggs to cover his nakedness if his soul be cloathed with the garments of salvation and covered with Isa 61. 10. the Robe of Christs Righteousness he has no reason to complain When Stilpo the Philosopher had his Wife and Children and Countrey all burnt up before him and was asked by Demetrius what loss he had sustained answered That he had lost nothing for he counted that only his own which none could take from him to wit his virtues Shall blind Nature do more than Grace Shall the Heathen put the Christian to a blush Again Sometimes God makes up his peoples outward losses by giving in greater outward mercies than those were that he took from them as you may see by comparing the first Chapter of Job and the last Chapter of Job together Job had all doubled to him I have read of Dionysius how he Pluâ—arch took away from one of his Nobles almost his whole estate and seeing him as cheerful and contented as ever he gave him all that he had taken from him again and as much more God many times takes away a little that he may give more and sometimes he takes away all to shew his Soveraignty and then he gives them all back again with interest upon interest to shew his great liberality and noble bounty That is a lovely loss that is made up with so great gain But Sir How shall we know or probably conjecture whether Quest in this world God will make up our worldly losses to us or not If you please to speak a little to this question it may be many wayes of use unto us Now that I may give you a little light to the Question give me leave to put a few Questions to such who have been sufferers by the late fiery dispensation First Did you make conscience of improving your estates to the glory of God and the good of others when you did enjoy them or did you only make them subservient to your lusts If you have laid out your estates for God and for his Deut. 32. 15 16. Hos 4. 7. James 4. 3. childrens good 't is ten to one but that the Lord even in this world will make up your losses to you But if you mis-improved your estates and turned your mercies