Londons Lamentation, Discourse (1 of 4)
ISAIAH 42. 24, 25.
Who gave Jacob to the ſpoil, and Iſrael to the Robbers? did not I the Lord? he againſt whom we have ſinned; for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient to his Law.
Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the ſtrength of battel; and it hath ſet him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.
THE Lord in this Chapter, by the Prophet Eſay, doth foretell heavy things againſt the people, and by the way marks the Lords dealings; he ever gives warnings before he ſends any plagues; he lightens before he thunders, that the people might not ſay, they did not hear of it, and that the wicked might be the more inexcuſable, and that the godly might make an Ark to ſave themſelves in. Theſe words contain in them five …veral things. 1. The Author of this Deſtruction or Judgment. 2 The Cauſes of it. 3. The Judgment it ſelf. 4. W… they were on whom this Judgment was inflicted. 5. The Effect of it. Now by Divine permiſſion I will open theſe word… in order to you.
For th… firſt, the Author of it. Now this is laid down by Qu…ſtion and Anſwer, Who gave Jacob to the ſpoil, and Iſrael to the Robbers? there's the Queſtion: Did not I the Lord? there▪ the Anſwer. God is the Author of all the Plagues and Judgments that befal a Nation.
Secondly, The Cauſes why the Lord did this to a people that he had choſen to be a ſpecial people un…o himſelf, to a people upon whom he had ſet his love, to a people that he Deut. …. 5. 7. 8. Deut. 32. 10, 11, 12.had owned for his portion, and that he had formerly kept as the Apple of his Eye, and carried as upon Eagles wings. Now the cauſes are ſet down, fi…ſt more generally in theſe words, Becauſe they have ſinned aga…nſt the Lord. Secondly, more particularly in theſe words. For they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient to his Law.
The third thing obſervable in the words, is the dreadful Judgments themſelves that God inflicted upon his ſinful people, his ſinning people, and theſe you have in verſ. 25.
Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger;] not only his anger, but the fury of his anger, to ſhew the greatneſs of it, the extremity of it. Mark, he doth not ſay, that God did drop down his anger, but he poured down hi… anger and indignation. This Phraſe [he poured out] is an alluſion to the clouds pouring down of water violently all at once, in an inſtant, as they do many times in the Levant Seas, in Egypt, at the Indies, and in ſeveral other parts of the G…n. 6. 11.world; as they did in the Deluge, when the windows of Heaven were broke open. Now by this ſimilitude, the Lord ſhews the dreadfulneſs, the grievouſneſs, the ſuddenneſs, and the vehemency of the Judgments that were fallen upon them.
And the ſtrength of Battel.] The Lord appears in Arms againſt them in the greatneſs and fierceneſs of his wrath, he ſent in a very powerful Enemy upon them, that with fire and ſword over-ran them and their Country, and deſtroyed them on every ſide, as you may ſee by comparing the 2 Kings 23. 33. ult. with the 24. and 25. Chapters following.
And hath ſet him on fire round about] That is (ſay ſome) all the Countries, Cities, and Towns round about Jeruſalem were ſet on fire.
Yet be knew not.] Though God had burnt them up on every hand, yet they took no notice of it, they regarded it not, they were not at all affected with the fiery Diſpenſations of Diod orus Siculus writes, that in Aethiopia there is ſuch a ſottiſh inſenſible people, that if you cut them with a drawn ſword, or ſlay their wives and children before their faces, they are not at all affected with it, nor moved at it. Such brutes were theſe Jews.God. O the dulneſs, the inſenſibleneſs, the ſottiſhneſs of the Jews under the moſt awakning and amazing Judgments of God! (And it burned him.) This ſome apply to the City of Jeruſalem it ſelf: God did not only fire the Cities and Towns round about Jeruſalem, but he alſo ſet Jeruſalem it ſelf into a flame. Jeruſalem which was beautiful for ſituation, the joy of the whole Earth, the Paradiſe and Wonder of the world, is turned into aſhes. (Yet be laid it not to heart) or upon his heart, as the Original runs. O the monſtrous ſtupidity, inſenſibleneſs, and blockiſhneſs of this people! Though God had brought them low, though their Crown was fallen from their head, though their glori…us City was turned into aſhes, and though they were almoſt deſtroyed by many ſmarting miſeries and dreadful calamities; yet they were not affected with the ſtupendious Judgments of God, they were not awakned by all the flames that God had kindled about their ears, they did not lay the Judgments of God to heart, nor they would not lay the Judgments of God upon their hearts.
The fourth thing obſervable in the words i…, the perſons, the people that were ſpoiled, deſtroyed, and conſumed by fire, and they were Jacob and Iſrael; Who gave Jacob for a Iſa. 58. 2. Zach. 7. 5. Exod. 19. 5.ſpoil, and Iſrael to the Robbers? They were a praying people, a profeſſing people, a faſting people, a peculiar people, a priviledged people, and yet for their ſins they became a deſtroyed people, a conſumed people, a ruined people.
The fifth thing obſervable in the words is, the little Effect the Judgments of God had upon them. Now they were under ſuch monſtrous ſtupidity, that they were not all awakned, nor affected By Ti…us Veſpaſian their land became aſtage of blood and of all kind of barbariſms, and now their ſo renowned City, their Temple, and Sanctum Sanctorum ſo fam'd all the world over, was turned into aſhes, and laid level to the ground. Buxtorf. Synag. Judaica, cap. 5. &c. 36.with the Judgments of God, they regarded them not, they laid them not to heart. And as ſtupid and ſenſeleſs were they when Titus Veſpaſi…n had laid their City deſolate by fire and ſword, and ſold thirty of them for one piece of ſilver, as Joſephus and other Hiſtorians tell us. O Sirs, ſince their crucifying of the Lord of Glory, they have never laid their finger upon the right ſore, to this very day they wo'nt acknowledge their ſin in crucifying of the Lord of Glory. They confeſs they have ſinned more then ever, and therefore 'tis that God hath more ſorely afflicted them then ever; but their cruelty to Chriſt, their crucifying of Chriſt, which uſhered in the total ruine of their City and Country, they cannot be brought to acknowledge to this very day, though the Lord hath burnt them up on every hand, and hath ſcattered them as dung all over the earth to this very day. A Learned Writer tells us, that they call Chriſt Bar-chozab, the Son of a Lye, a Baſtard, and his Goſpel Aven Gilaion, the Volume of Lyes, or the Volume of Iniquity, and us Chriſtians Goii…n, that is, Gentiles, Edomites; when they ſalute a Chriſtian, they call him Shed, that is, Devil. They hate all Chriſtians, but none ſo much as thoſe that are converted from Judaiſm to Chriſtianity, and all this after ſo great a burning and deſolation that the Lord has made in the midſt of them. 'Tis true, the length of thoſe heavy Judgments under which they groan to this very day, hath often puzled the Intellectuals of their Rabbies, and hath many times put them to a ſtand, and ſometimes to break out into a kind of confeſſion, That ſurely their Judgments could not laſt ſo long, but for crucifying of one that was more then a man. There was one Rabbi Samuel, who ſix hundred years ſince, writ a Tract in form of an Epiſtle to Rabbi Iſaac, Maſter of the Synagogue of the Jews, wherein he doth excellently diſcuſs the cauſe of heir long captivity and extream miſery. And after that he had proved it was inflicted for ſome grievous ſin, he ſheweth that ſin to be the ſame which Amos ſpeaks of. For three tranſgreſſions Amos 2 6.of Iſrael, and for four, I will not turn away the puniſhment thereof, becauſe they ſold the righteous for ſilver. The ſelling of Joſeph he makes the fi…ſt ſin, the worſhipping of the Calf in Horeb the ſecond ſin, the abuſing and killing of Gods Prophets the third ſin, and the ſelling of Jeſus Chriſt the fourth ſin. For the firſt they ſerved four hundred years in Egypt; for the ſecond, they wandred forty years in the wilderneſs; for the third, they were Captives ſeventy years …n Babylon; and for the fourth, they are held in pitiful Captivity, even till this day. 'Tis certain, that the body of that people are under woful blindneſs and hardneſs to this very day. And thus much for the opening of the words.
The 25. verſe is the Scripture that I do intend to ſpeak ſomething to, as the Lord ſhall aſſiſt. Now the Propoſition which I only intend to inſiſt upon, is this. Viz.
That God is the Author or Efficient cauſe of all the great Doct. Calamities and dreadful Judgments that are inflicted upon Cities and Countries, and in particular of that of fire.
Now that God is the Author or Efficient cauſe of all the great Calamities and dreadful Judgments that are inflicted upon Cities and Countries, will evidently appear to every mans underſtanding, that will but take the pains to read over the 26. Chapter of Leviticus, and the 28. Chapter of Deuteronomy, with that 14. of Ezekiel, from verſ. 13. to verſ. 22.
That God is the Author or Efficient cauſe of this dreadful Judgment of Fire that is at any time inflicted upon Cities and Countries, will ſufficiently appear in theſe following Scriptures, Amos 3. 6. Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City, and the people not be afraid? ſhall there be evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? This is to be underſtood of the evil of puniſhment, and not of the evil of ſin. Amos 4. 11. I have overthrown ſome of you as God overthr…w Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the burnings, yet have ye not returned unto me, ſaith the Lord. Here (I) is emphatical and excluſive, as if he ſhould ſay, I, and I alone. Amos 1. 14. But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah. (that is, in the Metropolis or chief City of the Ammonites) and it ſhall devour the Palaces thereof. Rabbah their head-City, was a cruel, bloody, covetous, and ambitious City, verſ. 13. And therefore, rather than it ſhould eſcape divine vengeance, God will kindle a fire in the wall of it, and burn it with his own hands. Ezek. 20. 47. And ſay to the forreſt of the South, (that is to Jeruſalem, that did lye South-wards from Chaldea) hear the Word of the Lord. Thus ſaith the You will find this Scripture fully opened in the following Diſcourſe.Lord God, Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it ſhall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree, the flaming flames ſhall not be quenched, and all fuel from the South to the North ſhall be burnt therein, verſe 48. And all fleſh ſhall ſee that I the Lord have kindled it, it ſhall not be quenched. Men ſhall ſee that 'twas God that kindled the fire, and not man, and therefore 'twas beyond mans skill or power to quench it, or to over-maſter it. Jer. 7. 20. Therefore, thus ſaith the Lord God, Behold, mine anger and my fury ſhall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beaſt, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground, and it ſhall burn, and ſhall not be quenched. The Point being thus proved for the further opening of it, premiſe with me theſe things.
1. Firſt, That great afflictions, dreadful Judgments, are likened unto fire in the bleſſed Scriptures. Pſal. 66. 12. We went through fire and water. Jer. 4. 4. Circumciſe your ſelves to the Lord, and take away the fore-skins of your heart, ye men of Judah, and Inhabitants of Jeruſalem; leſt my fury come forth like fire, and burn, that none can quench it, becauſe of the evil of your doings. Jer. 21. 12. O houſe of David, thus ſaith the Lord, execute Judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is ſpoiled out of the hand of the oppreſſor, leſt my fury go out like fire, and burn, that none can quench it, becauſe of the evil of your doings. Lam. 2. 3, 4. He hath cut off in his anger all the horn of Iſrael, he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and burned againſt Jacob like a flaming fire which devoureth round about, he hath bent his bow like an enemy, he ſtood with his right hand as an adverſary, and ſlew all that was pleaſant to the eye in the Tabernacle of the Daughter of Zion, he poured out his fury like fire. Ezek. 15. 7. And I will ſet my face againſt them, they ſhall go out from one fire, and another fire ſhall devour them, and ye ſhall know that I am the Lord, when I ſet my face againſt them. Ezek. 22. 20, 21, 22. As they gather Silver and Braſs, and Iron and Lead, and Tin into the midſt of the furnace to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; ſo will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you: yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye ſhall be melted in the midſt thereof: As ſilver is melted in the midſt of the furnace, ſo ſhall ye be melted in the midſt thereof, and ye ſhall know that I the Lord have poured out my fury upon you. Thus you ſee that great afflictions, great Judgments are likened unto fire.
But in what reſpects are great Afflictions, great Judgments Queſt. like unto fire?
In theſe ſeven reſpects they are like unto fire. Anſw.
Firſt, Fire is very dreadful and terrible to mens thoughts, ſpirits, and apprehenſions; how dreadful was the fire of Sodom, and the fire of London to all that were near it, or ſpectators of it! 'Tis obſervable, that ſome are ſet out in the bleſſed Scriptures as Monuments of moſt terrible and dreadful Vengeance, whom the Kings of Babylon roaſted in the fire; Jer. 29. 21, 22.of them, 'tis ſaid, ſhall be taken up a curſe; when any imprecated ſore vengeance from the Lord upon any one, 'tis ſaid, The Lord make thee like Ahab and Zedekiah, whom the Kings of Babylon roaſted in the fire. 'Tis very dreadful and terrible for a man to have the leaſt member of his body frying in the fire; but how terrible and dreadful muſt it be for a mans whole body to be roaſted in the fire! ſo are the Judgments of the Lord very terrible and dreadful to the children of men. My fleſh trembleth for fear of thee, and I Pſal. 119. 120.am afraid of thy Judgments. Hab. 3. 16. When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice: rottenneſs entred into my bones, and I trembled in my ſelf, that I might reſt in the day of trouble. But,
Secondly, Fire is very painful and tormenting (in which reſpects Hell-torments are compared to fire) ſo are great Afflictions and Judgments, they are very painful and tormenting, Iſa. 26. 17, 18.they put a Land into ſore travel; next to the pangs of Conſcience, and the pangs of Hell, there are none to thoſe pangs that are bred and fed by terrible Judgments. But,
Thirdly, Fire is of a diſcovering nature, it enlightens mens eyes to ſee thoſe things that they did not ſee before; ſo do the terrible Judgments of God enlighten mens minds and Rev. 15. 4. Ezek. 21. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.underſtandings ſometimes to know the Lord. Hence 'tis, that after Judgments threatned, God doth ſo often tell them, that they ſhal… know the Lord Sometimes God by his Judgments enlightens mens minds to ſee ſuch an evil in ſin, that they never ſaw before, and to ſee ſuch a vanity, mutability, imporency, and uncertainty in the Creature, that they never ſaw before; and to ſee ſuch a need of free-grace, of …ich mercy, and of infinite favour and goodneſs, that they never ſaw before; and to ſee ſuch Majeſty and terribleneſs Pſal. 66. 3. 5.in God, which they never ſaw before. Job 37. 22. With God is terrible Majeſty. But,
Fourthly, Fire is probatory and refining, and ſo are the Judgments of God, they will try what metal men are made of; they will try whether men are ſound and ſincere, or hypocritical Iſa. 1. 25. Mal. 3. 1, 2, 3. Acts 26. 28, 29.and hollow; whether men are real Chriſtians, or nominal Chriſtians; whether they are throughout Chriſtians, or almoſt Chriſtians; whether their graces are true or counterfeit, and whether they have much, or but a litt…e grace. Iſa. 31. 9. The Lords fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jeruſalem. Zacha. 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 tryed. 1 Pet. 4. 12. Beloved, think it not ſtrange concerning the fiery tryal, which is to try you. Stars ſhine brighteſt in the darkeſt night; Torches are the better for beating; Grapes come not to the proof, till they come to the preſs; Spices ſmell ſweeteſt, when pounded; young Trees root the faſter for ſhaking; Vines are the better for bleeding; Gold looks the brighter for ſcouring; and Juniper ſmells ſweeteſt in the fire: The Application is eaſie. But,
Fifthly, Fire is of a conſuming and devouring nature (as we have lately found by woful Experience) Pſal. 18. 8. There went out a ſmoak out of his noſtrils, and fire out of his Iſa. 66. 15, 16. Pſal. 21 9. Jer. 17. 4. Ezek. 38. 19, 20.nouth devoured. Jer. 15. 14. A fire is kindled in my anger, which ſhall burn upon you. Ezek. 22. 31. Therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them, I have conſumed them with the fire of my wrath. Natural fire is a great devourer, but myſtical fire, the fire of divine wrath, is infinitely a greater devourer: men may ſtand before a natural fire, but no man has ever bin able to ſtand before the devouring fire of divine wrath. The anger and wrath of God againſt wicked men is exceeding hot, 'tis a burning, fiery, flaming wrath, againſt which they are never able to ſtand, Iſa. 27. 4. Who would ſet the bryars and thorns againſt me in battel, I would go through them, I would burn them together. Bryars and thorns are as well able to ſtand before a devouring fire, as wicked men are able to ſtand before the ſmoaking wrath of that God which is a conſuming fire, Heb. 12. 29.
Sixthly, Fire breaks out ſuddenly and unexpectedly, in an hour, in a moment, when no man thinks of it, when no man looks for it; as you ſee by that late dreadful fire, that in a few days turn'd a glorious City into a ruinous heap: So the Judgments of God, they come ſuddenly and unexpectedly upon the ſons of men, witneſs the Judgments of God that came upon the old world, Sodom and Gomorrah, Nadab and Math. 24. 37, 38, 39. Gen. 19.Abihu, Corah, Dathon, and Abiram. 1 Theſ. 5. 3. For when they ſhall ſay, peace and ſafety, then ſudden deſtruction cometh upon them, as travel upon a woman with child, and they ſhall not eſcape. Security is a certain fore-runner of deſolation and deſtruction. The Apoſtle by the ſimilitude he uſes, ſhews that the deſtruction of the wicked is, 1. certain, 2. ſudden, 3. inevitable. But,
Seventhly, Fire is impartial, it makes no difference between rich and poor, high and low, honourable and baſe, bond and free, male and fema…e, &c. So the Judgments of God are impartial, they reach all ſorts and ranks of perſons. But,
Eighthly and laſtly, Fire is violent and irreſiſtable; we have had as dreadful a proof of this in the late dreadful Conflagration of London, as ever any people have had ſince the Lord Jeſus was on earth: So are the Judgments of God violent and irreſiſtable, witneſs the raging Peſtilence and the bloody Sword, that in 1665. and 1666. has ſent many ſcore thouſands to their long homes. And thus you ſee how that Metaphorically or Typically great and ſore Judgments do reſemble fire. But,
Secondly, Premi…e this with me; fire is ſometimes attributed unto God, Heb. 12. 29. Our God is a conſuming fire; ſometimes fire is attributed to Chriſt, Mal. 3. 2. But who ray abide the day of his coming? and who ſhall ſtand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiners fire, and like fullers ſope. And ſometimes fire is attributed to the Holy Ghoſt, Mat. 3. 11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me, is mightier then I, whoſe ſhoes I am not worthy to bear, he ſhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoſt and with fire, that is, with that fiery Holy Ghoſt, that Spirit of Judgment and of burning wherewith the filth of the Daughter of Zion is waſhed away, Iſa. 4. 4. But,
Thirdly, Premiſe this with me; the word Fire in Scripture is ſometimes uſed by the Holy Ghoſt to ſet forth ſin by, Iſa. 9. 18. For wickedneſs burneth as the fire, it ſhall devour the bryars and thorns, and ſhall kindle in the thickeſt of the forreſt, and they ſhall moont up like the lifting up of ſmoak: So the burning luſt of uncleanneſs, Rom. 1. 27. They burned in luſt one towards another: So 1 Cor. 7. 9. Its better to marry then to burn. And ſo Sodom was fi…ſt in a flame of burning luſts before it was burnt with fire from Heaven: But this is not the fire that is here meant in the Propoſition that we are upon. But,
Fourthly, Premiſe this with me; fire is ſometimes taken for the bleſſed Angels, Pſal. 104▪ 4. Who maketh his Angels Spirits, his Miniſters a flam…ng fire. Hence it is, that Heb. 1. 7.the Angels are called Seraphims, which ſignifies burning or flaming ones, and they are ſet forth by this name, to note Iſa. 6. 2.their irreſiſtable power; for as there is no withſtanding of the furious flames, ſo there is no withſtanding of theſe burning or flaming ones. Jerom, Muſculus, and ſeveral others are of opinion, that the Angel that deſtroyed of Sennacheribs Hoſt 2 Kings 19. 35.a hundred and fourſcore and five thouſand in one night, that he did it by fire, burning their bodies, their garments being untoucht. But the fire in the Propoſition cannot be underſtood of the bleſſed Angels, for ſeveral reaſons not here to be alledged. But,
Fifthly, Premiſe this with me; fire in Scripture is ſometimes taken for Wars. The fire of thine enemies (that is, the Wars that ſhall be amongſt the Nations) ſhall devour them. Iſa. 26. 11, 12. Chap. 29. 6, 7.Thou ſhalt be viſited of the Lord with a flame of devouring fire; but the Nations that fight againſt the Altar, ſhall be a dream. Now fire in this ſenſe is not to be excluded out of the Propoſition. But,
Sixthly, Premiſe this with me; fire ſometimes notes the ſpecial preſence of God in a way of ſpecial love and favour to his people in; Exod. 3. 2. you read how the Lord appeared unto Moſes in a flame of fire out of the midſt of a Buſh; and he looked, and behold, the buſh burned with fire, and the buſh was not conſumed: here was a repreſentation of the Churches affliction that was then in Egypt, a houſe of bondage, Deut. 4. 20.in the midſt of a fiery furnace: But now the Lord was in the buſh, while the buſh (the dry buſh, or the Bramble-buſh, as the Hebrew word ſignifies) was in a flaming fire. In Seneh.that Deut. 33. 16. you read of the good will of him that dwelt in the buſh, God was there in a way of merciful protection and preſervation; they were in the fire, but the Lord was with them in the fire, in all their fiery tryals God did bear them company. But,
Seventhly, Premiſe this with me; in the bleſſed Scriptures we read of ſupernal fire, of fire that came down from above, and that, 1. as a ſign of Gods anger: ſo fire came down from Heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen. 19. 24. Alſo fire Numb. 16. 35.came down from Heaven on them that offered incenſe in the conſpiracy of Korah. And ſo fire came down from Heaven 2 Kings 1. 10, 11, 12. 2 Chron. 7. 1. 2 Kings 18. 38.on the two Captains and their Fifties. Secondly, we read of fire that came down from Heaven as a ſign and token of Gods favour. And ſo fire came down from Heaven on the Sacrifice of Solomon, and on the Sacrifice of Eliah. God in thoſe times did delight to ſhew his ſpecial love and favour to his precious ſervants by fire from Heaven: But in the Propoſition we are to underſtand not ſupernal, but material fire. But,
Eighthly and laſtly, Premiſe this with me; fire is ſometimes taken literally for that material fire that conſumes, Houſes, See 2 Chron. 36. 19. 2 Kings 19. 18. Chap. 21. 6. Pſal. 74. 7. Deut. 13. 16.Towns, Cities, and the moſt ſtately Structures, Jer. 21. 10. For I have ſet my face againſt this City for evil, and not for good, ſaith the Lord, it ſhall be given into the hand of the King of Babylon, and he ſhall burn it with fire, 2 Chron. 35. 13. And they roaſted the Paſſover with fire, 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, Chap. 2. 2, 3. Wherefore the King ſaid unto me, why is thy countenance ſad, ſeeing thou art not ſick? this is nothing but ſorrow of heart: then I was very ſore afraid, and ſaid unto the King, Let the King live for ever, why ſhould not my countenance be ſad, when the City, the place of my fathers ſepulchres lyeth waſte, and the gates thereof are conſumed with fire? Now this material fire is the fire that is meant in the Propoſition. O Sirs! God is as much the Author or Efficient cauſe of this Judgment of fire, as he is the Author or Efficient cauſe of Sword, Famine, and Peſtilence. This I have in part proved already; but ſhall more abundantly make it good in …hat which follows.
But you will ſay, Sir, we know very well that God is the Author or Efficient cauſe of this dreadful Judgment of Fire, as well as he is the Author or Efficient cauſe of any other Judgment that we have either felt or feared: But we earneſtly deſire to know what the ends of God ſhould be in inflicting this ſore and heavy Judgment of Fire upon his …oor people, and in turning their glorious City into aſhes. This we are ſure of, that whoever kindled the fire, God did blow the coal, and therefore we ſhall not now conſider what there was of mans treachery concurring with Gods ſeverity in that dreadful Calam…y by Fire; but rather inquire after the grounds, reaſons, or ends that God aims at by that fiery Diſpenſation that has lately paſt upon us.
Now here give me leave to ſay, that ſo far as the late Fire was a heavy Judgment of God upon the City, yea, upon the whole Nation, the ends of God in-inflicting that Judgment, are doubtleſs ſuch as reſpect both ſinners and Saints, the righteous and the wicked, the prophane and the holy, the good and the bad. Now ſuch as reſpect the wicked and ungodly, I take to be theſe that follow.
Firſt, That he may evidence his Soveraignty, and that they may know that there is a God. The prophane Atheiſt ſaith in his heart, there is no God; but God by his terrible Judgments Pſal. 14. 1. Pſal. 10. 4, 5. Pſal. 50. 21. Eccle. 8. 11. Pſal. 24. 1. Dan. 6. 25, 26, 27. Iſa. 45. 9. Pſal. 2. 9, 10, 11, 12. Hoſ. 2. 8, 9.ſtartles and awakens the Atheiſt, and makes him unſay what he had ſaid in his heart. When God appears in flames of fire, devouring and deſtroying all before him, then the proudeſt and the ſtouteſt Atheiſts in the world will confeſs, that there i… a God; yea, then they will bow and tremble under a ſenſe of the Soveraignty of God. The Soveraignty of God is that golden Scepter in his hand, which he will make all bow to, either by his Word or by his Works, by his Mercies or by his Judgments. This Scepter muſt be kiſt and ſubmitted to, or elſe fire and ſword, deſolation and deſtruction will certainly follow. Jer. 18. 2, 3, 4. 6. Ariſe, and go down to the potters houſe, and there will I cauſe thee to hear my word. Then I went down to the potters houſe, and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the veſſel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter, ſo he made it again another veſſel that ſeemed good to the potter to make it. O houſe of Iſrael, cannot I do with you as the potter? ſaith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potters hand, ſo are ye in my hand, O houſe of Iſrael. The Jews were ſo ſtupid and ſottiſh, that verbal teaching without ſigns would not work upon them, and therefore the Lord ſent Jeremiah to the potters houſe, that he might ſee by what the potter did, that though he had made them a People, a Nation, a Church, a State; yet he could as eaſily unmake them and mar them, as the potter marred the veſſel that he had made. God would have this people to know, that he had as much power over them, and all they had, as the potter had power over the clay that he works upon; and that he had as much both might and right alſo to diſpoſe of them at his pleaſure, as the potter had over his clay to diſpoſe of it as he judged meet. Nay, Beloved, the potter has not ſuch an God hath jus ad omnia, jus in omnibus, a right to all things, a right in all things.abſolute power over his pots and clay, as the Lord has over the Sons of men, to make them, and break them at his pleaſure; and that partly, becauſe that the clay is none of his creature; and partly, becauſe without God give him ſtrength he has no power to make or break one veſſel. God by the Prophet would have the Jews to know that 'twas meerly by his good pleaſure and grace, that they came to be ſo glorious and flouriſhing a Nation as they were at this time; yea, and further to know, that they were not ſo great, and rich, and flouriſhing, and ſetled, and built, but that he could as eaſily break them and mar them, as the potter could the Iſa. 64. 8.veſſel that was under his hand. Ah, Sirs, God, by that dreadful fire that has deſtroyed our houſes, and burnt up our ſubſtance, and baniſhed us from our habitations, and levelled our ſtately Monuments of Antiquity and Glory even with the ground, has given us a very high evidence of his Soveraignty both over our perſons and all our concernments in this world. Ah, London! London! were there none within nor without thy Walls that did deny the Soveraignty of God, that did belye the Soveraignty of God, that did ſlight the Soveraignty of God, that did make head againſt the Soveraignty of God? Were there none within nor without thy Walls that did ſay, We are Lords, and we will come no more unto thee? That did ſay, Is not this great Babylon (is Jer. 2. 31. Dan. 4. 30. Lam. 4. 12.not this great London) that we have built? That did ſay, the Kings of the Earth, and all the Inhabitants of the World would not have believed, that the adverſary and the enemy (the flaming and conſuming fire) ſhould have entred into the gates of Jeruſalem (into the Gates of London.) That Exod. 5. 2.did ſay, Who is the Lord, that we ſhould obey his voice? That did advance a worldly Soveraignty above and againſt the Soveraignty of God and Chriſt? Ah, London! London! if there were any ſuch within or without thy Walls, then never wonder, that God has in a flaming and conſuming fire, proclaimed his Soveraignty over thee, and that he hath given ſuch Atheiſts to know from woful experience, that both themſelves and all their concernments are in the hands of the Lord, as the clay is in the hands of the potter; and that the ſoreſt Judgments that any City can fall under, are but the Iſa. 5. 16.demonſtrations of his Soveraign Prerogative. Pſal. 9. 16. The Lord is known by the Judgments which he executeth; the Power, Juſtice, and Soveraignty of God ſhines moſt gloriouſly in the execution of his Judgments upon the world.
Secondly, God inflicts great and ſore Judgments upon the Sons of men, that the world may ſtand in awe of him, and that they may learn to fear and tremble before him: when he Conſult theſe Scriptures, Exod. 15. 14, 15, 16. Joſh. 2. 10, 11. Rev. 15. 4.appears as a conſuming fire, he expects that the Nation ſhould tremble, and that the Inhabitants ſhould fear before him. 1 Sam. 16. 4. And Samuel did that which the Lord ſpake, and came to Bethlehem, and the Elders of the Town trembled at his coming, and ſaid, comeſt thou peaceable? Shall the Elders of Bethlehem tremble for fear that Samuel came to denounce ſome grievous Judgment againſt them? and ſhall not we tremble when God has executed his terrible Judgments 1 Kings 21. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 27, 28, 29.upon us? Shall Ahab tremble and humble himſelf, and faſt and lye in ſackcloth, when Judgments are but threatned? and ſhall not we tremble and fear before the great God, who has actually inflicted upon us his three great Judgments, Peſtilence, Sword, and Fire? Shall the Ninevites, both Princes, Jonah 3. 3, 4. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.Nobles, and people tremble and humble themſelves in ſackcloth and aſhes, when God doth but threaten to over-throw their great, their rich, their populous City? and ſhall not we tremble and lye low before the Lord, when we ſee great London, rich and populous London laid in aſhes before our eyes? When the hand of the Lord was ſtretched out Exod. 15. 15, 16. See 2 Kings 6. 30. and Chap. 7. 6, 7. 15. Jer. 4. 7, 8, 9.againſt the Egyptians, the Dukes of Edom were amazed, and the mighty men of Moab trembled. Ah, how ſeverely has the hand of the Lord been ſtretched out againſt London and all her Inhabitants! and therefore what cauſe have we to be amazed, and to tremble before that God who has appeared in flames of fire againſt us! Lam. 2. 3, 4. He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Iſrael, he hath drawn back his right hand before the enemy, and he burned againſt Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about. He bent his bow like an enemy, and poured out his fury like fire. God burnt down their City, their Temple, their Gates, their Princely Habitations, their glorious Structures in the fierceneſs of his anger, and in the greatneſs of his wrath O, Sirs, when God falls upon burning work, when he pours out his fury like fire, when like a flaming fire he devours all our pleaſant things, and lays all our glory in duſt and aſhes, we may ſafely conclude, that his anger is fierce, and that his wrath is great againſt us; and therefore what eminent cauſe have we to fear and tremble before him! God is a great and dreadful God. Dan. 9. 4. A mighty God and terrible. Deut. 7. 21. A great and terrible God. Nehem. 1. 5. He is ſo in himſelf, and he has been ſo in his fiery Diſpenſations towards us, that the world by ſuch remarkable ſeverities, may be kept in awe of him. Generally fear doth more in the We are worthy (ſaith Chryſoſtom) of Hell, if for no other cauſe, yet for fearing Hell and the evil of puniſhment more then Chriſt. Chryſ. Hom. 5. in Epiſt. ad Rom.world then love. As there is little ſincerity, ſo there is but little ingenuity in the world; and that is the reaſon why many very rarely think of God, but when they are afraid of him. Many times Judgments work where Mercies do not win. That famous Thomas Waldo of Lions, the Father of the Waldenſes, ſeeing among many met together to be merry, one ſuddenly fall down dead in the ſtreet; it ſtruck ſo to his heart, that he went home a penitent: it wrought to a ſevere and pious reformation of his life, and he lived and dyed a precious man. Though Pharaoh was not a pin the better for all the heavy Judgments that God inflicted upon him; yet Jethro taking notice of thoſe dreadful Plagues and Judgments that fell upon Pharaoh and upon his people, and likewiſe upon the Amalekites, was thereby converted and became a Proſelyte; as Rabbi Solomon noteth upon that 19. of Prov. 25. The world is ſo untractable, that frowns will do more with them then ſmiles. That God may keep wicked men in awe and in ſubjection to him, he ſees it very needful to bring common, and general, and over-ſpreading Judgments upon them. Rev. 15. 4. Who ſhall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name? for thou only art holy; for all Nations ſhall come and worſhip before thee; for thy Judgments are made manifeſt▪ O, Sirs, when the Judgments of the Lord come to be made manifeſt, then it highly concerns all ranks and ſorts of men to fear the Lord, and to glorifie his Name. How manifeſt, how viſible has the raging Peſtilence and the bloody Sword, and the devouring Flames of London been in the midſt of us! and, O that our fear, and dread, and awe of God were as manifeſt and as viſible as his Judgments have been and ſtill are! for his hand to this very hour is ſtretched out againſt us, Iſa. 9. 12. But,
Thirdly, God inflicts great and ſore Judgments upon the Sons of men, and upon Cities and Countries, to expreſs and make known his Power, Juſtice, Anger, Severity, and Indignation againſt ſinners and their ſinful courſes, by which See Jer. 14. 15, 16. Lam. 4. 11. Jer. 4. 15. to verſe 19.he has been provoked. Deut. 32. 19. And when the Lord ſaw it, he abhorred them, becauſe of the provoking of his ſons and of his daughters. Verſ. 21. They have provoked me to anger with their vanities, and I will provoke them to anger with a fooliſh Nation. Verſ. 22. For a fire is kindled in my anger, and ſhall burn unto the loweſt Hell, and ſhall conſume the earth with her increaſe, and ſet on fire the foundations of the mountains. Verſ. 24. They ſhall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat (or with burning coals) and with bitter deſtruction. There is a knowledge of God by his Works as well as by his Word, and by his Judgments as well as by his mercies. In his dreadful Judgments every one may run and read his Power, his Juſtice, his Anger, his Severity, and his Indignation againſt ſin and ſinners: 'Tis irrevocable ſins that bring irrevocable Judgments upon ſinners; whilſt men hold on in committing great iniquities, God will hold on in inflicting anſwerable ſeverities. When God cannot prevail with men to deſiſt from ſinning, men ſhall not prevail with God to deſiſt from deſtroying of them, their habitations, and all their pleaſant things. Jer. 2. 15. The young Lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his Land waſte; his Cities are burnt without Inhabitant. Verſ. 17. Haſt thou not procured this unto thy ſelf, in that thou haſt forſaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way? When Nicephorus Phocas had built a mighty ſtrong Wall about his Palace for his own ſecurity, in the night time he heard a voice crying out unto him, foreign, &c. O Emperour, though thou buildeſt the wall as high as the clouds; yet if ſin be within, it will overthrow all. Sin, like thoſe Traitors in the Trojan Horſe, will do Cities & Countries more hurt in one night, then ten thouſand open enemies could do in ten years. Cities and Countries might flouriſh, and continue as the days of Heaven, and be as the Sun before the Almighty, if his wrath be not provoked by their prophaneneſs and wickedneſs: So that it is not any divine Aſpect of the Heavens, nor any malignant Conjunction of the Stars and Planets, but the looſe manners, the ungracious lives, and the enormous ſins of men that lay Cities and Countries deſolate Jer. 13. 22. And if thou ſay in thine heart, wherefore come theſe things upon me? wherefore hath the Lord ſent plague, ſword, famine, and fire to devour, and deſtroy, and to lay all in aſhes? The Anſwer is, For the greatneſs of thine iniquity. God will in flames of fire diſcover his anger and indignation againſt ſin and ſinners. The Heathen Herodotus.Hiſtorian obſerves in the ruine of Troy, that the ſparkles and aſhes of burnt Troy ſerved for a laſting monument of Gods great anger and diſpleaſure againſt great ſinners. The burning of Troy ſerved to teach men, that God puniſheth great ſinners with great plagues: and certainly Londons being laid in aſhes, is a high evidence that God knows how to be angry with ſinners, and how to puniſh ſin with the ſoreſt of Judgments. The Gods of the Gentiles were ſenſeleſs ſtocks and ſtones, not able to apprehend, much leſs to revenge any injury done unto them. Well therefore might the Philoſopher be bold with Hercules to put him to his thirteenth labour, in ſeething of his dinner; and Martial with Priapus, in threatning him to throw him into the fire, if he looked not well to his Trees. A child may play at the hole of a dead Aſp, and a filly woman may ſtrike a dead Lyon; but who dare play with a living Serpent? who dare take a roaring Lyon by the beard? O that Ch…iſtians then would take heed how they provoke the living God, for he is a conſuming fire, and with a word of his mouth, yea, with the breath of his mouth, he is able to throw down, and to burn up the whole frame of Nature, and to deſtroy all Creatures from 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. 'Tis 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 'tis 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 (foreign Maſar, foreign 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 'tis 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 'tis 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 …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. …am. 3 32 33. Iſa. 28. 21. Schola crucis. ſchola laci….…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 no… know the depth of his own corruption, nor the deſperateneſs, nor deceitfu…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 fr…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 th… 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, l…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 rep…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.…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 c…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 bethink themſelves, and to turn to him, who is able by a flaming fire quickly to turn them out of all. The Jews have a ſaying, That if war be begun in another Country, yet they ſhould faſt and mourn becauſe the war is begun, and becauſe they do not know how ſoon God may bring it to their doors. O Sirs! London is burnt, and it highly concerns you to faſt and mourn, and pray, and to take the Alarm; for you do not know how ſoon a fire may be kindled in your own habitations. Now God has made the (once famous) City of London a flaming Beacon before your eyes, he expects and looks that you ſhould all fear before him. Secure your intereſt in him, walk humbly with him, and no more provoke the eyes of his jealouſie and glory. The deſign of Heaven by this late dreadful Fire, is not to be confined to thoſe particular perſons upon whom it hath fallen heavieſt; but 'tis to awaken all, and warn all. When a Beacon is fired, it gives warning as much to the whole Country, as to him who ſets it on fire; or as it does to him on whoſe ground the Beacon ſtands. We can neither upon the foot of Reaſon or Religion, conclude them to be the greateſt ſinners, who have been the greateſt ſufferer…; for many times we find, that the greateſt Saints have been the greateſt ſufferers both from God and men. Job Job. 1. 1, 2, 3, 4.was a non-ſuch in his day for holineſs, uprightneſs, and the fear of the Lord, and yet by the wind and fire from Heaven on the one hand, and by the Sabeans and Chaldeans on the other hand, he is ſtript of all his children and of a fair eſtate in one day: ſo that in the morning it might have been ſaid, Who ſo rich as Job? and in the evening, Who ſo poor as Job? Job was poor even to a Proverb. Look as wicked men are very incompetent Judges of divine favours and mercies, ſo they are very incompetent Judges of divine tryals and ſeverities; and whatever they may think or ſay, I dare conclude, that they who have drank deepeſt of this Cup of ſorrows (of this Cup of deſolation and fire in London) are not greater ſinners then all others in England, who yet have not taſted of this bitter Cup. But more of this when I come to the Application of the Point. O Sirs! I beg upon the knee of my ſoul, that you will not ſlight this dreadful warning of God, that he has given to the whole Nation in turning London into aſhes: To that purpoſe ſeriouſly conſider. Firſt, Divine warnings ſlighted and neglected, will certainly bring down the greater wrath and vengeance upon you, Levit. 26. 16, 17, 18. 21, 23, 24. 27, 28. Amos 4. 7. 8, 9, 10, 11. Jer. 25. 4. to the 12. verſ. Iſa. 22. 12, 13, 14.as you may clearly ſee by comparing the Scriptures in the Margine together. Secondly, Slighting of Judgments is the greateſt Judgment that can befal a people; it ſpeaks out much Pride, Atheiſm, Hardneſs, Blindneſs, and deſperate Security, and Contempt of the great God. To be given up to ſlight divine warnings, is a ſpiritual Judgment, and therefore muſt of all Judgments be the greateſt Judgment to be given up to Sword, Famine, Fire, Peſtilence, burning Agues, and Fevers, is nothing ſo great a Judgment as to be given up to ſlight divine warnings; for in the one you are but paſſive, but in the other you are active. Thirdly, Heathens Jonah 3.have trembled, and mended, and reformed at divine warnings; and therefore for you to ſlight them, is to act below the Heathens, yea, 'tis to do worſe then the Heathens, who will certainly one day riſe up in Judgment againſt all ſuch who have been ſlighters of the dreadful warnings of Heaven. Fourthly, Slighting of divine warnings, lays men Prov. 1. 24. to verſ. 32.open to ſuch anger and wrath, as all the Angels in Heaven are not able to expreſs, nor all the men on earth able to conceive. Fifthly, Slighting and neglecting of divine warnings, ſpeaks out the greateſt diſ-ingenuity, ſtoutneſs, and ſtubbornneſs that is imaginable. The ingenuous child eaſily takes warning, and to an ingenuous Chriſtian every divine warning is as the hand-writing upon the wall. Sixthly, Slighting of divine warnings, provokes God many t…mes to Dan. 5. 5.give up men to be their own Executioners, their own deſtroyers. Saul had many warnings, but he ſlighted and neglected 1 Sam. 31. 4. Joh. 6. 70, 71. Mat. 26. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Mat. 27. 5.them all; and at laſt God leaves him to fall on his own ſword. Chriſt caſt Hell-fire often into Judas his face. Thou haſt a Devil; and wo to that man by whom the Son of Man ſhall be betrayed; it had been good for that man that he had never been born: But Judas ſlights all theſe warnings, and betrays his Lord and Maſter, and then goes forth and hangs himſe…f. It was a ſtrange conceit of the Cerinthians that honoured Judas the Traitor as ſome divine Irenaeus. Aug. de Haereſi.and ſuper-humane power, and called his Treaſon a bleſſed piece of Service, and that he knowing how much the death of Chriſt would profit mankind, did therefore betray him to death to ſave the race of mankind, and to do a thing pleaſing to God. Judas withſtood all divine warnings Some report of Judas, that he ſlew his father, married his mother, and betrayed his Maſter.from within and without, and you know how the Tragedy ended; he dyed a miſerable death, he periſhed by his own hands, which were the moſt infamous hands in all the world: he went and hanged himſelf. And as Luke hath it, he fell head-long and burſt aſunder in the midſt, and all his bowels guſhed out. In every paſſage of his death we may take notice of divine Juſtice, and accordingly take heed of ſlighting divine warnings. It was but juſt that he ſhould hang in the air, who for his ſin was hated both of Heaven and Earth, and that he ſhould fall down head-long, who was fallen from ſuch a height of honour, as he was fallen from; and that the halter ſhould ſtrangle that throat, through which the voice of Treaſon had ſounded; and that his bowels ſhould be loſt, who had loſt the bowels of all pity, piety, and compaſſion; and that his Ghoſt ſhould have his paſſage out of his midſt (He burſt aſunder in the midſt, ſaith the Text) and not out of his lips, becauſe with a kiſs of his lips he had betrayed our Lord Jeſus. But ſeventhly, By ſlighting divine warnings, you will arm both viſible and 2 Kings 6. 8, 9, 10, 11. 16. 17. Exod. 14. Judg. 5. 19, 20. Iſa. 37. 7, 8, 9. 36.inviſible Creatures againſt you. Pharaoh ſlights divine warnings, and God arms the winds againſt him to his deſtruction Siſera ſlights divine warnings, and the Stars in their Courſe fought againſt Siſera. Sennacherib ſlights divine warnings, and an Angel of the Lord deſtroyed a hundred fourſcore and five thouſand of his Army in one night. Eighthly, By ſlighting of divine warnings, you will tempt Satan to tempt your ſouls: he that dares ſlight divine warnings, will ſtick at nothing that Satan ſhall tempt him to; yea, he does to the utmoſt what lyes in him to provoke Satan to follow him with the blackeſt and ſoreſt temptations. Ninthly, He that ſlights divine warnings, dams up all the ſprings of mercy, Pſal. 81. 11. to the end. Jer. 7. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. 34. Iſa. 13. 14, 15, 16.and turns the ſtreams of loving-kindneſs and favour another way. Tenthly and laſtly, Slighting of divine warnings, will be the Sword that will wound you, and the Serpent that will ſting you, … the Worm that will be ſtill gnawing upon you; eſpecially, 1. When your conſciences are awakned. 2. When you ſhall lye upon a dying bed. 3. When you ſhall ſtand before a Judgment-ſeat. Fourthly and laſtly, When you ſhall awake with everlaſting flames about your ears. Upon all theſe conſiderations, take heed of ſlighting the warnings of God that you are under this day. But,
Seventhly and laſtly, God inflicts great and ſore J…d… ments upon Perſons, Cities, and Countries, to put the world in mind of the General Judgment. Who can think upon the Conflagration of our late glorious City, and not call to mind the great and terrible day of the Lord? Pſal. 50. 3 Our God ſhall come, and ſhall not keep ſilence; a fire ſhall devour before him, and it ſhall be very tempeſtuous round about him. As God gave his Law in fi…e, ſo when he comes to Judgment, in fire he will require it, to ſhew himſelf a Judge and Revenger of it, and to bring the world to a ſtrict account for Eccle. 12. 13, 14. Exod. 20. 18. Heb. 12. 18, 19, 20, 21.their breaking of it. In the promulgation of the Law a flaming fire was only on Mount Sinai; but when Chriſt ſhall come to execute vengeance on the tranſgreſſors of it, a…l the world ſhall become a Bonfire. In the promulgation of the Law there was fire, ſmoak, thunder, and an earthquake; but when Chriſt ſhall come in flaming fire to revenge the breaches of it, the Heavens ſhall be diſſolved, and the Elements ſhall melt with ſervent heat, ſo that not only a few Cities and Kingdoms, but all this lower World ſhall be of a flame; and therefore if any of the wicked ſhould be ſo weak as to think to ſecure themſelves by creeping behind the Lord, they will but deceive themſelves; for the fire ſhall not only devour before him, but it ſhall alſo devour round about him. When an unquenchable fire ſhall be kindled above the ſinner, and below the ſinner, and round about the ſinner, Rev. 6. 15, 16, 17. Jer. 5. 14.how is it poſſible that he ſhould eſcape, though he ſhould cry …ut to the Rocks and the Mountains to fall upon him, a…d to cover him from the wrath of the Lamb? Iſa. 66. 15, 16. For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chari…ts like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire … by his ſword will the Lord plead with all fleſh: and the ſlai… … the Lord ſhall be many. There is nothing more fearful or formidable either to man or beaſt then fire. Now when God comes to execute his Judgments, and to take vengeance on the wicked in this life (as ſome curry the words) or in the other life (as others curry the words) he will come in the moſt terrible and dreadful manner imaginable, he will come with fire, and he will render his rebuke with flames of fire, or with fiery flames, as ſome ſay; or with flaming fire, as others ſay. 2 Theſ. 1. 7, 8. And to you who are troubled, reſt with us, when the Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Beloved, that Chriſt will come to Judgment in flaming fire, is no Politick invention found out to fright men from their pleaſures; nor no Engine of State deviſed to keep men tame and quiet under the Civil powers; nor no Plot of the Miniſter to make men melancholy, or to hurry them into a blind obedience; but it is the conſt…nt voice of God in the bleſſed Scriptures, 2 Pet. 3. 10-12. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens ſhall paſs away with a great noiſe, and the elements ſhall melt with fervent heat, the earth alſo and the works that are therein ſhall be burnt up. Looking for and haſting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire, ſhall be diſſolved, and the elements ſhall melt with fervent heat. Pareus is of opinion, that that Pareus in Rev. 16. 18.fire that ſhall ſet all the world in a flame, at laſt will be kindled and cheriſhed by lightning from Heaven. The Earth being ſmitten with lightning from Heaven, ſhall be ſhaken and torn into ten thouſand pieces, and by fire utterly conſumed; now the Earth ſhall quake, the Sea roar, the Air ring, and the World burn. Now you ſhall look no way, but you ſhall ſee fire; you ſhall ſee fire above you, and fire below you, and fire round about you. Chriſt… fi…ſt coming was at Luke 2. 8. to verſ. 15. Pſal. 71. 6.tended with a general peace, and with Carols of Angels: he came as rain upon the mown graſs, ſilently, ſweetly into the world; then a babe cryed in the manger, but now Judahs Lyon will roar and thunder in the Heavens: Then he came riding on an Aſſes Colt, but now on the Clouds: Then he was attended with twelve poor deſpiſed Apoſtles, but now he ſhall be waited on with many ſcore millions of Angels. At his firſt coming he freely offered grace, and mercy, and 2 Theſ. 1. 7.pardon to ſinners; but now he will come in flames of fire to execute wrath and v…ngeance upon ſinners, and 'twill be no ſmall honour to Chriſt, nor no ſmall c…mfort to the Saints, nor no ſmall torment to the wicked for Chriſt to comes in flames of fire when he comes to Judgment. Saul Acts 22. 8.was aſtoniſhed when he heard Jeſus of Nazareth but calling unto him out of Heaven. Herod was affrighted when he thought that John Baptiſt was riſen again. The Philiſtines Mark 6. 16. 1 Sam. 21. 9. Numb. 7. 10.were afraid when they ſaw Davids Sword. The Iſraelites were ſtartled when they ſaw Aarons Rod: And Juda was aſhamed when he ſaw Thamars ſignet and ſtaff: and Belſhazzar Dan. 5. 5.was amazed when he ſaw the hand-writing upon the Wall. The Carthaginians were troubled when they ſaw Scipio's Sepulchre: and the Saxons were terrified when they Hollingſheds Chron.ſaw Cadwallon's Image. Oh how terrified, amazed, and confounded will wicked men be when they ſhall ſee that Chriſt whom they have rejected, betrayed, crucified, ſcorned, oppoſed, and perſecuted, come in flames of fire to paſs an eternal Doom upon them! I have read a ſtory of two Souldiers, Holcot. in lib. Sap.that coming to the Valley of Jehoſaphat in Judea, and one ſaying to the other, Here in this place ſhall be the general Judgment, wherefore I will now take up my place where I will then fit; and ſo lifting up a ſtone, he ſate down upon it, as taking poſſeſſion before hand: but being ſate, and …ooking up to Heaven, ſuch a quaking and trembling fell upon him, that falling to the earth, he remembred the day of Judgment with horrour and amazement ever after. The caſe of this Souldier will be the caſe of every wicked man, when Chriſt ſhall appear in flames of fire to paſs an eternal Sentence of Condemnation upon all the Goats that ſhall be found on the left hand. It is ſtrange in this ſo ſerious a buſineſs Mat. 25. 41. to verſ. 46.of the day of Judgment, and of Chriſts appearing in flaming fire, which ſo nearly concerns the ſons of men, how mens wits will buſie them…elves in many nice inquiries (ye may meet with many ſuch queſtions in the School-men) as, 1. How long is it to the day of Judgment? 2. In what place of the world ſhall the Judgment-day be held? 3. What kind of fire ſhall then be burning? 4. Whether Chriſt ſhall come with a Croſs carried before him? As if Malefactors in the Gaol ſhould fall a reaſoning and debating what weather it would be at the day of Aſſiſes? or of the Judges habit and retinue, and never bethink themſelves how to anſwer their Indictment, that they may eſcape condemnation. London's flames ſhould put us in mind of Chriſts coming in flames of fire; and the burning of London ſhould put us in mind of the burning of the world, when Chriſt ſhall come to judge the ſons of men according to their works; and the terror and dread of that fire, and mens endeavours to eſcape it, ſhould put us upon all thoſe holy ways and means whereby we may eſcape the fury of thoſe dreadful flames that ſhall never be quenched: And the Houſes and Eſtates that were conſumed by the devouring fire in London-ſtreets, ſhould put us upon ſecuring a houſe not made with hands, 2 Cor. 5. 1, 2. Prov. 8. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 4. Mat. 6. 19, 20, 21.but one eternal in the Heavens, and upon ſecuring durable riches, and an inheritance that fadeth not away, and upon laying up for our ſelves treaſures in Heaven, where neither moth nor ruſt, nor thieves (and let me adde, nor flames) can break through, corrupt, or ſteal, or burn. The more general any Judgment is, the more it ſhould put us in mind of the General day of Judgment. Now the burning of London was a general Jud…ment, a Judgment that reaches from one end of the Land to another (as I ſhall more fully evidence before I cloſe up this Diſcourſe) and therefore it ſhould remind us of the univerſal Conflagration of the whole World, and the works thereof. And thus you ſee the ends that God has (in reſpect of the wicked) in inflicting great and ſore Judgments upon Perſons, Cities, and Countrie….
But pray, Sir, what are thoſe …igh and holy ends, in reſpect Queſt. of the people of God, th… …od aims at by his inflicting of great and ſore Judgments upon Perſons, Cities, and Countries? I ſuppoſe they are ſuch as follow.
Firſt, To bring about thoſe ſpecia… favours and mercies Anſw. that God intends them. By the dreadful Judgments that God inflicted upon Pharaoh, and upon his people, and upon his Country, God brought about the freedom and liberty of his people to worſhip him according to his own preſcriptions. The great difference and conteſt between God and Pharaoh was, who ſhould have their wills; God would have his people to worſhip him according to his own mind; but Pharaoh Exod. 5. 1, 2. Exod. 7. 16. Exod. 8. 8. 20. 25. 27. 29. Exod. 9. 1. 13. Exod. 10. 3. 7. 8. 11. 24. Exod. 12. 31. Jer. 11. 4. Dan. 9. 12.was reſolved to venture his all before they ſhould have their freedom and liberty to ſerve their God. Upon this God follows him with plague upon plague, and never leaves ſpending of his plagues upon him, till he had overthrown him, and through his ruine brought about the freedom and liberty of his poor people. The Babylonians were cruel enemies to Gods poor Iſrael, and kept them in bondage, yea, in a fiery furnace ſeventy years: At laſt God ſtirs up the ſpirit of Cyrus for his Churches ſake, and he by fi…e and ſword lays Babylon waſte, and takes them Captive, who had held his people in a long Captivity. Now he by breaking the Babylonians in pieces like a potters veſſel, brought about (as as inſtrument in the hand of God) the freedom and liberty of Gods poor people, as you may ſee by comparing that 45. of Iſa. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. with that 1. Chapter of Ezra. God ſtirs up the ſpirit of Cyrus to put forth a Proclamation …r Liberty for the Jews to go to their own Land, and to … the Houſe of the Lord God of Iſrael; and then he gra…ly ſtirs up the ſpirits of the people wiſely and ſoberty to i…ove Turn to Obadiah and read from verſ. 11. to the end of the Chapter.…he liberty he had proclaimed. Jer. 49. 1. Concer… the Ammonites, thus ſaith the Lord, Hath Iſrael no ſons? hath he no heir? why then doth their King inherit Gad, and … people dwell in his Cities? When the ten Tribes were carried away captive, the Ammonites who dwelt near the Tribe of Gad, intruded into it, and the Cities of it; but mark what God ſaith in verſe 2. Therefore behold the days come, ſaith the Lord, that I will cauſe … …arm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites (that was their chief City) and it ſhall be a deſolate heap, and her daughters (that is leſſer Towns) ſhall be burnt with fire, then ſhall Iſrael be heir unto them that were his heirs, ſaith the Lord. God by fire and ſword Here was Lex talionis obſerved; they that invaded the inheritance of others, had their own invaded by them.would lay deſolate the chief City of the Ammonites, and her Towns and Villages that did belong to her: and by theſe dreadful Diſpenſations he would make way for his people, not only to poſſeſs their own Land, but the Ammonites Land alſo. I will leave the prudent Reader to make the Application We have been under greater and dreadfuller Judgments then ever this poor Nation hath groaned under in former times; and who can tell but that the Lord by theſe amazing Judgments may bring about greater and better mercies and bleſſings then any yet we do enjoy? The Rabins ſay of Civil Liberty, that if the Heavens were Parchment, the Sea Ink, and every pile of Graſs a Pen, the praiſes of it could not be compriſed nor expreſſed: May we 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 th… 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 whi…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 thi… 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, 'tis 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; 'tis a greater mercy to be preſerved from ſin, yea from the leaſt ſin, then 'tis 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 'tis 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 'tis 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 'tis 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 iniquity; and by tin, glittering hypocriſie. For as tin is very like unto ſilver, ſo is hypocriſie very like unto piety. Others by droſs underſtand perſons that are openly prophane; and by tin ſuch as are inwardly unſound. The words are a Metaphor taken from them that try metals in the fire, purging from precious ſilver all droſ… and tin. The Jews who were once ſilver, were now turned into droſs and tin; but God by fiery tryals would burn up their droſs and tin, their enormities and wickedneſſes, and make them as ſhining Chriſtians in grace and holineſs, as ever they were. So Iſa. 27. 9. By this therefore ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged: and this is all the fruit, to take away his ſin. God by the Babyloniſh Captivity would as by fire purge away the iniquity of Jacob; and to ſhew the certainty of it, he inſtanceth in their darling-ſin, viz. Idolatry: when he maketh all the ſtones of the Altar as chalk-ſtones, that are beaten in ſunder, the Groves and the Images ſhall not ſtand up. Idolatry was the great ſin for which God ſent them into Captivity. Now how they were purged from this ſin after their return out of Captivity, appears by their Hiſtory: take one inſtance for all. Pilate being by Tiberius to be Joſephus, pag. 617. The Jews hated and feared Idolatry as much as the burnt child dread… the fire.Governor over the Jews, cauſed in the night-time the Statue of Caeſar to be brought into Jeruſalem covered, which thing within three days after cauſed a great tumult among the Jews; for they who beheld it, were aſtoniſhed and moved, as though now the Law of their Country were prophaned: For they hold it not lawful for any Picture or Image to be brought into the City. At their lamentation who were in the City, there was gathered together a great multitude out of the fields adjoyning, and they went preſently to Pilate, then at Caeſarea, beſeeching him earneſtly, that the Images might be taken away out of Jeruſalem, and that the Laws of their Country might remain inviolated. When Pilate denied their Suit, they proſtrated themſelves before his houſe, and there remained lying upon their faces for ſive days and nights never moving. Afterwards Pila…e ſitting in his Tribunal-ſeat, was very careful to call all the Jews together before him, as though there he would have given them an Anſwer; when upon the ſudden a Company of armed Souldiers (for ſo it was provided) compaſſed the Jews about with a triple rank: the Jews were hereat amazed, ſeeing that which they expected not; then Pilate told them, that except they would receive the Images of Caeſar, he would kill them all: and to that end made a ſign to the Souldiers to draw their Swords. The Jews, as though they had agreed thereto, fell all down at once, and offered their necks to the ſtroke of the Sword, crying out, that they would rather loſe their lives, then ſuffer their Religion to be prophaned. Then Pilate admiring the conſtancy of the people in their Religion, preſently commanded the Statues to be taken out of the City of Jeruſalem. All the hurt the fire did the three Children (or Dan. 3. 23, 24.rather Champions) was to burn off their cords. Our luſts are cords of vanity, but by fiery tryals God will burn them up. Zecha. 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 tryed. The beſt of men are but men at the beſt, they have much corruption and droſs in them, and they need …efining; and therefore God by fiery tryals will refine them, …ut not as droſs or chaff which are burnt up in the fire, but …s ſilver and gold which are purified in the fire: he will ſo …efine them, as that they ſhall leave their dregs and droſs behind them. Look what the fire is to the gold, the file to the Iron, the fan to the wheat, the ſope to the cloaths, the ſalt to the fleſh, that ſhall fiery tryals be to the Saints: But what ſhall be the fruit of their refining? Anſw. 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. By fiery tryals God will purge out our droſs, and make vertue ſhine. All the fiery tryals that befal the Saints, ſhall be as a potion to carry away ill humors, and as cold froſts to deſtroy the vermine, and as a tempeſtuous Sea to purge the wine from its lees, and as the North wind that dryeth up the vapours, that purges the blood, and that quickens the ſpirits, and as a ſharp Corroſive to eat out the dead fleſh. The great thing that ſhould be moſt in every burnt Citizens eye, and heart, and prayers, and deſires, is, that the Fire of London may be ſo ſanctified, as to iſſue in the burning up of their luſts, and in the purging away of the filth of the Daughter of Zion, Iſa. 4. 4. Jerom reports of Plato, how he left that famous City of Hieronym. contra Jovinian. lib. 2.Athens, and choſe to live in a little ancient Village almoſt overturned with tempeſts and earth-quakes, that being often minded therein of his approaching deſolation, he might get more power over his ſtrong luſts, and learn to live a more vertuous life then ever he had lived before. O Sirs! if God by this fiery Diſpenſation ſhall make you more victorious over your ſtrong luſts, and help you to live more vertuous lives, you will have cauſe to bleſs him all your days, though he has turned you out of houſe and home, and burnt up all your comforts round about you. But,
Fourthly, By ſevere Providences and fiery Tryals, God deſigns theſe four things, in reſpect of his Childrens Graces.
Firſt, He deſigns the reviving, quickning, and recovering of their decayed graces: By fiery tryals he will inflame that love that was even key▪ cold, and raiſe that faith that was Rev. 2. 4. Jam. 1. 2-12. 2 Cor. 12. 10.fallen aſleep, and quicken up thoſe hopes that were languiſhing, and put life and ſpirits into thoſe joys and comforts that were withering and dying. God under fiery tryals lets his poor children ſee how that by their ſpiritual decays he has been diſhonoured, his Spirit grieved, Religion ſhamed, the mouths of the wicked opened, weak Saints ſtaggered, ſtrong Saints troubled, Conſcience wounded, and their Souls and Graces impaired; and by theſe diſcoveries he engages them to the uſe of all thoſe holy and heavenly helps, whereby their decayed graces may be revived and recovered. Many creatures that have been frozen, and even dead with cold, have been revived and recovered by being brought to the fire. God by fiery tryals will unfreeze the frozen graces of his people, and put new life and ſpirits into them. As the Air is ſometimes clear, and ſometimes cloudy; and as the Sea is ſometimes ebbing, and ſometimes flowing; and as the tree▪ of the field are ſomtimes flowering, green, and growing, and ſometimes naked, withered, and as it were even dead: So 'tis ſometimes with the graces of the Saints; but the Lord by one fiery tryal or another will revive, and recover, and raiſe their graces again. Epiphanius makes mention of thoſe that Lib. de Anchorat.travel by the Deſarts of Syria, where are nothing but miſerable Marſhes and Sands, deſtitute of all Commodities, nothing to be had for love or money. Now if it ſo happen, that their fire go out by the way, then they light it again at the heat of the Sun, by the means of a Burning-glaſs: and thus if the fire of zeal, if the ſparks of divine grace, by the prevalency of ſome ſtrong corruption, or by the violence of ſome dreadful temptation, ſhould be put out, or dye as to its lively operations; by a Burning-glaſs, or by one fiery Diſpenſation or another, God will inflame the zeal, and enliven the dying graces of his poor people. I know the ſaving graces of the Spirit, viz. ſuch as Faith, Love, Hope, &c. cannot 1 Joh. 3. 9. 11. Rom. 29. 13. Heb. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Joh 10. 28, 29, 30, 31.be finally and totally extinguiſhed in the Souls, when they are once wrought there by the Spirit; yet their luſtre, their radiancy, their activity, their ſhine and flame may be clouded and covered, whilſt the ſeaſon of temptation laſteth; as living coals may be ſo covered with aſhes, that neith…r light, nor ſmoak, nor heat may appear; and yet when the embers, the aſhes are ſtirred to the bottom, then live coals appear, and by a little blowing, a flame breaks forth. There are ſeveral caſes wherein grace in a Chriſtians breaſt may ſeem to be hid, cold, dead, and covered over; as ſap in the winter is hid in the roots of trees, or as flowers and fruits are hid in the ſeeds, or roots in the earth, or as ſparks of fire are hid in the aſhes, or as bits of gold are hid in a duſt heap, or as pearls may be hid in the mire. I, but God by one ſevere providence or another, by one fiery tryal or another, will blow that heavenly grace, that divine fire into a perfect flame: he will cauſe their hid graces to revive as the Corn, and grow as the Vine, and bloſſom as the Lilly, and ſmell as the Wine of Lebanon, Hoſ. 14 5, 6, 7. O Sirs! how many Chriſtians were there amongſt us, who were much decayed and withered in their graces, in their duties, in there converſes, in their comforts, in their ſpiritual enjoyments, in their As a man may take infection, or get ſome inward bruiſe, or ſpring a vein, and yet not know of it.communions with God, and with one another; and yet were not ſenſible of their decays, nor humbled under their decays, nor induſtrious to recover themſelves out of their withering and dying condition? and therefore no wonder, if the Lord to recover them and raiſe them, hath brought fiery tryals upon them. But,