Londons Remembrancer, Title page – Dedication
LONDONS Remembrancer: OR, A SERMON Preached at the CHURCH of St. MARY LE BOW, ON September the 3d 1688. (The Second Day being the Lord's Day) which was appointed by Act of PARLIAMENT for the CITIZENS of LONDON, and their Succeſſors to retain the Memorial of the ſad Deſolation of that CITY by FIRE in the Year of our LORD 1666. By WILLIAM GEARING, Rector of Chriſt-Church in Surrey.
LONDON, Printed by J. Richardſon, for Tho. Parkhurſt, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide. 1688.
Licenſed,
September 10th 1688.
To the Right Honourable Sir JOHN EYLES, Kt. LORD MAYOR of the CITY of LONDON.
My Lord!
GOD hath inflicted many Judgments upon this great City, and kindled many Dreadful Fires among us, which have at ſeveral times overthrown and conſumed many Thouſand Dwellings, and yet moſt People are regardleſs of this Judgment.
There be three Duties to be done in reſpect of God's Judgments.
1. When they fall out, there muſt be ſpecial Notice taken of them: They muſt be obſerved, Marked, and Commented upon both in our Meditations and Conferences, Pſalm 9.16. The Lord is known by the Judgments which He executeth, or the Lord maketh Himſelf known by His Judgments, what a Juſt and Powerful God He is. God complains of ſome, Iſa. 5.12. That they regard not the Work of the Lord, nor conſider the Operation of His Hands. And Pſalm 64.9. All Men ſhall fear, and declare the Works of God, for they ſhall wiſely conſider of His doings.
2. God's Works of Juſtice muſt be magnified, and God magnified in them. Job 36. Remember that thou magnifie His Work which Men behold. Every Man may ſee it, and behold it afar off. It is one thing to ſee God's Work which a Man cannot avoid if his Eyes be open; another thing ſo as to ſee and agnize God's Greatneſs in them; ſo as to cry out, as Moſes and the Children of Iſrael did, when God drowned Pharaoh and his Hoſt in the Red Sea, Exod. 15.11. Who is like unto Thee, O Lord among the Gods, glorious in Holineſs, fearful in Praiſes, and in doing Wonders? We muſt obſerve and glorifie the Juſtice of God, eſpecially conſidering how His Judgments are many times ſutable to Mens Sins.
3. God's Works of Juſtice muſt be remembred, Pſalm 111.4. He hath made His wonderful Works to be remembred: Therefore we ought always to keep them in mind, Remember Lot's Wife, &c.
Obj. But is it not an eaſie thing to remember any ſtrange Judgment, that a Man hath taſted of, ſeen, or heard of. Who is there that doth not remember ſuch things?
Reſp. The Remembrance that God calls for, is not a bare Hiſtorical Remembrance, It is common and eaſy enough to remember the Story of Lot's Wife, or any other on whom God's Judgments have been Executed. The Remembrance that is required of us is an Operative and Practical Remembrance, ſo to remember them as to be warned by them, and to take heed of the ſame or ſuch like Sins as ſuch Judgments came for, ſo to remember them as to be quickned to the Fear of God, and to Obedience to His Precepts, and to glorifie His Name in His fiery Diſpenſations towards us. God hath not wrought ſuch great things in the World, whether reſpecting Perſons or Nations, nor kindled ſo many Fires in this City, that we ſhould write them upon the Water, or in the Sand, which the next blaſt of Wind defaceth and blows out. But He hath made ſuch wonderful Works of His to be remembred. He will have them written in Braſs as it were with the Pen of Iron, and the Point of a Diamond: And indeed all God's Works are ſo made, that they are worthy to be remembred by us.
My Lord, I humbly dedicate this enſuing Sermon to Your Lordſhip, and preſent it to the touch and teſt of Your Judgment. My utmoſt Ambition in this mean Tender is no more than that Perſians was, who having nothing to preſent the King Artaxerxes with, ran to the River and brought him his handful of Water. I hope this poor Preſent ſhall find acceptance with You, and that my good Intentions ſtamped upon it, may advance the Price of it, as the poor Widows Charitable Mind in the Goſpel did raiſe the Value of her Mite: The Lord Direct and Aſſiſt You in all Your weighty Affairs in the Government of this City: And ſo recommending You to the Rich Grace of God, I humbly take my leave, and remain,
September 13. 1688. Your Lordſhips in all Goſpel-Services to be Commanded, WILLIAM GEARING.