The Burning of London, Part 3 · Meditation 16 – Meditation 17
MEDITATION XVI. Upon the Viſiblewſſe of Gods Hand in the Deſtruction of London.
IT is a great diſpute, amongſt many people, whether men (one or more) had any hand, from firſt to laſt, in the burning of London. They that are for the affirmative, think they have much reaſon on their ſide, becauſe one was, by Order of Law, executed upon that account; and the proof againſt him, no leſſe than his own Confeſſion (both in publick and private) in which he long perſiſted, though he knew full well the danger of it. Now, who but a mad man, would confeſs himſelf guilty, of ſo hainous and odious a crime which he had never committed? And on the other hand, had he been mad, his Judge and Jury wanted not wiſedom and diligence ſufficient, by one means or other, to diſcover it: neither had they ſo little Juſtice and Conſcience, as to have convicted and condemned him, for ought he had ſaid againſt himſelf, if it had been evident to them, he had not been himſelf, or, as they call it, Mentis Compos. Moreover, ſay they, This muſt needs have been done, either by Over-ſight, or by Treachery, or by Miracle. We hear not of the leaſt umbrage of any over-ſight, or careleſſneſſe in any of the Family where the fire began, (which doubtleſſe hath been narrowly lookt into): ſo that if we reject the ſecond, we muſt reſt in the third, viz. That it was done by a miraculous, that is, by an immediate Hand of Heaven, which, ſince the time that miracles have generally ceaſed, ſeems far leſs probable, than it is, that that ſhould be true, which a man, that, for ought could be made appear, was in his right wits, did confeſſe againſt his own life.
But grant it were ſo, that the firſt fireing of any part of London, were wilfully done, by that miſerable Wretch, who took it upon himſelf and was executed for it, Will it follow from thence, that the Hand of God was not viſible upon it? Yea, all things conſidered, if Pharaoh's Magicians had been then alive and preſent, they would have ſaid, This was the Finger of God, as they ſaid in another caſe, when it was undeniable. For, firſt of all, Who but the great God, withheld Rain for ſo many weeks before, and ſent ſo great a Drought, as did make the houſes ready to take fire, like ſo much Tinder? Who brought the wind out of his Treaſures, and made it blow ſo fiercely for ſeveral days together, as if it had been on purpoſe to augment and ſpread thoſe flames like mighty bellows? Who that had begun that ſire, could foreſee the wind would continue ſo long to carry on his work, and not ſuffer thoſe flames to be extinguiſhed as other fires have been? Who dried up the Springs, that when men came to dig for water in ſeverall Streets, little could be had, where uſed to be plenty at other times? By whoſe Providence came it to paſſe, that the Engines, which uſed to be ſerviceable in ſuch caſes, were at that time, moſt of them out of kelter, and unfit for uſe? Who took away ſpirit and courage from men, that they were at that time (above all the reſt) like ſilly Doves without heart, and, contrary to their uſuall manner, did generally apply themſelves, not to extinguiſhing the fire, but unto removing their goods, (even ſuch as were competently remote) as if they had given all for loſt at the firſt daſh. Who hid counſell from mens eyes, that ſo obvious and effectuall a way, as that of Blowing up of houſes to ſtop the increaſe of fire, was not ſooner thought of? Or, if it were, that it was no ſooner put in Execution? I ſay, Who but the great God did all theſe things? Who cauſed the fire to burn fiercely, as well againſt the wind as with it? Diſown Providence in this, and you will diſown it every where. If there were ſomething of the hand of man in it, doubtleſſe, there was more of the hand of God.
But yet, more do they intitle the Providence of God to this ſire, who ſeem conſident, there was nothing of Treachery or Deſign in it. For, if they think it came in an ordinary way (but unintendedly); things that ſo happen, are in Scripture more eſpecially put upon God's account. It is ſaid of him that killed a man accidentally, and without any purpoſe ſo to do, that God had delivered him into his hands, Exod. 21.13. Moreover, when things that come by accident, or, without humane contrivance, ſo fall out, as if all things had been laid and prepared for ſuch a purpoſe, in ſuch caſes the Divine Providence is moſt viſible and conſpicuous. Now manifeſt it is, that if a Councill of Jeſuits had laid their heads together, how they might burn London to the ground, they could not have choſen, either a fitter time, or place. Not a fitter time, in reſpect of the great Drought that had been, and wind that then was; nor yet a fitter place, conſidering the vicinity of it, to the great magazine of Combuſtible Materials, to wit, Pitch, Tar, Oils, Hemp, and Powder it's ſelf: (viz. Thames-ſtreet). Moreover, how near was it to the Water-houſes, the burning down of which places, was juſt like a ſubtle Enemy his ſeizing upon ſome conſiderable Forts, which might otherwiſe ſtand in his way, and obſtruct his deſign. It makes me think of what is ſpoken, Pſal. 78.50. how that God did make a way to his anger, as if he would have nothing to hinder the paſſage of it: And, upon the whole, I cannot but recount thoſe words of God, by his Prophet, to the Jews, Jer. 18.11. Behold, I frame evil againſt you, and deviſe a device againſt you: for methinks it appeareth like a Deſtruction wiſely framed and deviſed.
But, as for ſuch, as think it came neither by Treachery, nor by Caſualty, they muſt needs aſcribe it to meer Providence, and to nothing elſe; not onelyonly to God, but to God alone, like the burning of Nadab and Abihu, or, of Sodom and Gomorrah. So that, let men derive the pedigree of this fire whence they will (as there are three conjectures about it) they cannot exclude the Providence of God from having ſignally appeared in it. It is a ſign the great God is not aſhamed of what he hath done, and that he cares not who knows it: For, how eaſie had it been for him, to have contrived the burning of London in ſuch a way, as that himſelf might ſcarce have been ſeen in it, that men would generally have thought, it had been the hand of Man, and not of God, any more than every thing elſe is: But now, methinks it is, as if the great God had ſaid, If any man ask, Who ſet London on fire? let the Circumſtances tell them, it was I, that did it.
Surely, ſomething is the matter, that God ſhould, as it were, glory, in making known, that he it was that ſet London on fire: Was it not to ſhow, that he had a Controverſie with us? Might it not be alſo, leſt his governing of the World ſhould be called in queſtion, if ſo great a thing ſhould have hapned, to all appearance, by meer chance and fortune? Was it not alſo to make us ſtoop, and ſubmit to ſo great a loſs, upon ſuch an accompt, as David did, when he ſaid, I held my peace, becauſe thou Lord didſt it: Or, Might it not be alſo, to tell us, That he challengeth to himſelf juſt Power and Authority, to burn up great Cities at his pleaſure; and, Who ſhall ſay unto him, what doeſt thou? As Lebanon is ſaid, not to be ſufficient for him to burn; ſo neither was London more than ſufficient: O London, Diſdain not to fall by that hand by which thou art fallen: It was not that poor Miſcreant, that ended his dayes at Tyburn, that did, or could, by his own power deſtroy thee (though poſsibly he may be ſomewhere Canonized for the Saint that did it.) If God had not firſt dried thee, he, and a hundred more, could never have burnt thee: If he kindled the fire, it would have gone out again, if God had not blowed the coal: It was he that ſaith, Behold, I ſhake heaven and earth: It is he that can take hold of the Pillars of the Univerſe, and tumble it down when he pleaſeth: It is he, that in proceſſe of time, will ſerve the whole World as he ſerved thee: It was he, I ſay, that bid thee come down and lie in the duſt. Humble thy ſelf under his mighty hand; He can raiſe thee up again, and make thee a Princeſſe among the Nations, when Paris and Rome may chance to lie in Aſhes.
MEDITATION XVII. Upon the burning of the Seſſions-houſe in the Old-Baily.
VVHat a rebuke is it to the Cenſoriouſneſſe of men, who are ready to charge London with greater ſins than other places are guilty of, becauſe this great Judgment fell upon it. I ſay, what a rebuke is it to them, to behold the moſt eminent ſeat of Juſtice in all thoſe parts, conſumed by the ſame fire? Who dare, or who truly can, in this caſe, apply thoſe words of Solemon, Eccleſ. 3.16. I ſaw under the Sun the place of Judgment that Wickedneſſe was there, and the place of Righteouſneſſe that Iniquity was there? For amidſt all the complaints of men about other matters, and particular diſtaſtes they have taken at particular perſons or paſſages, I do not know that man, that will deny, that there is as much of Law and Conſcience to be found amongſt the Reverend Judges, which are at this day, as amongſt the Judges of any Time and Age whatſoever: The conſideration whereof, may be no ſmall comfort to the poor Citizens, whoſe difficult Caſes, relating to the fire are like to lie in their breaſts, and be ſubjected to their wiſe determination (which, I hope, will be ſuch, as may abundantly confirm that honourable Character, which I think, but juſtice to give concerning them).
Yet was that honourable and moſt eminent place of their Seſſions, within the City burnt amongſt the reſt. How commodious was that place for their work; for that it was ſcituare near to the great Den of Theeves, and Receptacle of Felons: (Newgate I mean) it being requiſite, that Juſtice and Sin ſhould not dwell far aſunder, but, that the former ſhould, as it were, tread upon the heels of the latter. From thence had many Malefactors received ſentence to be deſervedly executed, but now the place itſelf, which (for what cauſe we know not) had received an unexpected ſentence in heaven, had it executed accordingly, and came to an untimely end, yet had it ſtood ſo long, as to acquire the name of Old, being called the Old-Baily, and, as one Author thinks, was a Court of Juſtice, for ſome purpoſes above three hundred years ſince, viz. in the year 1356. And what more than Old or very Old can be attributed to any Creature upon earth, in point of duration, none of which, in this world, ſhall be perpetual (for that is more than the world it ſelf ſhall be.) The Apoſtle telling us, that all theſe things ſhall be diſſolved. When places of Juſtice are deſtroyed, perhaps Malefactors will rejoyce, (though they have little cauſe; for change of place will no whit mitigate their puniſhment) but all true and honeſt men will be ſorry. May there nere want a place, in which to try and arraign Malefactors (in caſe there be any ſuch) but much rather do I wiſh, there might no more be any Malefactors deſerving to be tried.