The Burning of London, Part 3 · Meditation 21
MEDITATION XXI. Upon the coming of that moſt dreadful fire in ſo Idolized a year, as 1666.
VVHen will men give over groundleſſe prophecying? When will they learn, not to be wiſe above what is written? Did not Chriſt ſay to his Diſciples, It is not for you to know the times and ſeaſons, which the Father hath put in his own hands. One ſaid, That an Itch of diſputing was in his time, the ſcab of the Church; and in our time, an Itch of prophecying hath been the ſame thing. According to the manifold propheſies, which have been concerning it, -66. ſhould have been a year of Jubilee, I had almoſt ſaid a time of the Reſtitution of all things, but, alas! Whilſt men lookt for light, behold darkneſs, whilſt they cried Peace, peace, greater deſtruction then ever, was coming upon them. It is ſaid, that God hath ſet one over againſt the other to the end that man ſhould find nothing after him. Eccleſ. 7.14. If it be the glory of God to conceal a matter (as the Scripture ſaith, it is) why will men pretend to know what God intends to do? Who can tell, what the womb of a day, much more of a year will bring forth? If women that are with child know not what they go with, whether male or female, wiſe or fooliſh, who can tell what is in the womb of Providence? Such as pretend to foreknow future contingencies, are not more admired for their wiſdom before the time be expired, than they are uſually condemned for their folly and preſumption, when the event proves otherwiſe. We read in Jer. 23.28. There were prophets of the deceit of their own hearts. VVhichWhich cauſe the people to forget the name of God by the dreams, which they tell every one to his neighbour. Therefore, ſaith God, The prophet which hath a dream, let him tell a dream, and he that hath my word let him ſpeak my word ſaithfully VVhat is the chaff to the wheat? We ſay proverbially, Old Birds cannot be caught with chaff, yet a great many are with ſuch chaff as the prophet ſpeaks of, meaning falſe Predictions: many of which ſhould by right have been written in Hebrew Characters, for that the event ſhews they were to be read backwards, like the preſages of Almanack-makers concerning weather, who frequently tell us, it will be fair when it proves foul, and foul when it proves very fair.
The Devil himſelf is more tender of his credit than many men have bin of theirs: for it was always his manner to deliver Oracles in Ambiguous expreſſions, that, whatſoever the event were, he might not be charged with falſhood; whereas men (that know leſs) have ventur'd to ſpeak as plainly and poſitively as could be, touching things to come, which falling out quite contrary have filled their faces with ſhame. If that had been the worſt, it had been no great matter: but, alas! men have not only wounded their own reputations by their daring falſe propheſies, but by accuſtoming themſelves and others, to believe and disbelieve again, have greatly propagated Atheiſm in the world, and made the abuſed credulity of many to end in inſidelity. They that have been often deceived, become always jealous, and uſe to ſay, Alas! whom or what can we truſt? Though there be no reaſon in the world that men ſhould ſuſpect the Word of God becauſe they have been fruſtrated by the dreams of men; I cannot deny but that there are and have been ſtrong impreſſions from God upon the minds of ſome men concerning future things, but, as the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe, Haſt thou faith, have it to thy ſelf before God: ſo in this caſe though they themſelves cannot but believe the things which are ſo impreſſed upon them, yet let them keep that faith to themſelves, and not expect others ſhould believe the ſame things, unleſs by miracles they could prove themſelves to be Prophets ſent of God; or till ſuch time as the event ſhall ſhew they were not miſtaken. A propheſie may indeed and in truth ſignifie much to him that utters it, which yet may ſignifie nothing at all to them that hear it, becauſe he may have received it from God, whereas others have received it but from himſelf. As to all the prophecies concerning great, good things, which ſhould befall England in Sixty ſix, be it to themſelves upon what grounds they have had ſuch expectations; ſure I am, nothing hath yet appeared that looks like a fulfilling of them, though the year be almoſt expired. He that foretold that Caeſar ſhould die upon ſuch a day, Caeſar ſending him word the day was come, and he was yet alive, made anſwer that day was come, but it was not paſt & gone, and die he did upon that day; So ſome it may be will tell us that Sixty ſix is come, and far ſpent, but not quite paſt and gone. 'Tis very true, and ſo long as one day or hour of that year laſts, let them lengthen out their hopes. If it produce what they have foretold, I ſhall not envy them the honor of proving true Prophets: but if it end as it hath begun, and held on hitherto; give me leave to ſay, that meer humane Predictions touching future Contingencies ought never to be truſted more; and that the fruſtrations of Sixty ſix, ſhould aboliſh or prevent the credulitie of all after-ages.
There is a Text or two, which I ſuppoſe, many do build upon, who have great regard to humane propheſies. We read, ſay they, that the Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Pſalm 25.14. But that muſt not be underſtood; as if God did make them that fear him acquainted with all his Secrets: for it is ſaid of Chriſt himſelf, conſidered as man, that Of that day and hour, ſpeaking of the day of Judgment, knows not the ſon of man himſelf. Moreover, ſay they, in Amos 3.7. it is written, Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his ſecrets unto his ſervants the Prophets. Yea, but where are ſuch Prophets to be found in theſe dayes as were in thoſe, viz. Approved of God amongſt men by miracles, ſigns, and wonders, as is ſaid of Chriſt, Acts 2.22? Doth not Experience ſhew, that the Gift of prophecying (as thereby is meant the infallible predicting of things) is either wholly, or for the moſt part at an end, as well as ſeveral other Gifts, which were intended but for the infancy of the Church: If it be ſaid, that it is written, In the laſt dayes, your young men ſhall ſee viſions, and your old men ſhall dream dreams, your ſons and daughters ſhall propheſie, it is evident, from Acts 3.16. that that was fulfilled in the Apoſtles time: for, ſaith Peter, when the Holy Ghoſt was poured out upon the Diſciples, when they were filled with the Holy Ghoſt and ſpake with other Tongues, This is that which was ſpoken by Joel, I will poure out my ſpirit upon all fleſh, and they ſhall propheſie, &c. But, it is further ſaid, that the predictions of ſome good men, have come to paſſe, they have hit right (as they call it). That may be too, and yet ſuch as they may be no Prophets to us, that is, no ſuch Prophets as we are bound to believe, till the Event have declared, that they themſelves were not deceived.: It may not be alwayes from Divine Revelation, that men propheſie rightly concerning things to come: A man may draw a Bow at an adventure, and ſhoot at random, and yet happen to hit the mark, though he that ſhall do ſo, will miſſe it much oftner. Now, as one ſaith, Men mind when predictions hit, not when they miſſe, and that is the reaſon, they give ſo much heed to them: Whereas indeed, as in predicting of weather, when it ſhall be fair, and when it ſhall be fowl; ſo in other things, though menſpeak but what comes next it is almoſt as hard to be alwayes out, as it is to be alwayes right.
How fain would I prevail with men not to lean upon the broken Reed of uncertain Prophecies? Whereon, if a man lean, it will go into his hand and pierce him (as was ſaid of Egypt) Iſa. 36.6. Pierce you they will, more wayes than one; as namely, With ſhame, when you ſee your conſidence diſappointed: With forrow, when you ſee your hopes fruſtrated: With reproach, when others ſhall deride you, and ſay, Is this the good time you lookt for? Is this the Deliverance you expected? What now is become of all your Prophecies, touching what would be ſuch and ſuch a year? All this Reproach you might ſave, if you would believe no more than what the Scripture warrants you to believe: Where doth that ſpeak of the glorious things that ſhall be in the year 1666? or, give you to expect more from that, than from any other year? Are not Divine-Promiſes ſufficient for your comfort, unleſs you eake them out with human Prophecies, (as the Papiſts do the Counſels of Scripture, with the Traditions of men:) It is well, if ſome do not derive more comfort from fallible Predictions, than from the infallible Word. Is not the Name of the Lord a ſtrong Tower? Why then will you betake your ſelves to a refuge of lies? It is enough for poor deluded Jews to be alwayes comforting themſelves with one vain Prophecy or other, (as they are obſerved to be ſeldom without:) but, it is below Chriſtians ſo to do, who have a ſure Word of Prophecy; which they ſhould take heed to, as to a light ſhining in a dark place. Be conſident, Faith, and Credulity are very different things: The firſt builds upon a Rock; the laſt upon Quick-ſands. Believe, but be not Credulous; many credulous people make many falſe Prophets, (as they ſay Receivers make Thieves:) There will never want people to make Propheſies, ſo long as there are enough to entertain them, and to truſt upon them. Jer. 5.31. The Prophets propheſie falſely, and the People love to have it ſo. There are too many, that ſay in their hearts, Si populus vult decipi decipietur: If People will be deceived, they ſhall. Many ſmall Prophets, in this, and other ages, ſeem Merchant-adventurers for a little credit; They will be the Authors of a Prediction right or wrong; it is fit it be pleaſing, whether it be true or no: If it come to paſs, they ſhall have a great deal of credit by it; and, in the mean time, it makes them to be ſomewhat more taken notice of; and, if it be fruſtrated, they are not the firſt that were miſtaken, there have been, and are many falſe Prophets beſides themſelves: When ſhall I ſee men ſo modeſt, as to tell their uncertain Predictions, as their Dreams, not as heavenly Dictates; in their own names, and not in the Name of God, ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord: but rather, My mind bodes me ſo and ſo; Thus ſaith my imagination, and I cannot withſtand it. At leaſtwiſe when ſhall I ſee others ſo wiſe as to hearken to them, only as ſuch, and upon no other account till experience have proved them to be more than to. It is time enough to believe a humane Propheſie when you ſee it fulfilled; and you pay it a ſufficient reſpect, if, in the mean time, you ſuſpend your judgment, and forbear to cenſure it. O Sixty-ſix! Thou center of human Propheſies! Thou Ocean, into which all the Rivers of Conjectural Predictions did run! If I live to ſee thee end, as thou haſt continued hitherto; for thy ſake, if for nothing elſe (yet, upon other conſiderations too,) if men will find confidence to make a thouſand Prophecies, no wayes countenanced by Scripture, I ſhall not find Faith to believe one of them.