The Burning of London, Part 3 · Meditation 23
MEDITATION XXIII. Upon the Place where this dreadful fire began, viz. at a Bakers-Houſe in Pudding-lane.
MEthinks the Burning of London, by Means of that obſcure Lane, was like the killing of that great Giant Goliah, by a Pibble-Stone, ſlung from the Sling and Arm of little-David; or, like the ſlaying of a thouſand Philiſtims meerly with the Jaw-bone of an Aſs, Judg. 15.15. Or, like the throwing down the walls of Jericho with the ſound of Ramshorns. It may be the great God did deſign nothing but Glory to himſelf, in imploying ſo mean and inconſiderable an Inſtrument in the deſtruction of that great City; but, it looks like a Father's ſpitting in his Daughters face, which would be a puniſhment carrying a ſhew of contempt with it. When that poor Lane was on Fire, I doubt not, but many thought, that other places, of greater note and eminency, would do well enough, as did appear, by removing their goods thither, and no further, (as to Aldermanbury, &c.) But, it ought to be conſide…ed, that Judgments do many times aſcend; and, though they begin at the loweſt round of the Ladder, yet they do not make an end till they have climbed up to the very top. Though this Fire began with a Bakers-Houſe, yet its ambition, (if I may ſo phraſe it,) was not ſatisfied, till it had conſumed the Houſes of the Chief-Magiſtrates, and the places of greateſt eminency. When God is Correcting Mean-Men, Great-Ones ſhould tremble, and ſeek to make their Peace, leſt the Cup go round. I am deceived, if ſome Perſons of Quality did not die of the laſt years Plague, though it befel the Poor more generally, who were not able to provide for their ſafety by ſlying: But, when the Judgment is by Fire, great Houſes go to rack as well as ſmall; for, one can no more ſly than can the other: Houſes have no wings but thoſe which Fire gives them, when they fly away for good and all, once for all: They eaſily fly by fire, but can never fly from it.
But, Will it vield us nothing of a profitable Meditation, that this fire began in a Bakers-Houſe? Had the hazardouſneſs of that Calling, as to matter of fire, or careleſneſs of the People, been the cauſe of its beginning there; when the Natural cauſe had been ſo plain, the Moral ground of it had been leſs worth our inquiring: But, I find not any thing of that nature ſo much as ſuſpected; yea, ſome to this day will not believe, that it came to paſs otherwiſe, then by an immediate hand of Providence: Whoſe Incredulouſneſs in one thing is not ſo great, but their Credulity in another is greater, if they think it were fired from Heaven immediately. That it came by any in the Family is not miſtruſted; that it was by His meanes that Confeſſed himſelf Guilty, or by the Treachery of any other, they will not believe: And, if neither of theſe two wayes, there is but a third can be thought of, (and they muſt have a Faith of Miracles, that believe it to have come that way;) and, that is, As Fire came upon Sodom, viz. from heaven immediately: But, when I conſider where it began, (not to diſpute how, or by whoſe means,) I cannot well over-look a paſſage or two in the Prophet Hoſeah; viz. Hoſ. 7.4. They are all Adulterers, as on Oven heated by the Baker, who ceaſeth from raiſing after he hath kneeded the dough, untill it be leavened: Thoſe words contain a part of Gods controverſie with Ephraim, that is, with the Ten Tribes, viz. Firſt, for their eagerneſs in ſin, they were like a Fiery-Oven, very hot upon their Whoredoms, whether Corpo…al, or Spiritual. Secondly, For their Security in ſin; They were like a Baker faſtaſleep, whilſt his Oven is heating, and his Dough taking Leaven. Verſ. 6. Their Baker ſleepeth all the night, in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. Thirdly, For their ſlineſs and ſubtilty, in carrying on their Wickedneſs; making, as if they minded no ſuch thing; like a Baker, that ſeems not to regard either his Bread, or his Oven; whereas he hath put Leaven into the one, and Fire into the other, which is all that can be done for the preſent; and, by that time the Oven is hot enough, and the Bread leavened enough, he will be ſure to wake, and fall to his Buſineſs: Moreover, Verſ. 8. We read this paſſage, Ephraim is a Cake not turned; Meaning, that as ſuch a Cake is partly bak't, and partly dough; ſo, Ephraim did halt betwixt God and Beal, was of ſeveral Religious, eſpouſing the Religion of thoſe divers People they lived amongſt, as the fore-going words imply; Ephraim hath mixed himſelf amongſt the People. Seeing then the Holy Ghoſt ſeemeth to ſet forth theſe Four things I have mentioned, by Similitudes taken from a Baker, and the things he deals in; it can be no wayes improper, from the Circumſtance of place, where the Fire began, viz. a Bakers-Houſe; to Meditate of thoſe Expreſſions, and to conſider, how far-forth they are applicable to our ſelves. If we have been as a Cake but half-bak't, if burning like a fiery-Oven with the heat of luſt, and in the mean time ſleeping in ſecurity, &c. How juſt was it with God to ſend ſuch a Fire as this upon us? Came it not to awaken us? Though Bakers can ſleep quietly when they have put fire in the Oven; yet, if they know there be fire on the Houſ-top, they can take no reſt; Advertiſe them of that, and they will ſtart up preſently, and indeavour to quench it. I thought fit to touch upon both theſe Circumſtances, not as pretending to know the end of God in either of them; (though he, who acteth all things according to the Counſel of his Will, hath a wiſe end; not onelyonly in all his actings, but in all the circumſtances of them;) but rather to ſhow, that Meditati…n is a Plant, that may ſpring out of every Soil; a Fruit, that may grow upon every Tree; which may evidence, That it is not from the barreuneſs of things (which are all big with matter of profitable meditation) but from the naughtineſs of our hearts that we are ſo much ſtrangers to it.