The Burning of London, Part 3 · Meditation 48
MEDITATION XLVIII. Upon the burning of Jeruſalem, compared with the Burning of London.
MAny Prodigies there were, as Joſephus tells us, that went before the deſtruction of Jeruſalem by Fire, namely, that a great Gate of the Temple, which twenty men could hardly pull open, opened of its own accord; and, that an Oxe brought forth a Lamb in the Temple; with ſeveral others, which I forbear to mention: Theſe were dark Texts for men to expound, yet, ſome did venture to give the ſenſe and meaning of them, as if each of them had been a token for good, whereas the event did manifeſt the quite contrary. So was the deſtruction of London uſhered in with ſeveral Prodigies, Blazing-Stars, and others, which did precede it at no ſuch diſtance of time, but that it was probable enough they might ve…er to the fire, as well as to the foregoing-Peſtilence. Neither may we doubt, but there we…e ſome who did put a good conſtruction upon thoſe ill-Signes, as if they had been fore-runners of the good things, which they themſelves expected in the year -66; though as to their enemies they might have an ill-aſpect, and ominous ſignification: Thus far ſome involved themſelves in the ſame practiſe with the Jews of old, and God hath involved them in the ſame kind of calamity. It is dangerous doing as Jews, leſt we ſuffer as they.
But, beſides Prodigies, there were alſo ſundry Propheſies, which did precede the deſtruction of Jeruſalem. Chriſt fore-told it at large, as is reported by ſeveral Evangeliſts, Mat. 24. Mark. 13. Luk. 21.5. Luk. 19.44.with the ſeveral antecedents and concomitants of it; how, That the Sun ſhould be darkned, and the Moon not give her light, Matt. 24.29. There were alſo humane Propheſies concerning it, as particularly by that Man, who ran thorough the Streets of Jeruſalem, and cried Woe to it ſeveral dayes together; which, conſidering what Chriſt himſelf had ſaid, was at no hand to be ſlighted. We find no Text in Scripture Propheſying the burning of London, and in ſuch a year; but I have heard that ſome did conſidently aſſert, before any thing of the Fire did happen, that London would be burnt in the year -66: as others had done, that it would be viſited with a great Plague in -65: VVhichWhich things coming to paſs accordingly, may reaſonably incline us to believe, that God, (though by what way and means we know not,) had imparted the fore-knowledg of that Event to ſuch as did peremptorily Propheſie concerning it: For, though it be too much credulouſneſs to believe a Human Propheſie before it be fulfilled; yet to diſ-believe, that it was a real Propheſie, when it is fulfilled, is on the other hand too much moroſeneſs and incredulity: It is not unuſual with God to reveal to one or other thoſe great and ſtrange things which he is about to do in the VVorld; though becauſe there are many falſe pretenders to Revelations, we ought to ſuſpend our belief of ſuch things delivered to us by others, till the event do atteſt them.
The burning of Jeruſalem, at leaſtwiſe of the Temple, is ſaid to have been begun by one of Veſpatian's Souldiers, contrary to his known will and pleaſure; but, when it was once begun, there were many more that did help it forward, with an eye to gain and plunder. So the burning of London ſeems to have taken its firſt riſe from one hand, viz. His that ſuffered for it; but is vehemently preſumed to have been earried on by many more of the ſame ſtamp: Before Jeruſalem was ſet on fire, it had indured a cloſe Siege, and a terrible Fire, of which thouſands, yea millions of People died. No Siege or Famine, (bleſſed be God!) but a very terrible Plague is well known to have pre…eded the burning of London. One judgment going off without its deligned effect, doth not exempt men from, but tranſmit them to another; as, where one of Pharaoh's Plagues ended, another began, he ſtill refuſing to let Iſrael go. Some part of Jeruſalem was left ſtanding, viz. the Weſt-end of the Wall, and three Towers for their ſtrength and beauty, preſerved by the command of Titus, to bear teſtimony of the ſtatelineſs of the City to poſterity. So, by the Providence of God, was, and is a tenth part of London, or thereabouts, preſerved to this day, as it were, in memorial of what London was. It muſt needs be confeſſed, that the deſtruction of Jeruſalem was far greater than that of London, all things conſidered; becauſe millions of Jews were put to the ſword, beſides ſeveral other cruelties that were inflicted upon others of them; one where of was, that upon a miſtruſt that ſome of them had ſwallowed gold, two thouſand of them were ript up by the Souldiers hoping to have rob'd thoſe Mines, which made them Goldſinders, but not in ſuch a ſenſe as they expected to have been. Theſe were aggravations of miſery, which Londoners were exempted from (thanks to His infinite goodneſs, who in judgement was pleaſed to remember mercy). But it is not ſo much the diſparity as the parallel betwixt the deſtruction of Jeruſalem and of London, that I aim to ſpeak of; whereof I ſhall adde two inſtances: one is this, Jeruſalem, and London, were both fired in the ſame monethmonth, viz. Septemter; which monethmonth hiſtory informs us to have been fatal to many other Cities, and, as I take it, to Jeruſalem, more then once. Laſtly, Jeruſalem was ſet on fire, by Romans: and, as is ſtrongly ſuſpected, By Romaniſts too was London burnt. If it were otherwiſe, may their Innocency appear, and may thoſe worthy Patriots, who had the matter under examination, acquit them before all the world.