The Burning of London, Part 3 · Meditation 58
MEDITATION LVIII. Upon the Warning which other Places may, and ought to take by the Burning of London.
LOndons downfall may Alarm all the World. As many bad People as were in it, let him, that can, point out that City in which there are more (ſo far as men can judg) that are truly good. If ten righteous perſons, yea, if fifty, yea, if ten times fifty, (to ſpeak within compaſs,) could have ſaved it, London had not been deſtroyed: There were more than a few Names within that Sardis, of ſuch as had not defiled their garments like others; Yet, it ſhould ſeem, not enow to weigh againſt the ſins of the reſt. Comparing London with other places, we may call it a Green-Tree; and, If this were done to the green Tree, What ſhall be done to the dry? If Judgement begin at the Houſe of God, where ſhall the wicked and ungodly appear?
I doubt not but there were ſins enow in London to deſerve the Judgment that did befall it, yea, and a greater than that; but, by the ſame reaſon, there is guilt enough in all other places to expoſe them to as great a deſolation. Job had ſins enow of his own to acquit God, in ſtripping him of all his earthly Comforts, and ſetting him upon a Dunghill to ſcrape his ſores with poſtheards; yet Job had not, at that time, his fellow in all the Eaſt-Countrey, for a man ſearing God, and eſchewing evil: ſo that God might as juſtly have done the ſame thing to any man of that age, as to him. Sins, comparatively ſmall, have ſometimes been branded with great Puniſhments; witneſs, Davids numbering the People, and the Bethſhemites looking into the Ark; poſſibly to ſhow, that little ſins are commenſurate with great Judgements, in point of evill, as a grain of ſome Poiſons may be as hurtful as a dram of others; ſo leſſer ſinners do ſometimes fall under heavy Judgements, to ſhow, that even they deſerve ſuch Scorpions as thoſe, and others, greater puniſhments; but that the patience of God extends to the reprieving of them for the preſent; as Solomon ſaid to Abiathar, Thou art worthy to dye; but I will not p…t thee to death at this time, 1 King. 2.26.
Such as charge thoſe ſins upon London, which it was never guilty of, might have had more colour for ſo doing, if the Judgement had not fallen upon all ſorts of men, as well thoſe whom they think free from any ſuch guilt, as others, who were really free though they do not think them ſo.
To ſpeak of London, as worſe than indeed it was, (that is, as worſe than other places;) is no other, than to beſpeak ſecurity in other places, and to prevent that warning which they ought to take, and which is indeed given them by the deſtruction of London. Who hath not reaſon to think, that other places ſhall likewiſe periſh, if they repent not? All my doubt concerning London, is, whether it were better than moſt other places proportionably to the mercies and means of grace, which it enjoyed above them; or whether, thoſe things conſidered, its ſins did not preponderate: but whether abſolutely conſidered, it did not more abound with people, of good and unblamable lives, then moſt other places do, I do not much queſtion, nor can I tell who doth.
Could I be heard beyond the Seas, I would ſay, Let Rome, Vienna, Venice, Madrid, and Paris, take warning by the deſtruction of London, and repent betimes, as in duſt and aſhes, and (to keep within our own bounds), Let Dublin, and Edenborough, do ſo likewiſe; or (to come nearer home), Let York, Briſtol, Norwich, and all other Cities of England (nwo in being), meet the Lord in the way of his judgements, and ſeek to turn away his wrath, leſt they drink of the ſame Cup of trembling, whereof London hath drunk ſo deep, leſt God do unto them, as he hath done unto it (as he threatned of old to do to Jeruſalem as unto Shiloh Jer. 7.14.) leſt he rain fire and an horrible tempeſt upon them, as he hath done upon that famous City; yea, leſt when London (having humbled its ſelf under the mighty hand of God) ſhall be reſtored and lifted up again (which we pray, and hope for) their doom ſhould be to ſucceed it in the ſame Calamity, under which it groaneth at this day: Which thing we ſhould all wiſh may be prevented as to each of them, by a Sincere and ſeaſonable Repentance.
FINIS.
Twenty Seven MEDITATIONS Conſiſting of COUNSEL and COMFORT TO DIRECT and SUPPORT CHRISTIANS Under outward troubles: But eſpecially calculated for the uſe of thoſe, that were and are great Sufferers by the Fire.
Part IV.
By Samuel Rolle Miniſter of the Word, and ſometime Fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge.
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Parkhurſt, Nathaniel Ranew, and Jonathan Robinſon, 1667.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL Sir THOMAS ADAMS Knight and Baronet. TO Sir FRANCIS BICKLEY Knight and Baronet And to the reſt of the wothy Citizens of the now deſolate (though not deſpairing) City OF LONDON Eſpecially ſuch of them, as either reſide at Hackney, or are Governours of Saint Thomas's Hoſpital in Southwark.
S. R. A Native of London, and true Mourner for the Calamity thereof, in gratitude to ſeveral of them, and in true reſpect to all, dedicateth this moſt Conſolatory part of his Meditations, wiſhing the reparation of all their loſſes in Gods due time; and their compleat Aſſurance of an intereſt in thoſe better things that cannot be loſt.