The Burning of London, Part 4 · Discourse 27
DISCOURSE XXVII. Of preparing for our own diſſolution, now we have ſeen the deſtruction of London.
O London, art thou gone before us? who thought to have ſeen thee in aſhes firſt? who thought that the ſtakes of his Tabernacle would not be removed, and the cords thereof looſned, whilſt thou wert left ſtanding like a ſtrong tower not eaſie to be demoliſhed, and as like as any thing to endure till time its ſelf ſhall be no more? How much leſs difficult had it been for a burning ſeaver to have conſumed me (and thouſands more ſuch as I am) than for ſuch a fire, as did that work to have conſum'd London? For is my ſtrength the ſtrength of ſtones? or is my fleſh of braſs? as Job ſpeaks, chap. 6.12. Such was the ſtrength of that City, and yet ſee where it lieth. As for London its ſelf, it was a glorious City, beautiful for ſcituation, and I had almoſt called it the joy of the whole earth, alluding to what was ſaid of Mount Sion, Pſal. 48.2. (to be ſure the joy of the three Kingdoms) but the inhabitants of London, as to their bodies, what were they but dwellers in houſes of clay, whoſe foundation is in the duſt, which might be cruſht before the moth? Job 4.19. Who look not upon ſtrong-built houſes as things more durable than their inhabitants? who did not hope if they were their own, to tranſmit them to their children, and childrens children to many generations? And yet we ſee that they are in the duſt before us. And is not that a fair warning to us, as it might be to an aged infirm perſon, to follow a young luſtie perſon to the grave. If this were done to the green tree, what may not the dry expect? If the beſt houſes in London were half a year ſince not really worth three years purchaſe, how ever men did value them, how ſmall a purchaſe may our lives be worth for ought we know? Many might reckon to lay their ruins (their carcaſſes I mean) in the bowels of London, but who ever thought to have had his carcaſs interred in the ruins of London? as ſome have had already. A little time hath produced a greater change than our great change would be, why then ſhould we put the evil day of death far off? why ſhould we promiſe our ſelves length of daies, as if the preſent year might not put a period to us, as well as to a ſtrong and ſtately City, that was likely to have out-laſted a thouſand of us.
How reaſonable is it then for us whoſe lives are but a vapor, to expect but a ſhort continuance in this world, at leaſtwiſe not to expect any long duration here; to ſay with the Apoſtle, The time is ſhort. Yea, how needful is it we ſhould take the counſel which Chriſt gives, Luke 12.35. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, And your ſelves like men that wait for the Lord, that when he knocketh they may open to him immediately. As there is no preparing for death without thinking of it, ſo who can think of death, and not deſire to prepare for it? if the deſtruction of London admoniſh us to number out dayes, it doth no leſs, to apply our hearts to wiſdome. Who would be willing to die unpreparedly, that thinks at all of dying?
That you may know what I mean by preparedneſs for death, take this account. Then is a man fit to die, when he is in a condition to die both ſafely and comfortably: when he is tranſlated from ſpiritual death to life, and knowes himſelf ſo to be. He that is not ſo tranſlated, hath no fitneſs at all to die, he that is and knows it not, is fit in one ſenſe, and unfit in another: is partly fit, but not ſo compleatly, but he that both is ſo, and knows himſelf to be ſo, hath all the eſſentials of fitneſs for death, though if a man be in the actual exerciſe of grace and diſcharge of his duty, it muſt be confeſſed that doth give him ſomewhat more of an actual and accompliſhed fitneſs, than the meer habits of grace and of aſſurance can do. He that hath made his calling and election ſure, he that is ſealed up to the day of redemption by the ſpirit of promiſe, he that can ſay with Paul, he knows in whom he hath truſted, and as St. John, we know that we are of God; I ſay is fit to die. He that hath not that fitneſs for death, but yet deſires to have it, let him make it part of every daies work to get it; let him be daily learning how to die. Hath God afforded no meanes whereby to bring us to a fitneſs for death? what is prayer, reading the Scriptures, hearing the word, converſe with Chriſtians, examining our ſelves, ſerious meditation of ſpiritual and eternal things, avoiding the occaſions of evil, keeping our hearts with all diligence? Is it likely that a man ſhould conſcionably uſe all theſe meanes, and not attain the end of them? why then is faith ſaid to come by hearing the word preached? why is the word called the miniſtration of the ſpirit? why ſaith Paul to the Galathians, Received ye not the ſpirit by the hearing of faith? Gal. 3.2. why did Chriſt counſel men to ſearch the Scriptures, ſeeming to approve their thinking, that in them we have eternal life? why doth Chriſt ſpeak of our heavenly father, giving his ſpirit to them that ask him? why doth he ſay, Ask and it ſhall be given you, ſeek and ye ſhall finde, knock and it ſhall be opened to you, Mat. 7.7. For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that ſeeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it ſhall be opened, verſ. 8. why muſt all that come to God, believe that God is a rewarder of all them that ſeek him diligently? Heb. 11.6. It ſeems to conſiſt but ill with ſuch texts as theſe, for us to look upon the means which God hath appointed as inſignificant and ineffectual. And ſeeing they are not ſo, let us diligently uſe them in order to our preparation for death, now at leaſtwiſe that God hath ſpared us ſo long as to ſee London laid in the duſt before us.
Now God hath fired your neſts over your heads (dear friends and much lamented Citizens) will not each of you ſay as David, Pſal. 55.6. O that I had wings like a Dove (which is the embleme of innocency) for then would I flie away, and be at reſt. I ſee no great reaſon we now have to be fond of life, if we were but fit to die. May we not ſay with Solomon, we have ſeen an end of all perfection? Seeing we have brought forth an Icabod (ſo far as concernes our ſelves only, and in reference to this World) what great matter had it been, if with Eli's daughter in Law we had died in Childbed? Now who would not long to be diſſolved, as Paul did, if he could but ſay with him, We know if our Earthly Houſe were diſſolved, we have a building of God, an Houſe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. 2 Cor. 5.1.
O ſee then as concerning Death, there are three leſſons to be learnt from this ſad providence. viz. to expect it, to prepare for it, and to be willing to it. To expect it, is the way to prepare for it: and when once prepared for it, we have no great reaſon, after ſuch a deſolation, to be unwilling to it.
O Lord I dare not ſay, as Elijah did, 1 Kings 19.4. It is enough, take away my life. He might better ſay ſo than I. Poſſibly he foreſaw by a ſpirit of propheſie, that fiery Chariot which was intended to carry him to heaven. 2 Kings 2.12. Yet neither he nor I may ſay ſo by way of diſcontent. O Lord, I have many things to deſire, as in reference to death, let me not die till I am willing, make me willing when I am fit, let me know I am fit when I am really ſo, that I may be willing, make me early fit, that I may be timely willing: yea deſirous to be diſſolved, and whenſoever … am deſirous to dye, let me alſo be contented to live, if thou have any work to do for me. Let me only deſire that thou maiſt be glorified in me, whether by life or death. Lord what work do I and ſome others make of dying, as if it were more for us to die, than for London to be burnt to aſhes. Did Aaron make any ſuch ſtir about it? Up he went to Mount Hor. Moſes ſtript him of his Garments, and put them upon Eleazar his Son: Numb. 20.26. And me thinks he made no more of it, than if he had put off his cloaths to go to Bed, or than if with Enoch, he had been about to have been tranſlated, rather than to have ſeen death; or with Chriſt after his reſurrection, rather about to aſcend than to die. O Lord have not ſome of thy ſervants known the time of their approaching Death, and knowing it, called their friends about them, prayed together, ſuing Pſalmes together, chearfully confer'd about that better world they were going to, took their ſolemn leave of all their relations and friends, as if they had only been about to travel into ſome far Country, from whence they were never like to return again, and then compoſed themſelves to die, as if they had only laid themſelves to ſleep, and commended their ſouls into thy hands with no leſs chearfulneſs and confidence, than Men do their bags and bonds into the hands of faithful friends? May I not (with ſubmiſſion) deſire to die upon the ſame termes? yet, if it may ſtand with thy bleſſed will, let me live to ſee London rebuilt in ſome competent meaſure: thy people re-united: England reſetled: Proteſtant Nations reconciled each to other: thy Goſpel every where ſpread: this Land a Mountain of holineſs, and a valley of viſion, or if not all, yea if none of theſe, at leaſtwiſe clearly to ſee and read my own name written in the book of life: then ſhall I ſay with good old Simeon, Now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Rolle, The Burning of London (1667)