Counsel to the Afflicted, Question 2 · Section 9
SECT. 9.
9. Let the loſſes which you have ſuſtained by the late Fire, put you in minde of, and make you careful to avoid four other Fires, which are more dreadful than this great Fire, which conſumed many thouſand houſes in a few dayes.
1. Take heed of the fire of Sin. Sin is oft compared unto fire, Iſa. 9.18. Wickedneſs burneth as the fire, it ſhall devour the briars and thorns—Prov. 16.27. An ungodly man diggeth up evil, and in his lips there is as a burning fire. Hoſ. 7.6. They have made ready their heart like an oven, whilſt they lie in wait, their baker ſleepeth all the night, in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. James 3.6. The tongue is as a fire, a world of iniquity; ſo is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and ſetteth on fire the courſe of nature, and it is ſet on fire of Hell. Now this fire of ſin is far more miſchievous than the late Fire which burnt ſo great a part of the City; for though that deſtroyed many ſtately buildings, and much Goods, this deſtroyes mens ſouls; and the ſoul of one man, though the pooreſt man upon the face of the earth, is more worth than the whole world, Mark 8.36. The late Fire hath burnt up a great part of the City, but ſin hath ſet on fire the whole courſe of nature; it hath fired, more or leſs, all perſons in all parts and places of the world, For there is not a juſt man upon earth, that doth good and ſinneth not, Eccleſ. 7.20. It hath been burning many thouſand years together, even ever ſince the fall of Adam.
2. Take heed of the Fire of Gods wrath, that burns like fire, Nahum. 1.6. Who can ſtand before his indignation, and who can abide in the fierceneſs of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire. Pſal. 89.46. Shall thy wrath burn like fire? The Apoſtle ſaith of God, Heb. 12.29. Our God is a conſuming fire. To whom is God a conſuming fire? To all impenitent perſons that refuſe to humble their ſouls, and to break off their ſins, Iſa. 27.4. Who would ſet the briars and thorns againſt me in Battle, I would go through them, I would burn them together. He is a conſuming Fire to all that fall off from the wayes of God, after they have been enlightned with the knowledge of the truth, Heb. 10.26,27. If we ſin wilfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which ſhall devour the adverſaries.
3. Let this fire put you in minde of that fire which ſhall conſume and burn up the whole world. It was a dreadful ſight to ſee London on fire, but it will be more dreadful to ſee the whole world on ſire; yet ſuch a time will come, and it is haſtening apace upon us, wherein the heavens and the earth ſhall be ſet on fire, and all perſons and things burnt in that fire, 2 Pet. 3.10,11,12. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heav ns ſhall paſs away with a great noiſe, and the elements ſhall melt with fervent heat; the earth alſo, and the works that are therein, ſhall be burnt up: ſeeing then that all theſe things ſhall be diſſolved, what manner of perſons ought ye to be in all holy converſation, and godlineſs, looking for, and haſtening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the Heavens being on fire, ſhall be diſſolved, and the Elements ſhall melt with fervent heat? This fire that ſhall burn up the whole world, ſhall be to all the ſervants of God like Elijah's fiery Chariot, a means of conveying them into the Kingdom of Heaven; but it ſhall be a day of deſtruction and perdition to all ungodly men, 2 Theſſ. 1.7,8,9. The Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord. 2 Pet. 3.7. The Heavens and the Earth, which are now, by the ſame word are kept in ſtore, reſerved unto fire, againſt the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men. Mal. 4.1. Behold, the day cometh that ſhall burn as an Oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly ſhall be ſtubble, and the day that cometh ſhall burn them up, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, that it ſhall leave them neither root nor branch.
4. Let this fire put you in mind and make you careful to avoid Hell fire: If this fire were dreadful, think with your ſelves how dreadful it will be to be placed at Chriſts left hand, and hear him pronounce that terrible ſentence, Depart from me, ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Matth. 25.41. and yet this will be the portion of all the workers of iniquity, Matth. 13.41,42. The Son of Man ſhall ſend forth his Angels, and they ſhall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and ſhall caſt them into a furnace of fire, there ſhall be wailing and gnaſhing of teeth. Revel. 21.8. The fearful, and unbelieving, and the Abominable, and Murderers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Liars, ſhall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimſtone. Hell fire is ſo dreadful, that you ſhould be willing to do any thing, and to ſuffer any thing, ſo that you may not be caſt into Hell fire when you die. If you have any ſins as profitable to you as your right hand, or as dear to you as your right eye, you had better a thouſand times part with thoſe ſins, & ſuffer pain and damage, and enter into life than retain your ſins, and be caſt into Hell fire when you die, Mar. 9.43,44,45,46,47,48. If thy hand offend thee, cut it off; for it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands, to go into Hell, into the fire that never ſhall be quenched; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be caſt into Hell, into the fire that never ſhall be quenched; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine Eye offend thee, pluck it out; it is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be caſt into Hell fire; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.