Counsel to the Afflicted, Title page – To the reader
Counſel to the Afflicted: OR, INSTRUCTION AND CONSOLATION for ſuch as have ſuffered Loſs by FIRE. With Advice to ſuch as have eſcaped that ſore JUDGMENT. Contained in the Reſolution of three Queſtions, occaſioned by the Dreadful FIRE in the City of LONDON, in the Year 1666. Viz.
1. How may ſuch Perſons as have ſuſtained great loſs by the ſaid Fire, bear their Affliction with a contented cheerful Spirit?
2. What uſe ſhould they make of their Affliction, who have loſt their whole, or any part of their Eſtates by the ſaid Fire?
3. What uſe ſhould they make of Gods Mercy, whoſe Houſes and Goods were preſerved from the ſaid Fire?
In the diſcuſſing of which Queſtions are handled ſeveral profitable Caſes of Conſcience concerning Self-Murder, preparing for Afflictions, taking up our reſt in God, &c. which are inſerted in the Contents.
By O. S.
Iſa. 25.15.
Glorifie ye the Lord in the Fires.—
LONDON, Printed by E. Cotes, and are to …e ſold by H. Brome, in Little Britain, 1667
TO THE READER.
WHat the Prophet Joel ſaith of the Famine that came upon Judea, Joel 1.2. The like may I ſay of the late deplorable FIRE which the Lord hath ſent upon London, the Metropolitan City of this Nation; Hear this ye old men, and give ear all ye inhabitants of the land, hath this been in your dayes, or even in the dayes of your Fathers? God hath often contended with this Land by Fire, but neither in our dayes, nor in the dayes of our Fathers hath there been any ſuch dreadful Fire as this, which began in London, Sept. 2.1666. and continued raging for the ſpace of three or four dayes together with that fury and violence that none was able to quench it, until it had conſumed the greateſt part of that renowned City, and had made of a City an heap, of a defenced City a ruine. Elihu ſpeaking of Thunder and Lightning, ſaith, Job 37.1. At this my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. And calleth to Job to conſider ſeriouſly theſe great works of God, ver. 11. Hearken unto this, O Job, ſtand ſtill and conſider the wondrous works of God. If Elihu were thus affected at the ſight of Lightning and hearing of Thunder, and would have Job ſtand ſtill and conſider theſe wondrous works of God, how ſhould the hearts of all that ſaw or heard of this dreadful Fire, tremble, and be as it were moved out of their places? How ſhould they be awakened to ſtand ſtill and conſider this wondrous judgment of God? It thunders and lightens every year, theſe are Gods ordinary works; but it is very rare and unuſual for God to ſend ſuch great and terrible Fires. There may be and oft-times are mighty Thunders and Lightnings, and no man ſuffereth any damage by them; but many thouſands have ſuſtained great loſs by this Fire. Now the more unuſual and afflicting any judgment is, the more it ought to be laid to heart, and the more we ought to fear and tremble before that God that ſent it. When the Fire had devoured the paſtures of the Wilderneſs, and the trees of the Field, this made Joel go and cry before the Lord, Joel 1.19. O Lord, to thee will I cry, for the Fire hath devoured the paſtures of the Wilderneſs, and the flame hath burnt all the trees of the Field. If the Prophet bemoaned the burning of the paſtures of the Wilderneſs, and the trees of the Field, how ought we to bemoan the burning of this famous City? When Hanani told Nehemiah that the wall of Jeruſalem was broken down, and the gates thereof burnt with Fire, and his Brethren the Jews were in great affliction, ſee how he was affected with it, Nehem. 1.3,4. It came to paſs when I heard theſe words, that I ſate down and wept, and mourned certain dayes, and faſted and prayed before the God of Heaven. They that are of Nehemiahs diſpoſition, that is, men fearing God, can do no leſs upon the ſight or hearing of Londons deſolations, then he did at Jeruſalems; namely, ſit down and mourn, and faſt, and pray to the God of Heaven, that he would turn away from the fierceneſs of his anger which is kindled againſt us, even as the Prophet Iſaiah alſo did in the like caſe, Iſa. 64.9,10,11,12. As for ſuch as are of a Gallio like ſpirit, caring for none of theſe things, Londons Ruines call out to them as Jeruſalem did in the day of her diſtreſs, Lam. 1.12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that paſs by, behold and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger? From above hath he ſent Fire into my bones, and it prevaileth againſt them—Yea God himſelf ſpeaketh dreadfully to ſuch perſons, Pſal. 28.5. Becauſe they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he ſhall deſtroy them, and not build them up.
Beſides being duly and deeply affected with this ſad and ſolemn providence of God, it is every mans concernment to make a good uſe of it. No man ſhould let ſuch great judgments as this Fire and the late Peſtilence paſs away, without being ſome way bettered in his ſpiritual Eſtate by them. The beſt uſe that we can make of this and thoſe other Judgments of God which of late have fallen upon us, is to turn every one of us from all our ſins unto the Lord with all our hearts, and all our ſouls. For this is the deſign of all Gods Judgments to lead us to repentance. If the fall of the Tower of Siloam, wherein but eighteen perſons ſuffered, be interpreted by Chriſt to be a call to all the Inhabitants of Judah and Jeruſalem, to repent upon pain of eternal damnation, Luke 13.4.5. With what a loud voice doth God call to all the Inhabitants of this Land to repent of their ſins, by the fall of this great City, wherein many thouſands have been great ſufferers? The rod calls to repentance, but it ſeldom works repentance, unleſs it be accompanied with the word; but when inſtruction goeth with correction, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſs to them that are exerciſed thereby. Whilſt Ephraim was only chaſtiſed he was like a Bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoke; but after he was inſtructed, he repented, he ſmote upon his thigh, he was aſhamed, Jer. 31.18,19. The world never beheld ſuch an amazing ſight as when the Lord Jeſus, the Lord of life and glory ſuffered death, from the ſixth to the ninth hour of the day, there was darkneſs over the whole earth: the Sun was darkned, and the Vail of the Temple was rent in the midſt, &c. Yet how few were brought to repentance by theſe things? One of the Thieves is converted, and a Centurion gives glory to God; but as for the generality of the people, though they were ſtruck with ſome amazement and remorſe for the preſent, they return every one to his own way, Luke 23.48. And all the people that came together to that ſight, beholding the things which were done, ſmote upon their breaſts and returned. We read nothing of their returning to God, till the Apoſtle Peter came and preached the word to them, and then follows a great converſion unto the Lord, 3000. are added unto the Church in one day, Acts 2.41. Wherefore we ſhould eſteem it a great bleſſing and ſingular mercy to be taught and inſtructed by God, when we are under his correcting hand, according to what the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 94.12. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſtneſt, O Lord, and teacheſt him out of thy law. And we ſhould readily open our ears to diſcipline, by what wayes ſoever God ſhall be pleaſed to convey his minde to us. God can, and ſometimes doth teach us immediately by his Spirit, but moſt ordinarily he inſtructeth both thoſe that are in affliction, and others alſo in the uſe of means. When the Apoſtle Paul was in great diſtreſs, and at a loſs to know the minde of Chriſt, and cryed, Lord, What wilt thou have me to do? he ſent him to Ananias, to be inſtructed what he ſhould do, Acts 9.6. God could have taught Cornelius by his Spirit, or by the Angel that appeared to him, but he chuſeth rather to ſend him for inſtruction to one of his Miniſters, even to Peter, who ſhould tell him what he ought to do, Acts 10.3.4.5,6. Amongſt other means, reading of the Scriptures and other good Books is one way whereby God ſeals up inſtruction to us. Daniel was a man of ſingular wiſdom, full of the Holy Ghoſt, greatly beloved of God; yet he had not all his knowledge by immediate inſpiration, but much of it was given to him by the ſtudy of Books, Dan. 9.2. I Daniel underſtood by Books.—
At the requeſt and for the uſe of ſome worthy Friends, who were great ſufferers by the late Fire, I have drawn up an anſwer to three practical Queſtions concerning the ſaid Fire, the deſign whereof is to inſtruct and excite both ſuch as eſcaped, and ſuch as ſuffered by this dreadful Fire, to make an holy uſe and a Chriſtian improvement of this ſad and ſolemn Providence, and alſo to quiet and comfort ſuch as are troubled and caſt down at the loſs of their Eſtates. The reſolution of which Queſtions are here preſented to thy view. Poſſibly thou mayeſt have already ſomething of the like nature from more able hands; however if the Lord (who worketh when and by whom he will) ſhall be pleaſed by the reading of this ſmall Treatiſe to convey the leaſt beam of light, or breath any quickning influence into thy Soul, or to promote in any meaſure thy holineſs or conſolation, it will be no grief of heart unto thee, that thou wert at the coſt to buy, or at the pains to read it.
If thou ſayeſt, I am not concerned in this Judgment, having been no ſufferer by it, nor any Inhabitant in the City where this Judgment fell, and ſo conſequently I am not concerned in the matter that is handled in theſe queſtions? I anſwer. 1. If thou art not a ſufferer by this Fire, yet, art thou not under other ſufferings? If ſo, there are ſeveral things hinted concerning this Affliction, that may be of uſe to thee under thy Afflictions, of what nature ſoever they be. 2. If thou art not a ſufferer by this or any other Judgment, thou haſt the more need to ſtudy what thou ſhalt render to the Lord for his great mercy in ſparing thee when his hand lieth ſo heavy upon ſo many thouſands at this day▪ And then the third Queſtion is of great concernment to thee. 3. Though thou haſt not ſuffered hitherto, thou knoweſt not how ſoon thou mayeſt ſuffer by this very Judgment of Fire. That paſſage in Iſa. 66.15,16. may awaken thee to prepare for fiery tryals. Behold, the Lord will come with Fire, and with his Chariots like a whirlwinde, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire; for by fire, and by his ſword, will the Lord plead with all fleſh, and the ſlain of the Lord ſhall be many. And as it is our duty to hear for the time to come, Iſa. 42.23. So it will be our prudence to read for time to come. 4. Not only the places and perſons that ſuffer by Gods Judgments, but all that hear of them are concerned to make a good uſe of them. When the Lord brought a ſore Judgment upon Jeruſalem, he calls to all people in all Nations upon the face of the earth, to take notice thereof, and make a good uſe of it, Jer. 4.18,19. Hear ye Nations, and know, O Congregation, what is among them; Hear, O Earth, behold, I will bring evil upon this people—
If any ſay, this Treatiſe ſeemeth to be born out of due time; it is now ſeveral months ſince London was burnt, the impreſſion of this Judgment begins now to wear off from mens ſpirits, &c. I anſwer. 1. I hope better things of the greater part that ſuffered by this ſtroke of God, then that they ſhould ſo ſoon forget the hand that hath been lifted up againſt them; but if it ſhould be ſo, that the impreſſions of this Judgment ſhould be wearing off from many mens ſpirits, there is the more need of uſing means to revive them again. It is to be feared in regard poverty is coming upon many like an armed man, and the ſad effects of this Fire are and will be felt more and more by the poorer ſort, that diſcontent and trouble of minde will rather grow and encreaſe then wear off; and therefore to ſuch at leaſt, it will not be unſeaſonable to miniſter ſomething by way of conſolation, though it be ſome months ſince they were brought into a ſuffering condition. 2. Such great Judgments as this was, are to be kept in remembrance, and to be improved for the promoting of repentance and the fear of God all our dayes, and not only as long as we live, but the memory of them is to be conveyed to the Ages and Generations that are yet to come, that they may learn to fear this God, who hath done ſuch great things amongſt us. When there was a mighty Famine in Judah, the Lord gives Commandment that the memory thereof ſhould be perpetuated to all Ages, Joel 1.3,4. Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation; That which the palmer worm hath left, hath the locuſt eaten, &c. We think unworthily of Gods Judgments, if we ſuppoſe they are to be regarded for a few dayes, or for a few years only. They are of larger uſe. Judgments upon particular places and perſons, are admonitions to the whole world that hear of them as long as the world ſhall ſtand. It is ſome thouſands of years ſince Lots Wife was turned into a pillar of Salt, yet this Judgment of God on a particular perſon muſt not be forgotten by us in this generation, nor by others to the worlds end, Luke 17.32. Remember Lots Wife. It is generally computed to be above three thouſand years ſince the Iſraelites came out of Egypt, and paſſed through the Wilderneſs into Canaan, and yet their ſufferings in the Wilderneſs are enſamples to us, to deter us from ſinning as they did, leſt we ſuffer as they did; and not to us only but to all that ſhall live between this and the end of the world, 1 Cor. 10.11. Now all theſe things happened to them for enſamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 3. In ſome caſes where grief is great, counſel and comfort takes place beſt, when the ſufferers have had a little ſpace to bemoan their diſtreſſed condition. When Jobs Friends came to comfort him, they forbore ſpeaking a word to him for ſeven dayes and ſeven nights, becauſe they ſaw his grief was very great, Job 2.11,12,13.
I ſhall detain thee no longer with this preface, but commend thee and this work to the bleſſing of the Lord, after I have craved one requeſt at thy hands, which is, if thou reapeſt any benefit by this enſuing Treatiſe, give all the glory to God, and lift up a prayer for him, who is,
Thine to ſerve the in the work of the Lord O. S.