Gods Terrible Voice in the City, Title page – To the reader
GOD'S Terrible Voice IN THE CITY:
Wherein you have
I. The sound of the voice, in the Narration of the two late Dreadfull Judgments of Plague and Fire, inflicted by the Lord upon the City of London, the former in the year, 1665, the latter in the year 1666.
II. The interpretation of the voice, in a Discovery, 1. Of the cause of these Judgments, where you have a Catalogue of London's sins. 2. Of the design of these Judgments; where you have an enumeration of the Duties God calls for by this terrible voice.
By T. V.
Micah 6. 9.
The voice of the Lord cryeth unto the City, and the Man of wisdome shall see thy name: Hear ye the Rod, and who hath appointed it.
Printed in the Year 1667.
TO All such of the CITY, WHO Have seen the Desolations OF LONDON BY The late Judgments of PLAGUE and FIRE.
IT might have seemed more seasonable unto some, if a work of this nature had come forth unto view more immediately after the sound of Gods terrible voice, and execution, at least, of the last dreadfull Iudgment of the Fire; because if a Man strikes whilst the Iron is hot, it is likely to make the more deep impression, which when it grows cool, growes hard and unmalleable; and if the hammer of the Word had been used, when London was newly come forth of the Furnace, some might think they would have yielded the more easily unto it's strokes, and the better have received the fashion, which this Hammer would work them unto; and that, since the fresh and lively remembrance of the judgement is more worn off, it is to be feared, that they are more cooled and hardned, and therefore in likelihood, it will be more difficult to effect a due impression of the Iudgements by the Word upon them: yet, besides that it was not in my thoughts to attempt this Work, until the greatest part of the Winter was spent: I may further adde, that, though a discourse concerning the Plague, would have been most seasonable under the Iudgment it self, when people who were generally taken off from their trading, had room and time for retirement and consideration, more than ever they had in their lives before; and therefore were more likely to lay to heart, what might be spoken or written unto them on that Subject: yet the reason is not the same in the Iudgement of the Fire, which (however startling and astonishing) was so far from giving them retiring time for consideration, as the former Iudgement of the Plague had done, that it did engage them unto more labourious works than ever they had, not only while London was burning, in removing what they could save of their goods from the Fire; but also since, in looking out new Habitations, and fitting their Houses and Shops for Trades; which hath given them occasion for so much distraction, that I fear they could hardly settle their mindes to read and consider so seriously as they should, what the Lord hath been doing with them, & speaking unto them by this Terrible Voice, which hath sounded so loud in their ears: but by this time, I hope, that the most have attained to some kinde of settlement, at least so much, as to give them leave to sit down and ponder upon the meaning of God, in these strange and dreadful Iudgements of Plague and Fire in the City; and therefore this Book may be more seasonable unto the most, than if it had been written, and presented to them immediately after the Fire had burnt them out of their habitations. Friends, It is high time for all of you to retire your selves, and bethink your selves, and wisely to consider Gods dealings with you, to open your ear, and labour to understand these speaking Iudgments, least if God be provoked, by your deafness, and incorrigibleness, to speak a third time, it be in your utter ruine and desolation. If these Papers be any wayes helpfull to revive in your memories the Iudgments themselves, by the Historicall Narration which here you have of them; to work your hearts to some sense of sin in discovery of the cause; and to perswade you unto a ready compliance with Gods design in the declaring of what God now expects from you, after such dreadfull executions; as yours will be the benefit: so I desire that God may have the whole glory; and that you would make this return for my help of you, to help me with your prayers, that I may be the more helpfull to you in mine, who am
Your dearly affectionate friend and servant in the Lord. T. V.
Gods terrible Voice IN THE CITY.
Psalm 65. part of the fifth Verse.
By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us.
INTRODUCTION.
SHall a Trumpet be blown in the City, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? The Lyon hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but Prophesie? Am. 3. 6. 8. When the Pharisees spake to our Saviour to rebuke his Disciples for their loud praises of the Lord with Hosanna's, he tells them, If they should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out, Luk. 19. 39, 40. And we read in Habakkuk, Chap. 2. 11. Of the stone crying out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber making answer. Certainly we in London have lately heard the cry of stones and walls, of timber and beams in their fall and flames; I mean in the late Dreadful Fire which hath laid out Ierusalem in heaps; or rather we have heard the Voice of God in this and other terrible things which have come upon us; Let none then rebuke, if one so unfit do make an attempt to speak something of the meaning of Londons Fire, or of Gods Terrible Voice in this and other Judgements, when by the mouth of Babes God can declare his Will.