Section 8: The Sins of London That Provoked God's Judgments

1. The first sin of London is slighting of the Gospel. The Gospel in England has above this hundred years shined forth out of the clouds of Popery and Antichristianism, which before did overspread the land; and in no place of England has the Gospel been preached with greater power and purity than in London; and what entertainment has it found? Has it been valued according to its worth and excellency? Has it been received as if it had come down from the God of Heaven, expressing his love and goodwill towards the children of men, as if it had brought such good news and tidings, as salvation by Jesus Christ?

Read the eulogy which the Apostle Peter gives of the salvation made known by the Gospel (1 Peter 1:10-12): Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired, and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them, did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow: to whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they did minister the things, which are now reported to you, by them that have preached the Gospel to you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven, which things the Angels desire to look into. The Prophets of old did inquire and search, but did not so clearly understand the Gospel, as now it is revealed. Our Savior tells his disciples (Luke 10:24) that many Prophets and Kings had desired to see the things which they saw and had not seen them, and to hear the things which they did hear, and had not heard them; for indeed this mystery was hid from ages and generations which God then made manifest to the saints (Colossians 1:26). And the Apostle Paul tells us, that though the ministration of the law were glorious, insomuch that it made the face of Moses to shine, to whom the law was revealed upon the mount, yet that it had no glory, in comparison with the ministration of the Gospel, whose glory did so far excel (2 Corinthians 3:7, 10). The mysteries of God's wisdom and love revealed in the Gospel, being so glorious, surely are worthy of acceptation and esteem, especially when the Angels who are not so much concerned, desire to look into these things, to whom it is said (Ephesians 3:10): Is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God. And yet these great things, which have been reported by them, who have preached the Gospel, with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven, have been undervalued in London. The Gospel has been slighted in London, and though some have been more notoriously guilty, yet who can altogether excuse themselves from this sin? Now that the conviction may be more full, I shall charge the sin more particularly.

1. The ignorant persons in London have been guilty of this sin; the light of the Gospel has shined about them, but they have muffled up themselves in darkness, and suffered Satan to keep them hoodwinked, lest the light of the glorious Gospel should enter, and lead them out of his snare. Thousands in the city have been affectedly ignorant: though they have had means of knowledge, so near, and so easy to come by, multitudes have perished out of London, and multitudes still remain in their ignorance. O the neglect that there has been of learning catechisms! And how few have endeavored to acquaint themselves with the principles of the Christian religion, that they might have the more full and clear understanding of the Gospel?

2. The vicious and profane have been guilty of slighting the Gospel; how many such persons have there crowded, and are still crowding out of London into Hell, when the light of the Gospel shined upon them, which would have guided them in the way to Heaven. Because this light has been too troublesome in its discovery, and reproof of their dear and sweet sins, they have hated it, and endeavored to fly as far as they could from it, or to shut their eyes as hard as they could against it.

3. The civil persons also have been guilty; there have been many sober citizens, and matrons, civil youths, and virgins, who have been free from the gross pollutions, which are in the world through lust, who have been diligent in their calling, just in their dealings, courteous, and sweet-natured in their demeanor, and yet without the least degree of the power of godliness, without which it is impossible they should be saved. Alas! none of these have given any warm welcome to the Gospel in their hearts, which has been so long preached in the city; the kindness of a friend has been esteemed by them, but the kindness of God has not been regarded. If a messenger had come and told them how they might save their estates, when in danger of loss, or how to save their relations when in danger of death; O how welcome would such a messenger and tidings have been? But when ministers have preached the Gospel to them, which tells them how they should save their souls, in danger of death and hell, such tidings have had no relish with them, as if they had no souls, or were in no danger. The light has shined before them, but there has been a cloud in their eye; they could not discern it. Or they have looked upon it afar off; they have not drawn near, and brought it home, and set it up in their bosoms, that they might order themselves, and whole conversations, according to its guidance and direction.

4. The hypocrites have been guilty of this sin; these have drawn nearer to this light, than any of the former; so near, that they have seemed to be clothed with its beams, they have lighted their lamps hereby, and have shined forth in a glorious blaze of an outward profession. Yet there has been even in these an inward secret disrelish of the Gospel, especially of some things in it; there have been some secret rooms in their hearts into which they would not suffer the light to enter, lest it should discover those beloved Dalilahs which there they have nourished and brought up. They have been rotten at the core, and have had some unmortified lust within, which the world has not taken notice of; so that if the Gospel has been received by them, it has been only in the outward form, not in the inward power; if the light has been received, it has been without its heat and life. Hence it has come to pass that some of these hypocrites, who seemed to be stars of the first magnitude, have proved only blazing stars and comets, which in a short time have fallen and sunk into wild opinions, or fearful apostasy.

5. The Erroneous have been guilty of this sin; some and not a few in London, under this glorious sunshine of the Gospel, which has come from Heaven, have lighted a candle at the fire of Hell, and labored to set it up in opposition to the true light of the Gospel, crying out, New Light, new Light. Satan himself has appeared in London like an angel of light, and employed his emissaries and wicked instruments (who have seemed to be ministers of righteousness, but have had a wolfish ravenous heart under the dress and clothing of the sheep) to vent many damnable and destructive opinions in our Church, under pretense of new discoveries and revelations of the spirit; and though this false and taper-light could never abide the test, and put forth any beams of convincing truth, but darkened and disappeared upon the approach of the Sun, where it shined in its power; yet too many whose eyes were too sore to look upon the glorious beams of the Sun, and yet withal their hearts too fearful to remain wholly in the dark without any show of light, did withdraw themselves from the former, and sought after the latter in dark corners, where alone such rotten wood could seem to shine, and such candles could give forth any light, and choosing night rather than day — they followed these false wandering fires, though they were led by them into many a precipice.

It is sad to remember, and seriously to consider what errors and strong delusions have abounded and prevailed in our Gospel days. How many false teachers have there been among us, which have crept in unawares? How many Jesuits and priests sent from Rome and other places, to rend and tear our Protestant Church to pieces, that they might make way for the introduction of Popery, at least to cast a disgrace upon Protestantism, and delude many of us with the opinions they have broached, and to confirm their own in their delusions; thus many cunning and learned Jesuits have disguised themselves in the habit of tailors, shoemakers, and of other mechanical tradesmen, that they might seem to the people to have been taught those things by the Spirit, which have been the product of much study; thus these cursed villains, of old ordained to condemnation, have secretly brought in damnable heresies, some calling themselves Quakers, others Ranters, others Seekers, others Antinomians, others Brownists, others Anabaptists; putting themselves into any shapes, that they might mislead, and the better lie in wait to deceive poor souls; some denying the Lord that bought them, setting up the fancy of a Christ within them for their Saviour; others denying the foundation, undermining the divine authority of the Scriptures; others laboring to overthrow the doctrine of justification, and striking at most fundamental doctrines in the Christian faith; and all of them endeavoring to undermine the ministry of Christ's institution, and sending, calling them Anti-Christian, Baal's priests, false prophets, doing what they could to bring them and their ministry out of esteem, that they might the more effectually prevail with the people to receive their false doctrines, and arm them hereby against an undeceivement; and sweetening their poison with good words and fair speeches, they have deceived the hearts of the simple, so that many did follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth has been evil spoken of, and whatever good words they had, they were but feigned words, whereby they made merchandise of souls, whose judgment now a long time lingers not, and whose damnation slumbers not (2 Peter 2:1-3).

These the Apostle calls spots and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings, wells without water, clouds carried about with a tempest, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars, to whom is reserved blackness of darkness forever (2 Peter 2:13, 17; Jude 13).

And yet many of these were hearkened to, and adhered to by too many in London, rather than the true Gospel ministers, commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and ordained according to the prescription of his Word.

Then many laymen, some gifted (who would have given a better account of their gifts at the great day had they kept their station) and some without gifts, but with a great measure of ignorance and confidence, did step up sometimes into pulpits, often took upon them to preach in private, invading the office, and intruding into the work of Christ's ambassadors, which he has appointed a peculiar office for, and which he has set a hedge about more than any other office we read of in Scripture; but they ventured to break over the hedge, I am confident to the affronting and displeasing of the great King, whose representatives in the world his ambassadors are; and not only simple women were led captive by the deceivers which crept in when so many took liberty to preach, but also men who professed themselves to be wise, and to have attained to a degree of light above the common; yet forsaking the ministry and ordinances of Jesus Christ, appointed to continue to the end of the world, for the instructing, perfecting, and establishment of saints in knowledge and faith, they became fools and children, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of them which led them aside (Ephesians 4:11-14).

Now all these persons have been slighters of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the ignorant, the profane, the hypocrite, and the erroneous; and if you place them all in one company, how few will there remain in London, that have sincerely and heartily embraced the truth as it is in Jesus, and upon whom the Gospel has made a powerful and saving impression? And even among those that have been affected and converted by the preaching of the Gospel, and had it greatly in esteem at first hearing and believing; how was their esteem of the Gospel fallen, and their affection cooled? Did not Gospel-ordinances begin to lose their worth and excellency, and grow tedious and wearisome to them? O how generally unthankful was London for the Gospel privileges and liberties! Indeed, many began to be very nice and wanton, and the Gospel was not relished, unless it were served up with such neatness and dressings, in which some ministers possibly did too much endeavor to please themselves and the people, and then the sauce was more relished than the food itself; and the appetite of many was so spoiled, that plain wholesome soul-saving truths would not down with them. Londoners began to be glutted with the Gospel, and like the Israelites in the wilderness, their souls began to loathe the manna which came down from heaven; a strange curiosity there was in spiritual palates, which in many turned to a loathing of the food, in so much that the Gospel became a burden to them, and from there it was that many turned away their ears from the truth, and were turned to errors, and they could not endure to hear sound doctrine, but having itching ears, heaped up to themselves teachers according to their lusts. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

And those that continued steadfast in the truth, did not duly prize the Gospel, none of them according to its dignity and worth. No wonder then if God grows angry at such contempts and affronts as were hereby offered to him, and eases them so much of their burden, and withdraws the food so much, which they grew so weary of: no wonder that he suffers so many of their teachers to be thrust into corners, and so much withdraws the beams of that light which was so much abused, and when they are not sensible of his displeasure in this, no wonder if he sends the plague and fire, to awaken them to a sensibility.

When the King sent forth his servants to call the guests to the wedding feast, and they make light of it and excuse themselves, and go away, one to his farm, another to his merchandise, and the remnant took his servants and treated them spitefully and slew them: the King was angry, and sent forth his armies to destroy those murderers, and burn their city. (Matthew 22:1-8) God has sent forth his servants to call Londoners to this feast; how many invitations have they had to come to Christ, to accept of him, to save them, and feed upon him, from whom alone they can get any spiritual nourishment; but how many in London have had their excuses, they have been following their merchandise and other business, and could not come; and what entertainment his servants has had; the Lord knows: I do not say that London has entertained them spitefully, and slain them; but has not their message been slighted by London? And is it a wonder then if the King that sent them be angry, and send a fire to burn down the city? No greater favor could be shown, no greater privilege could be enjoyed, than to have the Gospel powerfully preached, and ordinances purely administered; but has it been generally so accounted in London? Has not merchandise, and thriving in the world (which yet they have not thrived in) been preferred before this by many thousands in the city? When God has been at such an expense to work out a way for man's salvation; when he has discovered such wonders of astonishing love in sending his only begotten Son out of heaven to clothe himself in our flesh, that therein he might purchase life and salvation for us who were sunk so low from our primitive state by sin, and were exposed to death and wrath, and unavoidable endless misery in Hell; and has sent his ambassadors of peace to bring to us the glad tidings hereof, and in his name to make known the thing, the author, the terms, the way; and to entreat us that we would accept of life and reconciliation to God, who without any injury to himself could ruin us everlastingly, and get himself a name thereby; and yet when the Gospel is preached that we should undervalue and slight both messenger and message; surely this has been an affront to the Lord, who has sent his ambassadors on this errand, and does carry with it such ingratitude as cannot be paralleled.

No doubt but this sin of slighting the Gospel is a prime sin, which has provoked God against London, to come forth in such fury; and if London does not repent the sooner, and labor to recover its relish and esteem for the Gospel, and make more evident demonstrations of it, I fear the Lord will quite remove the Gospel from them, and then nothing is like to follow but desolation and woe. God does not remove his glory at once but by steps; first the glory of the Lord departs from the Inner Court, to the threshold of the house (Ezekiel 10:3-4); from the threshold of the house to the door of the East Gate (Ezekiel 10:18-19); then it goes from the midst of the city, and stands upon the mountain (Ezekiel 11:23). The Gospel is the glory of London, and has the glory of the Lord made none of these removes? Is it not come forth of the Inner Court? Has it not left the threshold? Is not a departing of it quite from the city threatened? Will anything recover it, if we do not recover our appetite, and prize, and cry after it.

If the Gospel go, God will go, the Gospel being the sign and means of his special presence, and woe be to us when God shall depart from us. (Hosea 9:12) And if God depart with the Gospel, farewell peace and prosperity in England, nothing I dare be confident but temporal misery and ruin will be the consequence; if the eclipse bring such misery, what will the quite darkening of the sun do?

2. The second sin of London is unfruitfulness in such a fertile soil. This sin has been an attendant upon, and a consequence of the former.

London was not only a Goshen, but an Eden — God chose out London to be his garden; he has hedged it, planted, watered, pruned and manured it; no place in the world has had more plenty of the means of grace; God has given the former and the latter rain, and sweet dews of Heaven both morning and evening did fall upon this place, in the morning seed was sown, and in the evening the hand was not withdrawn; plentiful and powerful has preaching been in London, in season and out of season, on the Sabbath day, and on the week day; but has London answered all God's care and cost? Has not God come for many years together, seeking fruit, and found nothing but the leaves of profession? Has he not often threatened to cut down the unfruitful trees, and not suffer them to cumber his ground any longer? And when through the intercession of the vine-dresser, he has spared them this year and another year, has not the same unfruitfulness still remained? What could the Lord have done more to his vineyard than he has done? Therefore then when he looked for grapes, brought it forth only leaves, or wild grapes? (Luke 13; Isaiah 5:4-6)

And is it then to be wondered at, if the Lord pluck down the hedge thereof, that it might be eaten up by the wild boar and beast of the field, if he break down the wall thereof, and make it waste and desolate? Is it to be wondered at, if he withhold the clouds that they rain not on it, and suffer briars and thorns to spring up in it, where the plants did grow? The vine when it is unfruitful, is the most unuseful of all trees, it is fit for nothing but the fire, and the Lord has threatened to gather the unfruitful branches, and to cast them into the fire and burn them; and the earth which drinks in the rain that often falls upon it, and instead of herbs meet for the use of him by whom it is dressed, brings forth nothing but briars and thorns, God rejects and curses, and in the end burns. (Isaiah 15; John 15:6; Hebrews 6:7)

O the unfruitfulness of London! O the briars and thorns which have flourished in this ground, whereby the seed of the word has been choked! O the hemlock, the thistle, and the wormwood, that have sprung up in the furrows of the field! O the tares that have abounded and overtopped the wheat, and how little good corn has there been brought forth! O the wild olive trees which have grown up in God's garden, and wild figs and wild grapes, which the fig-trees and vines of God have yielded to him! O the leanness of his sheep in such fat pasture! O the barrenness! the barrenness! of London under such plentiful showers of the word! Instead of the fruits of righteousness, which are to the praise and glory of God, there have been the fruits of unrighteousness and wickedness, which are to God's dishonor; instead of the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, gentleness, meekness, temperance, goodness, faith; there have been the works of the flesh, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, hatred, variance, emulations, wraths, strifes, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which the Apostle tells us, that they which do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-24)

And those who have not abounded in the grosser works of the flesh, very few of them have been very fruitful in good works. London has had the means of grace, and yet most of them without grace, few of them have much grace; London has had powerful ordinances, but what powerful effect have they produced? What have they to show of all their prayers, and sermons, and sacraments? Have they attained to a great measure of mortification? Is grace grown up to a great height? What evidences, what experiences have the best got, which they might have got, had they been more diligent?

Give me leave a little more particularly to instance the unfruitfulness of London in regard of repentance, faith, love and new obedience, the fruit which God so much looks for, and so much delights in.

1. Where have been the fruits of repentance in London? Calls there have been to repentance frequent, fervent: reason for repentance, sins numerous, heinous: need of repentance that judgments temporal, eternal, might be diverted, that pardon, happiness might be obtained: and yet O the impenitency and hard-heartedness of London! Few bleeding hearts under the sharp sword of the word; little tenderness under the most melting discourses; few converts and penitent persons did the most powerful preaching (especially before the Gospel's eclipse) bring forth in London: converting work was at a great stand, though there were so many unconverted persons in the city. And by the impenitency and hardness of heart in London, God's treasures of wrath have been filled up, which in some measure he has opened in these late judgments, that he has inflicted, and yet the great day of his wrath is still to come (Romans 2:4-5).

2. Where have been the fruits of faith in London? How has unbelief abounded, the great Gospel sin, more dangerous than any other, and more heinous in London than in any other place? O the thick veil of unbelief which has hid Gospel mysteries, and things afar off from the eyes of this people! O the evil heart of unbelief which has shut the door against the Lord Jesus Christ, who has knocked so long for entertainment! O the sottishness of London, to believe no more, when truths have been made so plain and clear; when promises have been made known so great and sure; when Christ has been preached and tendered; and when Heaven has been revealed and proffered; and when all have such need, for the most to shut the eye, and ear, and heart, and through unbelief to refuse! To give God the lie, and turn upon him the back; to give Christ a wound, and tread his blood underfoot; to give the Spirit a repulse, and send him away grieved from the heart, as men do by their unbelief; this sin does provoke the Lord to great displeasure.

3. Where have been the fruits of love in London? O the want of love to God, and one to another! The grace of love is necessary and sweet and has been much pressed, but little exercised in London; there has been much love of the world, but little love of the Father; hatred of the brethren has abounded, but there was little brotherly love; burning anger there has been, little burning love; burning lusts, little burning love; inordinate carnal love, little true spiritual love; carnal love has exceeded the bounds, but spiritual love has been in a very low degree. And when love in London has waxed cold, is it a wonder if God's anger has waxed so hot, and broken forth into such flames, as we have seen?

4. Where have been the fruits of new obedience in London? And expression of love to Jesus Christ by keeping of his commandments, though his commandments are not grievous?

3. A third sin of London, is hypocrisy in the profession of religion. This sin exceedingly prevailed in the late times, when profession of religion was grown into fashion: religion was near in the mouths of most, but far from the reins: there was a general face of religion, but it was no more than skin-deep; it was seated in the countenance, not rooted in the heart: how many painted sepulchres had we in London, outwardly fair and beautiful, inwardly full of rottenness and wickedness? How much sounding brass had we then in our streets? A great noise and stir hypocrites did make, but they were hollow at heart; our gold was most of it counterfeit; water we had instead of wine, and dross instead of silver.

O how was religion abused! Some made it a stirrup to get up by into the seat of honor; others made it a cloak to cover their covetous practices; many base and wicked designs were carried on under pretense of religion.

It would ask too much time to set forth hypocrites in all their shapes, and to paint hypocrisy in all its colors. London has formerly abounded with hypocrites, and more lately it has not been free. If hell-fire be the portion especially of hypocrites hereafter (Matthew 24:51), no wonder then if God be angry with a place for this sin here.

4. The fourth sin of London, is formality and lukewarmness in the worship of God. There was much formality when there was no form; and I suppose that forms have not quickened to more liveliness; there was a face of worship indeed in London; and was there not only, or little more than a face in most places? God is holy and jealous, a great King, and his name is dreadful (Malachi 1:14). God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). But has his worship been accordingly in London? Has there been that spiritual worship which he requires? Let London seriously reflect upon their carriage towards God in their devotions; have they had a due awe and dread of the great name of God upon them, when they have seemed to draw near to him? Have they worshipped him with reverence and godly fear? Outward reverence some have used, more than he has required, in bowing at names and before places; but have they had inward reverence and fear of God upon their hearts? Have they clothed themselves with humility, when they have come into his presence? Has there been inward fervor and delight accompanying their outward acts of worship?

Alas! how formal has London been, especially of late in God's worship? They have prayed, but what kind of prayers have they been? Could they deserve the name of prayers? Were those prayers likely to prevent judgment, or turn away wrath? Some confessions of sin have been made, but so general and formal, that they have been very unlikely to work up the heart to sorrow and repentance: and where some have been more particular, has not much formality clung to them? Where has hearty grief for sin, and sorrow been to be found? Would not a small vial hold all the tears that have dropped from the eyes of great assemblies, even in the day of their most solemn humiliations? Has not sin been rolled under the tongue, when confession of sin has been at the end of it? Have not the confessions of many been such as if they came to ask leave to commit sin, rather than humbly to bewail it? At least have they not taken leave, whatever their confessions have been? Petitions have been made for pardon, and grace, and sanctification, but has it not been lip-prayer, without hearty desire? Has it not been in such a manner, as if they did not much care whether they did speed or no? As if they could make shift well enough without a pardon? As if they had no need of grace and holiness; but they must say something for form and custom? Has there not been an enmity in the hearts of many against that which they have seemed to desire with their lips? Who have stirred up themselves to lay hold on God? Who have wrestled in prayer with fervent desires, with faith, and importunity? Hearing there has been in London; but how little believing? How little relishing the word, and receiving it with love? Singing there has been, but how little joy and melody of the heart in the Lord?

O how formal and lukewarm has London been? How much of the Laodicean temper have they had in all ordinances? And might not God say to London, as he did of old to Jerusalem (Isaiah 1:11-14), To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? etc. Such services are to no purpose; they are vain worship, and do not attain the end thereof, either to profit him that offers them, or to please him to whom they are tendered; can such formal services be effectual to procure pardon or peace? Can they bear up the spirit in a day of trouble? Will not the morning cloud and early dew of such righteousness flee away and vanish upon the approach of the sun? Will not such spider's webs be broken to pieces by a stormy wind? How do formalists behave themselves as if they had no religion when they fall into trouble? When God thunders by his judgments, what can a cold, formal, empty prayer do? When death appears before them with a grim countenance, what comfort can such reap by reflection on such services? What evidences for heaven can they gather from any of their outside devotions?

And are not they to as little purpose in regard of God? May not God say to them of their fastings and prayers, Did you fast to me? Did you pray at all to me? (Zechariah 7:5). Or as here to the Jews, that he was full of their services, even to a loathing; that he took no delight in them, and who has required these things at your hands to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations, incense is an abomination to me, I cannot away with your assemblies, my soul hates them, they are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them. The Lord is much offended with formal, hypocritical services; hereby they flatter and mock him, and is he taken with flatteries? Such services are like a dead, cold, black, mangled, rotten, stinking carcass without the soul and spirit, which must needs be very unsavory and displeasing; they are like the lame, blind, halt, sick cattle, which were not fit to be offered up in sacrifice under the law (Malachi 1:8). If you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now to your governor, will he be pleased with you? And will God then be pleased? Such persons when they seem to serve God with their outward man, they serve the Devil and their own lusts with their inward man; God has the form sometimes, the Devil has the power; God has the show, the Devil has the substance; God has the bark, the rind, the shell, the Devil has the kernel; God has the cabinet, the Devil gets the jewel; they give God the Devil's leavings and refuse as it were of their own lust; for they spend the strength and vigor of soul and body in serving the Devil, and gratifying their own lusts; and then think to put God off with anything; giving him only some dead, cold, faint, empty, heartless, lifeless, outward services; and even in them they are swayed by some carnal motives, which are the secret spring to the wheel of all external services. And O how abominable is all such worship in the sight of God? Has not formality in worship been one sin of London, which has helped to fill up the ephah? When the means God has appointed for the turning away of his anger is used in such a manner that it itself becomes a provocation, no wonder if his wrath break forth without remedy.

5. A fifth sin of London is division among professors; different persuasions have made wide breaches and divisions in London, and through divisions have arisen great animosities and contentions, to the shame of Christianity and the Protestant religion; and has not God been provoked to anger hereby? Has not he contended with professors, and by the common scourge he has brought upon them, called aloud to them for a union, and more hearty accord and affection than formerly they have had? And has not he given them liberty and opportunity, had they minded and cared to make use of it, for meeting together in order to healing? But have professors of different parties been sensible of God's meaning in the scourge upon their backs? Have they hearkened to God's call? Have they laid hold of, and improved opportunities for closing up their wide breaches? I hope some closing in affection there has been among some; but how rarely has it been to be found? And when there are such breaches still among us, is it not just with God to make further breaches upon us, as he has done by his judgments?

6. A sixth sin of London is neglect of reformation.

Neglect of 1 personal 2 family 3 city 4 church reformation.

1 Neglect of personal reformation in heart. Life.

1. Who in London have seriously and very diligently endeavored the reformation of their hearts? When so unclean and polluted, who have labored to get them washed? When such roots of bitterness have been springing forth, and such weeds of lust have been growing there, who has endeavored to pluck them up? Outward neatness there has been in London, washing, and rinsing, rubbing and scouring; but O the inward sluttishness! They who have had clean houses, and clean garments, and clean faces and hands, have had foul hearts: who have taken care every day to rinse and scour their inside? To bring their hearts to the fountain set open for sin and uncleanness; and to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, that they might arrive every day to greater perfection in holiness? They who have been careful to dress their bodies every day, have been very careless in dressing their hearts, neglecting to put on the white robes of Christ's righteousness which alone can cover their spiritual nakedness and deformity; and to get the jewels of grace, which alone can adorn the soul, and render it amiable in the sight of God.

Heart work is hard work; and it is so hard that most have let it alone; they have been discouraged with the difficulty; the opposition of Satan and lust to this work has been so strong, that they have been quickly overpowered upon their first attempts and endeavors after a change and rectifying of the disorders, which they have perceived.

Heart work is secret work; many have employed themselves in the more open work of religion; few have taken pains with their hearts in secret; many take heed to their tongues, what they speak, and before whom; to their hands, what they do; to their feet, where they go; but few take heed to their hearts. Murder, adultery, theft, and the like sins have been committed in the heart by many, who would have been afraid and ashamed of the outward acts.

O the unwatchfulness there has been in London over the heart! Citizens have watched their gates, and watched their streets, and watched their houses; but how few have watched their hearts, what comes in, and what goes forth? How few have set a watch before the door of their lips, and ears, and other senses, which are the inlets of sin; and upon their hearts, from where are the issues of sin? How few have kept their hearts with all diligence? How few have labored to govern their thoughts, to rule their passions, to subjugate their wills to Christ, and to deliver up all their affections to his dispose and obedience? Heart reformation has been much neglected.

Who in London have endeavored life-reformation as they should? How few have there been effectually persuaded to put away the evil of their doings from before the eyes of the Lord, to cease from evil, and have learned to do well? How few have broken off their sins by repentance, and thoroughly amended their ways, measuring out their actions by the rule of the word? How few have got the law of God written in their hearts, and the transcript thereof in their lives, exemplifying the precepts thereof in their conversations? How few in London have been like so many epistles of Christ, in whom the will and grace of their Master might be read? Who have trodden in Christ's steps, walking as he walked, and followed him in the way of obedience and self-denial? Who have shined like so many lights in dark places and times, adorning their profession, and living as becomes the gospel?

Great irregularities there have been in the lives of most Londoners, little gospel-reformation; little making religion the business; little holy exact living. If a stranger had looked into our city, and observed the lives of the most, and not known them to have had the name of Christians, would he not have judged them to be heathens, indeed many of them in their dealing to be worse than Turks and infidels? Thus personal reformation has been neglected.

A great neglect there has been of family reformation in London. How few have with Joshua resolved, and accordingly endeavored that they and their houses should serve the Lord? How few have set up religious worship in their families? Have not many hundred houses in the city been without family-prayer in them from one end of the week to the other? And is it strange that the Lord has burned down those houses, wherein the inhabitants would not deign to worship him? And where there has been some prayer in many families, it was but once a day, and that so late at night, and when the body has been so tried, and sleepy, and the soul so dull, and unfit for God's service, that the prayers have been no prayers, or lost prayers, such which instead of pleasing him, have provoked him to anger? How few did labor to instruct their families, catechize their children and servants, to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Has not God threatened to pour out his wrath upon irreligious families? (Jeremiah 10:25)

Neglect of city-reformation: have not the magistrates of London been faulty here? Let them ask their own consciences, whether to the uttermost of their power according to the trust and opportunity the Lord has put into their hands, they have endeavored the reformation of the city. Whether as God's under-officers, they have improved their interest for the promotion of religion in the zealous exercise of it. Indeed whether they have put the laws made in execution against Sabbath-breakers, swearers, drunkards, endeavoring to find out and punish such offenders.

Neglect of church-reformation: and is there no blame to be laid upon church-officers? Has there been that zeal for, and faithful execution of church-discipline according to the rules of the word? Has not the Lord Jesus Christ been affronted in his kingly office by some, who have imposed precepts of their own upon men's consciences, instead of vigorously endeavoring the execution of his; and taken the power of the keys out of the hands of those to whom the Lord has entrusted it, thereby rendering the execution of discipline impossible according to the laws of Christ? Have not the tender and most conscientious lain under the censures of some, rather than the openly profane and scandalously wicked?

Neglect of reformation am I speaking of? In fact, have not many, who call themselves ministers, endeavored rather the overthrow than the promotion of it? Have they not had jabs in their pulpits at holiness and zealous profession, which they have seconded by a conversation of dissoluteness, malicious opposition and persecution of those especially who have been the most religious? Sad neglects there have been of reformation in London; and that when London lay under such obligations to reform: as Christians they were obliged by baptismal and renewed vows; as Protestants of the reformed religion, they were obliged to endeavor a reformation; by mercies they were obliged. And have they been under no other obligations? And has not the neglect of reformation, notwithstanding all obligations, rendered them guilty of disingenuousness, infidelity, indeed of perjury itself? I verily believe this is the great sin God is scourging London for; God is contending for a reformation; and if they do not endeavor it more vigorously the sooner, I fear he will bring desolation upon them.

A seventh sin of London is fearful apostasy, and a spirit of compliance with the sins of the times. How many in London who formerly were great professors of faith, have discovered themselves to be rotten hypocrites? Who, casting off the sheep's clothing, and laying aside all profession, have given themselves up to dissoluteness, and licentious living? Formerly they have seemed true penitents, and to be washed from their iniquities; but they have returned with the dog to the vomit, and with the sow that is washed to the wallowing in the mire (2 Peter 2, last verse). Formerly they have been swept a little within, and garnished outwardly with a fair profession; but the unclean spirit has returned, and without any great difficulty has entered with seven worse spirits, and defiled them more than before, and made their last state worse than their first (Matthew 12:43-45). I speak not so much of those who worship God in this mode or that mode, and of alterations herein; but of those who sometimes professed religion, and now do not worship God in any mode at all, but wholly addict themselves to their lusts, and are ashamed to be called, or thought to be religious.

They would not now look like a saint, or speak like a saint, much less live like a saint. Thus have many in our days cast off all fear of God, and devoted themselves with the hellhounds of the times to the service of the devil, resolving to do what in them lies to promote the interest of his kingdom. And if some are a little more awkward in his service, and not altogether so like him, and such apt scholars presently as others whose education has been in his school from their childhood, yet they learn very fast, and wonderful is their proficiency in a short time; and in regard of apostasy they come nearer the image of the devil than those that have always been tutored by him.

Now for any in London to forsake God, that they might serve the Devil; to draw off from the ways of holiness, that they might walk in the ways of wickedness; does cast a great slur upon God and his ways. They do in effect say, that the Devil is a better Master than God; and that the way of sin that leads to Hell is more eligible than the way of holiness, which alone can bring to Heaven. The Lord threatens, that his Soul shall have no pleasure in such apostates (Hebrews 10:38). It is a Meiosis, and we are to understand, that the Lord is highly displeased with such persons.

See how God pleads with apostatizing Israel (Jeremiah 2:9-10, etc.). Therefore I will yet plead with you, says the Lord. Pass you over to the Isles of Chittim, and see, and send to Kedar, and diligently consider, if there be any such thing? Has any nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit! Be astonished O you Heavens at this, and be horribly afraid, be you very desolate, says the Lord; for my people have committed two great evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and have hewn out to themselves broken cisterns, that can hold no water. And hence follows, verse 15: The young lions roared and yelled upon him, and laid his land waste; his cities are burnt without inhabitant. And verse 17: You have procured these things to yourself, because you have forsaken the Lord your God. And verse 19: Your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backslidings shall reprove you; know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the Lord your God, and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord God of hosts. And may not God thus plead with the apostates of London, and punish them as he did his people of Israel?

8. The eighth sin of London is deafening the ear against all God's calls. The Lord has called upon London by his ministers, but they have been like the deaf adder which will not hearken to the voice of the charmer; they have stopped their ears, and turned away their shoulder, and made their heart like an adamant stone. God has called by his mercies; but this voice has been too low, and they have slept the more securely in sin. God after other means has called by afflictions, first lighter, then heavier; and yet how many in London have, and still do walk contrary to God, and will not return to him that has smitten them? They have been incorrigible under all God's correcting rods. When God spoke by the plague, they were a little awakened, but quickly dropped asleep again; when the plague was a little over, they return to their trades again, to their sins again, but they do not return to the Lord. And when the judgment of the plague was so much lost and ineffectual for their good; this no doubt has provoked God so quickly and unexpectedly to turn his hand upon them, and bring the judgment of the fire; and if they will still walk contrary to God, they must expect that God will walk contrary to them, until he has consumed them.

9. A ninth sin of London is profaneness, and a loose and frothy spirit, especially in the youth and rising generation. I do not tax all; for I am confident there is a serious and godly youth growing up. But O that there were not reason to say, that the generality of youth is profane and wicked, as well as those who are grown more mature in wickedness! And this profaneness has showed itself in: 1. Profane using of God's name. 2. Profane breaking of God's day. 3. Profane scoffing at God's people.

1. In profane using of God's name. How grossly has the third Commandment been broken in the city? How has the great and dreadful name of the Lord God, which should make men to tremble in the mention of it, and command their spirits into awe and reverence, been vainly taken by many, and used to fill up the sentence of their ordinary discourse? And not only so; but how has the name of God been tossed in the black mouths of the children of darkness, and even torn in pieces by their hideous oaths and execrations? What a hellish noise has the sound of full-mouthed oaths made sometimes in the streets; enough to make the hair stand on end, of one who has a sense of the greatness of that Majesty upon his spirit, which hereby is so audaciously affronted? Oh the swearing that has been used by Londoners in buying and selling! Many parents have been so addicted to this sin in their families, that their little children have no sooner learned to speak, but they have also learned of them to swear by the name of God, which has been all the teaching of God that they have given them; a devilish teaching indeed; which hereafter they will curse and ban them for in Hell.

But if you should have laid your ears to the taverns, and ale-houses, and whore-houses, and other devil-houses once standing in London; and listened to the speeches of many of the Devil's imps, in their drinking and gaming, and other lewd practices, especially when a little crossed and vexed; oh what language of Hell might have been heard! How have those cursed villains, in the heat of their wine and anger, shot volleys of oaths in the face of the God of Heaven! And whetting their tongues like a sharp sword, they have not feared to wound the name of God, when they have received any injury from men. O what poison of asps has there been under their lips? But a worse poison of sin in their hearts, from the evil treasure and abundance of which, these oaths and blasphemies have proceeded.

But who can find words to set forth the evil of this sin, which has not the temptation of pleasure, advantage or honor, as other sins have; and therefore is a great argument of a monstrous wicked heart? And who can express God's displeasure for this sin, for which he makes sometimes a whole land to mourn? And has not this sin provoked the Lord to utter his angry voice in plaguing and burning the city, that they might fear to abuse his name any more?

2. In profane breaking of God's day. Sabbath breaking was an ordinary sin in London. I say not, it was so much broken in doing the ordinary works of the particular callings, but in that which was worse: How many did spend the Sabbath in eating to excess, and drinking till they were drunk, in sleeping, in walking into the fields, in sports and recreations? Many wholly neglected the worship of God on that day; and instead of that, did the Devil more service on the Lord's day, than all the days of the week besides.

The many weeks of Sabbaths which London had in the time of the Plague, I think, did reprove London for their profaning of the weekly Sabbath: And the great fire, (I will not call it a bonfire because so destructive to London,) which was begun in the City on the Lord's day did reprove London for those lesser fires, (I will not call them bonfires because so offensive to God) which not long before were kindled in the streets on that day which called for other kind of work. Not to speak anything whether there were any just occasion for those fires and ringing of bells, (most of which were melted before they were rung so generally again) and such a show of mirth and rejoicing at that time.

The citizens carrying forth their goods, and lying in the fields, with grief and fear, might put them in mind how often they had walked out into those fields on the Lord's day for their recreation; when they should rather have been hearing the word preached, or if that were over, repeating it in their own families, giving and receiving instruction, or in their closets at the throne of grace, or employed in meditation. As God delights in those that call his Sabbaths a delight, and makes sweet promises to them; so he is highly displeased with Sabbath breakers, and has denounced severe threatenings against them (Jeremiah 17:27). If you will not hearken to me to hallow the Sabbath day; I will kindle a fire in the gates of Jerusalem which shall devour the palaces thereof, and shall not be quenched.

3. In profane scoffing at God's people. The name of a saint, and godly man, has been ridiculous to many profane spirits in London, and used by them in a way of reproach. How have God's people, especially the more strict and zealous, been made the drunkards' song, and laughed at in the streets? Horrid impiety! as if it were matter of more shame to be like the holy God, than to be like the foul Devil! and to be employed in the work of angels, than to drudge in Satan's chains!

No wonder if God is angry with such a place where such vipers have had their abode: profaneness is a great sin that has brought ruin upon us.

10. A tenth sin of London is Pride. This sin being so odious to God; so destructive where it abounds; and so universal in London; I shall speak of it the more largely, both in regard of the inward workings, and the outward expressions of it: which when opened, I believe there are none that will be able to say they are wholly free from it.

1. In regard of the inward workings of pride. Oh how has the poison of this sin envenomed the spirits of the most in a very high degree? How many self-admirers have there been in London, who have been puffed up with an overweening conceit of their own excellencies? What high, soaring, swelling thoughts have they had of themselves? What secret self-pleasing, and lifting up themselves in their own esteem? Some esteeming themselves for that which is matter of shame; admiring themselves for their own wit and parts, when they have lain fallow, and not been employed for God, or when they have been employed to his dishonor: when they have been wise, but it has been to do evil: when they have been men of understanding, but it has been to practice iniquity: when they have had cunning craftiness, but it has been to deceive, to defraud and overreach; or to plot and contrive others' mischief; when they have had a ripe wit, quick understanding, rich fancy, fluency of speech; but the employment has been about toys and trifles, or that which is worse; when the expression has been in foolish, empty compliments and courtship, jesting with Scripture, scoffing at the religious, or in dirty and obscene discourses.

Others have admired themselves, for that which really they never had but only in their own imagination. Some for their parts and learning; thinking themselves great scholars when none have thought so but themselves: others for their grace and godliness, when their silver has been dross; and their grace either counterfeit in whole, or so mixed with unperceived corruption, that upon examination they might find themselves very poor, in that which they thought themselves so much enriched with; and if they looked to the root and principle of their actions, they might find great flaws, and deficiency in those things which they had the highest conceit of.

How many in London have had very honorable esteem of themselves; preferring themselves above others, yes, above the whole world? Few have measured themselves by the rule, but measured themselves by their own fancies, or by other men's esteem. How many have thought themselves to be something, when they have been nothing, and rejoiced in their actions as excellent, and admirable, not from their own proof and trial of them by the word, but from others' acceptance and commendations, and by comparing them with the actions of other men, whom they have imagined themselves to exceed? O how have some lifted up themselves above others, looking upon themselves as far more worthy without any real ground? Their eye has been upon their own good things, overlooking the secret evil, because it cannot be seen by men: and their eye has been upon others' evil things; overlooking the good which has been out of ready view: their eye has been upon their own best things, and upon others' worst things, aggravating their faults, and extenuating their own. Thus they have in their thoughts brought others down through uncharitableness, and lifted up themselves upon the ruins, which their uncharitableness has made in others' worth: and when they have had greater esteem because of their greater show, this opinion of themselves has been confirmed; whereas in truth, others who made less show, and had less esteem, have had more sincerity, and secret hidden excellency.

I might further trace the inward workings of pride in the self-love which it has effected; what a marvelous affection have proud persons had towards themselves, notwithstanding their ugliness, and spiritual deformity, the rottenness and corruption within them? and many lusts of their hearts? all which pride has covered and a thousand faults in themselves; as charity does cover a thousand faults in others: pride has put a fair gloss and varnish upon all, and represented men to themselves as very lovely and amiable. Pride also has chosen for such, their friends, who have been loved, not according to the worth which those persons have had, but according to the estimation those persons have had of their worth; which if those have fallen in estimation, these have fallen in affection.

I might show the workings of pride, in the hatred, anger, spite, revenge which it has effected, when it has met with disesteem or slighting: the grief at the subtraction of its fuel, and provision; the solicitous thoughts, and cares concerning, and eager progging, and pursuit after others' commendations; the storm of commotion and disturbance which this wind has raised, when the tide of applause has run another way: the complacency and delight it has yielded in drinking out of a full stream of others' esteem, in chewing the cud, and revolving in the mind the praise of men. But so much concerning the inward workings of pride.

2. Concerning the outward expressions of pride, and that,

1. In the speech: London has been grossly guilty in boasting and vain-glory. What company could you come into almost, but you should find many boasting spirits? Some foaming out the shame of their own praise, in high expressions, and direct self-commendations (without any regard to God's glory, self-vindication, example, or excitement; in which cases, modestly and sparingly, to do it may be lawful and a duty) but they have done it only to be well thought on, and admired: others driveling out their own praises more slyly and indirectly; but a Christian of eyes and brains, might easily perceive that the drift and scope of the discourse has been self, and a tacit begging of a good opinion. As if one should say, Pray friends, think a little better of me; pray have me higher in your esteem; for to say the truth, by this I give you to understand that I am a very worthy person. Many we shall find very forward to declare their own goodness, but few faithful in speaking forth the praises of God; indeed many there have been who have discommended themselves, not that they might fall, but rise in esteem. Thus some rotten-hearted hypocrites as full of pride as they can hold, and some sincere in the main, yet too much like them, have spoken so meanly of themselves, and so much against themselves as none other would do; and what has been the design? Even that they might be accounted humble: and therefore they have taken care in their self-commendations, to speak of nothing but common infirmities, concealing their more gross faults; and those common infirmities, in a mourning and complaining way, as if they were very sensible of them; as if affected, afflicted, and burdened with them (as the humble, sincere Christian is indeed) that they might be esteemed for sensibility of small faults; and then they have taken care to do it, not to those that are more rigid, severe and quick-sighted Christians, that would quickly have smelled out their pride; but to those, which they have looked upon as the most tender, charitable persons, who are ready thereby to advance them higher in esteem; or weaker Christians, who are ready to confess more evil of themselves. And when they have thus spoken against themselves, they have not really thought so, but the contrary; but they have spoken so, that they might be contradicted, and commended to their faces; if they thought they should have fallen in esteem by such words, they would have held their peace, but because they supposed discommendation might most effectually promote esteem, and draw out a good word, therefore they have used it. Proud hypocrites speak ill of themselves that they may be accounted humble; they cannot endure to be humble; they care not for the grace, indeed they hate it; yet they would be thought to have it, because it does promote esteem: they love the reward of humility, but they care not for humility itself, they love humility in others, because such persons will stoop to them; but they love not humility in themselves, for they will stoop to none.

Thus some also out of a secret design of pride have discommended others behind their backs, that they might be thought to exceed them, whom they could correct, and find fault withal; they have labored to bring down others that they might set up themselves. And the same design of pride they have had in commending others to their faces, and exalting them in words above themselves, not from a real esteem which they have had of them above themselves, but only that they might draw forth a commendation from them.

Such expressions of pride have been to be found in professors, and have been more latent; but I shall speak of the more gross and open expressions, which have been general in the city. We read of the pride of the daughters of Jerusalem (Isaiah 3:16, etc.). They were haughty, and walked with stretched forth necks, and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they went, and making a tinkling with their feet: and what was it they were proud of? See from verse 18 to verse 25. Their ornaments, their cauls, their tires, their chains, their bracelets, their mufflers, their tablets, their head-bands, their rings, their jewels, their changeable suits of apparel, and the like. And has there not been this pride in London? Were not the daughters of London like the daughters of Zion for pride, and haughtiness? Was there any place in England that could show such pride of apparel as London could show, which the female sex were not only guilty of? Was there any fashion, though never so antic and apish, which London did not presently imitate? Who can count the cost which has been lavished out in clothing, and rich apparel? Some pinching their bellies and families to lay it out on this lust.

This pride of apparel is very shameful and absurd, clothes being the badge of apostasy, which were not made use of till after the fall, therefore the word [in non-Latin alphabet] which signifies clothing, comes from [in non-Latin alphabet] He prevaricated; and it is as if a thief should be proud of his shackles, or any malefactor of his mark of disgrace: at least the gaudy attire of many persons has signified the emptiness and frothy mind within; and that they have had nothing to set them forth but their clothes.

I might also add: the pride which the daughters of London have had of their beauty, though it be but skin-deep, and the body but a skinful of dirt, and the choicest beauty without discretion, like a jewel hung at the ear or nose of a swine. And the Lord knows what monstrous, and defiled, and deformed insides, the most of those have had, who have been so fair and adorned outwardly. Many in London have been proud of their fine clothes and fair faces; and others of their fair shops, and stately houses. Pride has hung about the neck like a chain, and covered them like a garment, instead of the clothing and ornament of humility, which before God is of so great price.

Now God is highly offended with the sin of pride. God resists the proud (1 Peter 5:5), [illegible], he does as it were set himself in battle array against them. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Pride was one of Sodom's sins, which city was burned with fire from heaven (Ezekiel 16:49). The Scriptures speak of three cities that were burned for this sin of pride among other sins, namely Sodom, Jerusalem, and Babylon: and may not London come in for a fourth? The botches, and blains, and loathsome sores in the bodies of many, when the plague was in London; and the burning of so much fuel of pride, by the fire, I think were a very loud reproof and rebuke of London for this sin.

11. An eleventh sin of London is fullness of bread, or intemperance in eating: this was another of the sins of Sodom. God did feed London with the finest of the wheat, and gave plenty of corn, and flesh, and other provisions; but how have they abused plenty by their intemperance and luxury? O the excessive feasting in halls, and private houses of them whose estates have been more plentiful! What indulging has there been to the appetite, as if self-denial in regard of the appetite were no duty, or an enemy, and with the poor to be shut out of doors? What curiosity of palate, and daintiness have many in London had, so that air, earth, sea, must be ransacked to please them, and all would not do? What loathing have they had of ordinary food? Many good creatures of God must be cut and mangled, and spoiled, to make them new dishes; which however pleasing, have but spoiled their stomachs, and bred diseases in their bodies. Some have not eaten much, but have been so choice, that scarce any food has pleased them; and that not, through sickness of body, but wantonness of mind. Others have been pleased with their food and overpleased, and all their pleasure has been therein; all whose God, as the apostle speaks (Philippians 3), has been their belly. Such, like the rich man (Luke 16:19), have fared sumptuously and deliciously every day. O the excessive cost that some have bestowed upon their tables daily! O the excessive quantity of meat that some have devoured! O the excessive time that has been wasted in pampering the flesh! What rioting and banqueting has there been daily in London, many feeding themselves without fear; as if gluttony were not any sin at all? How many have been like fed horses in the city, or like fatted oxen, who as the apostle James speaks, have lived in pleasure and been wanton, and nourished themselves as in a day of slaughter (James 5:5), and as (Hosea 13:6): According to their pasture so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted, therefore have they forgotten Me.

This kind of intemperance has so strangely brutified many, that they have been even degenerated into beasts, only that they have been more useless; for thereby they have unfitted themselves for all kind of service, as if they were born only to eat. But withal they have prepared themselves for those ruining and slaughtering judgments which have come upon the city.

12. A twelfth sin of London is idleness; a consequent of the former; only that idleness has been more general: this was also a sin of Sodom. I will not say but many citizens of London were diligent in their calling, but how many idle vagrant persons were there in the city? What idleness in many of the youth, if not held in the more strictly, and some breaking forth, and lavishing away stolen time, which was not at their own dispose whatever strictness was used? Moreover, what an ill example for idleness, did many governors themselves give to their children and servants? When masters were idle abroad, no wonder that servants were idle at home; when mistresses were idle in their chambers, no wonder if the kitchen did imitate.

Though eating, and drinking, and clothing were necessary, and called for some time; yet the excess of time spent about these things, if not worse, was no better than idle time. Many especially of the females in the city have spent so much time in the morning in their beds, if not in sleeping, at least in idle foolish fancies, and so much time after in neat and curious dressing their bodies, that they have had no time before dinner for prayer or reading, no time to dress their souls. And the afternoon being far spent in eating and drinking, the rest of the time has run away either in visitings or entertainments, wherein (if not worse) vain, idle, unprofitable things have been the chief, if not the only subject of their discourse. And by that time they have again refreshed themselves with food at night, they have been too sleepy and unfit for prayer, and the service of God. And thus many careless women in the city have lived in ease and idleness from one end of the week, and one end of the year to another. But I think the Lord has by his terrible things in London, spoken to them much in the same language as he did (Isaiah 32:9-11). Rise up, you women that are at ease, hear my voice, you careless daughters, give ear to my speech; many days and years shall you be troubled, you careless women: tremble, you women that are at ease, be troubled, you careless ones, strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.

But I would not charge this sin of idleness only upon the female sex: many men have been more shamefully guilty, especially those who have misspent so much time in gaming, (not to speak of excess in eating and drinking, and other time-consuming sins which are reproved in their proper place) O the time that many have spent in gaming! Some recreations wherein the body is exercised, may be lawful and necessary at some time; so they do not steal away too much of their time and affections; but for men to sit at games as hard as scholars at their books, what rational plea can be used for such wicked idleness? Thus silver, and gold, and great estates have been consumed; and O the golden hours, the days, and nights, and precious time, that have been lost in gaming! Thus some have run out of all, and removed into the country to hide their shame, after their high port in the city; some have gone into the highways, not to beg, but to do that which is far worse, which in some has had a dreadful conclusion. And not only this kind of idleness has brought poverty, but also that heedless, slothful spirit, which many of the city have had in their callings; which has made them blemishes to the city, and has been a helper on of our ruin.

13. A thirteenth sin of London is unmercifulness, another of Sodom's sins. (Ezekiel 16:49) She strengthened not the hands of the poor and needy. I shall not blame the whole for this sin, for the charity of London has sounded throughout the land, and throughout the world. But yet have not many of the great men of the city been guilty of unmercifulness, who though more able, yet have been less forward to contribute to the relief of such as have been in distress? It has been the comfort of some who have lost much by the fire, that they had saved what before they had given to the poor, by putting it out of the reach of moth, or rust, or thieves, or flames of fire. But oh what marble bowels have some had towards the poor! so that they could, (whatever abundance they had by them beyond what themselves did make use of) as freely part with so many drops of their blood, as pieces of money, though to help some of the needy and distressed members of Jesus Christ: not considering that the Lord Jesus is the heir of all things, and whatever estate they had, they were but his stewards; and that relief of the needy is a debt, which though man cannot require it of them, yet God can: and is it unequal if for want of payment of God's debts (which they owed out of their estates, by virtue of God's command, to the poor) the Lord has dispossessed them of his houses, and burnt them with fire, and taken away part of the estates which he gave them because they have employed them no more for his glory.

14. A fourteenth sin of London is uncleanness, another sin of Sodom; their sin indeed was unnatural uncleanness. I would hope that this sin has been little known and practiced in the city. But fornication and adultery have been too common. Indeed there has not been that boldness and impudence in this sin as elsewhere; there has not been that whore's forehead so generally in London, and declaring the iniquity like Sodom: but let the consciences of many Londoners speak, whether they have not been secretly guilty of this sin? Would it not be a shame to tell of the chambering and wantonness, and privy lewdness which has been committed in London? Suppose that in all the remaining churches the sin of uncleanness should be reproved; and all, both men and women that have been actually guilty of it, should be forced by an inward sting of conscience (as sometimes those were upon the words of our Saviour that accused the woman taken in adultery) immediately to go forth out of the place: what a stir would there be in some churches? What an emptying of some pews? What a clearing of some aisles? And how few would there be remaining in some places?

Suppose a visible mark were put by God upon the foreheads of all adulterers in the city of London, as God put a mark upon Cain after he had been guilty of murder; would not many who walk now very demurely, and with much seeming innocency, walk with blushes in their cheeks? Would not many keep house and hide their face, and not stir abroad except in the night? Or if in the day, would they not shuffle through the streets, and hate the fashion of little hats, and the court-mode of wearing them behind their head; and rather get such whose brims are of a larger size, which might the more conveniently cover their brows? And would not many unsuspected and seemingly modest women also, stain their cheeks with a vermilion dye upon their husbands or friends search into their countenance? Would not many of them walk with thick hoods, and wear continually deep forehead cloths, as if they were troubled with a perpetual headache, that they might hide their shame from the view of man?

This sin is so nasty and filthy, that whatever swinish pleasure is found in the commission of it, usually those that are guilty (unless the brow be brass) are ashamed that it should be known: the holy and jealous eye of God has seen them in their filthiness; their secret sins are set in the light of his countenance, which above all should make them ashamed; whoremongers and adulterers God will judge (Hebrews 13:4), which should make them afraid.

I have heard of Smithfield haunts, and Moorefield walks, where there has been too great a resort from the city under the shadow of the wings of the night, about these deeds of darkness; the words and signs which such lewd persons have used to signify their minds one to another I am unacquainted with: the many whorehouses, under the name of alehouses about London, by report have had too many customers: and if the constables had been as zealous at other times, as they were when the strict press was in the city to disturb those conventicles, they might possibly have found more of that coat, and tribe who should have given better example.

If there have not been public stews in London as in other cities in the world; yet have not some made their own houses little better, some men bringing in their whores in little better than public view? And of the other sex some by the open wear of naked breasts, and their light attire and carriage, have enticed the eye and courtship, and after, basely prostituted their bodies to the lusts of filthy ruffians. O the boiling, burning lusts that have been in London! O the wanton eyes and looks! The speculative uncleanness, and secret self-pollutions! The obscene and filthy speeches! The toying and lustful dalliances! And the gross actual uncleanness which God has been witness to every day in London! This sin of uncleanness does debase the spirit made at first after God's own image; defiles both soul and body, which should be the temple of the Holy Spirit; and renders men unfit for communion with a holy God, who is of such pure eyes that he cannot approve of the least iniquity; much less of this, which is so gross; and not only so but does exceedingly provoke him to anger and jealousy.

This may be one sin that has brought down such fearful judgments upon the city; we read of twenty and four thousand men that fell in one day by the plague, for the sin of fornication (Numbers 15:9), and have not many thousand inhabitants and habitations of London fallen for this sin? It is said of the Israelites (Hosea 7:6), they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait, their baker sleeps all night; in the morning it burns as a flaming fire. Have not the hearts of many in London been like an oven for lust, and themselves like bakers putting fuel into it, and stirring it up; and if while they have lain in wait, and have not had present opportunity for satisfaction of their lusts; they have seemed to be asleep; yet no sooner has the morning light of a fit occasion offered itself to their adulterous eyes, but their adulterous hearts have burned within them, and broken forth into a flaming fire, in the actual commission of the sin.

And has this been the practice only of the court, and of Westminster side? Has not the cursed leaven of this common sin of the times, spread itself also in the city? Therefore the Lord also has made ready his wrath as in a hot oven; and though like a baker he has seemed to sleep while he lay in wait, and delayed to execute his judgments; yet in the morning of his great provocation by this and other sins, his anger has broke forth like a flaming fire, from where that fire has been kindled which has burnt the greatest part of London down to the ground (Jeremiah 5:8-9). When the Israelites were like fed horses in the morning, every one neighing after his neighbor's wife; the Lord speaks to them in his wrath, Shall not I visit for these things? Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

15. A 15th sin of London is drunkenness; this sin has been more visible and apparent; I believe that scarcely any nation under heaven has proportionably more taverns and alehouses than England, and no place in England so many as London, and its adjacent parts: and of all the many thousands of these houses I believe there has been scarce any but could give many instances of this sin. Besides the many private houses where this sin has been practiced. How have men risen early in the morning to follow strong drink, and continued to night, till wine inflamed them (Isaiah 5:11)? Come, they say, and I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant (Isaiah 56:12). The corners and beds full of vomit, the reelings about the streets, the contentions and wranglings, the wounds without cause, the redness of the eyes, and such like have been too evident a demonstration, of men's tarrying too long at the wine, and distempting themselves with excessive drinking (Proverbs 23:29-30). To be overtaken with drunkenness is a great sin, which makes men more brutish than their very horses, who will not exceed their measure in drinking, except they be forced to it by barnacles: and if none in the city had yielded to receive the drench of a cup beyond the measure without barnacles upon their noses, I suppose that with their horses, they would have been more sober; and hereby prevented many distempers of body, and worse distempers of mind, and which is worst of all, much dishonor of God, as well as of themselves, which excess in this kind has been the cause of. But for men to follow after this sin, and make it their trade and common practice; to delight in it, and seek for their God and chief happiness, in a cup of wine, or ale, and to grow men of might in drinking; to exceed the bounds by many degrees without reeling, to entice others to it, indeed to force them to drink healths (that ungodly practice) which would not in the least promote another's health, but was likely to destroy their own, through the excess which such practices do introduce; to take pleasure in drinking down others under their feet; and after to glory in their shame and wickedness; this is a sin that does so far exceed brutish, that it becomes devilish, and does highly provoke the Lord to pour forth his fury like water upon the places where such sins are committed.

And has not London been guilty of this sin of drunkenness with the aggravations of it? Have not some of London's magistrates been guilty, who should have punished this sin, and too many ministers, who should have reproved it both by word and example of sobriety? And for such to be seen drunk and reeling in the streets, was very shameful, and a great provocation. Have not the late judgments in some sort pointed out this sin? The dizziness of head, and reeling of persons that have been smitten with the plague; the flaming of the heart of the city, and reeling of the houses, and tumbling of them to the ground by the fire, methinks were a reproof of the dizziness and reelings, about the streets and houses, of such persons as had inflamed and distempered themselves with excessive drinking.

16. A sixteenth sin of London is perverting of judgment. This is a God-provoking sin: when none calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth; when men make to themselves crooked paths, and there is no judgment in their goings; indeed when judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off, and truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter; when truth fails, and he that departs from evil, makes himself a prey, etc. as the Prophet speaks (Isaiah 59). When Magistrates are lovers of gifts, and followers after rewards; when they judge not the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them; then the Lord cries Ah! I will ease me of my adversaries, and avenge me of my enemies (Isaiah 1:23-24). I cannot charge London deeply with this sin; not having been myself present much in their Courts of Judicature; and I would hope that justice has taken place here, as much as in most cities in the world: but when I read what the Lord says concerning Jerusalem (Jeremiah 5:1), Run you to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know, and seek in the broad places thereof if you can find a man, if there be any that executes judgment, that seeks the truth, and I will pardon it: and when withal I consider the dreadful judgments of God upon the City of London, whereby the glory of the Magistracy and government of the City is so much stained; I would submit it to inquiry whether there has not been a failure and perverting of judgment in the City? Whether bribes and rewards have not blinded the eyes, and the edge of the Law has not been turned against well doers, instead of evil doers? Whether the fatherless and the widow have not been sent weeping to their heavenly Father to complain of injustice? It is not a time to cover faults but to confess and leave them; lest unavoidable ruin come upon us when it will be too late.

17. A seventeenth sin of London is covetousness. How universally has this sin reigned in the City? So that it may almost be said of London, as it was of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 6:13), From the least of them even to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness. Those who have been free from gluttony, drunkenness, adultery, and the like expensive sins; have on the other hand addicted themselves to the sin of covetousness. I do not charge all, but oh how almost universal has this sin among tradesmen been? Which has evidenced itself both in their getting and keeping riches.

1. In getting: what eager desires after the world, and their obtaining an estate by their trades? What studies and consultations, what wracking the brains, and torturing the wits, to find out the best way of thriving in the world? What earnest prosecutions have there been, and laborious endeavors, rising up early, and sitting up late, and wearying the body, and the mind all the day, eating the bread of carefulness, and mingling the drink with solicitousness, crowding up the whole time with worldly business, so that their own health has been disregarded, as well as the worship of God neglected in the families of these worldlings; and all to scrape a little worldly riches together which some have missed of, notwithstanding all their endeavors: and if they have obtained, yet they have remained more poor in contentment, than when they were more poor in their estates? For as their estates have increased, so their desires have increased and been farther off from satisfaction; as they have enlarged their shops and trades; and wealth has flowed in upon them; so they have enlarged their desires like Hell, and like the Grave have never said It is enough: when they have added bag to bag, and house to house, the more cares, and fears, and sometimes piercing sorrows have accompanied their gains; but far have they been from finding the contentment and comfort in their riches that they looked for.

2. This covetousness has appeared in keeping what they have gotten: keeping I say, for covetous persons have had little heart to spend though in necessary uses what they have scraped together: they have had wealth, but the use of it they have not had; it has been to them like a treasure in a chest of which they had lost the key; or like another man's money in their keeping, which they must not meddle with. Whatever abundance they have had in the bag, and in the coffer, their families have been in want; the table has been penurious; the back and belly have been pinched; they have lived at a meaner rate than those that have been of a meaner degree. The poor might starve at their doors, no pity towards others in want and misery, and the least pity towards themselves: while they have saved, for fear lest afterwards they should want; they have all along wanted, while they have been saving; and it may be at last they have lost what they have been keeping, to the inexpressible grief, and it may be breaking of their hearts, which have been so set upon these things.

This sin of covetousness in some has had deeper rooting, in most has had too much footing: and in all has been very heinous and abominable before God. This sin is termed idolatry in Scripture, and the covetous are stigmatized with the name of idolaters (Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:5). It is heart idolatry forbidden in the first commandment. That thing we make a God to ourselves, which we chiefly affect: if it be the world, then we make the world our God; which is inconsistent with the true love of God the Father, the only true God. (1 John 2:15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. This sin of covetousness is hateful to God and provokes his wrath (Isaiah 57:17), for the iniquity of his covetousness was I angry and struck him. Has not God struck London with the plague and fire, among other iniquities, for this iniquity of covetousness? When London was eagerly pursuing after the world, and all minding and seeking their own interest, without any regard to the interest of God's glory and kingdom, or care of their soul-interest and salvation, which their worldly business would not allow time for; did not the Lord send a plague to put a stop to their trade; and gave them time to seek him, and to make their peace with him in their retirements, which they could not, or rather would not find before? And when they returned with more eagerness to their trades, after the plague was a little over, that they might fetch up if they could what they had missed by that intermission; did not the Lord send a fire to consume much of that which they had set their hearts upon, and in large legible letters write vanity upon this idol, which so many had worshipped? Let London consider and lay to heart this sin of covetousness.

18. The eighteenth sin of London is extortion; thus covetousness has expressed itself more grossly in some. I shall not here discourse concerning usury; but the extorting use, which some have taken of those who have been in want; the taking use upon use, and grinding the faces of the poor in their distress, no doubt is a great sin, and very offensive to God. How many extortioners have there been in London, who have enriched themselves by impoverishing of others; who panting after the dust of the earth, on the head of the poor, have lent money to them, not for their help, but to catch them at an advantage, that so without mercy they might catch away all that they had, not leaving them so much as a bed to lie on? Thus some have been like lions for cruelty, and like evening wolves to the poor, tearing their flesh from their bones, and reserving their very bones to gnaw in the morning, as the Prophet speaks (Zephaniah 3:3). This sin of extortion was one of the abominations reckoned up by the Prophet Ezekiel, for which God was so highly offended with Jerusalem (Ezekiel 22:12). You have taken usury and increase, and have greedily gained of your neighbor by extortion; and have forgotten me; for this and other sins there mentioned, it is said (Ezekiel 22:3), Therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. To this sin of extortion I may add several other ways that many in the city have had of getting estates, which some may dispute for the lawfulness of, and because so common and gainful, the sin is little heeded; but when the Lord has been contending with the whole city, and has inflicted a general stroke upon tradesmen, yes one stroke upon another, and has trodden their trade under his feet, as seeming to be offended with something therein; I think they should be awakened, and open their eyes, and impartially search, and labor to find out whatever it is that does offend him, whatever seeming disadvantage may come to them thereby. And if they will not hearken, God can take away the remainder, as he has done a great part, and so force them to a sense of their sin.

One sinful way of getting estates, and I am persuaded displeasing to God, is engrossing and monopolizing of commodities, which many in London have done, that having all the commodities of that kind in their hands, they might make their own market, and set their own price upon them; which if they sold as cheap as otherwise they would do, or as others do when they are shared into many hands (as possibly some may) I could not condemn the thing: But when by getting the whole into their hands, they hoist and raise the price far beyond the just value, which they necessitate people to give, and that only that they might enrich themselves: this I dare confidently affirm to be unlawful; and my reason is, because hereby they prefer a lesser good, before a greater; namely, the enriching of themselves, and their families, before the more public good of making the commodity more cheap to the commonwealth. If they say, the injury which they who buy of it, will sustain, (they being so many) will be very small and inconsiderable; but the good they shall get hereby will be great, and they may be in a better capacity of doing good; I answer, that none ought to do the least injury for the reaping of the greatest advantage; It being absolutely unlawful to do evil, that good may come thereby, and the damnation of such will be just (Romans 3:8), and consequently a greater injury will come to themselves, than to those whom they injure; indeed, the injury will be greater, than the good, which they obtain. And as for their being in a capacity of doing more good; I believe that such persons, if they do spend such gains, are more forward to spend them on their lusts, than to lay them out in charitable uses; I have not heard that the greatest monopolizers in London have been the most charitable persons.

If I were more acquainted with the mysteries of trades in the city, I fear, I might find out more than one mystery of iniquity among them. If the Lord would put into the hearts of magistrates and citizens, to look into trades, and to consider the equity that they bear, and take some course for rectifying abuses in them; it might be one way to obtain a more favorable aspect from Heaven; and the Lord might revive again the trade of London, which now is dying and sinking to the ground.

19. A nineteenth sin of London is lying. It is said of Nineveh (Nahum 3:1) that it was a city full of lies. O the lies that have been in London! who can reckon them? Lies in the streets, loud lies, which have been cried, false news which we daily hear. Lies in the chambers, secret lies, privy false tales which are whispered in the ears. Lies in the shop, trading lies; lies told in buying and selling. Officious lies, which some tell to do their friends a kindness. Mischievous lies, which some tell to do another an injury. We read of some, that bend their tongue like their bow for lies, that will not speak the truth, but teach their tongue to speak lies (Jeremiah 9:3, 5). How many liars have there been in London? What age is free from this sin? The children have learned to lie, as soon as they have learned to speak. What house has been free? How have tradesmen been guilty of lying, which some account a necessary adjunct to their trade, without which they could not live? How many servants have excused one another and themselves when they have committed faults, with their lies? But of all lies, mischievous lies have been the worst, which some have invented to do an injury to their neighbor; such lies are more immediately begotten by the Devil the Father of lies, and such liars are his most genuine offspring. But all lies in a sense are mischievous lies; they are mischievous to the party that tells them; even the officious liar cannot do so much kindness to his friend by his lie, as he does injury to himself. What! will a man stab himself to do his friend a courtesy? He that wounds his conscience does worse; he that gains in his trade by his lie, loses more than he gains. A bag of gold is not to be compared with inward peace, and the favor of God (better than life) which by this sin is lost. Surely, the Lord, being a God of Truth, is much offended with this sin of lying. God delights, says Solomon, in them that deal truly, but lying lips are an abomination to him (Proverbs 12:22). Lying was one sin of Israel, for which their land did mourn (Hosea 14:2, 3). And God threatens to give all liars their part in that lake which burns with fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8). Methinks that one place should make all liars to tremble. And is not this one sin which some professors also in the city have been guilty of, to the shame of their profession; for which the Lord has sent the fire to burn down the city, to awaken us to fly from this sin, as we would escape the future fire of hell?

20. Another sin of London is cozening and defrauding. This sin has been the product of covetousness, and the companion of lying, and how ordinary has it been among tradesmen, which many have been so accustomed to, that it has been as easy to persuade the Ethiopian to change his skin, as to persuade them to leave off their cozening? This they have looked upon as even essential to their trade, at least as necessary to their gains; indeed some have pleaded a necessity thereof, to get a livelihood for themselves and families. But there is no necessity of any sin; duties are necessary, but sins are never necessary, and the gain which is gotten by sin, is like the gain of a garment, which has the plague in it, which if it bring warmth for the present, quickly also may bring sickness and death. And if cozening brings gain into the purse, it presently brings the plague into the heart, and quickly will bring the pain and punishment of hell.

To defraud another in dealing, is but a more covert way of stealing, and it is as lawful to take a purse upon the highway, as to take a shilling by fraud in the shop; the difference lies only in the degree, the nature of the sin which is theft, is the same in both. And the Lord, as he has expressly forbidden this sin, so he has threatened to avenge it (1 Thessalonians 4:6). That no man go beyond or defraud his brother (not only in a greater thing but) in any matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such. The several ways which tradesmen have had of defrauding, would be too large for me to speak of, neither am I so skillful as to understand. The falsifying of weights and measures is gross, a sin practiced among the Jews of old, which God threatens to punish them for (Hosea 12:7). Ephraim is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand. And both their sin and God's anger are set forth (Micah 6:10-13): Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the houses of the wicked, and the scant measure which is abominable? Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? For the rich men of it are full of violence, and the inhabitants of it have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth: Therefore also will I make you sick in smiting you, in making you desolate, because of your sins. And was it not thus with London? Did they not falsify weights and measures, and falsify commodities, and speak falsely concerning the price of them, and take unconscionable gains, and yet profess kind usage of their customers, whom they did most exact upon? But if I could, I should not open the cunning ways which some have found out, of defrauding and over-reaching, lest any should learn, and be enticed to practice the sin by the very reproof of it, as I have heard some have done.

Now such persons, who have gotten their wealth by defrauding and over-reaching their brothers, bring themselves into such a snare of the Devil, that very few ever get out, but are dragged by him thereby into hell; because it is not mere grieving for this sin, which is necessary to the obtaining of a pardon; but restitution is necessary. They must refund, they must restore, either to the parties themselves, or to the poor, what they have gotten wrongfully, if they be able; if not, as much as they have, otherwise they cannot be saved. No salvation came to Zacchaeus till he was resolved upon restitution of what he had wrongfully gained (Luke 19:8, 9). God smites his hand at dishonest gain (Ezekiel 21:13), and this is one sin which I believe God has smitten London for.

21. The one and twenty-first sin of London is prodigality and profuse spending; some have spared too much through covetousness, others have spent too much through prodigality. Liberality is a great virtue; and bountiful charity an excellent grace, which London has not been without; but prodigality is a great sin. Thus some have spent above their degree, lavishing out their estates on their tables, on their houses, on their clothes; but the worst prodigality has been, in that which men have lavished out in the satisfaction of their lusts, in drunkenness, gaming, whoring, and the like; and especially those, who have spent profusely that which has been none of their own, but what they have taken up on credit of others; have been most grossly guilty of this sin.

And to this sin of prodigality and profuseness, I may refer the sin of excessive mirth and jollity, which has been in London, there is a harmless mirth which is lawful; and there is a spiritual cheerfulness, which is the duty of Christians: though in times of great sin and affliction of God's people, sackcloth and mourning does become Christians, and some expressions of joy which are more carnal, should be much forborne. But I am speaking of the mirth of such, who have had the least ground for mirth of any, namely the wicked, to whom no peace nor joy in that estate does belong: for them to be so excessively merry and jovial, and frolic, expressing it in their profane, obscene, and scurrilous jesting; in their music, singing, and dancing; in their ranting, roaring, and carousing; in many wasteful and profuse ways of spending; when the Church is in sackcloth, and lies a bleeding; as too many in London have done; surely God has been offended with this, and has been provoked to send down his judgments, to alter the cheer of London, and hereby to put them into mourning, which they were so averse to.

Had they foreseen the plague, and how many of them should have fallen by it, surely it would have damped their mirth; had they foreseen the burning of the city of London; and that their houses should have fallen by the fire; surely their laughter would have been turned into heaviness. These judgments they could not foresee; but future judgment far more dreadful, they might have foreseen, which should have made an impression of sorrow upon them if possibly by repentance they might avoid and escape it. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness (James 4:9). Such mourning if for sin might be a means to prevent future miseries, and eternal woe and weeping; others they have reason to mourn for those miseries which will come upon them. Go to now you rich men, weep and howl, for the miseries that shall come upon you (James 5:1). But for profane wicked persons to sing, and rejoice just upon the brink of the grave and hell, is very unreasonable and an aggravation of their other sins.

22. The twenty-second sin of London is envying. And this sin was to be found not only in women, which envied others that exceeded them, in beauty of body, in clothes, and dressing, and such like toys; but also in men, who envied them who were of the same trade, which had better houses and shops, more custom and wealth than themselves, as Hesiod [illegible]: [illegible].

Indeed this envying was to be found among many ministers, who envied others that had better parts, and more learning, greater applause, and more auditors than themselves. There was a spirit among us which lusted to envy (James 4:5), which besides the great torment that it brings to the spirit where it reigns, is a very great provocation to the Lord.

23. The twenty-third sin of London is slandering and backbiting, which has been the consequent of the former. The ninth commandment has been exceedingly broken in London, especially in a private way of bearing false witness against the neighbor, and wounding his reputation by a slanderous tongue: some inventing lies, and raising slanders, which they have in their consciences known to be false; others taking up slanders, readily believing them without any just proof. This sin you have set forth with a caution to take heed of such persons (Jeremiah 9:4-5). London has been full of backbiters and tale-bearers, and too many professors have been guilty of this sin: few have entertained backbiters with an angry countenance, which as the wind drives away rain, would have driven them out of sight. I might here add the hatred of one another that has been in London (much through slanders) the emulation that has risen from hatred; the wrath that has risen from emulation; and the wrath of God which has arisen from these and other works of the flesh, spoken of (Galatians 5:19-20).

24. The twenty-fourth sin of London is murmuring: and that not only in want, and under losses and crosses but also in fullness and plenty. Many farmers in the country have murmured at the plenty and cheapness of corn; many tradesmen in the city have murmured at the plenty of the commodities which they have dealt in; because however such plenty is a public and unspeakable mercy, yet they have had the less private advantage which has been chiefly regarded by them. Indeed some in their murmuring have wished for a plague, that the survivors might have the better trade; and I have heard that a fire also has been wished for, to take off the plenty of such commodities, that the remainder might bear the higher rate. Is it a wonder then if God has sent plague and fire which some have called for by such murmuring speeches? The Israelites in the wilderness were plagued for their murmuring; and the murmuring company of Korah, that were not swallowed up with him were consumed by a fire from heaven.

25. The twenty-fifth and last sin of London, which I shall speak of, is carnal security — another of Sodom's sins. It is said of the Sodomites (Luke 17:28-29), In the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built: but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. When London had provoked God so highly by so many sins, yet how secure were they before his judgments broke forth upon them — they ate and drank, they bought and sold, etc. They sat at ease, and put far from them the evil day (Amos 6); they were still, and at rest, little expecting such changes as have come upon them, and taking little care to prevent them. They were secure and trusted in arms of flesh, broken reeds which have always failed. And I might add here as a cause of the security of some, the presumptuous confidences of future events which belong only to God to foreknow; which some have taken upon them so absolutely to determine as if they had looked into the book of God's decrees, or had an infallible revelation from him of what should come to pass. O the good days that some have looked for upon the presumption of what they had no ground for! Great expectations many had of the fall of Antichrist and Babylon in the year 1666, and other events, limiting times, which God has not clearly revealed, which is an entrenching upon God's prerogative, and I believe a greater provocation than such persons are aware of. This may be one reason why London is fallen instead of Babylon, in this year of such expectation and presumption.

By this time it may be the reader may be wearied with reading, as I am with thinking and writing of London's sins. But how has the Lord been wearied with the bearing of them, how has he been pressed with the weight of them, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves (Amos 2:13)? If when you have read of London's judgments, you also consider London's provocations, you must needs acknowledge that God is righteous in that he has punished London no more than they have deserved for these sins.

2. God's righteousness will further appear, if we consider that he has punished London less than her iniquities deserved.

1. God might have punished London deservedly with more dreadful judgments here; and that both in the same and another kind.

1. God might have deservedly punished London worse in the same kind.

1. In the judgment of the plague: it was a dreadful plague indeed; but God could have made it more dreadful; where he shot one arrow, he might have shot a hundred. He visited many families; he might have visited every family, and swept every house with the besom of destruction. Though so many fell, yet I believe that five parts in six of the inhabitants of London were preserved; God might have taken away the five parts, and have left but one alive. Indeed it might have been said of London, as it was of Israel (Amos 5:2-3), The Virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall rise no more; the city that went out by a thousand shall leave a hundred. God might have made every hundred that died by the plague a thousand; he might have sent out his arrows after all the inhabitants of London that were gone into the country, and smitten them wherever he found them. Or he might have met with them upon their return home, and given commission to Death to lay hold on them as soon as they entered into their doors. He might have depopulated the city of London by the plague, so that every house should have had dead corpses lying, and none to bury them. He might have made our plague wonderful, fearful, and of long continuance.

We that have survived so great a mortality have reason to say that deservedly it might have been greater; that we deserved as much or more to fall, for our more heinous sins, than thousands that are gone down into the pit. Surely it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed; he was merciful in sparing us; he would have been righteous if he had destroyed us.

Think with yourselves, you that are alive, and remain escaped — how fearful would the plague have been, if it had come home to your houses. You were afraid to hear of others' houses visited and shut up; what would you have been, if it had entered your doors? You were afraid when others were struck with the disease; what would you have been, if you had been struck yourselves? Sinners, what would you have done if the arrow had pierced through your livers, if under such guilt and wrath you had been smitten? When you had such a plague of sin in your hearts, if you should have had the plague of pestilence in your bodies; if when you were so rotten and corrupt, and defiled inwardly, you should have had boils, and blains, and running sores outwardly; if when conscience was so filled with guilt, your bodies should have been filled with this disease — in a word, if when you had the marks of hell and damnation in your souls, you should have had the marks of inevitable death in your bodies — oh the dread that would have seized upon you! The judgment of the plague might have been worse to you; you might have spent above a year in hell by this time among devils and damned spirits. You might by this time have been inured to those torments which yet you could not have endured, but must have endured for ever without any possibility of deliverance for ever.

Many of you who have escaped have your families unbroken, when other whole families are swept away. Suppose your dear wife had fallen, or your hopeful children had been nipped by death in the very bud, and your families had been maimed; the judgment would have been much sorer on you. None can say but God might have righteously punished London more severely by the plague.

2. God might have punished London also more severely by the fire. The greatest part of the city is fallen; it might have been the whole. Most of the city within the walls is consumed; the flames might have issued forth at all the gates, and consumed all the suburbs too. All the goods might have been burnt with the houses, and all the inhabitants with the habitations.

The fire, though it burned dreadfully, yet it began at one end, and came on so slowly that most of the inhabitants of London had time to remove themselves, and the choicest of their goods. Some livelihood was left, and materials for a future trade.

Suppose the fire had been so sudden, or had been kindled in so many places, that there had been no possibility of removing anything, except the persons themselves. Suppose all the silver, and gold, and rich plate of the city had been melted by this fire, that all the wares and merchandise, all the garments, beds and household goods had been turned into ashes; and many thousand families, that have been turned out of house had been turned out of all, and quite bereaved of all their substance, so that nothing had remained to them for necessary use, this would have been very sore.

Alas! what would they have done? Where would they have gone for relief? Would the court have supplied them? Could the country have helped and maintained so many, when so much impoverished themselves, that in many places they are hardly able to live? Could they have hoped for relief from foreign nations? Are not all the world almost our enemies? Is charity so warm abroad? Alas! what would they have done? Must not many of them have pined away in their wants, and starved under hedges, for lack of suitable provisions. This would have been dreadful indeed.

Or suppose they had lugged their goods out of London from the fire, and the whole city had been burnt down with all the suburbs, and no habitations left standing hereabouts; what would they have done with their goods? Where would they have disposed of them? How could they any ways have continued their trades? Where could they have disposed of their persons? How could they have lived this cold winter season? Could they have struck up booths presently, fit for themselves to abide in, which would have sheltered them from the injury of the weather? Where would they have had materials, when all was burnt?

Alas! what would they have done? Must not their goods have been spoiled by lying abroad? Would not they themselves, who had been used to so much tenderness, have quickly grown sick, and died in the fields? Would not thousands have starved for cold? And what provision could they have had for food and other necessaries? Besides; would they not have been a prey to thieves and cut-throats? Would not many of their enemies, who laughed at the fall of the city, have rejoiced much more, and taken advantage to come upon them in their nakedness, and butchered them without mercy?

But, suppose the fire that began at one corner, had been kindled in every gate at the same time; when all the inhabitants had been asleep in their houses, and they had been enclosed with flames, and no possibility of escape, how dreadful would the fire have been then? If when they awakened in the morning they had seen the smoke ascending round about them, and the fire drawing near to them; if both ends of a street had been on fire together, and they in the midst, and had heard with the roaring of the fire, a greater roaring of the people that were burning with the houses; O the rueful looks! Oh the horrible shrieks by women and children! Oh the dreadful amazement and perplexity which would have been in such a place and case! To be burnt alive is dreadful; but think what tortures would have been in the spirits of guilty sinners, who had not made their peace with God, that had slept out the harvest and day of grace, that had made no provision for death and eternity! The noise and roaring without, would have been nothing to the lashes and tearings within them; the fire in their houses would have been but small, in comparison of the fire in their consciences; and the flames of hell-fire, which if awakened, they would have seen just before them.

This judgment of the fire might have been more dreadful than it was: persons are escaped; goods and wealth much saved; houses standing to receive them; trade going on; God might have punished London more sorely in the same kind.

2. God might have punished London more severely in other kinds of judgments.

1. He might have brought upon them, and upon the whole land, the sword of a foreign enemy, as he did upon Jerusalem, and the land of Judea, for their sins, which being so pathetically set forth by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 4:16 to the end), I shall represent to the eye.

A voice declares from Dan, and publishes affliction from Mount Ephraim, make mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah: as keepers of the field they are against her round about, because she has been rebellious against me, says the Lord. Your way and your doings have procured these things to you; this is your wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reaches to your heart. My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at my very heart, my heart makes a noise within me, I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Destruction upon destruction is cried, for the whole land is spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet; I beheld, and all the cities were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger; for thus has the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; for this shall the land mourn, and the heavens above be black. The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and the bowmen, they shall go into the thickets, and climb up upon the rocks; every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein; and when you are spoiled, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with crimson, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you paint your face; in vain shall you make yourself fair; your lovers shall despise you, they will seek your life: for I have heard a voice, as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that brings forth her first child; the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewails herself; that spreads forth her hands, saying, Woe is me now, for my soul is wearied because of murderers. This might have been the judgment, and these the complaints of London and England; which would have been worse than plague or fire. The plague reached many, but the sword might have reached all; the fire devoured houses, but the sword might have devoured the inhabitants. The Lord might have brought a foreign sword, and open invasion; or he might have given up London to a more private sudden butchery and massacre by the hands of cruel Papists, as was feared; which would have been more dreadful than the massacre of the Protestants by the Papists in Paris; because our numbers do so far exceed those which were in that city.

If bloody Papists had come into our houses in the dead of the night, with such kind of knives in their hands as were found after the fire in barrels; and having set watch at every street's end, had suffered none to escape, but cruelly slaughtered the husband with the wife, the parents and the children together, ripping up women with child, and not sparing either the silver hair, or the sucking babe; if there had been a cry at midnight, They are come; but no possibility of flying from them, or making resistance against them; if instead of heaps of stones and bricks in the top of every street, there had been heaps of dead bodies, and the kennels had been made to run down with gore-blood; sure this judgment would have been more dreadful than the plague or fire, which have been among us.

2. God might have punished London with famine, which is a greater judgment than the plague or sword: if the Lord had broken the whole staff of bread, and cut off all provisions of food from the many thousand souls that lived in and about the city; how dreadful would this have been! If a famine had been so sore in London that people should have been forced to eat one another and their own flesh, as it was in Samaria and Jerusalem; if instead of houses in London, God should have made the people as fuel of the fire in this judgment, as is threatened (Isaiah 9:19-20), Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the land darkened; and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire, no man shall spare his brother; and he shall snatch on his right hand and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arms: if London had been forced through hunger to eat the flesh of their own arms, and the fruit of their own bodies, oh what a dismal face would there have been in the city! And how would death have been chosen rather than life; in the by-us-inconceivable pain of gnawing hunger! Those which die by the plague or are slain by the sword, would be counted happy in comparison with them that live under such a judgment.

Lastly, the righteousness of God in the judgments he has inflicted on London appears; in that he might instead of plague and fire on earth have punished them with the plagues and fire of hell; which such sins as we have reckoned up have abundantly deserved. Tyre and Sidon now in hell; Sodom and Gomorrah under the vengeance of eternal fire, were not guilty of such sins as London was guilty of.

And what are body plagues here, in comparison of soul plagues hereafter? What is a fire that burns down a city, in comparison with the fire of hell, which shall burn the damned, and never be quenched.

God has punished London no more than her iniquities have deserved; God has punished London less than her iniquities have deserved, therefore in speaking most terribly, he has answered most righteously.