Section 9: The Design and Meaning of God's Judgments

3. Concerning the design of these judgments. What does God mean by this terrible voice? By speaking such terrible things in the City of London? The Lord has not only spoken but cried and shouted, he has lifted up his voice like a Trumpet; and his voice has not been inarticulate and insignificant; but has had a meaning; and they that have an ear to hear, may understand; for as the voice of the Lord has cried in the City, so the voice of the Lord has cried to the City (Micah 6:9). The Lord's voice cries to the City, The man of Wisdom shall see your name, hear the rod, and who has appointed it. Some take notice of the judgments themselves, and the effects of them upon themselves and families; they discourse of the Plague, and how many died thereby, that they have lost such a relation, such a friend or neighbor was visited and died quickly; they discourse of the Fire, where it began, how it increased and prevailed, what day such a street fell, and where their houses were consumed, what they lost, and how much they saved: and it may be, some speak of the hands of men, that were suspected to enkindle and carry it on; but few discourse of the hand of God which sent both Plague and Fire, and what he means by such strange and dreadful judgments: but the man of wisdom, such as are wise do consider that these judgments spring not out of the dust, but were sent down from Heaven. They see God's name, and God's hand that has been stretched forth upon London. They know that both Plague and Fire have had their commission from the God of Heaven; otherwise they could not have worked with such force and power.

They see God's name, that is, the glorious attributes of his name displayed. God proclaimed his name before Moses when he caused his goodness to pass before him; and discovered himself to be the Lord, the Lord God gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in lovingkindness, goodness and truth (Exodus 34:6). And God has proclaimed his name before London, in causing his judgments to come upon the City; and has declared himself to be the Lord, the Lord God Holy and Jealous, a God that can be angry when much provoked, and yet righteous in the severest judgments which he does inflict. A man of wisdom may see God's name in London's judgments, and as he may see power and righteousness in God's name; so he may see grace and goodness in the name of God, which has passed before the City; he may see and know that God has a gracious meaning and design of good to London in these judgments; he may see God's name, and hear God's voice, and what it is that he speaks by the rod.

[reconstructed: O] that London were thus wise! That they would open their eyes and see God's name! God's hand so just and righteous; as also open their ears, and hear God's voice, and understand God's design so gracious, and so much for their good! O that God would open the ears of London, and bend them to the discipline of his judgments! That with the loss of friends and relations by the Plague, and of houses and goods by the Fire; they may not lose the good of these judgments too, though of another kind, yet of far greater value, which God intends them.

The inquiry then is, What does the Lord mean by the Plague, and by the Fire in the City? What does he call for by this terrible voice? And what does he look for in London, that these judgments may turn to their advantage?

The duties which God expects from London after such desolations by the Plague and Fire, are these.

1. God expects that London should awake. London has been asleep; both the foolish and the wise Virgins have been asleep; and when such a voice has come down in these judgments, which have been revealed from Heaven, crying in the midnight of their carnal security, Behold, the great God is come forth from his place, and is entered into London in fury; surely all should awake and arise, and prepare to meet him, seeing none can flee from him. God has seemed to be asleep, while he exercised so much patience towards London; his arm slept in his bosom; but now the Lord has been awakened with the loud cry of England and London's sins; his arm has awaked, and put on strength and vengeance.

Awake! then O London awake! Open your eyes, draw your curtains; come forth of your bed; look out of your windows; Apparitions! Apparitions! strange sights to be seen; Behold! Heaven is opened, and God is come down upon earth; clothed with garments of lightning: God is come down in his Majesty, and looks upon London with a terrible countenance: Behold the amazing terror of God in the late strange and prodigious judgments. What! do you not see him? Surely you are fast asleep still, your eyes are closed, the veil is before them.

Awake! London Awake! Open your ears, Hark! Oh the Trumpet that has been sounding from Heaven over the City exceeding loud! Oh the Thunderings of the terrible voice of the Angry God! The voice of the Lord has been powerful and very dreadful: What! can you sleep under such a noise? Surely you are dead asleep, dead in sin and security. What will awaken you, if these judgments do not awaken you? If a shrill and loud trumpet do not pierce your ears, will soft music enter? If the sound of Cannons be not heard, can any expect that Pistols should? [reconstructed: If] when the Lion roars in your ears you can sleep still, will soft whispers awaken you? What will awaken you if the loud voice of these judgments do not awaken you? The Lord called upon you before by his Ministers, by his mercies: now he has shouted in your ears by his judgments.

Awake! London Awake! You have been roused out of your habitation; I think you should be roused out of your security: What! sleep when dying! dying by the plague, and tumbling into the grave! What! sleep when burning! burning by the fire, and tumbling into desolation! What! sleep in a storm! when winds are blowing, and waves roaring, sea entering, and ship sinking! What do you mean, O sleeper! could the heathen ship-master say, in such a case, to Jonah (Jonah 1:5-6), when he lay fast asleep in the sides of the ship: Arise, call upon your God; if God will think upon us that we perish not. And may not I say, What do you mean, O sleepy London; have you not perceived the storm that has beaten so fiercely on your head? Do you not perceive that your ship is shattered and broken? and the sea is coming in with full force, and you are in danger of sinking, and that quickly, unless some speedy course be taken for prevention? And yet can you sleep still? Awake! arise! call upon your God, if so be he will think upon us, that we perish not.

God calls upon sleepy sinners to awake. Suppose you were under the power of cruel enemies, that had killed your husbands, or wives, or dear children and friends; and you knew not how soon they might fall upon you, and cut your throats; could you sleep securely in the same house with such persons?

You are under the power of tyrannical lusts, which are far worse enemies; you are under the reigning power of sin, which has brought the plague into the city; and whereby some of you have been deprived of these relations; and you know not how soon sin may bring death upon yourselves, not only the first, but the second death; not only temporal, but eternal death; and deprive you not only of life, but happiness, and all hopes of the least share in it for ever. And yet can you sleep securely with sin in your hearts? With such an enemy, with such a viper in your bosoms?

When the fire was in London I believe few of you could take much sleep for several nights together; when the fire was burning in your streets, and burning down your houses, you could not sleep in your houses lest the fire should have burned your persons too. And, when the fire of lust is within you, and burning within you; when the fire of God's anger is kindled above you, and burning over you; and the fire of hell so dreadful and unextinguishable is burning beneath you; and you are hanging over the burning lake by a twine thread, which before long will untwine of itself; and may before you are aware, and suddenly be cut or snapped asunder, and then you must drop into the midst of flames; can you sleep under the guilt and power of sin, when you are in such danger?

Awake! sinners awake! God does not burn you presently, but warns you first; he burns your houses, that you might awake, and escape a more dreadful fire. Awake! sinners, when will you awake! How often, how long, how loud shall God call upon you, before you will arise? (Ephesians 5:14) Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Jesus Christ shall give you life.

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. What! can you sleep any longer now? Was not this your tone long ago, when you were under the calls of the Word? And is it the same under the rod too? What will awaken you? Or when do you think you shall be awakened, if still you lie down in the bed of security, and love to slumber upon the lap of pleasure, and after a little startle sleep faster than before?

Ministers have preached, and you have slept under their sermons; but when God has preached, I think you should awake. When Paul preached to Felix a sermon of judgment, Felix trembled. God has preached one, or rather two sermons of judgment; and that more feelingly than Paul could; I think you should awake, and not drop asleep so soon, because God gives you a little respite to learn his sermon, before he preaches the third sermon, which may be your last and ruining sermon. If you do not awake by the sound of his judgments before you, you shall awake by the sense of his judgments upon you: if the plague and fire of London do not awaken you, you shall be awakened by the plagues and fire of hell, which you shall see and feel, but not be able to flee from, as here you might do, if presently awakened.

God calls upon sleepy sinners to awake, and God calls upon drowsy saints to awake; and was there not great need? Were not the Jonahs gone down into the sides of the ship and lying on pillows? Were not the wise virgins turning foolish, sleeping with the rest, untrimmed and undressed? Had there not of late a strange torpor and numbness seized upon the spirits of God's own people? Was not the ancient vigor and activity, which once they had in the ways and worship of God, much abated and decayed before these judgments came upon London?

Awake then you drowsy saints, awake! Put on your garments, which you have laid aside to the discovery of your nakedness; shake yourselves from the dust, which has covered and sullied your faces, and loosen the bands of sleep. God has been thundering, your Father has been angry, and displeased with you as well as with others: your God has spoken in his jealousy, and he has spoken in his fury; he has spoken with a loud voice in righteousness and in judgment.

Awake! you children, your Father is stirring, and knocking, and calling, indeed he has entered your chamber, and smitten you on this side and that; and yet will you not arise? He has been crying in your ears; now he is looking and listening whether you will cry in his, and what you will say and do for the prevention of the ruin of England, which he seems to be threatening. It is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is the utter destruction of the city and nation nearer it may be than you believe or imagine. Awake then, put off your clothes of night and darkness, in which you have been sleeping, and put on your garments of light. Clothe yourselves with humility, and gird yourselves with all your graces, and get you to God's knee, hang about his arm; put yourselves in the breach; it may be the Lord may think upon us, that we perish not.

2. The Lord does now after his speaking by terrible things, expect that London should stand in awe of him. God's judgments made this impression upon David (Psalm 119:120): My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments. And see how the Prophet Habakkuk behaved himself, when God spoke with a terrible voice (Habakkuk 3:2, etc.): O Lord, I have heard your speech and was afraid; when God came down from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran, Selah; when the Pestilence went before him, and burning coals went forth at his feet; when the nations were driven asunder, the everlasting mountains were scattered, and the perpetual hills did bow; when the tents of Cushan were in affliction, and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble: when God did ride upon horses, and his bow was made quite naked: when the sun and moon did stand still in their habitations, at the light of his arrows that went forth, at the shining of his glittering spear: when God did march through the land in his indignation, and walk through the sea with his horses, and did wound the head out of the house of the wicked, and did strike through habitations with his staves: at this, the Prophet is afraid, his belly trembled, his lips quivered at the voice, rottenness entered into his bones, etc. And when God has come down from heaven, the Holy One from Mount Zion, Selah — when the Pestilence has gone before him, and burning coals at his feet, when the Lord drove London asunder, scattered the inhabitants, and made the stately buildings to bow and fall, whose rearing up none can remember; when the tents of London have been in affliction, and the curtains of the city have trembled: when Death has been riding upon horses, and his bow has been made quite naked; when the heavens have been astonished at God's judgments, and the sun and moon have hid their heads in their habitations, at the shining of his glittering spear: when the Lord has marched through the city in his indignation, has wounded the heads of so many wicked with his arrows, and struck through so many habitations with his staves — oh how should London tremble and quiver, and stand in awe of this glorious majesty, at the voice of these terrible judgments!

Read and apply what the Lord speaks by the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 33:13-14): Hear, you that are far off, what I have done, and you that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners of Zion are afraid, fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites; who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? Who among us shall inhabit everlasting burnings? Verse 18: Your heart shall meditate terror; where is the scribe? Where is the receiver? Where is he that counted the towers?

Methinks the sinners now in London should be afraid, and fearfulness should surprise the hypocrites; when God has sent so many of their number into the everlasting burnings of hell by the plague; and by such a devouring fire has consumed so many habitations.

Tremble, you sinners at this, and be horribly afraid, all you workers of iniquity! God has come down with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet: he has taken his weapons in his hand, and has appeared in London as a furious enemy: should not this make the sinners in the city to quake, and strike a dread upon the spirits of the rebellious? When the Lord has spoken thus, and done thus; because of our sins, should not London, indeed all England, hear and fear, and do no more so wickedly.

Because God was patient formerly, you presumed: because sentence against your evil works was not speedily executed; therefore your hearts were hardened and resolved in your evil ways. Because the Lord kept silence, you thought he was altogether such a one as yourselves. You thought it may be that he took no more notice of you, than you did of him; or that you had no more reason to fear him, than he had to fear you. You thought it may be, that God had forsaken the earth; or had hidden his face, and should never see your wickedness: and oh how bold have you been, how audacious and fearless in sin? You were afraid to offend man though a worm, and yet you have not been afraid to offend God the King of the whole world. Men's laws have kept you from some sins, but the laws of God have not put upon you the least restraint. You have lived and sinned as if there were no God, or as if he had been so gentle, and mild, and merciful, that you might do anything to him, and he not be displeased with you: or as if though he were displeased, yet his displeasure were not to be regarded, and that he had no power to execute vengeance upon you.

But now God's patience has in a great measure been turned into fury. Now sinners you may perceive a little that God can be angry; and when his anger is kindled but a little, if it does express itself so dreadfully; what dreadful expressions will there be of it, when it breaks forth into an open flame? If his anger be such in the day of some lighter, temporal judgments; what will it be in the day of the revelation of the treasures of it, upon all the wicked, at the appearance of Jesus Christ?

But God's vengeance now in these judgments should work your hearts to a fear and awe of this righteous Judge, who has done such executions in the city; it should bridle and stay you in that fearless course of sin, in which you were rushing on as the horse rushes into the battle.

When Balaam's donkey saw the angel stand in the way with a drawn sword, he was afraid, and would not go forward, though spurred on, and beaten by his master. And when God stands in the way with his sword of judgment which has made such slaughter already, and is lifted up again to strike you, methinks you should be afraid, and turn back: it is the way to hell that God stands in by his judgments; and will you break through all into those flames? Oh stand in awe, and sin not, commune with your own hearts. Consider what has been doing in London, and who has done these things. You have nearly escaped — it may be with your lives; oh learn to fear the glorious and dreadful name of the Lord God in these dreadful judgments.

And as God does expect that the world and his enemies should stand in awe of him; so also much more that the righteous and his people should. Some it may be when God gave them free access to him, and admitted to familiarity with him, and encouraged them to boldness and confidence, and strewed their path with nothing but mercy; it may be might abuse his goodness, and forget to mingle faith and love with due reverence and respect; and began to be too saucy with God, and peremptory, and did not consider their original and distance, and forgot the severity which they deserved for sin. Therefore God appears in the way of these judgments with such terrible rebukes, that his own people might be brought to a due awe and fear of his name; that if they love him, they may fear him too; if they pray with boldness, they may pray also with reverence; if they rejoice in his goodness, they may tremble also at his judgments.

3. God does expect that London should now search and try their ways. When God had punished Jerusalem with dreadful judgments, in the lamentation of which, the Prophet Jeremiah does spend a book, see what use and improvement he calls upon the people to make hereof (Lamentations 3:40): Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. This was the practice of David in the day of his trouble (Psalms 77:6): I commune with my own heart, and my spirit made diligent search. It has been a day of God's wrath in London, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasting and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as it was in Jerusalem (Zephaniah 1:15). There have been dark and thick clouds over London, which in part have broken into dreadful storms and amazing tempests of God's anger expressed in the late judgments; and all have been the product of London's sins, which may yet produce far worse effects: London is then called upon with a loud voice, to search and find out those sins which have been the troublers of the city. I suppose that true citizens would be forward to search after those persons that had a hand in the first kindling and carrying on the fire, which burned their habitations to the ground: give me leave, and I shall make a discovery of London's incendiaries, how you may find the persons, how you may trace their footsteps, what marks they bore, what their names are, and where their abode; and need I lead you far in the search? The sinners, the sinners of London did kindle the fire of London; it was sin which fired the first house, and sin was like oil poured upon the flames which put such fury to them, that none could withstand until the greatest part of the city was fallen and turned into ashes: the swearers, the Sabbath-breakers, the adulterers, the drunkards, the unrighteous, the profane and the like sinners have been London's incendiaries, and had a hand in pulling down this and other judgments upon the place where they lived; and is it hard to find out these persons? Are they gone far from the place of their former abode? The skirts of London are remaining, and if you turn up the skirts, or turn your eye under them, and look into the houses standing about the city, may you not find many of these persons, these vile sinners inhabiting, who are still blowing hard at the fire of God's anger, and pulling hard with cords of vanity and sin, for further judgments? Search, London search, and find out your enemies, your destroyers; have you not destroyed yourself? Search, and find out your sins, which have brought such mischiefs and ruins upon you.

Sinners, enter into your closets, retire into yourselves, take the candle of the Lord, and look into your inner rooms, make a strict search into your hearts, find out those filthy lusts which lodge in dark corners, and bring them forth to be slain; read over the old records of your lives, consult the register of your consciences, revolve in your minds your former sins; take the glass of the Word, and look upon your faces in it, and see how many spots it will discover which you never before did perceive; not beauty spots, but spots of deformity, plague-spots, death-marks, hell-tokens, such as will bring upon you inevitable misery, unless they be wiped off. Take the rule of the Word, and measure your actions by it, and you may quickly perceive how much they have fallen short, how crooked they have been, Rectum est index sui & obliqui: compare your actions with the straight rule of God's law, and you may find out many irregularities. If you do not find out your sins, your sins will find you out, and God's judgments will find you out; and if you be found out in your sins, woe be to you; O the horror which will be upon your consciences when ruining judgments are inflicted upon you particularly, and you cannot escape, when death looks you in the face, and comes with the sting of sin in its mouth to devour you! But O the horror you will be under hereafter if you be taken away in your sins! When your souls shall be summoned, immediately after their separation, to the bar of God, where you will be searched and tried, and condemned to everlasting torment, by an inevitable and irreversible sentence of the Judge himself: O therefore hearken to the voice of God in these temporal judgments on the city (after which you still remain alive, through infinite patience) which calls upon you to search and try your ways, that you may escape more fearful judgments which may be preparing for you; labor to find out your sins which are the cause of all judgments, temporal and eternal; and to help you in your search after sin, read the catalogue I have given you of London's sins, and examine yourselves thereby; be very serious, and thorough, and impartial in this search; sequester yourselves often from all company; ease your mind of the load of worldly business; leave the carriages at the bottom of the hill; strive against temptations and indispositions to the work; set yourselves in the presence of the heart-searching God; beg the help of his spirit to discover to you what has displeased and provoked him; search after sin as offensive to God, and as destructive to yourselves, as your worst enemy, as the cause of plague and fire in London, and as that which will bring the plagues and fire of hell upon you, if it be not found out and subdued.

4. God does expect that London should acknowledge their sins to him. When the Prophet had directed the people to search and try their ways after the execution of such judgments upon them (Lamentations 3:40), see the following direction (verses 41-42): "Let us lift our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens: we have transgressed, and have rebelled, etc." Thus the Prophet does confess the sins of Jerusalem (Lamentations 1:8-9): "Jerusalem has greatly sinned, therefore she is removed." "Her filthiness is in her skirts, she remembered not her last end, therefore she came down wonderfully." And thus the Daughter of Zion, as she bewails her affliction, so she acknowledges her transgression (verses 17-18, 20): "Zion spreads forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her." "The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandment." "Behold O Lord for I am in distress, my bowels are troubled, my heart is turned within me, for I have grievously rebelled." Thus Daniel after dreadful judgments makes confession of the sins of the people of Israel (Daniel 9:4-6): "I prayed to the Lord, and made my confession, and said, O Lord the great and dreadful God, we have sinned and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from your precepts and your judgments: neither have we listened to your servants the prophets, which spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land." And (verses 11-12): "Indeed all Israel have transgressed your law, by departing, that they might not obey your voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him: and he has confirmed his word which he spoke against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven has it not been done, as it has been done upon Jerusalem."

God does expect that London should find out their sins, and having found them, that they should make confession of them: O that the profane and ungodly generation in London, whose sins have been enumerated in the catalogue, would be persuaded to get alone by themselves, and consider their evil ways, and what the consequences of their sins have been in bringing down temporal judgments, what the consequence of their sins is like to be, even the bringing upon them eternal judgments, and that they would fall down and prostrate themselves at God's foot, and covering their cheeks with shame and blushing, because of their filthiness and foul sins under the view of so holy an eye, that they would acknowledge their transgressions to him not only in general, but also particularly with their heinous aggravations! O that with an inward deep sense, with a bleeding, broken heart, they would fill their mouths with confessions! That they would take to themselves words and say, We have rebelled against you O Lord, and done wickedly, and grievously offended you; so foolish have we been, and ignorant of you, we have been worse than beasts before you; the ox acknowledges his owner, and the ass his master; but, though we are your creatures and live upon your bounty, and are daily at your finding, yet we have not acknowledged you, and have had less consideration, than those creatures, who have had no reason; we have been a sinful people, laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children that have been corrupters, who have forsaken you, and by our wickedness provoked you to anger. We have been stubborn and disobedient; serving your enemies, the devil and our own lusts, but have neglected, indeed refused to serve and worship you in our families and closets, living as if there had been no God in the world. We have seldom if ever taken your name into our mouths, unless it has been in vain, unless in our oaths and curses. We have profaned your Sabbaths, and defiled your ordinances, and have often been more wicked on the Lord's day, than any day of the week besides. When we were children we disobeyed our parents, but disobeyed you much more, who did command us to honor them; when we were children in years, we were grown men and women in sin; when we were weak in body, we were strong in spirit to commit iniquity; we learned the trade of sin before any other, and were apt scholars in the school of the devil, when dull and blockish to learn any thing, which was good; we were wise to do evil, when to do good we had no understanding; our iniquities have increased over our heads, faster than our years have done. Since we have been governors of others, we have had no government upon our own spirits, and have endeavored to lead those under our charge with us in the way to hell, instead of laboring to draw them into the way of heaven, by our example, command, and persuasions; and we have filled up all our relations with sin, instead of filling them up with duty. If we have not murdered any with our hand, we have murdered many with our tongue, swords have been in our lips, and bitter reviling speeches in our mouths, heart murder we have been guilty of, O the inordinate anger that has boiled in our hearts! O the envy and malice which have gnawed our spirits, and been working daily within us! And especially those persons have been most hated by us, who have had your image upon them, and have been best beloved by you; we have scorned them, and looked upon them as mean-spirited people; we have separated them from our company, as those who damp and spoil our mirth by their words and looks of reproof; indeed, we have persecuted them as seditious and factious persons, when in truth it was their holiness and conversation that did contradict and condemn our wicked practices, which did stir up our anger against them; we have scoffed at them, who have prayed for us, and we have looked upon them, and dealt with them as our enemies, because so to our lusts, who were the best friends to our souls, and above all things desired our salvation. You have given us corn, and wine, and oil, and plentiful provisions for our body, but we have abused your mercies by our intemperance and luxury: we have been guilty of drunkenness and gluttony; we have indulged our flesh and sensual appetite; we have lived in pleasure and been wanton; we wallowed, like so many swine, in the mire and dung of some filthy sins, which it is a shame to speak of; we have had eyes and hearts full of lusts and adultery, and have broken forth into such vile actual sins of uncleanness, as would raise blushes in modest cheeks to hear but the mention of; we have been unjust and unrighteous in our dealing, have wronged and defrauded our neighbor, though you have threatened to be avenged on all such persons. O the lies we have spoken, the slanderous backbiting speeches we have uttered! O the discontentment, murmuring, envying, evil concupiscence, inordinate affection, and wicked distempers which have been in our spirits! And though we have broken all your laws, and are guilty of such notorious sins, yet O the impenitency and hardness of our hearts! Though no salvation is attainable but by Christ, who is freely tendered to us, yet O the unbelief of our hearts, and neglect of our own salvation! We have sinned, we have sinned against you, and what shall we do to you, O you preserver of men!

God expects that London should make confession of their sin, and it could be wished that London would join together like one man in this work; but if this cannot be, and they want common mouths to open their hearts and sins before the Lord in particular confession, let every one of them be a mouth to himself, and get into his closet, and there acknowledge London's sins; and if those who are most guilty, do neglect this work, let God's people do it in their room, and confess not only their own sins, but also the sins of the profane and wicked where they live, and that not only because God is dishonored, but also because they are in danger of being ruined by the unbewailed sins of others.

5. God does expect that London should be humble under these judgements. God inflicted judgements on the children of Israel in the wilderness, to humble them (Deuteronomy 8:16), and he promises after the sorest distresses which he brings his people into for their sins, to remember his covenant, if their uncircumcised heart be humbled (Leviticus 26:40-42). Indeed he promises to exalt such in due time, who humble themselves under his mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6). God's mighty hand has been stretched forth upon London, God expects that London should be humble; he has humbled them by his judgements, he expects that they should humble themselves under his judgements; God has stained the pride of London, he expects that they should let down their plumes; he has brought them down, and he expects that they should lie low; he has brought poverty upon many of them in regard of their estates, and he expects that all of them should be poor in regard of their spirits; he has made many of them mean in regard of their condition, and he expects that their disposition and affection should be accordingly: God has laid many persons in the dust by the plague, and he has laid many houses in the dust by the fire, and he expects that those which survive and remain after such judgements should lay themselves in the dust for their sins. Humble yourself then, O London, humble yourself before the Lord, lick the dust of his feet, put off your ornaments, and gird yourself with sackcloth, clothe yourself with humility. God has spit in your face, will you be proud of your beauty again? He has burnt the city with fire, will you be proud of your buildings and stately edifices any more? He has consumed much of the fuel of your pride, and he expects that your pride should be abated, and that you should abase yourself, and humble yourself before him.

6. God does expect that London should accept of the punishment of their iniquity. (Leviticus 26:40-42) If my people shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, and be humbled, and accept the punishment of their iniquity, then will I remember my covenant, and remember the land. God expects that London should justify him in the severest judgements which he has inflicted upon them; as they should acknowledge their sins, so they should acknowledge their demerit, and that the Lord has punished them no more, indeed that he has punished them less than their iniquities have deserved: As they should bring a bill of indictment against themselves, so they should bring a bill of acquittance of God; God expects that they should say, as (Nehemiah 9:33) You are just in all that is brought upon us; for you have done right, but we have done wickedly. Or as (Daniel 9:7-8) O Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but to us confusion of faces, because we have sinned against you. Let not London murmur or repine, let not London find fault and complain of God, because of his judgements (Lamentations 3:39). Why does the living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sin? God has opened his mouth, and spoken terribly, but let London shut her mouth, because God has spoken righteously; God has spoken with a loud voice, let London be in deep silence; I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, says David, because you did it (Psalm 39:9). When Nadab and Abihu the two sons of Aaron were consumed with fire from heaven, for offering strange fire before the Lord, it is said, that Aaron held his peace (Leviticus 10:1-3). So when God has consumed the city of London with fire, for the sins of the inhabitants, let them hold their peace, because they have deserved it. Let London be still, and know that God is righteous; let London lay her hand upon her mouth, and her mouth in the dust; let London close up her lips, and seal them up with silence; or if she open them, let her mouth be filled with confessions, not with complaints; or if she complain, let her complain to God, but let her not complain of him; if she complain, let her complain against herself, but let her not complain against God; let her complain of her own sin and wickedness, but not of God's judgement so righteous. Let London wonder it is no worse with her, when both her sin and her danger was so great; let her wonder, when God was so angry, that he should put any restraint upon it; that when wrath was come forth, that it proceeded no further; let her wonder that the plague did not quite depopulate her, and that the fire did not wholly consume her; let her wonder it is so well with her, that she is not made a desolation, and say, It is the Lord's mercies we are not consumed (Lamentations 3:22).

7. God does expect, that London should mourn for her sins. We read (Jeremiah 3:21), A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the house of Israel. When the terrible voice of God's judgements has been heard in London, God does hearken for the voice of weeping and supplications; this God's voice does call for; when breaches were made in the city of David (Isaiah 22:9), then did the Lord of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth (verse 11), and when instead hereof there was joy and gladness, eating flesh, and drinking wine, the Lord is so angry, that he threatens, surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die (verses 13-14). See also what the Lord calls for to the daughter of Zion under her judgements (Lamentations 2:18-19). Let tears run down like a river day and night, give yourself no rest, let not the apple of your eye cease: Arise, cry in the night, in the beginning of the watches pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. God does not only expect that his ministers and priests should weep between the porch and the altar, when sore judgements are upon his land, as (Joel 2:17), but also that the people should weep too, that the bridegroom should go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet, as (verse 16), that people should be afflicted, mourn and weep, that their laughter should be turned into mourning, and their joy into heaviness (James 4:9). He expects that those which escape his judgements should be like doves upon the mountains, every one mourning for his iniquities, as (Ezekiel 6:16). London may mourn for her judgements which have been so dreadful, but God expects they should mourn more for his displeasure, which has been the cause of these judgements, and most of all for their sins, which have been the cause of his displeasure.

Weep, London, weep for your sins, which have been so many and provoking; let your eye affect your heart: When you look into your burying places, and think how many of your people have lately there taken up their habitation; it should draw tears from your eyes to think of your sins, which opened the doors of those lodgings to them: Methinks, when you pass through your ruinous habitations, and see the heaps of stones at the top of your streets, when you view your half-churches and bare steeples, and ragged walls, and open vaults, and the dismal solitude in those places, which not long ago were full of people, it should fill your heart with sorrow for your sins, which have kindled such anger in the breast of God, as to send the late dreadful Fire, which has made such desolations.

Mourn, London, mourn, put on sackcloth, you see in part what an evil thing and a bitter it is, to offend a holy and jealous God; the effects of sin here are fearful sometimes, what evil is there in sin then which is the cause of your ruins. God looks now that the sinners of London should become mourners: We read of a mark which was set upon the foreheads of them in Jerusalem, which did mourn and cry out for the abominations that were done in the midst thereof, and they were separated from temporal destruction which was brought upon the rest (Ezekiel 9:4, 6). God does set a mark upon them that mourn in London for the sins of London, and however he may deal with them in regard of temporal calamities, be sure he will separate them, and preserve them from eternal destruction.

Methinks, the fall of London calls for a mourning like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo, where Josiah fell in battle (Zechariah 12:11). And there should not only be public mourning, but also private mourning, and secret mourning; families apart, and persons apart: It becomes Christians now, after such strokes of God's wrath, to keep secret fasts, to bewail London's ruins, especially to bewail London's sins; their eyes should weep in secret places, for the abominations committed in the city, and bedew God's feet with their tears, that if possible they might turn away his displeasure.

8. God does expect that London should labor to pacify his anger. When God threatened to send the sword, and to cut off from Israel the head and the tail, the branch and the rush in one day, and to send the famine so sore that they should eat every man the flesh of his own arm, yet it is said, For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still (Isaiah 9:14, 17, 20, 21). And now God has executed his judgments of plague and fire in London, have not we reason to fear that his anger is not yet turned away, but his hand is stretched out still? When the houses of London were consumed, which were the fuel to the late Fire, then the Fire quickly went out; and if the sins of London had been consumed with the houses, if the inhabitants of the city had not brought forth their sins, when they were forced to leave their goods behind to the flames, then we should have reason to think that the fire of God's anger was gone out, and his wrath turned away from the escaped remnant of London, insomuch as the sins of London have been the fuel, as it were to this dreadful Fire; but when so much sin after such judgments is saved alive, untouched, and unmortified; when the plague of sin does rage so much after the plague of pestilence is removed; and the fire of lust does burn so much, when the other fire is extinguished; when Londoners who have taken new houses, have brought into them their old hearts, and live in the practice of their old sins; when the swearers, and profane, the drunkards and unclean, the covetous, unrighteous, and loose livers still persevere in their wicked courses, and no judgment will put a stop to them, but they grow more hardened and incorrigible, when as it is said (Jeremiah 5:3), the Lord has stricken them for sin, but they are not grieved, consumed them, but they refuse to receive correction, making their faces harder than a rock, and refuse to return: what can we conclude, but that God's anger does still remain, yes, is more enraged by this aggravation of their wickedness, and that he is stretching forth his hand to give them another blow.

God does expect that London should use some means to pacify his anger; and he gives them time for it by the pauses which he makes between his judgments, being still slow to anger, and unwilling, if he be not even forced to it, utterly to destroy this place, where his Name has been called upon. O that London would be persuaded to this duty, which does so much concern their safety and happiness: when the fire was in London, and it burned so furiously and dreadfully on the Monday, and Tuesday, Londoners hearts were sunk within them, having little hopes of getting victory over this conqueror, which marched through their streets, and therefore little resistance was made, but all were busily employed in flying from him, with their goods; but when the fury of the fire was something abated on the Wednesday, and they began to conceive any hopes that it might be extinguished; then they pluck up their spirits, and join their forces, and many thousand hands are at work in drawing waters, and pouring them upon the flames, and their pains through God's blessing was not unsuccessful. The fire of God's wrath which shall devour the wicked and burn them everlastingly, will be so furious and dreadful that the hearts of the damned will sink under it without the least hopes of ever extinguishing this flame, or flying from it when it has once got hold of them: And therefore they will not attempt, but let alone all endeavors for ever to turn away God's displeasure, and to put out the unquenchable fire of Hell: but the fire of God's wrath and anger here may be put out, and the flames of his anger may be turned into flames of love; God's anger which has been so hot against London may be cooled, his wrath alleviated and his displeasure removed: there is hope in Israel concerning this thing, God is not yet grown so furious that he will not be spoken to, he is easy to be entreated, and therefore London may be encouraged in their endeavors to pacify his anger. Let them not say as Israel of old (Jeremiah 2:25), There is no hope, no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go. Though God's anger be not yet turned away, yet it may be turned away; and though one hand be stretched out to destroy you, yet the other hand is stretched forth to save you; for he stretches forth his hand all the day long, to a disobedient and gainsaying people (Romans 10:21). O labor then to pacify God's anger, to quench this fire; arise and gird your selves with humility; pluck up your spirits, and stir up your selves to lay hold on God, and stop him in the march of his judgments; bring forth your buckets, draw water, and pour it forth before the Lord; let your eyes be like fountains of tears, the voice of weeping, and mourning for sin, does turn God's bowels within him (Jeremiah 31:18-20). I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, You have chastised me, and I was chastised, etc. and when he repented after such chastisements, and was ashamed of his sin, God does relent, and his bowels are moved for him, Is Ephraim my dear Son! Is he a pleasant child? For since I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him; and I will surely have mercy upon him says the Lord. If London would be chastised, and receive the impressions of grief and shame for their sins by these judgments, God's bowels would be moved, and his fierce anger would be changed into tender compassions; and though he has spoken terribly against London, yet he would now speak comfortably to her, he would earnestly remember her, and make her glad according to the days wherein he has afflicted her, and the years wherein she has seen evil; there is an excellent virtue in the tears of true repentance accompanied with the blood of Christ, applied by faith to quench the fire of God's anger.

Sinners, God is angry with you (Psalm 7:11), God is angry with the wicked every day, and it is worse to have God angry with you, than all the men in the world; his favor is better than life, his displeasure is worse than death: to have God angry with you, who is so just and jealous, who is so potent and furious, is very dreadful; if the wrath of an earthly king be like the roaring of a lion, what is the wrath of the King of Heaven? And when his anger is stirred up by your sins, and blown into a flame, and breaks forth upon you, what will you do? You cannot hide your selves in any place where his all-seeing eye will not find you; you cannot fly into any place, where his stretched-forth arm will not reach you; you cannot gather such strength as to make head against him, and defend your selves from the strokes of his vengeance, who can stand in his sight when once he is angry? (Psalm 76:7) O then labor to pacify his anger, you cannot fly from him, O then fly to him; you cannot stand in his sight when he is angry, O then fall down at his feet; make peace with this adversary, while you are upon the way, before he deliver you to the officer death, and cast you into the prison of Hell.

Sinners, God's patience does as yet hold his arm; and his mercy calls upon you to repent, and he invites you to make your peace with him (Isaiah 27:4-5). Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle, I would go through them, I would burn them together; or let him take hold on my strength, and make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me. You will be like briers and thorns, which will easily take fire, and quickly be consumed in the time of God's anger; and if briers and thorns do offer to contend with devouring fire, what will be the issue, but the burning of them up without remedy; you will find it sharp and painful for your feet, if you kick against the pricks; you will dash out your brains, if you run your head against a rock, or a brazen wall; none ever hardened themselves against God, and prospered; none ever fought against the God of Heaven by their sins, but they were wounded, and in the end destroyed; sin, when it is finished, brings forth death, and wrath, and misery for ever. O then lay hold on God's strength, and make peace with him; run to him, take hold of the scepter of grace and reconciliation, which is held forth to you; take hold of his arm, and plead with him for mercy; take hold of his Son who is offered to you, who is set forth to be a propitiation for the remission of sins which are past through the forbearance of God (Romans 3:25). As yet God has forborne you; as yet you are on this side of the grave, and Hell, and there is a possibility of turning away God's anger which is kindled against you, of flying from that wrath which is pursuing you, of escaping those miseries which are preparing for you; and therefore lay hold on Christ who is freely tendered to you, who is able and willing to save you, and make your peace with the Father, and to procure a pardon for you. And further to move you, you are not only offered peace and reconciliation, but you are entreated to be reconciled, ministers entreat you, indeed God himself, and Jesus Christ by us, does entreat, and pray, and beseech you, that you would accept of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:20). Be astonished O you heavens! and wonder O you angels! Be astonished much more you sinners! and be rapt up with admiration O you rebels! The King of glory against whom you have rebelled, and who could crush you so easily without any injury to himself, is not only willing to lay aside his anger, but also entreats you to accept of reconciliation; heartily embrace Jesus Christ upon his own terms, and the work will be done. Otherwise the fury of the Lord will be so much the more provoked, and the fire of his anger will break forth into such a flame, as none shall be able to quench; otherwise the Lord will be so much the more enraged against you, and meet you like a roaring and devouring lion, or like a bear bereaved of her whelps; and rent the caul of your heart, indeed tear you in pieces, when there shall be none to deliver (Hosea 13:7-8; Psalm 50:22).

9. God does expect that London should turn from her evil ways (2 Chronicles 7:14). The Lord makes a sweet promise under the dreadful judgments of famine or pestilence, which sometimes he sends upon his people for their sins: If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from Heaven, and forgive their sin, and will heal their land. God does not only expect that Londoners should now acknowledge their sins, and humble themselves, and mourn for their sins; but also that they should turn from them, otherwise pardon, and healing, and his favor is not to be obtained, neither are further judgments likely to be prevented. They must confess and forsake their sins, if they would find mercy (Proverbs 28:13). The wicked must forsake their way of sin, and turn to the Lord, and then he will have mercy, and abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:7). God threatens to go on to punish such as go on to transgress (Psalm 68:21). He will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their trespasses.

Break off then your sins by repentance, and cast away all your transgressions from you; put away the evil of your doings from before the holy and jealous eyes of God; cease to do evil; cleanse your hands you sinners, and purify your hearts you wickedly-minded; wash yourselves in the fountain of Christ's blood set open to you, that you may be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and be partakers of holiness, and the divine nature. Deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts; abstain from flesh-pleasing sins, which war against the soul; and be not conformed to the wicked customs of wicked men, neither follow this ungodly generation to do evil, much less run with them to the same excess of riot; but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, and live soberly, righteously and godly in this present evil world. And let the time past of your lives be sufficient wherein you have wrought the will of the flesh, and served divers lusts, and cast a blot upon the profession of Christianity: now be blameless, and harmless, and irreproachable in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, cast off the works of darkness; lay aside your night-veil of ignorance; put on the robes of light; walk honestly, as in the day, shining as lights where you live; forbear all works of darkness and sin; and as he which has called you is holy, so be holy in all manner of conversation.

Sinners, turn from your evil ways, otherwise iniquity will be your ruin.

1. Drunkards, turn from your evil ways; overcharge not yourselves with excess, where God allows you enough for use. Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it gives its color in the cup, when it sparkles and moves itself aright: At last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder (Proverbs 23:31-32). Wounds and woe are the issue of excessive drinking (verse 29). This sin may be sweet and pleasing to the eye and appetite in the temptation; but it will wound and sting the conscience, worse than an adder or serpent can do the body, in the reflection. God has put bitterness into the cup by his judgments, and will you drink as deep as before? Are you resolved to taste the dregs that lie at the bottom? The cup has poison in it, soul-poison, and will you drink of it still, though you murder and destroy your souls forever by this sin? The cup has wrath in it, the wrath of an angry God; and is it good for you to drink off the wine of God's wrath? Drunkenness has been your sin, and if you go on, God threatens that drunkenness shall be your punishment (Jeremiah 15:12). Speak to them this word, thus says the Lord, every bottle shall be filled with wine. Drunkards like this very well, they are very well pleased that their bottles shall be filled with wine, that they may empty them, but understand the meaning (verses 13-14). Thus says the Lord, I will fill all the inhabitants of the land with drunkenness; and I will dash them one against another, even the fathers, and the sons together: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. Drunkards, you reel and fall sometimes with your sin; God will make you reel and fall by his judgments, and dash you one upon another, yea dash you in pieces, and destroy you without pity or mercy. Will you not forbear your cups, and excesses, God will put a cup of trembling and astonishment into your hand; he will put gall and wormwood into your cup, and make you taste the bitter effects of this sin; if he does not severely scourge you for this sin here, he will be sure to torment you for this sin forever.

Turn, you drunkards, from your evil ways; vomit up your sin by repentance; weep and mourn for all your sinful mirth and jollity; and take heed of returning with the dog, and licking up the vomit which you have disgorged. Avoid the occasions of this sin; shun the company of such as have been your tempters; take heed of coming into the places where you have been drawn in to commit it; make a covenant with your feet that they may never lead you out of the way of God, into such places, where you have been so often overtaken. Curb and restrain your appetite, take some kind of holy revenge upon yourselves; deny yourselves some things which are lawful in themselves, because occasions of sin to you; and instead of filling yourselves with wine, or strong drink to drunkenness, and excess; labor to be filled with the spirit, and by the spirit to mortify this and all other deeds of the body, and rather let the wicked wonder at you, and speak evil of you for your sobriety, than God hate you, and bring destruction upon you for your intemperance.

2. Adulterers, turn from your evil ways; come out of the unclean bed; wallow not any longer in this besmearing mire. Are you fallen into the ditch, get up and come forth with speed, and wash your garments from the spots, which they have received. Are you taken in the net, and ensnared in adulterous embracements, deliver yourselves like a roe from the net of the hunter, and like a bird from the snare of the fowler. Lust not after the beauty and enjoyment of adulterous women; let not the soft and sweet language of their lips entice you; nor the sparkling motions of their eyes inflame you. Put not fire into your bosoms, and take heed of walking upon burning coals; why will you consume your body, and time, and substance, which cannot be redeemed? Why will you bring upon yourselves a wound and dishonor which cannot be wiped off? Why will you be like oxen which go to the slaughter, and be such fools, as to bring upon yourselves destruction?

Turn from your evil ways; dare not to go forward in that way which leads to death and hell. Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers, and adulterers God will judge (Hebrews 13:4). God has shot his arrows into the city, and wounded many adulterers for this sin, that had before defiled and wounded themselves by it; and will you go on till a dart pierce through your liver? The beginning of the sin is sweet like honey, but will not the end of it be more bitter than wormwood? And if a little short pleasure of the flesh be so desirable, will not the extreme endless pain, it will produce, be intolerable? Can you be content to lie so many millions of years under the horrible tortures of hell, for a little present sensual delight, which when reaped, cannot yield you satisfaction? Is it sweet to fall into the arms of an adulterous woman; and will it not be bitter, yes a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God (Hebrews 10:31), especially when he is irreconcilably angry, and his anger burns like fire which is devouring, and unquenchable? You have seen the fire which has burnt down the city how dreadful it was; the fire of lust within you, is worse; and the fire of hell beneath you, which is preparing for you, and to which by this sin you are hastening, is a thousand fold more dreadful; (of which more by and by) and yet will you go on? O Turn from your adulterous ways; come not near the door of such houses, where you have had incentives to lust, and opportunities for such lewd practices; make a covenant with your eyes, the spark is caught at the eye, not only from it, but also by it; the spark that falling upon the tinder of an adulterous heart, puts it into a flame. Do not look upon the maid or woman, that you may not think; do not think, that you may not lust; do not touch, that you may not desire to taste; do not toy, lest you be caught; do not come too near the brink, lest you fall into the stream before you are aware. Take heed of speculative uncleanness, as you would be kept from actual uncleanness; take heed of self-pollutions, as you would be kept from adultery with others; avoid occasions of this sin, come not into such company and places where you may have opportunity to commit it; flee youthful lusts which war against the soul. Keep your minds pure and chaste; resist the first suggestions to this sin; quench the fire, when it begins to kindle; look to the issue and consequents of this sin; remember that the holy eye of God is upon you, in your most secret retirements, and he will before long call you to an account.

Swearers, turn from your evil ways. Remember the Third Commandment, to which a threatening is annexed, of God's charging guilt especially upon the breakers hereof (Exodus 20:7). You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that takes his name in vain. The very use of the name of God irreverently, is a breach of this command; but to swear by the name of God in ordinary discourse, is a gross breach of it; which as it affronts God highly, so it will bring condemnation certainly upon the guilty, that do not repent and forbear. When God has made your mouths, and given you tongues to speak his praise, which then are your glory; will you profane the name of this God, and turn not only the glory of God, but also your own glory into shame and dishonor, and that when you have not the motive and incentive as to flesh-pleasing sins? Herbert.

Take not his name, who made your mouth, in vain; It gets you nothing, and has no excuse: Lust and Wine plead a pleasure, Avarice gain: But the cheap Swearer through his open sluice Lets his soul run for nought, as little fearing: Were I an Epicure, I could hate swearing.

Look into Deuteronomy 28:58-59, what threatenings the Lord does denounce there against such as do not fear his name; and surely it is for want of fear and awe of God's name, that any are so bold as to swear by it, or take it in vain. If you will not fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, then the Lord will make your plagues wonderful, and the plagues of your seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance, etc. Has not God plagued and burned the city of London, among other sins, for this of swearing? And yet will you swear still, and provoke the Lord to further wrath? When you have seen in part how fearful the name of God is, in the judgments which he has executed, will you go on still to profane his name? Do you not fear future judgments? Will not the name of God be displayed more dreadfully before you, when he opens the treasures of his wrath, and sends his Son in flaming fire, to take vengeance upon sinners, and yet will not you fear this name of God?

Swearers, with what confidence can you pray to God? What hopes can you have when you use God's name in prayer, that you shall have the least audience or acceptance, when you abuse his name so much, and cast such dishonor upon it by your oaths? If you do not pray now, as swearers seldom do, will you never be driven to your knees? Will you never be brought to such extremities that no creature shall be able to give you any relief? And with what face can you then look up to God? Will not your callings upon the name of God be in vain, as you have taken his name in vain? Will not God laugh at your calamity, and though you cry and shout, will not he shut out your prayer, and bar the door of mercy upon you for ever?

Swearers, turn from your sin; make a covenant with your mouth; set a watch before the door of your lips; use God's name in prayer, and reverently in discourse; do not swear by it, or take it in vain any more; get an awe of this name upon your hearts, which will be an excellent means to keep you from this sin.

4. Liars, turn from your evil ways. We read Acts 5 at the beginning, of Ananias and Sapphira, who were smitten with sudden death for the sin of lying; it is said, they fell down at the Apostles' feet, and gave up the ghost. And has not the sin of lying been one ingredient in the meritorious cause of the fall of so many persons and houses by the plague and fire in the city of London? This sin of lying, the Apostle does in especial caution the Colossians and Ephesians against, after the wonderful grace of God in the renovation of them according to his image (Colossians 3:9): Lie not one to another, seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds: and have put on the new man, etc. (Ephesians 4:24-25) Having put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Put away lying, and speak every man truth to his neighbor. And this sin I may caution Londoners against, after the dreadful anger of God, expressed in the desolations which he has made among them by his late judgments; lie not one to another any more, but speak every one truth to his neighbor. The Lord is a God of truth, and he cannot lie; do you labor to be men of truth, such as will not lie. The Devil is the father of lies, and liars (John 8:44) — and which is most eligible, to be children of God, or children of the Devil? A lying tongue is one of the seven abominations which the Lord hates (Proverbs 6:16-17). And is there any good you can get by your lying, comparable to the evil of rendering yourselves hateful and abominable in the sight of God? Is it needful for you sometimes to speak lies? Is it not a thousand fold more needful for you always to speak truth? Are you likely to gain so much by the former, as by the latter? What is a little outward emolument in comparison with inward peace? Are you likely to lose so much by the latter, as by the former? What is the loss of external, temporal things, in comparison with the loss of your souls and happiness for ever? Is it needful to lie that you may excuse your faults? This makes them double. Herbert.

Nothing can need a lie; a fault which needs it most, grows two thereby.

Parents, warn your children against this sin of lying; do not spare the rod of correction where you find them guilty; pass by twenty other faults rather than this. Lying is the first link in the chain of a thousand gross sins; rap off their fingers from the first link, lest the chain after grow too strong for you to break.

Masters, indulge not your servants in this sin — the resolution of David was (Psalm 101:7): He that works deceit shall not dwell in my house; he that tells lies shall not tarry in my sight. Especially take heed of leading servants to this sin by your example; above all, of putting them upon this sin by your persuasions or commands; for, besides the guilt of their sin which hereby you incur, your damage is like to be more than your advantage by their lies. If you put them upon lying for you, they will put themselves upon lying to you; and if you deceive others in some things by the former, they are likely to deceive you, deservedly, in greater things by the latter.

Young ones, take heed of lies; do nothing that may need the cloak and excuse of a lie; and if you be overtaken with a fault, never deny it when examined, but with sorrow acknowledge it, as you would gain favor with God and man. Take heed of this sin in time; lay aside lying before it grows into a custom, which will be hard to leave. Old ones, break off this sin, before you be dragged by the chain of this sin into the fire of hell, which is the threatened punishment thereof (Revelation 21:8). Be not too hasty in speech, lest this sin issue forth at the door of your lips, before you are aware; speak always as in the hearing of God, who knows whether your words and heart do agree, and who will one day call you to an account for this sin, and except you repent, punish you for it severely in the lake of fire and brimstone.

5. Slanderers, turn from your evil ways. The sin of slandering is one of the worst sorts of lying; and the teeth of slanderers are compared to spears and arrows, and their tongue to a sharp sword (Psalm 57:4), and when they utter their slanders, they bend their bow, and shoot their arrows, they whet their sword, and wound with it the reputation of others, which they are bound to be as careful of as their own (Psalm 64:3-4). Slanderers are false witnesses, who lay to the charge of others such things as they know not (Psalm 35:11); they are lions, who tear in pieces the good name of others; they are serpents, whose words are stings, and full of deadly poison; they are compared to mauls, and swords, and sharp arrows (Proverbs 25:18). Yes, they are like mad men, who cast about firebrands, and arrows, and death (Proverbs 26:18). By this sin, you wound others, and are guilty of tongue-murder; but you wound yourselves more — I mean your consciences — and are guilty of self-murder, of soul-murder; and the poison of such speeches is not so venomous and deadly, in regard of your neighbor's good name, as it is in regard of your own spirits, which are envenomed, and will be destroyed hereby, without the application of the blood of Christ for pardon and healing.

Slanderers, forbear your backbiting, slanderous speeches; forbear devouring words, which swallow up the good name of your neighbors; let not your throats be like open sepulchers, to entomb their reputation: Take heed your tongues do not utter slanders and reproaches, devised by yourselves; be careful also that you do not spread such calumnies as others have devised. Receive not any accusation against your neighbors without good proof; drive away backbiting tongues with an angry countenance; and if you must hear of others' faults, let love conceal them as much as may be from the knowledge of others; rather speak to themselves what you hear, and reprove them, (if the things be scandalous) with prudence, love, and a spirit of meekness. Remember the command (Titus 3:2): Speak evil of no man. And take heed of the sinful practice of the women described (1 Timothy 5:13): They learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also, and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. Where your tongues have been instrumental to wound others, and yourselves withal, by slanderous speeches, make use of the same instrument for healing; labor to heal yourselves by confession of your sin to God, and to heal others by acknowledging to them the wrong you have done them; labor to restore their fame, and by good words to promote their esteem, which you have unjustly taken away. Labor for so much humility and brotherly love, as to be as tender of their good name and fame as your own, and in honor to prefer them above yourselves, which will make you ready to hide their faults, and keep you from evil surmises, and evil slanderous speeches.

6. Revilers, turn from your evil ways. Reviling and slandering often go together, as proceeding both from the same root of malice and hatred; yet sometimes the malice is kept more close; when war is in the heart, and mischief is inwardly devised, and the name secretly wounded with slanders behind the back, the tongue does flatter, and like a honeycomb does drop nothing but sweet words before the face. The sin of reviling is open, and spits forth rancor and malice into the face, and breaks forth into bitter speeches, for the shame and disgrace of such persons against whom they are spoken, though revilers disgrace themselves more by the weakness, and ill government of spirit, which hereby they discover.

Revilers, refrain your angry bitter speeches; Let all bitterness and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice (Ephesians 4:31). Do not quarrel and contend, do not break forth into brawls and clamors, and bitter reviling speeches, against such as give you no occasion, but desire to live at peace with you; and if others are angry and quarrel with you, labor to pacify their anger, do not stir up the coals by your bitter retorts; when you are reviled, revile not again, like our Savior (1 Peter 2:23). Render not evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but on the contrary blessing (1 Peter 3:9). The second blow breeds the quarrel, and the second reviling word breeds the strife; give to a hard speech the return of a soft answer (Proverbs 15:1): A soft answer turns away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger. And (Proverbs 25:15): Long forbearance is of great persuasion, and a soft tongue breaks a bone: there is a marvelous force in a meek reception of bitter speeches to appease anger, and mollify the spirits of those which are most fierce; whereas grievous and bitter returns stir up to greater contention. Revenge not yourselves with the hand, neither revenge yourselves with the tongue; revile not your enemies, but love them, and pray for them, and do good to them, feed and clothe them, and heap coals upon their head (Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:19-20). Be gentle showing all meekness to all men (Titus 3:2); especially revile not Christ's friends, God's children; revile not the saints, remember that no revilers, especially such revilers that persevere in that sin, shall inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:10); and when the Lord Jesus comes at the last day, he will execute judgment upon the ungodly, for their hard speeches which they have spoken against him, in speaking against his people (Jude 15).

Revilers, govern your tongues; If any man among you seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, that man's religion is vain (James 1:26). Would you govern yourselves well according to Scripture rules, bridle and govern your tongues (James 3:3-4): Behold we put bits into the horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a very small helm, wherever the governor pleases. Put a bit upon this little member, and you may the better have all the rest at command, and keep yourselves in, when otherwise vented passions like wild horses without reins may carry you into many a precipice; when otherwise the fierce storms of your minds may break forth, and drive you upon rocks and shelves, and shipwreck both soul and body together. There is a world of iniquity in the tongue, which defiles the whole body; the tongue is a fire, which sets on fire the whole course of nature, and itself is set on fire of Hell (James 3:6); get the former fire quenched, get the heat of your tongues cooled, as you would escape the latter fire, I mean the fire of Hell, from where the former fire does proceed, and to which it will certainly bring you. The tongue is full of deadly poison, it is an unruly evil which no man can tame, when by art the wildest beasts may and have been tamed (James 3:7-8). Others cannot tame your tongues, but you may get them tamed yourselves: put them under the government of Christ, and he will tame them, get your passions tamed within, and you may tame this member which is the instrument that they make use of to vent themselves in your revilings; keep guard and sentinel before the door of your lips, and watch your words that you offend not with your tongues.

7. Persecutors turn from your evil ways: Forbear persecuting the people of God, who desire your good, and are the best safeguard and defense by their prayers and faith of the places where they live, from miseries and destruction; is it good for you to hew at the bough on which you stand, over such a deep, into which if you should fall, it will be impossible for you to recover yourselves again? Is it good for you to pull at the pillars of the house, which if you pluck down, will bring the house upon you, and bury you in its ruins? Is it good to put yourselves under the burdensome stone which will grind you to powder? Suppose while you are breathing forth threats against any of Christ's disciples, and are in the heat of your rage and furious persecution of them, you should hear such a voice as Paul did from heaven, Sinners, sinners, why persecute you me, would it not cool, and stop you? You may hear this voice, if you will open your ear to the word; it is Christ you persecute in his disciples; it is Christ you wound through their sides, you would do the same to him as the Jews did, were he alive among you, and you had the same power as sometimes was put into their hands against the Lord of life. I will not charge London with, and therefore need not warn them generally against the sin of persecution of God's people, because they have been a shelter to them when the times have frowned most upon them; but are there none have need of this warning? Are there no Judases among them, none of Paul's spirit before his conversion?

Persecutors forbear this sin, which makes you as like the Devil as any that I know, and locks you fastest in his arms; which is the very next door to the sin against the Holy Ghost, which will bring upon you swift destruction; which will sink you into the lowest parts of the bottomless pit; which will lash and sting your consciences with horrible scourges hereafter, if they be not awakened with horror here; turn from this sin before it be too late. Imitate Paul, and become friends to them against whom you have expressed so much enmity and spite.

8. Covetous persons turn from your evil ways — God has smitten you for the iniquity of your covetousness, do not go stubbornly on in this sin; he has subtracted much of the fuel of this sin, and burnt it in the fire, let there be a greater decay in your lust of covetousness, than there has been in any of your estates. Covetousness is one of the sins which the Apostle would not have so much as named among the saints (Ephesians 5:3). It is a sin if it reign, which is inconsistent with the truth of grace, and power of godliness, because it is idolatry (Colossians 3:5), and the Apostle tells us expressly that covetous persons shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 9:10), indeed that the wrath of God shall come upon them (Ephesians 5:6).

Covetous persons turn from your sin, get this earthly member mortified: get your hearts loosened from those things, which you have previously made your God, and in which you have sought for your greatest happiness.

Have you little in the world? Be contented with the portion which God gives you; you have as much as God sees fit for you (Hebrews 13:5). Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have; covetousness may not heal your poverty any more than riches can heal your covetousness.

Have you much in the world? Do your riches increase? Set not your heart upon them; make use of what God has given you without such pinching and self-denial which the Lord Jesus never commanded in his precepts of that kind; God never gave riches to save, but to use; take heed of exceeding the bounds in spending, and do not spare the moderate use of what you have for fear of future wanting; use part of your estates for yourselves in what is needful for the body, and suitable to your degree and quality; lay aside part for your posterity, and lay out part in the help of those in necessity, for relief of the poor, whereby you will lay up for yourselves a good foundation for the time to come, and at last, lay hold on eternal life (1 Timothy 6:18-19).

Unrighteous persons, turn from your evil ways. God has been righteous in his judgments, because you have been unrighteous in your dealings; and as his judgments are a reproof of your sin, so are they a warning to you to leave it. Unrighteous gains will yield you little advantage in the end: See what the Apostle James speaks of the wealth which men get in such a way (James 5:2-4). Your riches are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten: Your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh, as it were fire: you have heaped treasure together for the last days; Behold the hire of your laborers which have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, cries, and the cries have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. The curse of God goes along with unlawful, unrighteous gains; and is like moth and rust to corrupt and canker them; they bring a fire into the flesh and bones, which will eat and torment; they pierce men through with many sorrows, and at their latter end utterly consume them with terrors, if their conscience be awakened. Unrighteous persons do not heap up such treasures of wealth, as by sin they heap up treasures of wrath against the last day: the wrongs, which they do to others, cry with a loud voice to God, and the Lord will be the avenger of all such as are defrauded. Let them that have been unrighteous then be unrighteous no more: you cannot wrong others so much by this sin, as you wrong yourselves; shake your hands of dishonest gains: make restitution of what you have defrauded others, as you expect salvation, non remittitur peccatum, nisi restituctur ablatum. This is a hard saying to some, who have no other wealth, but what they have gained in a dishonest and unrighteous way; but will it not be harder to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire for this sin? Is it not better to impoverish yourselves that you may be just and honest while you live, than to be damned, and thrust into a place of torment when you die? You must leave what you have; if God do not take away what you have by some temporal calamity before, be sure death will strip you of all; and is it not better for you to part with it yourselves to the just owners, when this is the way to obtain pardon and peace, and an inheritance which is of a thousand fold more value? And do not fear but God will make provision for you while you abide in the world, if you resolve to be honest, and put your trust in him, who has the dispose of the earth, and the fullness thereof. Be righteous for the future, do not swerve a hair from the rule of right; what you would that others should do to you, do to them, this is a principle inscribed upon the heart by nature, and this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12).

Hypocrites, turn from your evil ways. I think the terrible voice of God should frighten you, under your hypocritical shows, and outward devotions: I think you should now bend your hearts to please the Lord, and approve yourselves chiefly to him, who has expressed so much displeasure against sinners, and is most highly offended with hypocrites. What good will a form do you, without the power of godliness? What good will shows do you, without sincere and substantial service? What benefit will you get by counterfeit graces, if your graces be not real? If your repentance, and faith and love, and the like, be feigned, how ineffectual will they be to procure pardon, and peace, and salvation? Are you content to lose all your bodily exercise, and to have all your heartless, lifeless duties rise up one day in judgment against you? What advantage will you get by a bare profession of religion, especially in such times when profession if it be strict is discountenanced, and professors if their lamp shine with any brightness, and they carry any great sail, expose themselves to danger? And if you have not sincerity, which alone can yield you the true and sweet fruits of religion, you are likely to lose all, and of all others to make yourselves most miserable; you may suffer from men, because you have a profession, and you will suffer from God, because you have no more than a profession. What then? Should you cast off your profession? No; so you would turn apostates; and may fall into the sin against the Holy Ghost, which will bring upon you inevitable damnation; but lay aside your hypocrisy, and become sincere; be that in truth, which you are in show; labor for sincerity in regard of your state, and labor for sincerity in regard of your duties.

Sinners, God calls upon all of you to turn from your evil ways by his thundering voice.

Turn presently: let the time past be sufficient in which you have fulfilled the desires of the flesh and the mind; go not a step forward in the way of sin, lest you meet with destruction suddenly, and perish without remedy.

Turn universally, say not of any sin, as Lot did of Zoar, It is a little one, cast away all your transgressions; and let no iniquity have dominion over you for the future.

Turn heartily, from an inward principle of hatred to sin, and love to God, and not from outward considerations, and merely upon the account of sin's dreadful consequences.

Turn constantly, and with full purpose of heart never to return to your evil ways of sin any more.

10. The Lord does expect after such judgments that London should seek him: that they should not only turn from their evil ways, but also that they should turn to him that has smitten them, and seek the Lord of Hosts (Isaiah 9:13). We read (Amos 5:2), the virgin of Israel is fallen, she is forsaken, and none to raise her up: whereupon God calls to this duty (verses 4, 5, 6, 8). Thus says the Lord to the house of Israel, Seek me, and you shall live; but seek not Bethel, etc. Seek the Lord, and you shall live, lest he break forth like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour, and there be none to quench; seek him who made the seven stars, and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, etc., the LORD is his Name. And it follows (verse 15), it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. And when this duty is neglected, see the threatening (verse 16): wailing shall be in all streets, and they shall say in all the highways, Alas, alas! and they shall call the husbandmen to mourning, and such as are skillful of lamentation, to wailing. And now London is fallen, does not the Lord call upon them, that they would call upon him, and as they would turn away his anger, and prevent their utter ruin, that they would seek him who can turn the shadow of death into the morning, and the blackest night of affliction into a day of prosperity and rejoicing.

London, seek the Lord, that you may live, that there may be a reviving after the years of such death and ruins; seek the Lord, before the decree bring forth some other judgment, and you pass away like chaff before the whirlwind, in the day of the Lord's fierce anger; it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of this great city. God expects that London should now pray at another rate than before they have done. It is said (Daniel 9:13), all this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer to the Lord our God; and when God had consumed Israel because of their iniquities, the prophet complains (Isaiah 64:7), there is none that calls upon your Name, that stirs up himself to take hold of you. Had the prayers of London been such as they should have been, such as they have been, the desolations of London might have been prevented: God expects that London under such chastisements, should pour out prayers before him (Isaiah 26:16). God has spoken terribly to them, he expects that they should cry mightily to him. God expects that London should meet him in the way of his judgments, not only with weepings for their sins, that they have provoked him to so great displeasure, but also with supplications for his mercies. When Jacob was devoured, and his dwelling-place laid waste (Psalm 79:7), you have their prayer (verses 8, 9, etc.): O remember not against us former iniquities, let your tender mercies speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low: help us O Lord God of our salvation, for the glory of your Name: deliver us, and purge away our sins for your Name's sake. And the church under desolating judgments does in prayer express herself very pathetically (Isaiah 63:15, etc.): Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of your holiness, and your glory, where is your zeal, and your strength, the sounding of your bowels, and your mercies, are they restrained? Doubtless, you are our Father, etc. We are yours, return for your servants' sake, etc. And (Isaiah 64:9), be not very angry, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever, behold, see, we beseech you, we are all your people. God has been pleading and contending with London by his judgments, and God does look that London should plead with him in prayer for his mercies.

London, seek the Lord of Hosts, who has come forth against you in battle, and wounded you with his sharp arrows, and yet has not laid down his weapons; get to your knees; hang about God's feet and arms; fill your mouths with arguments to stay him in the course of his judgments; let not the apple of your eye cease from weeping, that you have displeased him; and let not your tongue cease from humble and earnest entreaties, that he would pardon you, and remove his displeasure from you.

Seek the Lord humbly; put your mouths in the dust, if so be there may be any hope; God hears the cry of the humble, and will not despise their prayer (Psalm 10:17; Psalm 102:17).

Seek the Lord diligently: he has promised to be found of all them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). God looks for earnest, hearty, fervent prayer: there is a sweet promise which God makes to his people's prayers after his sore judgments which he had brought upon them (Jeremiah 29:11-13): I know the thoughts, that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go, and pray to me, and I will hearken to you: and you shall seek me and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.

Seek the Lord believingly; mingle your prayers with faith, and make use of the mediation of Christ, that you may prevail.

11. God calls upon London, by the voice of his judgments, to prepare for greater troubles. The face of God seems to threaten greater troubles, there is little sign that God's brow is smoothed now, more than it was before the fire; there is little evidence of the appeasement of God's anger: the face of the times seem to threaten greater troubles; the cloud over London and England is still very black, and seems to be thicker than it was before.

God's own people are like to undergo greater troubles: some of them have endured much, but they are like to endure much more; some of them have suffered deeply, but they are like to suffer greater things more generally: they have been brought low by affliction, but not so low as others be; when others of God's people are stripped of all, they enjoy a comparative prosperity: they are not so low as they deserve to be; their gospel-reproaching sins deserve far greater severities: they are not so low as they may have need to be; they may need greater troubles, to unite them more one to another in their affections, to further their sanctification, to wean and loosen them more from the world; to humble them for, and purify them more from sin; to exercise and brighten more their graces: they are not so low as possibly they must be before they be exalted; the night is the darkest before the day breaks; the storm is the fiercest many times in its last blast; and the afflictions of God's people are the sorest before God gives them deliverance; God lays his people most low, when he intends their highest exaltation: surely, the expected shock is not yet over, and God's people's most dreadful sufferings seem most immediately to be threatened, they seem to be near, very near, even at the doors. The intent of the late judgments by plague and fire, seems plainly to be for the fitting and preparing of them for more sharp and heavy strokes. If God had permitted those expected sufferings to have come upon them more suddenly, they might have found them more unready; God has given them time to prepare, and awakening warnings to prepare; and when will they be ready to suffer like Christians, like Protestants, if now they be not ready?

The profane and wicked generation in the land are like to endure greater troubles, as has been shown on pages 80, 81, 82, and when the storm of God's anger does break down upon them, are there no drops likely to fall upon London? Is not the whole land likely to be in danger of ruin, when God does deal with the ungodly and wicked crew, whom he spares for some time, while he punishes so severely the more righteous? The troubles of London have been great, but it is evident, that London is in danger of greater troubles; therefore they have need to make preparation, which they have had such awakening calls to. Some possibly may think the bitterness of London's troubles is over, because their troubles have been so bitter; that the sharp winter cold is gone, when it was so sharp in the midst of winter, and the sun had got to some height; but March can bring in as cold a nipping frost as December and January did; and when the spring of prosperity is expected by some, they may find the sharpest part of the winter of troubles to be behind. Prepare therefore, London, for greater troubles.

12. God does expect that London should trust no more in arms of flesh, but in himself alone. By these judgments God has shown to London the weakness and insufficiency of arms of flesh — what broken reeds they are. Some put their trust in men, and their great expectation of relief and comfort has been from their friends; by the plague God has shown, how frail and weak man is, how like grass or a flower that quickly withers, or is cut down; how like glass or a bubble which is easily broken and vanishes; many have lost by the plague their chief friends upon whom they have had all their dependence, and the Lord has shown how insufficient a foundation man is for anyone's trust and confidence, therefore he calls aloud to London to cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of? (Isaiah 2:22) — not to trust in any of the sons of men, in whom there is no help; and the reason is, because their breath goes forth, they return to their dust, in that very day all their thoughts perish (Psalm 146:3-4). Some put their trust in their wealth and riches. (Proverbs 18:11) The rich man's wealth is his city, and a high wall in his own conceit. God has by the fire, which has consumed so much of the wealth of the city, shown how insufficient a foundation wealth is for any man's confidence, he has made it evident that riches are uncertain, and that they fly away with eagle's wings, sometimes while the owners are looking on; may not that which is threatened (Psalm 52:5, 7) be spoken of many in London, that God has rooted some of them by the plague out of the land of the living, plucked and forced others out of their habitations by the fire, and taken away their stay and prop from them, of whom it may be said, Lo these are they that made not God their strength, but trusted in the abundance of their riches, and strengthened themselves in their wickedness.

London, trust no more in arms of flesh, but trust in God alone: it is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in men; it is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in princes (Psalm 118:8-9). God is knocking your fingers off from all things here below, his will is that you should put your trust in him; which is one promised effect of great desolations and afflictions, that you should labor after; (Zephaniah 3:12) I will also leave in the midst of you an afflicted, and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. You were not so forward to trust in the Lord when you had greater abundance, endeavor to trust in him, now you are brought into greater poverty and affliction: his infinite power, wisdom, lovingkindness, his promise, truth and faithfulness are a strong bottom for your trust and confidence in God. Trust in him at all times, in the worst of times; when your danger is greatest, he will be your help and shield (Psalm 115:11). He will be your refuge under oppression, and present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). He will be your rock and fortress, your high tower to defend you, or your deliverer to redeem you out of all your troubles: trust in God alone for all things: if you make use of creatures, do not lean and stay upon them, for they will slip from under you; but stay yourselves on God. O the peace and quiet which this will yield in shaking, troublesome days! when others' hearts tremble within them, and are moved like leaves upon the approach of danger, you shall not be afraid of evil tidings, but have your hearts fixed, trusting in the Lord (Psalm 112:7).

13. God does expect that London should have death in continual remembrance: This God expects from the judgment of the plague, the death of so many thousands a week in London, gave such a spectacle of mortality, and preached such a sermon in the city, as should bring the remembrance of death into their minds every day of their lives; the death, if it were but of one or two should put you in mind of your later end; but when you have seen so many go down into the pit before you, it should inscribe the remembrance of death more deeply upon your minds, the record of which you should look daily into: the gates of the city in the year of the plague seemed to have this inscription upon them, All Flesh is Grass; Let that word sound every day in your ears, and remember your bodies are exposed to the stroke of death every day; and though you have outlived the plague, that yet death has you in the chase, and will ere long (you know not how soon) overtake you; remember your glass is running, and will quickly be run out; and therefore all the days of your appointed time, as you should remember; so you should prepare for your great change.

God expects that the remaining inhabitants of London should be prepared well for death now, when they have had death so much in their view: some of you have been sick of the plague and brought to the very brink of the grave, all of you have been in danger of the plague, when the disease was so sore and raging: I fear most of you were unprepared for death at that time, and had you died then, that it would have been with horror: and I believe that there are few of you, but did in the time of your fears and danger, make vows and promises, if the Lord would shelter you from the arrows, which flew about you, and spare your lives then; that you would lead new lives, and be more careful to prepare for your change; so that death should not take you so unprovided any more: God expects the fulfilling of your promises; and that you should live up to the vows, which you made in the time of your distress; and so provide yourselves while you are well, that the messenger of death may have a welcome reception, whenever he summons you to leave this world.

14. God expects that London should retain great impressions of eternity. You have had the door of eternity set wide open in your view, when so many were thronging in at the door, and I believe you had deeper apprehensions of eternity in those days, than ever you had in your lives; take heed that those impressions do not wear off, and that you lose not those apprehensions, especially when you are drawing every day nearer and nearer to it. Think often of the vast ocean of eternity without bottom or bank on the other side, into which the whole stream of time will empty itself; and how quickly the small rivulet of your appointed days may fall into it: Think often of the unalterable state of joy or misery, which you must enter into at the end of your course: think how thin and short the pleasures of sin are in this life, in comparison of the horrible and endless torments of Hell; and how light and momentaneous the afflictions of God's people are here, in comparison with the exceeding and eternal weight of glory prepared for them in Heaven (2 Corinthians 4:17).

15. God does call upon London by the fire which burnt down the city to secure themselves against the fire of Hell. London's fire was dreadful, but the fire of Hell will be a thousand-fold more dreadful. The fire of London was kindled by man; be sure some second cause was made use of herein; but the fire of Hell will be kindled by God himself (Isaiah 30:33). Tophet is ordained of old, for the king it is prepared, he has made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone does kindle it. The fire of London burnt the houses of the city, and consumed much of the goods; but the fire of Hell will burn the persons of the wicked (Matthew 15:41). Depart, you cursed, into everlasting fire. The fire of London did burn most, but not all the houses in the city, some are yet remaining, but the fire of Hell will burn all the persons of the wicked, not one of them shall escape and remain. The fire of London was extinguished, and did last but four days; but the fire of Hell will be unextinguishable, it will burn for ever, it is called everlasting fire, in which the damned must lie and burn eternally, without any possibility of ever getting forth. If you had known before of London's fire, where it would begin, and how it would spread, and seize upon your houses, surely you would have taken some course for the prevention of it: you know before of the fire of Hell, the Word of God has revealed it; O take some course for prevention of it, at least for securing of yourselves against it: when the fire was burning in London, you did fly from it, lest it should have consumed your persons as well as houses; O fly from the fire of Hell, into which your persons will be thrown if you go on in sin; fly from the wrath which is to come; fly to Jesus Christ who alone can deliver you.

16. God does call upon Londoners by the fire to be like strangers and pilgrims in the world. God has burned you out of your habitations, that he might loosen your affections from houses, and riches, and all things here below; that he might unsettle you, unhinge, unfix you, that you might never think of rest and settlement in the creatures, as long as you live: God calls upon you by this judgment, to take off your hearts from this world, which is so very uncertain, and to be like strangers and pilgrims upon the earth, who are to take up your lodging here but a few days and nights in your passage to the other world; God expects you should live as those who have here no certain dwelling place, and therefore that you should not lavish away too much of your thoughts, and affections, and time about these uncertain things, which are of so short a continuance, and with which you cannot have a long abode; God has by his judgments crucified the world very much before you, and he expects that the world should be crucified in you; God has poured contempt upon the world, and set a mark of disgrace thereon; he has cast dirt upon the face where you fancied before so much beauty to lie; and he expects that you should fall in esteem, and grow out of love with the world, and never go a whoring from him to the creatures any more.

17. God calls upon London to make him their habitation. (Psalm 90:1) Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. God is the hiding-place, and he is the dwelling-place of his people; you have lost your dwellings by the fire, make God your habitation, and dwell in him, to whom you may have constant resort, and in whom you may have a sure abode. Get possession of this house by your union to God through his Son; and when you are in, keep possession, abide in this house, do not wander from him, and turn yourselves out of doors by breaking of his household laws; make God your home, and labor to be much acquainted at home; spend your time with God, and give your hearts to him: rest and repose yourselves in God daily; look for all your provisions in him, and from him; walk in him and with him. Make God your habitation.

18. God calls upon London to seek after an abiding city. (Hebrews 13:14) We have here no continuing city, but we seek one to come. London has reason to say the former, therefore let London do the latter: you have seen the city fall by the fire, seek after a city which has more lasting foundations, and is of such strong building, that neither time can wear and weaken, nor flames of fire reach and consume. I mean the New Jerusalem, which is above, the heavenly city, whose builder and maker is God; there are mansions, abiding places for the saints (John 14:2); there the wicked will cease from troubling, and the weary will be at rest; seek after this city, labor for a title to it, lay up your treasure in it, get your affections set upon it; above all trades drive a trade for heaven, which in the issue will yield you the best returns.

19. God does expect that London should labor to build his house. The neglect of God's house, I believe, has been a great cause of the fall of so many houses in the city by fire. God expects that now you should endeavor the building of his house; otherwise, I do not think that God will build again your houses: you may have an Act of Parliament for building the city, and set workmen about it; but unless God do enact it too, the building will never go forward; unless God build the city, the workmen will labor in vain. Read and consider the prophecy of Haggai. Set about the work of reformation more vigorously; especially in the house and worship of God.

20. God does expect that Londoners should dedicate themselves and families to him. You have broken your baptismal and other vows, and God has made great breaches upon you for your infidelity; now renew your vows, give up yourselves to God, avouch him to be your God, and avouch yourselves to be his people, and live accordingly: take up Joshua's resolution, that whatever others in the land do, that you and your families will serve the Lord: make it your only business in the world to serve God; let religion have an influence upon all your actions; do nothing without the warrant of God's precept; let your conversation be such as becomes the Gospel; govern your families in the fear of God; fill all your relations with duty; learn more righteousness by God's judgments, and be quickened by them to a more holy and strict walking.

And if you yield such fruits as these, which God expects after his plowing and harrowing of you; if you open your ear to the terrible voice of the Lord which has uttered itself in the city, and with full purpose of heart set about the practice of the duties he expects and calls for; then you may hope that he will yet build you up and plant you, that he will close your breaches, and raise up your ruinous habitations; that he will make you glad according to the years wherein he has afflicted you, and give you to see good days, instead of those evil which you have seen and felt; then the Lord will rejoice over you to do you good; and make London like Mount Zion, where he will pitch his tent, and take up his habitation; then he will compass you about with the bulwark of salvation, and prevent those further utterly desolating judgments which you are in danger of; indeed the Lord will be as a wall of fire round about you, and the glory in the midst of London, from where his praise and your fame shall sound throughout the whole world.

Finis.

Soli Deo Gloria.