IN the beginning of this chapter S. John relates a memorable passage which is not recorded by any other Historian either Sacred or Profane. That there was at Jerusalem a pool called Bethesda, whose waters were at some times endued with a medicinal virtue. For an Angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the waters: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had, v. 4.

[Page 2] Vide Light-foot, Hor. Heb. in Joan. Tertullian. adversus Ju­de [...], cap. 13. sub finem. How long those waters had been endued with that miraculous virtue, or how long it continued after our Saviour's Ascension is unknown. This onely is cer­tain from History, that Miracles and the Spirit of Pro­phecy had ceased in the Jewish Church for several a­ges before our Saviour's birth, and both were restored but a little while before his manifestation in the flesh: And it is probable this miraculous water was one of the signs of his coming; it being a fit resemblance of that more pretious [...], or bath, his own bloud, whose healing efficacy was not confined to a single Patient, but redounded to the advantage of the whole world, and whose purifying virtue was truly universal and able to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 Joh. 1.9.

The silence of the other Evangelists and the Jew­ish writers, as well as Theophylact's hint, may have occasioned the Learned Dr. Hammond to suspect, that the virtue of this pool was not miraculous, but natu­ral. And he offers this Philosophical account of the matter.

Dr. Ham­mond on Joh. V. Annot. a.That the waters were impregnated with some be­neficial qualities derived from the entrails of beasts slain for Sacrifice, which he conceives were cast into that pool. And that at some set times an Officer or Messenger (not one of God's Angels) was sent in, who had skill to disturb the waters, i. e. to stir up and diffuse the particles of the entrails and bloud in which the virtue lay; whereupon for some time af­ter, till the virtuous particles sank again to the bot­tom, that pool was an healing Bath.

The Hypothesis is, I confess, very ingenious, and he confirms it with pertinent observations of what bene­fit in some distempers the Patient hath received, by the application of the warm skin, or vitals of a beast, or by putting him into the belly of a beast newly killed and opened.

[Page 3]But if we well consider them, several circumstan­ces of our Evangelist's Narrative cannot consist with this Hypothesis. For though the entrails of beasts may have a suppling and restorative virtue, and in the way of a fomentation may relieve pains and weakness in the limbs, bruises and withered members, yet this is short of the efficacy which S. John ascribes to this bath, which seems to have been an universal Medicine. Now there are many distempers for which bathing and fomentation are no proper methods of cure; and if we must restrain the universal particle whatsoever to the diseases mentioned by S. John, V. I con­ceive the blind, who are expresly named, very un­likely to receive benefit thereby.

Again, If those cures were wrought by the stirring up and mixing of the virtue of the entrails with the water, it might almost constantly have been kept in motion, and many more might have enjoyed the be­nefit of cure, than it should seem there did. For the waters were troubled onely [...], seldom, at a certain season, some think, but once in the year, See Dr. Ham­mond's An­not. at the Passover; others, at all the three great Feasts, and though perhaps several times at each Feast, yet at most but once in the day.

Again, Had the cure been wrought by any natu­ral efficacy, why should the benefit be limited to him alone who first stepped in after the troubling of the water? it's scarce credible that the Pool was no lar­ger than to hold one person, if the entrails of all the Paschal Sacrifices ( No less than 255600 ac­cording to the computation Dr. Ham­mond takes notice of in this Annotati­on. whose number was very great) were ordinarily cast into it. If the virtuous particles of the entrails were well diffused, why might not these waters have cured as many as went in before they subsided? If it be said, they sunk quickly, it's much they should cure so much as one patient, for it's [Page 4] by long continuance in them, and frequent use, that baths relieve inveterate weakness, whereas it should seem once descending into the pool was sufficient.

And lastly, This account of the matter is contra­ry to the sentiments of the Ancients, who ascribe these cures to a supernatural power, and particular­ly In Joannem Homil. 35. & Tom. 5. Ho­mil. 62. in Pa­ralyt. demis­sum per tec­tum. S. Chrysostome, more than once comparing the Pool of Bethesda to the Baptismal waters, makes the former a miraculous type of the latter.

I need not labour farther in confutation of this opi­nion, which that excellent Authour delivers modest­ly, and onely as a conjecture, and therefore shall pro­ceed to shew how our Blessed Lord, Acts X. 38. who went a­bout doing good, came to this healing pool, and, a­mong a multitude of expectants, is pleased to single out this poor Paralytick as the meetest object for him to shew his Divine power and compassion upon. Not that he deserved better than others, many of whose diseases might be pure infelicities, whereas his long infirmity was the fruit of his Sins: The miserable circumstances under which he lay, were the onely motives of our Saviour's pity.

He considered, 1. the long time he had been in that weak and helpless condition, 38 years, and perhaps had for the greatest part of that time in vain waited at Bethesda for cure. V. 6. Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been a long time in that case. And then, 2ly, he considered his Impotence and Poverty, which ren­dred him unlikely ever to receive help there, being unable to step first into the pool after the troubling of the waters, V. 7. and having no friend or servant to put him in. His sad condition moved pity in the Blessed Je­sus, who immediately, with a word, restored spirits to his weak nerves, and strength and motion to his wi­thered limbs.

[Page 5]Such a surprising mercy might carry a man of no extraordinary devotion to the Temple with a Soul full of Joy and Thankfulness. Thither the impotent person quickly went, to offer up his Praises to God; and thi­ther our Saviour followed him, to complete the cure which was scarce half wrought at Bethesda. His Bo­dy indeed was there made whole, but his better part, his Soul, still needed the Physician; and till that al­so were healed, the cause of his long infirmity still remained, and he was in danger of relapsing into a much worse condition than that out of which he was newly recovered. The Blessed Jesus therefore applies him to the cure of his spiritual maladies, and in my Text prescribes a Sovereign Antidote against all pos­sible danger of a relapse, gives him this Cyril. Alex. in loc. [...], this wholsome ghostly advice, Behold, thou art made whole: Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

In which words I shall observe three Particulars hinted by S. Chrysostome on this place. [...]. Chrys. in loc. Joh. IX. 2, 3.

1. An implicit Accusation and gentle Reproof of his past life. A plain intimation that his tedious bo­dily distemper was the punishment of his Sins. Our Saviour's infinite candour, which absolved both the blind man and his parents, and declared, that his cala­mity ought not to be imputed either to his own or their Sins, could not acquit this impotent person. Chrys. Tom. V. Hom. 62. He doth not openly shame him before the multi­tudes at Bethesda, He doth not publickly reproach his former lewd conversation: but finds him out in the Temple; and privately admonishes him to amend his life. Sin no more, or as [...] may be rendred, Sin no longer now, implies him formerly to have been a gr [...]e­vous Sinner, and that his long infirmity was his pu­nishment.

[Page 6]2. These words are an Admonition, and contain wholsome advice for the future conduct of his life. Sin no more.

[...]. Chrys. in loc.3. This Admonition is enforced with a twofold ar­gument, the one drawn from the obligation which was laid upon him by this great mercy of his miracu­lous cure, and the other from the danger of a relapse. He puts him in mind of the signal favour he had new­ly received of God, Behold, thou art made whole, [by a miracle,] and oughtest not, in point of grati­tude, to offend the Authour of so great a blessing. And then withall he sets before him the danger of re­turning to his old vomit, threatning him not onely with the forfeiture of the mercy thus miraculously conferred upon him, but also with some heavier Judgment, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Having thus opened the words, I shall deduce from them these three very natural and easie Obser­vations.

1. That great calamities are generally inflicted by God for the punishment of Sin.

2. That when God is pleased to remove such ca­lamities, we are obliged to forsake those Sins for which they were inflicted.

3. That if upon the removal of such calamities we do not forsake those Sins for which they were in­flicted, we may justly dread much sorer Judgments.

I shall speak briefly to each of these in order, and in conclusion apply all to this Solemn occasion.

I. Great calamities are generally inflicted by God for the punishment of Sin. I say, generally, not always; for God hath other ends in some afflictions, when [Page 7] they concern onely the single persons that suffer them. And yet even these are for the most part pu­nishments, and should be so esteemed by the Sufferers: but to great Societies, to Nations and Cities, they are always punishments. Though God doth not now in­terpose in so immediate and extraordinary a way in the government of the Kingdoms of the world, as he did in that of the Jews, the form of whose govern­ment was a Theocracy, See Dr. Hicks his Peculium Dei. Joseph. contra Appi­onem, & An­tiquit. lib. 4. Moses sic lo­qui docetur, [...]. and the supreme civil Magi­strate was but a Vice roy or Deputy to Jehovah, who was their King, who gave them their Political Laws and frequently executed them also upon Offenders with his own hand; yet doth his Providence still vi­sibly appear in recompencing politick Bodies in this world according to their works; in protecting and prospering religious, vertuous and just Nations, and in punishing such as are profane, dissolute and faith­less. And, in truth, if it please God to punish Cities and Nations, as such, he must doe it in this world; for though every member of any Society must ap­pear at the Judgment seat of Christ, and may receive the things done in the body, as well Politick as Na­tural, whether they be good or bad; yet those Soci­eties themselves will cease with this world, and can­not be punished in the next.

Now there concur two very different causes to the punishment of Sinners, viz. The Righteousness of God, and their own Unrighteousness. The latter justly meriting those calamities which the former inflicts. So that in every sad Providence we must acknow­ledge the just hand of God lifted up against us, and re­compensing the evil works of our own hands upon us.

1. In all our Sufferings we must behold the righte­ous hand of God, by whose Providence afflictions [Page 8] befall sinfull men. For, as Eliphaz saith, Job V. 6. Af­fliction cometh not forth out of the dust, nor doth trouble spring out of the ground. The most inconsiderable and seemingly contingent events, Matt. XI. 29. Prov. XVI. 33. such as the fall of a Sparrow, or the turn of a die, are under the govern­ment of Divine Providence. And therefore it must needs be much more interessed in what befalls so no­ble a creature as Man, nay great Societies of men. The Calamities of Cities and Kingdoms must not be imputed to mere chance; nor may we think that God is no farther concerned with them, than by his general concourse with the immediate and second cau­ses of them.

If we suffer by Fire or by Sea, by immoderate Rain or Drought, we must behold these as scourges in God's hand. If we are punished either by War or Pestilence, we must esteem both our Enemies and the destroying Angel God's Ministers and the Executioners of his just, though fierce, [...]— wrath. He makes the creatures his wea­pons for vengeance on his enemies, Wisd. V. 18.

If the Sea overflow its banks, and drown a Coun­trey, it's by God's commission that the Ocean enlar­ges its Territories and swallows up a sinfull Land. If Famine afflict a Nation, whether the immediate cau­ses be excessive drought or rains, know, that it is the Lord who breaks the staff of bread, Ezek. V. 16. who sendeth unseasonable rain, and withholdeth it in its season. If the Pestilence rage in a City and consume its Inha­bitants, this evil also is of the Lord. If we undergo the miseries of War, and our Enemies prevail over us, we must remember, Isa. XXXIV. 6. that it is the sword of the Lord that is in their hands and fills it self with our bloud. They shall know that I am the LORD when I put MY SWORD into the hand of the King of Baby­lon, Ezek. XXX. 25. It is the Lord of hosts that [Page 9] pleads with us by the Sword; and sells us into the hands of our enemies, because we have sold our selves to work wickedness. If the Fire consume our dwel­lings and lay our Cities in Ashes, the Prophet tells us, that God pleads with sinfull flesh by fire as well as by the sword. Isai. LXVI. 16. Hos. VIII. 14. He sendeth fire upon our Cities and flames to devour our Palaces.

In short, by whatever hands we suffer, by what­ever instruments he pleases to afflict us, we must hear the rod and consider who hath appointed it, Mich. VI. 9. We must acknowledge our sufferings to be from God, and the chastisement of our sins.

2. Whilst we behold God as the Authour of our calamities, we must ascribe them to his Justice, A Deo quidem punimur, sed ipsi facimus, ut puniamur, Salvian. de Gub. Dei, l. 8. and not forget that the cause of our sufferings is in our selves. For God would not inflict them, did not we both need and deserve them. The wrath of God is never revealed but against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. And even when his hand is heaviest upon us, Ezra IX. 13. Job XI. 6. Psal. CIII. 10. our punishments are much lighter than our iniquities deserve. There had been no such thing as Vengeance belonging to God, but for the Wickedness of his Rebellious creatures. Sin and Pu­nishment are as nearly related as the Cause and Ef­fect, and the latter in the very notion of it implies the former: For no suffering is properly a punish­ment unless inflicted for Sin. Hence in the language of the Holy Scriptures to bear sin or iniquity signifies to be punished or put to death for it. Exod. xxviij. 43. Levit. XXIV. 15, 16. And Christ is said to bear the sins of many, i. e. in their punish­ment, Isa. LIII. 11, 12. When a man is pu­nished for his Sins, he is said to eat the fruit of his ways, Prov. I. 31. to be recompensed according to his deeds and the works of his own hands, Jer. XXV. 14. and to possess his iniquity, Job XIII. 26. All which forms of speech import our sins to be the meritorious and impulsive cause of our calamities.

[Page 10]And as we must acknowledge the Justice of God in our sufferings, so must we likewise own his good­ness, his wisedom and fatherly care of us. In our present lapsed condition, in this state of Sin and Frail­ty, Rev. III. 19. Heb. XII. 5. he would not truly love us should he not, when he sees it necessary, rebuke and chasten us. Should he not visit our transgressions with the rod, Psal. Lxxxix. 32, 33, 34. and our ini­quity with stripes, we might have just ground to fear that he had utterly taken his loving-kindness from us, and was about to break his Covenant. It will neither consist with the Honour of his Justice and Wisedom, nor yet with his Love to us, that we should be per­mitted to sin without punishment.

I know some men refer all to irrespective Decrees, or tell us that vindictive Justice is natural to God, and that he must sacrifice some of his creatures in Hell fire to the honour of that Attribute. Nay, that he hath foredamned the greatest part of mankind by mere Prerogative, and purely for the exercise of his Sovereign Power.

But this account of God differs infinitely from that he gives us of himself in the Holy Scriptures. They represent him mercifull and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. keeping mercy for thou­sands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. They tell us that, Psal. CXLV. 9. Ezek. xxxiij. 11. 2 Pet. III. 9. He is good to all, and that his tender mer­cies are over all his works. That he hath no pleasure in the Death of a sinner. That he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come unto repentance. He never goes about to get himself glory in the death of a sinner till he sees the sinner will die, that he is desperate and incorrigible, that he hardens his heart to that degree, that neither gentleness nor se­verity can work upon him.

[Page 11]He seeks no advantages against his wretched crea­tures. Though to punish be his work, Isai. XXVIII. 21. it is his strange work. He never sets about it but with reluctance, and when we compell him to it, for the vindication of Justice and Providence. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, Lam. III. 33. We have no reason to arraign his Justice, or murmur at the severity of his Judgments, since we suffer but the punishment and less than the desert of our Sins.

Especially if we add this consideration, That the chastisements we bear are for our profit; and though for the present, while we feel the smart of them, Heb. XII. 11. af­flictions are not joyous, but grievous; yet, if we im­prove them duly, and with patience wait their issue, they will bring forth to us the peaceable fruits of Righ­teousness. As they were intended by our Heavenly Fa­ther, so will they in the event work for our good. If his judgments teach us Righteousness, and we learn o­bedience by the things which we have suffered, Isa. XXVII. 9. Heb. XII. 10. all their fruit will be to take away our sin, and to make us partakers of his Holiness. But whatever the effect of our calamities may prove, whether they operate thus kindly or no, we must needs justifie God amidst our sufferings, and take to our selves shame, confessing with Azarias, Thou art righteous, O Lord, Song of the 3 Children, v. 3, 4, 5. in all the things thou hast done unto us—according to truth and Judgment didst thou bring all these things upon us, be­cause of our sins. We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, departing from thee.

II. That when God is pleased to remove such Ca­lamities, we are obliged to forsake those Sins for which they were inflicted. Behold, thou art made whole: Sin no more.

[Page 12]What, Sin no more? This is an hard saying, who can hear it? Doth our Saviour oblige us to impos­sibilities? Doth not Solomon assure us that there is not a just man upon the Earth, that doeth righteousness, and sinneth not? Eccles. VII. 20. Doth not the Apostle say that, In many things we offend all? James, III. 2. How saith our Saviour then, Sin no more?

But, after all, our Saviour's sense is obvious: he doth not oblige the impotent man to perfect and sin­less obedience. He too well understood our frame, and was too well acquainted with the strength of Ten­tation and the weakness of frail flesh and bloud, to make spotless innocence necessary to his continuance in that state of health to which he was miraculously restored. But this is the sum and importance of his advice, that upon his recovery he should break off his sinfull course of life, that he should live no longer in habitual and wilfull disobedience, that he should abstain from all crying Sins and such as pull down vengeance on mens heads; especially, that he should beware of those sins (whatever they were) for which God had afflicted him with eight and thirty years weakness. This was our Saviour's meaning, and in this sense our Apostle must be understood, 1 John, V. 18. where he saith, he that is born of God sinneth not, i. e. not habitually, not deliberately, not presumptu­ously.

Decepti aut lubrico aetatis, aut nubilo er­roris, aut vi­tio ignorantiae, aut postremò lapsu fragili­tatis humanae. Salvian. con­tra Avarit. l. 1. God doth not use to follow men with heavy plagues for light offences. It is not every transgressi­on, that is recompensed in the Earth. Such sins as are in a sort the unavoidable effects of humane frailty and ignorance, and are incident to the best of men in this state of imperfection and tentation, do not provoke his severe resentments. No, they are Sins of a dee­per die, of a more enormous and scandalous nature [Page 13] for which God is wont to visit. Such as have a mix­ture of presumption and malice, or at least proceed from the gross neglect, if not from the direct con­tempt of God and Religion. Such Sins as are highly in­jurious to our Brethren and pernicious to humane So­ciety. These are the Sins whose punishment God will not turn away. And when at any time he hath pu­nished a people for them, and afterwards remembring mercy laies aside his rod, he expects that such a peo­ple should remove those abominations out of the midst of them.

For God prosecutes the same design both in the se­vere and in the more gentle dispensations of his Pro­vidence. He labours to reclaim a perverse and croo­ked generation, and omits no kind of method proper to effect it. When he threatens us, he admonishes us of our duty and danger; when he chastens us, he calls our Sins to remembrance, he admonisheth us to amend our ways, and put away the evil of our do­ings: when he removes his rod, and again exercises patience and longsuffering towards us, he vouchsafes to make a farther experiment, what effect goodness will have upon us, and whether it will (at least after se­verity) lead us to repentance.

Though in their prosperity Sinners are too apt to despise the Riches of God's goodness, yet after they have been humbled by his heavy Judgments Mercy will be likely to have a more kind and successfull o­peration. In War we commonly see, that the Sword onely begins the Conquest, which is finished and crowned by the Victour's clemency. The stubborn enemy who valued not his friendship, when subdued by his victorious arms, will gladly submit to the Conquerour's Mercy. Nay, even wild beasts that are fierce and mischievous, are onely brought under [Page 14] by chains, blows and hunger, and prepared to be throughly tamed and made serviceable by their Kee­per's kindness. So that unless we are more savage and brutish than they, after afflictions we must needs yield to the irresistible force of God's goodness and loving-kindness.

Though we had no sense of our deep obligations to his infinite goodness whilst his blessings flowed in a con­tinual and uninterrupted stream from that fountain, yet since our pipes have been cut off, and bitter wa­ters have flowed instead of sweet and refreshing streams, certainly if God please to remember his old loving-kindness, Psal. CVII. 10. it will relish the sweeter. After we have been bound in affliction and iron for our Rebelli­on against God, if we be once released, surely the cords of a man, Hos. XI. 4. and the soft bands of love will hold us faster than ever. This good success God seems to ex­pect when his mercy heals those wounds which he made for our Sins. He seems to make tryal whether the good effects which appear to have been wrought on us by our Afflictions are real and durable. For whilst we are under the lash, the success cannot be so well and certainly observed. The Dog must reco­ver his sickness before he will return to his vomit. Whilst we feel the smart of the rod, we are apt to call those Sins to remembrance for which we think our selves to suffer; we are apt to take up good Resoluti­ons against them; to make fair Promises of reforma­tion, and to bind them with most solemn Vows. But the Rod must be removed before we can come to the Test; before it can appear how firm and steddy our Resolutions, how sincere our Promises were, and whe­ther we will faithfully pay unto the Lord those Vows which we made in the day of Trouble.

[Page 15]So that when it pleases God to deliver us out of those miseries which our Sins have brought upon us, we are to consider, that we are in a state of Probation, we are upon Tryal. And we are farther under a double obligation to forsake those Sins for which we lately smarted. We have the voluntary obligation of our own Vows upon us, and we are bound in point of Gratitude to God to Sin no more. He will esteem the faithfull performance of our Holy Resolutions the most Authentick Evidence of our Thankfulness, and our future Obedience our best Peace-offering. When God hath put an end to his controversie with a land, Psal. Lxxxv. 8. and vouchsafes yet once more to speak peace to his people, he expects that they should not turn again unto folly. But in case they do not answer so reasonable an expectation, if they offer him fresh affronts, or re­peat their old ones, they will find the Truce broken by their own Treachery, and Vengeance returning armed with double fury. Men have no reason to pro­mise themselves Peace so long as they boldly put Hea­ven to defiance, and fight against God. He may per­haps give them a little respite, he may change their punishment, and not continually lash them with the same Rod, but till they cease provoking him there will be no end of their calamities.

III. That if upon the removal of such Calamities we do not forsake those Sins for which they were in­flicted, we may justly dread forer Judgments. Lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Almighty God in dealing with his sinfull creatures is pleased to observe the method of skilfull Physicians, who begin with the most gentle and easie remedies, searching and cleansing the wound with as little pain as may be to the Patient; but if the wound putrifie [Page 16] and gangrene, they are forced to proceed to more painfull operations, such as launcing, incision and searing; and when after all they find the malignity and venome of the gangrene is such as no remedies can conquer, they are forced to cut off the incurable member. Thus doth God at first exercise the Sinner with gentle corrections, seeming to be not without hope that they may prove strong enough to work his Reformation, but if they fail of success, he pro­ceeds to greater severities in proportion to the guilt and obstinacy of the Offender. Thus he dealt with his ancient people the Jews, Isai. IX. 1. At first he lightly afflic­ted the land of Zabulon and the land of Napthali, and afterwards did more grievously afflict her by the way of the Sea. As men do not mount per saltum at one leap to the height of all Impiety and Profaneness, but wax worse and worse by degrees, till at last they be­come desperately wicked: So neither doth God use extremity at first, he doth not pour out the full vials of his Indignation at once, but his Judgments grow gradually heavier, till at length vengeance accom­plisheth the ruine of the incorrigible and desperate Rebel.

A remarkable instance of what hath been said we have in Pharaoh and the Egyptians, who oppressed Is­rael, and refused to obey the voice of the Lord, who by his Prophets commanded them to let his people go. He began with light afflictions, and as oft as Pharaoh seemed to repent he removed them: When Pharaoh saw there was respite, he hardned his heart; whereupon God sent other Plagues upon E­gypt, and followed them with one Judgment after another, punishing them first in their Waters, then in their Corn and Cattle, next in their Bodies with sore Blains and Boils; after that, in the Death of their [Page 17] First-born; and lastly, Pharaoh having many times wilfully hardened his own heart, God hardened it pe­nally to his ruine; so that pursuing the Children of Israel through the Red-sea he was drowned with his whole Host.

Nor was this a singular case, a particular method wherein God dealt onely with Pharaoh and the Egyp­tians. For thus he treated his own peculiar people Israel, for whose sake he had sent all those prodigious Plagues on Egypt. When they murmured in the Wil­derness, he chastised them several ways. When they waxed wanton in the Land of Canaan and revolted to Idolatry, he suffered the neighbour Nations to infest their Land, to take their Cities, to defeat their Ar­mies, to oppress them and bring them under Tribute: after a while he would deliver them; when they re­volted again, he punish'd them some other way. As their obstinacy encreased, so did his severity. He suffered the X Tribes first to go into Captivity, and after a while he caused the King of Babylon to carry away Juda Captive, and lay waste both the City and Temple of Jerusalem. For 70 years they sate in Ba­bylon, and then God brought back their Captivity, and so favoured them that they rebuilt the City and Temple; but as they returned to their ancient dwel­lings so did they to their Sins, and continued a stif­necked and rebellious generation, despising the good­ness of God, contemning his threatnings, killing his Prophets, crucifying his own Son; and having now filled up the measure of their iniquities, God delive­red them into the hands of the Romans, who destroy­ed their Nation, burnt the City and Temple of Jeru­salem, rased their foundations, and litterally fulfilled our Saviour's Prediction, Matt. XXIV. 2. that there should not be one stone left upon another.

[Page 18]Now there are several ways in which God is wont to bring worse things upon obstinate and unreformed Sinners. I shall instance in Three.

1. When he brings the same Calamities thicker and oftner upon them, and though he scourge them with the same Rod, yet he increases the number of their stripes. Their enemies make frequent incursi­ons upon them, they suffer by frequent Plagues and Fires. Psal. XXXII. 10. Thus, as the Psalmist threatens, many sorrows shall be to the wicked. God will raise them up ene­mies on every side, and as he threatens the Jews, he will send many fishers, and they shall fish them, and af­ter, he will send many hunters, and they shall hunt them, and make a prey of them, and he will recompense their iniquity and their sin double. Jer. XVI. 16, 18. God will double his blow upon every fresh provocation; and as the Sinner multiplies his Transgressions, so will the Divine vengeance multiply his Plagues. If ye will walk contrary to me, saith the Lord, and will not hearken unto me, I will bring seven times more Plagues upon you, according to your sins. Lev. XXVI. 21.

2. A worse thing happens to a relapsed Sinner when God inflicts sorer and heavier Judgments than before. 1 Kings XII. 14. And this is not unusual. Those whom whips will not reform he chastises with Scorpions. If the or­dinary instrument of Discipline, the Rod, hath been long used in vain, he whets his glittering Sword, and bends his Bow. Jer. L. 25. He opens his Armory, and ransacks all the Treasures of his Wrath for Instruments of Cruel­ty and Death, and brings forth the weapons of his In­dignation.

Or, which is worse than the severest Temporal ca­lamity that can befall men, he gives them up to a Re­probate sense, Jer. v. 23. because they have (as the Prophet speaks) a revolting and rebellious heart. He casts [Page 19] them off, as unworthy to be under his farther care and discipline; he abandons them to their own lusts, resolving to strike them no more, Isai. 1.5. that he will cause his fury towards them to rest, and that his Jealousie shall depart from them, that he will be quiet, and be angry no more, Ezek. XVI. 42.

3. A worse thing happens to revolting Sinners when God inflicts punishments for a worse purpose, not for the Sinner's reformation, but for his own ho­nour. When the sufferings that befall them are vin­dictive, and not designed for their correction. When Judgments are not intended to teach them righteous­ness, but to make them examples for the terrour and warning of others. When God smites, but not in kindness, and there drops no balm from his Rod, but he wounds them with the wounds of an enemy, and with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of their iniquities, and because their sins were increased The Syriack adds, even to impenitence., Jer. XXX. 14. And when neither frequent and se­vere punishments, nor yet intervals of mercy produce fruits meet for repentance, there is all the reason in the world for Sinners to expect in some or other of the forementioned ways they shall feel sadder effects of God's displeasure. It's both necessary and just that some worse thing should come unto them.

1. It's Necessary. Obstinate and revolting Sinners need sharper afflictions and heavier judgments to rouze and work upon them. For by frequent re­lapses into Sin, and perseverance in it, they con­tract an ill habit of Soul; their distempers get strength; and the more inveterate they are, the greater difficulty there will be in removing them. For this reason relapsed Sinners will need to repeat their bitter potions the oftner, and the dose must be increased in proportion to the malignity of the dis­ease, [Page 20] ease, if gentle medicines have no effect, the bills must be altered, strong Physick must be administred, and the ill humours evacuated by more violent and churlish Purgatives. When men grow worse and worse under the milder dispensations of Providence, and presume to add sin to sin, Isai. XXX. 1. Psal. LXIX. 27. there is no help for them, but God must also, as the Psalmist speaks, add iniquity to their iniquity, i. e. increase the severity of their punishments.

2. As it is Necessary, so also is it Just. It is a righ­teous thing with God, in regard such obstinate and backsliding Sinners deserve sorer judgments. Repea­ted Sin contracts a deeper guilt, and all mitigating pleas are insignificant, when crimes become habitu­al, especially under the circumstances of the person in my Text. When men sin on after great Judg­ments and great Deliverances, it is an argument of great Presumption and Malice; that men are wilfull and stubborn, and, as Elihu speaks, Job XXXIV. 37. Add rebellion to their sin. Their guilt is also farther aggravated by their Ingratitude, which is a Sin of the foulest complexion and deepest stain. No Provo­cation is more unpardonable than the abuse of Mer­cy. It is recorded by the Psalmist as an aggravation of the stupid perverseness of the Israelites; That they understood not God's wonders in Egypt, Psal. CVII. 7. that they remem­bred not the multitude of his mercies; but provoked him at the Sea, even at the RED SEA. Every part of the verse is a smart reproach of their sottish Unthank­fulness. That they took no warning by God's Pro­digious Judgments on the Egyptians; that they for­gat his Mercies towards themselves no less wonderfull; not single mercies, but great multitudes of them; and, after all, provoked him at the Sea, even at the RED SEA. The repetition is an emphatical aggravation of their Ingratitude, Even at the red Sea, through [Page 21] which God had just before miraculously opened them a safe and dry passage, where he had destroyed their enemies before their eyes, and secured them from e­ver returning to their former bondage; there they murmured against him and provoked him. When the hand of the Lord hath been lifted up against the wicked but they will not see it, Isai. XXVI. 10, 11. and afterwards favour hath been shewn them, but they will not learn righte­ousness, it is an argument that they offend of malicious Wickedness, and are not onely unworthy but uncap­able of mercy. That they are incorrigible and des­perate, Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, that farther long-suffering will be a sort of Cruelty to them, and swift destruction a degree of mercy; nay the onely mercy they are capable of: For it may be some little abatement of their miseries in the next world, that they lived no longer in this, and were not permitted to treasure up so immense a weight of wrath as in a long life they would have heaped up unto themselves.

In Conclusion, when neither Judgments nor Mer­cies will work reformation, and men presume to Sin on against all sorts of admonitions and obligations to Sin no more, what can such wretched creatures expect, but worse and worse calamities, even the very worst of all Plagues: That Vengeance should come arm'd with flames of fire unquenchable and triumph in their Eternal Ruine.

Thus I have briefly considered the three observati­ons I made from the words, and am to crave but a little more of your Patience, whilst I apply what hath been said to this Solemn occasion.

The words of our Saviour in my Text, are a Sub­ject very proper for the entertainment of our most se­rious [Page 22] thoughts this day: [...]. Chrys. in loc. and though they were spo­ken to the impotent man alone, yet were intended for the admonition of us all, who are in circumstances exactly parallel with his. God had wounded us for our Transgressions, and hath healed us by a miracle of his mercy. And as Christ found him in the Tem­ple, so are we all here before the Lord in his house of Prayer: and considering the happy change of the State of this eminent City, since the appointment of this Anniversary Fast, I may say we are in the Tem­ple upon a much like occasion.

Blessed be the name of the Lord, we are not now assembled to weep over her smoaking Ruines, and to mingle our tears with her ashes. We have no rea­son to bewail her as a disconsolate Widow, for she sits as a Queen again, Psa. CXLVII. 13. and her Children within her are blessed. She lies no longer on ruinous heaps, the Scorn and Derision of her Enemies, but she is risen as a Phoenix out of her Ashes, the astonishing joy of her friends, and the envy of all that hate her. As that dreadfull Fire which consumed her, hath been thought a lively resemblance of the general Conflagration at the last day, so methinks this City risen out of the dust, is no faint Embleme of the Resurrection. It is raised in glory. It is rebuilt with greater beauty, its structures both private and publick, Civil and Sacred, are far more magnificent than before. So that I may very well apply the first part of our Saviour's words to this great and eminent City. Behold, thou art made whole: and add St. Chrysostom's gloss, not by thy merit, but by the Divine mercy and power. For the rebuilding of it in so short a time and so great Splendour, is little short of a miracle.

But though we do upon this account, in some measure forget our Sorrows, yet there is still just oc­casion [Page 23] for our solemn Humiliation this day; to spend it in mourning, and in all sorts of Penitential exer­cises. For though the calamitous effects of the Fire be well nigh worn off, yet whilst our Sins which kindled it remain, they will afford us perpetual cause of Fasting, and give us occasion to look back with Sorrow, and to look forward with Fear. When we reflect and see what destruction they have already wrought in this Land and City, who among us hath so hard a heart as not to melt into Tears? And when we forecast what farther and greater Calamities we have reason to apprehend from them, is not the dread­full prospect enough to make our hearts tremble and melt within us like wax? What is onely intimated in the case of the Paralytick is a notorious truth in ours, Our Sins were the cause of the Fire. We confess it in the Publick Office of the Day, we have erected a Pil­lar of Infamy in the midst of our City, to be an ever­lasting memorial of the dreadfull Judgments of God, and the dreadfull Sins of this Generation, and which is sad to consider, our Sins themselves reign in the midst of us, and testify against us. I hope therefore no man will have either the Folly or the Impudence to wash his hands and say, I have contributed no Fuell to these Flames of London.

Though a late Inscription charge the Papists with the Fire, it was not designed to absolve our Sins, the undoubted Boutefeus, and the worst sort of Incendi­aries. Though it might be intended to continue an immortal hatred of Popery; sure it was never meant to reconcile us to our provoking abominations. This would have been to ridicule the Wisedom and Piety of our Governours, and contradict the best design of the Monument.

There is nothing so much hinders the good effects [Page 24] of Chastisements, as transferring the blame on others, or imputing them to accidents, and resting in the se­cond causes of them. But certainly we have the least Temptation that may be to any thing of that kind: For never were there more visible tokens of the just Vengeance of God, than in the Fire of London. Those circumstances which we are too prone to call acci­dents, that concurred to the spreading of the Fire, shew the Providence of that God whom we had pro­voked. Whatever creatures assisted to the swift propa­gation of the Flames; whether evil Instruments, or the heat and drought of the preceding Summer, or the Winds, they were all God's Militia armed against us. And neither strong East-winds nor the famous Popish or French Fire-balls carried on the Fire so much as the Trains our Sins had laid in all quarters of the City, and the fierce Blasts of God's just displeasure.

Having so severely smarted for our Faults already, methinks we should be well disposed to receive our Saviour's advice, Sin no more. One would think our sad experience should afford us some security against suffering again in the same way, and on the same ac­count. We see that Beasts and Birds will not be twice taken in the same snare; and shall we be more irrati­onal than Brutes, and suffer our selves to be often o­vertaken with the same Faults? Oh that we could be blest with so happy a sight as that Reformation one might reasonably expect, Jer. VI. 28. Iis ipsis qui­bus coerceban­tur plagis sce­lera cresce­bant; ut puta­res, poenam ip­sam criminum quasi matrem esse vitiorum, Salv. de Gub. l. 6. that either so heavy a Judg­ment as the Fire, or so great a Mercy as the Resur­rection of this City, should singly produce! But alas, we are all grievous Revolters. We have been made worse by our Afflictions and hardned by our Suffe­rings, we like the Anvil have reverberated the strokes of God's hammer, and they have made no impression upon us.

[Page 25]It is a sad Observation that Lactantius makes of the Heathen Romans, Lactant. In­stit. l. 2. c. 11. nisi dum in malis sunt. That they never remember God but in times of publick Calamity. And yet Salvian's observation of the incorrigible temper of the Christi­an Romans is much more lamentable; Neque ullam penitus Roma­ni orbis aut Romani nomi­nis portionem, quamlibèt graviter pla­gis coelestibus caesam un­quam fuisse correctam. Salvian. de Gub. l. 6. That no part of the Roman Empire, though chastised with the seve­rest plagues by Heaven, was reformed thereby. It be­hoves us to consider how far both these sad observa­tions may be verified of us, and whether what the Prophet saith of Judah may not be too truly and per­tinently applied to us. This is a Nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord, neither receiveth Correction, Jer. VII. 28. How little influence had this sore Judg­ment upon us? Did those of us that escaped that Plague repent of their Sins? Zach. XI. 2. Did the Fir-tree howle because the Cedar was fallen, or the Oaks of Bashan for the Forest of the Vintage? Did our lesser Cities and neighbouring Places take warning by this Calamity of our Metropolis? No sure, for then they would not, as since they have done, have tasted of the same cup. How did the Sufferers behave themselves? was there any visible amendment? did they come purer out of the Fire? Nothing less. The Fire that consu­med our estates, abated nothing of our Luxury; and the Flames of our Lust raged, when most of the fuell that had maintained them was spent. How many here, as Salvian observes at Triers, lay drunk up and down in the warm ruines? How did we ruffle it in rich Silks, Lace and all sorts of bravery, when it would have better become us to have lain prostrate before God in Sackcloth and Ashes? How many were feast­ing and carousing at the Tavern, when they should have been in the Temple fasting and deprecating far­ther miseries? When the greatest part of the City lay in heaps, and the poor remainders of it were black [Page 26] and disfigured by the Fire, when which way soever we turned our eyes, we could not avoid observing our desolations, and the sad marks of God's displeasure, how few of us abated the least delight, saw one Play the less, or spent in Devotion one hour the more? If any did not run to the same excess of riot they had done before, Salv. de Gub. l. 6. was it not, as Salvian speaks, Miserioe beneficium, non disciplinoe, rather to be ascribed to their Poverty than their Vertue?

But perhaps these severe courses suited not our temper, it may be we are of that generous dispositi­on which is to be wrought on by kindness, and fa­vours have not been ill bestowed upon us. I would to God it were so.

But alas, is not the contrary evident? Doth not Prosperity make us proud and wanton? Deut. xxxii. 15. Have we not with Jesurun waxed fat and kicked, have we not for­sook the God that made us, and lightly esteemed the Rock of our Salvation? Quievit pa­rumper Ini­micorum au­dacia, nec ta­men nostrorum malitia. Re­cesserant ho­stes à civibus nec cives à suis sceleribus, Gildas de Ex­cid. Britan. [...], &c. Philo in vita Mosis. How have we in the midst of God's blessings forgotten all Sobriety and Gratitude, forgotten both God and our selves? The lucid Inter­vals of mercy have not brought us into our right minds, nor yet prevailed with us for the least inter­mission of sinning. As Gildas complains of our An­cestours. Nay, as it is observed of Pharaoh, the onely use we have made of that respite we have had be­tween Judgments, hath been like Wrestlers, to take breath, to recover spirits and strength for a fresh combat with Heaven, and that we may be able with greater fury and violence to sly in the face of God.

Had we been (as is suggested) of that gene­rous temper that must be managed by fair means, God hath made sufficient Tryal of us in that way.

He hath heaped favours upon us, and even laden [Page 27] us with his benefits. Isai. XLIII. 24. But in return we have made him to serve with our sins, and wearied him with our ini­quities. If the Fire drave out the unclean Spirit that haunted our old buildings, he seems to be now re­turned with seven other evil Spirits more wicked than himself, and to have taken possession of our new habitations. For our Impiety and Contempt of God is greater than ever, our Pride and Vanity prodigious, our Luxury and Debauchery hath outstript all ex­amples of former ages, and are not to be out-done, Nil erit ulte­rius quod nos­tris moribus addat Posteri­tas— Juv. Sat. 1. I wish they never may be matched by the generations to come. Have not Oppression, Deceit and Perjury o­verspread us? And may not that be said of London that the Prophet spake of Gilead, Hos. VI. 18. It is a City of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with bloud? Are not Adultery and Whoredom esteemed so venial Sins, that they are seldom chastised with greater severity than a smile? Is not the cry of Sins gone up to Heaven, like the cry of Sodom, and yet we dread not a like over­throw?

Nay, as though our Wickedness brought on ruine too slowly whilst it operated onely in a moral way, as the meritorious cause of it, we have of late traded in those Sins which have a natural and more quick tendency to Destruction. We have rent the Church by causless Schisms, and divided the Kingdom against it self by disloyal Factions. We have been Heady and Ungovernable, which is the most certain sign of approaching ruine. In the heat of our clamorous zeal for the Protestant Religion we have dishonoured it in the highest degree: and after all our fierce outcries a­gainst Popery, the worst of its abominations have been committed amongst us. God speaks thus to Ju­dah. Thou that hast judged thy Sisters [Samaria and Sodom] bear thine own shame for thy sins which thou [Page 28] hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: be confounded and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters, Ezek. XVI. 52. Is not this discourse very applicable to us? May not God thus reproach us, ‘You have judged your Sister Rome, but have equalled if not outdone her abominations. And the villanies you condemn in her you have justified by worse practices?’

Are there Jesuits among the Papists, so are there a­mong us, if agreement with them in their worst prin­ciples and practices may intitle men to the Name who want almost nothing else but the Order and Habit? Are their Jesuits dangerous Incendiaries? so are ours. Do the Romish Jesuits subject Princes to the Pope? ours subject them to the People. Do their Jesuits contrive the deposing and murthering of Kings? so do ours. Do they give the Pope a power to absolve Subjects from their Allegiance, and dispense with their Oaths? ours make quicker work of it, and with­out that piece of Superstition and Formality allow e­very man to doe it for himself. Do they allow Equi­vocation and mental Reservation? ours doe worse, who condemn it in the Principle, but admit it in Practice. Do they make Oaths and Sacraments the Bonds of iniquity, the Seals of secrecy in their hellish designs? ours are not very unlike them, who conceal as hellish Treasons, contrary to their Oaths to disco­ver them; who take Oaths and Sacraments to qua­lifie them for the service of a Faction, and to possess themselves of Power to ruine both Church and State. Do they at Rome propagate Religion by Assassination and Massacres? there have been also those among us who stuck at neither for the accomplishment of their Devilish Plots. And though they do not canonize or saint Traitours as the Pope doth, they dub them [Page 29] HEROES, and ASSERTORS of RELIGI­ON and LIBERTY; which poor reward may for ought I know animate our Zealots to as desperate at­tempts, as a Saintship doth the Romish.

When I consider what zeal for the Purity of Reli­gion these men pretend, that they are for purer Con­gregations not onely than the Roman, but even the best reformed Churches; that they would be thought Re­formatissimi, the most sincere, most zealous, nay the onely Protestants in the Nation, these pretences ag­gravate their crimes beyond those of Romish Traytors. And I shall not fear to say, they have justified their Sister, and the Papists are more righteous than they.

In short, our bloud Feuds, and the devilish Confe­deracies of Atheists and Enthusiasts presage ruine to us: and we act as though we designed to prevent the stroke of divine Vengeance, and become our own Executioners.

When the greatest part of this City lay in ashes, and its wealth was consumed by the Fire, when no­thing but desolation presented it self to our view, and thousands lay in the Fields, a man would have thought London was as miserable as it could be made. But when I behold the universal Corruption of manners, the Debauchery, the Uncleanness, Profaneness and o­ther abominations which are committed in it, without shame, and though not with allowance, yet with im­punity; when I see how factious, Non tam mae­nium subversi­one, domorúm­que exustione Civitas perire dicenda est, quàm justitiae exterminio, & morum corrup­tione. Nic. de Clemangiis Ep. 101. heady and ungo­vernable men are, I must needs profess, that in all its present Splendour I look upon the condition of this City to be worse than when it lay in ruines. For a Ci­ty is not so effectually undone, by the demolishing of its Walls, and burning of its Houses, as by the ban­ishing Religion, Righteousness, Truth and Peace out of the midst of it, and the general corruption of man­ners. [Page 30] And 'tis a far less lamentable sight to behold a people under such calamities, than to see them unre­formed nay worse after them.

This seems to be our case. We have passed through the Fire, but are not purified, our dross remains in us. We are stupid and insensible, and it was but ne­cessary to erect a Pillar in remembrance of it, for the Sufferers themselves seem to have forgotten it. For this solemn Anniversary Humiliation is dwindled into almost nothing, saving (I am loth to say the Pomp, I hope 'tis the Devotion of) this Great Appearance. How do many flie the Penance of this Fast, and en­tertain themselves with all sorts of Pleasures at their Country-Houses? Isai. XXII. 12.13. On this day when the Lord of Hoasts calls us to weeping and mourning, there is nothing but joy and mirth eating Flesh and drinking Wine. I should not have mentioned this to this Honourable Auditory, but that I have my self with some trouble and con­cern observed it to be the Practice of many grave and eminent Citizens. They seem to have no re­membrance of that dreadfull Fire, and no fear of those worse Judgments we have to apprehend. In one sense they will never forget the Fire, they will tell you they feel it yet in their Estates, they will with the impotent man as St. Chrysostome speaks, [...] tell tragical Stories of their losses, Chrysost. Tom. 5. hom. 62. how many hundreds and thousands they are the worse for it, and perhaps magnify their losses beyond truth; but they forget why God brought this great calamity upon the City, and how much fuell their own Sins contributed to its flames.

If ever our Saviour's advice was necessary, sure 'tis so now, and I can never too often repeat and press it. O sin no more, sin no more. The measure of our iniquities seems to be well nigh filled up, and unless [Page 31] a speedy and general Reformation appease the wrath of God, it will be too great a favour for us to expect that he should smite us any more for our Correction, we must look for some worse thing than either Plague or Fire or any other of those Judgments that have hitherto come upon us.

Lest a worse thing happen unto us? How is it possible? No Fire can ever spread in these new brick buildings, as the former did in the old timber-houses. Some worse thing? What can be worse than such a general Calamity, which ruin'd thousands, which not onely impoverisht the City, but the whole King­dom, what have we worse to fear?

My Brethren, be not deceived: Though ye have drunk of a bitter cup, Rev. XIV. 10. [...] And [...]. Caesar. in loc. yet its bitterness hath been hitherto taken off with a large mixture of mercy: ye have not yet tasted [...] the Wine of his wrath unmixt, ye have not drunk up the dregs thereof. Flatter not your selves with the thoughts that the worst is already past. Psal. XC. 11. Ye do not understand the power of his Anger, and therefore do not entertain just fears of his displeasure. He can if he see good punish you again in the same way, and with as much ease lay waste your Stately New-Buildings, as he did the old Rotten ones. Though your City be raised in glory 'tis not raised in incorruption. If it be not in so great danger of casual Fire, yet sure the Vengeance of God can propagate such a Calamity farther than all the Malice, Art and Industry of the worst Boutefeus. Where the breath of the Lord kindles a Fire, all things are as Hay and Stubble before it.

Have ye nothing worse to fear? recollect your selves, and consider what ye at that time feared, but through the mercy of God escap'd a Massacre by the bloudy hands of those, who burnt your City. Your fire [Page 32] might have been like that Rev. VIII. 7. Mingled with bloud. God might have made your ruines everlast­ing Desolations; and whereas he hath graciously said unto this City thou shalt be built, Isai. XLIV. 28. and to our Temples your Foundations shall be laid. The Lord might have devoted London as he did Jericho, Josh. VI. 26. and have laid a Curse upon the man, who should have presumed to lay the first Stone of its New-Buildings.

Have ye nothing worse to fear? hath not God by a miracle of mercy newly discovered and delivered us from a greater danger? There wanted onely the PERMISSION of HEAVEN to have brought a worse thing upon us. For HELL was ready to BREAK LOOSE again upon us with more Bar­barous fury than ever, See his Ma­jestie's De­claration. In the Murther of our KING and his Royal Brother, in the Assassination of the Pub­lick Ministers of State, and the Principal Magistrates of this City, and all the mischeivous consequences of Cruelty, and Confusion. Had not God by his won­derfull Providence prevented them, the Combustions of Eighty three, might have proved more fatal to the City and Nation than the Flames of Sixty six.

Methinks I hear the Voice of God our Saviour af­ter this great deliverance saying to us of this Nation and City, as he did to the Impotent man in my Text, Sin no more. And if we can be but so wise and hap­py as to receive his Admonition, we are secure from the Threatning that follows it, Lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Let me then beseech you, Brethren, in Christ's stead, both by the Judgments and mercies of the Lord, Rom. XII. 1. 2 Cor. V. 20. be re­conciled to God. As ye desire the continuance of his blessings, or as ye would avert worse Calamities than any ye have yet felt. As ye tender the peace and Prosperity of this City. 1. Cor. XV. 34. Awake to Righteousness, and [Page 33] sin no more: Wash you, make you clean; Isai. I. 16.17. put away the evil of your doings before the eyes of the Lord, cease to doe evil, learn to doe well. Have compassion on your selves, forsake those iniquities which separate between you and your God, and have hid his face from you, Isai. LIX. 2. if you hope to prevail with him to be mercifull to you and bless you. Improve this opportunity of making your peace with him, which the Wisedom and Piety of our Government hath put into your hands. Let the re­membrance of the late dreadfull Fire teach you the Fear of the Lord, which is the truest Wisedom, and the best Preservative from the like Calamities. Let the sincerity of this days Humiliation appear in its happy influence on the future conduct of your lives. Let it so refresh the memory of God's Judgments and your sins, as to make you walk humbly with him the whole year after. The good effects of a Fast depend not so much upon the solemnity as the seri­ousness of our Repentance: not so much upon the number of our Prayers or the noise of our cries, as on the lifting up of holy hands and clean hearts to God. In vain do we lift up our voice, Frustrà ete­nim vox ad Deum clamat cum scelerata vita recla­mat. Nic. de Clemang. Ep. 77. and cry mightily to the Lord for mercy, whilst our Sins cry out against us, and call louder to heaven for Vengeance. Without reformation we may proclaim, but cannot sanctify a Fast; the calling of a solemn assembly this day will be but an affront to God: Our Sacrifice will be num­bred among our abominations, and our Prayers will be turned into Sin.

If we desire to appease the wrath of God, which seems not to be yet turned away, we must sanctifie such a Fast as he hath chosen. Dan. IV. 27. We must break off our Sins by Righteousness, and our Iniquities by shewing Mercy on the poor; especially such as have been Suffe­rers by this and the like Calamities. We must loose [Page 34] the bands of wickedness, Isai. LVIII. 6, 7, 8, &c. and let the oppressed go free; we must deal our bread to the hungry, and bring the poor out-casts into our houses; when we see the naked, we must cover them, and not hide our selves from our own flesh. We must draw out our soul to the hungry, and sa­tisfie the afflicted. Then shall we CALL upon the LORD, and he will ANSWER; we shall CRY, and he will say, HERE I AM. Our few old waste places shall be built, and our imperfect foundations shall be raised up, and the Lord shall for ever be the RE­PAIRER OF OƲR BREACHES.