The Practice of Piety

Stratford upon Avon was twice on the same day-twelve-month (being the Lords day) almost consumed with fire: chiefly for profaning the Lords Sabbaths, and for contemning his Word in the mouth of his faithful Ministers.

Stratford vpon Auon was twice on the same day-twelue-moneth (being the Lords day) almost consumed with fire: chiefly for prophaning the Lords Sabbaths, and for contemning his Word in the mouth of his faithfull Ministers.

Tiverton in Devonshire (whose remembrance makes my heart bleed) was often times admonished by her ⟨p. 552⟩godly Preacher, that GOD would bring some heavy Judgement on the Town for their horrible profanation of the Lords day, occasioned▪ chiefly, by their Market on the day following. Not long after his death, on the third of Aprill. Anno Domini 1598. GOD, in less then half an hour, consumed with a sudden and fearful fire, the whole Town, except only the Church, the Court-house, and the Alms-houses, or a few poor peoples dwellings, where a man might have seen 400. dwelling houses all at once on fire, and above 50. persons consumed with the flame. (And now again, since the last Edition of this ⟨p. 553⟩Book,¹ on the fifth of August last, 1612.) 14. years since the former fire,) the whole Town was again fired, and consumed, except some 30. houses of poor people, with the school-house, and Alms-houses. They are blind, who see not in •his the Finger of GOD. God grant them grace, when it is next built, to change their Market-day, and to remove all occasions of profaning the Lords day. Let other towns remember the Tower of Silo, L•ke 13.4▪ and take warning by their neighbours chastisements, fear Gods threatenings, Jerem. 7.27. and believe Gods Prophets, if they will prosper, 1 Chron. 20.20.