The practice of piety directing a Christian how to walk, that he may please…

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

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

Tiverton in Devonshire, (whose remembrance makes my heart bleed) was oftentimes admonished by her godly Preacher, that God would bring some heavy Judgment on the Town, for their horrible ^†profanation of the Lord's-day, occasioned chiefly by their Market on the day following. Not long after his death, on the third of April, Anno Dom. 1598, God (in less than 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 fifty Persons consumed with the flame. And now again, since the former Edition of this Book, on the fifth of August last, 1612, (fourteen years since the former fire) the whole Tow• was again fired, and consumed, except ⟨p. 255⟩some thirty houses of poor people, with the School-house, and Alms-houses: they are blind, who see not in this 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 Lord's-day. Let other Towns remember the Tower of Silo, Luke 13. 4. and take warning by their neighbours chastisements, fear God's threatening, Jer. •7. 27. and believe God's Prophets, if they will prosper, 1 Chron. 20. 20.