London's lamentation, or, A serious discourse concerning the late fiery dispensation that turned our…

Fourthly, Many in London were fallen under spiritual decays, §4witherings, and languishings in their graces, in their comforts, in their communions, and in their spiritual strength. They are fallen from their first love. The flame of divine ¹love being blown out, God sends a flaming fire in the midst of them. Many Londoners were fallen into a spiritual Consumption, and to recover them out of it, God sent a fire amongst them. Many in London were withered in their very Profession: where was that visible forwardness, that zeal, that diligence in waiting upon the Lord in his Ordinances, that once was to be found amongst the Citizens of London? And many Citizens were withered in their Conversations and Converse one with another. There was not that graciousness, that holiness, that spiritualness, that heavenliness, that fruitfulness, that examplariness, that seriousness, and that profitableness sparkling and shining in their Conversations and Converse one with another, as once was to be found amongst them. And many were withered in their affections. Ah, what a flame of love, what a flame of joy, what a flame of desires, what a flame of delight, what a flame of zeal as to the best things, was once to be found amongst the Citizens of London! but how were those mighty flames of affection reduced to a few coals and cinders? and therefore no wonder, if God sent a flaming fire in the midst of them; and many were withered in their very Duties and Services, ⟨p. 62⟩how slight, how formal, how cold, how careless, how remiss, how neglective were many in their Families, in their Closets, and in their Church-communions, who heretofore were mighty in praying and wrestling with God, and mighty in lamenting and mourning over sin, and mighty in their groanings and longings after the Lord; and who of old would have taken the Kingdom of Heaven by violence? ²There were many in that great City that had lost their spiritual taste, they could not taste that sweetness in Promises, ³in Ordinances, in Sabbaths, and in the Communion of Saints, that once they had tasted and found. In spiritual things many Citizens could taste no more sweetness then in the white of an Egg.