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

Were there none within nor without thy Walls that with Marcus Antonius, Darius, Alexander the Great, &c. did boast, and glory, and pride themselves in their great abilities, to drink down any that should come into their Company? Were there none within nor without thy Walls, O London! that cried out, if you take away our liquor, you take away our lives? Austin brings in the Drunkard, saying, Mall see vitam quàm vinum eripi; He had rather lose his life then his wine. And Ambrose speaks of one Theotimus, who being told by his Physicians, that much quaffing would make him blind, answered then, Vale lumen amicum, farewell sweet light, farewell sweet eyes; if ye will not bear wine, ye are no eyes for me. Were there none within nor without thy Walls, O London! that did abuse the good Creatures of God so profusely, so prodigally, so prodigiously, as if they had been sent into the world for no other end, but thus to abuse themselves, reproach their Maker, and destroy those choice blessings which God had given for more noble ends, then to be spewed against the walls for these last six years: a drunken health (like the conclusion in a Syllogism) must not upon any terms be denied, especially in the company of such Grandees, whose age, whose place, whose office should have taught them better things; yea, the custom of high drinking hath been these last six years so great within and without thy Walls, O London! that 'tis no wonder, if the Lord for that alone has laid thy glory in the dust; yea, and that shameful ¹spewing is upon all thy glory, considering what shameful spewing have been in thy Streets, Taverns, Ha•ls, Alehouses, and other great Mens houses, where Temperance, Righteousness, Justice, and Holiness should have dwelt in glory▪ and triumph. Ah, London! how many within and without thy Walls have been drinking wine in bowls, when they should have been mourning over their sins, and grieving for the afflictions of Joseph, and sighing over those distressed Christians, whose drink was nothing but sorrow, and blood, and tears? These are the men that have kindled a burning upon all thy glory.

Were there none within nor without thy Walls that with Marcus Antonius, Darius, Alexander the Great, &c. did boast, and glory, and pride themselves in their great abilities, to drink down any that should come into their Company? Were there none within nor without thy Walls, O London! that cryed out, if you take away our liquor, you take away our lives? Austin brings in the Drunkard, saying, Malle se vitam quàm vinum eripi; He had rather lose his life then his wine. And Ambrose speaks of one Theotimus, who being told by his Physitians, that much quaffing would make him blind, answered then, Vale lumen amicum, farewel sweet light, farewel sweet eyes; if ye will not bear wine, ye are no eyes for me. Were there none within nor without thy Walls, O London! that did abuse the good Creatures of God so profusely, so prodigaly, so prodigiously, as if they had been sent into the world for no other end, but thus to abuse themselves, reproach their Maker, and destroy those choice blessings which God had given for more noble ends, then to be spewed against the walls for these last six years: a drunken health (like the conclusion in a Syllogism) must not upon any terms be denied, especially in the company of such Grandees, whose age, whose place, whose office should have taught them better things; yea, the custom of high drinking hath been these last six years so great within and without thy Walls, O London! that 'tis no wonder, if the Lord for that alone has laid thy glory in the dust; yea, and that shameful