A29696:271
London's lamentation, or, A serious discourse concerning the late fiery dispensation that turned our…
London's lamentation, or, A serious discourse concerning the late fiery dispensation that turned our (once renowned) city into a ruinous heap also the several lessons that are incumbent upon those whose houses have escaped the consuming flames / by Thomas Brooks.
London: printed for John Hancock and Nathaniel Ponder, 1670
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Sixthly and lastly, These words of giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, implies their §6great settled security in those brutish practices. The Old world was not more secure when God swept them away 1with a Flood, then the Sodomites were secure when God 2rained fire and brimstone out of Heaven upon them. Mercury could not kill Argus till he had cast him into a sleep, and with an enchanted Rod closed his eyes: No more could the Devil have hurt these Sodomites, if he had not first lulled them asleep in the bed of security. Carnal security opens the door for all impiety to enter into the Soul. Pompey, when he had in vain assaulted a City, and could not take it by force, devised this Stratagem in way of agreement, he told them he would leave the Siege, and make Peace with them, upon condition that they would let in a few weak, sick, and wounded Soldiers among them to be cured. They let in the Soldiers, and when the City was secure, the Soldiers let in Pompeys Army. A carnal settled security will let in a whole Army of lusts into the Soul; and this was the Sodomites case. To sum up all, those expressions in Jude, vers. 7. ⟨p. 137⟩of giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, do imply or take in these six things last mentioned, which things will not stand with the truth of Grace or state of Grace; and therefore those sins that are specified by Jude cannot be charged with any clear, fair, or full evidence upon the people of God, who did truly fear him within or without the Walls of London. But should this Treatise fall into any of their hands, who have given themselves over to fornication, or to go after strange flesh, then I would say, that it very highly concerns all such persons to lay their hands upon their loins, and to say, we are the very men, the sinners, the monsters that have turned a rich and populous City into a ruinous heap. But,
Sixthly and lastly, These words of giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, implies their §6