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

First, Who can look upon the burning of London, as ushered §1in by such sad Prodigies, and dreadful fore-runners as it was, and not lament and mourn over its ruins? By what a bloody Sword, and by what a dreadful Plague, was this late Judgement of fire ushered in. First God sends his Red Horse ¹amongst us, viz. a cruel bloody War; and then he sends his Pale Horse amongst us, viz. a noisome sweeping Pestilence. O the garments that were rolled in blood! O th• scores of thousands, that were by the hand of the destroying Angel sent to their long-homes, to their eternal homes! Now in the rear of these Judgements, follows such a devouring fire, as hath not been known in any Ages past. Not long before Vespasian came against Jerusalem, there happened divers Prodigies: 1. There ²was a Comet in form of a Fiery Sword, which for a year together did hang over the City. 2. There was seen a Star on the Temple so bright, as if a man had so many drawn Swords in his hands. 3. At the same time that this Star appeared, which was the Solemn Passover, that whole night the Temple was light, and clear as mid-day, and continued so seven days together. 4. At the same time also, they brought a Heifer for a Sacrifice, which when she was knocked down, she calved a Lamb. 5. The inner Gate of the ⟨p. 41⟩Temple on the cast side, being of Massive Brass, that was never opened nor shut, but twenty men had enough to do about it, this Gate was seen at the first hour of the night, to open of its own accord, and they could not shut it, till a great number joined their strength together. 6. There was discerned on the Sanctum Sanctorum, a whole night long the face of a man very terrible. 7. A• the same time, before the Sun-set, there were seen in the Air, Iron Chariots, all over the Country, and an Army in battle array, passing along the clouds, and begirting the City. 8. Upon the Feast Day called Pentecost, at night the Priests going into the Inner Temple, to offer their wonted Sacrifice, at first they felt the place to move and tremble, and afterward they heard a man walking in the Temple, and saying with a great and wonderful terrible voice, Come let us go away out of this Temple, let us depart hence.