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

1. First, That great afflictions, dreadful Judgments, are §1likened unto fire in the blessed Scriptures. Psal. 66. 12. We went through fire and water. Jer. 4. 4. Circumcise your selves to the Lord, and take away the fore-skins of your heart, ye men of Judah, and Inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn, that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. Jer. 21. 12. O house of David, thus saith the Lord, execute Judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn, that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. Lam. 2. 3, 4. He hath cut off in his anger all the horn of Israel, he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and burned against Jacob like a flaming fire which devoureth round about, he hath bent his bow like an enemy, he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that was pleasant to the eye in the Tabernacle of the Daughter of Zion, he poured out his fury like fire. Ezek. 15. 7. And I will set my face against them, they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them, and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them. Ezek. 22. 20, 21, 22. As they gather Silver and Brass, and Iron and Lead, and Tin into the midst of the furnace to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you: yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof: As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof, ⟨p. 7⟩and ye shall know that I the Lord have poured out my fury upon you. Thus you see that great afflictions, great Judgments are likened unto fire.