A29696:78
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.
God is a great and dreadful God. Dan. 9. 4. A mighty God and terrible. Deut. 7. 21. A great and terrible God. Nehem. 1. 5. He is so in himself, and he has been so in his fiery Dispensations towards us, that the world by such remarkable severities, may be kept in awe of him. Generally fear doth more in the 1world then love. As there is little sincerity, so there is but little ingenuity in the world; and that is the reason why many very rarely think of God, but when they are afraid of him. Many times Judgments work where Mercies do not win. That famous Thomas Waldo of Lions, the Father of the Waldenses, seeing among many met together to be merry, one suddenly fall down dead in the street; it struck so to his heart, that he went home a penitent: it wrought to a severe and pious reformation of his life, and he lived and dyed a precious man. Though Pharaoh was not a pin the better for all the heavy Judgments that God inflicted upon him; yet Jethro taking notice of those dreadful Plagues and Judgments that fell upon Pharaoh and upon his people, and likewise upon the Amalekites, was thereby converted and became a Proselyte; as Rabbi Solomon noteth upon that 19. of Prov. 25. The world is so untractable, that frowns will do more with them then smiles. That God may keep wicked men in awe and in subjection to him, he sees it very needful to bring common, and general, and over-spreading Judgments upon them. Rev. 15. 4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy Name? for thou only art holy; for all Nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy Judgments are made manifest▪ O, Sirs, when the Judgments of the Lord come to be made manifest, then it highly concerns all ranks ⟨p. 17⟩and sorts of men to fear the Lord, and to glorify his Name. How manifest, how visible has the raging Pestilence and the bloody Sword, and the devouring Flames of London been in the midst of us! and, O that our fear, and dread, and awe of God were as manifest and as visible as his Judgments have been and still are! for his hand to this very hour is stretched out against us,