IT might have seemed more seasonable unto some, if a work of this nature had come forth unto view more immediately after the sound of Gods terrible voice, and execution, at ⟨image 3⟩least, of the last dreadful Judgment of the Fire; because if a Man strikes whilst the Iron is hot, it is likely to make the more deep impression, which when it grows cool, grows hard and unmalleable; and if the hammer of the Word had been used, when London was newly come forth of the Furnace, some might think they would have yielded the more easily unto it's strokes, and the better have received the fashion, which this Hammer would work them unto; and that, since the fresh and lively remembrance of the judgement is more worn off, it is to be feared, that they are more cooled and hardened, and therefore in likelihood, it will be more difficult to effect a due impression of the Judgements by the Word upon them: yet, besides that it was not in my thoughts to attempt this Work, until ⟨image 3⟩the greatest part of the Winter was spent: I may further add, that, though a discourse concerning the Plague, would have been most seasonable under the Judgment it self, when people who were generally taken off from their trading, had room and time for retirement and consideration, more than ever they had in their lives before; and therefore were more likely to lay to heart, what might be spoken or written unto them on that Subject: yet the reason is not the same in the Judgement of the Fire, which (however startling and astonishing) was so far from giving them retiring time for consideration, as the former Judgement of the Plague had done, that it did engage them unto more laborious works than ever they had, not only while London was burning, in removing ⟨image 4⟩what they could save of their goods from the Fire; but also since, in looking out new Habitations, and fitting their Houses and Shops for Trades; which hath given them occasion for so much distraction, that I fear they could hardly settle their minds to read and consider so seriously as they should, what the Lord hath been doing with them, & speaking unto them by this Terrible Voice, which hath sounded so loud in their ears:
IT might have seemed more seasonable unto some, if a work of this nature had come forth unto view more immediately after the sound of Gods terrible voice, and execution, at ⟨image 3⟩least, of the last dreadfull Iudgment of the Fire; because if a Man strikes whilst the Iron is hot, it is likely to make the more deep impression, which when it grows cool, growes hard and unmalleable; and if the hammer of the Word had been used, when London was newly come forth of the Furnace, some might think they would have yielded the more easily unto it's strokes, and the better have received the fashion, which this Hammer would work them unto; and that, since the fresh and lively remembrance of the judgement is more worn off, it is to be feared, that they are more cooled and hardned, and therefore in likelihood, it will be more difficult to effect a due impression of the Iudgements by the Word upon them: yet, besides that it was not in my thoughts to attempt this Work, until ⟨image 3⟩the greatest part of the Winter was spent: I may further adde, that, though a discourse concerning the Plague, would have been most seasonable under the Iudgment it self, when people who were generally taken off from their trading, had room and time for retirement and consideration, more than ever they had in their lives before; and therefore were more likely to lay to heart, what might be spoken or written unto them on that Subject: yet the reason is not the same in the Iudgement of the Fire, which (however startling and astonishing) was so far from giving them retiring time for consideration, as the former Iudgement of the Plague had done, that it did engage them unto more labourious works than ever they had, not only while London was burning, in removing ⟨image 4⟩what they could save of their goods from the Fire; but also since, in looking out new Habitations, and fitting their Houses and Shops for Trades; which hath given them occasion for so much distraction, that I fear they could hardly settle their mindes to read and consider so seriously as they should, what the Lord hath been doing with them, & speaking unto them by this Terrible Voice, which hath sounded so loud in their ears:
