A64990:104
God's terrible voice in the city
God's terrible voice in the city by T.V.
London? : s.n., Printed in the year 1667
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.
SECT. V.
The Plague so great, so lately, should not be forgotten; yet lest the fire more lately, and proportionably more great, and the amazing fears, which since have risen within us, should shuffle former thoughts out of our minds, and raze out the impressions, which by the Plague we had, and should labour to retain to our dying hour: therefore I shall give a brief narration of this sad judgment, and some observations of mine own (who was here in the City from the beginning to the end of it) both to keep alive in my self and others, the memory of the judgment, that we may be the better prepared for compliance with Gods design in sending the Plague amongst us.
THe Plague so great, so lately, should not be forgotten; yet lest the fire more lately, and propotionably more great, and the amazing fears, which since have risen within us, should shuffle former thoughts out of our minds, and rase out the impressions, which by the Plague we had, and should labour to retain to our dying hour: therefore I shall give a brief narration of this sad judgment, and some observations of mine own (who was here in the City from the beginning to the end of it) both to keep alive in my self and others, the memory of the judgment, that we may be the better prepared for compliance with Gods designe in sending the Plague amongst us.
It was in the year of our Lord 1665. that the Plague began in our City of London, after we were warned by the great Plague in Holland in the year 1664. & the beginning of it in some remote parts of our Land the same year; not to speak any thing whether there was any signification and influence in the Blazing-star not long before, that appeared in the view of London, and struck some amazement upon the spirits of many: It was in the month of May that the Plague was first taken notice of; our Bill of Mortality did let us know but of three which died of the disease in the whole year before; but in the beginning of May the bill tells us of nine, which fell by the Plague, just in the heart of the City, the other eight in the Suburbs. This was the first arrow of warning that was shot from Heaven amongst us, and fear quickly begins to creep upon peoples hearts; great thoughts and discourse there is in Town about the Plague, and they cast in their minds whether they should go if the Plague should increase. Yet when the next weeks Bill signifieth to them the disease from 9 to 3. their minds are something appeased; discourse of that subject cools; fears are hushed, and hopes take place, that the black cloud did but threaten, and give a few drops; but the wind would drive it away. But when in the next Bill the number of the dead by the Plague is mounted from 3 to 14, and in the next to 17, and in the next to 43, and the disease begins so much to increase, and disperse.