God's terrible voice in the city

Had they foreseen the Plague, and how many of them should have fallen by it, surely it would have damped their mirth; had they foreseen the burning of the City of London; and that their houses should have fallen by the fire; surely their laughter would have been turned into heaviness. These judgements they could not foresee; but ⟨p. 178⟩future Judgment far more dreadful, they might have foreseen, which should have made an impression of sorrow upon them if possibly by repentance they might avoid and escape it. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness, Jam. 4. 9. Such mourning if for sin might be a means to prevent future miseries, and eternal woe and weeping; others they have reason to mourn for those miseries which will come upon them. Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl, for the miseries that shall come upon you, Jam. 5. 1. but for profane wicked persons to sing, and rejoice just upon the brink of the grave and hell, is very unreasonable and an aggravation of their other sins.

Had they foreseen the Plague, and how many of them should have fallen by it, surely it would have damped their mirth; had they foreseen the burning of the City of London; and that their houses should have fallen by the fire; surely their laughter would have been turned into heaviness. These judgements they could not foresee; but ⟨p. 178⟩future Judgment far more dreadful, they might have foreseen, which should have made an impression of sorrow upon them if possibly by repentance they might avoid and escape it. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness, Jam. 4. 9. Such mourning if for sin might be a means to prevent future miseries, and eternal woe and weeping; others they have reason to mourn for those miseries which will come upon them. Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl, for the miseries that shall come upon you, Jam. 5. 1. but for prophane wicked persons to sing, and rejoyce just upon the brink of the grave and hell, is very unreasonable and an aggravation of their other sins.