A SHORT NARRATIVE Of the late DREADFUL FIRE IN LONDON: TOGETHER With certain Considerations Remarkable therein, and deducible therefrom; Not unseasonable for the Perusal of this Age.  
Written by way of LETTER to a Person of Honour and Virtue.  
LONDON, Printed by W. G. for Rich. Thrale at the Crosse-Keysand Dolphin in Aldersgate-street over against the Half-Moon Tavern, and james Thrale under St. Martin's Outwich Church in Bishops-gate-street. 1667.   

To His Noble Friend And Kinsman, Sr. EDWARD TURNOR, KNIGHT; Speaker of the Honourable House of COMMONS in this Present PARLIAMENT.  
SIR,  
BEcause I know you were at a distance when that furious, never to be forgotten, and never enough to be lamented Fire, begun the 2. of Septemb. desolated our Native City, the glory of England and of Europe, London; In which, I, your Compatriot, formerly happy in it, am now a great sufferer with it; I think it a just service to the public, and no unacceptable present to you, to endeavour such an account of the commencement, progress and conclusion of it, as both mine own view, and the faithful report of others assists me to; that as God may have the glory of his just judgement on a populous and rich City dispersed and impoverished, so men may see the dreadful effects of providence, untutelar to their acquisitions, and call off their hearts and confidences, from these sublunaries, to God, who only can bring them to us, and preserve them with us, and by whom only they can be transformed into comforts, (which as elementary and vicissitudinarious, they can in no true sense be. For the fashion of this world passeth away,) and the glory of it being but as a Flower of the Field; to set the heart upon that which has wings and flies away, will we, nill we, is to be as accessary to our own deception, as weakness and wilfulness can make us, or misery and judgement can continue us to be.  
And because (Sir) it is bruited abroad by some that this fatal accident had a more than ordinary express of fury, that is, that London was fired from Heaven, as was Sodom and Gomorrah of old, though say they, God restrained the Fire from such dismal effects as then were permitted it: And others refer it to the spite and furtherance of malcontent Villains, and mischievous Foreigners, greedy thus to revenge themselves of us, for our stout demeanours towards them, and our great successes against them, which they judge no otherwise ballanceable than by this spoil and non-such disappointment, equal, if not paramount, to any other diversion: because (Sir) I say men are so variously acted in this Euroclydon of Providence, which has been so stupifying to every man's senses, that either was a compassionate spectator, or a concerned sufferer in the spoil and loss of that once famous place, which Tacitus so long ago terms, Nobilissimum emporium & commeatu negotiatorum maxime celebre; I have adventured to write my thoughts of the rise, nature, and circumstances of the Fire, and to beg your patience and pardon both to them and me.  
And here (Sir) I must confess though I adore the greatness of God, and deplore the grievousness of the sin of London, for which God may justly bring upon it, not only what he has, but greater and more eradicating judgements, such as he expresses, when he begins he will make an end by, and the fire of his wrath shall burn, and none shall quench it. Though whatsoever of this that might have been more, is the deserved severity of God to its many and monstrous sins, yet do I not believe that this Fire was like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, for that was fire from the Lord out of Heaven, Gen. 19 24. Fire not only of wasting things combustible, but Fire of exinanition to to the earth and soil, incapacitating it to produce necessaries for the life of man and beast, converting the substance of the place into Brimstone and Salt and Burning, as the Lord paraphraseth on Sodom's judgement, Deut. 29. 33. so that it became desert, never to be dwelled in again. Isaiah 13. 19 for such fire, like the waters on the old world, God may be only thought once to exemplify his power by, and to fix the fear and awe of him in the minds of men, insolent against him, whose greatness it can reach, whose obduration it can penetrate, whose fixation in the world it can dissettle; God who has said his spirit shall not always strive with man, forasmuch as he is but dust, lest the spirit that he hath created should fail before him, makes all judgement his strange work, and therefore such stupendious ones as this, he may be thought to account much more his strange work: once indeed he has appeared in flaming Fire and devouring Brimstone to Sodom and the City of the rich and fertile plain, who were sinners before the Lord, that is, who because they were rich were riotous, and because they had abundance from the soil which was rank and lusty, gave themselves up to luxury and pride; (For the sins of Sodom were idleness and fullness of bread.) Once more he will send his Son in flaming Fire to dissolve the world and render vengeance to his enemies; but his intercurrent judgements of Fire between this first & that last precedent of unparallelledness, are alloyed by mixtures of mercy in them. And I persuade myself of this nature was the late judgement by Fire upon London, a City not like Sodom without Priest and without Magistrate, whose vices and insolences bore down both ordinances of Church and State. London's fullness of bread and idleness were no public and owned effronteries, no such wickedness as Sodom had was settled by a law, or practised against law in her, no rioters against Angels were her inhabitants as the Sodomites were, no murmurers were they against God's sovereignty as the Sodomites were, ver. 13. Therefore God in the midst of judgement remembered mercy to London; God overthrew not only Sodom and Gomorrah, but all the Cities of the plain, giving Zoar only for a Sanctuary to one Lot; but God has not destroyed the Suburbs of London or the neighbouring City to it, but reserved them for a shelter to her many thousand inhabitants; God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah in a moment, Lament. 4. 6. by a special and not to be disputed finger of God, no mortal instrument co-operating, no culinary fire being so speedy in its consumptions, but God exercised his judgements on London gradually that the spectators might by the sight of their punishment, bewail the ingratitude of their sin deserving it; God overthrew all the Inhabitants of Sodom, and that which grew upon the ground of it, but God has preserved the Inhabitants of London and much of their riches to be a seed of succession and a door of hope to its future restauration. God petrified Lot's wives body as a standing monument of his wrath upon her, but for looking back upon Sodom whence she was delivered, with commiseration of it and wish of better fortune to it, but God has delivered the inhabitants of London to look to London with pity and to praise him for their deliverance, and they wish its re-edifying, I hope, without sin, and will set on to build it, I hope, without interruption. Lastly, Sodoms judgement is termed Eternal fire, 
7v. Judas  as if God had made those monstrous sinners, who turned the glory of God into shame, to have a Hell both here and hereafter, unusual sinners punished with unusual judgements; But London's doom, I hope, is not such, for God has given its inhabitants the spirit of grace and of supplication, and though they have ashes for beauty, and the spirit of heaviness for the garment of salvation, yet are they submissive to God, and accepters of his correction, and abiders by it till he release them from it. And hence it is (Sir) that I conclude since London was that City when it was fired that had a people and thousands of them that feared God sincerely; if in any part of the world God had a chosen generation, and a people nigh unto him, the judgement of fire sent upon it was not miraculous and extraordinary as those fires we read consumed the Sacrifice on the Altar, 9, 10. of Levit. 
Lib. 3. c. 9 josephus' lib. 8. Antiq. judic. c. 7. l. 8. c. 2.  or that which consumed the Flesh upon the Altar upon Elias his Prayer, or that which destroyed the Soldiers, sent to apprehend Elias, or that which consumed Solomon's Sacrifice, 1 Chron. chap. 8. all which with other the like Fires in Scripture was by Lightning, fire darted from Heaven upon them, and prevalent beyond all natural operation and activity separated from the addition of God's penal power in it, no such Fire I humbly conceive was this, but that Fire which the providence of God suffered to fall out by the mediation of concurring circumstances specifique to that Issue and productive of the consequences of it.  
Yet Secondly I humbly also conceive this Fire of desolation, not to be barely natural, but to be signal of something supernatural, for Gods not exerting his power to hinder it, is the tacit commissioning of nature to express its utmost of active evil, that is, of penal truculency, which only is mitigated and assuaged by God, who says to the Sea, hitherto shalt thou go, and to the Plague, Sword, Famine, Fire, beyond this bound ye shall not pass. Which considered, there may several particulars be mentioned which might subserve to this ruin;  
As first the general and malicious conjunctions of enemies ab●o●d who knowing London the Governments Epitome, the Copy from the life of this Empire's Majesty, the second Throne of Rega● Glory, the readiest and most certain supply of all necessaries for Offence or Defence, the great Sanctury of Protestantisme, the almost all of Great Britain, this so combined in London to her Sovereign's lustre, the Nations supply, and her opposites disappointment, might rationally originate evil thoughts against her, and thence evil practices upon her, and as the chief and most fatal to her this of Fire; which as it hasteneth the spoil, so both terrifieth the inhabitants, and gives rise through the suddenness of its confusion to any discontented numbers in her, whose designs being tenebrious, and their Partisans lewd and desperate, can have no sitter an opportunity to act a Sicilian Vespers, or a Parisian Massacre in, then in that mist and fog of danger and inconsideration, wherein every ones particular concern becomes a neglect of the public, and the Nerves, Sinews, and Arteries of Governments contexture become shriveled ●p, and by reason of their violent Convulsions, incorrespondent to their general designment; This wa● one of those evils that might have made, and probably was designed to make the time of the Fire more fatal than God in goodness suffered it to prove; for since contemptor propriae vitae Magister tuae is a true rule, and it is riveted in the corrupt nature of man to revenge injuries by destruction of the Soul, body, substance and being of enemies, and men's ambitions are most keen in exploits for their Countries, to cause good to which, a Great spirit would not only beg off a believed curse, as that Venetian Senator did the Pope's interdiction of Venice, with a Rope about his neck, lying like a dog at the Pope's feet, and not being to be drawn thence till he obtained it, but with Codrus die to obtain his Countreps liberty, I say considering that policy tempts power to scruple little, that is, its advantage, and that where ever there is money to give, there will be service to exchange for it, be the fact as horrid and sanguinary as that of Faux or any like it; and considering that no mischief done us can amount to any thing like this to London, it is not improbable but that this Fire might be first kindled in the revenge, and then lighted further by the hands of miscreants hired thereunto; 
Quoniam benefaciendo non potuit innotescere, male agendo innotesceret.  for did not Herostratus a base Fellow, 
josephus' Antiq. lib. ●8. c. 1. lib. 7. de Bello jud. c. 10.  purely to have a name for villainy, set on fire the famous Temple of Ephesus, the world's wonder? etc. Did not judas the Gaulomite, and Sadoc the Pharisee, with his lewd comrades, set on fire the Temple of jerusalem? And a single Soldier of Vespasian's bourn a second time the Temple at jerusalem contrary to Vespasian's mind, and though he came with Soldiers to quench it, yet the Soldiers continued it burning that they might come at the Gold which they believed it full of; and if this hath been the course of other things, why should we not consider that what has been may be, and what is to London so dreadful, may as probably be the effect of such malignant counsels as ever ruled heretofore to prodigies, if not parallel to, yet second to this; I see no cause not to suspect it now, when this which is probable enough to be the wisdom of the children of this world, shall be confirmed by confessions of parties, agents, by depositions of confederacies, threats, preparations and agitations by persons banished the land, or capital offenders for being in the land, when notwithstanding the Laws penal in force against them, 
27. Eliz. 2.  they shall abide and be in the very face of power, 
35. Eli. 2.  and glory in the confusions that by Parties and Fire they have made, 
1. lac. 4.  There is just cause to fear there be many Michalls amongst us. 
3. Car. 2.  And let us (in Blessed King James his words) rejoice and praise God for the discovery of them, 
Par. 88 of his works in Folio.  assuring ourselves they were never of us, accounting all them to be against us, that either rejoice at the prosperity of our enemies, or rejoice not with us at our miraculous deliverance, and let us also diligently and warily try out those crafty Michalls, for it is in that respect that Christ recommends unto us the wisdom of Serpents, not thereby to deceive and betray others, no, God forbid, but to arm us against the deceit and treason of Hypocrites that go about to trap us▪ Thus that Solomon of his time wrote, adding his weighty reason, That these Meditations of mine may after my death remain to the posterity, as a certain testimony of my upright and honest meaning in this so weighty a cause; 
Pag. 81.  from which I collect this positively, that not to be prudently zealous, and politicly severe to men of bloody and active principles, who are by the Breves of their holy Father commanded not to take The Oath of Allegiance, 
Paul the 5 in his Brief to the English Catholics. cited p. 254. of K. james  because this Oath cannot be taken with safety of the Catholic Faith, and of their souls health, since it containeth many things that are plainly and directly contrary to their Faith and and Salvation; and who embrace this as Divine Canon, which I do not believe all Romanists do, whom Secretary Wallsington styled Papists of softness and conscience, though the Jesuited sort, Papists of Faction undoubtedly do; I say, not to take notice of these dangers is much a blemish to the integrity of Reformed Religion in the hearts of those that are guilty of it, which to clear themselves from, as of old there has been prudent regard to those Engineers of disturbance, who to relieve their Religion from Captivity as they pretend, have in the days of Queen Elizabeth and King james, Princes of Eternal memory, raised invasions and conspiracies, and of latter days have carried them on, hanging forth Pirates colours to suppress true men till they displayed a Papal interest under the Vizard of a popular Reformation; 
See Faux and Winter's examinat on at the Powder P●ot. p. 231, 233, 234.  which though it were by wise men perceived, yet was permitted by God to punish our too much favour to them, 
Apolog. for the O●th of Allegi. p. 252, 264. 270  who do not only maintain Parricides and Rebellions; 
Speed in H. 8. p. 790.  some of which the Reign of Hen. 
And the Pope instigated the Princes and Subjects oh Eng. against H. 8. Speed p. 783.  8. shows, who was a Prince of their own persuasions, though he opposed the Pope's power over him, for which many of his Popish Subjects opposed him, (though they paid dear for it,) as still many such would do if they had power; and if the maxims of their State Fathers the Jesuits had, that power with them that heretofore they had; for though it must be acknowledged, many of the English Romanists are and may be good Subjects, because they have and will I hope take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy without Papal dispensation 
Stat. 28. H. 8. c. 10.  or mental reservation, which declares their fidelity to the Crown and Government; yet are there many that are so far from so doing (because they are taught that salvis principiis they cannot do it) that they will rather hazard any thing than do it; and I am contented they that will not do it, should rather hazard their any thing, than the Kings and our All. As I say these preliminations ushered in Laws of purgation, prevention and punishment heretofore to be made, so do they upon presumptions of equivalent prudence prompting thereunto, solicit and warrant the revival of those laws vigours, Now in this nick of time wherein the Gangreen of enmity against England's glory, and its Empire's prosperity, is so combined against; And I bless God and the Great King and Parliament of England now sitting, 
In His Majesty's Pr●c am●tion of the 10. of Nou. 1666. upon the desires of His two Houses of Parliament. c. 25. de monarchia hispanica.  for their vigilance and zeal in this provision lately concluded against the evil instruments, and evil effects of such disloyalty as the jesuited Engineers have raised against us, not only that of Wars, (which their Campanella has long since counselled to and is now brought about,) but also all other ways of subjecting this Crown and Subjects to their Catholic Tyranny, which (not only that Anonymus author Revelatio consillii Tridertini set forth in French, and then suppressed, though since about 1620. printed in Latin, has made good by irrefragable instances, which I here would have set down verbatim, had not my copy with other things of mine been burned in Zion College,) but many other Authors have given us severalties, which summed up together, makes out such secret Policies & bloody Practices, tending to the like funest issues: Witness the boast of the Duke of Alva a little before his death, that he had caused near 18000. persons to be under the Executioner for several sorts of punishment for Religion sake: Witness that speech of Philip the Second of Spain, 
Thuanus l. 85. 98.  that he had rather lose all his Provinces than seem to grant or favour any thing which might be prejudicial to the Catholic Religion; so in the pacification of Colen, Anno 1580. the Spanish Ministers of State declared openly that the Protestants would be well served if they were stripped of all their goods and forced to go seek new Countries like jews and Egyptians, who wander up and down like Rogues and Vagabonds: Witness that boast of Cardinal Granuellanus, who was wont to say, that he would reduce the Catholic 
Gaspar. Grevinus in Institut. p. 192. B●llaeus de acts Pont.  Religion in all places, though 100000. men were to be burned in an hour; and reported it is, that in less than 30. years the Spanish Inquisition did consume by various torments and sundry kinds of death 150000. yea, so hateful is any thing of Reformed Religion to them, 
Campanella c. 16. de monarc. Hisp.  that not only doth a man of note of their Church blame Charles the fifth Emperor for keeping his word with Luther, which he says he kept vanum clementiae famam aucupans, affecting the vain fame of clemency, and that which reason of State ought to have excused him from; but if, says he, he did well in such a punctilio, yet post in domuitione illum eundem opprimere debuisset atque principes Protestants 
De comitiis ●ormacientibus & Augustionis, c. 27.  jam suppressos prorsus extinguere; That is, when he was upon his return home he ought to have surprised him, and utterly extinguished all the Protestant Princes he had power over: And, if I am not misinformed, it was disputed amongst the Inquisitors, whether the bones of Charles the fifth were not to be digged up and burned, because before his death he seemed to be inclined to the opinion, That man is only saved through faith in Christ Yea, that Learned and Good Son, of a Matchless Father, Dr. Du Mouliu, 
Answer to Philanax Ang. p. 58, 59  evidences the kindness and charity of Jesuited Romanists to consist in no better fruits of piety to us, than to censure the Protestant Reformers (Sovereign Princes and their Loyal Subjects) and the Reformation itself (though done by their authority) guilty of Rebellion and High Treason, calling it the new Gospel, justifies Mariana and the Jesuits against those that object to them their Doctrine of King killing, cries down Protestants as persons not to be trusted with the Government of the State, or suffered to live in any Commonwealth; bestows upon them the most odious terms that he could devise, Traitors, Diabolical, Cockatrices, Infernal Spirits, and such wild terms. And yet while that Author reviles the Religion that our Gracious King, his Loyal Parliament and Subjects are of, and inveighs against them as unworthy the trust of Government, he has the impudence to style himself Philanax Anglicus. And King james of blessed memory has long ago charged it as an abuse of his Lenity, that though he had honoured many Papists with Knighthood, that they were known and open Recusants, though he did indisserently give audience and access to both sides bestowing equally all Favours and Honours on both professions, all Ranks and Degrees of Papists, had free and continual access in his Court and Company, that he frankly and freely did free Recusants of their ordinary payments, and gave out of his own mouth straight order to spare the execution of all Priests, notwithstanding their conviction, joining thereunto a gracious Proclamation whereby all Priests that were at liberty and not taken, might go out of the Country by such a day: This general pardon having been extended to all convicted Priests in Prison, whereupon they were set at liberty as good Subjects, and all Priests that were taken after, sent over and set at liberty there; notwithstanding all his Royal clemency, beyond which so zealous a Protestant Prince as he was, could not warrantably go; the good King's charge on the Papists was such, that not only the Papists themselves, grew to that height of pride, in confidence of my mildness, that they did directly expect, and assuredly promise to themselves Liberty of Conscience and Equality with other of my Subjects in all things; but even a number of the best and faithfullest of my said Subjects were cast in great fear and amazement of my course and proceedings, ever prognosticating, 
Pag 253. In the Apology for the Oath of Allegian.  and justly suspecting that sour fruits to come of it, which showed itself clearly in the Powder Treason: Thus the King.  
If I say the confidence and enmity of the Jesuited confederacy be such, when the power of the Nation is (blessed be God) not theirs, nor the hundredth man in the Nation theirs, and when they have all the favour Subjects that are sober and conformable to Law can have or be happy with; what would the courtesy of England be less than Banishment, Fire, Faggot and Slaughter, if they were in power and had their will, and if their devices were not by the boast, braving, and appearing of their activity, taken notice of, and the Nation thereby remembered, that danger is designed by those homines novae fectae & malefica superstitionis qui republicam turbabant, as the words of the arrest of the French Parliament for expulsion of the Jesuits are? with which the Statute of 
* Et per Iesu●tas Fact●oois Hispaniae emissar o● vulgi animos solicitasse atque hoc rebellionum lacendium in Gallia quae side erga ●gitimos Principes ante illa tempora precipua suit, etc. Thuanus l. 101. To 5.  27. Eliz. c. 2. consents, when it declares them to be sent, as hath appeared by sundry of their own confessions and examinations, as by divers other manifest means and proofs, not only to withdraw her Majesty's Subjects from their due obedience to Her Majesty, but also to stir up and move Sedition, Rebellion and Hostility!  
All which suggestions (Sir) laid together amount to this, that probable it may be, that the Fire in London might be the effect of desperate designs and complotments from abroad, shrouded under and seconded by some malcontents at home, because it seems to me of such consequences to Foreign purposes, not only by becoming an opportunity for commotion, and the dreadful consequences of it (had not God in mercy restrained them) but also by retarding the supplies of men, money, and all other necessaries for peace and war, which thence are best readiest, and in fuller proportion served than from the greatest part of the Nation besides, and if suppliable elsewhere, yet with more charge, more difficulty, less constantly, less plenarily.  
Which has ever kept up the honour and influence of London; for had it not been for the River of Thames, and the portability of that which it brings up to the Keys of London, which drew and kept together. Trade, and thereby plenty of men and money, London would not have been so deservedly accounted the Chamber of her Kings, the Seat of their Government, the Mart of the Nations Trade, the Magazine of the Nations wealth, for enemies and enviers she has ever had more than many, and those of the great men, some of whom have had the face to court their Daughters, and with their portions to redeem their Lands mortgaged, 
See my defence of Arms and Armoury printed Anno 1660.  and to inherit more by them, yet forgot the gratitude they owe and aught to pay to their Fathers, made what they are in London; yea, London has ever had more rough and opprobrious scorns cast upon her by the issues of Citizens, grown men of Country Fortunes got in London, then by any more noble Country Gentleman: Which considered, if London were not such a useful part of England, as the heart is in the body, it would not have been of such import as it was; but such it being, it must by a parity of reason become the mark of this Kingdoms enemies malice for so being, and thence must follow unavoidably, that all designs of ruin and diminution are form and executed against her, for her so being.  
Thus (Sir) it may be probable the instigation to it was from abroad: Nor Secondly, can it be denied but that it may be furthered from a party at home, who being mixed, partly constituted of men differing in main points of Religion and of dangerous principles in Civil Policy, and of men loose in Life and indigent of Fortune, may both rejoice in, and be helpers forward of the doom of London, which while Loyal and under due Obedience to lawful Government they look upon as the only check to their exorbitancy, and the only probable balance to their mutinous preponderations? for though I well know they do not all agree in first principles, yet may they conjoin in the design of rendering their opposites, (as they account all men who are for legal settlements, & subject-like demeanour) less potent, and their enmity less formidable, which makes the case of London more deplorable▪ in that it had not only a contest with the Fire to quench it, but also with the virulent vulgar, and the debauched libertines nessed in her, whose necessities and vices as they pinch them, so will they provoke them to any destructive course in supplement to them. For London, as all other promisovous aggregations of men, having vast Suburbs, and (those inhabited by multitudes of men, and those under a loose Shire Government, and many of those single Persons, Gamesters, and others of shuffling life, or married persons, full of charge and poverty,) undergoes a great danger from those insolent and needy numbers, who if not restrained by strong Watches, and Trained bands ready upon all summons, and hindered rise or conjunction by vigilant Officers, and Popular readiness to seize upon Insurrectors, would undoubtedly upon any general and amazing contingent, become vexatious and bloody, which being the apprehension of Government has caused it in all times of fear to survey the Outparts, and take account of all Inmates, requiring the Inhabitants to be responsible for them, and upon survey of their number about 1647. I remember the number of them who lived in the Outparts and were independent on Government, as to their charge to or in it, was said to be many thousands. And how dangerous these added to the other poor members of Parishes and Masters of Sheds and Houses are, is easy to be judged and has been found by sad experience in the Fire, the loss of which was much in the Goods imbezzelled, and the Thefts committed by them upon pretence of helping forth goods and hindering the approaching Fire, as well as in the actual consuming by the Fire, (the houses only excepted,) and probably those in a good part had been saved, had they restrained their hands from theft, and employed them to master the Fire, by handing water, pulling down houses, ridding away materials mingled with the Fire, and observing the commands of provident and knowing leaders in that (so employed) saving service. But their design being not what wontedly (though stealing has been ever in fashion in those cases) so much to stay the Fire and aid the sufferers and their neighbours, yea, and the whole City which ought to be concerned in the misery of any part of it, as to prog for themselves, and to pilfer from them whom the Fire sufficiently threatened, and at last preyed upon; the Fire had no impediment from their labour, nor the removers any benefit by their fidelity, but they either valued their labour so high that no losers purse could well reach to it, (by reason of which some ordinary Housekeepers were put to 40. pound charge but to remove from the Fire, and some few of the more stored sort as I have been informed at near 400. pound,) or accepted engagement, that under pretence of it they might colour and act their designed falsehood; for though many there were that gave and could give great rates for honest Carts and Labourers, yet others there were that could not reach it, moneys being not so flush with them, nor they so stored with it on Saturday nights, men then paying out all on Saturdays their pay day; and those who had thus drained themselves were certainly put to great straits, being either forced to give one part to carry away the rest, or to leave all to the fire; the mercies of which was cruelty to all that it came near; the flight from which gave opportunity to miscarriage of thousands of pounds worth of goods, and to many thefts of goods lodged in open places, Fields and others for present riddance out of danger and hoped for security from it, which as it frowardly proved, became a removal out of the danger of Fire, into the Den of Thiefs; so that indeed in some sense, the City, that rich and glorious seat of Merchants and other Tradesmen, who were as those of Tyre are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Honourable of the Earth, Members of the Crowning City, which employed the Nations younger Brothers and Sisters, and restored them in their posterities, of elder Brothers Fortunes and Honours. The City, that I think I may say was one of the wonders of the world, if Pope Innocent the fourth were a competent judge, who desired not with Moses to see God's glory, but to see with Satan the World and the glory of it, summed together in the riches of London, and the rarities at Westminster; this riches in some degree, and the subsistence of the inhabitants thereof, was as well devoured by the Suburban thiefs, and by the Country's extortion for their Carts and conveniencies, as by the Fire; all which had their respective share in laying load upon London's broken back, and upon the general distraction of, and in it.  
Which I note, not to lay an Imputation upon all assistants, either as Labourers or as Carts; for some, and many I hope, and know by relation, to have been very honest and reasonable, but into those honest and happy hands God knows many of my goods fallen not, nor the goods of thousands more, but into the hands of those Harpies that devoured all they took, and cried Give give, never to return again; whereupon the argument must stand good, that the riches of London being only the posessors during the vigour of Laws and the ability of the Magistrate to circumspect every part of his charge, all disability of thine so to do, and so this distraction of the Fire must demolish the wall of separation, and draw a line of level to whatever industry and villainy during that rage will pray upon. For as Inter arma silent leges, so inter flammas cessat proprietas, and in such case Occupancy is judged by men unconscionable the best title, and the after Proclamations may endeavour, return and threaten detension of goods so unjustly gotten, and some out of honesty, and oaths out of fear may return some parts, and others out of envy to those that have more than they may disclose things that by these means may come to the owner's hands; yet notwithstanding all these, there will not be thetenth of the goods restored that were carried away purely in theft; so great and effectual a temptation is opportunity, to need where it is not restrained by conscience, nay in this harrass of Fire, and that so generally absorptive of the City, than there is somewhat towards authorising a scruple of conscience, and absolving persons from the guilt of theft; In that what they took being in a kind of Landwreck, wherein no body owned goods, and they deserted and left to the Fire, must have been consumed; better they were taken away by any to whom they would do good, then consumed by the Fire which does nothing but hurt. And if they will now part with their dubious titles upon reasonable terms, they that took away goods in a sort wrongfully, will prove themselves preservers not raptors, which I in a great measure distrusting, do conclude that though the Fire in London might not come, yet it might be negatively continued from those needy numbers who fish in troubled waters, being like the vultures in publico malo falcies, carrying more from two or three days such disorder, than they will by labour or patrimony get or save to themselves all their lives. There is a story in josephus of the Fire in Antioch which consumed the four square Marketplace, the public place where all Writings and Registers were kept, as also the King's Houses; which Fire so increased that it threatened firing the whole City; Antiochus accused the Jews to be the incendiaries, and all the Jews were like to be slain upon the suspicion and bruit of it; 
Book 7. c. 25. de bello judic.  but Collega appeasing the people, and further enquiring into the matter, found the Jews wholly innocent, but certain inpious people had done this being imdebted, thinking that when they had burned the Market places, and the public writings, that then their debts could not be required at their hands. And though if men thought seriously upon the judgements of God on such evil works and ways, such gains would prove but like the hire of a 
Mic 1. 7. Jos. 7. 21, ●4.  Harlot, or like the wedge of Achan, or the Babylonish garment, a curse to them and theirs, yet possession being nine points of ten of the Law to them, the advantage they in present (for further they look not) have by it, carries them out to withdraw assistance from hindering its progress, which by their manual labour they might probably have done; so that though what has been written is intended to satisfy so full as it can, You (Sir) and all that read this, from concluding this to be from a supernatural cause, that is from Fire darted upon it from Heaven; yet does it not, nor can it in the least drive at making it a bare accident and a nude casualty, but a just and severe judgement of God upon the place and nation, auxiliated and perfected by concurrence of circumstances, benign to, and corresponding with a vastative event; nor is any evil of punishments on Cities, or Men, or Nations, but from God concurring with it, and exciting and carrying forth instruments to the accomplishing of it, 
a Ex. 13. 3  The deliverance from the captivity of Egypt, The raising of the Syrians against Israel, The defection 
b Ezek. 9 23. 1 Km. 11. 12, 13.  of the ten Tribes from Rehoboam, The 
c Jer. 29. 4. Jer. 27. 9 Jer. 32. 3.  captivity into Babylon, The desolation 
d Mi. 3. 12. Zec 1. 12. Luke 21. 20.  of jerusalem by Vespasian, The afflictions of 
e 2. Sam. 13. 14, 15.  David from his children's lust and insolency, the 
Sanguis martyrum semen Ecclesiae.  misery 
f Job 1. 12.  of job from Satan's inroad upon him and his, The storm 
g 1, & 2. c. Jonah.  upon jonah for his disobedience, The temptation of 
h Mat. 26. & 14 Mat.  Peter for his selfconfidence, The thorn 
i 2 Cor. 12. 7.  in the flesh for Saint Paul's elevation; The persecution of the Primitive Martyrs, which were the Church's Spawn, The Translations of Empires, The advance and reducements of families, The Marches and Counter-marches of men and things out of one posture into another, all these are circumacted by God employing instruments of his in the managery of them. Thus though by good and evil spirits God leads about the world and all in it, bringing them into the mould and method of his own good pleasure both of wisdom and power; yet are these instruments so purely passive compared to God, that they are drowned in his omnipotence, whose vassals and visible puppets of agency they only are, nor are men to respect them but as bubbles raised up and flatted, as God the Masterbuilder of them, informs or deserts them.  
Which rectified notion proves a just medium of expediency to those equally boisterous extremes of seduced man, who on the one side will have this judgement miraculous and Fire from Heaven without any natural assistance, God's finger heavier than all the loins of nature; or on the other side ascribe it so to second causes, that they will allow no more judgement of God in it, than that which accompanies common casualty; whereas indeed in this case of London there are so many concurrencies which have their attending cheques; which possible are to be, but actually, were not improved in remedy that the prevalence of the Fire against, and in despite of those wont prudences, and usual resistances, and the Latitude of effects, seconding such a neglect of impeding means, where so well understood, and so dexterously at other times practised; this I say duly and impartially considered must evince some more than ordinary concurrence of God to arm and enable those arising pimples to such a general distemper and mortification. And I pray God that this judgement that has thus begun at the House of God (For such I dare account London) let profane and superstitious defamers of it say what they please (God had more marked ones for Mourners 
Ps 37. 37.  over and livers against the abominations done in the Land, in London, 
E●e. 9 4.  than I believe in a great part of the Nation beside) may stay there, and not proceed to those that are yet preserved who are no more righteous than their ruined neighbours; Which the Lord of mercy grant for his Son's sake.  
Having thus (Sir) made way to the more Historical part of this Narrative, which falls in properly with the circumstances of co-operation with the Fire, whereby it unhappily as to man, though happily as to God propagating his power by it) prevailed against the City, I come to the particularization of such instances as were by wise men observed Fautive of its progress and conclusion.  
And the first circumstance notable in it is that of the time when it began, which was ominous as it was about 3. of the clock on a Sunday morning, a time when most persons, especially the poorer sort, were but newly in bed, and in their first dead sleep; for Saturday being the conclusion of the weeks labour, and the day of receipts and payments, the markets last not then only all the day, but some part of the night, especially in Butcheries, and too often in Alehouses, the Poors pockets then stored with money overflowing mostly that way: And thence might the Fire get a more than ordinary rooting, from the leisure of its burning before it met with checque or suppression; Yea, and when it was discovered, the usual custom being to lie longest in bed on Sunday might make men more indulge their ease, and remit their early stirring and wont vigour, than otherwise they would and besides this, amazements in the night are most terrifying to men even of courage, whom the dangers of the day are not at all discomforting to, because known and distinguished to be what they are by them; whereupon in that it pleased God to permit it then to break forth, it was not without intimation of some displeasure; For usually it is with God to make days, places, and persons, peculiarly and devotedly his the instances of his eminent and wasting judgements, thus he is said in commissionating judgements to begin at his Sanctuary, 
Je. 25. 29.  to give his beloved into the enemy's hand, 
Ezek. 9 6. Ps. 78. 61.  to tread the Daughter of Judah in a Wine-press, 
Lam. 1. 15  to make Shiloh the mark of his anger, 
Jer. 7. 12. 14. 26. v. 6.  to abhor his people, 
Amos 6. 8  and to hate Sacrifices, 
Isa. 1. 11.  and to cause the Sabbath to cease from a La●d, 
Jer. 6. 20.  to cast down the Prince and the Priests his own Vicegerents, 
Isa. 1. 13.  to make Jerusalem a hissing and an astonishment, 
Host 2. 11.  
Lam. 2. 1.  and to give up his Temple and people into the spoil of the Nations, 
Jer. 19 8. c. 25. v. 9  to suffer the Blood of jesus that speaks better things than did the blood of Abel, to be the blood of execration and indictment against them, who cried out, Let him be crucified. These things thus by God ordered, and the method of his ordinary providence, inverted, and corrosion coming into the room of Balsamittiqueness; this ruling of Wine into Vinegar, and of Oil into Aqua Fortis, (as I may say) argues God highly incensed, and resolved upon destruction and vengeance. For some provocation unnatural, unusual, persisted in with obstinacy and in opposition to, and despite of the means and motions of ●eclaimer; And applicable hereunto seems London's case, as to the time, to be suitable, for did he not God make His holy day of Rest, a day of labour and disquiet? did he not cause the Church to be thin of people to pray to him and hear his Word from him? did he not cast off the care of his Sanctuaries and Ministers, and give them and theirs up as a prey to the Fire? because many of the people would not be present at their Churches according to the Law; nor many of the Ministers spiritually expend themselves, but according to the law of man, has not God dis-parished and scattered them, Priest from people, & Neighbour from Neighbour? Indeed (Sir) these things are to me observable, and that God who is a God of Peace and a God of Order, should bring distraction and disorder upon a City Regular and Religious, upon his own day, and in the morn of it, to anticipate as it were, their conventions of expiation, and to avocate them from the use of a probable and prescribed remedy, argues indignation: For Gods promise to Solomon as a Type of Christ was, 
2 Chron. 7. 12.  If my people that call upon my name, shall humble themselves and seek my face, and turn from their evil way, then will I hear in Heaven, my dwelling place, and have mercy and heal their I and▪ For I have chosen this place to myself for an house of Sacrifice; yet God seemed to walk contrary to his people of London in this, for he drew them as it were off from the remedy, that his hands being loosened, 
Deu. 9 14.  he might punish and not be prevailed with to pardon, which aversion of Gods from being entreated, imponderates the judgement with a weightier note of God's displeasure, which the pensive Prophet jeremiah rehearseth to this sense, The Lord saith he hath swallowed up all the habitations of jacob, and hath not pitied, 
Ch. 2. v. 2.  he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the Daughter of judah, he hath brought them down to the ground, he hath polluted the Kingdom and the Princes thereof. This, this, is that which is not ordinary, that God began the Fire of his wrath on the day of his rest and solemn worship, and (with reverence be it uttered) profaned his Sabbath, which he commanded to be sanctified; as if the sins of the Nation punished in London, the head and heart of it were such as had procured a violation of all the methods of kindness and paternal goodness, whereby God wontedly corresponded with us, and as if he had recalled his former condescension, and would be in Covenant with us, and a Patron to us no longer; 
La. 2. 15.  This advantage given the passers by to clap their hands to hiss and wag their head at London, saying, Is this the City that men call the perfection of Beauty, the joy of the whole earth; This, this, brought upon London, upon a Lord's day, wherein were more Sanctifyers of his Holy day and Name, than in most of the Nation besides, gives the judgement a tincture, nay, a deep woad of intense displeasure, He that commands, we shall not do our own works, nor think our own thoughts upon that day, would not himself have set a foot this work, this strange work, upon that day, nor have thought thoughts of ruin to a populous and ancient City, called upon by him, on that Holy day: But that the Notation of the day might lesson us displeasure extraordinary. Which I mention not to comply with any party whose constructions of God's meaning are calculated to the Meridian of their interest, which has couched in it a secret reek of enmity to their opposites, and of applause of themselves, such as are on the one hand the outed party, who expound it to be for their ejection, or the other party, who aver it to be a punishment of Phanaticism, which they will have favoured and advanced by London, or of that proud party who will have it sent for the pride of London, who because the Citizens in it thrive and provide well for their Wives, Children, and Relations, are accounted proud in their suitable livings to their births, and God's blessing upon their industry and thrift, or of that profane party who will intrude their loose sentiments into God's counsel, and confirm themselves in their libertinism, to live, and speak as they list, because they see themselves delivered, when the Precisians of London (as they deridingly, and perhaps sinfully call them) are plagued and punished by Fire; I say not to dance after these mistaken Pipes whose notes are besides God's Gammuth. All that I see or dare believe inscribed by God upon the judgement is, that the sin of the Nation, punished by War and Plague last year, and yet unrepented of, is further prosecuted by God, through the sides and heart of the chief Corporation and Master-City of this Island, 
Eze. 15. 8.  London, whose burning is the Herald of God to the Nation, calling it to view its remaining doom upon its persisted impenitence; For as they were not the greatest sinners on whom the Tower of Siloam fell, so were they the greatest sinners in England on whom the Fire of London fell, and whose Fortunes and habitations it has leveled; but except we punished, and others yet privileged therefrom, repent, we shall all, and altogether perish.  
The next remarkable circumstance in this Fire, was that of Place wherein it first began, which was Pudding-lane, a place so called, but from some eminent seller or sellers of Puddings living of old there, it being usual to take denomination of Lanes and Streets, not only from men's names, chief owners of, and dwellers in them, but from some other accidents from whence they are denominated; thus as the Lord Baynard, Lord of Baynard's Castle, gave name to Castle Baynard's Ward, and Sir john Basin to Basing-hall Ward; so streets have been called according to several occasions, as Lothbury, because Founders and Braziers living therein, made every one Loath the Street for the noise; Bread-street, Milk-street, Wood-street, Candlewick-street, and infinite others were called from the Bakers, Milk-women, Wood-buildings, and Chandler's that in quantity dwelled there, which is evident in the Survey of London, 
Stows Survey.  so is this Pudding-lane called; For that Lane bordering upon Thames-street and Billingsgate, where people of labour and poor condition ply, and are early in the morning, and late at night, when the Tide serves to bring up Fishermen, Passengers, and other Boats and Portages; the vicinity of such a good house as they call them, wherein Pudding, the general beloved dish of English men was sold, might reasonably bring the place in request, and thence give denomination to the corner wherein the seller lived.  
This little pitiful Lane, crowded in behind little East-cheap on the West, St. Buttolphs-lane on the East, and Thames-street on the South of it, was the place where the Fire originated, and that forwarded by a Baker's stack of wood in the house, and by all the neighbouring houses, which were as so many matches to kindle and carry it on to its havoc; thus the Fire meeting with the Star Inn on Fish-street-hill on the back of it, and that Inn full of Hay, and other combustibles, and with the houses opposite to it, and closed with it at the top, burned three ways at once, into Thames-street, (the lodge of all combustibles, Oil, Hemp, Flax, Pitch, Tar, Cordage, Hops, Wines, Brandies, and other materials favourable to Fire; all heavy goods being ware-housed there near the water side, and all the wharves for Coal, Timber, Wood, etc. being in a line consumed by it) unto Fish-street-hill, till it met the other Fire at the Bridge, to the Interval of Building, and to Butolphs-lane into Mark-lane in Tower-street; and in all this Savage progress met with no opposition from Engines or other Artifices; because it was impossible in such a straight, and in such a rage of Fire, they should be serviceable; for if all the Engineers of mischief would have compacted the irremedyable Burning of London, they could not have laid the Scene of their fatal contrivance more desperately, to a probable success than there where it was, where narrow Streets, old Buildings all of Timber, all contiguous each to other, all stuffed with aliment for the Fire, all in the very heart of the Trade and Wealth of the City; these all concentring in this place, put a great share of the mischief upon the choice of the place.  
And hence there may be a more than ordinary argument, that this choice was not a thing of accident but contrivance, and meditation for some time, If it were by the Instrumentality of Man only permitted by God, for so was the Plot by Mendoza as Throgmorton and Parry confessed: So was the Vault under the Parliament House, 
Speed p. 872, ●73.  in the case of the intended Powder ruin by Faux, great enterprises always requiring grave perpendment of the method, by inspection, circumspection, and retrospection, before they be reduced into act; forasmuch as in the defect of due adjustments and prudent libration of what weight they will and will not bear, suitable whereunto must every particle of the composure be framed and disposed, not only the whole Fabric sinks and proves effete, but the actors in it, and the well wishers to it, prove ridiculous, if not ruined, which causes that axiom to be so acclamated among Politicians, Deliberandum est diu quod constituendum est semel; nor do wise men and fools differ in any thing more than in those specifique actions which are denominative of them, fools running hand over head, and wisemen going fair and softly, surely though slowly; and probable it is that the many foreign minded and addicted subtilists amongst us, adjwated by the needy miscreants and desperadoes at home, might do much to the production of this Centaur, which so speedily devoured more houses of State and Residence, and more wealth and value in Merchandizes, and other better things, than many years' wars could spend, or many years' labour can get; yea, the victory of any thing beneath an Indies will be but a ten groats composition, for a 20 s. lost.  
And if God, who knows all things, and whose infinite wisdom is passed finding out, or hiding from, stirred up evil men to act his counsel to punish England by London this way, that should need (as it were) no second to it, than we have all great cause to take off our thoughts from evil instruments, men; and place them penitently upon evil Sin, for which Gods thoughts are upon us for evil, and not for good, and we have just ground to bemoan our ways and doings which have not been right before God; for the punishment whereof he sends such sweeping and unchecqued judgements, such as a Fire is, which has no ears to hear the cries of the sick, weak, aged, lame, who are in danger to perish, by not being able to remove themselves from it, nor happy in being tendered by others who will in that disorder pity them; nor eyes to see the cries and moans of those Widows, Orphans, and spoilt Creatures, whose tears are Orators potent enough to prevail with any thing but its inexorability, When God gives the inhabitations of London for Fuel to the Fire, when he sets his face against them, that they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them then this had, 'tis sad. And this was the case of London, the fire removed from in one place followto another, yea, sundry there were that removed two or three times, yet lost at last, and that not only by evil instruments who forfeited their trust and took advantage of the confusion incumbent on all men, but by the very Fire which broke in, like waves of the Sea, and raged like a Bear, robbed of her Whelps, until it had executed its errand, and made that predicable of London which Florus writes of Samnium, so destroyed by Papyrius the Roman Consul, Vt hodie Samnium in ipso Samnio requiratur. So that though the advantage of place was much in this as in other cases, ubi plus valet locus quam virtus, and though there might have been rational and probable anticipations of these conflagrating progresses, yet were they altogether hid from the eyes of those whose interest in comfort and fortune it would have been to have improved them.  
The third circumstance of furtherance to the Fire was that of the wind, which was not only not still but boisterous, and such as carried it to, not from the City, and turned to fan and blow up the Fire East, West, South, and North, at some time or other during the Fire; like that judgement God threatened upon Elam, 49 jer. 36. Upon Elam will I bring the four Winds from the four quarters of Heaven, and will scatter them toward all these winds, and there shall be no Nation whither the outcast of Elam shall come. So josephus says, the providence of God turned the Fire the Romans put to the wall of jerusalem upon the City, 
Antiq. l. 7. c. 2●  by reason of which the Fires natural tendency was carried forth to oblique as well as direct effects of wasting, that is, spread itself this and that way, till it had prevailed every where, spreading itself like an Arms wings first drawn forth, and the main body marching up to it: Which complication of circumstances inductive to and in augmentation of, a mercyless fate, argues this Fire to be no ordinary judgement, but to be sent as an evidence of God incensed, and of sin the meritorious cause of it out of measure sinful. For if the punishment of one single element be dreadful, as the water was to the old world, and the Air is in pestilential infections, and the Earth was when it opened its mouth to swallow up Corah and his company, how dreadfully sinful are those provocations of a land or person That God punishes with double and treble judgements in their judgement? what vengeance is that like to prove, which has God's Armies of fire and wind united, when his single army of Infects are enough to destroy Egypt? and when his negative hostility is productive of Famine to consume his enemies? Whom, because they would not serve in the abundance of all things, he will press to serve their enemies, and be ruined by his bringing upon them the want of all things? And if jonas his storm at Sea was so dreadful, that he swallowed up in it, is said to call to God out of the belly of Hell, 2 jonah 2. What a Hell of confusion and torment were the inhabitants of London delivered from when their lives were in the rage of Fire and Wind, and when the Fire carried the noise of a whirlwind in it, and was so informed with terror, that it surprised the eyes and hearts of men with fear, as well as their houses and goods with flame? So that this wind from the Lord was not a wind like that of Numb. 11. 31. which brought the Israelites quails, a wind of benignity, nor such a wind as God made to pass over the earth to return the waters into their Trench after they had inundated the earth, and absorped all the gaiety of it, Gen. 8. 1. but a wind it was that carried away and rend asunder, by leading on the Fire upon its prey, a wind it was that was commissionated to join with the Fire to devour above 2 third parts in the midst of the City, as the phrase is, Ezek. 5. 2. And this is that which in the concurrence of two such potent circumstances renders it more than ordinary as well in the intention of the chief cause as in the operation of the mediate ones. For had God antipathized and severed their conjunction, they had not done that complicated mischief they did, but in that they corresponded each with other, and both performed a savage charge upon London, routing her Beauty, Riches, and being in a great degree, it is not to be doubted but as the instrumental enemy's rage is glutted with the booty of his option and designment, (those that prophesied of its firing before it happened, being probably the principal contrivers and furtherers of the firing of it, & those that blew the coals, heated the iron, and made all things ready to further it) so the Lords anger in permitting such a success was great, and the humiliation, for it ought to be serious and sacred; for if God made the wind winged, I allude to that passage in Zach. c. 5. v. 9 to proportion the fire to its breadth as well as boisture of fury, if this judgement like that of the Caldaean God speaks of in 1 Hab. 16. must march through the breadth of the City, if the flying roll of Cursing had its length and its breadth, as the Prophet Zachary has it, 5 ch. v. 1. then this fire and wind in its length and breadth of procedure and subversion, being a great judgement, calls for length and breadth of humiliation before God for it, yea not to be suitably affected for the provokings of sin, is to be deservedly punished once for all; incorrigibility is next door to final impenitency, the merit of utter subversion.  
And truly, when to all this it is considered that the Fire burned at some time contrary to the wind, and as it were in opposition of it, and then did as much spoil unto whatsoever it approach●●, & was as unchecquable then as when it had the winds raising and chase it, then surely there must be great ground to conclude that this wind as well as this Fire come from the Lords anger, and that whatsoever in it was besides the usual import of Fire in a place of so great help and experience to obviate and Master it, was by the precise appointment and commission of God, who does not only Authorise the Sword to do execution upon the world, but employs Air, Wind, Fire, Water as well as other Creatures to be his Baliffs to Arrest, if not his Devils to ruin them. And if further it be ruminated, that Gods proceeding by pauses, (which though not very deliberate, compared with fatal protracted ones, yet mild weighed against the method of Gods firing and consuming all in a moment as Sodom was, seems to insinuate that God in this might expect a man or men holy before and accepted with him to stand in the gap, and propitiate (as it were) for the City, whereby the Fire might have been forced back and carried off) the non appearance of such, whose spirits God touched with holy Charity to God's cause and their Nation's weal, shrewdly insinuates a suspicion that God by removing or suspending the impediments might conclude the formidable issue, that it had, when God not only hides himself from his people that pray, but calls off his people's devotion from prayer for pardon, that so his wrath may take its full course, and burn so that none can quench it. In such a case God's expectation being defeated, it is time to sit down under Judgements with confession of our doing wickedly, and justification of God's righteousness in whatever he has done.  
The fourth circumstances of aid to the Fire was the drought of the season and the want of water, which had not only prepared the combustible matter for a speedier reception of igneous Atoms and Contacts, but prevented application of remoras and extinguishments, to both wind and fire; For as showers usually lay winds, so winds abated, usually mitigate fires. Here then was another instance of propagation to this fire, that God suffered it to carry all before it, and to be impeded by nothing specifiquely its check, whereby is argued in a good measure God's allowance of the quarrel and his conduct of this his artillery of havoc, and besom of severity; God having created all things in proportion to the whole of his design, and placed in nature balances and repulsives as well as insolences and pestilences of assaults on harmony, when these repulsives shall be exinfluenced, and their vigour not only be abated, but their contraries prevail and be effectual, then is doom inevitable, and the consequence as fatal as the counsel of it, unsearchable. And this was Poor London's case, God had given us a long brightness of weather, and made every thing so dry, that it was of itself, by the length and efficacy of that exhaustion, in potentia proximâ to fire, and the Springs were so low, and the Engines of raising water so destroyed, that there was no suitable appease to it, applicable, whence it came to pass, that as a Buck that is not able to run must yield and die, and a Vessel that cannot bear steerage and sails, must be surprised and taken, by wanting the conveniencies to flight, and a Soldier that has lost his sword and shield must submit to his Enemy's quarter, how manly soever his courage be, so in the defect of those obstacles to fire, it unavoidably must follow that whatever the fire can do it may and will do, for all natural stays being absent, the battle is gained without stroke, and the possession got without so much as challenge.  
For as in ways of mercy God makes every thing ancillary hereunto, as he suspended the fires consuming in the case of the three Children, and in the bush which burned but consumed not, and as he does in invigorating dry bones, and in making the weak things of his justitution to confront and evict the mighty oppositions of flesh and blood, as he bears down the daring Monarches of humane Learning, and precipitates the fiery Sciolists of superstition by the piety, zeal and humility of illiterate men Apostolized and made by him unopposable, God making his little and low Ordinances as the world esteems them, the foolishness of preaching, and the faith of a Crucified and derided Saviour, paramount to all more subtle projects of captivation, because conducted and blessed by him who is all power, wisdom and duration, and therefore can be neither abbreviated or defeated in his volitions and resolves. (All things working together for the good of his Elect, and his counsel ever standing like Mount Zion which can never be removed.) As I say in his paths of kindness and obligement to man he predisposes and forecalls severalties to their Randezvous, and draws forth such services from them, as conduces to his own honour and his holy servants security and comfort by them, so in order to judgements does he ripen and forward them by such assistances and proper adjuncts, that the beauty of penal providence is maintainable from them in spite of all artifices of wickedness to Eclipse or cashier it; Thus when he will destroy a sinner, he hardeneth his heart against his fear; and when he will give Victory to his Armies, he causes a noise of horsemen and Chariots, and drives them away in fear when none pursues them, yea he will and does prove a Terror to wickedness even in the pleasure of it, as he did in the hand-writing upon the wall to Nabuchadnezzar.  
What alas signifies Haman's rage, if God deny him favour with Ahasuerus as wontedly, and bring in Ester his Enemy to his supersedal? What avails Sampson's strength, if God give a key to the secret of it, which resides in its unshavenness? To what purpose is Achitophel's policy, if God turn it into foolishness and conntermand the aids and co-operations with it, we put all our endeavours and attainments in a broken bag; if God be not the blessing of them, if he speaks no fiat, folly is the best prognate of our contrivances; so necessary is God's allowance and aid, that without it all is abortive and amort.  
As then when God is in mercy or judgement present, all things are as they are properest to be, so in his absence on either side, there can be no thorough effect of either, for all things observe him, and as when he says Go they Go, so when he says recede they depart, as he gives heavenly influences in mercy, so he withdraws them in wrath, he makes the light darkness, and the rain fruitlesness, the suppression, the exaltation, the death, the life of his, manifests to the world what He is; and when He has famine, pestilence, sword, or any other noyance to charge a man or Nation with, he withholds seasons, showers, salubrity of air, and causes the ●ire of animosity to break out into war, and no endeavour of honourable peace to be offered or accepted, he withdraws remembrance of old leagues and ancient obligements, he casts a veil upon true Christian advantage, and will not render its amability to the view of judgement and impartiality, and he suffers such intricacies to clog breaches once made, that they are reconcileable by no Tertian, nor are they admissive of any expedient beneath that dubious, fatal, and I had almost said uncharitable one, of aut Vincere aut vinci, either get or lose all. And thus God pa●esies the way to his displeasure, in that he dries up the pools of supply in the wilderness of need, and as a moth of corrosion in place of a horn of salvation.  
And if the drought and scantness of water upon a Land, be a judgement, as God testifies it to be, 50 jer. 38. where he says of the Caldaeans, a drought is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up, for it is a land of graven Images, and they are mad upon their Idols; and God is said to call for a drought on the Land upon all things man and beast, Hag. 11. as a token of his displeasure, then to want water when fire burned, and to have the buckets of heaven and the lodges of earth exhaust of water to quench it, (there being no rain of a long time before the fire, and both the Springs low; and the Water-works at the Bridge-foot which carried water into that part of the City burned down the first day of the fire.) Thus, thus for it to be was no small judgement, for as it is a mercy to have God a ready help when trouble is near, so is it a judgement to have his creatures denied when there is most use for them, when their presence is salvi●ique and repulsive, when God gives a stomach to eat and no food to satiate it, When he opens his people's hearts to pray, and yet hides himself from them, and will not be found of them; when he that is all plenty becomes a barren wilderness, and he that is all power contracts his arm and will not outstretch it. When he that commands the Seas, Winds, Fire, and they obey him, raiseth those Elements by evil instruments, and remands them not into their restraint, but suffers them of servants to become Masters and instruments of spoil and terror; This unconcernedness of God, when his great arrows are thus shot forth of his Almighty bow, and fixed in the very hearts of men's delights and recumbencies, so that they see all that was dear to them ruined before them, and they rendered helpless to themselves, can not choose but be a signal of God's indignation. And we may conjecture God sends his fire to punish our ●●e, his wind to reward our wind. Levity and zealesness for Reformed Religion, and enmity and uncharitableness in matters of no moment compared to provoking one another to love and to good works, 
See Letter Archbishop York to K. james. Cabala ● part. p. 13.  has undone all; repining against God and against one anotehr has had a notable share in this judgement, and as this puts the charge into God's Cannon, so has undervaluation of God, rammed home the charge to fit it for fataller execution; in 78 Psal. 21. God had smote the rock and the waters gushed our, and yet the people questioned, Can God give bread in the wilderness? The Lord, says the Psalmist, heard this, and was wrath, and a fire was kin●led against judah and anger also came up against Israel; And I pray God this late harrass of us by a more than Gottish and Vandallique fire, be not the stroke of some such brutish and unchristian provocation of God, For greater and more express indications of God's power and goodness has no Nation ever had then we, never any Nation less conformed to the call and mercy of it then we; Gods Jewels have had their righteous souls vexed amongst us, and they cry out to God as David did, 57 Psal. 4. My soul is among ●yons, and I lie among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are Spears and Arrows, and their Tongue is a sharp Sword. And may not God, to revenge this offence to his little ones, hang the Millstone of his fury about our necks, and cast us into a Sea of misery, and into the pressure of a helpless condition? may not he pour out the fury of his anger and the strength of battle? May not his anger set us on fire round about, and we lay it not to heart though we be burned by it? as the words of the Prophet from God are, jer. 42. last.  
O that this were seriously considered, that it might work a penitential reflection in us upon our ways and doings, which have not been good; For which God has both lengthened and strengthened the sphere and activity of the Fire, to inundate things sacred and civil, and to be repulsed from neither the water manageable against it, nor the wind dormant in it, but has been provoked by every thing that might make our guiltness suspect that God having kindled the Fire in our gates, made it unquenchable, till it had left nothing almost further to ruin! And I pray God it were not a Saboth days punishment, for many Sabbath and Fast days profanation, 17. jer. last. This I subjoin, to show that where God shows his displeasure he does it by all instruments of advantage to his purpose, not only desolating chief and remarkable places, but by denying all combinations of aid against it, that so the judgement might not so much sip as swallow down its full draught of waste and consumption; that as he made them all things in perfection, so he may show us that he can so perfectly destroy them, that the place of their once being, shall be known no more.  
The fifth circumstance of augmenting it, was that of the choice of place that this Fire was to work its woe upon, the Heart of the City, both for Houses of State, Trade, Charity, public Magistracy, most of which it took into its Cyclopique arms, and crumbled into ashes, for its burning was from London Bridge to near the Temple, both upon the Street side and on the bank of the River, its expansion was from a good way low into Fanchurch-street to all the houses that were upon the hilly part of London, Candlewick-street, Gracious-street, Lombardstreet, Cornhill, a part of Broad-street, Thred-needle-street, Throgmorton-street, and so up Coleman-street, and so all up to Cripplegate, to Aldersgate, all Newgate-market to Holborn-bridge; Thus from the East to the West it prostrated Houses, Halls, Chapels, Churches, Monuments; all which it so flaked and enervated, that it has left few standing walls, stout enough to bear a roof, without new raising or charge of repair equivalent to new building; which argues the Fire more than ordinarily in earnest, when it was not only not impartial, but not copable with by those Giants of strength that usually outstand the shock of Fire; yea, it brought to ashes that Goodly and Generously useful Pile Sion-Colledge, the place of my then comfortable and beloved Residence, whose foundations (laid by Dr. White and perfected by Mr. Simpson, 
D. D. One of the Residentiaries of St. Paul's.  Twins of precious memory, and the ever to be celebrated benefactors to London's Clergy, and Religion's Increment) it demolished; For which I cannot but grieve as much as for mine own great losses both in and out of it, because it was a public Dedication to God in a good and graceful accommodation to persons of Learning, and aged Poverty; the former sort of which had access with welcome to its fair and well-furnished Library six hours in the day duly and freely open to all comers, whom the honest and understanding Mr. Spencer, (the trusty and Aboriginal Librarier, yet living, and yet faithfully attending the remains of the Books, (for which he deserves to be well rewarded with a fixed Pension during the little restancy of his life) conscionably and with much diligence and humility attended; And the latter sort persons of Poverty being twenty of both Sex's chosen Alms-folk into the College, were quarterly relieved out of lands appointed thereunto by our Reverend Founder. This College, I say, not added to (God knows) in Lands by any since its Foundations Gifts (though God has made its Library, a good part of which is preserved, and safely lodged in an upper Gallery by the Favour of the Honourable Government of Sulton's Hospital) increase by the gifts of pious and charitable Gentlemen, Citizens, and their Widows and Children, as also by good additions from the London Clergy, and by others formerly well addicted to it, amongst whom that Learned Grandaeus long since deceased and now with God, Mr. Walter Travers Bachelor of Divinity, aught as he deserves to be remembered, the greatest Benefactor to it of any Clergy man whatever since the two Reverend Founders: This, this, Beloved Zion so nobly designed, and so kept up in its Credit and Reputation, till the unhappy dissolution hereof by this Fire, was burned down and ruined; only the Case of the Library and some of the Gate-piece yet remains, but so shattered that long it cannot stand, nor suddenly is it like to be repaired; the site of the College lying for three Months since the fire open, many of the Materials embezzled, too few resenting the detriment that Religion and Learning will receive by the neglect of it, so that the remains within the Freedom that were exempted this fire were only from Leaden-hall to the Barrs without Algate; from Bishopsgate-street Corner in Cornhill to the Barrs without Bishopsgate, and from moorfield's first postern Gate along the wall with Broad-street, from the Church up into Bishopsgate-street, from Cripplegate to the Barrs in that Parish, from Aldersgate-street to the Barrs above in that street, and all the compass without the wall, from thence to the end of Cow-lane, and from Holborn Bridge to Holborn Barrs; these together with the houses, from near Iron-Mongers Hall in Fanchurch-street up to Algate and down Mark-lane, till within near twenty houses of Tower-street end, with Crutched Friars and the Appendices thereto, were all that of the Liberties of London were preserved, which I reckon not above the twentyeth part of the City Freedom in quantity, nor the hundereth part of it in value of houses, and all this waste committed by the mercyless flames in four days, the speed whereof added to the quality of what it preyed upon, argues the judgement remarkable and past precedent.  
For it was wont to be computed amongst the choice mercies of God to London, that it was specially protected from fires, notwithstanding the houses were most of Timber, very contiguous each to other, and had constant and fierce fires kept in the hearths of them night by night, and those later than in any City of the world; 
Ferox Flammae urbes multas Eeclesiam quoque Sancti Pauli Apostolicum majori & meliore parte Londonia consumpsit.  the good Government thereof making the night as safe for Passengers as the day, 
Dunelm. p. 214.  which gave occasion to more free and more lasting hospitalityes in her then otherwhere are practicable. And yet so has God in all times preserved London, that such a fire as this never before was kindled in her thus to prevail over her.  
I read indeed of great Fires of old in her, In Anno 764 when many Cities and places were destroyed igne repentino. London, Dunelmensis says, was one, 
P. 106.  and in Anno 798, London is again storied to be burned, repentino igne cum magna hominum multitudine consumpta. In Anno 982 Temps Ethelred there was 
P. 114.  a great Fire. In Anno 1087, 
p. 267.  Cambden tells us the Spire of S. Paul's was so high (quae ignem caelestium provocavit) as his words are that it was set on Fire by 
Speed p. 39  Lightning, 
Cambd. in ●●idx.  arsitque non sine Magno totius urbis damno, 
E●t.  in King Stephen's time there was a Fire that began at London Stone, and consumed all unto Aldgate; Not to mention the smaller Fires which have been many, the damage whereof has returned only upon private persons, These have been the remarkable Fires: yet none of them were such as this, not only because London was not then near what now it was, nor the consumption of it by them proportionable to what it was by this Fire; which was not a Fire that picked and choosed, but a Have at all Fire, a Fire that took into its possession 81 Parish Churches, and at least 6 or 7 Chapels, & other Churches answerable to them, amongst which, the famous Cathedral of St. Paul, was one, so incinerating the Glory & Emasculating the vigour and firmness of them, that the standing Walls are (for the most part) unable to bear new roofs, the sturdy Supporters of them being enervated, the Monuments in them burnt to powder, the Bells in the Steeples melted, the Vaults underground pierced, the Stones of the outside so scaled, as if the Fire was greedy to eat out all firmness in them. Thus God spared not Shiloh in the day of his fierce wrath, but destroyed the Gates of Zion, together with the habitations of jacob.  
Add to this, that the Fire reached the very Wombs and Ours of Charity, the Worshipful Societies of London, to whose honour I dare erect this Trophy, That of all the Societies in England or Europe none excel, if any parallel them in discharge of their Trusts, which they punctually and indispensably do Modo & forma statutis, not transgressing any appointment of the Donors will, except it be in enlargement of his charity as it improves These, that were the maintainers of aged Poor, whom they housed decently, and salaryed competently, These, who were Benefactors to Young men of their Societies, whom, upon security to make good the Principal, they lent hundreds a pounds to persons, upon none, or very small Interest, to begin the world with, by which (with God's blessing,) ●hey grew rich and wealthy in after times. These, that gave out Portions to Maid's Marriages, brought up poor Children, fitting them for all Callings; let good Pennyworths to their Tenants; hospitably treated Strangers, and their Members at their Halls, allowed comfortable exhibitions to Young Scholars at Universities; gave Presentations of Livings in City and Country to worthy Clerks; maintained bravely their Guilds, Common Halls, Servants and Utensils. These, that upon all public occasions of Triumph, made up the renowned Pomp of London's Festivals and appearings. These, These, are in a great measure ruined; Eleven of the Twelve chief Companies Halls (the goodliest buildings one with another in any one Town in Christendom▪ being burned down, the Furniture and Utensils of some of them wholly lost, besides the spoil done to the 24 Companies, very many of whose Halls and Incomes are likewise destroyed. Amongst which, that of the Company of the Stationers is sad, the Common Stock of which valued re vera at between Twenty and Thirty Thousand pound was employed to yield the profit of the Joint Stock to those Old men, Widows, and others qualified (according to the Laws of their Society,) who were allowed respective proportions in the same. None of which exceeding above 360 l. made way for the more accommodation of particulars, than if they had allowed men to have put in greater Sums; This so good a security, and so gainful a proceed to many aged Stationers, their Widows and Children, This Dreadful Fire has wholly consumed, and over and above destroyed of the Members of this Society and other Booksellers and Printers in London, near to the value of 150000 l. in Printed Books and Copies, besides the loss of their Common Hall and other Houses and valuable things belonging to them. And if one and but a mean Society, compared to other Societies of the City has thus suffered, what incredible detriment have the Societies jointly suffered? How many ask hearts, hungry bellies, bare backs, will this Winter show us helpless by want of their Charity? How many impoverished Tenants, how many wand'ring Pilgrims, outed of Houses, Callings, Acquaintance, has this caused? Yea how many not only valuable parts of intrinsique wealth, but Writings, Evidences, Charters, ●oyntures, Contracts, Mortgages, Bonds, Acquittances, Books of Account has this consumed? It were endless to wade into the confusions hereby made, into Hospitals laid waist, and their Inhabitants, Children, and other aged persons turned out to the cold weather, helpless in themselves because decrepit through Age, or tender by reason of Childhood; yet uncapable to be helped by others whose hearts prone enough to it, are not seconded by their Purses provided for it, Churches leveled, and their Poor and painful Clerks at once robbed of their Tithes, and over and above of the charities of those that are now companions with them in Misery & Poverty; Public places of Magistratique dispatch bare of all Beauty, and visible only in their deplorable Ruins. The Houses of Hospitable and Wealthy Aldermen, Merchants, and Shopkeepers swept away, and they themselves either fled, or cooped up in some hole of Covert, the Maintenances of Widows, Orphans, and others ill Married, brought to nothing, and they by means thereof either forced to beg or to work for a Livelihood, and glad they can get the Bread they and theirs may Eat; This is that God has done to London. He hath not spared in the day of his fierce wrath, but hath covered the Daughter of London with a cloud in his anger, he hath swallowed up most of the habitations of its Jacob, he hath thrown down the strong hold of the Daughter of England, and hath polluted the Kingdom; he hath violently taken away his Tabernacles, he hath abhorred his Sanctuaries, the Elders of the Daughter of London sit upon the ground and keep silence, to allude to the Prophet Jeremiah writing of Jerusalem's ruin; 
Lament. 2.  Behold, O Lord, and consider to whom thou haste done this, To London, the Chamber of England's Kings, 
Londinum totius Britanniae Epitome, Britannicique imperii sedes, Reg●umque Angliae Ca●era tantum inter omnes emi●ct, quantum 〈◊〉 viburna cupressus. Combed. Brit. lat. Edit. 1587.  To London, the chief of England's Empire, To London, the Native place of Princes, Prelates, and men of Renown, To London, that Ancient and Rich Magazine of Trade and Wealth, whom men called the Perfection of Beauty, the glory of the whole Earth, To London, the Citizens whereof were men of Blood, Fortune, Valour, men of Renown as those of Tyre was, To London, the Non-such of orderly Government and of frequent and fervent Religion, Adeo ut Religio & pietas hic sibi delubrum collocasse videatur, as the Learned Antiquaries words are, To London the inexhaustible Secret of her Princes, 
Fons imperii, orbis Terranum Mater, gentium, Regionum contumbernium pacis aeternae consecratio, Sanctus Hyeronimu; lege clogia Romae apud Ludovicum. Dorleans in Comment ad l. 1. Annal. T●citi. p. 2.  To London the Treasury of Men, Money, Arts, the Rome; the Athens, the India of England. To this London hath God done this, Weep O Daughters of England! for this London who clothed you in Scarlet, but now is herself clothed with Confusion, Mourn ye Princes and Grandees for this, because the mighty City is fallen which once was the Market of what brought you Wealth and Peace; For this London who took off your younger Sons, making them thrifty Commonwealth's men, and in time returned them to you Great and Noble, for your Daughters who into it were comfortably bestowed, and from it were richly provided for in their Persons and Issues. For their Eldest Sons, whose Wives portions, the provisions of Younger Children, were hence plenfully had, without sale of Land, or diminution of Income; Weep O Peasantry! who had London for a Market swallowing up all Provisions for it, 
Grande illud & ante T●mpus invictum caput Syracusae quamvis Archimedis ingenio de●enderetur, aliquando cesserunt. Jornandes l. 1. de Regni & temporis successu.  and all quantities brought to it. Weep O Poor! that in London had great relief, Weep O Aged! who in London were refreshed, and prepared by constant Devotions and hourly Sermons for their dissolutions; Weep all, High, Low, Honourable, Mean, for London was, but is not!  
London, 
O Populum dignum orbis imper●o dignumque omnium savare & admirat one hominum ac deorum compulsus ad ultimos metus. Idem.  despise it who will and dare, the Great and Flourishing Sprig in our Prince's Plumes, the Pyramyd of conspicuity in the admired Pile of Britain. The Graecatrojan Horse out of which marched many of the Hectors of England's courage; The great Academy of Arts, wherein the Learning and activity of all parts united; The Hospitable Sanctuary of all distressed strangers, who thither came numerously, and there were entertained civilly; London the great Bulwark of reformed Religion against the assaults and batteries of Popery and Profaneness, is in a great measure destroyed; O tell it not in Gath, declare it not in the Streets of Askalon! lest the Uncircumcised Levellers rejoice, and the Enemies of God and the King, the Parliament and the Religion say, Ah, Ah, so would we have it.  
O Day, O Month, September, not more inauspicious to many Famous Cities, such as jerusalem, 
a josephus' lib. 7. c. 16. de Bello judaico.  begirt the seventh and entered the eighth of Sept. 
b Nicephorus l. 15. c. 21. Evageius l. 2. c. 13. Baronius Tom. 5. 465.  such as Constantinople which was wasted by sire Anno 465. In the beginning of September, such as Heidelberg, which was taken by the Imperialists about Anno 1622. And now to London in this Fire, of September 1666. I mention no more, though probably those forty which 
d See Chronol. Ca●ncsi● Edict Quartae Impress. Francae-surti. Anno 1650.  Caluesius mentions in his Chronology, might yield more in execration of September, I say not more trist to other parts of the World and to this Nation in general, then to Me in particular; For it hath been successively within eight years Productive of a Quaternion of unhappinesses to Me; The loss of an Excellent Wife, of an Indulgent Father, the affliction of a terrible Sickness, all which happened to Me in September 1658. and now were added to by this of September 1666. wherein it pleased God to give me a fourth trial by Fire, that I may for the future learn to devote my portion of Soul & Body to him in the 
Fucre qui annotarent XIIII. Calendis Sextiles ●rincipium incendi●●ujus Ortum quo & Senones captam urbem inst●mmaverunt. Tacitus Annal. lib. 15. p. 792. Edit. Porleans. de incendio Romae.  sacred and serious service of him, Which O Lord I desire to do as, and when, thou shalt call, enable and accept Me; This is my particular apprehension of Septemb. which Sept. thus the time of London's firing and England● Misery, let it be Discalendred, and not be numbered amongst the Twelve, let it be accounted the judas Month that betrayed all the rest to infelicity; Let that day that first opened the Womb of fire be darkness, and let the shadow of death slain it, let a Cloud dwell upon it, let the blackness of the day terrify it; as for that night let darkness be upon it, let it be solitary, and no joyful voice come thereon, let the Stars of the Twilight hereof be dark, let it look for light but have none, as holy Iob's pathetic is upon a like dismal accident and occasion, because it produced a Monster, and diminished the enjoyment of present, and the hopes of after-ages, and cast into the Widow's disconsolacy. Her, that sat as a Queen upon a hill of plenty and honour, viswing all the Nations doing homage to her, as to the Faithful City, as to the City of Righteousness 1. Isaiah to 26, as the City of praise, the City of all Joy, as Damascus was called 49. jeremiah 25. as the City of Renown, who was strong in the Sea, that caused their terror to be upon all that haunt it, as the Prophet Ezekiel describeth Tire. c. 26. v. 27. London, the Earthly Paradise of Cities, having the glory of God's Ordinances, and the light of his Reformed Truth in her, shining like a Jaspar stone, clear as Crystal; The foundation of the Wall of which City was garnished with all manner of precious Stones; Its Government, its Magistrates, its Ministry, its Fraternities, its Franchises being all Emblematical of, and Symmetrious with the Greater Ones of the Nation, in the best and clearest instances of its Royalty. This London ancienter as is thought than Rome, and more potent though less politic than she, that has her Oar in every Boat, This London, (which its learned Native, and England's admired Antiquary 
* Cambd. Britain.  terms such, that none hath better right to assume to itself the Name of a Ship Road or Haven, than she, For in regard of both Elements most blessed and happy it is, as being situate in a rich and fertile soil, abounding with plentiful store of all things, and on the gentle ascent and rising of a Hill, hard by the Thames side, the most mild Merchant (as one may say) of all things that the World doth yield) hath swelling at certain set hours, which the Ocean Tides, by its safe and deep Channel, able to entertain the greatest Ships that be, daily bringeth it so great Riches from all parts, that it striveth at this day with the Mart Towns of Christendom for the second Prize: thus her Cambden. This London, I say, who was to those that lived in it, whatever Heaven and Earth could indulge a Militant condition and a viatory state, did God give up to the destruction of Fire. So that now there is little resting in it but Piles of Rubbish, and Mountains of waist, no neatness of Pavement, no Magnificence of Structure, no vestige of Majesty, there only now is to be seen the the tops of Steeples Belless, and the Stones of Structures Mortarless, and the figures of Beauty disfigured; no Palaces have the Magistrates to sit in, no Prisons, as wontedly, to hold Offenders in, no conveniency almost to sustain Order to its future hopes, but God has made it a Bochim, and scattered the Inhabitants of it into all quarters: Thus has God done to London, 
●2 Neh. 43.  our English jerusalem, the joy of which was heard even a far off. More I could Write, and more of this I had written in a Commentary on the Chartar 9 H. 3. For election of the Lord Mayor of London, but that with many other Manuscripts fitted for the Press, together with the general collections of the study of my life being burned, I can only weep my kindness to her, Quid faciam, vocem pectori negare non audeo, amor ordinem nescit; And if London the place of my Birth, and of my longest dwelling, should not have all the right my poor Pen can do it, It deserved not to be accounted any thing tending to the Pen of a ready Writer, nor indeed is it, but I hope it will be accounted & prove itself to be the Pen of a veracious & well meaning Christian Englishman, whose glory it is, not so much to subdue Devils of danger, & to level Mountains of difficulties, as to be owned a Friend to Learning, a Servant to Religion, a Native of London. And if I forget thee, O London! let my right hand forget her cunning, and they that forget thee by their cold Prayers, heartless Tears, Vituperious Sarcasms, Secret rejoicings at thy ruins had best to remember that the Inundation of thy Thames may cool their courage, 
Franci illi qui pugnae super suerunt Londinum convolantes, I am j am urbem perdaturi erant, nisi Tamisis qui nunquaem Londinensibus de defuit Romanos milites pererrore nebuloso maris à classe abductos opportunè intulisset Cambd. in M●ddx. p. 265.  and thy tutelar Angelique Patron, become thine avenger on them, for God has fixed an immortal spirit in London, the horn and branch of which, will sprout out to her detractors amazement, and though she sit now in darkness, yet the Lord shall be a light to her. While England is an Empire, London will be the Metropolis of it, let who will dote on that Northern Prophecy, which some thought fulfilled in stout Bishop Montaigne, Lincoln was, London is, York shall be; yet the very Learned and Noble Geographer Dr. Heylin is so far from cherishing that, 
Cosmography. p. 316.  which has any reflection of Eclipse to London, whose misfortune is as it were the prodromus of the Nations misery, that he discreetly docks, the recital, lincoln is, London was, etc. And Ingenious Dr. Fuller (who will be more valued in after ages, 
History Worthies. p. 227.  as most are, than in their own) upon this Proverb, thus writes, But as for those whose hope is York shall be the English Metropolis, they must wait until the River of Thames run under the great Arch of the Ouse bridge. However York shall be, that is, shall be York still as it was before, for if York (I write for my Native City, and no City or person ought to be offended with me for my zeal for London) would ever have overpoysed London, it was probablest to have been when the union of England and Scotland into Great Britain was, because of its near situation to the Two Kingdoms then conjoined. But than it failing by the advantage London gave to the seat of Government, above that or any part of the Nation, 
Ca●sa fundationis Civitatis Londine●sis Fluvius Thamisis liber Dunthorne.  the River of Thames that flowing up to her, caused her foundation at first, will I trust in God forever keep her in her Metropolitical station, and add to her Paramouncy of renown, as the Vrbs aeternabilis, as Rome is called, For so she seems to be framed after the Protoplast of the Nation, that she answers every feature and digestion of parts in the Greater Body. As if the Providence of God and the Policy of Antiquity, had set her as a Glass before her Monarches to see the paths and perfections of the greater Government, in the methods and manageryes of her the less. And so far does London answer the favour of her Sovereigns in their indulged liberties to her, that she hath the suffrage abroad to be one of the most August, Regular, Religious, Subaltern Governments in the world.  
And now (Sir) after a more than usually long digression, I come to the last Circumstance promoting this desolating Fire; which was that Dread and pavid manlessness, that seized the Inhabitants, by reason of which, they not only fled before the Fire, leaving it to its forage, and not checquing it while dealeable with, nor anticipating its Progress by pulling down or blowing up buildings before it; For by this did every man's unmanly example discourage, till at last the hearts of men were in their heels, and every hand (as it were) became Palsy through terror of apprehension; there being a kind of Divination in men introductive to, and fautive of, the victory of the Fire over both their houses and endeavours; 
lib. 10. c. 10.  For as josephus well observes, when God has designs to accomplish, he puts upon men the guilt of humane error and incredulity, by which they think it not lawful for them 
〈…〉  to avoid their future calamity, neither eat they irrecoverable destiny, which as it was the case of the jews when Nebuzaradan led the jews captive into Babylon, burning the goodly Temple and razing the City. So was it (in a great measure) the condition of London; for though the Inhabitants had seen many Fires, and seen them soon again upon God's blessing on their endeavours quenched, yet This, This Fire was from the beginning of it, a Fire of amazement, a Fire bespoke by them to be portentous, they gave up all by common Opinion & mistrust of vote unto it, God stopped some ruling men's ears against Counsel, and filled other men's hearts with terror, the rich packed away, effaeminating their endeavour by the securing they made of their Wives, Children, and Goods, and those not only near and within view, but remotest from the Fire, when no colour or prudent probability gave judgement to warrant such doings. But yet was it done, and thereby the City undone; for had not that exportation been, 
Diligentissima est tela sui 〈◊〉 Fortitudo.  their diligence and success against the Fire would have been trebled, and suitably for aught any knows have proved successful; the prayers and tears of some cooperating with the hands & heads of others, being more probable securities to communities, than such courses of astonishment which tended to presage of depopulation, and was a holocaust to nothing but the extortion and thefts of Foreigners, and had not God been more merciful, to Outrage and Savageness.  
Which seizure of the Inhabitants, and over early pregustation of Woe, disarming them of all agible judgement and prudent succour was if not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of, yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the judgement. For as in the body natural, when the Sun, and the Moon, and the Stars be darkened, when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, as the Preacher describes old Age, c. 12. v. 2, 3. Death is at the door, so in the body Politic, when manly Courage flags and the spirit of people fail them so that they crep about like walking Ghosts; there is a sign that God is the cause of it, and punishes by it; when God turns men's pleasure into fears, 21 Isay 4. when fear prepares for the pit and the snare, 24 Isay 17. when fear is on every side, 6 jer. 25. when God sends a voice of fear, 30 jer. 5. and when he seconds the voice with real fear, 48 jer. 43. and those that fly from fear shall fall into the pit, v. 44. when God sends a fear from all those that be about men, c. 49. jer. 5. This fear of exatlantation arising from guilt, and its punishment poorness of spirit, is that which is the Judgement and Curse of fear.  
Now this God does to make way for his execution, and to render the endeavour against it less potent, and to save himself the drawing forth of his Almighty Artiller; This he doth to show that his wrath is perfected by rendering enemies passive to his power as well as by becoming himself active in power irresistible; And as in evidences of mercy, The righteous shall be quiet from the fear of evil, 11 Prov. last, and be not afraid of sudden fear, 3 Prov. 15. and God's people are dehorted from fearing other men's fears, 8 Isay 12. And God, St. Paul says gives not his Elect the spirit of fear, 2 Tim. 1. c. v. 7. so in displays of judgement fear shall amate and terrify wicked men, God will mock when their fear comes, when it comes as Desolation, 1 Prov. v. 26. 27. Fear shall be upon the Land, 30 Ezekiel 13. Fear fell upon all them which saw God's judgements, 11 Rev. 11. This not only real, but opinionative and imaginary fear is the Crisis of the judgement, therein lies the vigour and execution of it, when God gives up the Pilot to neglect steerage and stoppage, when the Mariners that should ply the sails and pump, prepare for planks and shipwreck, when the light of reason is under a Bushel of passion; and impuissance is regent in the soul and senses, when the right hand not only knows not what the left hand doth, but hath forgot it is a right hand, or a hand, and hangs itself down folded, when the sluggards dilatoriness is upon men, and they will sit still a little longer, and pause a little more, till sorrow and misery come upon them like an armed man; These remisnesses in cases of straight and Paroxisms of instancy, argue Phrygian wits, and arrive men at woe with a witness. Thus was Troy lost by the sloth and carelessness of her Inhabitants. And thus, 
Baptista Gramay D●scription of Asia.  Sir, was London's Fate and fyring, helped forward by the extremes of some men's precipitancy and other men's dilatoriness; For had but Industry led the Van, Security probably, or at least not this havoc, would have Marched in the Rear, but because some neglected the fire to save their Movables, and others neglected removing upon belief (therein, Sir, I accuse myself who was one of those unbelievers) that the fires limits would be within and short of them and theirs, the fire diverted not from its pursuit, but devoured the Goods of many, and the Houses of all, so dangerous a thing is that, which the consequence calls unpreventive wisdom, that the want of it is censured by many (whose fortunate fright has proved advantageous to them) to be wanting to their own good, and helpers forward of their own Woe.  
And yet (Sir) God often impregnates his severity with this which is the Talon of Lead in the Ephah of judgement, 
● Z●c●. 7.  that men shall not see the day of their Visitation. This fetched tears from the innocent eyes, those Casements and out-looks of the tender heart of our Lord Jesus, who beholding the City jerusalem wept over it, saying, O that thou hadst known, even thou in this thy day the things that belonged to thy peace; This is that which becalmed jerusalem, who sat as a Queen and knew no evil, till at last Misery came upon her in a moment and desolation as a whirlwind, when men and Cities have Babylon's doom to be cast into a deep sleep; 
29 Isa. 10.  so that sooner may all be crumbled down about their ears, and they buried in the rubbish and confusion of their downfall, than they awaken, when God brings a high repose on Saul in the Cave, and makes him secure amidst bare and watchless weapons of defence; Then either men are taken napping as Saul was, 
1 Sam. 26. 12.  or are ruined nodding as Eutychus, but for a Miracle had been, 
20 Acts 9  and nothing but mercy reached out of the Clouds can save them from their perpetual sleep and unawaking period, 51. jer. 57 Now though (Sir) it be too heavy a guilt to charge this on London, yet how we of this City can discharge ourselves of it, I do not very well know, unless we take refuge in that rule, Quos perdere vult Iupiter dementat, or in that Quae fata manent non facile vitantur, which Tacitus makes the salve for every fatality, or unless the day of Visitation being come, and the time of recompense being on us, God makes the Prophet a Fool, and the Spiritual man mad; that is, brings Prescience, Counsel, Courage, Constancy in all degrees of their activity out of date, giving men up to the just surprise of ridiculous stupidness, and to obstinate contumacy against the dictates of them. And if God had not intended much of this nature to be evidenced in this Case of London's trouble in order to the whole Nations abatement, he would not have charged home this assault in the time of London's weakness, when so many of the Good and Grave Magistrates of London, men of steddiness, experience and power in the City were in their Graves, when many of the Weeping, Fasting and Praying Intercessors of her Clergy, whose Office it is to expiate for her, were either absent or disseised (by fear) of that vigour which their hands and Prayers in full Assurance of Faith nothing doubting might otherwise have expressed against the judgement. Nor would he have made the hearts and hands of the people of London so lanquid and unactive in this day of their Concern; But thus, and only thus it was preordained of God to lesson the Nation that God can bring down high thoughts, and that the scorn and contempt of Religion and sober sincerity in Her and in her skirts, might be punished with an amazing and insolite judgement, that those that are round about and are not less guilty than She that is punished, May hear and fear and do no more presumptuously. For though London be the place smitten and afflicted by God, yet because that cannot be charged on her that josephus relates of the seditious Jews that had gotten head in jerusalem; 
L. 6. c. 16 de Bello Judaico.  I will not cease to speak that which grief compels me, I verily think that had the Romans forbore to come against these sedetious, that either the Earth would have swallowed the City up, or some Deluge have devoured it, or else the Thunder and Lightning which consumed Sodom, would have light upon it; For the people of the City were far more impious than the Sodomites. Thus josephus, because I say (though wicked enough London was yet so wicked it was not (but as regular and Religious a City, and as full of those that feared the Lord, and called upon his Name, and that Mourned for the Abominations done in it, and in the whole Land as any I persuade myself the world than had or at any time ever had) To convince the incredulity and ill-will of refractory spirits of the truth of which; God I believe reserved a Remnant in it, and was merciful to the Bodies and Goods of the Inhabitants of it, the greatest part of whom and which are now blessed be God resient dwelling and Trading in the remains of the Freedom, and in the reserved Suburbs. This (Sir) Shall be written that the Generations to come may know it, and the people that are yet unborn shall praise the Lord; For if the Lord had not been on our side may London now say, If the Lord had not been on our side when the Fire rose up against us, than the Fire had swallowed us up quick when its rage was kindled against us; Yea, certainly God never mingled a Cup of wrath with more Mercy than this, which was rather Physick than Poison, more a Paternal chastisement, than an extirpating Vengeance.  
For whereas he Marched against jerusalem of old, charging her from his pale horse of fury, bringing truculent and bloody Enemies against it: Romans, Syrians, Arabians, all which accompanied vespasian against it, and that then when there were 270000 Jews which came to Sacrifice, shut up by the siege in it as in a Prison, and were slain and starved during the siege and at its rendition, whereof 600000. 
L●b. 7. c. 16 de bello I●d●ico.  were cast out of the City in such distress that a Bushel of Wheat was sold for a talon which is 600 Crowns, 
L 6 c. 16.  and the dung and raking of the City sinks was ●●●d good Commons, and necessity made a Mother kill her Child and dress it, and whereas the dead Bodies lay so thick, that the way by them was not passable, the whole City flowing with blood; so that many parts set on fire were quenched by the blood of them that were slain, and after all the City was burned, whereas God thus punished jerusalem by giving it a Cup of trembling, and filling it brimful with deadly Poison, leaving no remnant from which succession should arise, or rebuilding, and re-inhabitation become probable and effective, yet to the praise of the glory of his Grace be it written, and be this loving kindness of the Lord never forgotten by London. It was not with London as Tacitus writes of Rome, Sequiter clades, omnibus quid urbi per violentiam ignium acciderunt gravior atque atrocior. Annal. lib. 15. p. 791. Edit. Dorleans. No blood of the Londoners was mingled with their Sacrifices; that is, no violent essusion of blood was in London, no Famine during the fire was in London. God indeed made the Inhabitants of London during the distraction like Reeds shaken with the wind, its Streets were confusedly walked and hurried about in, thwacked with Carts, pestered with Porters and Portadges, every house threw out its Furniture, which they could not carry away more orderly, Men, Women, Children of all degrees and ages carried out somewhat, either to safety or spoil, some sent their Goods into the Country, others into the Fields and other Open places, watching them many nights, and others removed them from place to place to lose them at last; yet though this was sad, God gave them their lives for a prey, and they had had the Pity, Presence, and Comfort of their Good King, and the Noble Duke of York, with the most Generous Lord Craven, and others, for Guards and Securers to them and theirs. There were indeed bruits of fear, and there were companies of suspicious persons who at the best, live upon the vices of the Nation, and who like Coasters ride out at Sea, to expect prey from wrecks, and small Boats which they can Master and prey upon, 
Scyllam inopem unde praecipuum audaciam Tacit. Annal. lib. 14. p. 159. Ex edit Eudovici Dorlea●s.  such Cormorants of pillage and snaps of ruin My Lodgings were an eminent instance of before they were burned yet open violence there was none to speak of, but much even of exemplary Justice, and charitable Mercy, In the time of the Fires raging, and of the distractious impetuosity; which I write not to vindicate the dissolute Multitude of pretended Labourers, and other instruments of carriage (who exhansed the rates of their own portadge, while perhaps their Wives, Children, and Servants, or some of them, were busy at other work, all becoming theirs which their hook could reach, or their Net drag away.) Nor yet do I mention This to atone the displeasure had against those Country Carts and Labourers, some of whose wages exceeded the worth of their Lading, or the ability of the persons they in this distress exacted it from, From these so dreadfully Mercenary to their sensual gain, as no more Justice or Courtesy is to be expected than is haveable from a Spoiler, who must leave what he cannot carry away, and who does not take all, not because he cannot find in his heart so to do, but because he is afraid so to do, whose avoidance of extortion is from wisdom of caution to prevent trouble, not upon Conscience of duty to approve himself to God and to Humanity. From These, I say, as no Mercy or Justice is (upon resolution) to be expected, so the Justice and Mercy of These, do I not in the least intent to mention by way of praise) the Justice and Mercy then remarkable, was that of many Honest persons, who well understanding the Duties of Constables and Officers, became voluntarily such to preseve peace and prevent disorders, assisting Government against the common rout, apprehending and detaining suspicious persons till they brought Good vouchers and cleared themselves. And other Guards and Foot Soldiery upon duty, answered the end of their array, and did not only not do violence to any, but secured all against the violence of any that attempted it; it was not with the Sufferers in this Fire, as with the jews when the Romans besieged and Mastered them, and they were envied, the Gold that was supposed to be in their Bellies, it being noised that they had swallowed down much, which caused some of the Roman allies in one night to rip up the Bellies of 2000 of them, to search for that they found not, which Vespasian hearing of, 
6 lib. c. 16. De bello judaic.  and the cruelty of it abominating, caused them to be compassed about with Horse, and to be destroyed; No such truculency was acted here, but the Citizens were suffered to secure what they could, and to pass and repass with what possible freedom and security the exigency of affairs would permit, The Soldiers riding about, and being their guard and help. Thus did King, Duke, Peers, People, Soldiers, do their parts, but God's Counsel stood, and he did with the Buildings and Riches of the City, what came in his Sovereign mind to do, by reason of which, the beauty, vastness & order of Lond. came down to its Chaos in four days, which had been climbing up to its Meridian above 2000 years, 
Impetu pervagatum incenaium, plana primum, deinde in edita assurgens inferiora populando anteriit remedia velocitate mali. Tacit. An●●l. lib. 15. p. 791. Edit. Dorlea●s.  exchanging its name of a goodly City, for the reproach of a graceless heap; The rumination of all which particulars, that God suffered a City saved by the Lord from the miseries of War, and the mercylessness of Insurrection, Risen by grave pauses and Centuries of time, into a Miracle of stature, accommodated with all ingredients and concentrations to publish and establish it in request and value, Whose appositeness for Trade, was Magnetic of all Nations and Merchandises to it. Whose Credit for order and honesty, lewred Strangers out of their Countries to reside in it, and kept them here, and naturalised them to it, Whose Government was effectual and sweet; To ends of terror and obligement, whose Customs and Franchises were beneficial and stated, Whose Citizens were Rich and Hospitable, Whose appearances were pompous, and becoming their Descents and Fortunes, That London which was so celebrious for public Edefices of State and Religion, that it was not possible almost to wish better or more remarks of Christian Devotion and Politic Grandeur in such dimensions as it stood upon, That this City which once deserved the Union of all Characters of glory, vying with Rome for Religion, with Naples for Nobility, with Milan for Beauty, with Genoa for Statelyness, with Florence for Policy, which Venice for Riches, That this which was complete usque ad Invidiam mundi, as I may so write, should become inglorious, and be the Subject as well of her Enemies insult, as of her Friends pity; This Inscription of God's fury on the Roll of her Judgement, Lamentation, and Mourning, and Woe, aught to call us, 
26 Ezek. 13. 7 Jer. 34. 16 Jer. 9  From joy and melody, from pleasure and riot, which God has caused to cease, unto prostration and confession before God; And that not by Hanging down the head like a Bulrush for a day, and returning to our Sin the next day, like the Dog to his Vomit, not by presenting ourselves in the Congregation of God, which too few do, and there only counterfeiting Devotion for an hour only, but following it with unmortified bestiality and inhuman luxury, not by bare words of piety without any reflection of them on the heart, or any evidence of the truth of its radication, in the Flower of it, the life; Humiliation that God commands and accepts is deep and settled, the souls contusion and exinanition, such abhorrence as job speaks of 42 job. 6. an abhorrence of a Man's self, and of that Sin that cleaves closest to him, and is most connatural with him, and a repenting in dust and ashes, that is an evidence of self condemnation in the vivid'st and most exact note of it, in that which is Emblematical of the lowest dejection, such a frame of Soul as weeps bitterly with Peter, and makes restoration with Zachaeus, and rejects the former allurements to Sin with Mary Magdalen, and resigns up itself wholly to Christ Jesus as consternated Saul did when Christ dismounted him, 
9 Acts 6.  and he became his Convert, such a humiliation as Manasses and the Good men in Nehemiah precedents us to in the 9 Neh. where 'tis said the Children of Israel were assembled with fasting and Sackcloth, and with Earth upon them, 
V. 1. 2.  and the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquity of their Fathers; Such a humiliation as pulls with indignation sin from its Root, and suffers no corner of the Soul or Land to be fantive to it or polluted by it, such a humiliation as is in sincerity and truth commensurate to the God of Truth whom it is devoted to, such an humiliation as includes the Kings, the Peers, the Prelates, the Clergy, the Laity does God call for, and that in proportion to that Epidemique mercy that he hath obliged all by, and suitable to that heavy and repeated judgement he hath already brought and farther may bring upon all, such a humiliation as excuses, no degree, no age, no person from it dres the Lord require from thee, 
13 Jer. 18 2 Chr 12. c. v. 6.  O England! and from thee, O London! To whom he hath showed Mercies of a former or latter date, parallel with, if not paramount to his manifests to any Nation; He hath called us Beloved who were not beloved, 
28 D●ut. 13.  and caused us an Island to become the Head and not the Tail of the Nations, He hath brought us into the marvellous light of Christianity, who sat in darkness of error, and in the shadow of death through Ethnicism, he hath not been a wilderness to us, nor planted us in a barren soil, but given us a Canaan, 
11 Jer. 5.  flowing with Milk and Honey, a Land rich in Corn, Pastures, cattle, Fruits, Fish, every thing that necessity and delight calls the glory of any Land, God has raised us up Kings, Rulers and judges, not è Fece populi, but derived from loins Noble, 
10 Eccl. 17.  the Sons of Honour and Majesty, who have been Nursing Fathers to our Piety's, Persons and Laws, God has preserved us from Vassalage, and made us free in our persons and properties (safety and propriety being in the King's Protection and his people's subjection, according to the Law.) God has preserved the Rights and Renown of England so, that the Subjects of it are famous for Valour and Success in their Enterprises by Sea and Land, God hath made this little spot, that in the Map of Chorography is hardly discernible, a Mart of Trade and a Mine of Wealth, which the inexhaustion of this last twenty six years, by Sums unsummable, and in their possibility to be adjusted would be incredible, yet have not drawn low, but preserved pregnant to carry on its just and necessary Interests against her potent combined Enemies; These Mercies to Engl. ever since her Christianity, recognised by those abridgements of them in the Reigns of the five last Princes equalling all other anteceding them, The Reformation of Religion by E. 6. The deliverance from the cruelty of Popery in Queen mary's Reign, The Restoration of Protestancy in Quen Elizabeth's days, in spite of the Jesuited Plots, Spanish Invasion, 
〈…〉 Thankful Remembrance of God's mercy. See Dr. Sharpe's Letter. Cabala p. 256. 259. 1 part.  expensive Wars purposely raised to distress and divert her; In the Reign of King james, whom God brought in rightfully, settled quietly, and delivered from the fatal Powder-Plot, to leave his Crown Rich and Great to his Successor, the late Glorious King Charles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (whose Reign was as beneficial, and peaceful, (for the most part of) it as any preced-ed, and had made the Nation as happy after a Cloud, had not God punished and polluted the glory of it with the storm of Contradiction in a Civil uncivil War, and with the guilt of the, blood of that, Solomonique Codrus whose life was sacrificed to vindicate the Religion and Laws of Loyalty and Liberty, against the Oppressions and Insolences of Antiscriptural Error and Antimonarchical avarice;) These five last Reigns in which the Princes and people of England were kept from either the sufferings of public mischief or the long and grievous detinue under it, show God's Mercy to this Nation, and call for humiliation from it; And if these so long passed are not fresh in our Memories, as God forbid they should, (being done but within the Age of those that yet Live, and God forgive if they be, which ought to be had in everlasting remembrance) yet there are Obligations of late which are Monitory to us of Mercy abused and ingratefully deported to.  
And here give me leave (Sir) to Apostrophize as God did by his Prophet Isaiah, 
1 Isa. 2.  Hear O Heaven, harken O Earth, bear witness Angels and Men, and our own Consciences, whether God has not nourished us up that are now alive as his Children, and yet We, we have rebelled against him; O Sir, the Mercies showed to our Glorious Lord and Renowned Sovereign of England, our Gracious King Charles the Second, whom God long preserve and Sanctify throughout both in Body and Soul, are the Marrow and Fatness of all God's Treasury of Mercies concerning this life; His seasonable departure and safe arrival beyond the Seas, when he might have been in the same hands his blessed Martyr Father was, His Conduct and Preservation while abroad, in the condition of a Pilgrim, & under the Eclipse of a Pensioner, His preparation to reduction by his opposites dimnion, and his Subjects better prospect into their Seduction & combination against those Artificers of their former delusion, His Generals and ever Glorious Father in fidelity to him, and success for him and us. I make bold (with His Majesty's gracious Pard●n humbly implored) to use the Compellation that I have heard reported to be given him by His Majesty) the now beloved and deservedly admired Duke of Albemar●●, his sagacity in carrying his intents undiscovered, till he had both enabled himself and disabled the opposites to discover or defeat them; The honest and wise Parliament of 1660/1 their plyableness first to publish, and after to act the security and seasonableness of his Restoration; The passivity of a potent Army and Party formerly against him, which foreseeing what is come to pass, yet opposed nothing at all, at least to no purpose, but rather in a great measure forwarded the mercy by their activity. The advantage that accrued to His Majesty upon his reverter, not only of Money and Monies worth by Offices, but by Improvement of Lands, & by other valuable perquisites; and besides all, the love of his Subjects, who adoring the rising Son of so blessed and lamented a Father, and accounting themselves delivered by him, and Establishable against relapse only from him, Sacrificed all to him, Their persons and fidelity to him by Oath, Their Laws, Liberties and Purses to him by Parliamentary playbleness, Their Prayers to him by thinking that best done which he did, and their praises of what he did, as acceptable to them, and magnified by them; This, this Sunshine in the harvest of their hopes; This, This Rain of Fertility after England's Sultre of war and dissension. This mercy of Inundation in the joy of England's King Charles returned, is a mercy from the Womb of the Morning, which the light sprung from on high visited us with, a Visitation it was of God's Light and of his Truth, Of the light of his countenance in making our Captivity like the Rivers of the South, 
126 Ps. 4.  a reaping in joy after a sowing in tears; 
1●2 Ps. 28 11 Prov. 21.  of the Truth of his Promise, The seed of the Righteous shall not be forsaken, of the truth of his Paternity to us who thus remembered us in our low estate. For his mercy endureth for ever. This, this prosecuted and perfected by his deliverances from Insurrections at home, from Confederacies against him abroad, from the violences of ungodly men, and from the dangers and uncertainties of war, This raising of him in his Reputation, and making his Adversaries appear little to him, Is the Matchless mercy of God to him, and is God's Envoy and Herald to beseech His Grace to suitable subjection to him, and to circumspect Sanctimony before him.  
And if O England! and O London! God has thus obliged thy Monarch, and his Peerage and his Prelacy, and his people of all degrees. Then what O England! does God require of this Renowned Recipient and Lodge of thy mercy by the distributions from whence thou art refreshed and enriched, then that thy Monarch with all his Train of dependants, do execute Justice, love Mercy, and walk humbly with his and their God. Answer God O England! Prince and people in this requiry of his? Do justice upon sin, the abominable thing that he hateth; upon sin of all sorts, of all degrees, in all persons, Execute the Laws impartially while they stand in Force, Repeal them if they be supernumerary, mitigate them if vexatious, explain them if dubious, add to them if too short to reach and redress emergent evils, and be not overcome of the evil of partiality, but overcome that and all other evil with the goodness of public spiritedness, which aims at entailing God's blessing upon him and his. For he hath not only said he will forgive the sins of those that execute judgement, 1 Isay 17. 18. But has promised that those that Execute judgement, make their shadows as the Night in the midst of the Noonday, hide the outcasts, and betray not him that wandereth, to have their Thrones be Established in mercy, and their Posterity sit upon them in truth, 16 Isa. 5. yea with execution of judgement, God whose Throne is Established by Righteousness, & whose ways are Mercy and Truth, is so taken at, that He promises to pardon a great and sinful City, jerusalem, if in the streets and in the broad places thereof, there can be found but one man that executeth judgement and seeketh the truth, 5 Jer. 1. Thus to do Justice is to please God, if it be seconded by Love of mercy to God's poor and afflicted Ones, Relieve the oppressed, visit the Fatherless and Widow in their extremity, be not a terror to those that do well, do not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax; Let the longsufferance and patience of God to you make you compassionate to those whose errors you ought to pity and pray for, rather than punish, Let God's Longanimity in your renewed Conscience break out upon their passions in Victory over them; and in virtue expressed to them that are contrary minded to you, and think that the noblest Conquest that makes you triumph over mortal wrath which accomplishes not the Righteousness of God, 
1 Jam. 20  and that carries you out under every weight that would suppress your heavenly ambition to take heaven by force, and to lay hold of eternal Life, and to carry away the assurance of God yours in the Talons of an Eagled faith, which looks upon the Son of Righteousness boldly, and which mounts to the Throne of glory with humble confidence; This, O Prince and People of England is to love mercy, To seek out every true and sacred object of it, To neglect no manifestation of it to such, To be unwearied in such welldoing, To expend every measure of it with Eye to him in heaven that doth command, cannot but accept, will without fail reward it; He that remembers that God's Extraordinary benevolence to Man is phrased by showing mercy, 14 Num. 18. 3. Lam. 22. 103 Ps. 8. 11. 17. and that he promised his mercy and loving kindness, he will never take from His, cannot but promise himself great comfort in showing mercy, and greater in loving mercy. For God delights in the mercy which is complacential and flows from the bowels and being of the shower, and because he delights in mercy and is a God merciful and gracious, 
34. Exod. ●6.  therefore he requires Men his Vicars, 
2. Chron. 30. c. v. 9  to love mercy; 
103. Ps. 8.  Evil men may occasionably show mercy. 
3. Jer. 12.  But good men only love mercy. Thus O England! thou hast invitations from thy God to performances of doing justice and loving mercy; Nor is this all, but there is another requiry equivalent to these in the coordination of which, God's postulation of thee is answered, walk humbly with thy God; This, This, O England! is thy duty and interest to propagate also, for there can be none of the two former without this latter, there is no demeanour national or personal under-mercies, true and uniform, without the Condiment and Ballast of this, Humility in owning God the spring of all authority and enablement to do justice, and love mercy, is that which carries the grace of resolution to its period of performance, Let God, O England! O London! have all the glory of what ye have arrived at, while some put confidence in Chariots and Horsemen, 
49. Ps. 6.  and say their Bow hath brought them their Venison, and their Council and their Confederacies has thus befriended them, while they boast of their hearts desires, 10. Ps. 3. and of a false gift, 25. Prov. 14. while they boast in their Idols, 97. Ps. 7. and of too Morrow which they know not what it may bring forth, 17. Prov. 1. do thou, O England! boast only of God all the day long, 44. Ps. 8. and so moderate your minds, under all your mercies that ye may be termed the Ministers of our God, that ye may eat the riches of your Enemies, and in that glory shall you boast yourselves, 61 Isaiah 6. O England! O London! the Country, the City of my birth breeding, and love, how considerable an Interest is this to thee, praeponderating all those of Moneys, Men, Navies, Armies, though all admirable and useful, yet without thee thus prostrate and devoutly nothing in thine own Eyes, thou art nothing before God, nor wilt thou be any thing against thy Neighbours, but in this, and in the strength of Gods might by this, Thou wilt be more than a balance to them; Thou wilt be a Victor over them, for God saveth the afflicted people, 18. Ps. 27. that is the humble people, 2. Sam. 22. c. v. 28. 49. Isa. 13. and To England and To London thus afflicted & penitent for their sins, God I trust will commiseratingly say as once he did to his Church by his Prophet, O Thou afflicted, 
64 Isaiah 11, 12, 13.  tossed with Tempests, and not Comforted, Behold I will lay thy Stones with fair colours, and lay thy Foundations with Saphires, and I will make thy Windows with Agates, and thy Gates of Carbuncles, and all thy Borders of pleasant Stones, and all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy Children. This is the cause why I humbly provoke the Nation to humiliation before God upon view of his mercies immerited, we have not been worthy of the least of those Myriaded ones that we have enjoyed, nor improved them to such a degree of Melioration and gratitude as we might and ought, For if those mighty wonders that had been amongst us, had been done in any other Nation or City, 
Mat. 11. 21. 23.  they would have repent long ago in Sackcloth and Ashes, 
Lu●e 10. 13.  whereas We are still settled in our Lees, 
48 Jer. 11.  and return not to him that smites us, 
7 Host 10.  neither bring we forth fruits meet for repentance. 
4 Mat. 8.   
Further (Sir) I do humbly pray and wish that England and London would consider the necessity of their humiliation before God; for the Judgements past, present, & probably to come upon it and them that are Impaenitent in it, and unreformed by them.  
And here methinks I hear the Nation crying to its Neighbours, & inhabitants as jerusalem is personated to cry out, 1 Lam. 12. Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by behold and see, If there be be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger? Is it nothing to you that after above 80 years' peace I should have an Intestine War, an Irish Rebellion, a Scotch Insurrection, and an English Discord; By the Tragickness of all which, in Battles fought, in Violences committed, in Depraedations made; I lost Hundreds of Thousands of Men, Millions of Wealth, Multitudes of Buildings of State, suffered Havoc of Religion, Humanity, Timber, and what not that was valuable to keep or get? Is it nothing to you that I had wickedness settled in me by a Law, 
9 〈◊〉 ●6. 9 〈◊〉 13. 6. 〈◊〉▪ 12.  and that the Rulers of the People caused me to err; turning judgement into Gall, and righteousness into Wormwood, till at last the light of our eyes, the Anointed of the Lord fell in their snare, and the blood of that Holy and Just one Charles the First, my once Lord and Master was slain in me? Is it nothing to you, that I was made another Absyrtus, and my seameless coat was torn in pieces, and divided between those that then were chief; That I was in a good progress to Anarchy, and to an impossibility ever to have been recollected and reduced into my orderly and consistent way of regularity and harmony wherein our Governors might be as at the first, and our judges as at the first, 
1. Isai. 26.  no Neighbouring eye pitying me in this day of contempt, or saying unto me Live, had not God made this time of my pollution, the time of his Love? Is it nothing to you, that God has given me a Horn of salvation in this house of his Servant David, 
132. Ps. 2.  and we that under his shadow and protection sit under our own Vine, and under our own Figtree, and enjoy our good things with Peace, yet do repine at the Anchor that holds us all together from wreck, and think necessary aids granted to him, burdens, and his Proclamations and Manifests against Profaneness and contempt of God (disobeyed by many of those who will Ram and Damn themselves to be his best friends, & all fanatics, who refrain from the same excess not to be heeded with them) Is it nothing to you that God has brought a War upon me from my Neighbours in Situation, and Religion, and made the two Earthen Vessels placed in the Sea, and insuperable while inseparable, dash each against other, 
Certo constat Regem Hispaniarum si totam Angliam cum Belgio donare possit totius Europae magnaeque partis mundi Novi Monarcham cito Evasurum; Omnino id agat ut Anglorum vires infringat, ad quod efficiendum Naves Hollandiae & Frisiae sufficerent si nimirum Classi A●glae opponerentur. Campanella c. 25. de Monarchia Hispanic●.  and they that in their Union are a terror to all their opposites, become in Hostility the advantage of those that abet their feuds, looking for that day (which I hope they shall never see) wherein they promise themselves the spoil of them? Is it nothing to you that the God of Heaven hath brought upon many great Cities and Towns in me and into my London, in Anno 1665. the grievous Plague and Pestilence wherein above a hundred thousand died. Many of its Inhabitants were scattered into several corners of the Nation, and impoverished by high expenses, loss of Trade and Debts, and by other unavoidable accidents. And when they were but a little returned, and were in their way of settlement and recovery, Is it nothing to you that God hath by this Dreadful fire of London's havoc given the Enemy of the settled Religion of England occasion to account England and London forsaken of God; 
71 Ps. 11.  And 
* Apology and Appeal to the Royalists now published.  now to be as vituperious of me and mine as their Predecessors in Profession were in their Petition to King james, in which they have amongst many other passages this; (Assuring your Grace that howsoever some Protestants or Puritans incited by moral honesty of life, 
Cab. l●. 2 p●●t. p. 84.  or innated instinct of Nature, or for fear of some temporal punishment, pretend obedience unto their Highness' Laws, yet certainly the only Catholics for Conscience-sake observe them, Is this? Is this nothing to you that thus the adversary reproaches me upon the misery of London? Beloved London, Virtutum omnium domicilium, as the 
a Ammi●●nus Mar●lli-nus. ●. 14.  Historian styled Rome, now the object of our Tears, who wast heretofore the pleasures of our eyes, whose being and bravery God has given up into the rage of fire as the punishment of God upon the Nations and its own sins; 
2 Cor. 4. c. v. 9  Though thou art persecuted yet art thou not forsaken, Why may not the words of the Prophet Isaiah be applied to thee, 
● 2 Isa. 11. 12.  Behold thy Salvation cometh, And they shall call thee the Holy people, the Redeemed of the Lora; and thou shalt be called sought out, A City not forsaken.  
Tell me, O tell me, ye that are most proud upon your prosperity, ye that despise the day of small things, and think ye are delivered to do all the abominations that the worst of men do, who follow the lusts of their own eyes, and the thoughts of their own hearts, and make God unconcerned in their behavious, As if every one that doth evil were good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in him, or where is the God of judgement, 2 Mal. ult. ye who discharge the providence of God from all Regency over the world and the men, and things of it subjecting all things to chance, as if the Lord who made it, wholly cast off the care and control of it, and will not do good, 
1 Zep. 12▪  neither will he do evil in it; Tell me O ye mistaken ones, who smile in your sleeves, and exalt yourselves against those that the Lord has humbled, 
Vere affirmare possumus mundum novum quodammodo perdidisse mundum.  may not the Prophet Obeds words be applied to you. But are these not with you, even with you sins against the Lord your God; 
2 Chron. 17. c. v. 10.  For which sins God may meet with you also? Let these things O people of England be weighed, 
Veterem nam mentibus nost. is a varitium insevit & mutuum amorem inter homines extrin●it. Campanella c. 16. Monarch Hispan.  and let it not seem light to you that God has made such a breach in the wall of the strength of England, and caused the Metropolis of it to be a Stepmother to her Children.  
This O London Inhabitants now dispersed, take religiously to heart, and let God have the glory of your voluntary and penitent taking to yourselves shame and confusion of Face; For behold the Lord hath made the Earth of 
24 Isa. 1.  London waste, he hath made it empty and turned it upside down, and scattered abroad the Inhabitnnts thereof, God hath given it (for but a while I hope) the portion of Egypt to be desolate and waste, 
29 Ezech 9  though the River (was and is and will be I trust Hers,) which brought all Trade to her, and carried all Trade from her, not only into England, but into all other parts of the habitable world. Because of which testimony of God's indignation against us, for our untowardness to him, and our neglect of him when his judgements on us ought to make us learn righteousness. What cause (Dear Sir) has England and London to cry mightily to God for a profitable issue of this his judgement upon us, and how ought we all to abhor ourselves for provoking his goodness, and patience, so long and so far?  
Let (Sir) evil Instruments have their due Guerdon if they be found, and found guilty, Let no eye spare, nor any heart compassionate the misery of any Villainy that shall be Confederate against the Lord, and against his Anointed in the ruin of London, (which was more happy in some respects when on fire, than 
* Nec quisquam desendere audebat, creb●is multorum minis restinguere prohibentium, & quia alii palam faces jaciebant atque esse sibi auctorem vociserabantur sive ut raptus licentius exercerent, seu ●ussu. Tacitus Annal. l. 15. p. 791. Edit. Dor●ea●s.  Rome when on fire was) But yet the great Delinquent that provoked God to give up London such a main Pillar and Masterbranch in England's Grandeur, into the power of raging fire was England's and London's sins, for which she and it hath received such things at the Lords hand. This is a lamentation, and it ought to be a lamentation; For of all the Clouds over England, none more portentous than this.  
Which (Sir) in mine opinion, (but I am a modest subscriber to your and other Wisemen's better judgements) addresses to the Nation this Counsel to promote union and general compliance amongst true Englishmen, to serve their Prince resolutely, supply his necessities roundly, discourage his Enemies manfully, and in all things prove themselves a terror to the common Enemy, whose pride it is to see us peevish, and whose project it is to keep us jealous and inconfident each of other, and thence impotent against them, so Camp●●ella has told the world. For having advised to open Popish Schools in Flanders 
Ad Rel●gionem Angl●ae quod s●ectat obtinet quidem Calvin a●a attamen moderata, nec tam prava ut Genevensim est quae tamen facile restling vi non potest, nisi aperiuntur Scholae in Flandra, quae gens cum Anglis multum commercii habet, into ventuque illarum spargentur semina Scismatum in Scientiis Naturalibus, etc. c. 25. de Monarch. Hispan.  (which Country hath much commerce with England and is near to it, he concludes that Natural Sciences professed there, and drawing over many great Wits thither, will so engage them to cavil and busy their brains in disputes, That the errors of the Calvinists will be made manifest. And he proceeds, c. 27. To conclude that God himself has showed, them the way by which the Heretics may be overcome; namely, their rendering into Sects and Parties, which he assures by the endeavours that he prescribes may be such, That there hardly be found a family in that Land (meaning Engl.) in which divers Hersies shall not be favoured, nor is there wanting to our wishes anything but the knowing & improving of so desirable an opportunity, For every Kingdom divided against itself shall be desolated, 
Deus tamen ipse postmodum ust●ad●t utam quà illi vinci potuerunt cum ipsi (Protestants) per sectas in diversas partes decesserunt, Cro●● sciliscet Lutheri, subtilis Calvini, dissoluti Zuinglii & Mem●c nis, adeo ut vix ulla domus ibi terrarum inveniatur in quà 〈◊〉 divers Haer●ses soveantur, nec ulla desit nobis quam scientia apprehendendi & usurpandi tam exoptatam occasionem, omn● en 〈◊〉 regnum inse divisum desolabitur & unio fi●ma difficilem semper habet nodum. c. 27.  and firm union has ever a undissolvable knot; Thus Campanella.  
For as in the body natural the amputation and dock of one member forces the blood and spirits that therein reside when fixed, to recur to the heart, and there to succour it in the absence of that part, to the more plenary vigour of the remaining parts, so in the body politic, in this sense Intentio supplere debet defectum, What England has at present lost in London's Counsel, Riches, Readiness, it must supply by the hale and uninjured other parts, till London's dispersions can be recollected, and the impoverishing of it be regained. The number of Lond. (blessed be God) are not by the fire much destroyed, nor their spirits Crestfallen, nor are they languid and despairing in their endeavours to get up again, if God give his blessing to them, and if they be left (so far as may suit with His Majesty's pleasure and the Laws direction for public advantage) to the building of it upon its old Foundation, and according to the just proportion of every man's allowed claim and right; This, in such measure as the wisdom and justice of Government shall indulge, may make us hopeful, and I hope confident to see a London again, and therefore O England, O London, renounce thy Factions and Parties which are great Remora's to thy prosperity, and let us who are Christian Englishmen keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace, 
2 Cor. 13. c. v. 11. 4 Eph. 3. 3 2 Isa. 17. 11 Prov. 30.  and the God of peace will be with us, and make the work of it peace and assurance for ever, rendering this fruit of Righteousness a tree of life. Nothing tends to redintegration, to improvement like union, for by that are unnatural Breaches made up, and firmness the only auxiliary to opposition of Enemies is advanced and carried on to its amiable issue; while Brethren live together and are full fed at their Father's Table they often will be found jarring each with other, and contending with animosity for straws and bubbles, but when their provident Fathers disposes them into several quarters, and they see and hear from one another but seldom, than their childish vatiances fall off and they unite into an indissolvability of affection, so that they will covet to hear from and see each other, omitting no expression of obligement that they can make to one another; Sembably in National differences it proves true, that the common affection of Countrymen solders them into a common resolve of kindness each to other, when they see they have bought their humours at too dear a rate to boast of their purchase, or to continue in it any longer. And this, they that are most stupid and settled upon their Lees, may easily discover; And if God that divided Simeon and Levi in Jacob, and scattered them in Israel, because cruelty was in their dwellings, 
Ge●.  shall unite Ephraim to Manasseth, and Manasseth to Ephraim, judah will have no cause to complain both of them against each other have been against her. Nothing is a Curse of subversion to a Nation but Faction, 
9 Isa. 20.  Dissension, Jealousy, which the aforesaid Campanella calls (the most approved and successful way to humble the Heretics of England and distract them that can be, 
Egregia vero via ad humilandos Ha●eticos eosque distrahendos etiam haec est, nimirum aperire Scholas Philosohicas & Mathematicas in Germania ut ejusmod● speculati omnibus immergatur potius quum Haereticis studiis vacet. Et Paulo post una quadem via est si animus omnis et voluntas interse coeundi et conspirandi illis auferatur suspiciones et simultatis inter illos alendo, etc. c. 23.  for while they are afraid of one another, and keep at distance, they all lie open to become the prey of their Adversary.) Nor can this Nation be solidly thankful to God for his Mercies on the right hand and his Correction on the left, nor are they or any of them rightly understood or applied by us, till with one heart and one mind we turn to God by Prayer and Supplication, till we seek him with undivided hearts, and beseech him junctis viribus, with entireness and unbroken devotion, till we all become a Fulminans Legio, a band of seekers and servers of him orderly, as those that are gathered together, and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord, Psalm 102. v. 22.  
O union! how wilt thou befriend Engl. if thou now become the blessing of City and Country, of Church and State, High and Low, old and young; let this spirit hold riffe in Engl. and let us learn obedience to God by the things that we have suffered, for being too much without it, and our prosperity will be like a River, and our Renown and dread like a mighty stream, our enemies will be before us as the Chaff before the wind, One of us will chase a 1000, 
23 Josh. 10.  five of us will chase a 100, and a 100 of us will put 10000 to flight, 
26 Leu. 8.  For till union be God's gift upon national endeavours and prayers, its best blessing is like to prove but a balance to enemies, not a Victory over them, God may, and 'tis but a may, make their bow abide sure to wound their enemies in the hinder-parts, yet shall they still be but partial Victors, while their enemy's industry and unitedness wastes that by length which it cannot scatter or bear down by strength.  
And if any man (Sir) think this a paradox and misjudgeth it an error in History, let him rectify his mistake by the Oracle of truth Christ Jesus, A Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, and let him thereupon consider whether the plenary success of Nations in their enterprises both offensive and defensive, depend not, under God Almighty, upon union, which if the late judgement of Pestilence and Fire, with the present war will not invite us to, and confirm us in, what will do I know not, unless whom the Lord intends to destroy, He hardeneth against his fear, and against knowing the day of their saving Visitation, which I hope and pray Engl. may be delivered from, and do promise myself Englishmen will ever make good that humour which I think is natural to them, 
Read Sir Walt. Bawleigh 2 Book 1 part p. 262. l. 10.  to lay aside all private grudges, and bid their Valours to a reconciled entertainment in furious charge upon their Country's enemies, and thereby discharge their Country's vexation; For if pro aris, pro focis & Patre Patriae if in these cases (to use K. james of blessed Memory his words) 
p. 233. of his works in folio.  no man ought to think his life happier and more gloriously bestowed than in defence of any of the three; how great an obligation is there on us to be true to our Nation when all are in danger, and how ought we all to be united to defend them all, who are so happy by them all?  
Thus (Sir) having observed to your Judicious eye and to the Nation's, the mercies of God to Engl. in general, and to London a considerable part of it, I think it proportionable to mine honest intendment, to become in that measure that God enableth me, the City's Orator & Advocate to the Nation, to whose aid, splendour, convenience, Grandeur, She when she stood upon her ancient bottom was so great a Contributor, Do not, O do not glory in her ruins, trample not upon her dislustre, reproach not her widowhood, insult not over her humbling; Do not, O do not vomit out Invectives against her whom God hath given as it were the Cup of 
23 Ezech 32.  abasement and astonishment to drink; 
12 Zach. 2.  do not lay load upon those Shoulders that God has in a sort, Issachared, 
49 Gen. 19  to crouch between two Burdens of Poverty and dispersion, lay not that upon them which they are not able to bear, 
36 Isa. 27.  because God lays upon no man more than he gives strength to undergo; 
1 Cor. 10. c. v. 13.  Be not lifted up in this day of London's dejection, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and he hurl you Lucifers out of the Heaven of your sinful selicity, and make you Noctifers and Mortifers of misery and contempt; Remember God was sore displeased with the Heathen that were at ease, Because I was (saith he) but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction, 
1 Zach. 15.  For I hope God is returning to it in Mercy, and his Houses shall be built, and a Line shall be stretched forth upon it, v. 16.  
I the rather (Noble Sir) mention this, because the rancour of ill Nature, lewd rage, and unenglish truculency discovers itself in the words and actions of some to such degrees, that they count London as Nero's House was termed, Spoliarium Vrbis & Orbis, Censuring it thus punished for her blood and Rebellion, for her Sectarism and Puritannicalness, making the loss and just complaints of her Inhabitants, the matter of their secret repast, if not open exultation. To this the answer of our Lord to his furious Disciples, who would have had Fire called for from heaven upon their enemies, is apposite You know not of what spirit ye are, therefore to such I shall make no reply that will incense them or engage me. Only (Sir) I hope I may with modesty and truth say, that whatever London's guilt before God hath been, and its receiving from the Lords hand by this fire is, God is just, and it hath reaped but the fruits of its own sinful doings, as to God London's destruction is of itself, but as to the Nation, it hath not I persuade myself had more than a proportion of sin with it; Her Magistracy, Her Ministry, Her Sabbaths, Her Congregations, Her Citizens, Her altogether has been as orderly & pious as the proportions of them in other places privileged from her Calamity were, and when ever the temper of her Inhabitants was most distempered, they were then no more Criminal than the rest of the Nation; whose Emissaries and Suffragans either called up those disorders in her, or confirmed, ex post facto, what was vildly done by them. And if London (be it as bad as it will be, must in policy be made as good as it can, and be born with till its humours be sweetened, and its eventriqueness be reduced, for the Metropolis of Engl. I hope God has ratifyed in Heaven it shall ever be and abide;) then to no purpose is this waste of rage, while Lond. being the common Hostelry of the Nation, receives into it men of all additions and tempers, nor can it be responsible before God or man for that, which a more governable place (than the continued building which in this account is reckoned Lond. but really is not) would be, London's numbers made London orderly, or the contrary, as the predominant virtue or vice of them led her, nor avails it much what a few wise and loyal men say or do, if many more than they will appeal from them to the power they have gotten over them, and the mastery they are resolved to keep upon them. And though the least instance of Lond. misdemeanour be that which I wish from my soul she could not be charged with, yet if those that are most censorious of her, and most profess service to the K. and the Country would consider it aright, they may I presume find cause to join with Renowned K. james, who in his acknowledgement of Her great forwardness in that honourable action of proclaiming him King, says, 
Anno. 1602. Cabala. p. 81.  Wherein you have given a singular proof of your ancient Fidelity, a Reputation Hereditary to that our City of London being the Chamber of our Imperial Crown, and ever free from all shades of tumultuous and undutyful courses, so that King.  
And so much by way of Atonement for London, the challenge to which needs no other or better reply than that of the Archangel, contesting with his Antagonist about the body of Moses, whom he answered not with railing accusations, but said, The Lord rebuke Thee; even so, O Lord, 
St. Judas 9  rebuke the evil spirit of these Sanballats, and raise up the spirit of the Nehemiahs and such other Heroics of Kindness and Ability, to consider London; If not the place of their birth, breeding, supply, or the foil in which their Ancestors laid the foundations of their Honour and Fortune, yet that wherein their younger Brothers, Sisters, or Cozen-Germans were disposed of, and lived happily in. 
At Pompeii theatrum igne fortuito haustum, Caesar extructurum pollicitus est, eo quod nemo è Familia restaurando sufficeret. Tacitus Annal. lib. 3. p. 417. Edit Dorleaus.  And, O that such of the Nobility and Gentry, whose Greatness owes its Freedom and Fullness to their City Ancestors who throve so well in it, as to leave them that whereby they and their thrifty Posterities may enjoy the plenty they neither laboured nor spun for. O that, I say, these would think the ruins of London, under which the Monuments of their worthy Fathers or Grandseirs, and the ashes of them lie, worthy their rescue and revival, by re-edifying those Piles of Devotion in which they were erected and buried; That what is written but upon the Porch of one Church now in the Borders of London, may be the Motto of every such restored Church and Chappel, 
St. Gyles' in the Fields.  Heus viator anne bonis operibus effoetum est hoc soeculum. 
A senatu petivi● Lepidus ut B●silicam Sancti Pauli Aemiliam monumenta propria pecuniâ firmaret, o naretque, erat enim tunc in more publica munisicentia. Idem eodem loco.  And O that the aid of their great Estates would come in to help the public Places of London's Government, Guildhall and the Halls of the Worthy and Charitable Societies of the same, a Work becoming the best and bravest Minds, and only expectable from such, who thereby would more contribute to their own earthly perennity, than by the doubtful continuance of Sons and Daughters. God knows my heart, I hate the vapour of words divorced from real and solid Intentions, but this, if you (Sir) and other Worthy men will give me leave to write, and belief in writing, I had rather live in such public Munificencies, than in Sons or Daughters. And had I an Estate as Augustus had, 
Legata non ultra Civilem modum nisi quod populo & Pleb. ccccxxxv. Praetoriarum co●ortium militibus singula nummûm millia, legionariis autem cohortih●s Civium Romanorum trecenos nummos vi●itim dedit. Annal. lib. ●. p. 33. Edit Dorleans.  whom Tacitus reports to have bestowed by Legacy in his Will, incredible sums of Money to the Citizens and Soldiers thereby entitled to his Gift; I should rather choose, after moderate Provision for my Children, to make the Ruins of London. (In which Beloved Zion College should have no small share) Mine Executor then to restore, or continue my own Family by it. And, I trust, God who I believe has accepted, as well pleasing in his sight, the Piety, Faithfulness, and Diligence of the Corporations in London, will give a Command to those Lazaritique spirits, who have been of late engraved in cold resolves to hoard what would be better thus employed, to come forth and become charitably visible; And if God be with London to this purpose, He that at first brought Order out of Confusion, can from this present Heap of Rubbish, raise up a New and no less Renowned London. And thereby provide anew for the Reverend, Learned, and Painful Clergy, many of which Constant Preachers, Polite Writers, Discreet and Holy Livers, are now exposed with their Wives, Children and Families to hardship, un-housed, dis-parished, Fortuneless; Some whereof have lost all, or part of their Libraries, Common Places, and Sermon Notes, the fruits of their Studies, and the supplies of their Cures, and other advantageous Emergencies; and what is yet as lamentable as any other unwelcome Accident, have lost the convenience of Sy●n College, whose well furnished Library (though little added to these late years) in a good part saved, yet by the ruins of its Case, and the uselessness of it in any place, but that which was peculiar to it, adds to their unhappiness; to recover which pristine convenience, there was a Motion made to the Precedent and such of the Governors as could be got together about three weeks after the Fire, by a Gentleman who would have been the College Orator, had they given him, and some other Gentlemen joined with him, Credentials to address in their name, and to so worthy a purpose, The then living, though now dead, 
* Dr. War●er.  Bishop of Rochester, whom the Motioner, to my knowledge, told such of the Governors as there were present, the most likely of any one living to accept the Entreaty and Motion, to become the Patron and Refounder of the College. God having concentred in his Lordship those arguments of Motive for him to do this, which he has not now, in many no less willing, as that his Lordship was a Native of London, the Son of a wealthy Citizen in the same; That he was a Churchman in the City many years; That he had been a Governor of Zion College; That he had long published himself an intender of Public charity by way of a College to be built, or some Hospital, or both; if this, added to his Fatherly ability in point of Estate, and his non-avocation by Provision for Children, which many men's Intentions this way are pestered with, and rendered ineffectual by; These, I say, all amassed together, did portray him probable enough to expect such an address, and to be by God prepared, not to browbeat it; especially when the Eminency of this Charity had furtherance by the cheapness of it, the restoration of which Edifice to its splendour, would not, with the Materials (when the Motion was made) already there, have amounted to above 3000l. which was far less than either our first Founder, Reverend Dr. White, or our second Founder worthy Mr. Simpson, though but a plain Rector of a Church in London, 
St. Olaves Har●-stree●.  and having a charge of Children, bestowed upon their respective parts of Foundation therein. But this Motion (which no man can deny to have been than not impossible to have gained accomplishment to those honest ends) ceased under the conclusion, He was an angry old Man, and would not relish such an Application, and so it died, and two months after his Lordship too; but I wish it be not the hopefullest opportunity that the College will ever have. And I pray God that future diligence may supply what herein may be feared wanting, and that the Library may be fitted to use. Since as the Lord Coventry once said, The College had never been or continued, 
Nota ben●.  if it had not been for the Library and Almshouses.  
This I thought here good to publish, it being my nature and custom to promote all pious and learned Interests by any opportunities I have, or can seasonably take, and to Gratulate the Kindness, Convenience, and Favour I have had from any person or thing, with frequency of acknowledgement, and wherein I can with fluency of requital. Yea, so great a confidence had I of the feasibility of this Motion, had it been currently followed, that, I dare say, and I would have none displeased with me, but if they be, I will be pleased with myself for believing it, That if the meanest Society in London had conceived such hopes of any man so related to them, and so enabled for them, as the prementioned Prelate was to the Corporation of London Ministers at Zion College, they would have not been so Modest as to have made to themselves a difficulty to approach him, and a denial from him, before they had attempted the one, and received the other; But would have made as much of it, as their diligence, furthered by God's blessing, would have prospered their application to.  
And I the rather (Sir) move the Nobles and Gentry to this, because God, in the words of Mordecay to Esther, perhaps has brought them to, and preserved them in, riches and plenty for such a time as this, Esther 4. 14. And how can they do more to denominate them Noble and Great ●inded, than this of building somewhat of public Use and State. Thus God when he declares his Mercy and Greatness to his, is said to Build the Cities of judah, Psal. 69. 35. And when the Lord builds up Zyon, he is said to Appear in his Glory, Psal. 102. 16. Thus God says to his People's comfort, The Heathen that are left round about you shall know, that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate, Ezech. 36. 36. And when God threatened the deriders of his destroyed people, whom he calls sinners of his people that shall die by the sword, which say the evil shall not overtake nor prevent us, Amos 9 10. In the 11th v. he adds, In that day (to wit of their ruin) will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old.  
And as God himself shows his Greatness by this, so does he stir up great Minds thus to do. 
See Sir Rawleigh● Book. 1. part c. 10. § 4.  Thus he stirred up Solomon to build a House to him, 1 Chron. 28. 10. Thus God moved Cyrus to build the Temple, Ezra 5●13. Thus Cain, Nimrod, Ashur, and all men else of Might, are excited to build Cities and Houses, and to call them after their own Names, which was not only the Fashion of elder times, and Eastern Countries, but has ever been the Custom of England: Most Halls and Lordship Houses takeing Denomination from the Primitive or most remarkable Owner of them; Which perpetuation of any man's Name and Memory, is more probable and certainly continuous, than that of a Child, who may die, or leave no Heir, or but an Heir Female; or may by unthriftiness waste an Estate, and so extinguish the Ancestor; when as a public Bounty fixed on the Basis of a notable Structure employed to a general Use, can undergo no such change; for its Corporation never dies, and its Alienation is secured against. Which is verified in that Magnanimous and liberal hearted Benefactor to London, and that Glory of England's Traders in his time, Sir Thomas Gresham Knight, and Mercer of London, the wealthy and serviceable Merchant of Queen Elizabeth of ever blessed Memory; who dying childless, is buried in the alienation of Asterly, and other great parcels of his Lands, now out of the Name of Gresham; but yet he lives in the College of his Foundation, and in the City House he lived in, which is by the Mercy of God preserved from Fire, and become the Chamber, The Guild-hall, The Common-hall, The Exchange of the remaining City; The Royal Exchange in Cornhill of his Foundation, Anno 1571. being wholly burnt down, and all the Stately and Kingly Effigies of it demolished, except his the Founders, which yet stands in its Arch undefaced: which precedent of God's Custody of a charitable man's Statue in that place and posture which to his Memory it was first placed in, insinuates to me a very cogent Argument of invitation to some of the descendants from Citizens to set apart some share of their spare Estate, to restore waste places of Use and Notability, wherein they will more display the Piety, Gratitude, and bravery of their Natures, than by any Paradoe of Pomp, or any affectation of Grandeur which is Personal. It was a rare Testimony given of the Centurion, That he loved the jewish Nation, because he built the jews a Synagogue. And 'twill be a sure Evidence of Love to the Ancestor that in London rose and enriched a Family in London, when the Descendants from it so enriched, shall do good in their good pleasure to London, and help to build up the ruins of its Churches, Chapels, Halls and Colleges, which the sooner they are done the more exemplary, the less chargeable they will be; and till they can be done, there are many real Objects of Charity, which the wayffs and strays of their amplitude would relieve, The impoverished Clergy, The deserted Children of Christ's Hospital, 
Remember this that God may remember you.  The aged poor of the Almshouses of the Societies. These, together with thousands of altogether distressed and undone Housekeepers, call for your charity, and will be worthy Objects of your Almonage. Look upon these, O ye Great and Rich men, whoss Barns are full, whose Purses are weighty, whose Bellies are pampered, whose Credits are questionless, whose Houses are well stored, whose Children are well matched, whose Rents come in sleeping and waking, Cast away some of your Bread upon these Waters, sprinkle some Crumbs of Comfort before these helpless Infants; divide some portion to seven or eight, to what number your discretion directs you to, and your Piety shall bless you in so doing; For you know not what Evil shall come upon the Earth, Eccles. 11. 2. Remember (O man) God the distinguisher of thee and him, was the Creator as well of thy Brother in want, as of thee in plenty; (the Rich and the Poor meet together in their Commencement, both dust, God is the Maker of you both, Prov. 222.) and if thy heart be hard to him, and thou turnest thine eye from his misery, and succourest not his poverty with thy plenty; as The Love of God dwells not in thee so the blessing of God will not rest upon thee. 
Deut. 15. 7, 8, 9  If there be a poor man among you, one of thy Brethren, within any of thy Gates in thy Land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee; Thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor Brother, but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year the year of release is at hand, and thine eye be evil against thy poor Brother, and thou givest him nought, and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee: Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; Because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy Works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. This is God's Enaction in Force in the Moral Charity of it to the World's end.  
Which, in the Bowels of Christ, I think (Sir) is pressable upon rich exempted persons now, according to such proportions as the public Affairs and other Exigents, I know more then ordinarily expensive, will permit. Yet still revolving in their minds that of St Paul, He that sows sparingly, shall reap sparingly; A Suit of Clothes, an Exuberant Servant, a Dish of Meat, an affected Folly, is better spared, than a Charity to one of these: To whom a cup of cold water given, shall be from God above rewarded. But I forbear, what mine Oratory is incogent in, which for the Poor, God can supply, who has the hearts of the Rich in his hand, and can soften them into such distributions, as they by the poor, devote to him.  
There is also (Sir) another Act of Charity, or rather Justice, that I humbly commend to the great men of the Nation, to express to the ruined Citizens, To wit, sudden and full payment of their just Debts. For they, poor Souls, being outed of their Habitations, and loser's in the Fines▪ as well as Proprieties of them, are not only exposed to lay down new Fines, and those, God knows, unreasonable ones, to get them an abiding place, but are (by the suspicion that their Creditors have of their loss and inability) rendered unable to buy up Credit, upon which double exhaustion of them by the act of God, and the inevitable inference thereupon; if those that are able be not willing, and sudden in paying them, they will unavoidably be ruined, which, I hope, their great Debtors, whom they must (for losses make men less confident, except they be such as are total and irreparable) address with less courage, and are less able to compel, if refractory, than heretofore, will count it beneath them to put them to; For a Great man is not more distinguishable by any thing that is a display of Notability, than by a Mind Just and Generous, as well abhorring to do as to receive wrong, To whom Unjust and Mean advantages taken against their Inferiors, is so execrable, that they count it no less than a stain to their Honour, and an abatement to their Herocisme. King Sesostris is reckoned one of the most Virtuous and Noble of the Egyptian Kings; yet he forgot himself much, when he caused four captive Kings to draw his Coach; nor had he the true view of worldly Instability, nor the great sentiments of Regality, when he prided his inconstant Fortune, in the disport of their Vassalage. A braver humour prevailed in the Christian and Masculine Soul of Charles the Fifth (many of whose previous actions, to the resignation of an Empire, and the contentation with a private life, were proportionate to the utmost expectable from an Immortal Mortal▪) This Great man, having by his Forces at the siege of Pavia, taken Francis the First of France, a great and warlike King, 
L. Herberto Hist. H. 8. p. 167.  showed only such sense of it as became a wise Prince, and one that was not himself exempted from a Quartan; for if he considered Francis in the custody of his Guards, he looked upon himself as in the custody of his Physician, saying moreover, It was not for Christians to rejoice in their Victories each against other, but only against Infidels: So treating him as if he had been no Prisoner, but a free Prince: This, this to do is as Greatness ought, which cannot but understand that the chances and changes of life are in God's hand, and that they are misunderstood by men, when their eye is evil, because Gods is good: whose Moral, as well as Religious Rule, is not to lay snares, nor to make men miserable by their power, Because he is an avenger of such things; But if our Enemy be hungry, give him bread; and if he be thirsty give him water to drink, for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. So King Solomon, Prov. 25. 2. Confirmed by a greater than he, Christ Jesus, Matt. 5. Luke 6. 27. And if those men owe nothing to, but in point of Charity, be thus to be treated, then surely much more ought to be expressed to them, who to this Obligation of Charity and Freewill, have in them a right of Justice to crave Kindness from their Debtors, even that Kindness of seasonably paying them, what they seasonably for their own supplies took up of them  
This (Sir) I conceive very requisite to be entreated in the behalf of the now distracted Citizens, because I have heard it said to be one of the great miseries of Trade, to have arich Shop-book, and a lank Credit, by reason of the detinue of Debts due to them, by which they should keep touch with their Creditors, with whom they are forced not to correspond as they ought, because they are not enabled by the solvency of their Debtors. And the noise of the world is, that many men of great Estates, are most bare of money, and most backward in payments; the sluice of which Evacuation, or the nick of which retardment, must be either the secret displeasure of God against their abused greatness, from which God has less tribute than is his due and expectation; or from the vage expense of their Persons; or from Frauds committed upon them, by non-inspecting their own Estates, but trusting others wholly with the managery of them; which of these is the cause, I am not wise enough to state, but that it is so, that many of those that have most reason, in prudence and possibility, to be before hand, and to lend, rather than borrow, and pay when they buy, rather than run into the Book, are the Debtors that are least, and latest ready to pay. 
Sir Walter Raleigh 5. Book part 1. p. 467.  That being too often true which the Judicious and most Learned Knight long since wrote, Most of those who present Death upon the points of their Swords to all that give the lie to them, use nothing so much in their conversation and course of life, as to speak and swear falsely: which is not only a palpable Scar to their Reputations, (their Credits being often refused) but a diminution to their Estates, they paying upon such presumptions of hazard, and uncertainty of payment, 20 or 30 l. per Cent. more than the ready money Market value, and yet are the Dealers with them beggars by it, because Trade being like a Scale, in motion up and down, the circumaction of it by paying and receiving, upon buying and selling, is the life of it, which upon such incorrespondence, if not insolvency, must acquiesse, and not flow and ●bb; whereupon it has ever been the Maxim of great and solid Traders, To Purchase Lands of great Men, but to trade and deal with common Persons, whom they can reach by the Laws compulsion, if they cannot persuade by Credit's value.  
And truly (Noble Sir) if it seemed good to the Power and Policy of the Nation, I could (yet with humility and submission) wish that it might be examined whether those provident Statutes of 34 H. 8. 4. 13 Eliz. 7. 1 Jac. 15. 21 Jac. 19 against Bankrupts may not be extended somewhat further now, then when they were made, there seemed to be reason to apply them: The Preamble of 1 Jac. 15. has these words; For that Fraud and Deceit as new diseases, daily increase amongst such as live by buying and selling, to the hindrance of Traffic and mutual Commerce, and to the general hurt of the Realm, by such as wilfully and willingly become Bankrupts. For since, now it appears, not only Traders, but divers others, do contract Debts, buy Lands, settle them on their children, or in trust, and take Prisons for their Sanctuaries, defying their Creditors, which is Fraud and Deceit to all the execrable issues preambled in the Statute, why these though not Traders yet under the same guilt, should not be liable to the same severities, and be brought within the compass of those Statutes, I am to seek of reason for it, as many are to seek of remedy against those Frauds for want of it. A better course it is which Solomon prescribes, Prov. 3. 27. Withhold not good from him to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it: say not unto thy neighbour go, and come again, and to morrow I will give it, when thou hast it by thee. Take heed of thus taking a pledge of thy brother for nought; and of stripping the naked of their clothing, of giving not water to the weary to drink, and of withholding thus bread from the hungry; lest by reason of this, thy wickedness be great, and thine Iniquities infinite: as holy job his words are, Ch. 22. vers. 5, 6. For such withholding of more than is meet tendeth to poverty, Pro. 11. 24. Yea, certainly to withhold a just Debt, when there is ability in the Debtor to pay it, and the convenient time of its discharge is come; or to let it come, when it comes, with defalcations of Fees and allowances of poundage, is no less a great trouble to the Creditor receiving, than a deceit to the Debtor paying: To avoid which, it were much more peace to the Sellers conscience to sell at a reasonable price, and with moderate gain, upon money ready paid and no hazard encountered with (ready money answering the opportunity of a speed to Market again, and of many light gains magnified by quick returns) and much more profit to the buyers estate, and diminution to his expense, then upon this latitude of Credit, given and taken, falls out to either.  
Let then (Sir) the Man of Estate that is deep in the undone Tradesman's Book, and who heretofore, thought it but a thing of course to make him stay long, and dance many fruitless attendancies, and to enforce him to hedge in his first Debt, by addition of money lent, and acceptation of security for both: Now consider the Citizen's impotency thus to do, and the mercilessness of thus delaying him, and comply with this accident of stress which God has, without his possibility of prescience or prevention, brought upon him and he will oblige him by a Mercy and Justice propitious to this his exigent, and declare himself truly Great; For Titles and Words are but Wind, but real actions of Virtue are the substantial determinations of Magnanimity; the life-draught of which was Heroically expressed in that Contest between the Earl of Essex, and the Lord Mountjoy, Temps. Q▪ Eliz. between whom there being quarrels upon rivalry of Favour, Caesar and Pompey's hautess being revived in them, the Lord Mountjoy daring to accept, as readily as the E. of Essex was ready to give him the Challenge, met the E. of Essex in the Field, the after Stage of their Combat; the Lord Mountjoy being the Defendant, told the Earl of Essex, That he fought him with some disparity, because that if he killed the Earl, his life was sure to go for it; but if you my Lord of Essex kill me, your Interest is so great at the Court, and in the Favour of her Majesty so much to you, that you will easily obtain her pardon; therefore, my Lord, before we fight, let me beg the favour of you, that you give it under your hand, that you challenged me, and do pardon me: The Earl of Essex said, That I will, but how shall we do to have a Pen and Inkhorn: My Lord Mountjoy replied, I have one: Oh but quoth the Earl of Essex, would you have me quit my Sword in the Field, and my Guard upon which I stand: Yes, my Lord, (quoth my Lord Mountjoy) and you shall write it upon my back; I know your Lordship to be a Person of so great Gallantry, that there is no danger to me, that can dishonourably come from you: So the Earl of Essex wrote it upon his back, after which they generously fought, to show their respective Valours.  
This I introduce to show that true Nobility and Generosity, abhors to take an advantage poorly and surprisingly against any man: Whereupon I am hopeful this disablement of the Citizens of London by God's act, who is Sovereign over all, to whose pleasure our Souls and Bodies, with all the present and future attendants on them are Vassals; I trust, I say and hope, it will produce a speedier and more effectual payment of their due Debts from those that owe them, than otherwise they would have got them in from them.  
And Sir, I am further hopeful, that those Creditors to the City that are undammaged, or so only detracted from by this accident, that they are but shaved by it, not shorn, that is, abated in the excrements and parings of their Estates, not in the substance and totality of it; that these would be as patient and tender as they Christianly can to them that are clean undone; as many, God knows, are, whose save from the destruction will not keep the life and soul of themselves and their charges together: They whom this accident hath made unable to live, and yet whom Providence rescues not from their misery by death: Those whose children they themselves are disabled to bring up, and by the disablement of others (the calamity being so Epidemical) are not to be supplied with breeding from others: Those who turned out of their callings, and unstocked by the loss of that ruffle, are neither able to set up, or fitted to other employments, if they could be found, proportionable to their age and ability: Those that are thus already Prisoners to want, pensive thoughts and terrors of despair, are to be commended with all sympathy to their Creditors Mercy and Kindness: That they would forbear reproaches to them, and arrests of them, or suits against them; for prisons get no debts, nor doth poverty pay any; nor can they hope to be forgiven of God their great debt, who forgive not their Brother, thus distressed, his small one to them: And remember what Tilly, I have heard, said to Morgan, when the one marched into Stoade, and the other marched out, Hodie tu, Cras ego, I might have been in your case, the fortunes of War are dubious; you must now leave that place which you have kept as a man, and I now enter on that which I have bought with many a man, and with much misery; therefore, Sir, let us be friends in the conclusion, who have been enemies in the premises: Let this, I say, be practised in the little debates of mine and thine referrable to Trading, thus clogged and impeded, and there may be hopes that London may revive, and its Citizens have wherewith to employ their industry in subserviency to God's blessing, and in time to make convenient restitution. And those Rents and Fortunes of Lords, Knights, Gentlemen, and other Proprietors, which now are incontributive to the public Charge, as well as unaydant to their own expenses, and children's provision for, will in time advance towards their wont service; And the Magistracy of London be carried on by men of Fortune and fitness, whose Issues may, as heretofore, be provided richly for in all Counties of the Nation; and Charity to the Poor and to Learning, may by them be propagated, whose Predecessors in dwelling and course of life, have, together with men Ecclesiastical, been more public and generous that way, than all the Nation besides. Which I mention, not to raise the indignation of any, but to move compassion to the present cloud upon Citizens, and to allege what may advance their present ease, in order to their future public usefulness and benefaction. Thrifty Oaks, though fleeced of under boughs, yet if not headed, may thrive and grow stately timber Trees; but if once headed, prove after but pollard's, short and rough Timber, fit only for small and course uses. So is it with men under accidental Mischances; if they be fiercely proceeded against, and discredited, they are probable only to live in misery, and to die in poverty: but if they be favoured, till their industry fortunated by God has made head against its misfortune, and evicted its cloud, they prove rich and valuable, according to the belief, or the contrary whereof, my humble prayer for them stands or falls.  
It were also (Noble Sir) worthy the consideration of the Nations wisdom and goodness, to provide some Law of defence against the rigours of Landlords, and the refractoriness of Tenants, by which the Party detrimented by this act of God, might escape the additional misery of a vexatious contest. Let (Sir) mercy be showed to the Loser, but not pretence of loss, pass for loss of disablements, where it has really devoured nothing but valuless Lumber: Neither let the condition of Books, Papers, Writings, and Records burnt or lost, be unprovided for by some Good and Grave Salvo, pleadable for the Loser's indemnity, lest many long since discharged Debts be revived, and demanded afresh; and least men be by loss of Evidences evicted their Freeholds, or at least vexed with Suits concerning them; nothing being more sure, then that many men out of Town, and in distraction in Town, either forgot to secure many Books and Papers of weight and value; or else committed them to they knew not whom, and shall receive them from them they know not when; nay it may so fall out, that many Writings may by chance come into those hands from whence they moved, and cease to be securities to those to whom they are passed; and what mischiefs may hereupon ensue (if some Law of limitation and bar be not interjected) is easy to presage. It were (Sir) also most suitable to the paternity of your House, to provide somewhat about the Registers of Churches, which are now in such dispersion, if they survive the Fire, that they would be commanded into some Office, there to be till the Parishes to which they belong be rebuilt: For since Certificate of Marriages, Legitimation of Children, proof of Ages, light in point of Pedigree, depend thereupon, the same will be the reason of their preservation now, that was of their Institution at first, and many poor Infants will be, when grown Men and Women, at a loss irremediable, if some caution against, possible, and probable evils of such nature, be not passed into a Law.  
And Sir, to all these add not the least important act of your Piety and Prudence, the furtherance of a Law, for making the Second of September for ever, a Solemn Fast for the National sins that merited this Judgement of God upon its London: And the Sixth of September a day of Thanksgiving for ever, for God's merciful stay of the Fire that it proceeded no further, to enter into the Suburbs, and to destroy therein, as it had done in London: That the Palaces of our Sovereign and his Peers, and the Cathedral and City of Westminster went free, that they should be spared when London and St. Paul's felt the fury of merciless Flames, aught to be had in yearly and hourly remembrance. Nor can any better and more religious occasions of both duties be given us by God, than these prementioned exchanges of his Providence, the Staff of which as well comforts us, as the Rod of it afflicted us; for since he showed himself to be ex utroque Caesar, it befits us to show ourselves Christians to both his exhibitions of Power and Mercy.  
These things (Sir) I have in haste prepared in present to you, that it may appear to the Nation, That there is one (amongst the many others that are well affected to London) that accounts it his duty to appear for her, not ashamed of her dislustre, and that now he can pay her no other duty, then that of his tears over her, and prayers for her, allows her those, and over and above those, pleads her Cause with God and the Nation, not justifying her Innocency, or lessening her guilt, not excusing her Provocation, or drawing a veil over her Deformities; No, God forbid I should thus become the Pharisee for her, who ought to put her Mouth in the Dust, and by her silence before her correcting God, testify her consent to the Justice and adequateness of his Judgements upon her: On this account I will allude to Iob's words, No mention shall be made by me of her Coral or Pearls; 
Job 2●. 1●  all her righteousness my Pen shall publish but as menstruous Rags, the price of the wisdom of humbling herself under this mighty hand of God, shall in my suffrage excel any Rubies of insisting on Terms, God has done what he has done, and let all the Earth of London be silent before him: The Lord hath done that to London which he hath devised, he hath fulfilled his word that he hath commanded; he hath thrown down, but yet hath pitied, Lam. 2. 17. London is the Back that is smitten, but there is not a Corner in England, but hath contributed to the desert, and will first or last feel the rebound and consequence of this punishment to London. The sins of Sodom, the Violence, the Levity, the Profaneness, the Luxury, the Lukewarmness, that provokes God, is as much every where, as in London; there is a nauseousness of Angel's Food, and a tendency to the Garlicks and Onions of Profaneness every where, as well as in London: The Fields of England are every where ripe to the Harvest of Judgement, as well as the Sickle of it has been already thrust into London, the Glory of which God has cut down in his stupendious fury. Awake O North wind, blow O South wind upon the Garden of Holy Zeal, 
Cant. ●. 16  that the Spices of indignation for God may flow forth: 
See Archbishop of Yorks Letter to King james, Cabala part 1. p. 13  Come forth of your Graves you old Hectors of Holiness, Archbishops, Bishops, and other renowned and triumphant Saints of this English Church, Help O ye jewels of Glory, and ye Bradwardines of courage and constancy, and ye Fortherbies and ye Carletons' of conviction and valiancy for the Truth, worthy the Crowns ye enjoy, Come, O come ye in to the aid of the Lord against the mighty hosts of Profaneness and Uncharitableness, of Carnal Politics, and Atheistical Ruffians, that are confederate against the Lord, and against his Christ: O remember the Prophetical descant of glorious King james, once our happy Monarch, who writing on the forth Angels Errand, by the Vial of God's wrath, says thus: 
Paraphrase in Rev. 16 p. 50 operum.  Then the fourth Angel poured forth his Vial upon the Sun, and power was given him to afflict men with Fire. For even as the Sun was darkened in the fourth Trumpet, to wit, the special Teachers did begin to fall from the sincerity of the Truth, enticed thereunto, though not by Apolyon himself, for he was not yet risen; yet by the qualities whereof He is composed, and therefore is here punished for the same. And as Moses, troubled by the hot Eastern wind, the Land of Egypt, by the breeding of Grass-hoppers, so shall the fiery Spirit of God, in the mouths of his Witnesses, so trouble Babylon, with the burning Sun of God's Truth, as men shall be troubled with a great Heat, to wit, she and her Followers shall be tormented and vexed therewith. So King james.  
O sacred Zeal whither art thou fled, that thou hast lest England, 
Host 4. 3.  a Land in mourning because of Oaths; A Land accursed because of blood touching blood; 
Psal. 107. 34.  a Land deserving to be abarren Wilderness, for the iniquities of the Inhabitants of it, to whom the Word of God is made a reproach, jer. 6. 10. and a derision daily, Chap. 20. 8. The Saints of God are thought troublers, 1 Kings 18. 17. The Image of God which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created it, Col. 3. 10. censured singularity and hypocrisy; holiness of life, which God commands as that which brings to his likeness and exaltation, 1 Pet. 1. 16. Heb. 12. 14. is nicknamed Phanaticism; Zeal for reformed Religion, is counted groundless mistrust, Real Fury, precise Singularity, factious Calvenism; Terms of opprobry beseeming rather the mouths of professed Romanists, than pretended sons of the Church of England, whose primitive Reformers, Bishops, Deans, and Doctors, if they could be raised up now to hear them, would obtest against them, as having lost the Zeal of their Profession, and not being a real honour to their way of worship and distinction, as if every thing were becoming, but what becomes every thing, Sincerity and plain dealing: Our Fashions and our Minds being so alike airy and sceptical, that we no day are what we ought, nor any day design to be what we should.  
O Piety, O Gravity! Why hast thou forsaken England, who wert of old so friendly to her, and so befriended by her? why are thy effects so invisible now, which heretofore so clearly appeared, and so becomingly adorned the words and lives of men, and the order and harmony of places and things? It is that which will kindle the rage of a Moses of meekness, and impatience the patience of a job, to see and hear sin set up amongst us by common consent and practice against Laws in Force, and Magistrates sworn to execute them. The 
a 21 Jac. 20. confirmed by 3 Car. 4.  exercrable swearing, the notorious 
b 20 H. 3. 9 9 H. 6. 11. 18 Eliz 3 7 Jac. 4.  Incontinency, the abominable 
c 4 Jac. 5. 21 Jac 7. 1 Car. 4.  Drunkenness, the unconscionable 
d Some of which are punishable by fine and indictment, others are against 3 E. 1. c. 29. 21 Jac. 26. 2 R. 2, 3. 3 H. ●. c. 4. 13 El. 5. 27 El. 4. 13 El. 10. 52 H. 3. 6, 7. 34 H. 8. 5. 27 H. 8. c. 28. 31 H. 8 c. 13. 1 E. 6. c. 14. 13 Eliz. 1.  deceit, the loathsome debauchery, the 
e 3 H. 7. 1. 1 E. 6. 10. 52 H. 3. 25. 1 Jac. 8. 3. E. 1; 23 H. 8. 1. 26 H. 8. c. 12. 1 E. 6. 12. 13 R. 2. c. 1. 16 R. 2. c. 6.  brutish 
* Read Sir Walter Raleigh ● 5. c. 3. of his first part p. 468  Murder; These and other Grists that pass by the Mill of public Severity, and are challengers of privilege by their universality, are ill returns to Gods multiplied mercies, and shrewd provocations to his Chastisement: But when his Service is counted a vain thing, Mal. 3. 14. when his Prophets are misused, 2 Chron. 36. 16. and those that have not been wind of levity, jer. 5. 13. or Foxes of Craft, Ezech. 13. 4. or Prophets of Flattery, daubing with untempered Mortar, Ezech. 22. 28. but Prophets of Truth have been lightly set by, yea, shrewdly set against: When the Lords Day, set apart for Sanctification and Devotion, hath been profaned and made common, and not only mocked at by Religion's Adversaries, but thought too long by Religions seeming 
Lam. 1. 7.  friends, and the perparatory duties to them, and the performed duties on them, too severe for Christians. When the Judgements of God face us to humility, as the testimony of our sorrow for sin, so destructive of us, yet mirth and jollity is so applauded and countenanced, that no man almost Remembreth the afflictions of joseph, 
Amos 6. 6  The desolations that sin has already made, further may, and without prevention by repentance will make. It is to be doubted, Thy ways and doings which 
Host 4. 9  have not been good, 
Jer 4. 18. Lev ●6. 25  O England, O London, have procured the evils thou feelest and fearest upon thee: 
Numb. 14. 12.  Thy Incorrigibility and Obduration has brought the Pestilence, Exod. 9 15. Thy contrary walking to God, has raised up Enemies against thee, Prov. 16. 7. Deut. 28. 48. The pride we have had in our Strength, hath made God contend by Fire with us, and by such a Fire, as hath eaten up, not the great deep of England, but a part of it, London. And yet God that has pulled some of us out of the Fire, and kept others from the Fire, is not returned unto, as he upbraids the people, Amos 4. 11. These Judgements have been upon England and London, the Lord deliver us from what followed upon Israel's impenitency, God's abhorrence of the Excellency of Jacob, 
Amos 6. 3.  and his hating of his Palaces; God forbid that judgement of God's delivery of England, into her Enemy's hand, from his smiting of the great House of England, with breaches, 
●ers. 11.  as he hath done the little House of London with clefts, ver. 11. Be that Judgement, O Lord, be that undecreed by thee, and may our repentance reverse the first thoughts of thy severity this way to us. This be, O Lord, the punishment of those who are as Children of Ethiopians to thee, sinners that swear by the sin of Samaria, 
● 9 ● 7.  and say to the Deities of their own Erection, thy God O Dan liveth, and the Manner of Beersheba liveth, Amos 8. last v. Let those who forsake thee, and Follow lying vanities be thus given up to fall, 
jonah 2. 8  and never rise up again: But let England and London that have trusted in the Lord, 
Ps 1. ● 7.  be saved by thee, and that with A mighty Salvation: 
1 Sam. 19 5  O be gracious to England, 
Isa. 45. 17  that as it hitherto has, so yet hereafter it may stand in thy sight a faithful Witness to thy Truth, and a signal Instance of thy Patronage for ever, and build thou up the walls of London that lie waste, and let it once more be called the Perfection of this Nation's beauty; for my Nation's sake, I cannot be silent; for my Nativities sake, I cannot hold my peace, I cannot contain my Pen, but it will bewray my heart's Language; for my Brethren and Companions sake, I will wish thee Good will, O London, in the Name of the Lord; The Lord send thee prosperity out of Zion.  
And if the Question be asked of me, By whom shall London arise for it is small: my Answer shall be, God only knows how & by what, for he can make dry bones live: Yet there seems to me some ground of comfort from this, That the root of London being left, that which now seems arid, and sapless, may kindle in the womb of Providence, and take root downward, and bring forth fruit upward; first, and chiefly, in repentance, for past Provocations, and in Vows of renewed conversation in her Inhabitants; and then in making her Buildings, her Judges, and her Magistrates, as at the first, and the Renown and Authority of them, as in the beginning.  
This Sir, is that which I would promise to myself, and fore-speak to be the great mercy to England after revived London, The late loss of which, I believe, to be great; which my prayers are, may be compensated with ten times ten Myriad of Increase, and that to render it terrible to Gods and the King's Foes, and supportive to the Crown, Religion, Laws, under which it happily flourished, till the late disaster upon it; and God Almighty, who knows all secrets, and commands all hearts, raise it up, for these general and honest ends, Friends and Benefactors, who may not only further its acceleration to what it was, but to what, of further addition, it may be improved to. And may all the Timagenesses, who hate London, as he did Rome, augment their grief upon the cause he did, the fear and assurance he had Rome would be rebuilt more glorious than it was 
Seneca Ep. 91  before. The prosperity of which must be the joy and prayer of every sober English man, and sincere Protestant; and, I hope, whosoever is not both these, shall never have the power to hinder it, as I am sure he never will have the will to further it: I could enlarge in this Subject which is so pleasing to me, to expectorate myself by; 
An Aphorism of Sir Benjamin Ruddiards.  but overdoing is Undoing, and there is no strain but comes home with a halt. Yet this I must subjoin in comfort to London and England, 
Omnium istarum Civitatum quas nunc mag●ificas & Nobiles audes, vestigia quoque tempus erudet non tantum manufacta labuntur juga mon●●um destaunt, etc. Ep. 92  changes will, and must come, and those to great Kingdoms, mighty Governments, rich Cities, Seneca has languaged this appositely to us.  
All that now (Noble Sir) remains for me to write, is to beg mine excuse for thus addressing you, whose greater affairs may be judged unreconcilable with the perusal of such papers as these, which carry the memoirs of what is as unpleasing for you to remember, as impossible to forget. But I am not at all diffident of your Civility to them and me, because I am in them wholly acted by the cogency of public spiritedness to both, Propose London's case to the Nations piety, and to publish mine own Gratitude to it, the place of my birth, and of the breeding and conversation of my Worthy, Generous, and most Religiously sincere and Dear 
* Francis Waterhous Esq  Father, who both lived long, creditably and belovedly in it, and also had the public respect and Honour from it, to be chosen Chamberlain of it upon the death of Chamberlain Harrison (though he was made incapable, when his hand was upon the book to be sworn in the Office, by one of those Orders that then were in date, to exclude those whom that Power termed disaffected.) These things, together with my experience, conversation and search into the City Records, Customs and Story (in which, I may modestly say, I have desired not to be unknowing) court me to appear thus to you (Sir) and to the Nation in her behalf. And since (Sir) I have no design to promote her happiness by any black arts of injury and impiety to others Interests, leaving those mysteries of iniquity to such as Clement the seventh, who to advance his own Family, sometimes changed the Face of the affairs of Europe; and Cardinal Wolsey, 
L. herbert's H 8. p. 378.  who to be made Legate a Latere, and to be enabled to visit not only Monasteries, 
Idem p. 90  but all the Clergy, and dispense with Church Laws; so defamed the Clergy of his own Church and Country, that they were by the Pope's Bull termed Dati in reprobum sensum. Since, I say, I have in this, and I hope I may truly say in my former appearings, 
Ad prodendam virtutis memoriam sine gratia aut ambitione bonae tantum conscientiae praetio ducebatur vir bonus. Scipio A miratus in Digressionibus Politicis. p. 43. Edit. 1609.  (In Apology for Arts and Interests Honest and of good Report, only designed the Glory of God, the service of my Country, and the just and necessary vindication of myself from the censure of living to no purpose, and of affecting an idle and unconversable moroseness, which I think a very great sin against God, Nature, and the Time and Men with whom I live, and to whom I am responsible for the service of any small ability I have, or may be improved to have) I cannot but be in a sort assured that my Countrymen, who read me, will excuse my Pathos for London; especially, when I have herein avoided all vehemence that I apprehended in any degree offensive, or mis-becoming the temperate ambition of my heart and hand; which, as they are daily lifted up to God in prayer, for his peculiar direction, how to live, speak, write and do, as suits with the attainment of a good Conscience, and the assurance of a glorious Heaven; the only noble employment of time and parts, besides which all is vanity and vexation, (For of all other perfections, a few years will show us the end.) So are they testimonial of their expectation to be freed from prejudice, in respect of their author, who though he pleads for strict Piety, sober Order, Religion's Influence, Laws esteem, Trade's increase, London's restoration, yet is void of all private concern in any of these, further than as a Christian and an English man. No creature have I been, or am I of any design, no Polypus to times and men, no Vower, Covenanter or Engager, no Purchaser of Kings, Bishops▪ Deans and Chapters Lands; no Petitioner in Tumults; no Sectary in Conventicles; no waver in Judgement, have I, through God's mercy, ever been; but a constant assertor of, and sufferer for my satisfiedness in, and adhaesion to, the piety and probity of my breeding and belief, which was ever, yet is, and I hope, through God's grace, to death shall be, in point of Religion according to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England. In Duty and loyalty, according to the sound judgement of the Law, and the Declaration of Kings by their three Estates in Parliament; In love to, and correspondence with the Universities and Houses of Learning, suitable to the gratitude I, as a Gentleman, aught to express to them, wherein I have had breeding and acquaintance, and from which I have received respect; upon all which considerations I trust (Sir) this plain and honest application to the Nation, under Gods and Your Patronage, will be seasonable and successful (though it has been longer held in the birth than was fit it should, had not the unpardonable slowness of the Press, and the chillness of the Frost demurred that, which the preparation of the Copy would have sent forth long ago. This, Sir, I beseech you excuse.) And give me leave to conclude with that which is the most suitable farewell to all things of this nature; The application to God, that he would be our God; and the God of our posterities; that he would bless with long Life and a happy Reign, our most Gracious King Charles; with Wisdom and Understanding, the Lords and others of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council; with Zeal for God and holiness of life the Reverend Clergy; with Justice and Courage the Learned Judges; with Obedience and Loyalty the body of the Commons: And that he would consolidate all these to the comfort of this and after Ages, by the High Court of Parliament 
* Fidum & altum Reipubls. Pectus as Valerius his words are. Principes viri triumphisq, & am●lissimis honoribus su●cti, hor●atu Princip●s ad ornandam ●●bem i●●●cti sunt. ●elleius Pare●culus lib. 2.  now assembled, that by these degrees of Gods merciful endowment to this Nation, all in this Nation, and of this Church, may be holy to the Lord, and happy in themselves, is and shall be the Prayer of,  
Noble Sir, Oct 20. 1666. Your Humble Servant, and most affectionate Friend and Kinsman Edward Waterhous▪  
FINIS.