bright, as if a man had so many drawn swords in his hands, (3.) At the same time that this star appeared, which was the solemn passover, that whole night the temple was light and clear as mid-day, and con- tinued so seven days together. (4.) At the same time also they brought a heifer for a sacrifice, which when she was knocked down, she calved a lamb. (5.) The inner gate of the temple, on the east side, being of massive brass, that was never opened nor shut but twenty men had enough to do about it, this gate was seen at the first hour of the night to open of its own accord, and they could not shut it till a great number joined their strength together. (6.) There was discerned on the sanctum sanctorum, a whole night long, the face of a man very terrible. (7.) At the same time, before the sunset, there were seen in the air iron chariots, all over the country, and an army in battle array, passing along the clouds, and begirting the city. (8.) Upon the feast day, called pentecost, at night the priests going into the inner temple, to offer their wonted sacrifice, at first they felt the place to move and tremble, and afterward they heard a man walking in the temple, and saying with a great and wonderful terrible voice, ' Come let us go away out of this temple, let us depart hence.' But (9.) Ninthly and lastly, that which was most wonderful of all, was this, that there was one Jesus the son of Ananus, a countryman, of the common people, who four years before the wars began, when the city flourished in peace and riches, coming to the celebration of the feast to Jerusalem, which we call the feast of tabernacles, suddenly began to cry out thus, ' A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds of the heavens, a voice against Jerusalem, a voice against the temple, a voice against the bridegroom, a voice against the bride, and a voice against the whole people : ' and thus crying day and night, he went about all the streets of the city. The nobility scourged him, yet still he cried, ' Woe, woe unto Jerusalem : ' he did never curse any one, though every day he was beaten by one or other: neither did he thank any one that offered him meat. All that he spake to any man, was this heavy prophecy, ' Woe, woe unto Jerusalem.' He never went to any citizens, neither was he seen to speak to any one, but still, as it were, studying of some speech, he cried ' Woe, woe unto Jeru- salem.' Thus for four years space, say some — for seven years and five months, saith Josephus — his voice never waxed hoarse nor weary, till in the time of the siege, beholding what he foretold them, as he was walking upon the walls, crying ' Woe to Jerusalem, woe to the temple, woe to all the people,' he added, ' and woe to myself ;' and as soon as the words were out of his mouth, a stone came out of an engine from the camp, that dashed out his brains. These prodigies were forerunners of Jerusalem's desolation. What comets, what blazing stars, what sheets of fire have been seen fly over London, and what flames of fire have been seen over the city, a little before it was laid in ashes, I shall not now insist upon. Certainly when a consuming fire shall be ushered in by other dreadful judgments and amazing prodigies, it highly con- cerns us to sit down and mourn. But,
[2.] Secondly, Who can look upon London as an a^icient city, as a city of great antiquity, and not mourn over the ruins of it f Isa. xxiii, 7 ; Jer. v. 15. Our chronoloc;ers affirm that the citv hath stood two
loG London's lamentations on [Isa. XLII. 2t, 2J.
thousand seven luindrcd and seventy odd years. It is recorded by some, that the foundation of London was laid in the year of the world 2862. London by some anti(|uarics is called Troynovant, as having been first founded by the Trojans. London is thought by some to be ancienter than Rome Tiiat London was a very ancient city, might several ways be made good ; but what should I spend time to prove that which every one is ready to grant ? Josephus,! speaking of Jeru- salem, saith, ' That David tlic king of the Jews having driven out the Cancans, gave it unto his people to be inhabited, and after four hundred threescore and four years and three months, it was destroyed by the Babylonians. And from King David, Avho was the first Jew tliat reigned there, until the time that Titus destroyed it, were a thousand one hundred seventy and nine years ; and from the time that it was first erected until it was by him destroyed, were two thousand one hundred and seventy-seven years ; yet neither the antiquity, nor riches, nor the fame thereof, now spread all over the world, nor the glory of religion, did anything ]>rofit or hinder it from being destroyed.' So it was neither the antiquity, nor the riches, nor the fame, nor the greatness, nor the beauty, nor the glory, nor the religion that was there professed, that could prevent London's being turned into a chaos in four days' time. London, that had been climbing up to its meridian of worldly greatness and glory above two thousand years, how is she made desolate in a few days, and of a glorious city become a ruinous heap ! Physicians make the threescore and third year of a man's life a dan- gerous climacterical year to the body natural ; and statists make the five hundredth year of a city or kingdom as dangerous to the body politic, ' beyond which,' say they, ' cities and kingdoms cannot stand.' But Jerusalem and London, and many other cities, iiave stood much longer, and yet in the end have been laid desolate ! Now what true Englishman can look upon London's antiquity, and not mourn to see so ancient a city turned into a ruinous heap ? But,
[3.] Thirdly, What true Englishman did ever look upon London, as an honourable city, as a renowned city, as a glorious city, that luill not now mourn to see London laid in ashes ? London was one of the wonders of the world ; London was the queen city, the crowning city of the land, a city as famous as most cities for worldly grandeur and glory, Isa. xxiii. 8 ; yea, a city more famous and glorious than any city under heaven for gospel light, and for the jwwer of religion and real holiness: 2 Ps. Ixxvi. 1, 2, ' In Judah is God known : his name is great in Israel. In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling- place in Zion.' In London was God known, his name was great in London; and in London also was his tabernacle and his dwelling- place. And as God was known in Judah, not only by his word, but also by his glorious works; so God was known in London, not only by his word, but also by his glorious works. And as God was known in Judah, first by the multitude of his mercies, but afterwards by the severity of his judgments ; so God was known in London, first by the
' It is an ltali.in proverb, He who liath not seen Venice will not believe, and ho who hath not lived some time there doth not understand what a citv is. I sliall leave the application to the prudent reader.