[2.] Secondly, The fire that fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah con- sumed not only the greater j^ccrt of those cities, but the whole cities : yea, and not only Sodom and Gomorrah, but all the cities of the plain, except Zoar, which was to be a sanctuary to Lot. But the fire of London has not destroyed the whole city of London ; many hundred — may I not say thousands ? — houses are yet standing, as monuments of divine power, wisdom, and goodness : and the greatest part of the suburbs are yet preserved ; and all the rest of the cities of England are yet compassed about with loving-kindness and mercy ; and I hope will be reserved, by a gracious providence, as shelters, as sanctuaries, and as hiding-places to poor Enghmd's disti'essed inhabitants. But,
[3.] Thirdly, The fire that fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah did con- sume not only jjlaces hut persons, not only houses hut inhabitants. But in the midst of London's flames, God was a wall of fire about the citi- zens, Zech. ii. 5 ; in that day of his fiery indignation, he was very tender of the lives of his peoj^le. Though the lumber was burnt, yet God took care of his treasure, of his jewels — to wit, the lives of his people. But having spoken before more largely of this particular, let this touch now suffice.
[4.] Fourthly, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire sud- denly and unexpectedly — they ivere destroyed by fire in a moment : Lam. iv. 6, ' For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.' 2 Sodom and Gomorrah sustained no long siege from foreign forces, neither were they kept long in sorrows and sufferings, in pains and misery,
^ They sinned against the light and course of nature ; and therefore they were destroyed against the course of nature by fire from heaven.
'^ The judgments of God upon the Jews were so great, that they exceeded all credit amongst their neighbour nations.
188 London's lamentations on [Isa. XLII. 24, 25.
l)nt tlioy were quickly nnd Rudclcnly and instantly dcKpatclicd out of this world into another world. ]\k'n had no hand in the destroyin*:^ of Sodom ; no nioital instrument did co-operate in that work, (jod by his own inmiediate ])ower overthrew them in a moment. Sodom was very stranf^ely, suddenly, and unexpectedly turned upside down, as in a moment, by God's own liand, without the help of armed sol- diers : whereas the Chaldeans' armies continued for a long time in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, vexing and plaguing the poor people of God. Now in this respect, the punishment of the Jews was a greater punishment than the ])unishment of Sodom, that was over- thrown as in a moment. But that fire that has turned London into a heap of ashes, was such a fire that was carried on gradually, and that lasted four days, God giving the citizens time to mourn over their sins, to repent, to lay hold on-everlasting strength, and to make peace with God. But,
[5.] Fifthly and lastly, Sodom's and Gomorrah's judgment is termed eternal fire^ Jude 7, which expression, as it refers to the places themselves, do import that they were irrecoverably destroyed by fire ; so as that they shall lie eternally waste. Those monstrous sinners of Sodom had turned the glory of God into shame, and therefore God will turn them both into a hell here, and a hell hereafter. God will punish unusual sinners wdth unusual judgments. The punishment by this tire is lasting, yea, everlasting : it is a standing monument of God's high displeasure, Deut. xxix. 23. We never read that ever God repented himself of the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. Those cities are under a perpetual destruction, and so shall continue to the end of the world, if we will give credit to authors of great credit and reputation. 1 It well becomes the wisest and best of Christians seriously to consider how God setteth forth the destruction of his church's enemies: Isa. xxxiv. 8-11, ' For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched niglit nor day ; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste ; none shall pass through it for ever and ever. But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it ; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.' In these words you have a rhetorical description of that extreme devastation that God will bring upon the enemies of the church, in way of allusion to the destruction of Sodom and (lomorrah. But I hope London's doom is not such ; for God has given to thousands of her inhabitants a spirit of grace and supplica- tion, Zech. xii. lU; which is a clear evidence that at the long run they shall certainly carry the day with God. I have faith enough to believe that God will give London's mourners ' beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness/ Isa. l.\i. 3. And that London may yet be called ' a city of righteous- ness, tiie ])lanting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.' I hope that God will one day say to London, ' Arise, shine ; for thy light is come,
' Strabo. Solinus, Tacitus, riinius, Joscphus, &c.
ISA. XLII. 24, 25.] THE LATE FIERY DISPENSATIOX. 189
and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. The Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall he seen upon thee/ Isa. Ix. 1,2. By what has been said, it is evident enough that there has been a great mixture of mercy in that fiery dispensation that has passed upon Lon- don. And therefore why should not this consideration bear up the hearts of the people of God from fainting and sinking under their present calamity and misery ? But,
(10.) The tenth support to bear up the hearts of the people of God under the late fiery dispensation, is this — viz.. That there are worse judgments than the judgment of fire lohich God might, hut has not, inflicted upon you. Let me evidence the truth of this in these five particulars : —