240 London's lamentations on [Isa. XLII. 24, 25.
pensations, Jer. xxiv. 1-3, 5. The very self-same judgment that is as a loadstone to draw the righteous towards heaven, will be as a mill- stone to sink the wicked down to hell. The pillar of fire that went before Israel had a light side and a dark side ; the light side was to- wards God's peoi)le, and the dark side Avas towards the Egyptians, Exod. xiv. 20. The flames of London will prove such a pillar both to the righteous and the Avicked. That will certainly be made good upon the righteous and the wicked, whose habitations have been destroyed by London's flames, that the Greek epigram speaks of the silver axe, the ensign of justice: —
' That sword that cuts the bad in twain, The good doth wound and heal again.'
Those dreadful judgments that have been the axe of God's revenging justice, to wound and break the wicked in pieces, shall be righteous men's cures and their golden restoratives. But,
[6.] Sixthly and lastly, God sometimes ivraps up his oivn people with the loicked in desolating judgments, that lie may before all the luorld ivipe off that rej)roach ivhich atheists and wicked men are apt to cast upon him, as if he luere partial, as if he ivere a respecto' of persons, and as if his loays were not just and equal, Ezek. xviii. 25, 29, and xxxiii. 20. God, to stop the mouth of iniquity, the mouth of blasj^hemy, hath made his own people as desolate as others by that fiery calamity that has passed upon them. Such men that have been eye-witnesses of God's impartial dealing with his own people in those days when London was in flames, must say that God is neither partial nor fond. And let thus much suffice, by way of answer to this objection.
3. The third duty that lies upon those that have been burnt up, is for them in 'patience to possess their oion soids, and quietly to acquiesce in tchat the Lord has done, Luke xxi. 19. 0 sirs! hold your peace, and bridle your passions, and quietly submit to the stroke of divine justice. When Aaron's sons were devoured by fire, Aaron held his peace.l And will not you hold your peace, now your houses are de- voured by fire ? What were your houses to Aaron's sons ? All the houses in the world are not so near and dear to a man as his children are. In this story concerning Aaron and his sons, there are many things remarkable. As,
[1.] That ho had lost two of his sons, yea, two of his eldest sons, together at a clap.
[2.] These two were the most honourable of the sons of Aaron : as we may see, Exod, xxiv. 1 , in that they only with their father and the seventy elders are appointed to come up to the Lord.
[3.] They were cut off by a sudden and unexpected death, when
' Lev. X. 2, 3. The Hebrew word damam signifies silence or stillness ; it signifies a staying of the heart, a quieting of the mind. Aaron's mind was quiet and still ; all his unruly affections and passions were stilled and allayed. Oleaster observes that Joshua, in speaking to the sun, ' Stand still in Gibeon,' uscth the same word, D^, that is here used, Joshua xii. 10. So that this phrase, ' Aaron held his peace,' imports thus much, That Aaron stood still, or stayed from further vexing, or troubling, or disquieting of himself ; though at first his heart was in a strange violent motion, yet he recovers him- self, and stands still before the Lord.
ISA. XLII. 24, 25.] THE LATE FIERY DISPENSATION. 241
neither themselves nor tlieir father tliought their ruin had been so near. What misery to tliat of being suddenly surprised by a doleful death ?
[4.] They were cut off by a way which might seem to testify God's hot displeasure against them ; for they were devoured by fire from God. They sinned by fire, and they perished by fire. Look, as fire came from the Lord before in mercy, so now fire is sent from the Lord in judgment. Certainly the manner of their death pointed out the sin for which they were smitten. Now what father had not rather lose all his children at once, by an ordinary stroke of death, than to see one of them destroyed by God's immediate hand in such a terrible manner ?
[5.] They were thus smitten by the Lord on the very first day of their entering upon that high honour of their priestly function, and when their hearts were doubtless full of joy. Now to be suddenly thunderstruck in such a sunshine day of mercy as this seemed to be, must needs add weight to their calamity and misery,
[6.] They were cut off with such great severity for a very small offence, if reason may be permitted to sit as judge in the case. They were made monuments of divine vengeance, only for taking fire to burn the incense from one place, when they should have taken it from another. And this they did, say some, not purposely, but through mistake, and at such a time when they had much work lying upon their hands, and were but newly entered upon their new employment. Now notwithstanding all this, Aaron held his peace. It may be, at first, when he saw his sons devoured by fire, his heart began to wrangle, and his passions began to work ; but when he considered the righteousness of God on the one hand, and the glory that God would get to himself on the other hand, he presently checks himself, and lays his hand upon his mouth, and stands still and silent before the Lord. Though it be not easy in great affiictions, with Aaron, to hold our peace, yet it is very advantageous ; which the heathens seemed to intimate in placing the image of Angeronia, with the mouth bound, upon the altar of Volupia, to sliew that they [who] do prudently and patiently bear and conceal their troubles, sorrows, and anxieties, they shall attain to comfort at last. What the apostle saith of the dis- tressed Hebrews, after the spoiling of their goods, ' Ye have need of patience,' Heb. x. 34, 36, the same I may say to you, who have lost your houses, your shops, your trades, your all — You have need, yea, you have great need of patience. Though thy mercies are few, and thy miseries are many, though thy mercies are small, and tliy miseries are great, yet look that thy spirit be quiet, and that thou dost sweetly acquiesce in the will of God. Now God hath laid his fiery rod upon your backs, it will be your greatest wisdom to lay your hands upon your mouths, and to say with David, ' I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it,' Ps. xxxix. 9. To be patient and silent under the sharpest providences and the sorest judgments, is as much a Christian's glory as it is his duty.i The patient Christian feels the want of nothing. Patience will give contentment in the. midst of
* See my ' Mute Christian under tlie Smarting Rod,' where the excellency of patience and the evil of impatience is largely set forth. [Vol. I., as before. — G.]
242 LONDON'S LAMENTATIONS ON [IsA. XLII. 24, 25.