are uncertain. Eiclies, like bad servants, never stay long with one master. Did not the citizens of London see their riches flying away from them upon the wings of the fire and of the wind, when their own and their neighbours' habitations were all in flames? 0 sirs, what cer- tainty can there be in those things which balls of fire, storms at sea, false oaths, or treacherous friends may in a few days, yea, in a day, an hour, deprive us of ? God can soon clap a pair of wings upon all a man has in this world. And therefore he acts safest and wisest who sits most loose from the things of the world. ' Riches are not for ever ; and the crown doth not endure to every generation,' Prov. xxvii. 4. This Adoni-bezek, Belshazzar, and many other great princes have found by experience, as Scripture and histories do sufficiently testify. In all the ages of the world the testimony of Solomon holds good : Eccles. i. 2, ' Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities ; all is vanity.' The things of this world are not only vain, but vanity in the abstract. They are excessive vanity ; vanity of vani- ties ; yea, they are a heap of vanity; vanity of vanities. i And this the burnt citizens have found by sad experience. The world is all shadow and vanity : it is like Jonah's gourd, a man may sit under its shadow for a while, but it soon withers, decays, and dies. He that shall but weigh man's pains with his pay, his miseries with his mer- cies, his sorrows with his joys, his crosses with his comforts, his wants with his enjoyments, &c., may well cry out. Oh the vanity and uncer- tainty of all these earthly things ! Thus^ the world in all its bravery is no better than the cities which Solomon gave to Hiram, which he called Cabul, that is, displeasing or dirty. All the great, the gay, the glorious things of the world may fitly be resembled to the fruit that undid us all, which was fair to the sight, smooth in handling, sweet in taste, but deadly in operation. A man may be happy that is not wealthy ; witness Lazarus, and those worthies of whom this world was not worthy, Heb. xi. But how hard a thing is it for a man to be happy that is wealthy: Mat. xix. 24, ' It is easier for a camel,' — or cable- rope, as some render it — ' to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.' There are several exposi- tions upon these words.
[1.] First, Some say that there was a little gate in Jerusalem called the Needle's-eye, which was so low and little that it was impossible for a camel to enter in at it with his burden, and therefore when camels came that way they took off their loads, and the camels themselves were forced to stoop before they could pass through the gate. Some think that our Saviour alludes to this. But,
[2.] Secondly, Others interpret it of a cable-rope or cord, and then thus they expound the words : A man cannot by any means possible put a cable through a needle's eye, but if he untwist it, he may by thread and thread put it through.
[3.] Thirdly, Others say these words are a proverbial speech, for the Talmud had a proverb, ' Are ye of Pambeditha, who can cause an
^ All in heaven write vanity of vanities upon all sublunaries ; and all in hell write vanity of vanities upon all sublunaries : and why should not all on earth write vanity of vanities upon all sublunaries? 1 Kings ix. 13 ; Gen. iii.
^ Misprinted ' though." — G.
254 London's lamentations ox [Isa. XLII. 24, 25.
elephant to go tliroiigli a needle's eye?' Those of Panibeditha were great hiaggers ; they would boast to others that they could do very great things and very strange things. Hence came that proverb amongst them, It is easier to cause an elephant to go through a needle's eye, than to do thus or thus. Now our Saviour useth the word camel because he was better known to them. It was usual , say others, with the Jews to say, when difficult matters were promised, Hast thou been at Pambeditha, where camels go through the eyes of needles ? But,
[1.] Fourthly and lastly, The plain and simple meaning of this proverbial speech is doubtless this — viz., that it is as impossible for such a rich man to be saved, that trusteth in his riches, and that sets a higher price upon his riches than ui)on Christ, and that will rather part with Christ than part with his riches, and that will rather go to hell rich than to heaven poor — as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. The proverbial speech, say others, notes the difHculty of rich men's being saved : Hab. ii. 6, ' Woe to him that ladeth him- self with thick clay.' Thick clay will sooner break a man's back than satisfy his heart. And oh what a folly and madness is it for a man to be still a-loading of himself with the clay of this world ! In Gen. xiii. 2, it is said that Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold; the word is 13D, gravis fait ; he was very heavy, to shew that riches, that gold and silver — which is the great god of the world, the paradise, the all in all, the great Diana that all the world magnifies and worships — are but heavy burdens, and rather a hin- drance than a help to heaven and happiness. Though the rich man in the Gospel fared and lived like a gentleman, a gallant, a knight, a lord ; yet when he died he went to hell, Luke xvi. Though mdmmcm, as Aretius and many others observe, is a Syriac word, and signifies riches, yet Irenanis derives mammon of mnm, that signifies a spot, and hon, that signifies riches; to shew that riches have their spots: and yet, oh how in love are men with these spots ! how laborious, how in- dustrious are men to add spots to spots, bags to bags, houses to houses, and lands to lands, and lordships to lordships, as if there were no hell to escape, nor no heaven to make sure ! Isa. v. 8.
0 sirs, the voice of God in that fiery dispensation that has lately passed upon us seems to be this, 0 ye citizens of London, whose habi- tations and glory I have laid in dust and ashes, sit loose from this world, and set your affections upon things above I Live in this world as pilgrims and strangers. Remember this is not your resting-[)lace ; never be inordinate in your love to the world, nor in your delight in the world, nor in your ])ursuit of the world any more. Col. iii. 1 ; Heb. xi. 13; Jer. i. G; Micah ii. 10. Never sjjcnd so many thoughts upon the world, nor never send forth so many wishes after the world, nor never spend so much precious time to gain the world, as you have formerly done. Take off your thoughts, take off your hearts, take ofi'your hands from all these uncertain things. Remember it will not be long before you must all go to your long home, and a little of the world Avill serve to bear your charges till you get to heaven. Remember I have burnt up your city, 1 have i)oured contempt upon your city, I have stained the pride and glory of your city ; that so seeing you have here no con-
IsA. XLII. 24, 25.] THE LATE FIERY DISPENSATION. 2,55