anger is not yet turned away, but his hand is stretched out still? When the houses of London were consumed, which were the fuel to the late fire, then the fire quickly went out; and if the sins of London had been consumed with the houses, if the inhabitants of the city had not brought forth their sins, when they were forced to leave their goods behind unto the flames, then we should have reason to think that the fire of

God's anger was gone out, and his wrath turned away from the escaped remnant of London, insomuch as the sins of London have been the fuel, as it were, to this dreadful fire; but when so much sin, after such judgments, is saved alivé, untouched, and unmortified: when the plague of sin doth rage so much after the plague of pestilence is removed; and the fire of lust doth burn so much, when the other fire is extinguished: when Londoners, who have taken new houses, have brought into them their old hearts, and live in the practice of their old sins; when the swearers and profane, the drunkards and unclean, the covetous, unrighteous, and loose livers, still persevere in their wicked courses, and no judgment will put a stop to them, but they grow more hardened and incorrigible; when, as it is said, Jer. v. 3, the Lord hath "stricken them for sin, but they are not grieved, consumed them, but they refuse to receive correction, making their faces harder than a rock, and refuse to return:" what can we conclude, but that God's anger doth still remain, yea, is more enraged by this aggravation of their wickedness, and that he is stretching forth his hand to give them another blow.

God doth expect that London should use some means to pacify his anger, and he gives them time for it by the pauses which he makes between his judgments, being still slow to anger, and unwilling, if he be not even forced unto it, utterly to destroy this place, where his name hath been called upon. O that London would be persuaded upon this duty, which doth so much concern their safety and happiness! When the fire was in London, and it burned so furiously and dreadfully on the Monday and Tuesday, Londoners' hearts were sunk within them, having little hopes of getting victory over this conqueror, which marched through their streets; and therefore little resistance was made, but all were busily employed in flying from him, with their goods; but when the fury of the fire was something abated on the Wednesday, and they began to conceive any hopes that it might be extinguished, then they pluck up their spirits, and join their forces, and many thousand hands are at work in drawing waters, and pouring them upon the flames, and their pains, through God's blessing, was not unsuccessful. The fire of God's wrath, which shall devour the wicked, and burn them everlastingly, will be so furious and dreadful, that the hearts of the damned will sink under it without the least hopes of ever extinguishing this flame, or flying from it, when it hath once got hold of them; and therefore they will not attempt, but let alone all endeavours for ever to turn away God's displeasure, and to put out the unquenchable fire of hell: but the fire of God's wrath and anger here may be put out, and the flames of his

anger may be turned into flames of love; God's anger, which hath been so hot against London, may be cooled, his wrath alleviated, and his displeasure removed: there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. God is not yet grown so furious that he will not be spoken unto; he is easy to be entreated, and therefore London may be encouraged in their endeavours to pacify his anger. Let them not say, as Israel of old, Jer. ii, 25, "There is no hope; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go." Though God's anger be not yet turned away, yet

it may be turned away; and though one hand be stretched out to destroy you, yet the other hand is stretched forth to save you; "for the stretcheth forth his hand all the day long, to a disobedient and gainsaying people," Rom. x. 21. O labour then to pacify God's anger, to quench this fire; arise and gird yourselves with humility; pluck up your spirits, and stir up yourselves to lay hold on God, and stop him in the march of his judgments; bring forth your buckets, draw water, and pour it forth before the Lord; let your eyes be like fountains of tears; the voice of weeping, and mourning for sin doth turn God's bowels within him, Jer. xxxi. 18—20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, "Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised," &c, and when he repented after such chastisements, and was ashamed of his sin, God doth relent, and his bowels are moved for him; "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him;

and I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord." If London would be chastised, and receive the impressions of grief and shame for their sins by these judgments, God's bowels would be moved, and his fierce anger would be changed into tender compassion; and though he hath spoken terribly against London, yet he would now speak comfortably unto her; he would earnestly remember her, and make her glad accor ding to the days wherein he hath afflicted her, and the years wherein she hath seen evil. There is an excellent virtue in the tears of true repentance, accompanied with the blood of Christ, applied by faith to quench the fire of God's anger.

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Sinners, God is angry with you, Psalm vii. 11, "God is angry with the wicked every day," and it is worse to have God angry with you than all the men in the world; his favour is better than life, his displeasure is worse than death; to have God angry with you, who is so just and jealous, who is so potent and furious, is very dreadful. If the wrath of an earthly king be like the roaring of a lion, what is the wrath of the King of heaven? And when his anger is stirred up by your sins, and blown into a flame, and breaks forth upon you, what will you do? You cannot hide yourselves in any place where his all-seeing eye will not find you; you cannot fly into any place where his stretched-forth arm will not reach you; you cannot gather such strength as to make head against him, and defend yourselves from the strokes of his vengeance; "who can stand in his sight when once he is angry?" Psalm lxxvi. 7.

O then labour to pacify his anger; you cannot fly from him, O then fly unto him: you cannot stand in his sight when he is angry; O then fall down at his feet, make peace with his adversary, whilst you are upon the way, before he deliver you to the officer, death, and casts you into the prison of hell.

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Sinners, God's patience doth as yet hold his arm; and his mercy calls upon you to repent, and he invites you to make your peace with him, Isa. xxvii. 4, 5; "Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together; or let him take hold on my strength, and make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me." You will be like briers and thorns, which will easily take fire, and quickly be consumed in the time of God's anger; and if briers and thorns do offer to contend with devouring fire, what will be the issue, but the burning them up without remedy? You will find it sharp and painful for your feet, if you kick against the pricks; you will dash out your brains, if you run your head against a rock, or a brazen wall: none ever hardened themselves against God, and prospered; none ever fought against the God of heaven by their sins, but they were wounded, and in the end destroyed: sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death, and wrath, and misery for ever. O then, lay hold on God's strength, and make peace with him run to him, take hold of the sceptre of grace and reconciliation, which is held forth unto you; take hold of his arm, and plead with him for mercy; take hold of his Son, who is offered to you, who