spread itself also in the city? Therefore the Lord also hath made ready his wrath as in an hot oven; and though like a baker he hath seemed to sleep while he lay in wait, and delayed to execute his judgments; yet in the morning of his great provocation, by this and other sins, his anger hath broke forth like a flaming fire, from whence that fire hath been kindled which hath burnt the greatest part of London down to the ground, Jer. v. 8, 9. When "the Israelites were like fed horses in the morning, every one neighing after his neighbur's wife;" the Lord speaks to them in his wrath," Shall not I visit for these things? Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?"

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15. A fifteenth sin of London is drunkenness. This sin hath been more visible and apparent; I believe that scarcely any nation under heaven hath proportionably more taverns and ale-houses than England, and no place in England so many as London, and its adjacent parts: and of all the many thousands of these houses, I believe there hath been scarce any but could give many stances of this sin, besides, the many private houses where this sin hath been practised. How have men "risen early in the morning, to follow strong drink, and continued unto night, till wine inflamed them," Isa. v. 11. "Come ye, say they, and I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink, and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant," Isa. Ivi. 12. The corners and beds full of vomit, the reelings about the streets, the contentions and wranglings, "the wounds without cause, the red

ness of the eyes," and such like, have been too evident a demonstration of men's " tarrying too long at the wine," and distempering themselves with excessive drinking, Prov. xxiii. 29, 30. To be overtaken with drunkenness is a great sin, which makes men more brutish than their very horses, who will not exceed their measure in drinking, except they be forced to it by barnacles: and if none in the city had yielded to receive the drench of a cup beyond the measure, without barnacles upon their noses, I suppose, that with their horses they would have been more sober; and hereby prevented many distempers of body, and worse distempers of mind; and, which is worst of all, much dishonour of God, as well as of themselves, which excess in this kind hath been the cause of: but for men to follow after this sin, and make it their trade and common practice, to delight in it, and seek for their God and chief happiness in a cup of wine or ale, and to grow men of might in drinking; to exceed the bounds by many degrees without reeling, to entice others to it, yea, to force them to drink healths (that ungodly practice) which could not in the least promote another's health, but was likely to destroy their own, through the excess which such practices do introduce; to take pleasure in drinking down others under their feet, and after to glory in their shame and wickedness; this is a sin that doth so far exceed brutish, that it becomes devilish, and doth highly provoke the Lord to pour forth his fury like water upon the places where such sins are committed.

And hath not London been guilty of this sin of

drunkenness, with the aggravation of it? Have not some of London's magistrates been guilty, who should have punished this sin; and too many ministers, who should have reproved it both by word and example of sobriety? And for such to be seen drunk and reeling in the streets, was very shameful, and a great provocation. Have not the late judgments in some sort pointed out this sin? the dizziness of head and reeling of persons that have been smitten with the plague; the flaming of the heart of the city, and reeling of the houses, and tumbling of them to the ground by the fire, methinks were a reproof of the dizziness and reeling about the streets and houses of such persons as had inflamed and distempered themselves with excessive drinking.

16. A sixteenth sin of London is perverting of judgment. This is a God provoking sin: "when none calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth; when men make to themselves crooked paths, and there is no judgment in their goings; yea, when judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off, and truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter; when truth faileth, and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey,' &c. as the prophet speaks, Isa. lix. 4, &c. When magistrates are "lovers of gifts, and followers after rewards; when they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them;" then the Lord crieth, "Ah! I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies," Isa. i. 13, 24. I cannot charge London deeply with

this sin; not having been myself present much in their courts of judicature; and I would hope that justice hath taken place here, as much as in most cities in the world: but when I read what the Lord saith concerning Jerusalem, Jer. v. 1, "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it:" and when withal I consider the dreadful judgments of God upon the city of London, whereby the glory of the magistracy and government of the city is so much stained; I would submit it to enquiry, whether there hath not been a failure and perverting of judgment in the city? whether bribes and rewards have not blinded the eyes, and the edge of the law hath not been turned against well-doers, instead of evil-doers? whether the fatherless and the widow have not been sent weeping to their heavenly Father to complain of injustice? It is not a time to cover faults, but to confess and leave them; least unavoidable ruin come upon us when it will be too late.

17. A seventeenth sin of London is covetous

ness.

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How universally hath this sin reigned in the city; so that it may almost be said of London, as it was of Jerusalem, Jer. vi. 13, From the least of them even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness." Those who have been free from gluttony, drunkenness, adultery, and the like expensive sins, have on the other hand, addicted themselves to the sin of. covetousness. I do not charge all, but O, how

almost universal hath this sin among tradesmen been; which has evinced itself both in their getting and keeping riches!

(1.) In getting. What eager desires after the world, and the obtaining an estate by their trades! What studies and consultations, what racking the brains, and torturing the wits, to find out the best way of thriving in the world! What earnest prosecutions have there been, and laborious endeavours, rising up early, and sitting up late, and wearying the body, and the mind all the day, eating the bread of carefulness, and mingling the drink with solicitousness, crowding up the whole time with worldly business, so that their own health hath been disregarded, as well as the worship of God neglected in the families of these worldlings, and all to scrape a little worldly riches together, which some have missed of, notwithstanding all their endeavours; and if they have obtained, yet they have remained more poor in contentment, than when they were more poor in their estates; for as their estates have increased, so their desires have increased, and been farther off from satisfaction; as they have enlarged their shops and trades, and wealth hath flowed in upon them; so they have enlarged their desires like hell, and, like the grave, have never said, It is enough when they have added bag to bag, and house to house, the more cares and fears, and sometimes piercing sorrows have accompanied their gains; but far have they been from finding the contentment and comfort in their riches that they looked for.

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(2.) This covetousness hath appeared in keeping