that with the loss of friends and relations by the plague, and of houses and goods by the fire, they may not lose the good of these judgments too, though of another mind, yet of far greater value, which God intends them.

The enquiry then is what meaneth the Lord by the plague and by the fire in the city? what doth he call for by this terrible voice, and look for in London, that these judgments may turn to their advantage?

SECT. XI.

The duties which God expects from London after such desolations by the Plague and Fire, are these.

1. God expects that London should awake. London hath been asleep; both the foolish and the wise virgins have been asleep; and when such a voice hath come down in these judgments, which have been revealed from heaven, crying in the midnight of their carnal security, "Behold, the great God is come forth from his place, and is entered into London in fury:" surely all should awake and arise, and prepare to meet him, seeing none can flee from him. God hath seemed to be asleep, while he exercised so much patience towards London; his arm slept in his bosom ; but now the Lord hath been awakened with the loud cry of England and London's sins; his arm hath awaked, and put on strength and vengeance.

Awake! then, O London, awake! open thine eyes; draw thy curtains; come forth of thy bed; look out of thy windows. Apparitions! apparations! strange sights to be seen. Behold! heaven is opened, and God is come down upon earth, clothed with garments of lightning: God is come down in his majesty, and looks upon London with a terrible countenance: Behold the amazing terror of God in the late strangeand prodigious judgments. What! dost thou not see him? Surely thou art fast asleep still; thine eyes are closed; the veil is before them.

Awake! London, awake! open thine ears. Hark! O the trumpet that hath been sounding from heaven over the city exceeding loud! O the thunderings of the terrible voice of the angry God! the voice of the Lord hath been powerful and very dreadful. What! canst thou sleep under such a noise? surely thou art dead asleep, dead in sin and security. What will awaken thee if the judgments do not awaken thee? If a shrill and loud trumpet do not pierce thine ears, will soft music enter? if the sound of cannons be not heard, can any expect that pistols should? If, when the lion roareth in thine ears thou canst sleep still, will soft whispers awaken thee? What will awaken thee if the loud voice of these judgments do not awaken thee? The Lord called upon thee before by his ministers, by his mercies: now he hath shouted in thine ears by his judgments.

Awake! London, awake! Thou hast been roused out of thine habitation; methinks thou shouldest be roused out of thy security. What!

sleep when dying! dying by the plague, and tumbling into the grave! What! sleep when burning! burning by the fire, and tumbling into desolation! What! sleep in a storm! when winds are blowing, and waves roaring, sea entering, and ship sinking! "What meanest thou, O sleeper!" Could the heathen ship-master say, in such a case, unto Jonah, chap. i. 5, 6, when he lay fast asleep in the sides of the ship: "Arise, call upon thy God; if God will think upon us, that we perish not:" and may not I say, What meanest thou, O sleepy London; hast thou not perceived the storm that hath beaten so fiercely on thy head? dost thou not perceive that thy ship is shattered and broken, and the sea is coming in amain, and thou art in danger of sink. ing, and that quickly, unless some speedy course be taken for prevention? And yet canst thou sleep still? Awake! arise! call upon thy God, if so be he will think upon us, that we perish not.

God calls upon sleepy sinners to awake. Suppose you were under the power of cruel enemies, that had killed your husbands, or wives, or dear children and friends, and you knew not how soon they might fall upon you, and cut your throats; could you sleep securely in the same house with such persons?

You are under the power of tyrannical lusts, which are far worse enemies: you are under the reigning power of sin, which hath brought the plague into the city, and whereby some of you have been deprived of these relations, and you know not how soon sin may bring death upon yourselves, not only the first, but the second

death; not only temporal, but eternal death; and deprive you not only of life, but happiness, and all hopes of the least share in it for ever. And yet can you sleep securely with sin in your hearts; with such an enemy, with such a viper, in your bosoms ?

When the fire was in London, I believe few of you could take much sleep for divers nights together: when the fire was burning in your streets, and burning down your houses, you could not sleep in your houses, lest the fire should have burned your persons too: and when the fire of lust is within you, and burning within you; when the fire of God's anger is kindled above you, and burning over you; and the fire of hell, so dreadful and unextinguishable, is burning beneath you; and you are hanging over the burning lake by a twine-thread, which, ere long, will untwine of itself, and may, ere you are aware, and suddenly, be cut or snapt asunder, and then you must drop into the midst of flames; can you sleep under the guilt and power of sin, when you are in such danger?

Awake! sinners, awake! God doth not burn you presently, but warns you first; he burns your houses, that you might awake, and escape a more dreadful fire. Awake! sinners, when will you awake! how often, how long, how loud shall God call upon you before you will arise? Eph. v. 14, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Jesus Christ shall give thee life."

"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest." What! can you sleep any longer now? Was not this your tone long

ago, when you were under the calls of the word? and is it the same under the rod too? What will awaken you? or when do you think you shall be awakened, if still you lie down in the bed of security, and love to slumber upon the lap of pleasure, and after a little startle, sleep faster than before?

Ministers have preached, and you have slept under their sermons; but when God hath preached, methinks you should awake. When Paul preached to Felix a sermon of judgment, Felix trembled. God hath preached one, nay, two sermons of judgment, and that more feelingly than Paul could; methinks you should awake, and not drop asleep so soon, because God gives you a little respite to learn his sermon, before he preach the third sermon, which may be your last and ruining sermon. If you do not awake by the sound of his judgments before you, you shall awake by the sense of his judgments upon you. If the plague and fire of London do not awaken you, you shall be awakened by the plagues and fire of hell, which you shall see and feel, but not be able to flee from, as here you might do, if presently awakened.

God calls upon sleepy sinners to awake, and God calls upon drowsy saints to awake; and was there not great need? were not the Jonahs gone down into the sides of the ship, and lying on pillows? Were not the wise virgins turning foolish, sleeping with the rest, untrimmed and undressed? Had there not of late a strange torpor and benumnedness seized upon the spirits of God's own people? Was not the ancient