YE are yet a populous City, preserved in your Thousands; but if the Arrow that flieth at Noon-day should glide amongst you, how many wounded breasts would there be! A thousand materials for pure smoaks to expel ill scents, yet might be ineffectual to prevent that irresistable stroak; neither do I think that Wine is an Antidote against all Poysons; nor that if a man be well-dietted, he may escape any Infection. There is not a more dismal Disease than that of the Pestilence, when God will strike, or where, or by what means: Yea, it is a Weapon so sharp, that it is able to leave Cities without an Heir.
There are now amongst you more people, and more sins. A Pestilence is the Sickle of the Grave, and the Worms Caterer, the first-born of Death. It is that which makes the great fall in the Forrest of Mankind. It will chase M [...]n out of their Dwellings, and shut up Shop-doors, as if execution after Judgment were served upon Traders. Then there will be [Page 6] no other Musick to be heard but doleful knels, no other Wares to be bought up and down but Dead Bodies: Mansion Houses it will change into Pest-Houses, the busiest servants will be Keepers, and the most active Officers, Searchers. They shall lye down at night without the least spot seen upon them, and rise up in the Morning, with Gods Tokens visible upon them. They shall walk out of their Houses without the least dis-aylment or distemper, and drop down before they can get home to their own Thresholds. Then the Brother will scarce look upon the Sister, the Husband fear to come near his Wife. A Porter rare to be hired to go on thy Arrant; or a Friend as difficult to be seen. Of all miseries the Pestilence is the fray of all dreadful things which can happen upon Earth, this is the horror. Oh, that you would cleanse your Streets with Repentance, that this Infection might not breed out of your Sins, dissemble not to the last. Oh, let Judgment denounced quicken you. If God threaten, believe; if he put on Justice like a Cloak, do ye cast away your Robes; if he doth frown, do ye weep; if he [Page 7] be setting of your Sins in order before you, do you confess them; if his feet be turning into the visiting ways, do ye turn every one from his evil ways; nothing but Repentance can secure you, vengeance is awakt with the noise of your Sins. There are many which do wish for your destruction, and are forty that they cannot make you the miserable of the Earth; they consult sad things concerning you; their brains do work, their hearts do boyl, their mouthes do foam, and they would willingly be stretching out their hands to shake you and shiver you. You have Enemies within your City, ye have Enemies in your own Consciences; your Sins do threaten more Calamities against you, than all the inveterate, implacable Adversaries which you have upon Earth.
Escape vengeance by flying provocation. Your City is threatned, take heed ye do not sleep out the hour of your security. Presumption may subvert, let Contrition deliver you. The time may be short, the work is great, the danger is apparent, the misery will be unspeakable. All your Goods are ready to be sacrificed to vengeance, bring forth your sin-offering, [Page 8] before the sparks have taken fire. If there be any listning to a Warning, c [...]edence of Threatning, obedience to Counsell, foresight of Danger, sting of Guilt, or obligation of Duty, pitty the City, and petition for the City; shed lakes of Tears to obtain the peace of the City; wear Sackcloth lest ye are naked, fast lest ye starve, creep upon your knees, lest ye creep into corners; shut your selves into your Closets, lest ye be shut into Dungeons; fly to Heaven, lest ye fly out of the Land. Oh, that I could make you thus to believe God and serve God: your humiliation should free you from all dangers; your Walls shall not be battered, your Shops not Rifled, your Persons not Massacred, but all your Priviledges Ratified.