SERMOXS. 399 



spirits more wicked than himself, and so our last 

 estate prove worse than the former. 



The sword of the Angel of Death, which the last 

 year cut down almost a hundred thousand of us, 

 may seem to have been glutted with our blood, 

 and to haye put up itself into the scabbard. 

 *Quiesce et sile, as the Prophet speaks: God grant 

 it may rest here, and be still. But, as it follows 

 there, How can it be quiet, if the Lord give it a 

 new commission against us? Methinks I see the 

 hand still upon the guard, and, unless we pre- 

 vent it by our speedy repentance, it may quickly 

 be drawn again more terrible than ever, new 

 furbished, and whetted with the keener edge 

 and point our wretched ingTatitude must needs 

 have given it. The Sun of Righteousness v/as 

 ready to rise upon us, with healing in his wings, 

 to clear our heaven again, and to scatter the 

 cloud of the last year s unheal thiness. But yet, 

 methinks, this slow moving cloud hangs over our 

 heads, hovers yet in view, with God knows how 

 many plagues and deaths in the bosom of it : and, 

 without our serious amendment, we have no rain- 

 bow to assure us, that we shall not again be 

 drenched in that horrible tempest. Though the 

 best Naturalists say, t ' that great public fires are 

 a proper remedy for the plague,' yet God, if he be 

 angry, can send a ruffling wind into the very ashes 

 of our city, blow them into the air, and turn them, 



* Jer. xlvii. 6. t Diamerbr. de peste Noviomag. 



