Shlohavot, or, The burning of London in the year 1666 commemorated and improved in a CX discourses, meditations, and contemplations, divided into four parts treating of I. The sins, or spiritual causes procuring that judgment, II. The natural causes of fire, morally applied, III. The most remarkable passages and circumstances of that dreadful fire, IV. Counsels and comfort unto such as are sufferers by the said judgment / by Samuel Rolle ...

MEDITATION XLII. Upon the Pains which the Kings Majesty is said to have taken in helping to extinguish the Fire.

I Was no eye-witness, but have been informed, that when the Fire came near to Cripplega••t, His Majesty being then and there present, did, in His own Person, take great Pains (no less, as was told, then if He had been a poor Labourer,) to pro∣mote the extinction of it. Possibly some weak and inconsiderate persons, that saw His Majesty at that time stooping so low, might in their hearts despise Him for it, (as Michal did David, for leaping and dancing before the Ark, 2 Sam. 6.16. and 20.) saying in derision, How glorious was the King of Eng∣land to day? as she, How glorious was the King of Israel? &c. But wise and religious persons, that had seen David in that posture, would have spoken the same words in good earnest, which she spake in scorn, meaning, as they said, How glorious indeed was the King of Israel, whilst, transported with holy zeal, he leapt before the Ark, which is called, Dancing before the Lord? The like can I say from mine heart of our Dread Soveraign: How glorious was He in truth, and in reality, when He took upon Him the form, or rather the work of a mean-man; and vouchsafed His helping Hand to stop that dismal Fire, when it was in its full carreer? Had I seen

Him with His Crown upon His Head, His Scepter in His Hand, His Noble Senators all waiting upon Him in their Parliament-Robes, or in all the State in which He could have been seen, (Cant. 3.11.) either on the day of His Coronation, or of His Es∣pousals; I could not have reverenced Him more than I should have done, if I had beheld Him with a Bucket in His Hand, pouring water upon the Flames; or than I do, so often as I think of Him in some such posture of most kind and obliging condescension. Me-thinks it was but equal that Christ should be more loved, but not less honour∣ed, when he humbled himself so far, as to take a Towel, and therewith to wash, and to wipe his Disciples feet, John 13.4.

Kings never act more like themselves than when they are doing good to their Subjects, and are snatching them, or their Concerns, as fire-brands out of the Fire: forasmuch as the Scripture saith, That Magistrates are the Ministers of God to those that are under them for good, Rom. 13.4. The Ro∣man Emperors had wont to issue out their Com∣mands to their Soldiers, not in the third, but in the first Person: So Pertinax his Word and Motto was Militemus; not, March ye; but, Let us March on; (including himself.) So Septimius Severus his word was Laboremus, Let us be doing. In like manner, our Gracious Soveraign is said to have stretcht forth His own Royal Hands to assist the putting out of those Aspiring Flames, which seemed to expect a Princely Extinguisher: That was such a kind of Royal Aid, as all Subjects must needs be in love with; and, Why not more free to that other, which goes by such a name in the remembrance of this? One of the Ancients did wish, to have seen

Christ in the Flesh, Paul in the Pulpit, and Rome in its ancient Glory. Much rather, at lest-wise than the last of these, would I have seen that sight I am now speaking of, viz. His most Excellent Majesty bestirring Himself, to give check to those Flames which threatned to lay both His great City and Suburbs all in ashes. Who had the faces to stand still and look on, (as many did at other times,) whilst their Soveraign Himself was so imployed? Whilst Princes work, Subjects cannot have the con∣fidence to be idle. Oh the power and efficacy of Princely Examples! Regis ad exemplum, &c. When Princes will help to extinguish fires themselves, the work is like to succeed; and when that is done, the greatest thanks are due to them, next unto the King of Kings.

I wish, there were not many other fires at this day within the Bowels of this Nation, viz. of fears and jealousies, envy and emulation, wrath and re∣venge, dissatisfaction and discontent, dissension and division: May he, who is the Wonderful, Counsellor, and God only wise, instruct His Majesty, how, and which way to extinguish them: and mean-time to increase one other fire (and only that) viz. of love and affection; first to God, nextly to Himself, and then amongst all his Subjects one towards ano∣ther. Solomon tells of a poor man, who by his wis∣dom saved a little City, when a great king came against it, and besieged it, Eccles. 9.14. By this means may His Majesty save, and preserve, not only one City but three Kingdoms, which those fires threaten to destroy: (for our Saviour tells us, That a kingdom divided against it self cannot stand:) And though no man remembred that poor man (because he was poor) yet when a more glorious action shall be done by a

Princely hand, surely no man will or can forget it. Will it not be a considerable accession of honour even to a great King, to be inrolled amongst the Peace-makers, whom Christ pronounceth blessed? As for His Majesties inclination to all such At∣chievements, as sweetness of temper may induce men to, let all His Subjects be well perswaded of, by the tears he shed, when he beheld the Flames of London, which I had not reported but from a very credible Author. How amiable a sight is it to be∣hold Kings weeping over the miseries of their Sub∣jects, and what assurance doth it give, that they will not be backward to redress them so far as is within their power? Had His head been a fountain of tears, (as the Prophet Jeremy upon occasion wisht his own,) I doubt not but he had poured it forth when he came near to Cripplegate, with resolution to do all a King could do to put out those flames: May we alwayes see a blessed contention betwixt our King and his People, Which shall most resent and bewail each others sufferings; Which shall most promote and rejoyce in each others happiness!