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 VIII. Of lying, swearing, and for-swearing, as further cau∣ses of God's contending by Fire.

I finde the Prophet Nahum. chap. 3. threatning Nineveh with fire, in the 13. and 15. verses of that Chapter. The fire shall devour thy bars, &c. now one cause he gives of that wo, was lying, vers. 1. Wee to the City, it is full of lies and robbery. Fitly are those two put together, for probably many or most of the lies they had wont to tell, were in a way of trade, in order to unjust gain, which is no other than robbery in Gods account. Oh that London, in this respect, had not been a∣nother Nineveh, for the multitude of lies that were daily told in many parts of it, in order to robbery, that is, undue gain: A good man would not have told so many wilful lyes, for a whole World, as some would tell, to get a few shillings, if not pence. This cost me so much, saith one, and by and by he sells it for less than he said it cost him, (which few men will do) you shall have the very best, saith another, and yet if he have any worse than other, puts him off with that. I had so much for the very fellow of this, had some wont to say, when there was no such matter. This is as good as can be bought for

money, would some say, when yet they knew that it was stark naught, could such pretend themselves to be the people of God? who saith, Isa. 63.8. They are my people, Children that will not lie, so I was their Saviour. Could men thus abound with lies, and yet believe what is written. Rev. 21.8. All lyars shall have their portion in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone: No wonder if that which kindles Hell it self, did help to fire a City.

But to pass on to the sin of Swearing, either falsly or vainly, both of which were too com∣mon in the great City, till the very time of its destruction by fire, (though possibly as common or more in some other place.) Was it considered at leastwise, it is now time to consider what is spoken, Zach. 5.4. The curse shall enter into the House of him that sweareth falsly by my Name, and shall consume it, with the timber and stones thereof. How was the Land over-run with perjury? What if few causes were tried, in which there was not oathes against oathes, men and Wo∣men swearing point blank one against another? Both could not be true: Contradictoria non possent esse simul vera. How ordinary was it with men to swear, what was impossible for them to per∣form? How have oathes been bought and sold? were there not those that made a trade of swear∣ing, (Knights of the Post men called them) they would pleasure any man with an oath, that would but pay them for it. How many have presumed, they could carry almost any Cause, defend any title, how bad soever, by a pack of swearers, which were ready to serve them upon all occasions? As long as they could have oathes

for their money, they feared nothing. England hath driven a mighty trade in oathes, forward and backward, and made them so common, that with many men, they are grown contemptible, and they have learnt to play with them, as is said of some, that they use Ludere Juramentis ut pueri tesseris. Alas, how many made nothing of it, to swear a hundred oathes, they would do this or that; as namely, they would pay such a debt by such a time, and yet never mean to do it? O England, if thou hadst no sin but this, it were no marvel that this Metropolis should now lye in the dust. For such oathes as these doth the great City (that was) yea and the whole Land suffering with it, mourn at this day. Though some have exposed themselves to temporal ruine, for fear of oathes, yet have not others desperately said, they would not be undone by refusing oathes of what kind soever? they would trust God with their soules, and not men with their estates. If this sin were not as oile to the late flames, I know not what was. It is no whit strange that false swearing should be punished with temporal fire, when meer lying or false speaking is threat∣ned with that fire which is eternal. Rev. 21.8.

But then, as for vain swearing, how com∣mon was it; as if men had never heard of the third Commandment, which saith, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for he will not hold them guiltless. Vain Oaths slew about like so much Musket-shot, when two ar∣mies are in fight, so that they struck every man (his cars at leastwise) that went along the streets. Who that heard the needless Oaths men had wont to swear, could but think of Davids words?

Be not merciful to any that transgress without a cause. I am confident there were some that took a great pride in swearing, and thought it a great piece of Gentility to abound in Oathes, though many Tinkers and Tapsters could swear as fast as they: but could they have had the mo∣nopoly of swearing to themselves, and a prohi∣bition upon all poor men to swear, as wel as they, would they not have accounted it a very great honour and priviledge? Thus did they glory in their shame. Unless they vaunted themselves, in shewing how bold they did dare to make with God, I see not why they should be proud of their vain swearing. What wit was there in rapping out an oath? Or what fool could not utter as many oathes as they? who was so silly as to honour them for their swearing? Or who did the rather believe them for it? yea who did not infer, that, because they would swear without cause, they would also lie? How did men bid a daily defiance to that text that saith? Above all things swear not? and practise, as if St. James had said, my brethren, above all things swear. When London was become as full of oathes, (as the aire is of motes) (which spake the tongues of men to be set on fire of hell) no wonder that there came a flying roll filled vvith a curse, vvhich consumed the timber thereof, and demo∣lished the stones thereof. Zach. 5.4. May then the horrid sins of lying, svvearing, and forswear∣ing, be buried as it vvere in London's ruines, so as never to rise up more; and may the late Inhabi∣tants of the same mourne, as it vvere in dust and ashes, for those great provocations, and if ever London be its self again, may he pass for a

monster, and become a hissing and by-vvord that after so great a vvarning, shall presume to svvear falfly or vainly, or so much as to utter a vvilfull lie.