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they　were　not　afraid　to　blaspheme　God　and　talk　atheistically；　making

a　jest　of　my　calling　the　plague　the　hand　of　God；　mocking；　and　even

laughing；　at　the　word　judgement；　as　if　the　providence　of　God　had　no

concern　in　the　inflicting　such　a　desolating　stroke；　and　that　the　people

calling　upon　God　as　they　saw　the　carts　carrying　away　the　dead　bodies

was　all　enthusiastic；　absurd；　and　impertinent。



I　made　them　some　reply；　such　as　I　thought　proper；　but　which　I　found

was　so　far　from　putting　a　check　to　their　horrid　way　of　speaking　that　it

made　them　rail　the　more；　so　that　I　confess　it　filled　me　with　horror　and

a　kind　of　rage；　and　I　came　away；　as　I　told　them；　lest　the　hand　of　that

judgement　which　had　visited　the　whole　city　should　glorify　His

vengeance　upon　them；　and　all　that　were　near　them。



They　received　all　reproof　with　the　utmost　contempt；　and　made　the

greatest　mockery　that　was　possible　for　them　to　do　at　me；　giving　me　all

the　opprobrious；　insolent　scoffs　that　they　could　think　of　for　preaching

to　them；　as　they　called　it；　which　indeed　grieved　me；　rather　than　angered　me；

and　I　went　away；　blessing　God；　however；　in　my　mind　that　I　had　not　spared　them；

though　they　had　insulted　me　so　much。



They　continued　this　wretched　course　three　or　four　days　after　this；

continually　mocking　and　jeering　at　all　that　showed　themselves

religious　or　serious；　or　that　were　any　way　touched　with　the　sense　of

the　terrible　judgement　of　God　upon　us；　and　I　was　informed　they

flouted　in　the　same　manner　at　the　good　people　who；　notwithstanding

the　contagion；　met　at　the　church；　fasted；　and　prayed　to　God　to　remove

His　hand　from　them。



I　say；　they　continued　this　dreadful　course　three　or　four　days　…　I　think

it　was　no　more　…　when　one　of　them；　particularly　he　who　asked　the

poor　gentleman　what　he　did　out　of　his　grave；　was　struck　from　Heaven

with　the　plague；　and　died　in　a　most　deplorable　manner；　and；　in　a

word；　they　were　every　one　of　them　carried　into　the　great　pit　which　I

have　mentioned　above；　before　it　was　quite　filled　up；　which　was　not

above　a　fortnight　or　thereabout。



These　men　were　guilty　of　many　extravagances；　such　as　one　would

think　human　nature　should　have　trembled　at　the　thoughts　of　at　such　a

time　of　general　terror　as　was　then　upon　us；　and　particularly　scoffing

and　mocking　at　everything　which　they　happened　to　see　that　was

religious　among　the　people；　especially　at　their　thronging　zealously　to

the　place　of　public　worship　to　implore　mercy　from　Heaven　in　such　a

time　of　distress；　and　this　tavern　where　they　held　their　dub　being

within　view　of　the　church…door；　they　had　the　more　particular　occasion

for　their　atheistical　profane　mirth。



But　this　began　to　abate　a　little　with　them　before　the　accident　which　I

have　related　happened；　for　the　infection　increased　so　violently　at　this

part　of　the　town　now；　that　people　began　to　be　afraid　to　come　to　the

church；　at　least　such　numbers　did　not　resort　thither　as　was　usual。

Many　of　the　clergymen　likewise　were　dead；　and　others　gone　into　the

country；　for　it　really　required　a　steady　courage　and　a　strong　faith　for　a

man　not　only　to　venture　being　in　town　at　such　a　time　as　this；　but

likewise　to　venture　to　come　to　church　and　perform　the　office　of　a

minister　to　a　congregation；　of　whom　he　had　reason　to　believe　many　of

them　were　actually　infected　with　the　plague；　and　to　do　this　every　day；

or　twice　a　day；　as　in　some　places　was　done。



It　is　true　the　people　showed　an　extraordinary　zeal　in　these　religious

exercises；　and　as　the　church…doors　were　always　open；　people　would　go

in　single　at　all　times；　whether　the　minister　was　officiating　or　no；　and

locking　themselves　into　separate　pews；　would　be　praying　to　God　with

great　fervency　and　devotion。



Others　assembled　at　meeting…houses；　every　one　as　their　different

opinions　in　such　things　guided；　but　all　were　promiscuously　the　subject

of　these　men's　drollery；　especially　at　the　beginning　of　the　visitation。



It　seems　they　had　been　checked　for　their　open　insulting　religion　in

this　manner　by　several　good　people　of　every　persuasion；　and　that；　and

the　violent　raging　of　the　infection；　I　suppose；　was　the　occasion　that

they　had　abated　much　of　their　rudeness　for　some　time　before；　and

were　only　roused　by　the　spirit　of　ribaldry　and　atheism　at　the　clamour

which　was　made　when　the　gentleman　was　first　brought　in　there；　and

perhaps　were　agitated　by　the　same　devil；　when　I　took　upon　me　to

reprove　them；　though　I　did　it　at　first　with　all　the　calmness；　temper；

and　good　manners　that　I　could；　which　for　a　while　they　insulted　me　the

more　for　thinking　it　had　been　in　fear　of　their　resentment；　though

afterwards　they　found　the　contrary。



I　went　home；　indeed；　grieved　and　afflicted　in　my　mind　at　the

abominable　wickedness　of　those　men；　not　doubting；　however；　that

they　would　be　made　dreadful　examples　of　God's　justice；　for　I　looked

upon　this　dismal　time　to　be　a　particular　season　of　Divine　vengeance；

and　that　God　would　on　this　occasion　single　out　the　proper　objects　of

His　displeasure　in　a　more　especial　and　remarkable　manner　than　at

another　time；　and　that　though　I　did　believe　that　many　good　people

would；　and　did；　fall　in　the　common　calamity；　and　that　it　was　no

certain　rule　to　'　judge　of　the　eternal　state　of　any　one　by　their　being

distinguished　in　such　a　time　of　general　destruction　neither　one　way　or

other；　yet；　I　say；　it　could　not　but　seem　reasonable　to　believe　that　God

would　not　think　fit　to　spare　by　His　mercy　such　open　declared　enemies；

that　should　insult　His　name　and　Being；　defy　His　vengeance；　and　mock

at　His　worship　and　worshippers　at　such　a　time；　no；　not　though　His

mercy　had　thought　fit　to　bear　with　and　spare　them　at　other　times；　that

this　was　a　day　of　visitation；　a　day　of　God's　anger；　and　those　words

came　into　my　thought；　Jer。　v。　9：　'Shall　I　not　visit　for　these　things？　saith

the　Lord：　and　shall　not　My　soul　be　avenged　of　such　a　nation　as　this？'



These　things；　I　say；　lay　upon　my　mind；　and　I　went　home　very　much

grieved　and　oppressed　with　the　horror　of　these　men's　wickedness；　and

to　think　that　anything　could　be　so　vile；　so　hardened；　and　notoriously

wicked　as　to　insult　God；　and　His　servants；　and　His　worship　in　such　a

manner；　and　at　such　a　time　as　this　was；　when　He　had；　as　it　were；　His

sword　drawn　in　His　hand　on　purpose　to　take　vengeance　not　on　them

only；　but　on　the　whole　nation。



I　had；　indeed；　been　in　some　passion　at　first　with　them　…　though　it

was　really　raised；　not　by　any　affront　they　had　offered　me　personally；

but　by　the　horror　their　blaspheming　tongues　filled　me　with。　　However；

I　was　doubtful　in　my　thoughts　whether　the　resentment　I　retained　was

not　all　upon　my　own　private　account；　for　they　had　given　me　a　great

deal　of　ill　language　too　…　I　mean　personally；　but　after　some　pause；　and

having　a　weight　of　grief　upon　my　mind；　I　retired　myself　as　soon　as　I

came　home；　for　I　slept　not　that　night；　and　giving　God　most　humble

thanks　for　my　preservation　in　the　eminent　danger　I　had　been　in；　I　set

my　mind　seriously　and　with　the　utmost　earnestness　to　pray　for　those

desperate　wretches；　that　God　would　pardon　them；　open　their　eyes；　and

effectually　humble　them。



By　this　I　not　only　did　my　duty；　namely；　to　pray　for　those　who

despitefully　used　me；　but　I　fully　tried　my　own　heart；　to　my　fun

satisfaction；　that　it　was　not　filled　with　any　spirit　of　resentment　as　they

had　offended　me　in　particular；　and　I　humbly　recommend　the　method

to　all　those　that　would　know；　or　be　certain；　how　to　distinguish

between　their　zeal　for　the　honour　of　God　and　the　effects　of　their

private　passions　and　resentment。



But　I　must　go　back　here　to　the　particular　incidents　which　occur　to

my　thoughts　of　the　time　of　the　visitation；　and　particularly　to　the　time

of　their　shutting　up　houses　in　the　first　part　of　their　sickness；　for　before

the　sickness　was　come　to　its　height　people　had　more　room　to　make

their　observations　than　they　had　afterward；　but　when　it　was　in　the

extremity　there　was　no　such　thing　as　communication　with　one

another；　as　before。



During　the　shutting　up　of　houses；　as　I　have　said；　some　violence　was

offered　to　the　watchmen。　　As　to　soldiers；　there　were　none　to　be

found。…　the　few　guards　which　the　king　then　had；　which　were　nothing

like　the　number　entertained　since；　were　dispersed；　either　at　Oxford

with　the　Court；　or　in　quarters　in　the　remoter　parts　of　the　country；　small

detachments　excepted；　who　did　duty　at　the　Tower　and　at　Whitehall；

and　these　but　very　few。　　Neither　am　I　positive　that　there　was　any　other

guard　at　the　Tower　than　the　warders；　as　they　called　them；　who　stand　at

the　gate　with　gowns　and　caps；　the　same　as　the　yeomen　of　the　guard；

except　the　ordinary　gunners；　who　were　twenty…four；　and　the　officers

appointed　to　look　after　the　magazine；　who　were　called　armourers。　　As

to　trained　bands；　there　was　no　possibility　of　raising　any；　neither；　if　the

Lieutenancy；　either　of　London　or　Middlesex；　had　ordered　the　drums　to

beat　for　the　militia；　would　any　of　the　companies；　I　believe；