Londons Resurrection, Discourse 13
DISCOURSE XIII.
That not only England, but all great Brittain, and Ireland, and all the Proteſtant part of the World, is concerned in the reſtauration of London.
HE that is a friend to London, is (as ſuch) a friend not only to one City, or to one Kingdom, but to three united under one and the ſame Sovereign, viz. to England, Scotland, and Ireland: Theſe three like the ſeveral Kingdoms and Principalities in Germany conſtitute but one Emperour: They are but three great Arms of one and the ſame Sea or Ocean, the great Port or Haven whereof is London: They are but three great branches of that mighty Tree, whereof London is the root. So Moraliſts divide the Soul into ſeveral faculties, as the Underſtanding, Will and Affections, whereas the Soul is indeed but one, all is but one Soul notionally ſo diverſified, and diſtinguiſhed. So ſome Divines tell us, that whereas we ſpeak of ſeveral Graces, calling one Faith, another Love, a third Repentance, &c. it is no otherwiſe to be underſtood, than when we ſpeak of the Brittiſh, the Iriſh, the German Ocean, and ſeveral others; all which indeed are but one and the ſame, aſſuming different names and appellations, from the different ſhores which they waſh upon: It is not diſtance of place, nor yet interpoſition of Seas, (one or more) that can make thoſe places unconcern'd one in another, which do all belong to one and the ſame Prince and Governour, any more than our feet are, or can be unconcerned in our heads, becauſe they ſtand at as great a diſtance therefrom, as can be in one and the ſame body.
Doubtleſs London is the glory, the ſtrength and ſtability, the Magazine and Storehouſe, of all the three Nations, at leaſtwiſe ſo it hath been, and ſo it is neceſſary it ſhould alwayes be, and ſo I hope it will.
Firſt, I ſay it is and hath been the beauty and glory of theſe three Kingdomes: Theſe three Regions are but one Firmament, and the Sun of that Firmament hath ſtill been London; all three have ſhoan with the beams of London; as they ſay in Law a Wife doth (radiis mariti) with the beams of her Husband. Doubtleſs Scotland and Ireland were proud of a London they had intereſt in; (and which in a ſenſe was theirs as well as Englands, though not ſo much) if London were our Mother, it was their Grandmother, and that was an honour to them.
I have further ſaid, that London was the ſtrength and ſtability of the three Kingdomes, and ſo it was; as when there are three great Families allied to one another, (ſuppoſe as Brethren or Siſters) they are a mutual ſtrength and eſtabliſhment one to another; but the Head, or Chieftain of the greateſt Family, is a greater ornament and ſupport to all the three, than any one of the reſt, is or can be. So in this caſe; for London was (as I may call it) the Head of theſe three great Families, (Kingdomes I mean.) As the ſtrength of Sampſon lay in his hair, and when that was cut, he became weak as another man, ſo did the ſtrength and puiſſance of theſe three Nations lie in London; there the force of England was moſt united; there, as in a center, all the lines of ſtrength did meet, and a ſure rule it is, that vis unita fortior, the more united any force is, the ſtronger it is. London was as the Sea, the tide whereof runs much more ſtrongly than that of particular rivers, becauſe all rivers run into the Sea, and from thence hath its name, Gen. 1.10. The gathering together of the waters he called Seas. The beams of ſtrength were concentred in London, the great populouſneſs and plenty, its great fulneſs both of people, wealth and wiſdome conſidered, as the beams of the Sun might be in a burning-glaſs.
It will need little proof, that London is alſo the great Magazine, and ſtore-houſe of the three United (if now I may call them united) Kingdoms, London as Tyre may be called a Mart of Nations, it being the great Emporium or Mart-Town, to which, not England only, but alſo Scotland and Ireland are beholden for multitudes of commodities: Not only Country Towns, and inferiour Cities in England, do repleniſh themſelves with many or moſt things, which they need from the City of London, but alſo Edenburgh and Dublin, the two Metropoles, one of Scotland, the other of Ireland, (if I may call them any more than London's Deputies, or vice Metropolitans) are glad to do the ſame. Thus we ſee theſe three Nations are in point of honour, ſtrength and Supplies, united under one great City, viz. London, as well as under one and the ſame King (the genius of our Government affecting a kind of Monarchy as well in and amongſt Cities, as in other things.) And thus what was ſaid of Jeruſalem, holds true of London, ſhe was great amongſt the Nations, and Princeſſe amongſt the Provinces, Lam. 11.11.
Now if I can prove but one thing more, viz. that no City within the compaſſe of theſe three Kingdoms, is fit to ſucceed London in its primacy, or able to head three Nations ſo honourably and profitably, as it hath done, I ſhall then have demonſtrated that England, Scotland and Ireland, are all three highly concerned in the Reſtauration of London.
That three ſuch Nations (the form of whoſe Government is Monarchical) have ſome one head (head City I mean) over and above all the reſt, is but ſuitable and neceſſary, neither can it be leſs evident, that it is of great importance, that whatſoever place or City be their Head, ſhould be the beſt and fitteſt of all others for that purpoſe. Now that London is ſo, I appeal to the incomparable commodiouſneſs of its ſcituation, (well known to all men) and the advantage which in that reſpect it hath above any other place in the three Nations. By this was it ſo manifeſtly deſigned (as it were from heaven) for Primacy and Metropolitanſhip, that I know no Town or City that was ever Competitor with it in that behalf, or did ever pretend to be what it is, viz. chief, whilſt London its ſelf was in being: Now what but the indiſputably ſupereminent fitneſſe of London to be the Metropolis of England (and the United Kingdoms) could have prevented all Uſurpations, Pretenſions, and Competitions, even from thoſe places, which had themſelves worn the Crown of Dignity whilſt, and ſo long as London was (as ſeveral times it hath been, and now partly is) in the duſt.
And now have I undeniably proved (if I miſtake not) that theſe three Nations are highly concerned in the Reſtauration of London.
But now the queſtion will be, whether all the Proteſtant part of the world be ſo likewiſe (as hath been affirmed) tell me then whether England (when it is its ſelf) be not able to yield a countenance and protection to Proteſtants all the world over, to be a kind of covering upon all their glory? If I am not deceived it hath done ſo, (particularly in the daies of Queen Elizabeth) and may do ſo again. As is the Houſe of Auſtria to the Papiſts, viz. their great prop and pillar, ſo England hath been, is, or may be, to the Proteſtants.
If then the ſtrength and bulwark of Proteſtants be England, and that the ſtrength of England (as hath been proved) be London, we may eaſily conclude by that ſure Maxim, Cauſa cauſae eſt cauſa cauſati; that London is (or may be) the great bulwark and fortreſſe of the Proteſtant Intereſt; and conſequently, that the whole Proteſtant World is concerned in the being and well-being of London. This the great Zealots for Popery have known, and do know too well, who in order to the Propagation of that Religion, have thought, and do think nothing more requiſite, than that the City of London ſhould be laid in aſhes, and continued there. England being ſo mighty in ſhipping as it is (at leaſtwiſe hath been, or may be) may be ſerviceable to them that profeſſe the ſame Religion with its ſelf, not only near at hand, but at the greateſt diſtance; and will be ſo, if ever God ſhall cauſe the zeal, and the proſperity of it, both to revive together. Let me add, that if London flouriſh, England cannot likely do much amiſſe, and the moſt zealous part of the world (as for the Proteſtant Religion) will then proſper, to the advantage of all others who make the ſame profeſſion.
What is it then, that not only England, but Scotland and Ireland, and not thoſe Kingdoms only, but any part of Chriſtendome (called Proteſtant) can do, or contribute towards the rebuilding of London? whatſoever it be, their own intereſt doth call upon them to do it with all their might: If London riſe not, they are like to fall after it. Shall we not hear of the kindneſſes of Holland, Sweden, Denmark, much more of all England, and of Scotland and Ireland (if they be able to do any thing) towards poor deſolate London? let them be good to themſelves in being good to it, its intereſt is their own: Help London now, you know not how ſoon you may need its help, and find it both a chearful and conſiderable helper, in a time of need.