Londons Resurrection, Discourse 21
DISCOURSE XXI.
That the countenance of Rulers, expreſſing much zeal and earneſtneſs to have the City up again, and a ſad ſenſe of its preſent ruines, would put much life into the work.
BLeſſed be God, and bleſſed of the Lord be they, for all that countenance, which by thoſe that are in Authority, hath been given to the rebuilding of London, and particularly by that moſt prudent Act of theirs, which was made for that end and purpoſe: That by that Act Londoners were allowed but a Copy-hold Leaſe of time, viz. the term of three years, for rebuilding of the City, was enacted upon no evil deſign, ſuch as to ſurprize and take advantage againſt them, for not being able to finiſh the work in ſo ſhort a time; but with a full intent to renew their Leaſe, at or before the expiration of it, (if need ſhould be) and that upon better conditions than the former, as experience ſhould inform them of any thing that might be better. Sure I am, London had hitherto been like a Tree that ſtands in the ſhade, if the beams of Authority had not ſhone upon it ſo as they have done, it had not been in that good forwardneſs that it is at this day.
What if it be the true intereſt of our Rulers and Governours, (as doubtleſs it is) that London ſhould be rebuilt with all convenient ſpeed? are they therefore neither praiſe nor thank worthy for contributing their aſſiſtance? If Magiſtrates eſpouſe the intereſt of Religion, and cheriſh it both in themſelves and others, in ſo doing they ſhall purſue their own intereſt upon the beſt terms, (for God will honor thoſe that honor him) yet for ſo doing, all good men will acknowledge, we ought to praiſe and thank them more than for any thing elſe.
I need not tell our Rulers (whoſe intereſt I have elſewhere proved it is, that London ſhould be rebuilt) that great works go on but ſlowly without countenance from Magiſtrates, and ordinarily as ſwiftly with it, when they afford not only permiſſion and connivance, but Commiſſion and countenance. Our Proverb ſaith, The Maſters eye makes the horſe fat. Of the Temple it is ſaid, Ezra 6.14. They builded and finiſhed it according to the Commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes, King of Perſia.
How vigorouſly Cyrus, though a Heathen Prince, did beſtir himſelf for and towards the rebuilding of the Temple of Jeruſalem: We are told almoſt throughout the ſixth Chapter of the Book of Ezra. and as if Artaxerxes had vyed with Cyrus for zeal in that matter, or laboured to out ſtrip him: We read as much of him in the ſeventh Chapter, from the 11th verſe, till towards the end. If either of them had had a Palace of his own to build, which his heart had been greatly ſet upon, I ſee not how he could have promoted it more than both of them did the Temple. Ezra. 7.23. Whatſoever is commanded by the God of Heaven, let it be diligently done, (ſaid Artaxerxes in his Decree) for the Houſe of the God of Heaven; for why ſhould there be wrath againſt the Realm of the King? Under thoſe benigne aſpects and influences of great ones, the Temple went up amain; and ſo doubtleſs (with the bleſſing of God) may our City, if the like countenance and encouragement from ſuch as are in chief Authority ſhall always be afforded to it.
And what ſhould make us doubt but ſo it will be? For firſt, our Rulers know full well, that nothing will be reſcented as a greater demonſtration of their love and care, than an earneſt forwardneſs expreſſed to ſee London up again, (or of the contrary, man a want of that) nothing will beget a greater confidence of the people in them, and affection towards them, than that would do.
Beſides that, it is more their own concern, in point of Honor and profit, that London ſhould be built again, than it is the concern of any ten men whatſoever, as his Majeſty was pleaſed to ſay in print, That his loſs, by the burning of London, was greater than any mans elſe; and certainly it was. Was not his Majeſty the great Landlord, to whom all the houſes in London had wont to pay a kind of Quit-Rent, (othergiſe than a Pepper-Corn) viz. ſo much yearly for every Chimney? Private men may call this, or that, or ſome few houſes in London theirs, but only the Kings of England can call London their City. (as they uſe to do) (though not in ſuch a ſenſe as to deſtroy the propriety of particular owners) But though owners have more intereſt in ſome houſes, Kings have ſome in all, which cannot be ſaid of any Subject: Neither is that of profit which Kings have had by the City of London ſo great, but the intereſt of honor and reputation, which hath accrued to them by their dominion over ſo famous a City (the very quinteſſence of their Kingdoms) hath been as great, or greater: All which things conſidered, it were not unreaſonable, or effeminate, if a King ſhould openly lament the loſs of ſuch a City, in ſome ſuch language, as David did the loſs of Abſalom, when he cryed out, O Abſalom, Abſalom, my Son Abſalom, O Abſalom, my Son, my Son. O London, London, my City, my City, &c. I ſhould think the loſs of London to be as great as was that of Callice, which one Queen of England laid ſo much to heart.
Should then our Rulers expreſs ſuch a paſſion for London, as David did for Abſalom, or as Rachel is ſaid to have done for the loſs of her children (as hardly any caſe would better bear it) or ſhould they ſay concerning London, as Rachel concerning children before ſhe had any, Give me children, or I die. Methinks I eaſily foreſee, how the generality of the people would do as Davids valiant men did, who brake through an Hoſt of Philiſtims, and drow water out of the Well of Bethlehem, and brought it to David, becauſe he longed for it, 2 Sam. 23.15. My meaning is, if Rulers ſhall expreſs ſuch an earneſt longing after another London, as David did after the waters of Bethlehem, people would adventure life, and all, but they ſhould ſoon have it; and the reaſon is, becauſe Rulers in ſo paſſionately wiſhing for another City, would expreſs kindneſs to the people, as well as to themſelves; and people in purſuing ſo good a work, would ſhew kindneſs to themſelves, as well as to their Rulers, the grateful ſenſe of whoſe love they are ambitious to expreſs; and when all thoſe things ſhould meet together, it would be as when ſtream, and wind, and tide, (and that a Spring-tide too) do all concur to promote a Veſſel that is ſailing, or Galley that goes with Oars.
When the incouragement of Magiſtrates, together with the intereſt and inclinations of a people, do all run one way, then are people like Gyants refreſhed with wine, who though mighty of themſelves, are made thereby more mighty to run their Race. Had David been to build ſuch a City as London, I know what Abſ…lom would have ſaid, (and many people would have believed him) by what I read of him, 2 Sam. 15.4. viz. that if it were as much in his, as in the power of ſome other, they ſhould not ſtay long for another City: It is not fit for any man to boaſt as he boaſted; Go too, ſaith S. James, ye that ſay we will go to ſuch a City, and continue there a year, and get gain, James 4.13. Much more might he have checkt thoſe that ſhould ſay by ſuch a time, they would build ſuch a great City: but moſt certain it is, that ſuch a work might be greatly expedited, and will be ſo, when Rulers ſhall pleaſe to act in it (as natural Agents always do) ad extremum vitium, to the utmoſt of their power, and to be intent upon it, as if amongſt their earthly concerns, it were for the preſent, the one thing neceſſary. Their real ſo expreſſed, would doubtleſs provoke many, and incourage all.