Londons Resurrection, Discourse 3
DISCOURSE. III.
Of how great Conſequence it is that the now waſt and deſolate City of London ſhould be re-edified.
SUrely it was not without cauſe that London (whileſt ſtanding) hath always continued the Metropolis of England, though no ſuch promiſe were ever made to it, as unto Judah of old, that the ſcepter, or principality, ſhould never depart from it, and though an old prophecy hath been, that London was and York ſhould be, Yea though London hath ſeveral times ceaſed to be its ſelf, for a while, lying in aſhes, as now it doth (once fourſcore years together) and other places have ſucceded in the Metropolitanſhip for that time, yet no ſooner was it raiſed again, but other places (as if but its Deputies, and Viceroies) did preſently reſign the preheminence to it, and like to Nebuchadnezzar come from graſs, and turn'd man again, it was preſently reinthroned, and reſtored to its former dignity and Primacy. This I ſay was not for nothing, but did certainly imply there was ſomething in the place, the ſcituation I mean (for ſometimes little elſe hath been left) that did render it much more fit, then any other to be the Metropolis or head City of England ſo that as often as London was in being, no other town or City would offer to come in competition with it. It was the river Nilus made Egypt rich, and fruitful, and hath it not been the River of Thames hath alwayes (under God) made London what it was. They that would utterly deſtroy London muſt dry up that River (as the river Euphrates for the deſtroying of Babylon) or ſet it at ſome greater diſtance from that City. For whilſt they two ſtand ſo near together, London is like to be rich, and fruitful, like trees that are planted by the rivers of water or like meadow ground that is overflown. What is ſaid of Joſeph is like to be verified of London, Gen. 49.22. Joſeph is a fruitful bough by a wall whoſe branches run over the wall. By the ſide of London is planted that great trunk of the vena porta of the Nation, I mean, the great mouth, and inlet of trade (the river of Thames I mean) which makes it ſo neceſſary for England, that England cannot much better ſubſiſt without it, (that is to ſay in wealth and proſperity) then a man can live whoſe mouth is ſowed up, and who can take no nouriſhment but as a glyſter, no breath but at his noſtrils. They are deceived that think England may be deſtroyed meerly and only by deſtroying London for a time, for if England its ſelf be not firſt deſtroyed, it muſt and will (God permitting) always have another London let the former be burnt, or demoliſhed ever ſo often: London is the heart of England, and if it were not primum vivens it will be ultimum moriens at leaſtwiſe. England if it do not die firſt muſt die not long after it, for without a heart it cannot long live. If London fall it muſt riſe again, or all England muſt fall too, at leaſtwiſe into great miſery, diſgrace, and poverty. London is the place to which thoſe paſſages of the Prophet concerning Tyre are moſt applicable of any place I know, Iſa. 23.4. Thou whom the Merchants that paſs over ſea, have repleniſhed; the harveſt of the river is her revenue, and ſhe is a mart of Nations, &c. v. 8. The crowning City, whoſe merchants are Princes, and whoſe tr…ffiquers are the honourable of the earth. At leaſtwiſe this ſhe was fuimus troes & nigens gloria) and this with the bleſſing of God ſhe is moſt capable to be again. And is it not of great conſequence that a City of ſo vaſt a concernment to the whole nation ſhould be rebuilt.
Which of all our famous Cities is fit to make a Head for ſo vaſt and Noble a Body as England is, London excepted? There is much deformity and inconvenience in a Head that is much too little for the body, as in one that is too big: Beſides, if a head be not well ſcituated; as ſuppoſe a mans head were placed upon his arm, or back, and not upon his ſhoulders, ſuch a poſture would be not only inconvenient, but monſtrous. And verily any other Metropolis for England, beſides London, would be of like inconvenient poſiture and ſcituation; the head would not ſtand in the right place, either for commodiouſneſs, or decency.
I would know what great Kingdome there is in the world, that hath not a Metropolis or Head City anſwerable to its ſelf? And why ſhould England differ from all the reſt? ſhould we be unlike all other Nations, and become their ſcorn?
Is not ſome one City magnificent and ſplendid above all the reſt (like the Sun that out-ſhineth all the other ſtars) greatly for the honor both of a King and Kingdome? I had almoſt ſaid England looks ſneakingly whilſt it is without a London, it doth as it were hide its head in the duſt, and ſeemeth to be aſhamed of its ſelf, if it have any head to hide.
Tell us not of the Suburbs, Citizens know how inconvenient they are for their buſineſs, over what the City is; and beſides, both together are little enough for traders, and other inhabitants, elſe it might have ſaved them charge and trouble to have dwelt in houſes built to their hands, and well ſeaſoned; they durſt not go after the declining Sun, leſt they themſelves ſhould decline alſo in their trade and buſineſs. They found more warmth in the heart of London, then ever they expect in the extreme parts, as they ſay of arterial blood that is warmeſt, for that it cometh immediately from the heart. Cottages within the walls ſeem to pleaſe and accommodate them better then ſtately houſes without.
He that thinks the rebuilding of London might well be ſpared (if any man or woman can ſo think) let him or her, conſider how many houſes upon ſurvey are ſaid to have been conſumed by the late fire, viz. no leſs then thirteen thouſand, or thereabouts: now many of thoſe houſes did contain two, ſome three families apiece, ſo that we may well ſuppoſe twenty thouſand families, moſt of them traders, to have been by that fire diſpoſſeſt, now where ſhall ſo many thouſand families of trading people be diſpoſed of if London be not built again? ſhall they go into the country and trade there? how inconvenient and inſignificant would that be, beſides that ſo to do were to eat the bread out of the mouths of country ſhop-keepers. Whilſt they live at a diſtance from them Citizens are helpful to tradeſmen in the country, as the ſun when it is fartheſt removed from the moon, ſhines full upon it, and exhibits that which is called the full moon, but when they two are in conjunction, then doth the Moon diſappear, being ſwallowed up by the greater light, and brightneſs of the Sun.
Say not that Citizens are already diſpoſed of and ſetled well enough; for are not divers of them forced to live in the country to this day and to leave off their trades ever ſince the fire as not knowing where to accommodate themſelves in or about the City. And as for others, who ſince that time have planted themſelves either in the City or ſuburbs? how incommodiouſly are many, if not the moſt of them ſcituated both as to their trades and families? how do they complain, of being pent up and ſtreightned for want of room, how unſweet and unpleaſant are many of their dwellings, how private and obſcure? do not ſome of them ſeem to dwell more like Diogenes, then like themſelves? at leaſtwiſe rather in tents, and booths, then in houſes? who knoweth theſe things to be ſo, and yet hath the heart to ſay that Citizens are well enough as they are and that it is no matter if London never be rebuilt. If God had not more love and pitty for them then they have that ſay ſuch things, I know what they muſt truſt to, but to the ſhame and confuſion of their faces, who care not what becomes of London and Londoners and in deſpight of all the terrible predictions of Aſtrologers threatning us with I know not what ſad effects of a third Comet. I doubt not but through the goodneſs of God London (as ſinful a place as it is) will be built again.
And now a word to the Aſtrologers their predictions: becauſe I hinted that objection in the ſecond Chapter, and then forgot to anſwer it, what Aſtrologer in the world can aſſure us that when three Comets appear together, or within a little time one of another, each of them doth portend a ſeveral judgment, hanging over the head of that nation, or people which thoſe Comets ſeem to point at. As Joſeph told Pharaoh, That the ſeven good kine are ſeven years, and the ſeven good ears, are ſeven years: and the dream is one, Gen. 41.26. That is, the two things he dreamt of, did point out but one and the ſame event: and as Joſeph had two ſeveral dreams, Gen. 37.5, 9. one about the Sheaves, and the other about the Sun, Moon and Stars, which were but one, and the ſame in ſignification ſo it may very well be that two or three Comets may point out but one and the ſame judgment.
But admit that each of thoſe Blazing Sars were intended to foretel a ſeveral Judgment, it doth not follow that one of the Judgments thereby portended muſt needs be yet to come: for if I miſtake not we have had three ſore Judgments ſince thoſe Comets, viz. Plague, Sword and Fire. But what I have here ſaid to Aſtrologers I confeſs to be a digreſſion in this place, and only the ſupply of an omiſſion in the foregoing chapter; therefore I will not much inſiſt upon it, but yet muſt needs put them in mind of that pat and pertinent place, Iſa. 44.25. Thus ſaith the Lord that fruſtrateth the takens of the liers, and maketh diviners mad, &c. v. 26. That ſaith unto Jeruſalem, thou ſhalt be inhabited, and to the Cities of Judah ye ſhall be built, and I will raiſe up the decayed places thereof: v. 28. That ſaith unto Cyrus, he is my ſhepherd, and ſhall perform all my pleaſure, even ſaying to Jeruſalem, thou ſhalt be built; and to the temple thy foundation ſhall be laid. The Diviners ſeem in this place to be called lyars for that very reaſon, becauſe they did prophecy Jeruſalem ſhould not be rebuilt (flattering the Babyloniſh monarchy, as if that ſhould always laſt) whereas God had purpoſed to raiſe it up again. I would wiſh thoſe great deciers (viz. of future contingencies) for ſo the name given to Aſtrologers Iſa. 47.13. doth ſignifie) to read that chapter alſo, and their doom in it: methinks ever ſince black Munday (as they called it) only black to the Aſtrologers themſelves as I remember, by fruſtrating their predictions) that ſort of men ſhould learn to be more modeſt and not bear the world in hand, as if they were Secretaries of Heaven, or of the Almighty his privy counſel, which I no more believe then I do the vaporing of ſome of their brethren who pretend to certain rules of their art (as Tully reporteth) of forty thouſand, yet ſome of ſeventy thouſand years ſtanding, whereas for many thouſand years ſince that (the world being not yet ſix thouſand years old (there were neither ſtars to obſerve, nor men to obſerve them.
But to return to the buſineſs in hand, I wiſh it were put to the vote of all the people in England, whether it be, or be not of great importance that London ſhould be rebuilded. Here and there we might light upon a perſon that had an …aking tooth againſt that City, and would vote for continuing it in its aſhes, but I am well aſſured that five to one would be of another mind, and ſay we were undone if London were not reſtored I am bold to affirm (and therewith I ſhall conclude this Chapter) that he is a man that doth not underſtand conſequences (which is the character of a perſon void both of Logick, and Reaſon) who thinks it a matter of no conſequence and importance that London ſhould be rebuilded.