Londons Resurrection, Discourse 37
DISCOURSE XXXVII.
That to propound to our ſelves the beſt of ends in building, or attempting to build the City, may much promote the work.
WE ſeek another City, a new London, we ask it of God; (who muſt build the City if ever it be built;) but as we hope to ſpeed, we muſt look to our ends in asking it, James 4.3. Ye ask and receive not, becauſe ye ask amiſs, that you may conſume it upon your luſts. Though a good end cannot juſtifie a bad action, or any more than excuſe it a tanto, or in part, yet where the end is bad, the action cannot be good. It is a rule in Morality, that actiones ſpecificantur a fine; then, do bad ends always denominate the action bad, how good ſoever the matter of that action be; as what is better than prayer and faſting? yet done for ſuch an end as Ahab did it, viz. to take away the life of Naboth, what could be more abominable? If the plowing of the wicked be ſin, as it is ſaid, Prov. 21.4. then the building of London may be ſo too, ſuch, and ſo bad as the ends of ſome men may be in the doing of it; for bad ends, mingled with good actions, are like dead flies which cauſe the oyntment of the Apothecary to ſend forth a ſtinking ſavour.
Yet miſtake not, as if I ſuſpected Londoners to have any ſuch ill deſign, as Sanballat and Tobich did inſinuate the Jews to have, when they attempted to rebuild Jeruſalem, ſaying, Nehem. 2.19. What is this ye do? will ye rebel againſt the King? I dare ſay they mean nothing leſs; yet from other ſinful and unworthy ends in that great undertaking I cannot excuſe all of them, I wiſh I could, the moſt, or major part.
Some may deſign nothing but their own honour, in the ſtately houſes which they intend to build, as he that ſaid Dan. 4.30. Is not this great Babylon that I have built by the might of my power, and for the honor of my Majeſty? That is no good end (ultimate end I mean) as appeareth by what befell Nebuchadnezzar v. 3. Whilſt the word was in the Kings mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, ſaying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, the Kingdom is departed from thee. Others may aim at nothing but gain, and profit, as thoſe St. James ſpeaketh of, Jam. 4.13. Go to now ye that ſay, we will go into ſuch a City, and buy, and ſell, and get gain.
I cannot ſay, that either of theſe two ends are unlawful, if but ſubordinate; but if ſole, or ſupreme, they are both ſo; for a higher end than either of them ought to be aimed at in our moſt inferiour actions, much more in ſo great an undertaking, witneſs 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatſoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Should the glory of God be aimed at, and made our higheſt end, even in our common eating and drinking; and ſhould it not be ſo likewiſe in our building a famous City? ſhall God have no intereſt in that more ſolemn work, or tribute of glory from it?
Some it may be would be reſolved how the rebuilding of London can make for the glory of God, and may think it is but canting, to ſpeak of ſuch a thing: But they are much miſtaken, for doubtleſs God may have a great deal of glory from ſuch a City as that, if the Inhabitants thereof (and others concerned in it, for they it is that muſt glorifie God) be but careful to do their duty, and to improve ſo great and excellent a talent, as a City of London is, for the honor and ſervice of him from whom they ſhall receive it.
As the Juſtice of God was glorified in the deſtruction of London, ſo may his great mercy be in the reſtauration thereof: It is the burthen of Davids Song, Pſa. 107.8.15.21.31. Oh that men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſs, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Now the rebuilding of ſuch a City as London was, will give men great occaſion and provocation ſo to do; and for that, as one great end and reaſon, it ſhould be deſired.
Doubtleſs it would be a great mercy to thouſands of families, which are now incommoded in their dwellings, and for the purpoſes of their Trade, if London were up again, and were they fixed again in their former ſcituations, and ſetled in their reſpective Trades, they could ſerve God much more without diſtraction, and with much more chearfulneſs than n…w they can, whilſt they lie under great inconveniences and diſcouragements: Now for thoſe ends alſo (which are pure and pious ends) ſhall we deſire, and endeavour that London may be reſtored: Now the thorns of care ſpring up, and choak the good ſeed which is ſown amongſt Londoners, which care would be over in a great meaſure, if their houſes were all rebuilt, and themſelves replanted and reſetled in every of them.
London hath been as great a bull-work to Religion, and as much a Nurſing Mother to it, as almoſt any it hath had, at leaſtwiſe it was in a capacity to have been ſo, and would be ſo again, if it were again what it was. Now that is another Chriſtian end which we ſhould propoſe to our ſelves in purſuing the reſtauration of London, viz. that it may be a Fortreſs and Fautrix to Religion, and ſtrengthen the hands thereof throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland, if not in other places alſo. London hath been that to Religion, that Locks and Sluces are to thoſe parts of the Thames where the water is but low and ſhallow, which by lending a fluſh of waters to the almoſt exhauſted channels, make way for Boats and Barges to paſs, that otherwiſe could not.
Ask Papiſts if the Proteſtant Religion would not be much more eaſily conquerable by them, if no City of London either were, or might be ſuffered to be again; and whether that hath not been always held for a Maxim amongſt the Sages of their Religion? one reaſon of it is this, The greateſt ſtrength of a Nation doth lye in that part of it, in which is far the greateſt number, and gathering together of people, where it may be there are five to one of them, that dwell together in any other City: I ſay (caeteris paribus) if in other things they be equally ſtrong, that place muſt needs be ſtrongeſt, and conſequently moſt able to aſſiſt others, or ſecure it ſelf, its Religion, and other priviledges, in which are moſt people, and thoſe of good rank and quality, cohabiting and imbodied together in one and the ſame Corporation; for vis unita fortior, the main Ocean having much more water in it than any particular River, which do all run into it, muſt needs have a ſtronger tide, and more forcible ſtream than any of them hath: So in this caſe.
I would have no lower, or meaner ends, than thoſe which I have now named, to be higheſt or uppermoſt with me, or with any others, as in reference to the rebuilding of London; I ſay no lower to be our ultimate and higheſt ends in deſiring another London, than that men might be raviſhed with the mercy of God in reſtoring a City to them, and them to it, and give him the glory of it; and that Citizens being delivered from thoſe cares and perplexities which are now upon them, might ſerve God without diſtraction, and run the ways of his Commands with chearfulneſs, that undone families might be reſtored to ſome good way of livelihood, whereby they, and thoſe that ſhall ſucceed them, might be not only maintained, but encouraged to maintain good works (as the phraſe is, Tit. 3.8.) and be more intent upon their general, as they have leſs trouble from their particular callings, and worldly circumſtances: And laſtly, that the true Proteſtant Religion (having the Laws of England on its ſide) might have alſo an able Champion to ſtand up for it, when and ſo often as Goliah-like Philiſtims ſhall bid defiance to it, I mean a City able with the bleſſing of God, to ſecure it ſelf and the Nation from the violence of thoſe that are the ſworn enemies of its Religion.
Now what do I promiſe to my ſelf would be the fruit and iſſue of Londoners propounding to themſelves ſuch ends as theſe in building of their new City? even that he who pondereth the heart will conſider it, Prov. 29.12. and he that loveth truth in the inward parts (which truth, or ſincerity, conſiſts in nothing more than in having our ultimate ends holy and good) will reward it, and bleſs their enterprize accordingly; that if they ask a City for thoſe ends, they ſhall have it; if they ſeek it, for thoſe reaſons, they ſhall be ſure to find it; whereas others ask and have not, becauſe they ask amiſs, that they may conſume it upon their luſts. How did God reward Solomon, and give him more than his deſire, for asking what might better conduce to a good end, than moſt other things, viz. wiſdom; and for propoſing to himſelf that good end in the asking of it? With that paſſage I ſhall conclude this Chapter, 2 Chron. 1.11, 12. And God ſaid to Solomon, becauſe thou haſt … asked riches, or honor, or long life, &c. but hast asked …iſdom and knowledge for thy ſelf, that thou mayeſt judg my people, wiſdom is granted to thee; and I will give the riches, and honor, ſuch as none of the Kings have … that have been before thee, neither ſhall any after …ee have the like.