Londons Resurrection, Discourse 5
DISCOURSE V.
Of Building upon all the Ruines of the City with Brick (as is injoyned.)
I Hope it was not for ſtate, but for ſecurity; not out of pride, but prudence; not for pomp, but for preſervation; that it was injoyned, that ſo much of London as was burnt, ſhould be built again all with Brick: For was not God very angry with thoſe that ſaid in the ſtoutneſs of their hearts; The Bricks are fallen down, but we well build with hewen ſtones; the Sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into Cedars; Iſa. 9. v. 10, Therefore the Lord ſhall ſet up the Adverſaries of Rezin againſt him, and joyn his enemies together, verſ. 11. And were it not as great a crime to ſay, in a way of ſtoutneſs, the Rafters are fallen down, but we will build with Bricks, &c.
But as I ſaid before, ſo I am in the ſame mind, that this was appointed in order to ſafety, rather than to ſtate, and magnificence: And verily experience hath told us that Brick-buildings are in an ordinary way much more ſecure from the danger of Fire, than ſuch as conſiſt of much Wood and Timber: Witneſs thoſe Skeletons of Brick-Houſes, which we ſee ſtanding ſince our dreadful Fire, which though it pickt out the Marrow (as I may call their inſides, yet could not digeſt the bones, though it devoured the kernel of ſuch Houſes, could not quite deſtroy their ſhells: whereas it made no bones (as we ſpeak Proverbially) of timber Houſes, but conſumed them intirely, and have left us nothing of them, but the excrements of Fire (ſo fed) I mean, duſt and and aſhes.
Now all ſuch beauty and decency; as is the mere reſult and product of what is otherwiſe good, and neceſſary (like ſhadows that follow ſubſtances, or honour conſequent upon virtue) is no offence to God, and ſhould be none to men. Whatſoever is in all reſpects as is naturally behoofeful and neceſſary, for it to be, cannot likely want ſome degree of handſomeneſſe. Thus the body of a man (or other creature) all the parts of which are ſo formed, figured, and put together, as is moſt conducing to health, ſtrength, and uſefulneſs, cannot probably be otherwiſe than comely.
And ſo it fareth with the Exerciſes and Inſtitutions of Religion, where all the ſubſtantials thereof meet together; as namely, when the Word of God is read to the people, gravely, diſtinctly, and devoutly; when the Miniſter preacheth ſoundly, and ſavourily, in the evidence and demonſtration of the Spirit; when he prayeth ſolidly, methodically, ſpiritually, and affectionately; when the people do hear, and joyn reverently, and attentively; I ſay, where theſe things meet, there doth unavoidably reſult abundance of decency, and ſolemnity, and ſuch, as if one that believeth not, or is unlearned, ſhall come in, may cauſe him to be convinced of all, and judged of all, and to fall down and worſhip God, reporting that God is in them of a truth, as it is in 1 Cor. 14.23. where all the Order the Apoſtle preſcribeth is, that all things be done to edifying, verſe 26. that Women keep ſilence in the Church, verſe 34. that ſuch as are fit to Propheſie ſhould Propheſie but one, by one, and the reſt hold their peace, verſe 31. and that the ſpirits of the Prophets ſhould be ſubject to the Prophets, ver. 32. and ſuch like things which are not arbitrary, but in their own nature neceſſary, and without which, in the judgement of all men, there would be meere confuſion.
Now as in Religion, from ſuch things, and ſuch alone, as are abſolutely neceſſary, there ariſeth… beautiful Order, which is of great advantage, an… applauded by the very light of Nature; So I ſay … this inferiour affair of Architecture, though beaut… and ornament, as ſuch, were not at all look'd after, yet if other things which are indiſpenſably needful, (as ſafety and ſecurity is) be provided for, ſomething of beauty, and handſomeneſs will follow o… courſe, and when it flows from thence, ought in no caſe to be found fault with, but to be well accepted and commended. And this I take to be a juſt Apology, for building London with Brick, (though that kind of building be more ſtately tha… the former was) even after ſo ſad a calamity.
Brick buildings, as they are not the meaneſt, and cheapeſt, ſo neither are they the moſt curious and chargeable, but of a middle ſort: And verily, … medio conſiſtit virtus, It is good to ſhun both extreams, even in Religion it ſelf; in which as me… ought not on the one hand to be pompous, and ſuperſtitious (putting it as it were, into the dreſſe o… a Harlot, or making as if it came to court our ſe… ſes, and fancies) ſo neither on the other hand, … be rude, and ſlovenly, as if the out-ſide of a cup, … platter might well be naſty, if the in-ſide were b… clean.
When we ſee a City built with Brick, how ma… it ſerve to put us in mind of our beginning, an… firſt extraction, of our end, and diſſolution, and eſpecially of the manner of every true Believers reſurrection from the dead.
What is Brick but Clay, or red Earth burn… and whence had Adam his name, but from Adam which ſignifieth red Earth? Gen. 3.19. till thou return unto the ground, for out of it waſt thou taken. N… only our bodies, but our ſouls, do yet dwell in houſes of Clay, whoſe foundations is in the duſt, for what elſe are our bodies? Job 4.19. Duſt thou art, Gen. 3.19. And God formed man of the duſt of the ground, Gen. 2.7.
And may not the houſes of Clay, Duſt, or Brick, we dwell in, mind us, as whence we came, ſo likewiſe, whither we are going, viz. to the ground whence we came; Duſt thou art, and to duſt thou ſhalt return. Now we bring the earth up to us, and place it about us, and over our heads, but the time haſtneth, in which we muſt go down to it, and make our beds in the boſom of it; Into this Mothers womb every of us muſt enter the ſecond time, and be born again at the Reſurrection of the dead.
And of that Reſurrection alſo, may our City when it ſhall be all of Brick put us in mind, for then, after ſo great a death, as it had by the Fire, will it riſe again, much more handſom, and beautiful, than it was before; So ſhall the bodies of Believers, which having been ſown in corruption ſhall be raiſed in incorruption, and having been ſown in weakneſs ſhall riſe in power, 1 Cor. 15. and ſhall be made like to the glorious body of Chriſt. though before they were vile bodies, &c.
Yet further, How much we are beholden to that mean creature which we tread upon every day (the Earth I mean) may be brought to our remembrance, when we view our houſes of Brick, and what is Brick but Earth? From the dirty, dungy, deſpiſed Earth, have we meat, drink, ſauce, corn, wine, oyl, linnen (which we muſt cloath our ſelves with whilſt we live) and amongſt other things the very houſes we do, and muſt dwell in, as well living as dead. I write not this to make my ſelf and others more in love with this Earth (which we are apt to be too much) but to the end our great dependance (under God) upon ſo deſpicable a creature, may make us yet more vile in our own eyes, and our trampling upon that which we are ſo much beholden to, (though that we may do) may mind us of our trampling where we may not, viz. upon the Name, and Honour of God who giveth us all things richly to enjoy.
Can we behold thoſe Bricks which our houſes are, and muſt be made of, and not look back upon that ſad trade which the poor Iſraelites were made to follow in Egypt, viz. of making Bricks, a double tale of Brick, yea without ſtraw too (ſave what was of their own gathering) and can we chuſe but think of the parallel caſe of all ſuch poor Citizens, as have houſes to build at almoſt a double charge, but not wherewithal to do it? Neither may we forget how ſeaſonably the children of Iſrael were delivered when their task of Brick was doubled; for then came Moſes (cum duplicabantur lateres.)
But it is high time to put a period to this Chapter, and wherewith can I do it better, than by ſome ſuch ſolemn wiſh as this, that if the Lord pleaſe, the new City which we expect, may endure as much longer than the old did, as Bricks in themſelves are more durable than Rafters; and that the proſperity of Londoners may be ſo great whilſt it ſtandeth, that whenſoever their Bricks ſhall fall, they may be able to rebuild with hewen ſtones, and when their Elms and Oaks ſhall be worn out, they may be able to change them for Cedars.