saying is it time for you O yee to dwell in your cieled houses and this house lie wast v. 8. Thus saith the Lord go up to the mountain and bring wood and build the house and I will take pleasure in it v. 13. Then spake Haggai in the Lords message to the people saying I am with you saith the Lord. And Haggai 2.4 Be strong O Zerubbabel saith the Lord and be strong O Jeshua the high priest and be strong all ye people of the land for I am with you saith the Lord. In like manner we find the prophet Zechariah incouraging the people Zech 8. from v. 7. to 15. and Zech. 12.2 3. Now as it is in war they that beat the drums and sound the trumpets thereby animating those that ingage in the battle and drowning those doleful noises of shriekes and groans which would otherwise dishearten the Souldiers do or may do as much service though themselves do not strike one stroke as those that fight most skilfully and valiantly yea each of them is or seemeth to be of greater use than any one single souldier because what they do hath an influence upon the whole company or regiment putting heart and spirit into every man even so may it fall out in building and every other undertaking of great consequence viz. that Gods Prophets or Ministers though it be not proper for them to be mechannically imployed therein yet may each of them more advance and promote the business than any ten men that are so imployed They if I may so allude are the greatest builders of all who as is said of God do build without hands Tongues may either help or hinder more than hands help if united and ingaged for the work but hinder if divided as in the case of Babel There was a prophet Jeremy who lived a great while since Haggaies time and much nearer to ours whose influence upon the people was so great for the exceeding veneration they had both for his life and doctrine that I verily think that the interest of ten such prophets as he were enough to build such a City as London if all England could but afford men and monies wherewithall to do it Doubtless Haggai and Zechariah were men of eminent holiness and that brought them into so much esteem with the people It was not meerely as they were prophets nor yet as men of good abilities that they were so much had in honour Hophni and Phineas were priests and able men it is like being the sons of Eli but yet the people had no respects for them yea for the greatness of their sin men abherred the offering of the Lord 1 Sam. 2.17 Sanctity is so essential to a prophet to a minister that where it is not in truth or in appearance at leastwise where at leastwise it is not thought to be it is as it were natural to men to withold from such persons that veneration and esteem which as prophets is fit for them both to deserve and have not men of the greatest parts and abilities but men of the greatest zeal and holiness or reputed for such are generally they who carry the greatest stroke with the people as if they thought that such Elijah's could take up others to Heaven in the same chariot with themselves or that the Ship in which those Pauls do sail must needs come safe to land at leastwise all the passengers be spared and therefore would chuse to imbarque with them The very semblance of sanctimony where it may be it hath not been in truth hath made a greater interest for some men and made them greater leaders of the people than the substance and manifest reality of parts and gifts could ever make others But then suppose a Minister to have the true Thummim the truth of grace and holiness I mean which one would think should be more universally owned than the meer shew or shadow thereof and besides that to have the Urim also I mean a fair proportion of parts and gifts as for his work a man so qualified would compel a very Herod to pay him reverence and to be much perswaded by him as he was by John the Baptist for the very reason Mark 6.20 For Herod feared John knowing that he was a just man and a holy and observed him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly We read that John was a shining light as well as a burning light John 5.35 but it was for his burning and not so much for his shining light that Herod did reverence him and do many things by his direction Herod was no less than a Prince John but a mean man to see too The same John had his raiment of Camels haire and a leathern girdle about his loins Mat. 3.4 Yet for that he was a just and a holy man Herod feared him who doubtless would not have feared a loose unholy prophet one that he had known to be such no not in all his pontificalibus if for the gravity majesty and glory of his habit he had outvied the most reverend Pope A holy prophet commands more respect in a hairy garment and a leathern girdle and his word shall go farther than shall the word and authority of an unholy one were his habit as rich as a very Prince and his titles of honour more than are the grand Seigniors I see then if a Zerubbabel would have his word to prosper he must have holy prophets about him as was Haggai and Zechariah or those that are generally esteemed and reputed such For otherwise it is little service that can be done for Princes by those that serve them in the capacity of Ministers or Prophets unless those prophets of theirs are generally in request as good and holy men whose lips the people are willing should preserve knowledg for them and to receive the law from their mouths Now every such prophet as Haggai and Zechariah was is able to do a Prince more than knight service whether he have a City to build or any other great design to carry on The hands of Moses had flagged and so Amaleck prevailed if Aaron Exod. 17.12 had not held them up and what is Aaron called but the Saint of the Lord. They must be Aarons or such as he in point of repute viz. Saints who shall be found able to bear up the hand of Moses whilst he is conflicting with Amaleck I mean with any great opposition or difficulty nor can our Aaron be well spared whilst Amaieck is yet unabdued No persons more able to make the people for any good purpose than those prophets for whom they have great respects which can be only such as are generally owned and accounted of as good and holy men Therefore they that are such ought in Point of prudence as well as upon other considerations to be obliged and incouraged when any great work is in hand that by their means and by virtue of their interest others may be brought in even the
Londons Resurrection OR THE REBUILDING OF LONDON Encouraged Directed and Improved In Fifty Discourses Together with a Preface giving some account both of the Authour and Work By Samuel Rolls Minister of the Gospel and sometime Fellow of Trinity Colledg in Cambridg LONDON Printed by W. R. for Thomas Parkhurst at the Sign of the Golden Bible on London-Bridge under the Gate 1668. To the Right Worshipful Sr John Langham Knight and Baronet And Sir James Langham his Son KNIGHT To the Right Worshipful Sir Thomas Player Chamberlain of the City of LONDON And Sir Thomas Player his Son KNIGHTS And to the Right Worshipful Sir Francis Rolle Sir Stephen White KNIGHTS To the Worshipful Francis Warner Nathaniel Barnardiston Thomas Bewly Henry Spurstow Robert Welden and Henry Ashurst ESQUIRES S. R. Humbly dedicateth all the insuing Discourses in testimony of his unfained respects as mean and unworthy as they are wishing to all and every of you his much honoured friends all needful blessings both for the Life that is and that which is to come THE PREFACE Christian Reader IF thou hast an affection for London or any particular concern in the rebuilding of it as very many have the title of this book and I will assure thee the drift and purport of it is such as the Title pretendeth to may invite thee to spend a few hours in the perusal of it and to cover a multitude of infirmities in the Author and this his work with respect to the goodness and usefulness of his design I know no secular design now on foot in this part of the world that is or seemeth to be of greater importance and that to thousands of families than is the rebuilding of London and yet no one English pen so far as I know hath been imployed in the directing and incouraging of it till the unworthy Author of this poor Treatise like Elihu who had waited for the words of others and did not answer to Job till his betters seemed resolved to be silent made bold to break the Ice and did redeem what time he could from a thousand cares and perplexities to signifie his great compassion and high respects to that once famous but now ruinous City in which he drew his first breath I dare not to speak in any such language as Deborah did Judg. 5.7 They ceased in Israel till I Deborah arose c. I shall not presume to compare with her though but a woman but rather confess my self to be as a worm and no man What the Apostle saith of himself 1 Cor. 2.3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling and the expressions he useth concerning himself Acts 20.19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations which befel me I say those expressions have been much what applicable to my case as they that have known my circumstances do understand I have been at the most but a bruised reed and smoking flax let the world judg of me as it pleaseth yet have I broke through all distractions and discouragements which have even laid me level with the City or that part of it which lieth in ashes to do what service I could for the place of my nativity to blot out the name of Icabod and to retrieve and recall that glory of England which for the present is departed Yet let me not affright my reader by what I have said with the expectation of a melancholy peice upon so joyful a subject as is the restauration of London for in treating thereof I have rather comported with the nature and quality of the subject which is pleasant and chearily than with the complexion of my own mind and those sad and dolorous resentments of things both my own and others which I have too much conversed with One had wont to say that he did love to drink his wine with his friends but to eat his vinegar by himself meaning to impart his joyes rather than his sorrows and as to that I am much of his mind I will rather hang my harp upon the willowes than play those doleful tunes to others which I do sometimes listen to my self What if now and then I say within my self that the age we live in is an unkind and an ill-natured age that all men now adaies do seek their own things and not the things of others that interest carrieth all before it and whatsoever is worthy and far more worthy than it self signifieth nothing in comparison of it so that they who are too honest to comply with this or that interest farther than they understand it to comport with religion and reason shall have leave to starve whilst they who boggle at nothing that is in pursuance of that interest they have fallen in with but follow it as if interest were the lamb spoken of Rev. 14.4 whithersoever it goeth though that their dishonest self-love for so it is be all they have to commend them shall ride upon the high places of the earth and have more than heart can wish I may sometimes think of it with regret that persons in no authority at all do usually take upon them to prescribe and give law to others in those things in and as to which they should only be a law to themselves I mean left to their own judgments and consciences and so it is that they who command the purse do seem to think that the consciences of men should be in subjection to them themselves assuming or challenging that power of imposing and that dominion over the faith of other men though really their equals which they condemn in others who are legally their superiours It goeth near to me sometimes to think how full of snares and temptations the present time is both on the right hand and on the left as if all the Devils in Hell were not tempters enough nor the wiles and methods of Satan sufficient to try us or as if to grapple not only with flesh and blood but also with principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places and with the rulers of the darkness of this world were not as much as one of us could well turn our hands to unless men turned Divels too tempters I mean and went about like roaring Lions seeking whom they could devour I freely confess I have had many black and gloomy thoughts upon the consideration of those things such as if others had been conscious to they might have expected I should have done like the madman spoken of Prov. 26.18 viz. have cast about firebrands arrowes and death but instead thereof I have been pleasant with my reader at several turnes yea oftner so than sowr and melancholy though there be something of both kinds wherewith to entertain those that are of different humours I have frequently piped to those that have a mind to dance alluding to Mat. 11.17 and elsewhere mourned unto them that are more disposed to lament as having been under various tempers
tongue that is not in word and tongue only which yet is more than many do but in deed and in truth He often warns men and how needful is it he should do so of biting and devouring one another lest they be consumed one of another Gal. 5.15 and comes in like Mercury with his Caduceus or white wand with which they say that Heathen God had wont to lay the strifes of men and make their contentions fall whence they called his wand Caduceus By this time thou knowest enough of the Author or mayest know by that time thou hast read this book over if it be such as he hath told thee and for that matter he appealeth to thy self and to as many more as shall vouchsafe to read it I say to read it carefully candidly thorowly For this I presume that some things in this Book will displease at the first that will not displease at the second reading and part of a Chapter read singly and by it self may give offence when the whole one thing being compared with another will give no offence at all And here those words of Solomon would be thought of Prov. 18.13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it that is heareth it out it is folly and shame unto him Now a more brief account of the book may serve the turn because thou hast the book it self before thee and mayest soon read it over The true design of it is to promote the building and prosperity of London which cannot be effected but by such wayes and means as would tend as much to the welfare of all England yea of all the three Kingdoms Physicians say Non curatur pars nisi curetur totum meaning if you would cure any unsound part you must cleanse the whole body If any such thing have befallen us in this work viz. that we have hapned to prescribe what is as good for all England as for London and would cure the whole if duly applied as it somtimes falls out that the whole body is cured by what is applied but to one part namely when all the rest of the body is ill but only by simpathy and consent I say if this Book should contain any such panacea's or universal remedies as that it may serve not only for the Meridian of London but of all his Majesties Dominions as if calculated for the whole I see no reason why any body should be troubled at that In order to the rebuilding and reflourishing of London I have considered first what are the hindrances both of one and of the other viz. Discouragement of several kinds Divisions Discontents about Religion and otherwise the Dearness of Commodities the badness of materials as ill burnt Bricks seared Timber c. the dishonesty of Workmen the poverty of many that are concerned to build if they had wherewithal the ill method that is or hath been used in building viz. building altogether scatteringly and not every where joyning the new building to the old nor finishing any one whole street the fears and jealousies of people in reference to the former burning in reference to Papists and their designs and in reference to the many lesser burnings which have been since the great Conflagration of London particularly the burning of a stately new house in Mincing Lane all these and it may be some other impediments of Londons rebuilding and reflourishing I have considered as well as I could and prescribed such remedies as I was able for every one of those grievous maladies of most of which not only London but all England is sick I have discoursed of the Builders and assistants in building who they must be viz. first the great God who is the maker and builder of all things next to him those that are called Gods that is Magistrates by affording countenance to the work and improving their Authority on the behalf of it Next to them good Ministers for in all great works Moses and Aaron had need go hand in hand as that Text saith God led his people like a Flock by the hand of Moses and of Aaron and elswhere it s said They builded and prospered through the Prophecying of Haggai c. Next to them men of able purses and good estates though in no publick Offices or Employments either Sacred or Civil And lastly Men of Art and skill as for matter of building and whose proper work and occupation is in and about Architecture c. Of or to all of these I have said what I thought fit I have in the next place shewed how the help and assistance of all the forementioned may be gained and procured as namely how the great God may be prevailed with to bless and prosper the Building in which sense he is said to be the builder viz. by our keeping his Sabbaths relieving his Servants reforming our wayes and doings that are not good rebuilding places for his Worship out of love to Publick Ordinances seeking of his Kingdom and the Righteousness thereof in the first place propounding good and pious ends to our selves in that great undertaking humbling our selves under his mighty hand seeking his face and favour by Prayer and Fasting walking humbly with God and by thankfully acknowledging what God hath done for the City already How we may engage the Gods that are upon earth Magistrates I mean to put their helping hand to this work I have shewed Chap. 23. As for Ministers if they be good they will be forward enough to quicken and encourage such a work as is the building of the City and their interest may go very far and contribute very much To rich men I have spoken Chap. 42. where I have pressed them to the exercise of mercy and Charity towards an undone City for so it is at present and all its undone Citizens also in the Chapter of Rebuilding Churches I have again called upon the bowels and compassions of all rich people throughout England As for all Tradesmen and Artificers whose ware or work belongs to building I have adjured them to be honest and to do their best for and towards the rebuilding of London and to use that Mother of theirs kindly in all respects and upon all accounts Chap. 8. As for the old Inhabitants I have wished them to replant themselves within the Walls that London may flourish again Chap. 36. For and in order to the rebuilding of London I have further propounded in distinct Discourses that good Magistrates may be chosen into those places of power which are conveyed by Election that such Ministers may be incouraged as can do much by their interest in the esteem and affections of the people that trading may be encouraged and advanced that the burthens of Londoners may be eased for the present that a general content and satisfaction may be given so far as is possible whilst this work is in hand that they would build the New City contiguous with the old and continuous with it self that is to say that they
them that do well Put not a sword into the hands of madmen least they sheath it in your own bowels know that Moses as well as Aaron should have a kind of Urim and Thummim or what those words signifie viz. light of knowledg and integrity of life They that have both of them will doubtless contribute their utmost help to the rebuilding of our City For they that are such will concern themselves for the good of their Kingdoms yea of the whole protestant World which I have proved doth much depend upon the being and well being of London And verily it is much that Magistrates with the blessing of God may do towards the welfare of a nation much more of one City when they are generally set upon it they having the power of a nation in their hands as High Sheriffs are said to have the posse comitatus or power of a county As the other spheres are carried about with the primum mobile so are the people by the Magistrates They are as it were the muscles of a nation which move the body politick how and which way they please Rulers in Scripture are called shepherds and good shepherds will no doubt provide a fold for their flock They are also called builders as where we read of the stone which the builders refused and questionless they will be found to be master-builders of our ruinous London who are indeed good Magistrates You may elect such men into places of power and authority as would more rejoyce to see London burn't than built again for such spirits there are abroad witness the triumphs of some after the last fire You may again elect others as places shall be vacated by death or otherwise who will be as intent upon the building of the City as the Jews were of old upon the building of Jerusalem and the Temple of God therein I have presented you with both chuse you whither DISCOURSE XXIII That one good way to promote our City would be to oblige our Governors all we can to put to their helping hand I Would not have Rulers be sinfully disobliged upon any terms We ought not to provoke them that are in authority over us unless conscience provoke us to do what will accidentally but not intentionally provoke them that not only for wrath but for conscience sake Rulers are parents patres patriae and if children must not be provoked to wrath by their parents much less ought parents to be so served by their children Away with those Chams who are all for uncovering their fathers nakedness and those scurrilous Pamphlets which design nothing else tell not those things in Gath publish them not in the streets of Ashkelon though with Cham you had seen them which you never did Take the garment of love and dutifulness lay it upon your shoulders and though you go backward and the face of your practice cannot be towards them or answer to theirs as doth face to face in a glass yet cover their nakedness in a sense alluding to what you read of Shem and Japhet Gen. 9.23 To restore those that are overtaken in a fault one or more with a spirit of meekness is a very obliging thing especially when Inferiours shall do this to Superiours for this is for children to have the heart of a Father which is more than for Parents to have a heart like themselves for it is harder for love to ascend than to descend Mourn for their sins in secret but proclaim them not much less aggravate them It may be they will cover your offences more easily which are such to them if you will cover theirs and will do more for you if you will speak less against them that good rule speak evil of no man will justifie your silence as to such matters There are greater obligations that may and ought to be laid upon those that govern us than is our forbearance to speak evil of them or to upbraid them with whatsoever men think they are upbraidable for over and above that it behoveth us in the first place to take thankful notice and make an open acknowledgment of all the good that either we see in them or receive from them God who is infinitely our Superiour doth so by us for speaking of Abijah he saith That in him only there was found some good thing towards the Lord in the house of Jeroboam If God do this to his inferiours ought not we to do the like to our Superiours this being a point of honour and of respect which to superiours from inferiours is much more due than to inseriours from superiours Many would do more good than they do if the good they have done were more generally owned and incouraged Admit we should put the best construction the nature of the thing could bear upon those actions of Rulers which seem liable to more constructions than one would not that our candour oblige them We hold our selves ingaged to those that will make the best that can be made of what we say and do Charity be lieveth all things hopeth all things which there is any colour of reason to believe and hope and charity questionless is due to superiours as well as from them to inferiours It was unkindly said by Eliab to his Brother David I know thy pride and the haughtiness of thy heart for thou art come down to see the battel 1 Sam. 17.28 when indeed he came upon no worse a design than to bring provision to his Brethren from Jesse their Father and by his Command Overmuch jealousie expressed doth but prompt and provoke men to those evil things which they did never before intend and deter them from doing that good which they might and would have done if it had been manifestly expected from them When Paul would invite Agrippa to the Faith see how he insinuates Act. 26.27 King Agrippa believest thou the Prophets I know that thou believest Then Agrippa said to Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Ingenious persons are loth to frustrate that expectation of good which others have from them and count it a point of gratitude for the good opinion they have conceived of them to fulfil what they expect The smallness of our expectance from God is one reason why we receive no more good from his hand for saith God open thy mouth wide and I will fill it and it may be a cause sometimes why men do no more for us I am sure mistrust sometimes brings that evil which else had never come So the Israelites mistrusting they should never get through the wilderness was that which provoked God to let their carcasses fall there They could not enter into the good land and why but because of their unbelief There is doubtless a good medium betwixt being too suspicious and too secure and the less needlesly suspicious of them that govern us and the more candid we are in construing their actions and intentions the more we do and shall oblige them As the
Apostle saith hast thou faith have it to thy self so would I say to them that cannot quit their minds of disobliging fears built upon but slender grounds hast thou fear of that kind have it to thy self that is keepe it to thy self and do not provoke or disturb others with it Spare not to divulg and manifest all the hopes that are or can be in you that persons in authority will not be wanting to the rebuilding of the City cherish not the least suspicion to the contrary so shall they be obliged to be as well by your expectation implying a dependance upon their clemency and goodness as by the great importance of that design Shew a readiness to obey Rulers and Governours in whatsoever you think you shall not disobey God Children obey your parents in all things Col. 3.20 that is in all lawful things for in Eph. 6.1 there is added in the Lord. Magistrates are civil parents and how can they chuse if Christians but love those people who never refuse or boggle at any of their commands but such as are really countermanded by their consciences which to go against were sin in them though they were erroneous and misinformed I wonder what Father having Sons and Daughters that would never displease him but for fear of displeasing God would not hold himself bound to do all he could for so obedient children Patience under those sufferings which men are not conscious to themselves they have deserved as if it happen that men suffer for doing what conscience their own I mean bids them do is another excellent way to win and gain upon the hearts of Rulers and to oblige them to do their utmost for those that are under their authority This is a hard lesson but the Holy Ghost teacheth it 1 Pet. 2.19 20. For this is thank worthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully But if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God For this the example of Christ is proposed to us who when he was reviled causelesty reviled not again when he suffered threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously v. 23. I would not that men should expose themselves to those sufferings which may without sin be avoided for so to do is not patience but phrensy not meekness but madness Christ gave leave and order to his disciples if they were persecuted in one City to flie to another If men be injur'd against Law they may flie to the Laws of their land to right them but if the Law it self be against men and seem to be injurious to them there is no sin in flying from it nor no lawful avoiding of it ordinarily but by flight as there is no armour that can defend a Cannon bullet or way to be out of the danger of it but by keeping out of its way But when the case is so that men cannot fly either to the Law because against them or from the Law because their circumstances will not permit them so to do their wings are clipt so that they are under a necessity of suffering to avoid sinning at leastwise against their own consciences I say when it is so with men as the case is very ordinary that the providence of God hath brought them under a necessity of suffering as they think for righteousness sake would they then imitate Christ who was as a sheep dumb before the shearers he opened not his mouth his voice was not heard in the streets c. Would they instead of rendring evil for evil love their enemies bless them that curse them pray for them that use them despightfully as they interpret it that were the likeliest way to make friends of them whom they take for their foes and to ingage them for who have been ingaged against them Who doth not remember Sauls words to David Thou art more righteous than I extorted by the clemency of David towards him who might have avenged himself upon him and would not who might have taken his life and took but the lap of his garment If sufferings fall short of undoing persons and families I may hope that patience I have pleaded for may be exercised but if it come to that I may rather wish than hope that what I have said might take place But let us rather think that Christian patience exercised under lesser punishments will so mollifie those by whom they are inflicted for causes not altogether indisputable that it will never come to that yea that the enemies of such meek and quiet sufferers touched with the hardness of their case and softness of their Spirits and especially by the hand of him who turneth the hearts of men as the rivers of water which way he pleaseth may become their friends and do more for than ever they have done against them For patience under sufferings the desert whereof is not so manifest is as I said at first a most obliging thing and apt to overcome the hearts of those by whom punishments are inflicted and to provoke them to double kindness as it were by way of compensation That way of obliging Governors which cometh next to hand is by rendering honour to all and every of them proportionable to the dignity of their respective places and consequently a superlative honour to them that are supreme in power To do otherwise is a most provoking thing as for instance it would be to give more respect to a private Colonel and to ascribe greater things to him than to him that were his General and commander of the whole Army Saul could never forget but did always stomack it that they had sung in their dances that Saul had slain his thousands but David his ten thousands Whereas Saul was a King and David then but a subject He that would oblige his King must honour him as such and what is that but to honour him more than any other man and no other man so much as him and that as he is his King loyal honour being like conjugal love which then only is sincere when it is superlative Contrary to that honour we owe to governors not only as supreme but as such viz. as Governors though in a lower orb is our doing any thing in such a way and manner as may imply a contempt of them which to make shew of is a most disobliging thing Contempt ordinarily is not so much expressed in the matter of an action as in the manner of doing one man may steal in the most private way he can meerely to satisfie his hunger and in that theft of his though the sin be great no contempt of the Law or Magistrate is either expressed or intended but he that having mony enough shall rob a judge at noon day knowing who he is aggravates his offence by a manifest contempt of Law and Justice And here that rule holds true cum duo faciunt idem non est idem Conscience may prompt men to
be in the hands of Papists for that experience tells us if persons so accounted though not certainly known to be such be chosen to any place or places of considerable trust it presently openeth the peoples mouths and fills them as full of fears as they can hold Power is a kind of armour and men may be armed with power as formidably as with iron weapons We read of certain beasts Dan. 7.12 They had their dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged There is not a quiet Papist in England but I wish his life might be spared yea and his lawful way of livelihood that if a man of an estate he might enjoy it his Religion notwithstanding if a Tradesman he might be free to buy and sell and merchandize as well as other men and if he may do so to be deprived or debarred of power and arms will be but an easie suffering if it be any at all and I am sure much more for a publick good men to their private damage no reason they should be elected to power who would be an incouragement to evil doers and a terror to them that do â—ell one way for people to have dominion over their fears is for Papists in a Kingdome whose King and Laws are protestant to have no dominion over the people Yet I am really for it that setting aside power and Armes they should injoy every thing else so â—ong as they are peaceable for to strip them of their â—states and livelihoods or lawful wayes of subâ—ting meerely for their religion sake were unjust â—â—umane and the way to make them desperate Starving or almost starving of persons and famiâ—â—es is next to cutting of throats and therefore God forbid that Papists themselves should be so served let them have power to do good to themselves but none to do hurt to others then may Papists live happily and Protestants securely The manifestation of much zeal to hinder the growth of Popery it self would be one good way â—o secure the minds of men against the fear and â—read of Papists It would take off the chariot wheels of popery or make it drive on heavily if first of all Ministers and other learned men were excited and incouraged to write and preach against the most considerable and dangerous tenets of the Papists spaâ—ing their persons whilst they oppose their errors and so not contending against love though they contend earnestly for the Faith One I have heard of a person of worth and learning far above the rate of his years who was put upon this work by some in great authority and hath discharged it excellently well and brought forth an Elephant for so I call his book for the size of it in less than halfe the time that Elephants are said to go with their young There are also two other pregnant Divines no old men neither who have each of them given us an iliad in a nutshel a mass of Divinity and reason against popish doctrines within a small compass who as I am told have from persons of eminency received many thanks for the same and very good incouragement Were there many more that could come up to the first three as champions against popery and were they in all parts of England put upon it and quickned we might hope that popery would dwindle amongst us every day till at last it come to nothing Whosoever shall set himself to oppose the growth and spreading of popery in England will much promote this design by suppressing or preventing all such books in our native tongue as have lately come forth or are coming forth in favour of that Religion Those of more ancient date are so much dispersed already that there can be no recalling them and besides that men will hardly read them more than they have done whereas a new book for the novelty sake and in expectation of some new thing that hath not been said before will have many readers Popish arguments are not so weighty but that we dare let schollars peruse them and therefore I have said nothing of the suppression of those popish books which are in the latine tongue but only in the English lest comon and ignorant people should thereby be seduced Now Papists of all men ought not to quarrel with us if we deny the common people the use of their books in their mother tongue as being unsafe for them sith they withhold the book of God the holy scriptures from the Laity under pretence of their being in danger to wrest the same to their own destruction If truth can hurt men what will not errour do A heedful suppression of all Novel English popish books would be greatly to the suppression of all popular fears as with respect to Papists We have severe Laws if I mistake not against those persons who compass sea and land to make people Proselytes to the Romish religion making them thereby two-fold more the children of hell than themselves at leastwise in this respect that they perswade them to believe those gross errours which they have more wit than to believe themselves so binding heavy burthens upon others which they themselves will not touch with the least of their fingers I think the law is wont to accuse and indict them as for seducing the Kings Subjects from their Allegiance which to do is a great crime but do they not also seduce men from their Allegiance to the King of Kings These are a seed of evil doers and must be look't a ter Ants do bite the corn which they carry to their mole-hils to the end it may not sprout again so far forth I wish them bitten It is too much that they take upon them to make a God or Idol of Wafers let them not make fools or which is worse Idolaters of men Let them not by their meats or poisons rather destroy those for whom Christ died As long as Papists have liberty for themselves and their families they have little reason to complain if they have no liberty to make other families such as themselves If seducing Jesuits be narrowly watcht and punished both the fear of Papists and popery it self will be much diminished What a buzzing is there in the ears of people concerning some preachers no professed Papists neither who seem to affect the language of Ashdod and to the great amusement of people make their pulpits eccno to Rome ever and anon Who speak sometimes at such a rate as if they had a Pope in their belly or had a mind to appear as popishly affected as they durst The lashers out of popery are the men who have all along fomented the Jealousies of the people and made them fear they should be over-run with Papists as the sluggards ground is said to be with weeds If such men were taught either to preach more honestly and orthodoxly or else for ever hereafter made to hold their peace the justice done them might greatly abate the peoples fears as their hetorodoximony have inflamed them Whilst
others is less accounted of and the humble person as the latter who shineth more with the raies of other mens commendation than a proud man that hath more brightness of his own Many kinds of sinners do love one another as such viz. Fellow-drunkards fellow-gamesters fellow-whoremasters but proud persons are great haters of their own order I mean one of another all hate pride in others but none hate it so much as they that have most in themselves We have heard of the family of love a sect so called but proud persons may go by the name of the family of hatred God having signified his hatred to them by leaving them above all other sorts of men to hate one another Proud men so far as such will not suffer God to dwell with them and in them and therefore may not presume that God will as much concern himself for them and for their dwellings as for those who invite God to dwell in them for so by their humility they do and in whom God himself delights to dwell Two texts will fully prove the several branches of this second reason viz. Ps 10.3 The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts Therefore I say proud persons will not let God dwell with them But as to others God saith I dwell with him that is of an humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble Isa 57.15 God will provide dwellings for them with whom himself delights to dwell whilst others it may be shall go without God knows how little thanks himself shall have for building a City or any thing else he shall do for proud persons who will certainly overlook his hand and power and goodness and ascribe all to their own Deut. 8.12 14 17. Beware least when thou art full and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein then thy heart be lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God and thou say in thine heart my power and the might of mine hand hath given me this wealth When their hearts were lifted up then were they in danger to overlook the power of God and surely his goodness no less for what the Jews said to Christ touching the Centurion viz. That he was worthy for whom he should do this so proud persons are apt to think that they themselves are worthy of all that is done for them either by God or men and who will be so thankful for what he takes as a due as for what he takes as a curtesy and meer benevolence To do great things for proud men as to build a City for them were to increase their pride and to make them greater in their own eyes who are too great already therefore the text saith Beware least when thou hast built goodly houses and dwelt in them thine heart be lifted up Deut. 8. When God hath made men humble then and not till then he hath had his design in ruining them and therefore then it may be hoped he will go about to restore them Deut. 8.15 Who led thee through the great and terrible wilderness that he might humble thee and do thee good at thy latter end but first humble thee What should proud men do with goodly Cities set them on fire with contention for of pride commeth contention and make them less desirable than a wilderness as Solomon Prov. 21.9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top than with a brawling woman in a wide house Both from the promises and threatnings of God may humble men collect that they shall fare better than those that are proud The threatning saith that God resisteth the proud and he whom God resisteth is but in an ill case and unlike to prosper God seems to delight in crossing and carrying headlong the designs of proud persons as of those that went about to build the tower of Babel of Pharaoh and of Nebuchadnezar and it is the temper of not a few men and women to love to cross and set themselves against those persons whom they judg exceeding proud The word of promise is that the meek shall inherit the earth and therefore they have most reason to expect that God will build a City for them and for their sakes Why should proud men be more adorned they make too great a shew already and are like meat that is stuck with many scuers fairer to the eye but worse for spending and most apt to be fly-blown Pride and self confidence or confidence in those things which men are proud of usually go together Therefore the Apostle saith Charg them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches and Solomon warns men not to lean to their own understanding viz. Such as are apt to be proud thereof now God delights to frustrate the designs and enterprises of those persons who trust in themselves or in any other creature and to shew them the weakness of an arm of flesh Jer. 17.5 Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm for he shall be like the heath in the desert and shall not see when good cometh but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness in a salt land and not inhabited Proud men are apt to affront God and therefore it is not to be wondred at that God should not do as much for them as for those that are humble Give me not riches said Agur least I be ful and deny thee and say who is the Lord Prov. 30.4 How can men affront God more than in saying who is the Lord and so said Pharaoh in the pride of his heart who is the Lord that I should obey him Proud men must be crossed and frustrated least they should think themselves to be more than men Ps 9.20 Put them in fear O Lord that the nations may know themselves to be but men Considering then how many wayes God is obliged as it were to resist those that are proud them and their designs and how he hath obliged himself by promise to do great things for them that are â—â—mble viz. To teach them to dwell with them 〈◊〉 revive and comfort them c. These things â—â—sidered if you would up with your City down â—ith your pride proud looks words habits geâ—res manner of living and above all proud hearts â—hich are the cause of all the rest Consider those â—ords Lam. 3.29 He putteth his mouth in the dust 〈◊〉 so be there may be hope and that in James 4.10 Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall â—â—ft you up No misery but Hell nor that neither â—ill humble that person that is not humbled by the â—urning of such a City as London was himself being greatly concerned in it Till God have made us kiss his rod and so far forth accept the punishment of our iniquity as to acknowledg that he was righteous in burning so great a part of our City and had