without money in the case as is generally too evident how should houses Haud facile emergunt quarum virtutibus obstat Res angusta domus is as true as if it had been domi that is it holds as certain in houses as in men It is mony must raise them But what shall they do that have it not nor can by any means procure it I know no way but one viz. they must fell their ground but there is the misery who will give them to the worth of it They that know they must or are forced to sell think to buy it as they list or at some such rates as too many have bought Debenters it may be at a Noble for the worth and value of each pound Thus poor men are bought and sold as the Prophet expresseth it for a pair of shoes Amos 2.6 A rich commodity in a poor mans hand is nothing worth so barbarously are men upon the catch taking their utmost advantages one against another which is to make a vice instead of a vertue of necessity I mean a vice to themselves out of the necessity of others For doubtless he that buyeth out poor men so cheaply selleth himself to work wickedness Well what said Ahab to Naboth 1 Kin. 21.2 Give me thy Vineyard and I will give thee for it a better Vineyard than that or if it seem good to thee I will give thee the worth of it in money He offered a valuable consideration for Naboths ground will you be worse than that Ahab If your Brethren be hungry will you take occasion thereby to purchase their Birth-right for a mess of pottage as Jacob did who was many wayes crossed afterwards in one kind and in another What blessing can be expected or rather what curse may not be lookt for upon those houses the foundations of which are laid in oppression and grinding the faces of the poor who in order to bread are forced to suffer their own faces to be ground Are no merciful men to be found who in consideration of the necessity of poor men will give them for their ground rather more than it is worth at leastwise full as much yea why should not every man be so far forth merciful sith the latter of the two is but to be just Art thou in a purchasing case buy poor mens ground at a full rate build upon it and when that is done if they be able to pay a moderate Rent and it may be a courtesie to them become their Landlord He may prove a sufficient Tenant who is not able to build his own house and his Landlord may have a blessing for his sake for blessed is he that considereth the poor Psa 40.1 Be not you discouraged if you cannot build your selves another mans house may be as commodious for you as one of your own erecting and if there happen to be inconveniencies in it they will not so much upbraid and vex you as if they had been contracted by your own misbuilding as they might have been Nam quae non fecimus ipsi haud ea nostra voco you are not chargeable with the faults of those houses which you did not make or build your selves I have one thing more to say to such as must sell their ground and are dejected at the thoughts of so doing Were you not so far undone that you could not attempt to build who knows whither you as many others have been and it is supposed will be might not be undone by building DISCOURSE XI That a strict observation of the Lords day might greatly promote the rebuilding of the City THe Lords Day is not that Sabbath which was first so called for that was the last day of the week whereas it is the first yet a Sabbath it is and doubtless injoyned in and by the same Commandment that the Jewish Sabbath was viz. the fourth for whosoever doth not acknowledge it so to be must either say that there is no Sabbath at all or day of holy rest to be kept under the New Testament and consequently that there are now but nine Commandments in the Moral Law the fourth being abrogated and expired whereas Christ hath told us That till heaven and earth pass one jot shall in no wise pass from that Law Mat. 5.18 or else they must say that the last day of the week is that which ought alwayes to be observed by Christians as it is by Jews for the only Sabbath and weekly holy day that is for ever to be celebrated in obedience to that Command Most Christians are averse from Judaizing in taking Saturday for their Sabbath chusing rather to imitate the practise of the Apostles whose manner it was to observe not the last but first day of the week which we conclude they would not have done but by Warrantie and Commission from Christ who alone was Lord of the Sabbath so to do Yet some few Christians there are who symbolize with the Jews in their saturday-Saturday-Sabbath and keep the same day as holy as they can And verily if in this case I may speak my mind freely they are much less too blame who keep a Saturday Sabbath than they who keep none at all who understand that Commandment as the Jews do than they who make as if it were abrogated and disannulled But he that shall fall into neither of the extremes aforesaid but shall confess that the first day of the week is that which was instituted for Christians by the fourth Commandment must needs own it to be a Sabbath because instituted and appointed by and under that name Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy and v. 11. The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it That it was necessary I should prove there is a Sabbath yet in being and that the day which men ought weekly to observe as holy to the Lord thoroughout all Ages is called the Sabbath to the end I might shew that the Promises made and incouragements given to such as have kept or shall keep holy the Sabbath day are not insignificant and out of date as to us who live under the New Testament Having done that it will be easie to prove what I have affirmed in the Title of this Chapter viz. that a strict observation of the Sabbath for so is the Lords day to Christians would greatly promote the building of the City witness that pregnant promise which of its self were a sufficient testimony Isa 58.12 13. And they that shall be of thee shall build the wast places thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach and restorer of paths to dwell in If thou turn away thy foot from my Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words v. 14. I will cause thee to ride
upon the high places of the earth that is to dwell aloft in places of security and safety or the words may glance at the Land of Judea being much of it Mountainous and feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob thy Father that is with the good things of the Land of Canaan gâ—ven for an inheritance to him for his posterity See Isa 56.6 7. Every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it even them will I bring to my holy Mountain that is to Mount Sion on which the Temple was scituate See also Jer. 17.24 If ye hallow the Sabbath to do no work thereon then the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and this City shall remain for ever v. 28. But if you will not hallow the Sabbath day I will kindle a fire which shall devour the Palaces of Jerusalem and it shall not be quenched From those Texts I infer that unto keeping the Sabbath several promises of God building and blessing of Cities and furnishing men with desirable habitations are made as on the other hand the profaning and polluting of the Sabbath is threatned with the destruction of Cities and of their Inhabitants which being true in the general or in thesi it must needs be in hypothesi or in particular that a Religious observation of the Sabbath day would help to build our City Who knows not that Nehemiah was a great and principal Agent in the building of Jerusalem after it was burnt Nehem. 2.5 and what Magistrate was ever more zealous than he if so zealous to have the Sabbath day kept holy witness his contending with Merchants and Tradesmen of all sorts yea with the very Nobles of Judah for profaning the Sabbath Nehemiah 13. from 15. to v. 22. Did not your Fathers thus said he to the Nobles and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon our City viz. destruction by fire yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath If profanation of Sabbaths procure the burning of Cities the sanctification of that day will promote the building thereof It is said Eadem est ratio loci temporis time and place are much akin if we would have regard to Gods time he would have respect to our place or places if we would mind his day would he not mind our dwellings the sanctifying of Sabbaths is the intrusting of God with the seventh part of our time even then when time is most precious with us Now God is alwayes bountiful to them that do greatly trust him Mal. 3.10 Bring all the tithes into the Storehouse and prove me therewith saith the Lord if I will not poure you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it as if God had said Do but trust me with the tenth part of the encrease and you shall see what the other nine shall amount to If we in like manner would trust God with the seventh part of our time for so our Sabbaths are doubtlesse the other six would through the blessing of God turn to a much better account I doubt not to say that one day in seven that is every Lords day we might promote the building of London much more in Churches and Closets than we could do in working upon the respective foundations for that indeed would set it back and might provoke God to swear in his Wrath it should never be brought to perfection I observe what is said of Manna Exod. 16.29 The Lord hath given you the Sabbath therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two daies let no man go out of his place on the seventh day viz. to gather Manna God made them amends for forbearing to progue on the Sabbath-day They that did as God had appointed them on the Sabbattical year viz. Neither sow their Fields nor prune their Vineyards Levit. 25.4 nor reap what grew of its own accord intirely for themselves but let it lye in common to others lost no more by so doing than a Husbandman doth by letting his ground lye fallow when it is out of heart that it may yield a greater encrease hereafter see Levit. 25.20 If ye shall say what shall we eat the seventh year behold we shall not sow nor gather in our encrease not for two years together when a Sabbattical year and a Jubile came together verse 21. Then will I command my blessing upon you in the sixth year and it shall bring forth fruit for three years He knew not what he said who derided Christians as men that lost the seventh part of their time because of the Sabbaths they kept whereas Sabbaths kept as they ought to be are no losse but the most profitable part of time But alas we so carry the matter as to lose a great part of that hallowed time which is of all our time most precious making holyday of a great part thereof in such sense as Children do understand holy-daies viz. as meer pastimes and play-daies I fear we begin our Sabbaths too late and end them too early we do not remember the Sabbath soon enough to keep it holy as we should and we forget it too soon we are not intent enough either upon preparation before or prosecution afterwards The Sabbaths which men generally keep now a daies are not only unlike to those of glorious Saints and Angels in Heaven but to such as were kept by those good Christians whom some intended to reproach by fixing upon them the honourable name of Puritans which sort of men I remember one that was none of them himself had wont to divide into two ranks saying there was the Knave Puritan that is one that was so but in pretence and for a colour and there was the Knave 's Puritan whom he confessed to be a very honest man and of an excellent sort but out of malice called a Puritan by such as were Knaves themselves because that to such as themselves the Name was odious though both Name and Person were so only for their goodness Now having heard a distinction to that effect I must explain my self and tell you that it was the Knave 's Puritan that is he and such as he whom Knaves had wont to call so of whom I affirm that he had wont to keep Sabbaths at anotherguise rate than we observe them kept now a daies such as Reverend Dod Hildersham c. and yet they were not upon their good behaviour as we are for the building a poor City lying in ashes They would have blusht to have seen our Sabbaths Oh that we could blush to think of them they would scarce have been able to think us sincere Christians observing us to have so small a regard to the fourth Commandement They would have often rebuked us sharply for our sabbath-Sabbath-daies discourse and minded us of the Text that saith we should not speak our own words on the Lords day Isa 58. when in this respect shall we be followers of those worthies aforesaid who now inherit the Promises A City the
go forward when a prophane activity would but hinder it Suppose the City should require seven years time to build it again some may think that doing nothing to it upon the Sabbath day is a great hinderance and would be the loss of no less than one whole year in seven but if we consider the curse which it prevents and the blessing which it procureth it will be found to be no loss at all and that the City in effect and in due construction goes up as fast or faster on the Sabbath-day than on any day in the week Whilst we are seeking Gods Kingdom and the righteousness thereof God though in an invisible way is adding to us Jer. 17.24 It shall come to pass if ye hallow the Sabbath-day to do no work therein then shall there enter into the gate of this City Kings and Princes and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and this City shall remain for ever God who had set apart a tenth for his own use gave the Jews assurance they should be nothing the poorer but much the richer for paying of it Mal. 3.10 Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house that there may be meat in my house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts if I will not open the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it The Israelites when they were before Jericho besieging it lost no time by carrying about the Ark and sounding the Trumpets as was appointed them for it is said It shall come to pass when ye hear the sound of the Trumpet all the people shall shout with a great shout and the wall of the City shall fall down flat Joshua 6.5 The Prophet was angry with the King of Israel for smiting the ground but thrice 2 Kings 13.19 Thou shouldst have smitten five or six times said he then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice Alluding to that story I would say if we smote the ground oftner if we were more clothed with the Sun and did more frequently trample the earth under our feet my meaning is if we were more abundant in the duties and exercises of Religion than most of us are it would be no hindrance to our worldly concerns and particularly to that of building our City but rather a help and furtherance The practise of Religion both in refraining what is evil and doing what is good is never more necessary than when some great undertaking is in hand Deut. 23.9 When the host goes forth against thine enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing and are we not as much concerned so to do when we have a City to build as at this day Our way to have another City even upon earth is to imitate those worthies we read of Heb. 11.16 But now they desire a better country that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City When Saul went to seek his Fathers Asses he unexpectedly found a Kingdom but it is to be feared that many will lose a Kingdom whilst they seek for Asses I mean for poor trifles an earthly house or City which are no better in comparison of a heavenly Kingdom It is incident to us to invert Gods method we would seek other things either in the first place or altogether and have the Kingdom of God added to us we would seek earth and find Heaven but God will not alter his method and men by going about to do it do indanger the loss of Heaven and earth both both of their interest if I may so call the world which they live upon for the present and of their principal which they expect hereafter How unreasonable a presumption is it that God should mind our concerns and we not mind his that God should regard our houses if we will not regard his Kingdom the beginning increase and perfecting thereof both in our selves and others By the Kingdom of God I mean the Kingdom of Grace which is glory begun and the kingdom of glory which is grace perfected Which being but gradually distinct as the same person in infancy and at full age I may speak of as one kingdom viz. specifically so I speak of that kingdom as Gods concern because his glory is as truly concerned in it as our good his honor as our happiness And thence it is that they who refuse to be subjects of that kingdom are so severely threatned Those mine enemies who would not that I should raign over them bring them hither and slay them before me It is said of the Hebrew Midwives that because they feared God he made them houses Exod. 1.21 But will God build houses and Cities for them that fear him not yea for his enemies whom he hath threatned to slay at leastwise can they promise themselves he will do so or hath he any where promised so to do nay in Prov. 14.11 it is said The house of the wicked shall be overthrown but the tabernacle of the righteous shall flourish The children of rich and noble persons need take no care for houses to dwell in let them but study to please their parents and they shall want neither houses nor any thing else let them be good and their parents will be as good to them as they can wish and shall not his children whose name is El-shaddai God alsufficient expect as much from their heavenly Father But ere I proceed in speaking to men let me speak a few words to God on behalf of my self and others Lord give me more faith in this promise this double promise for so I understand it that they who seek thy Kingdom and the righteousness thereof in the first place shall have it and all other needful things with it for so the phrase of adding or superadding seemeth to imply And Lord give the same faith to others for hundreds need it at this day who till of late never knew they needed it or went about to make experiment of it O Lord how fearful are most men to swim when they are above their depth when they can feel no ground under them that meer sense and reason can stand upon We would fain be always in those shallows where lambs may wade but never cast into those depths where Elephants must swim but thou Lord dost sometimes try us with the latter of those give us but faith enough in that conditional promise that they who seek thy kingdom c. shall have all things added and together with that faith give us but the condition of that promise viz. hearts to seek thy kingdom as we ought to seek it and having those two we shall not doubt but to arrive at whatsoever is and shall be necessary both for the life that is and that which is to come To me it seemeth a little strang that the great God having made the promise of a Kingdom
greater part of whose former Inhabitants were such Sanctifiers of Gods Sabbaths as they were would certainly not long lye in Ashes but God would cause the wast places thereof to be built Alas that now our City is down in the dust such Master-builders as they in the sense I have spoken to are dead and gone I wonder not that such as are enemies to Religion have a particular grudge against the Sanctifying of the Sabbath or appointing it to be sanctified sith the preservation of all practical godliness so far as is in men to preserve it doth so much depend thereupon For alas what time have men and women who lye down late and rise up early all the week long to get their livings as the greater part of people do I say what time could or would they generally reserve to look after God and their souls if it were not for the Lords Day preserved by the sanction of the Magistrate from violation by mens open following of their Trades and designed for religious uses But it is not the common-place of the Sabbath that I undertook to handle in this Chapter but what and how great a tendency a due care taken both by Magistrates and people for the Sanctification of that day would have to promote the building of our City and that I hope I have demonstrated DISCOURSE XII Of the help that may and is meet to be afforded towards the rebuilding of London SHall the ashes of London upbraid rich men both in City and country with their unkindness towards it those I mean that have no immediate concernment of their own shall they cry with a loud voice how long shall London lye in the dust for want of men or moneys so long as all England can afford them Or is England so drained and exhausted of either of these even of money it self that there is not enough to spare for the reedifying of London Though a great part of the Nation be impoverished at this day doubtless many have wealth enough and to spare Some have great Estates and no Children others have great Estates and Children but not worthy to be intrusted with such Estates some have been great gainers by the late revolutions yea some by those very judgments which have of late befallen us even by the fire it 's self which did not only spare their houses but much advance their rents though thousands may have need to sell what they are possessed of yet some hundreds I believe are ready for considerable purchases and have such persons as I have named nothing to spare for and towards the rebuilding of such a City are they like to give any thing to any good uses living or dying who will give nothing to this If mens gold and silver lye cankered by them whilst there is such an occasion to lay it out shall not the rust thereof be a witness against them and eat their flesh as it were fire James 5.33 Who wonders not as the case now-stands to see any rich man dye and leave nothing to London in his will many places that are burnt down were built by charity at the first and must be so again if ever they be restored and many persons are by the fire become the objects of charity who were not so before but rather the subjects and dispensers of it many that had wont to give are now forced to receive many that kept good houses have now no houses to keep nor wherewith to build them any To build for their sakes were most charity but if you will not do so build for your selves I mean for your own profit in conjunction with a publick good and let them to whom you please Build with regard to a noble City now desolate if you will not do with respect to indigent and impoverished Citizens Had London been the tail of all the Cities of England it had been pitty to have always lost it but much more pitty it would be in regard it was the head We read how the people lift up their voices and wept that there should be one tribe lacking in Israel and yet that tribe was but little Benjamin Judg. 21.3 Had it been Judah and was not London as it were our Judah would not their lamentation have been yet greater As they studied to repair that lost tribe so should all English-men endeavour to repair this It will chiefly concern rich men to do it but surely the poor are not quite exempted As in repairing the high wayes our laws have provided that they who do not or cannot hire others should work at it themselves so many dayes So methinks it should be in repairing of this great breach It is a common good and therefore should be done at a common charge though mostly at theirs who have most interest in benefit by it They that had not gold and silver to bring for the building of the Tabernacle were to bring Goats hair or Badgers skins or the like Exod. 25.5 And would it not in like manner become every body to offer something towards this work even poor widdows to cast in their mites All rivers as well small as great pay tribute to the Sea to the Sea whence they came thither they return again saith Solomon Eccles 1. and are not other parts of England to London as rivers to the main Ocean If the light of the Sun were extinguished all the stars were they intelligent would help to reinkindle it for though the Sun doth obscure them yet it brighteneth the firmament and there can be no day without it so all places parts of England should contribute to restore London though obscured by it because without it England its self would be obscure and as it were benighted I am deceived if most families in England have not some relation to London either by descent or alliance more immediate or more remote and shall they see this worthy relation of theirs lye in the dust and not do what they can to help it out When we have forts to build is not the country round about commanded in to assist in that work what is London but the great fort and bulwark of England in more senses than one and being so every mans assistance contribution therunto may well be expected They that have noble woods shold rather cut down every Tree than let London want Timber they that have Iron should rather empty all their mines than let the City lye wast for want of that commodity if you be English men London is yours that is you have great interest in it though you be no Londoners How naturally doth a mans hand lift up its self when his head is struck at and offer to take the blow how naturally do bloud and spirits come from where they were and resort to that part which is wounded though inferiour to those parts whence they came Doth not even nature it self teach us by such things as those what should be done in the case of
to night in visiting the sick on a Dying-bed as also the means how a Christian may do this and some motives to it 4. The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration 5. Heaven and Hell Epitomized and the True Christan Characterized 6. The Fading of the Flesh and the flourishing of Faith Or One cast for Eternity with the only way to throw it well all these by George Swinnock M. A. Large Octavo's A learned Commentary on the fourth Chapter of the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is added First A Conference between Christ and Mary Second the Spiritual Mans Aim Third Emanuel or Miracle of Miracles by Richard Sibbs D. D. 4 to An Exposition of the five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful observations thereupon by Will. Greenhil 4 to The Gospel-Covenant or the Covenant of Grace opened Preached in New England by Peter Bulkeley 4 to Gods Holy Mind touching Matters Moral which himself uttered in ten words or ten Commandments Also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer by Edward Elton B. D. 4 to A plain and familiar Exposition of the ten Commandments by John Dod 4 to Fiery Jesuite or an Historical Collection of the Rise Increase Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuites Exposed to view for the sake of London 4 to Horologiographia Optica Dialing Universal and Particular Speculative and Practical together with the Description of the Court of Arts by a new Method by Sylvanus Morgan 4 to Praxis Medicinae or the Physicians Practice wherein are contained all inward diseases from the head to the foot by Walter Bruel Regimen Sanitatis Salerni or the School of Salerns Regiment of Health containing Directions and Instructions for the guide and government of Mans Life 4 to Christ and the Covenant the work and way of Meditation Delivered in ten Sermons Large Octavo's By William Bridge late of great Yarmouth Heart-treasure or a Treatise tending to fill and furnish the head and heart of every Christian with soul-inriching treasure of truths graces experiences and comforts to help him in Meditation Conference Religious Performances Spiritual Actions Enduring Afflictions and to fit him for all conditions that he may live Holily dye Happily and go to Heaven Triumphantly by O. H. with an Epistle prefixed by John Chester Large Octavo A Glimpse of Eternity by A. Caley A Practical Discourse of Prayer wherein is handled the Nature and Duty of Prayer by Tho. Cobbet Of Quenching the Spirit the evil of it in respect both of its causes and effects discovered by Theophilus Polwheile Wells of Salvation opened or Words whereby we may be saved with advice to Young Men by Tho. Vincent The sure way to Salvation or a Treatise of the Saints Mystical Union with Christ wherein that great Mystery and Priviledge is opened in the nature properties and the necessity of it by R. Stedman M. A. The greatest loss upon Matth. 16.26 By James Livesey small Octavo's Moses unvailed by William Guild The Protestants Triumph being an exact answer to all the sophistical Arguments of Papists By Ch. Drelincourt A Defence against the fear of Death By Z. Crofton Gods Soveraignty displayed By William Geering A sober Discourse concerning the Interest of words in Prayer The Godly Mans Ark or City of refuge in the day of his distress in five Sermons with Mistriss Moores Evidences for Heaven By Ed. Calamy The Almost Christian Discovered or the false Professor tryed and cast By Mr. Mead. Spiritual Wisdom improved against temptation by Mr. Mead. A Divine Cordial A word of comfort for the Church of God A Plea for Alms in a Sermon at the Spittle The Godly Mans Picture drawn with a Scripture-pensil These four last were written by Tho. Watson The Doctrine of Repentance useful for these times with two Sermons against Popery by Thomas Watson The True bounds of Christian freedom or a Discourse shewing the extents and restraints of Christian liberty wherein the truth is setled many errors confuted out of John 8. ver 36. A Treatise of the Sacrament shewing a Christians Priviledge in approaching to God in Ordinances duty in his Sacramental approaches danger if he do not sanctifie God in them both by Sam. Bolton D. D. The Lords Day enlivened or a Treatise of the Sabbath by Philip Goodwin The sinfulness of Sin and the Fulness of Christ two Sermons by W. Bridge A serious Exhortation to a Holy Life by Tho. Wadsworth Ovid's Metamorphosis Translated Grammatically by J. Brinsley Comfortable Crumbs of refreshment by Prayers Meditations Consolations and Ejaculations with a Confession of Faith and summ of the Bible Aurifodina Linguae Gallicae or the Golden Mine of the French Language opened by Ed. Gostlin Gent. The difference between the spots of the Godly and Wicked in four Sermons by Jer. Burroughs Four Centuries of Select Hymns collected out of Scripture by Will. Barton
been so if he had burnt it all and would be so if he should never suffer it to be built again and till he have made us see that except the Lord-build the house and so the City they labour in vain that build it Psal 127.1 That it is impossible for us by our own power and strength to build us another City unless he who is the maker and builder of all things shall consent to and concur in it I say till God have so far humbled us though we may build through his permission we shall not build with his blessing and if we continue in the hateful sin of pride he can give us a City in his wrath and take it away again in his wrath As therefore our City goes up let our pride go down It is too much for such worthless creatures as we all are to think our selves to be any thing but as God influenceth and inspireth us as a Trumpet can give no sound but as the trumpiter breaths into it and therefore he said well who said that no man is any thing more meaning that good is than what God makes him daily and hourly Paul saith himself though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of 1 Cor. 9.16 It is a very significant phrase both in our native tongue that when we would say a man is proud we say he thinks himself to be some body as if every man were nothing and those words were applicable to every proud man he that thinks himself to be something when he is nothing deceiveth himself Gal. 6.3 I find the same phrase in the Greek Testament for we read of Theudas boasting himself to be some body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which methinks is a fuller expression than is used of Simon Magus of whom it is said that he gave out that himself was some great one Acts 8.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the former implieth that for any man to think himself to be any thing in and of himself is a point of pride and such a kind of mistake as if one should think a meere shadow to be a real body or substance Ps 144.4 Man is like vanity his dayes are as a shadow that passeth away When I observe how men do treat those that are notoriously proud I fancy them to be like the picture we see in some Almanacks viz. A man every where pierced with arrows from head to foot because every body is ready to wound the reputation of a proud man and to make his name to bleed and be confident that the great God hath as much displeasure against him as men can have I say therefore once again as you love your selves and as you love your City be humble be lowly minded take heed of lifting up your selves after that God hath cast you down Conquer pride and you conquer a third part of the world for S. John speaketh of the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride life as if they three were all that is in the world 1 John 2.16 Conquer pride and take the comfort of that excellent and incouraging passage Joh 22.29 When men are cast down then thou shalt say there is lifting up and he shall save the humble â—erson DISCOURSE XLV That to seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof in the first place for Londoners generally so to do were one of the best ways to obtain a new City HE that reads the title of this Chapter will presently reflect upon Mat. 6.33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you and in reflecting upon those words will see a plain proof of that proposition whereof the title doth consist taking it for granted that though meat and drink and cloathing be the only things expressed in that place of which it is said they shall be added to them that seek the kingdom God yet all other needful things for this life are there implied and intended as by a parity of reason which is a good sort of argument may be concluded The foregoing words are your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things v. 32. From whence we may infer that all such things as our heavenly Father knows we have need or necessity of in this life shall be added to them who seek his Kingdom in the first place Our ultimate or last end so far as we foresee it our selves is always first thought of it is first in intention though it be last in execution We think of the end of our journey or that which for the present we intend shall be so before we seâ— out or enterprize the beginning thereof In this sense ought the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof to be sought by us in the first place that is to be made our highest end our ultimate design to which all other designs are to be referred and subordinated as for example If your ends and aims be regular they are in this order you would have a City that you might buy and sell and get gain that is the lowest round of the ladder you would do that that you and yours might live and comfortably subsist you would have a comfortable subsistence that you might attend upon God without distraction and serve him with chearfulness in the midst of all the good things which he shall give you to injoy and you would serve God on earth in righteousness and holiness before him that you might for ever injoy him in Heaven and arrive to that glorious Kingdom which he hath provided for them that love and serve him This is your highest end and thus doing thus aiming you seek the Kingdom of God in the first place For though that end be the last thing in order of time and of attainment yet it is first in order of nature for all causes are before their effects now ends are causes as the final cause is often spoken of and the highest ends of any action is the first cause thereof that is within our selves and consequently it is the first thing that is in our thoughts it is the first mover the great wheel or spring that sets all the rest a going Now I say in this manner to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of it if that were generally done by those that are concerned in London would make that desolate City to spring up as tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain and cause the blessing of God to come down upon it like rain upon the women grass Religion all things considered was never a hinderance to any great and worthy undertaking but always a help and furtherance The prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah as I shewed before made the building of the Temple to prosper A religious standing still to allude to those words of Moses Exod. 14.13 stand still and see the salvation of the Lord Will make the City