The city remembrancer. Or, A sermon preached to the native-citizens, of London, at their solemn assembly in Pauls on Tuesday, the 23 of June, A.D. MDCLVII. / By Edm. Calamy B.D. and pastor of the church at Aldermanbury.

TO THE Right Honourable, Right Worshipfull, and all other Citizens of London, who received their first birth in so renowned a Metropolis, and were of late Assembled together for the acknow∣ledgement of this Passage of Divine Providence towards them.

Much honoured and beloved in Christ,

IT cannot be deni∣ed, but that GOD hath blessed this City above most Cities in the world with blessings of all kinds, and

more especially, with the bles∣sing of the Gospel. And although our sins are many, and great, and such sins may be found amongst us, for which God hath destroyed other great Cities; yet not∣withstanding he hath hither∣to preserved us, and dealt with us, not according to Rule, but according to Pre∣rogative. He hath made London an exception from his generall way of procee∣ding with other Cities, and hath spared us upon the ac∣count alone of free-grace; E∣ven so Father,* 1.1 for so it see∣meth good in thy sight.

O that this extraordina∣ryand distinguishing love of God, might at last lead us to Repentance!* 1.2 And thatin this our day we might know those things which belong unto our peace, be∣fore they be hid from our eyes; That our Preservati∣onsfrom former judge∣ments,may not prove Re∣servationsunto greater, And that we may not (by reason of our unthankfulness, and un∣fruitfulness)drink the dregs of Gods wrath, and at last be be made a spectacle of divine indignation, and an exam∣pleto others, because we

would not learn righte∣ousnessby their Examples.

The chief design of this en∣suing Sermon (now made publick by your intreaty) is, to persuade the Citizensborn in this famous City, by their Prayers, Unity, Piety, Verity, and Charity, to seek the welfare and happinessof it; And to be so holy and heavenly in their lives, that they may be accounted able,and worthy to stand in the gap, to hinder the Judge∣ments of God from falling upon it.

It is not only not contrary,but very suitable to Christi∣an

Religion to seek the good (in an especiall manner) of thePlace where we were born,or bred up.* 1.3 Because Jesus Christ was bred in Naza∣reththerefore he preached first in that place.* 1.4 This he did (saith one) as a recom∣pence for his education.Because Paul was bred,* 1.5 andbrought up in Jerusalem,and of the stock of Israel,therefore he was in great heaviness, and continual sorrow of heart; and could have wished himself accur∣sed from Christ for his bre∣thren,* 1.6 his kinsmen accor∣ding to the flesh.

Religion doth not take a∣way natural affection, butperfects it, it doth not extin∣guish,but order and regu∣lateit. It is your great Du∣tyto study to be blessings andMercies, as to the placeswhere you were brought up,so also to the places where youwere born.* 1.7 It is reported ofAlexander the great, that he loved his Master Aristo∣stle,as much as he did hisFather Philip; because (as he said) from his Father hee received his being, and from his Master his wel-being.I will not dispute, whether we owe more to the place where

we were born, or to the place where we were bred, Sure I am. We owe much to both; and it is our duty to endeavour to beblessings both to the one, and to the other.

It is a Providence not to be slighted, that you are Citizens of no mean City, but this will little avail, if you be not a credit and an ornament to it. The excellency of a Cityconsisteth in the excellencyof the Citizens; without which an excellent City is rather a Bethaven, than aBethel, rather an Hell, than a Heaven. Human storiesrelate what great blessings

some Persons have been to the places,* 1.8 where they received their first Breath. The Lace∣daemonianswhen they laied waste all Baeotia, sparedThebes, because Pindar (that famous Poet) was born there; And when Alexander de∣stroyed it, he commanded his Souldiers to spare Pindars Family, &c.

The Persians when they waged War withall Grecia, would not hurt the Isle of De∣los, because it was the place where Apollo was born, &c. O let it be your care, that you may be Noah's, Abraham's, Lots, and Daniels to the

place where you were born; That God by your prayers and tears may be moved to spare this great city▪ & mul∣tiply his blessing upon it.

For this end and purpose, your great study must be towalk worthy of the Gos∣pel,which you enjoy with much purity, power, plen∣ty,and liberty; You must not onely have it with you,but in you; not onely be Pro∣fessors,but practisers of it; not onely be fellow-Citizens of London, but of the Saints, and of the houshold of God.* 1.9 You must labour to be Citizens and Freemen of

that City which hath foun∣dations, whose builder and maker is God.* 1.10 For you can∣notsin at so cheap a rate in London, as some may do in other places. When you sin, you sin against greater light, and love, against grea∣ter means, and mercies than others do. And therefore your sins will more provoke theAlmighty, and bring downgreater, and more sudden de∣solations upon you; You areCapernaum-like, lifted up to heaven,* 1.11 and if you slight the Gospel as she did, you shall be brought down to hell, and it shall be easier for

Capernaum at the great day than for you. The great God expects, that you should be like Hananiah who fear∣ed God above many.* 1.12 That you should be in the highest for me of Christs School, taller by the head in gracethan men in other places. He looks that you should do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,something singular and extraordinary;* 1.13 He hath gi∣ven you more than he hathgiven to others, and he re∣quires more from you, the Lord grant you may return more!

There were many eyes up∣on you, beholding what you would do (after this follow∣ing

Sermon was preached, in which you were earnestly excited unto good works) at your Publique Dinner. Give me leave to tell you freely and plainly; You have not as yet sufficiently answered the ex∣pectation,either of others, or of many of your own Com∣pany;There were some lit∣tle spots (this year also) in your Feast of Charity; (I mean) some defects, and ble∣mishes,not (I hope) for want of affection, but of observ∣ing a due Method; howso∣ever; Thus much I must pu∣blish to the World both for theHonor of God, and for

your honor;* 1.14 you havedoubled your Charity this year, above what it was the last year; You have bound out 30. Boyes to be Appren∣tices;You have given con∣siderable summes to Mini∣sters born in London, and Ministers Widows, in distresse, and to poor Scholars in the Ʋniversities; And my hope is, That the next year you will double the summe above what you have given this year.

I am verily perswaded, that, what God said of Co∣rinth,is very true of Lon∣don, He hath much people in this City;* 1.15 Though there are many wicked amongst us,

yet there are many, yea, very many, both born, andbrought up in London,who truly fear God; and for their sakes▪ God hath hi∣therto spared us. My pray∣ers is, that God would in∣creasetheir number; That this City may be a City of Refuge,* 1.16 for distressed Christians;* 1.17 not an oppres∣sing,or a bloudy City; but a faithful and holy Citywherein▪ God may delight to dwell, and that Salvation may be appointed to her for Walls and Bulwarks.* 1.18 So prayeth▪

Your 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 and fellow servant in promoting the common good, Edm. Calamy.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 11: 26
• * 1.2

  Luc. 19. 42.
• * 1.3

  Luc. 4. 16.
• * 1.4

  Elton upon Rom. 9.
• * 1.5

  Act 22. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.6

  Rom. 9. 2, 3.
• * 1.7

  Aristotelem ha••d minus quam Pa∣trem suum initio di∣lexit, quod a Patre, ut viveret, a Praecep∣tore, ut be∣ne viveret, accepisset Pezelius.
• * 1.8

  Ejus gratiâ Lacedaemo∣nii in reli∣quam Baeo∣tiam saevi∣entes The∣banis pe∣percerunt. Ita & A∣lexander quum The∣bas everte∣ret, & in omnes sae∣viret sine discrimine, Pindari Vatis pe∣natibus fa∣miliaeque parci jussit. Cicero con∣tra Ver∣rem.
• * 1.9

  Eph. 2. 19.
• * 1.10

  Heb. 11. 10
• * 1.11

  Mat. 11. 23
• * 1.12

  Neh. 7. 2.
• * 1.13

  Mat 5. 47.
• * 1.14

  I received a Note of these par∣ticulars from the worthy Stewards of the late Feast.
• * 1.15

  Act. 18. 10.
• * 1.16

  Zeph. 3. 1.
• * 1.17

  Nah. 3. 1.
• * 1.18

  Isa. 26. 1.