Проповеди и лекции

rerhTeii» I utterly re- ject all these hypotheiit^s aud v^igue theories cod* cemiug the political and economical arratigemeiita of men, as bciufif in do way of the essence of the Go5peL Cities and country have alike need of it, and have alike bcr<:n icavciieJ by it, and shall alike be subdued by it: husbandry and Iradep agriculture and cumnierce are alike coDgenial, and alike uncongenial to it, war and peace, oppres- sion and liberty, slavery and freedom, the republic, the mixed monarchy, and despotism, do all cor- rupt witbout it, and are all, whoa it »^mvth to 910 4JOj>*S COJITROTEHST WITH TMK Kv^MO. (/X^ be mewl unto QchI, madi; instrumvncnl tci tliv* \wo* pagatioii of th« Gospel of CbrUt upon the earib. And for towns and cities, of which we presonilf treat, if Babylon, a city, be the emblem of coo- federated wick€dness> the nietropolis of Saton) and emporium of his wicked traffic in adultcnes and SLbomiiiations ; tlien ia Jeruasleoi, alao a ctly» tJie emblem of united hoUne«s and barmonioui bk£S4>dne!<«, the dwelling plaee of the l^rd, the head of nghtcoU9Qcss. and the centre from whi life atul light ftliall circiiltite over the earth. Our belief in respect lo the effect which the ooogregatiDg of nieo in large numbers halh 11 their moral and epiritual ccndition, i^* that it wil cither be for good or evil, according to the spin timl prevaileth amongst them. It is not a neces- sary evil, and it is not a necessary good ; bnt ia* xiid hath beeit, and may be either rhe one or t oUier, not acconiing to circumslanccs, as tb are fond of saying, but according to the itpiri which is amoHLTst thorn. A spirit of self-defe drove the Italian cities into confederacy; and confederacy brought about the rerival of letters. A spirit of boneat and unviolated industry drove the German cities into confederacy ; anil it revived useful arts, and magood degree was instrumeo toi the reviral of religion. A spirit of the s honest and honourable kmd congrcfatcd most our towns oiid cities, not without an object of piety, aj( may he seen from their mottos and bear- ing* armorial ; and they have been mainly instro* mental, as hath been said, in securing both o civil and religious privileges. When the spirit which draws Lhem together, derives itself from the fear of God, or the love of justice, industry liritr^^ in.] god's COKTWJVBRST WlTtl TRE I.AKD, ftl9 ^Qod order, or whnltver eisc he hath appointed in bii word, ihc.n there in a sbarjiening of tnTijn^ tiDQ. a power uf execuLioiir und a rapidity of itn-' provement, which cannot