WE are here assembl'd this Day, as for other good Ends and Purposes, so to celebrate the Country and Place of our Birth.

The Historian, indeed, when he describes any Place or Province, entertains us with the Commodiousness of the Situation, the Sweetness of the Air, the Temperature of the Clime, the Fertility of the Soil, the Variety and Abundance of all Things for the Necessities and Conveniency of Hu­mane Life: But it looks Foreign to the Of­fice of a Preacher, who considers not so much the good Qualities of a Place as [Page 2] the People; the Piety and Prudence, the Truth and Honesty, the Moderation and Peaceableness, the Charity and Usefulness of those that were born there.

The Holy Writer of this Psalm, whence I have borrow'd my Text, gives a high and honourable Character of Zion upon both Accounts, as well for the Excellency of the Place, as the Natives also.

First, She is extoll'd for her great Force and impregnable Strength;Verse 1. Her Foundation is in the holy Mountains.

Her Situation likewise was so sweet and inviting, that the Almighty seems pleas'd with the Prospect;Verse 2. for, The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

Verse 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee, thou Ci­ty of God.

Psal. 122.1.132.5, 14.She is call'd, The house of the Lord; the place of his rest; the habitation of the Mighty God of Jacob; Psal. 48.2. the city of the great King; and, the joy of the whole Earth.

[Page 3]Glorious are these Sayings, but great­er, if possible, is that said of her in my Text; That she was the Birth-place of Saints, and the Children of God; For of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her, and the most High shall establish her.

These Words, I confess, properly and literally speaking, describe Zion, not for the Nation or City of the Natural, but the Place of a Spiritual Birth, where many were born to God, and made his Children by Adoption and Grace.

This the foregoing Words fully prove, where it's said, I'll make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me; Behold Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia; This man was born there; That is, It shall be spoke to the Honour of these Barbarous Nations, who were Aliens to the Hebrew Common­wealth; without the Covenant, without the Promise, and without God in the World; that now they are incorporated in the Church, made Natives of Zion, Fellow-Citizens [Page 4] with the Saints, and of the Hous­hold of God.

It's usual we may observe in sacred Scri­pture, to mention with Respect the very Place and Instruments of a Man's Conver­sion to God from an evil Course of Life; nay, it is so Natural, that we can't but think well of those who have been Instru­mental to our Spiritual Good, so kind and civil to our Souls, as to reduce them from Error and Ignorance, Popular Mistakes, and Prejudice to the Knowledge of God, and Establishment in the Truth.

St. Paul speaks great things of those In­struments by whose Ministry some were born into the Heavenly Life; How beauti­ful are the Feet of those that preach the Go­spel of Christ, and bring glad tidings of good things? Rom. 10.15.

Nor were Persons only, but Places like­wise, in repute upon the same Account.

Jericho stands upon record in the Gospel of St. Luke, for the Place where Zacheus the Publican was call'd by our Saviour,Luke 19.1. and of an Heir of Perdition, a Child of Wrath, was made a Son of Abraham. Verse 4.

[Page 5] Antioch, once a Place of Note and Emi­nency, tho' now decay'd, yet lives in Apo­stolical History, for the Christning of the Disciples, who were call'd Christians first at Antioch, after the Custom of the Greeks, Acts 11.26 who call'd the Sect by the Founder's Name.

Thus I observe, that where we first re­ceiv'd Religion and the Faith of the Gospel, in a sense is the Place of our Birth, as well as that where we first drew our Breath.

However, I shall consider these Words in the largest Sense they are capable of, as they denote the Nation and Province of our Natural Birth, as well as that where we were born into the Knowledge of, and Ac­quaintance with God; and then these two things they will offer to our Observation.

First, That there is a great difference in Places as to the forming Men's Man­ners, and a right institution of Life.

Second, That true worth and Goodness doth an Honour to a Country, and re­flects a Reputation to the Place of one's Birth.

[Page 6]To each of these I shall speak briefly, and then end with something proper to the Occasion of our Meeting this Day.

I First, That there is a difference in places as to the forming Men's Manners, and a right Institution of Life: Of Zion it shall be said, this and that Man was born in her.

The whole World is indeed a Divinity-School, where the Dominion and Govern­ment of God is learnt;Rom. 1. The invisible things of God being plainly seen by the things that are made, even his eternal power and God­head; yet notwithstanding there are some Places and People more peculiarly inte­rested in the Tuition of the Almighty.

Zion was illustrious above all the Regions of Judaea, all the Towns and Cities of Gallilee, for the Divine Oracles, whence Men were taught to Reverence and Fear the God of Israel.

Rahab and Babylon, Tire and Aethiopia, were eminent in the Records of Time for Wealthy and Populous Countries: But for all that, in Jewry was God known, his Name [Page 7] was great in Israel, in Salem was his Taber­nacle, and his dwelling in Zion. Psal. 76.1.2.

In the great Towns and Cities of the Jews, were the Seats of the Prophets; here dwelt Rabbi's and Expositors of the Law; here were erected the Schools of Religion and learning; here were their Synagogues and Houses of Prayer; here their Altars and Places of Sacrifice.

So that the Natives had all the Advan­tages of inriching their Minds with Wis­dom, to make them useful in their Gene­rations, and to procure them Favour with God and Man.

Such a mighty Opinion had the Jews coneceiv'd of their great Towns and Cities, that they dispis'd all inferior Places, in Competition with them, for Virtue and Wisdom; they usually, in disdain, call'd such as were not of their Stamp, Terrae Populum, The People of the Earth, or if you will take it in the Pharisees own Language, John 7.49. This people who knoweth not the Law are cursed.

Philo Judaeus in his Book concerning special and particular Laws, tells us that [Page 8] the Hebrews gave the Cities of the Priests, who profest the Law, preference to all o­thers, yea, moreover, that the Towns of Sacrifice were held to be more Religious than any besides.

And it's easie enough to conceive, that Religion and Goodness should thrive most in those Places, where they have the Ad­vantage to be recommended daily by Pre­cept and Example, Custom and general Approbation.

Where shall we seek Wisdom? Where shall we find Understanding, but in the Schools of the Prophets? Where shall we find Devotion, if not in Synagogues and Houses of Prayer? Where shall we meet the Divine Presence, but between the Che­rubins, the Place where his Honour dwells?

Thus in the Judgment of the Jews, Places of Religion and beneficial Converse, have a mighty Power in forming Mens Manners, and governing the Actions of ther Lives; yea, we find that they were so preju­dic'd against those little Towns and Vil­lages where were no Synagogues, and Pla­ces for Sacrifice, that they would not ad­mit [Page 9] any good Thing could be done in them, or any good Man come from them.

And this was one Reason (though not to be justified) our Blessed Saviour himself found so little Favour from his Country-Men, because of the Obscurity and Igno­bleness of the Place of his Birth.

Hence came those reproachful Reflections of the Pharisees and their Admirers.John 7.41.52. Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Look and see; For out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet.

A Country so poor and despis'd, never yet sent a Man forth endued with the Spirit of Prophecy, and now they believe it ne­ver would.

Nay, honest Nathanael, who for his Plainness and Simplicity, was so belov'd of our Saviour, that he gave him the Chara­cter of an Israelite indeed, and without guile;John 1.47. was notwithstanding so prejudic'd against the City of our Blessed Lord; that when Philip invited him to see the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Joseph, he forthwith makes this Reply,John 1.45.46. Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?

For to come from Nazareth was a Prover­bial [Page 10] Kind of Saying for a Man that was useless, and good for nothing: especially amongst the Men of that Generation, who ador'd only the Pomp and Splendour of Riches, allowing few for Wise and Pru­dent besides the rich and prosperous; nor any for Good, but such as were very Great in the World.

Mat. 23.2That who sate in Moses's Chair were re­solv'd to keep their Seat; wherefore to se­cure Reverence to themselves, the scat­ter'd amongst the People such Sayings as these.

That the Spirit of Wisdom rests not up­on the Heads of Poor Men.

That the Rich and Mighty upon Earth are the Favourites of Heaven; so that ac­cording to their Scheme, if a Man be shat­ter'd in his Fortunes, or however brought into Poverty and Contempt, no more adoe but write upon his Doors,Psal. 71.11. Forsaken of God, take him and persecute him, for there is none to deliver him.

These were the Men who stumbled at the Humility of the Messiah when he came amongst 'em; for they said, as it was prophe­sied [Page] of them,Isa. 53.2, 3. He hath no form nor comeli­ness, and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.

The Place of his Birth and Parentage were such stumbling-Blocks in their way, that they scorn'd to receive Rules of Life, or be taught Civility and good Manners from the Carpenter's Son.

To their great Sanhedrim, which consisted of Rulers, Judges, Priests, and Chief of the People, they fix'd the Shecinah, the Divine Presence, yea the Spirit of Judgment they so appropriated to themselves, that if any would seek for Instruction, it must be in their Courts and Consistories, and not a­mongst poor Plebeians in the Sea-Port-Towns of Galilee.

This that I have said, shews that the In­stances of Piety and Wisdom were rare and unfrequent in the mean and contempti­ble Parts of Galilee, but doth on no hand justifie the Infidelity of the Jewish Nation in rejecting the Messiah, that Mighty Pro­phet, who was born there; nor should a­ny Man of true Worth and Greatness, be despis'd in the World, purely for the Ob­scurity [Page] of his House and Family, and Place of his Birth. And this brings me to the second thing I propose to treat of, Namely,

II That Religion and Virtue doth Honour to a Country, and reflects a Reputation to the Place of a Man's Birth: The Lord shall rehearse it when he writes up the peo­ple, that this man was born in her.

It was common to the Jews, to inroll the Names and Doings of their Worthies, in some publick Court of Record, that they should live to Posterity, and that Ge­nerations to come, might call them blessed. To this the Psalmist alludes when he saith, The Lord shall write up the people.

And not unlike to this was the Usage of the Primitive Times of Christianity, who inserted into the Dyptichs of the Church, the Mar­tyrs and Confessors of the Faith; and then at the celebration of the Eucharist recited their Virtues, with their Names and Countries.

I acknowledge no Place of it self is capa­ble of Respect and Honour, further than it's related to such Men, whose Merits and glorious Atcheivements have given it Credit.

[Page 11]For what Reputation can a City or Coun­try have more, than that it hath been the Birth-Place of some of the Worthies of the World, or those of whom the World was not worthy?

All the Reputation of a City or Pro­vince, is, that it hath a Place in History, that it lives in the Archieves and Registry of time, that it shall be talk'd of with Love and Delight, and mention'd with Esteem to the World's End; and this is the Credit good Men do to their Country, and the Place of their Birth; and upon the Score of Vertue, there's a Respect due to them both, if we shall appeal,

First, To the general Sense of Mankind; 1 Or,

Secondly, Consider the Natural tenden­cy 2 of Vertue it self.

First. It hath been the general Opinion 1 of Mankind, Jews, Pagans, Turks and Chri­stians, and their Practice confirms it, that there's an Honour due to such who have been the Authors of any public Good to the World; their Memories they have cele­brated [Page 12] with Praise, and registred the Land of their Nativity.

The antient Jews ever preserv'd a great Esteem of the Towns and Countries, Hou­ses and Dwelling [...] of their Patriarchs and Prophets; Chaldea was celebrated for the Country of Abraham; and Zoar (tho' a little one) for the City of Lot's deliverance.

Whenever they recited the Deeds of their Ancestors, 'twas commonly after this Manner, Let his Name be blessed, and his Memory abide to the Life of the World to come: From the Jews it's probable was this de­riv'd to the Gentiles, who instituted Feasts to the Honour of their Gods, and held the Places in Reverence that gave them Life.

Whenever they talk of their Founders of Cities, their Restorers of Liberties, their Generals and Leaders of Armies, their in­spir'd Poets and Oratours, they are sure to mention the Nation and Country whence they came, as if they lov'd the very Ground they trod, and fansied a peculiar Generousness in that Air where those He­roes breath'd.

[Page 13] Secondly, If we consider the Natural Ten­dency 2 of Vertue, it is to eternize the Names and Countries of Men.

The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance, Psal. 112.6 and the glory of his house shall not be forgot.

Indeed Men may set up their Names by Villanous Actions; they may be talk'd of when they are dead, for Fools and Knaves, Tyrants, Oppressors, Murderers and De­stroyers of Mankind, and of such it's said oftimes in Contempt, Loe, there was his Dwelling, the Possession of Fraud and Vio­lence; Loe, there his Folly and the Place of his Birth; but to be buried in everlasting Obscurity, is better by far; yea, what our Saviour said to Judas may be applied to such, it had been better for them if they had never been born.

Whereas in the Works of Righteousness and Goodness, there are the Seeds of Im­mortality, which though depress'd will spring again with a fresh Verdure, and out live all the Pleasures of Sin, which last but a Moment; in a Word, as Vertue and [Page 14] Righteousness, will embalm the Names of the Just, and make them fragrant to Posterity, so will they preserve the obscurest Parts of the Earth from Oblivion and Con­tempt.

True Worth and Religion will hallow a Cell, and ennoble a Cottage; when Wick­edness and Wrong will make the Rafters of the most stately Structure crack, force the very stone out of the wall to speak, and the beam out of the timber to answer it: Hab. 2.11, 12. Woe to him that builds a town with blood, and stablisheth a City by iniquity. Yea, it will it cause to be written upon its very Portico's and Gates, The Glory of this House is de­parted, and like Filth and Ordure, will stick upon the Walls, though cieled with Cedar, and painted with Vermillion. So then as long as there's any Sence of true Honour and Greatness, any Difference preserv'd be­twixt Good and Evil; good Men and the Place of their Birth, will live in Credit and Reputation; For of Zion it will be said, as long as the World stands, This and that man was born in her, and the most high shall establish her.

[Page 15]The Consideration of what hath been said, shou'd provoke us to a grateful Sense of the Mercies of God, who hath cast our Lot in a good Land, in a civiliz'd Nation, by the planting of the Christian Faith.

We were not born of Cannibals and Sa­vages, as many in the barbarous parts of the Earth, but of Christian Parents, who dedicated us to God betimes; and we have been ever since instructed in the Ways of the Lord, and taught the Judgments of our God.

Take away Religion, Laws, Institution of Behaviour, what a dismal Prospect wou'd be the Land of our Nativity? In a very little time, it is to be fear'd, we shou'd return to our primitive Barbarity; be as Rude in our Manners, as Idolatrous and Apish in our Worship, as our Saxon Proge­nitors were before us.

But bless'd be God, we have had both Place and Conversation to form our Man­ners aright, and conduct our Lives: Now if the Jews gloried in their great Towns and Cities, because they had Synagogues [Page 16] and Places of Sacrifice there, we have this ground of boasting all the Nation over: Every Parish amongst us in this Sense may be call'd a Jos. 21.16. Bethshemesh, the City of a Priest; and every Country Village hath its Syna­gogue, the House of Prayer and Sacrifice; so that if we wou'd attend the Offices of Devotion with a Zeal answerable to the wise Provision the Church hath made for us, our Prayers might come before God early in the Morning when we look up; and the lifting up of our Hands wou'd be as surely accepted as the Evening Sacrifice: if we are not wanting to our selves, we may know something of Religion, and be every one taught of God from the least to the greatest: But if we will not take the Advantages God affords us for the improving and bettering our selves, we can reasonably judge no otherwise, but that as our Sins are aggravated, so our Stripes will be increas'd and multiply'd; For he that knew his master's will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; and to him that knows to do Good (or may know if he pleases) and doth it [Page 17] not, to him it is Sin; it is Sin with a Wit­ness.

However, as a Testimony of our Gra­titude to God for the Honour of our Birth, and the Advantage of Education, let me re­commend but these two things.

First, To keep a warm, lively Sence of I God and Religion upon your Minds, ac­knowledging him in all your Ways, so shall he direct your Paths.

To live without God in the World is our degeneracy in the highest Measure and Proportion.

To alienate our selves from him by wick­ed Works, is the worst sort of Sacrilege we can commit; for our reasonable Souls are Gods Peculiar, made for him, and fit­ted to attend upon him; fix therefore up­on that as the greatest Credit to any Na­tion or Country that leads us to God, and makes us most acceptable to him.

In the last Place, as a farther Testimony II of our Gratitude, let's be ready and pre­par'd [Page 18] to every good Thing, provoking one another to Love and good Works.

For in Truth, if it were not upon the Account of Friendship and Charity, this Day's Meeting were an unlawful Assembly, little better than a Rout or a Riot, in the common Sense and Construction of the Law; but Piety and Charity will sanctifie an Assembly, and make your Meeting to­gether for the better, and not for the worse.

That therefore I wou'd leave with you (my Friends and Country-Men) is, as to promote Friendship and Kindness among your selves, so to let your poor Country-Men taste the Effects of your Liberality and Bounty towards them.

Ye of this Society and County, with­out Ostentation be it said, have made the best improvement of these Feasts of Chari­ty of any other in the Nation besides.

How many poor Children have been fetch'd from the Towns and Villages where ye were born, and put to honest Callings in this City; so that from being reliev'd themselves, in a little time have been [Page 19] made capable of relieving and comforting others.

This is an excellent sort of Charity, and the good Effects of it are conspicuous in every Age.

How many began in this great City in as mean Circumstances as those who wear the Liveries and Badges of your Charity this Day?

And who knows but those poor Children may have such Seeds of Vertue in their Na­tures, that in a little time they may exchange their Places for yours, and be as useful in the times to come as you have been in the Generations before them.

For this is no Reflexion upon any Man; nay it's so far from it, that it is much to a Man's Credit, when his Parts and Prudence with the blessing of God, and not his Paternal Inheritance hath made Rich.

Abundant Examples there are of such who from a small Figure once, have arriv'd to the chief Magistracy of this City; and of others who from Schools and Hospi­tals of Religion and Learning, have in [Page 20] time arriv'd to be useful and considerable Men in Church and State.

It is inglorious only to grow Great by Frauds and Perjuries, Extortion or Oppres­sion, or to thrive by any Sin: But it is no way infamous from Low Beginnings to take one's Rise, while Sobriety and Hone­sty, Diligence and Industry, are the Means to Advancement.

The Heathens, who made Honour a Goddess, however they did in that, yet did wisely in this, that they made Vertue the Step to her Altars, and wou'd allow none for Men of Honour, who had not first been the Sons of Wis­dom.

We may indeed be thought to move counter to the Custom of the World, if we take these Steps: But assure your selves, that they who take others, will find in the End that they made more haste than good speed.

Let the World judge Things as they please, yet upon this you may depend, that nothing but Religion and Piety, Justice and Charity will reflect a Reputation upon you [Page 21] and your Country: For never any, I believe, whether Philosophers or Heralds, who have treated, [...], of Dignity of Birth, or Titles of Honour, but made Virtue a constitutive Part of true Greatness and Gentility.

The Children of God were Zion's Crown and Glory: This was her boasting, that the Servants of God were born in her.

In the Gospel, Bethsaida of Galilee is fam'd for little else but the Birth-Place of Peter, Andrew, and Philip, the Disciples of the Lord.

How many Towns and Villages in Africk, and other Parts of the Earth, of whom there's nothing remains, but that they were the Seats and Habitations of some Ancient Bishops, Martyrs, and Confessors of the Christian Faith.

[Page 22]Nor have the Pagans been backward to pay all Respect to the Birth-Place of their Worthies.

Seven Towns, we are told, contested the Honour of Homer's Birth.

And when Alexander came against Thebes, sack'd the City, and sold the Citizens to the Number of Thirty Thousand, yet he re­member'd poor Pindar's House, and Off-Spring, and excepted them the Common Calamity,Plut. in vit. Alexandri. out of Respect to his Name and Memory.

Tully in his Book against Verres, tells us, that when he, with his wicked Complices, lay'd their Sacrilegious Hands upon the Gods, and the Sacred Things of the Tem­ple at Delphos; the Inhabitants were much inraged for the Sake of the Religion, and Antiquity of the Place, and adds besides, that the Persians, when they over-ran Greece, and threatned Destruction to the Gods and [Page 23] their Worshippers, yet in the midst of their Millitary Rage and Sanguine Zeal, spar'd Delos, because 'twas the Birth-Place of Apol­lo, the God of Wisdom and Eloquence.

Nay, on the contrary, we read how Infamous some Places have been, for the Sins of the Natives there.

Tire and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorra are stigmatiz'd in Sacred History for Glutto­ny, and fulness of Bread, for their great Contempt of God and Religion.

Crete is branded for Lying and Deceit, for Inhumanity and Cruelty, Titus 1.12. St. Paul quotes it out of one of their own Prophets (so they are call'd who had the Poetic Fury) The Cretians are always lyars, evil beasts, slow-bellies.

To conclude therefore, if we have any Love of God, any Respect to our Na­tive Country, any Value for the Memory of our Friends, Let's resolve to devote our [Page 24] selves to the Service of God, and to serve one another by Love.

And now since we are returning to the Amicable Enjoyment one of another, in the House of Feasting, let there be no Spots in your Feasts of Love, let Charity be the chief Steward, and Sobriety the Ornament of your Guests: Then that Saying of the Preacher may take Place, Ecclesiastes 9.7, 8. Let thy garments be always white, and let thy head lack no ointment.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God accepts thy work.