The Saints Everlasting Rest, Treatise 1 · Chapter 7 · Section 15
SECT. XV.
§ 15.7. WE shall then rest from all our dolorous houres, and sad thoughts which we now undergo,7From our participation of the sufferings of our Brethren. by participating with our Brethren in their Calamities. Alas if we had nothing upon our selves to trouble us, yet what heart could lay aside sorrows; that lives in the sound of the Churches sufferings? If Job had nothing upon his body to disquiet him, yet the message of his Childrens overthrow, must needs grieve the most patient soul. Except we are turned into steel or stone, and have lost both Christian and humane affection,Quibus est communis Amor, his idem dolor est commune malum. Nazianz. there needs no more then the miseries of our Brethren, to fill our hearts with successions of sorrows, and make our lives a continued lamentation. The Church on Earth is a meer Hospital, which way ever we go we hear complaining, and into what corner soever we cast our eyes, we behold objects of pity and grief: some groaning under a dark understanding, some under a senseless heart, some languishing under unfruitful weakness, and some bleeding for miscarriages and wilfulness: and some in such a Lethargy that they are past complaining: some crying out of their pining Poverty; some groaning under pains and Infirmities; and some bewailing a whole Catalogue of Calamities, especially in days of common Sufferings, when nothing appears to our sight, but ruine: Families ruined; Congregations ruined; Sumptuous Structures ruined; Cities ruined; Country ruined; Court ruined; Kingdoms ruined; Who we…ps not when all these bleed? As now our friends distresses are our distresses, so then our friends deliverance will be part of our own deliverance. How much more joyous now to Joyn with them in their days of Thanksgiving and gladness, then in the days of Humiliation in sackcloth and ashes? How much then more joyous will it be to joyn with them in their perpetual praises and triumphs, then to hear them bewailing now their wretchedness, their want of light, their want of life, of joy, of assurance, of grace, of Christ, of all things? How much more comfortable to see them perfected, then now to see them wounded, weak, sick, and afflicted? To stand by the bed of their languishing as silly comforters, being overwhelmed and silenced with the greatness of their griefs, conscious of our own disability to relieve them, scarce having a word of comfort to refresh them: or if we have, alas, they be but words, which are a poor relief, when their sufferings are real: Faine we would ease or help them, but cannot: all we can do, is to sorrow with them, which alas, doth rather increase their sorrows. Our day of Rest will free both them and us from all this. Now we may enter many a poor Christians cottage, and there see their Children ragged, their purse empty, their Cubbard empty, their belly empty, and poverty possessing and filling all: How much better is that day, when we shall see them filled with Christ, cloathed with Glory, and equalized with the richest and greatest Princes? O the sad and heart-piercing spectacles that mine eyes have seen in four yeers space! In this fight, a dear friend fall down by me; from another, a precious Christian brought home wounded or dead; scarce a monethmonth, scarce a week without the sight or noise of blood. Surely, there is none of this in Heaven. Our eyes shall then be filled no more, nor our hearts pierced with such lights as at Worcester, Edg-hil, Newbury, Nantwich, Montgomery, Horn Castle, York, Naseby, Langport, &c. We shall then have the conquest without the calamity. Mine eyes shall never more behold the Earth, covered with the carkasses of the slain. Our black Ribbands and mourning▪ Attire will then be turned into the white Robes and Garments of gladness. O, how hardly can my heart now hold, when I think of such, and such, and such a dear Christian Friend, slain or departed? O, how glad must the same heart needs be, when I see them all alive and glorified? But a far greater grief it is to our Spirits, to see the spiritual miseries of our Brethren: To see such a one with whom we took sweet councel, and who zealously joyned with us in Gods worship, to be now fallen off to sensuality, turned drunkard, worldling, or a persecutor of the Saints. And these trying times have given us too large occasion for such sorrows: To see our dearest and most intimate friends, to be turned aside from the Truth of Christ, and that either in or neer the Foundation; and to be raging confident in the grossest Errors? To see many neer us in the flesh continue their neglect of Christ and their souls, and nothing will waken them out of their security? To look an ungodly Father or Mother, Brother or Sister in the face? To look on a carnal Wife, or Husband, or Childe, or Friend? And to think, how certainly they shall be in Hell for ever, if they die in their present unregenerate estate? O what continual dolors do all these sad sights and thoughts, fill our hearts with from day to day. And will it not be a blessed day when we shall rest from all these? what Christian now is not in Pauls case, and cannot speak in his Language, 2 Cor. 11.28, 29. Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the Churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? What heart is not wounded to think on Germanies long desolations? O the learned Universities! The flourishing Churches there, that now are left desolate! Look on Englands four yeers blood, a flourishing Land almost made ruined; hear but the common voyce in most Cities, Towns, and Countreys through the Land; and judg whether here be no cause of sorrow. Especially, look but to the sad effects; and mens spirits grown more out of order, when a most wonderful Reformation, by such wonderful means might have been well expected: And is not this cause of astonishing sorrows? Look to Scotland; look to Ireland; look almost every where, and tell me what you see. Blessed that approaching day, when our eyes shall behold no more such sights; nor our ears hear any more such tidings. How many hundred Pamphlets are Printed, full of almost nothing, but the common calamities? So that its become a gainful trade to divulge the news of our Brethrens sufferings. And the fears for the future that possessed our hearts, were worse then all that we saw or suffered. O, the tidings that run from Edghil fight, of York fight, &c. How many a face did they make pale? and how many a heart did they astonish? nay have not many died with the fears of that, which if they had lived, they had neither suffered nor seen?Camer. in vit. Melancth. Its said of Melancthon, That the miseries of the Church made him almost neglect the death of his most beloved Children; to think of the Gospel departing, the Glory taken from Israel, our Sun setting at Noon day, poor souls left willingly dark and destitute, and with great pains and hazard blowing out the Light that should guide them to salvation: What sad thoughts must these be?See Neh. 1.4. and 2.3. To think of Christ removing his Family; taking away both worship and worshippers, and to leave the Land to the rage of the merciless. These were sad thoughts.Psal. 137. Who could then have taken the Harp in hand, or sung the pleasant Songs of Zion? Isai. 60.11, 12, 13, 14.But blessed be the Lord who hath frustrated our fears; and who will hasten that rejoycing day, when Sion shall be exalted above the Mountains; and her Gates shall be open day and night, and the glory of the Gentiles be brought into it; and the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve her, shall perish: When the sons of them that afflicted her, shall come bending unto her; and all they that despised her, shall bow themselves down at the soles of her feet;& 60.21, 22. and they shall call her, The City of the Lord, the Sion of the holy One of Israel. When her people also shall be all Righteous, even the Work of Gods hands, the Branch of his planting, who shall inherit the Land for ever, that he may be glorified.& 66.10, 11. When that voice shall sound forth, Rejoyce with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: Rejoyce for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the brests of her consolation; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. Thus shall we Rest from our participation of our Brethrens sufferings.