The Burning of London, Part 4 · Discourse 11
DISCOURSE XI. Of neer Relations and Friends, being greater comforts each to other, than they had wont to be.
ONe of the beſt waies that I know for the great loſs ſuſtained by the late Fire (and all other temporal loſſes to be made up to us, is, by promoting a Brief (as it were) amongſt relations and friends (if it may take) to contribute to the reparation each of other: which may ſeem a great paradox; that thoſe who have been mutual and joynt-ſufferers, ſhould be recruited by a collection made amongſt themſelves. But ſo it is, the wives may greatly help to repair what their huſbands have loſt; husbands what their wives: children the loſſes of their parents; and parents the loſſes of their children; ſervants the loſſes of their maſters, &c. My meaning is, let each of theſe, give themſelves to be more uſeful and comfortable each to other in the relation, in which they ſtand one to another, and the contribution they ſhall make in ſo doing, will be very conſiderable; even in proportion to ſo great a loſs. The comfort or diſcomfort of a relation (ſuch as it may be) may ſignifie more than the gaining or loſing a great part of an eſtate, if not the whole. How many good parents would chearfully part with more than half of their eſtates, on condition they might be able to ſay of ſome one or more of their bad children, as that father of his returning prodigal? Luke 15.24. This my ſon was dead, and is alive; was loſt, and is found. The miſerable conſequences of this dolefulleſt of fears, never coſt ſome parents half thoſe ſighs and tears, that the miſcarriages of ſome one childe hath done: nor would it refreſh them ſo much to ſee London once again in its former glory, as to ſee their children brought into an eſtate of grace. When parents have been for ſeveral years together (as it were) in the pangs of a travelling woman, which is the Apoſtles metaphor, (foreign) What would they not give to be delivered, and to ſee the travel of their ſouls? Let children that were formerly otherwiſe, but become humble, ſerious, contented, diligent, dutiful, and above all, truly religious, evidencing the power of godlineſs to be in them; their parents that are ſuch, will eaſily acknowledge that God hath given them more in their children, than he took from them out of their eſtates, though they loſt many thouſands by the fire. If ever children that have almoſt broke their parents hearts, may ſo time their Reformation and Repentance, as to do their parents as much good as they have done them hurt, now is the time; if they ſhall labour to comfort them after ſo great a loſs, by giving them occaſion to celebrate their birth-day, (I mean the day of their new birth) whilſt they are yet in mourning for the deſtruction of London. Surely the ſoul of a childe to a religious parent is more than the glory of a City.
Can yoke fellows do nothing towards repairing the loſſes each of other? What if husbands and wives ſhould more ſtudy and practice the duties of their reſpective relations? what if they ſhould pleaſe each other more for their good, to edification? what if there ſhould be a mutuall contention between them, which ſhould love and oblige the other moſt, and no contention but that? what if they ſhould bear more with each others infirmities, and ſeek the comfort of each others lives, as of their own? what if they ſhould ſtrive which of them ſhould bear the loſs moſt patiently, and moſt Chriſtian-like, and ſhould moſt comply with the law of their new and mean condition? what if bad husbands ſhould henceforth become good, and good husbands better, and wives the like; would it no waies compenſate the loſs which hath been ſuſtained? Surely it would very much; yea, thoſe that know how great a croſs ſome maſters have had, and have in their ſervants, what with ſtubbornneſs, negligence, unfaithfulneſs, & other ill qualities; eſpecially thoſe that have matters of great truſt to employ them in, cannot but think it would greatly comfort them after their loſſes, if thoſe ſervants of theirs, Oneſimus-like, ſhould of unprofitable become profitable, and of rebels converts. If every family were furniſhed with loving yoke-fellows, carrying (as it were) one ſoul in two bodies, dutiful and gracious children, diligent and faithful ſervants, ſhould they weare, and fare, much more meanly than they did heretofore, yet would their lives be much more happie than they had wont to be. If there be any Relations ſo bad they cannot mend (as I hope there is not) or any ſo good they need not mend (which I very much doubt) this counſel doth not concern them: but if neither, then is it a good expedient for every family in ſome meaſure to repaire their loſſes by; and how do I wiſh it may be put in practice?
Lord thou haſt told us that a brother is born for adverſity. Prov. 17.17. ſo is a husband, a wife, a parent, a childe. Grant Lord, that we may all walk in the ſeveral relations in which we ſtand, ſo like perſons born or cut out for ſuch a time of adverſitie as this, that we may help to make up that breach each for other, which thy righteous hand hath made upon us all.