Baxter - BV4831 84 F3 1830

Chap. 3.] THE SAINTS' REST. 49 were, to behold him, when they remembered their former unkind usage. Is it not enough that all the world is against us, but we must also be against oneanother ? Ohappydays of persecution, which drove us together in love, whom the sunshine of liberty and prosperity crumbles into dust by our contentions ! 0 happy day of the saints' rest in glory, when, as there is one God, one Christ, one Spirit, so we shall haveone heart, one church, one employment for ever! We shall then rest from our participation of our bre- thren's sufferings. The church on earth is a mere hospital ! Some groaning under a dark understanding, some under an insensible heart, some languishing under unfruitful weakness, and some bleeding for miscarriages and wilful- ness; some crying out oftheir poverty, some groaningunder pains and infirmities, and some bewailing a whole cata- logue of calamities. But a far greater grief it is, to see our dearest and most intimate friends turned aside from the truth of Christ, continuing their neglect of Christ and their souls, and nothing will awaken them out of their security : to look on an ungodly father or mother, brother or sister, wife or husband, child or friend, and think how certainly they shall be in hell for ever, if they die in their present unregenerate state; to think of the Gospel departing, the glory taken from our Israel, poor souls left willingly dark and destitute, and blowing out the light that should guide them to salvation ! Our day of rest will free us from all this, and the days of mourning shall be ended; then thy people, OLord, shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of thy planting, the work of thy hands, that thou mayest be glorified. Then we shall rest from all our own personal sufferings. This may seem asmall thing to those that live in ease and prosperity; but to the dailyafflicted soul, it makes the thoughtsof heaven delight- ful. 0 the dying life we now live ! as full ofsufferings as of days andhours ! Our Redeemer leaves this measure of mi- seryupon us, to make us know for what we are beholden, to mind us of what we should else forget, to be serviceable to bis wise and gracious designs, and advantageous to our full and final recovery. Grief enters at every sense, seizes every part and power of flesh and spirit. What noble part is there, that suffereth its pain or ruin alone ? But sin and flesh, dust and pain, will all be left behind together. O the 3

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