One would think that light should follow darkness, and day succeed the night, that though sorrow continue all the night, yet joy should come in the morning, that after wounding we should have healing, and after sickness, health. So they promised themselves (Hos. 6.1.) Come, and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us, he hath smitten, and he will bind us up: yet many have felt, wounding after wounds, and smiting after blows; darkness hath stepped after darkness, and their sorrow hath had a succession of greater sorrows. It was a special favour to Paul, when Epaphroditus was restored (Phil. 2.27.) He was sick nigh unto death, but (saith he) God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also; and why? Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. God would not do what some of his enemies thought to do, add affliction to his bonds; therefore he healed Pauls helper, and kept him alive, in whom he so much delighted. Sorrow upon sorrow is a mournful bearing, yet many a precious Saint hath born that coat. The promise to the Church is, That her peace shall be as a river, and her prosperity as the waves of the sea (Isa. 66.12.) When the Church shall come to her full beauty, and attain a perfect restoration, then her peace shall be a continued peace, she shall have peace upon peace, everlasting successions of peace; a river, being supplied, and fed with a constant stream, the waters that flow to day, will flow again to morrow; peace like a river is peace, peace, or perpetual peace. Scions peace shall not be as a land-flood, soon up, and as soon down again, but as a river, and (which yet heightens it) her prosperity shall be as the waves of the sea. If the wind do but stir upon the face of the sea, you shall ⟨p. 558⟩have wave upon wave, waves rolling and riding one upon the back of another. Such shall be the prosperity of Zion on earth for a time, and such it will be for ever in heaven: there peace shall be as a river to eternity, and prosperity as the waves of the sea, joy upon joy, and comfort upon comfort, riding and rolling one upon the back of another. As it shall be thus with the peace of the Church at last: so it may be with the afflictions of the Church, or of any member of the Church at present. Their afflictions may be as a river, and their sorrows as the waves of the sea, coming on again and again, renewed as often as abated.
One would think that light should follow darknesse, and day succeed the night, that though sorrow continue all the night, yet joy should come in the morning, that after wounding we should have healing, and after sicknesse, health. So they promised themselves (Hos. 6.1.) Come, and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us, he hath smitten, and he will binde us up: yet many have felt, wounding after wounds, and smiting after blows; darknesse hath stept after darknesse, and their sorrow hath had a succession of greater sorrows. It was a speciall favour to Paul, when Epaphroditus was restored (Phil. 2.27.) He was sick nigh unto death, but (saith he) God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also; and why? Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. God would not do what some of his enemies thought to do, adde affliction to his bonds; therefore he healed Pauls helper, and kept him alive, in whom he so much delighted. Sorrow upon sorrow is a mournfull bearing, yet many a precious Saint hath born that coat. The promise to the Church is, That her peace shall be as a river, and her prosperity as the waves of the sea (Isa. 66.12.) When the Church shall come to her full beauty, and attain a perfect restauration, then her peace shall be a continued peace, she shall have peace upon peace, everlasting successions of peace; a river, being supplied, and fed with a constant stream, the waters that flow to day, will flow again to morrow; peace like a river is peace, peace, or perpetuall peace. Sions peace shall not be as a land-floud, soon up, and as soon down again, but as a river, and (which yet heightens it) her prosperity shall be as the waves of the sea. If the winde do but stir upon the face of the sea, you shall ⟨p. 558⟩have wave upon wave, waves rolling and riding one upon the back of another. Such shall be the prosperity of Zion on earth for a time, and such it will be for ever in heaven: there peace shall be as a river to eternity, and prosperity as the waves of the sea, joy upon joy, and comfort upon comfort, riding and rolling one upon the back of another. As it shall be thus with the peace of the Church at last: so it may be with the afflictions of the Church, or of any member of the Church at present. Their afflictions may be as a river, and their sorrows as the waves of the sea, coming on again and again, renewed as often as abated.
