A27017:1022
The Saints' Everlasting Rest
The saints everlasting rest, or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory wherein is showed its excellency and certainty, the misery of those that lose it, the way to attain it, and assurance of it, and how to live in the continual delightful forecasts of it and now published by Richard Baxter ...The saints everlasting rest, or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory wherein is shewed its excellency and certainty, the misery of those that lose it, the way to attain it, and assurance of it, and how to live in the continual delightful forecasts of it and now published by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by Rob. White for Thomas Underhil and Francis Tyton, 1650
THE SAINTS Everlasting REST. PART. III. › Chapter 7 › Section 1
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1I Now proceed to the third Use which we shall raise hence; and because it is of exceeding great importance to thy Soul, I entreat thee to read it the more diligently, and weigh it the more seriously.
1I Now proceed to the third Use which we shall raise hence; and because it is of exceeding great importance to thy Soul, I intreat thee to read it the more diligently, and weigh it the more seriously.
- 1§. 1.
Is there such a Glorious Rest so near at hand? and shall none enjoy it but the People of God? What mean the most of the world then, to live so contentedly without assurance of their interest in this Rest? and to neglect the trying of their title to it? When the Lord hath so fully opened the Blessedness of that Kingdom, which none but a little flock of obedient Believers shall possess, and so fully expressed those torments which all the rest of the world must eternally suffer, a man would think now, That they that believe this to be certainly true, should never be at any quiet in themselves, till they knew which of these must be their own state, and were fully assured that they were Heirs of the Kingdom! Most men that I meet with say, they believe this Word of God to be true; How then can they sit still in such an utter uncertainty, whether ever they shall live in Rest, or not? One would think they should run up and down from Minister ⟨p. 381⟩to Minister, enquiring, How shall I know whether I shall live in Heaven or Hell? and that they should even think themselves half in Hell, till they were sure to scape it, and to be possessed of Rest. Lord, what a wonderful strange madness is this? that men who look daily when sickness summons them, and death calls them away, and know they must presently enter upon unchangeable Joy or Pain, should yet live as uncertain what shall be their doom, as if they had never heard of any such State? yea and live as quietly and as merrily in this uncertainty, as if all were made sure, and nothing ailed them, and there were no danger? Are these men alive or dead? Are they waking, or are they asleep? What do they think on? Where are their hearts? If they have but a weighty Suit at Law, how careful are they to know whether it will go with them or against them? If they were to be tried for their lives at an earthly Judicature, how careful would they be to know whether they should be saved or condemned? especially if their care might surely save them? If they be dangerously sick, they will enquire of the Physician, What think you Sir, shall I scape or no? But for the business of their Salvation, they are content to be uncertain. If you ask most men a reason of their hopes to be saved, they will say it is because God is merciful, and Christ dyed for sinners, and the like general reasons, which any man in the world may give as well as they: