A27017:1024
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.
But put them to prove their special interest in Christ, and in the special saving Mercy of God, and they can say nothing to the purpose at all; or at least nothing out of their hearts and experience, but only out of their reading or invention. Men are desirous to know all things, save God and themselves: They will travel over Sea and Land to know the situation of Countries, and the Customs of the World: They will go to Schools and Universities, and turn over multitudes of books, and read and study from year to year, to know the creatures, and to be excellent in the Sciences; They will go apprentice seven years to learn a trade which they may live by here: And yet they never read the book of Conscience, nor study the state of their own Souls, that they may make sure of living for ever. If God should ask them for their Souls, as he did Cain for his brother Abel, they could return but such an Answer as he did: If God or man should say to them, What case is thy Soul in, man? Is it regenerate, and sanctified, and pardoned, or no? Is it in a state of life, or a state of death? He would be ready ⟨p. 380⟩[…] ⟨p. 381⟩[…] ⟨p. 382⟩to say, I know not: Am I my Souls keeper? I hope well; I trust God with my Soul, and trouble not my self with any such thoughts: I shall speed as well as other men do; and so I will put it to the venture: I thank God I never made any doubt of my Salvation. Answ. Thou hast the more cause to doubt a great deal, because thou never didst doubt: and yet more, because thou hast been so careless in thy confidence. What do these expressions discover, but a wilful neglect of thy own Salvation? As a shipmaster that should let his Vessel alone, and mind other matters, and say, I will venture it among the rocks, and sands, and gulfs, and waves, and winds; I will never trouble my self to know whether it shall come safe to the harbour; I will trust God with it; it will speed as well as other mens Vessels do. Indeed as well as other mens that are as careless and Idle, but not so well as other mens that are diligent and watchful. What horrible abuse of God is this, for men to pretend that they trust God with their Souls, for to cloak their own wilful negligence! If thou didst truly Trust God, thou wouldst also be ruled by him, and trust him in that way which he hath appointed thee, and upon those terms which he hath promised to help thee on.