A27017:1040
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 3
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.
So that Examination containeth several Acts: 1. There must be the Trial of the Physical Truth or Sincerity of our Acts; That is, An enquiry after the very Being of them: As whether there be such an Act as Belief, or Desire, or Love to God, within us, or not? This must be discovered by Conscience, and the internal sense of the Soul, whereby it is able to feel and perceive its own Acts, and to know whether they be Real or Counterfeit.
So that Examination containeth severall Acts: 1. There must be the Tryal of the Physical Truth or Sincerity of our Acts; That is, An enquiry after the very Being of them: As whether there be such an Act as Belief, or Desire, or Love to God, within us, or not? This must be discovered by Conscience, and the internal sense of the Soul, whereby it is able to feel and perceive its own Acts, and to know whether they be Real or Counterfeit.
2. The next is, The Trial of the Moral Truth or Sincerity of our Acts: Whether they are such as agree with the Rule and the Nature of their Objects. This is the discursive work of Reason, comparing our Acts with the Rule: It implieth the former knowledge of the Being of our Acts; and it implieth the knowledge of Scripture in the point in question; and also the Belief of the Truth of Scripture. This Moral, Spiritual Truth of our Acts, is another thing, far different from the Natural or Physical Truth, as far as a Mans Being differeth from his Honesty. One man loveth his wife under the notion of an harlot, or only to satisfy his lust; Another loveth his wife with a true Conjugal Affection: The former is True Physical Love, or true in point of Being; but the latter only is True Moral Love. The like may be said in regard of all the Acts of the Soul: There is a Believing, Loving, Trusting, Fearing, Rejoicing, all True in point of Being, and not counterfeit, which yet are all false in point of Morality and right-being, and so no gracious Acts at all.
2. The next is, The Tryal of the Moral Truth or Sincerity of our Acts: Whether they are such as agree with the Rule and the Nature of their Objects. This is the discursive work of Reason, comparing our Acts with the Rule: It implyeth the former knowledg of the Being of our Acts; and it implyeth the knowledg of Scripture in the point in question; and also the Belief of the Truth of Scripture. This Moral, Spiritual Truth of our Acts, is another thing, far different from the Natural or Physical Truth, as far as a Mans Being differeth from his Honesty. One man loveth his wife under the notion of an harlot, or only to satisfie his lust; Another loveth his wife with a true Conjugal Affection: The former is True Physical Love, or true in point of Being; but the latter only is True Moral Love. The like may be said in regard of all the Acts of the Soul: There is a Believing, Loving, Trusting, Fearing, Rejoycing, all True in point of Being, and not counterfeit, which yet are all false in point of Morality and right-being, and so no gracious Acts at all.