A27017:1048
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 4
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.
Also you may observe, that before we can come to this Certainty of the Conclusion, [That we are Justified, and shall be Glorified] there must be a Certainty of the Premises: And in respect of the Major Proposition [He that Believeth sincerely shall be Justified and Saved] there is requisite in us, 1. A Certainty of Knowledge, That such a Proposition is written in Scripture: 2. A Certainty of Assent or Faith, That this Scripture is the Word of God, and True. Also in respect of the Minor Proposition [But I do sincerely Believe, or Love, &c.] there is requisite, 1. A Certainty of the Truth of our Faith in point of Being: 2. And a Certainty of its Truth in ⟨p. 389⟩point of Morality, or Congruence with the Rule, or its Right-being. And then followeth Assurance, which is the Certainty that the Conclusion [Therefore I am Justified, &c.] followeth necessarily upon the former Premises.
Also you may observe, that before we can come to this Certainty of the Conclusion, [That we are Justified, and shall be Glorified] there must be a Certainty of the Premises: And in respect of the Major Proposition [He that Believeth sincerely shall be Justified and Saved] there is requisite in us, 1. A Certainty of Knowledg, That such a Proposition is written in Scripture: 2. A Certainty of Assent or Faith, That this Scripture is the Word of God, and True. Also in respect of the Minor Proposition [But I do sincerely Believe, or Love, &c.] there is requisite, 1. A Certainty of the Truth of our Faith in point of Being: 2. And a Certainty of its Truth in ⟨p. 389⟩point of Morality, or Congruence with the Rule, or its Right-being. And then followeth Assurance, which is the Certainty that the Conclusion [Therefore I am Justified, &c.] followeth necessarily upon the former Premises.
*Here also you must carefully distinguish betwixt the several degrees of Assurance. All Assurance is not of the highest degree. It differs in strength according to the different degrees of Apprehension in all the forementioned Points of Certainty which are necessary thereunto. He that can truly raise the foresaid Conclusion [That he is Justified, &c.] from the Premises, hath some degree of Assurance; though he do it with much weakness, and staggering, and doubting. The weakness of our Assurance in any one point of the premises, will accordingly weaken our Assurance in the Conclusion.