A27017:105
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
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.
SECT. V.
5. Here is presupposed,1 not only a distance from this Rest, but also the true knowledge of this distance: If a man have lost his way, and know it not, he seeks not to return; If he lose his gold, and know it not, he seeks it not. Therefore they that never knew they were without God, never yet enjoyed him; and they that never knew they were naturally and actually in the way to Hell, did never yet know the way to Heaven. Nay, there will not only be a knowledge of this distance, and lost estate, but also affections answerable: Can a man be brought to find himself hard by the brink of hell, and not tremble? or to find he hath lost his God, and his Soul, and not cry out, I am undone? Or, can such a stupid Soul be so recovered? This is the sad case of many thousands; and the reason why so few obtain this Rest: They will not be convinced, or made sensible, that they are, in point of title, distant from it; and, in point of practice, contrary to it. They have lost their God, their Souls, their Rest, and do not know it; nor will believe him that tells them so. Who ever travelled towards a place, which he thought he was at already? or sought for that which he knew not he had lost? The whole need not the Physician, but they that are sick, Mat. 9.12.
5. HEre is presupposed,1 not onely a distance from this Rest, but also the true knowledg of this distance: If a man have lost his way, and know it not, he seeks not to return; If he lose his gold, and know it not, he seeks it not. Therefore they that never knew they were without God, never yet enjoyed him; and they that never knew they were naturally and actually in the way to Hell, did never yet know the way to Heaven. Nay, there will not onely be a knowledg of this distance, and lost estate, but also affections answerable: Can a man be brought to finde himself hard by the brink of hell, and not tremble? or to finde he hath lost his God, and his Soul, and not cry out, I am undone? Or, can such a stupid Soul be so recovered? This is the sad case of many thousands; and the reason why so few obtain this Rest: They will not be convinced, or made sensible, that they are, in point of title, distant from it; and, in point of practice, contrary to it. They have lost their God, their Souls, their Rest, and do not know it; nor will beleeve him that tells them so. Who ever travelled towards a place, which he thought he was at already? or sought for that which he knew not he had lost? The whole need not the Physician, but they that are sick,