A27017:1115
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 10
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.
Because the Comfort of a Christians life doth so much consist in his Assurance of Gods Special Love, and because the right way of obtaining it is so much controverted of late, I will here proceed a little further in opening to you some other Hinderances which keep true Christians from Comfortable Certainty, besides the forementioned Errors in the Work of Examination: Though I would still have you remember and be sensible, That the neglect or slighty performance of that great duty, and not following on the search with Seriousness and Constancy, is ⟨p. 403⟩the most common Hinderance, for ought I have yet found.
Because the Comfort of a Christians life doth so much consist in his Assurance of Gods Special Love, and because the right way of obtaining it is so much controverted of late, I will here proceed a little further in opening to you some other Hinderances which keep true Christians from Comfortable Certainty, besides the forementioned Errors in the Work of Examination: Though I would still have you remember and be sensi•le, That the neglect or slighty performance of that great duty, and not following on the sea•ch with Seriousness and Constancy, is ⟨p. 403⟩the most common Hinderance, for ought I have yet found.
I shall add now these Ten more, which I find very ordinary Impediments, and therefore desire Christians more carefully to Consider and Beware of them.
1. One Common and great Cause of doubting and uncertainty, is, The weakness and small measure of our Graces. A little Grace is next to None. Small things are hardly discerned. He that will see a small needle, a hair, a mote, or atom, must have clear light and good eyes: But houses, and Towns, and Mountains are easily discerned. Most Christians content themselves with a small measure of Grace, and do not follow on to spiritual strength and manhood. They Believe so weakly, and Love God so little, that they can scarce find whether they Believe and Love at all. Like a man in a swoon, whose pulse and breathing is so weak and obscure, that it can hardly be perceived whether they move at all, and consequently, whether the man be alive or dead.