A27017:1116
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 11
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. XI.
2. Another Cause of uncomfortable living is,1 That Christians look more at their present Cause of Comfort or Discomfort, ⟨p. 404⟩then they do at their Future Happiness,2 and the way to attain it. They look after Signs which may tell them what they are, more then they do at Precepts which tell them what they should do. They are very desirous to know whether they are Justified and beloved or not; but they do not think what course they should take to be Justified, if they be not. As if their present Case must needs be their Everlasting Case; and if they be now unpardoned, there were no Remedy. Why I beseech thee consider this, Oh doubting Soul: What if all were as b•d as thou dost fear? and none of thy sins were yet pardoned? Is not the Remedy at hand? May not all this be done in a moment? Dost thou not know that thou mayst have Christ and pardon when ever thou wilt? Call not this a loose or strange doctrine. Christ is willing if thou be willing. He offereth himself and all his benefits to thee: He presseth them on thee, and urgeth thee to accept them: He will condemn thee and destroy thee if thou wilt not accept them. Why dost thou therefore stand whining and complaining that thou art not Pardoned and Adopted, when thou shouldst take them being offered thee? Were he not mad that would lie weeping and wringing his hands, because he is not pardoned, when his Prince stands by all the while offering him a pardon, and entreating; and threatening, and persuading, and correcting him, and all to make him take it? What would you say to such a man? Would you not chide him for his folly, and say, If thou wouldst have Pardon and Life, why dost thou not take it? Why then do you not say the like to your selves? Know ye not that Pardon and Adoption are offered you only on the Condition of your Believing? And this Believing is nothing else but the Accepting of Christ for thy Lord and Saviour, as he is offered to thee with his benefits in the Gospel: And this Accepting is principally (if not only) the Act of thy Will. So that if thou be willing to have Christ upon his own terms, that is, to Save and Rule thee, then thou art a Believer: Thy willingness is thy Faith. And if thou have Faith, thou hast the surest of all Evidences. Justifying Faith is not thy Persuasion of Gods special Love to thee, or of thy Justification; but thy Accepting Christ to make thee Just and Lovely.