A27017:1139
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 18
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.
These three ways doth this Laziness debar us of our Comforts.
1. By stopping the Fountain, and causing Christ to withhold this blessing from us.1 Parents use not to smile upon children in their neglects and disobedience. So far as the Spirit is Grieved, he will suspend his Consolations. Assurance and Peace are Christ's great Encouragements to faithfulness and obedience: And therefore (though our Obedience do not Merit them, yet) they usually rise and fall with our Diligence in duty. They that have entertained the Antinomian dotages to cover their Idleness and Viciousness, may talk their non-sence against this at pleasure; but the laborious Christian knows it by experience. As prayer must have Faith and Fervency to procure its success, besides the Bloodshed and Intercession of Christ, (Jam. 5.15, 16.) so must all other parts of our Obedience. He that will say to us in that Triumphing day, Well Done Good and Faithful Servant, &c. Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord! Will also clap his Servants upon the back in their most Affectionate and Spiritual Duties, and say, Well Done Good and Faithful Servant, take this Fore-taste of thy Everlasting Joy. If thou grow seldom and customary, and cold in Duty, especially in thy secret Prayers to God, and yet findest no abatement in thy Joys, I cannot but fear, that thy Joys are either Carnal or Diabolical.
- 1See Dr Sibs Souls Conflict. pag. 480, 481.
2. Grace is never apparent and sensible to the Soul but while it is in Action: Therefore want of Action must needs cause want of Assurance: Habits are not felt immediately, but by the freeness and facility of their Acts: Of the very Being of the Soul it self, nothing is felt or perceived (if any more Be) but only its Acts. The fire that lieth still in the flint is neither seen nor felt; but when you smite it, and force it into Act, it is easily discerned. The greatest Action doth force the greatest Observation; whereas the dead or unactive are not remembered or taken notice of. Those that have long lain still in their graves are out of mens thoughts as well as their sight; but those that walk their streets, and bear Rule among them, are noted by all. It is so with our Graces. That you have a