A27017:1168
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 8 › 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.
2. It will take away the efficacy of means that should do them good: Nay, it will turn the best means to their hardening and ruin. If a man mistake his bodily disease, and think it to be clean contrary to what it is, will he not apply contrary remedies which will increase it? So when a Christian should apply the Promises, his mistake will cause him to apply the threatenings: and when an ungodly man should apply the Threatenings, and Terrors of the Lord, this mistake of his estate will make him apply the promises: ⟨p. 419⟩And there is no greater strengthener of sin, and destroyer of the soul, then Scripture misapplied. Worldly delights, and the deceiving words of sinners, may harden men most desperately in an unsafe way: But Scripture misapplied, will do it far more effectually and dangerously.
2. It will take away the efficacy of means that should do them good: Nay, it will turn the best means to their hardening and ruine. If a man mistake his bodily disease, and think it to be clean contrary to what it is, will he not apply contrary remedies which will increase it? So when a Christian should apply the Promises, his mistake will cause him to apply the threatenings: and when an ungodly man should apply the Threatenings, and Terrors of the Lord, this mistake of his estate will make him apply the promises: ⟨p. 419⟩And there is no greater strengthener of sin, and destroyer of the soul, then Scripture misapplyed. Wordly delights, and the deceiving words of sinners, may harden men most desperately in an unsafe way: But Scripture misapplied, will do it far more effectually and dangerously.
3. It will keep a man from compassionating his own soul. Though he be a sad object of pity to every understanding man that beholdeth him, yet will he not be able to pity himself, because he knoweth not his own misery. As I have seen a Physician lament the case of his Patient when he hath discerned his certain death in some small beginning, when the Patient himself feared nothing, because he knew not the mortal nature of his disease. So doth many a Minister or godly Christian lament the case of a carnal wretch, who is so far from lamenting it himself,