A27017:1213
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 9 › Section 2
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.
4. When you have thus chosen the fittest Time and Place, then draw forth, either from thy Memory, or in writing, the forementioned Marks, or Gospel-Conditions, or Descriptions of the Saints: Try them by Scripture, and convince thy Soul throughly of their infallible Truth.
5. Proceed then to put the Question to thy self: But be sure to state it right. Let it not be, Whether there be any Good in thee at all? (for so thou wilt err on the one hand:) Nor yet, Whether thou have such or such a degree and measure of Grace? (for so thou wilt err on the other hand:) But, Whether such or such a Saving Grace be in thee at all in sincerity, or not?
6. If thy heart draw back, and be loath to the work; suffer it not so to give thee the slip: but force it on: Lay thy command upon it: let Reason interpose, and use its authority: Look over the fore-going Arguments, and press them home: Yea, lay the Command of God upon it; and charge it to obey upon pain of his displeasure: Set Conscience a work also: let it do its office, till thy lazy heart be spurred up to the work: For if thou suffer it to break away once and twice, &c. it will grow so head-strong, that thou canst not master it.