A27017:1275
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 10 › Section 8
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.
Answ. 1. The more you suffer for Righteousness sake, the more of this blessing you may expect; and the more you suffer for your own evil doing, the longer you must look to stay till that sweetness come. When we have by our folly provoked God to chastise us, shall we presently look that he should fill us with comfort? That were (as Mr Paul Bayn saith) to make Affliction to be no Affliction. What good would the bitterness do us, if it be presently drowned in that sweetness? It is well in such sufferings, if you have but supporting Grace; and your sufferings sanctified to work out your sin, and bring you to God.
2. Do you not neglect or resist the comforts which you desire? God hath filled Precepts, and Promises, and other of his Providences with matter of comfort: If you will over-look all these, and make nothing of them, and pore all upon your sufferings, and observe one cross more then a thousand mercies, who maketh you uncomfortable but your selves? If you resolve, that you will not be comfortable as long as any thing aileth your flesh, you may stay till death before you have comfort.
3. Have your Afflictions wrought kindly with you, and fitted you for comfort? Have they humbled you? and brought you to a faithful confession and reformation of your beloved sin? and made you set close to your neglected Duties? and weaned your hearts from their former Idols? and brought them unfeignedly to take God for their Portion and their Rest? If this be not done, how can you expect Comfort? Should God bind up the sore while it festereth at the bottom? It is not mere Suffering that prepares you for Comfort; ⟨p. 457⟩but the success and fruit of Sufferings upon your hearts.