A27017:1327
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 11 › Section 16
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. XVI.
3. And when you do enjoy the blessing of the Gospel,1 you must yet use your utmost diligence to help poor Souls to receive the fruit of it. To which end you must draw them constantly to hear and attend it: Mind them often of what they have heard: Draw them, if it be possible, to repeat it in their families: If that cannot be, then draw them to come to others that do repeat it; that so it may not dye in the hearing. The very drawing of men into the company and acquaintance of the godly, besides the benefit they have by their endeavours, is of singular use to the recovery of their Souls. Association breedeth familiarity: and familiarity breedeth love: and familiarity and love to the godly, doth lead to familiarity and love to God and godliness: It is also a means to take off prejudice, by confuting the worlds slanders of the ways and people of God. Use therefore often to meet together, besides the more public meeting in the Congregation: not to vent any unsound opinions, nor yet in distaste of the public meeting, nor in opposition to it, nor at the time of public worship; nor yet to make a groundless Schism, or to separate from the Church whereof you are members, nor to destroy the old that you may gather a new Church out of its ruins, as long as it hath the essentials, and there is hope of reforming it; nor yet would I have you forward to vent your own supposed gifts and parts in teaching where there is no necessity of it; nor to attempt that in the interpretation of difficult Scriptures, or explication of difficult controversies, which is beyond your ability, though perhaps pride will tell you, that you are as able as any. But the work which I would have you meet about, is this: To repeat together ⟨p. 480⟩the Word which you have heard in public; to pour out your joint prayers for the Church and pour selves; to join in cheerful singing the praises of God; to open your scruples, and doubts, and fears, and get resolution; to quicken each other in Love, and Heavenliness, and Holy walking, and all this not as a separated Church, but as a part of the Church more diligent then the rest in redeeming time, and helping the Souls of each other Heavenward.