A27017:1345
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 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.
4. Another hinderance is, A base man pleasing disposition that is in us. We are so loath to displease men, and so desirous to keep in credit and favour with them, that it makes us most unconscionably neglect our known duty. A foolish Physician he is, and a most unfaithful friend, that will let a sick man dye for fear of troubling him. And cruel wretches are we to our friends, that will rather suffer them to go quietly to hell, then we will anger them, or hazard our reputation with them. If they did but fall in a swoon, we would rub them and pinch them, and never stick at hurting them. If they were distracted, we would bind them with chains, and we would please them▪ in nothing that tended to their hurt. And yet when they are besides themselves in point of salvation, and in •heir madness posting on to damnation, we will not stop them, for fear of displeasing them. How can these men be Christians, that ⟨p. 486⟩love the praise and favour of men, more then the favour of God, John 12.43. For if they yet seek to please men, they are no longer the servants of Christ, Gal. 1.10. To win them indeed they must become all things to all men; but to please them to their destruction, and let them perish,1 that we may keep our credit with them, is a course so base and barbarously cruel, that he that hath the face of a Christian should abhor it.
4. Another hinderance is, A base man pleasing disposition that is in us. We are so loath to displease men, and so desirous to keep in credit and favor with them, that it makes us most unconscionably neglect our known duty. A foolish Physitian he is, and a most unfaithful friend, that will let a sick man dye for fear of troubling him. And cruel wretches are we to our friends, that will rather suffer them to go quietly to hell, then we will anger them, or hazard our reputation with them. If they did but fall in a swoon, we would rub them and pinch them, and never stick at hurting them. If they were distracted, we would binde them with chains, and we would please them in nothing that tended to their hurt. And yet when they are besides themselves in point of salvation, and in heir madness posting on to damnation, we will not stop them, for fear of displeasing them. How can these men be Christians, that