A27017:1347
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.
5. Another hinderance is, impatience, laziness, and favouring ⟨p. 487⟩of the flesh. It is an ungrateful work, and for the most part maketh those our enemies that were our friends: And men cannot bear the reproaches and unthankful returns of sinners. It may be they are their chief friends on whom is all their dependence, so that it may be their undoing to displease them. Besides, it is a work that seldom succeedeth at the first, except it be followed on with wisdom and unweariedness: you must be a great while teaching an ignorant person, before they will be brought to know the very fundamentals: and a great while persuading an obstinate sinner, before he will come to a full resolution to return. Now this is a tedious course to the flesh, and few will bear it. Not considering what patience God used towards us when we were in our sins, and how long he followed us with the importunities of his Spirit, holding out Christ and life, and beseeching us to accept them. Woe to us if God had been as impatient with us, as we are with others. If Christ be not weary nor give over to invite them, we have little reason to be weary of doing the message, See 2 Timothy 2.24, 25,
5. Another hinderance is, impatiency, laziness, and favouring ⟨p. 487⟩of the flesh. It is an ungrateful work, and for the most part maketh those our enemies that were our friends: And men cannot bear the reproaches and unthankful returns of sinners. It may be they are their chief friends on whom is all their dependance, so that it may be their undoing to displease them. Besides, it is a work that seldom succeedeth at the first, except it be followed on with wisdom and unweariedness: you must be a great while teaching an ignorant person, before they will be brought to know the very fundamentals: and a great while perswading an obstinate sinner, before he will come to a full resolution to return. Now this is a tedious course to the flesh, and few will bear it. Not considering what patience God used towards us when we were in our sins, and how long he followed us with the importunities of his Spirit, holding out Christ and life, and beseeching us to accept them. Wo to us if God had been as impatient with us, as we are with others. If Christ be not weary nor give over to invite them, we have little reason to be weary of doing the message, See