A27017:1376
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.
11. Consider, The neglect of this doth very deeply wound when conscience is awaked. When a man comes to dye, conscience will ask him, What good hast thou done in thy life time? The saving of souls is the greatest good work, what hast thou done towards this? How many hast thou dealt faithfully with? I have oft observed, that the consciences of dying men, do very much wound them for this omission. For my own part (to tell you my experience) when ever I have been near death, my conscience hath accused me more for this then for any sin: It would bring every ignorant profane neighbour to my remembrance▪ to whom I never made known their danger: It would tell me, Thou shouldst have gone to them in private, and told them plainly of their desperate danger, without bashfulness or daubing; though it had been when thou shouldest have eaten or slept, if thou hadst no other ⟨p. 498⟩time: Conscience would then remember me, how at such a time, or such a time I was in company with the ignorant, or was riding by the way with a wilful sinner, and had a fit opportunity to have dealt with them, but did not: or at least did it by the halves, and to little purpose. The Lord grant I may better obey conscience hereafter while I live and have time, that it may have less to accuse me of at death.
11. Consider, The neglect of this doth very deeply wound when conscience is awaked. When a man comes to dye, conscience will ask him, VVhat good hast thou done in thy life time? The saving of souls is the greatest good work, what hast thou done towards this? How many hast thou dealt faithfully with? I have oft observed, that the consciences of dying men, do very much wound them for this omission. For my own part (to tell you my experience) when ever I have been neer death, my conscience hath accused me more for this then for any sin: It would bring every ignorant prophane neighbor to my remembrance▪ to whom I never made known their danger: It would tell me, Thou shouldst have gone to them in private, and told them plainly of their desperate danger, without bashfulness or dawbing; though it had been when thou shouldest have eaten or slept, if thou hadst no other ⟨p. 498⟩time: Conscience would then remember me, how at such a time, or such a time I was in company with the ignorant, or was riding by the way with a wilful sinner, and had a fit opportunity to have dealt with them, but did not: or at least did it by the halves, and to little purpose. The Lord grant I may better obey conscience hereafter while I live and have time, that it may have less to accuse me of at death.