A27017:1419
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 12 › Section 10
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. X.1
- 1§. 10.
5. Lastly, Be sure that you study and strive after Unity and Peace; if ever you would promote the Kingdom of Christ ⟨p. 518⟩and your peoples Salvation, do it in a way of Peace and Love; Public wars, and private quarrels do usually pretend to the Reformation of the Church, to the vindicating of the Truth, and the welfare of souls; but they as usually prove in the issue, the greatest means to the overthrow of all; It is as natural for both wars and private contentions to produce Errors, Schisms contempt of Magistracy, Ministry, and Ordinances, as it is for a dead carrion to breed Worms and Vermin; Believe it from one that hath too many years experience of it both in Armies and Garrisons▪ It is as hard a thing to maintain even in your godly people, a sound understanding, a tender consciences, a lively, gracious, heavenly, frame of spirit, and an upright life in a way of war and contention, as to keep your candle lighted in the greatest Storms, or under the waters: The like I may say of perverse and fierce Disputings about Baptism, and the Circumstantials of Discipline, or other Questions that are far from the foundation: they oftener lose the Truth then find it. A Synod is as likely and lawful a means as any for such decisions, and yet Nazianzen saith, Se hactenus non vidisse ullius Synodi utilem […] aut in quâ res male se habentes, non magis exacerba•• quam […] fuerint: With the vulgar he seems to be the Conqueror that hath the last word, or at lest he that hath the most plausible deportment, the most affecting tone, the most earnest and confident expressions, the most probable arguments, rather then he that hath the most naked demonstrations: He takes with them most, that speaks for the Opinion which they like and are inclined to, though he speak Non-sense; and he that is most familiar with them, and hath the best opportunities and advantages to prevail, especially he that hath the greatest interest in their affections; so that a disputation before the vulgar even of the godly, is as likely a means to corrupt them as to cure them; usually the most erroneous seducers will carry out their Cause with as good a face, as fluent a tongue, as great contempt and reproach of their opposers, and as much confidence that the truth is on their side, as if it were so indeed.