A27017:1476
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 14
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. XIV.1
- 1§. 14.
3. But some will say, We are poor men, and must labour for our living, and so must our children, and cannot have while to ⟨p. 542⟩teach them the Scriptures; we have somewhat else for them to do. Answ. And are not poor men subject to God, as well as rich? and are they not Christians? and must they not give account of their ways? and have not your children souls to save or lose, as well as the rich? cannot you have while to speak to them as they are at their work? have you not time to instruct them on the Lords day? you can find time to talk idly, as poor as you are; and you can find no time to talk of the way to Life! you can find time on the Lords day for your children to play, or walk or talk in the streets, but no time to mind the life to come. Me thinks you should rather say to your children, I have no Lands or Lordships to leave you; nothing but hard labour and poverty in the world; you have no hope of great matters here; be sure therefore to make the Lord your portion, and to get interest in Christ, that you may be happy hereafter; if you could get riches, they would shortly leave you, but the riches of Grace and Glory will be everlasting. Me thinks, you should say as Peter, Silver and gold I have none, but such as I have, I give you. The Kingdoms of the world cannot be had by beggars, but the Kingdom of Heaven may. O what a terrible reckoning will many poor men have, when Christ shall plead his cause, and judg them! May not he say, I made the way to worldly honours unaccessible to you, that you might not look after it for your selves, or your children; but Heaven I set open, that you might have nothing to discourage you: I confined riches and honours to a few, but my Blood and Salvation I offered to all, that none might say, I was not invited: I tendered Heaven to the poor, as well as the rich; I made no exception against the meanest beggar, that did not wilfully shut out themselves: Why then did you not come your selves, and bring your children, and teach them the way to the eternal Inheritance? Do you say you were poor? Why, I did not set Heaven to sale for money, but I called those that had nothing, to take it freely; only on condition they would take me for their Saviour and Lord, and give up themselves unfeignedly to me, in obedience and love. What can you answer Christ, when he shall thus convince you?