A27017:1569
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
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.
1SECT. VIII.
- 1§. 8.
7. Consider, how do we wrong the Lord and his Promises, and disgrace his ways in the eyes of the world? As if we would actually persuade, them to question, whether God be true of his Word or no? whether there be any such glory as Scripture mentions? when they see those who have professed to live by Faith, and have boasted of their hopes in another world, and persuaded others to let go all for these hopes, and spoken disgracefully of all things below, in comparison of these unexpressable things above; I say, when they see these very men so loth to leave their hold of present things, and to go to that glory which they talked and boasted of; how doth it make the weak to stagger? and confirm the world in their unbelief and sensuality? and make them conclude, sure if these Professors did expect so much glory, and make so light of the world as they seem, they would not themselves be so loth of a change. O how are we ever able to repai• the wrong which we do to God and poor souls by this scandal? And what an honour to God? what a strengthening to Believers? what a conviction to Unbelievers would it be, if Christians in this did answer their professions, and cheerfully welcome the news of Rest?
7. COnsider, how do we wrong the Lord and his Promises, and disgrace his ways in the eyes of the world? As if we would actually perswade, them to question, whether God be true of his Word or no? whether there be any such glory as Scripture mentions? when they see those who have professed to live by Faith, and have boasted of their hopes in another world, and perswaded others to let go all for these hopes, and spoken disgracefully of all things below, in comparison of these unexpressable things above; I say, when they see these very men so loth to leave their hold of present things, and to go to that glory which they talked and boasted of; how doth it make the weak to stagger? and confirm the world in their unbelief and sensuality? and make them conclude, sure if these Professors did expect so much glory, and make so light of the world as they seem, they would not themselves be so loth of a change. O how are we ever able to repai the wrong which we do to God and poor souls by this scandal? And what an honor to God? what a strengthning to Believers? what a conviction to Unbelievers would it be, if Christians in this did answer their professions, and chearfully welcome the news of Rest?