A27017:1600
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. XX.
- 1§. 20.
11. Consider, what if God should grant thy desire, and let thee live yet many years? but withal should strip thee of the comforts of life, and deny thee the mercies which thou hast hitherto enjoyed? Would this be a blessing worth the begging ⟨p. 593⟩for? Might not God in judgment give thee life, as he gave the murmuring Israelites Quails? or as he oft times gives men riches and honour, when he sees them over-earnest for it? Might he not justly say to thee, Seeing thou hadst rather linger on earth, then come away and enjoy my presence; seeing thou art so greedy of life, take it, and a curse with it; never let fruit grow on it more, nor the Sun of comfort shine upon it, nor the dew of my blessing ever water it:1 Let thy table be a snare, let thy friends be thy sorrow; let thy riches be corrupted, and the rust of thy silver eat thy flesh. Go hear Sermons as long as thou wilt, but let never Sermon do thee good more; let all thou hearest make against thee, and increase the smart of thy wounded spirit: If thou love Preaching better then Heaven, go and preach till thou be aweary, but never profit soul more. Sirs, what if God should thus chastise our inordinate desires of living, were it not just? and what good would our lives then do us? Seest thou not some that spend their days on their couch in groaning? and some in begging by the high-way sides? and others in seeking bread from door to door? and most of the world in labouring for food and raiment, and living only that they may live, and loosing the ends and benefits of life? Why, what good would such a life do thee, were it never so long? when thy soul shall serve thee only in stead of Salt, to keep thy body from stinking? God might give thee life, till thou art weary of living; and as glad to be rid of it, as Judas or Ahitophel; and make thee like many miserable Creatures in the world, who can hardly forbear laying violent hands on themselves. Be not therefore so importunate for life; which may prove a judgment, in stead of a blessing.