A27017:1639
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. V.
- 1§. 5.
3. Consider, A heavenly mind is a joyful mind: This is the nearest and the truest way to live a life of comfort: And without this you must needs be uncomfortable. Can a man be at the fire, and not be warm? or in the Sun-shine, and not have light? Can your heart be in Heaven, and not have comfort? The countries of Norway, Island, and all the Northward, are cold and frozen, because they are farther from the power of the Sun: But in Egypt, Arabia, and the Southern parts, it is far otherwise, where they live more near its powerful rays. What could make such frozen uncomfortable Christians, but living so far as they do from heaven? And what makes some few others so warm in comforts, ⟨p. 607⟩but their living higher then others do? and their frequent access so near to God? When the Sun in the Spring draws near our part of the earth, how do all things congratulate its approach? The earth looks green & casteth off her mourning habit: the trees shoot forth; the plants revive, the pretty birds, how sweetly sing they? the face of all things smile upon us, and all the creatures below rejoice. Beloved friends, if we would but try this life with God, and would but keep these hearts above, what a Spring of joy would be within us? and all our graces be fresh and green? How would the face of our souls be changed? and all that is within us rejoice? How should we forget our winter sorrows? and withdraw our souls from our sad retirements? How early should we rise (as those birds in the spring) to sing the praise of our Great Creator. O Christian, get above: Believe it, that Region is warmer then this below. Those that have been there, have found it so, and those that have come thence have told us so: And I doubt not but that thou hast sometime tried it thy self. I dare appeal to thy own experience, or to the experience of any soul that knows what the true Joys of a Christian are: When is it that you have largest comforts? Is it not after such an exercise as this, when thou hast got up thy heart, and conversed with God, and talked with the inhabitants of the higher world, and viewed the mansions of the Saints and Angels, and filled thy soul with the forethoughts of Glory? If thou know by experience what this practice is, I dare say thou knowest what spiritual Joy is.