A27017:1645
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.
It is by believing that we are filled with Joy & Peace, Rom. 15.13. and no longer then we continue our believing.1 It is in hope that the Saints Rejoice, yea, in this hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5.2. and no longer then they continue hoping. And here let me warn you of a dangerous snare, an opinion which will rob you of all your comfort: some think, if they should thus fetch in their own comfort by believing and hoping, and work it out of Scripture promises, and extract it by their own thinking and studying, that then it would be a comfort only of their own hammering out (as they say) and not the genuine Joy of the Holy Ghost. A desperate mistake, raised upon a ground that would overthrow almost all duty, as well as this: which is, their setting the workings of Gods Spirit, and their own spirits in opposition, when their spirits must stand in subordination to Gods: They are conjunct causes, cooperating to the producing of one and the same effect. Gods Spirit worketh our comforts, by setting our own spirits awork upon the promises, and raising our thoughts to the place of our comforts. As you would delight a covetous man by showing him gold, or a voluptuous man with fleshly ⟨p. 609⟩delights; so God useth to delight his people, by taking them, as it were, by the hand, and leading them into Heaven, and showing them himself, and their Rest with him. God useth not to cast in our Joys while we are idle, or taken up with other things. It is true, he sometime doth it suddenly, but yet usually in the foresaid order, leading it into our hearts by our judgment and thoughts: And his sometime sudden extraordinary casting of comforting thoughts into our hearts, should be so far from hindering our endeavours in a meditating way, that it should be a singular motive to quicken us to it; even as a taste given us of some cordial or choicer food, will make us desire and seek the Rest. God feedeth not Saints as birds do their young, bringing it to them, and putting it into their mouths, while they lye still in the nest, and only gape to receive it. But as he giveth to man the fruits of the earth, the increase of their land in Corn and wine, while we plough, and sow, and weed, and water, and dung, and dress, and then with patience expect his blessing: so doth he give the joys of the soul.