A27017:1687
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. XII.
- 1§. 12.
10. Consider, It is but equal that our hearts should be on God, when the heart of God is so much on us. If the Lord of Glory can stoop so low, as to set his heart on sinful dust, sure one would think we should easily be persuaded, to set our hearts on Christ and Glory, and to ascend to him in our daily affections, who vouchsafeth to condescend to us! O, If Gods delight were no more in us, then ours is in him, what should we do? what a case were we in? Christian, dost thou not perceive that the Heart of God is set upon thee? and that he is still minding thee with tender Love, even when thou forgettest both thy self and him? Dost thou not find him following thee with daily mercies, moving upon thy soul, providing for thy body, preserving both? Doth he not bear thee continually in the arms of Love? and promise that all shall work together for thy good? and suit all his dealings to thy greatest advantage? and give his Angels charge over thee? And ⟨p. 635⟩canst thou find in thy heart to cast him by? and be taken up with the Joys below? and forget thy Lord, who forgets not thee? Fie upon this unkind ingratitude! Is not this the sin that Isaiah so solemnly doth call both heaven and earth to witness against? The Ox knoweth his owner, 1and the Ass his Masters Crib, but Israel doth not know, my People doth not consider: If the Ox or Ass do straggle in the day, they likely come to their home at night; but we will not so much as once a day, by our serious thoughts ascend to God. When he speaks of his own respects to us, hear what he saith, Isai. 15.16. When Zion saith, The Lord hath forsaken me, my Lord hath forgotten me: Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee: Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me. But when he speaks of our thoughts to him, the case is otherwise,