A27017:1697
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. XIIII.
- 1§. 14.
12. Lastly consider, There is nothing else that's worth the setting our hearts on. If God have them not, who, or what shall have them? if thou mind not thy Rest, what wilt thou mind? As the Disciples said of Christ, (John 4.32, 33.) hath any man given him meat to eat, that we know not of? So say I to thee; Hast thou found out some other God, or Heaven, that we know not of? or something that will serve thee in stead of Rest? Hast thou found on Earth an Eternal happiness? where is it? and what is it made of? or who was the man that found it out? or who was he that last enjoyed it? where dwelt he? and what was his name? or art thou the first that hast found this treasure? and that ever discovered Heaven on Earth? Ah wretch! trust not to thy discoveries, boast not of thy gain, till experience bid thee boast, or rather take up with the experience of thy forefathers, who are now in the dust, and deprived of all, though sometime they were as lusty and jovial as thou. I would not advise thee to make experiments at so dear rates, as all those do that seek after happiness below; least when the substance is lost, thou find too late, that thou didst catch but at a shadow; least thou be like those men, that will needs search out the Philosophers stone, though none could effect it that went before them; and so buy their experience with the loss of their own estates and time, which they might have had ⟨p. 639⟩at a cheaper rate, if they would have taken up with the experience of their Predecessors. So I would wish thee not to disquiet thy self, in looking for that which is not on Earth; least thou learn thy experience with the loss of thy soul• which thou mightest have learned at easier terms, even by the warnings of God in his Word, and loss of thousands of souls before thee. It would pity a man to see, that men will not believe God in this, till they have lost their labour, and Heaven, and all: Nay, that many Christians, who have taken Heaven for their resting place, do lose so many thoughts needlessly on Earth; and care not how much they oppress their spirits, which should be kept nimble and free for higher things. As Luther said to Melanchthon, when he over-pressed himself with the labours of his Ministry; so may I much more say to thee, who oppressest thy self with the cares of the world. Vellem te adhuc decies plus obrui: