A27017:1703
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.
Though every Truth of God is precious, and it is the sin and shame of Professors that are no more able to defend the Truth, yet should all our study of controversy be still in relation to this perpetual Rest, and consequently be kept within its bounds, and with most Christians, not have the twentieth part of our time or thoughts: Who that hath tried both studies, doth not cry out, as Summerhard was wont to do of the Popish School Divinity, Quis me miserum tandem liberabit ab ista rixosa Theologia? Who will once deliver me wretch from this wrangling kind of Divinity? And as its said of Bucholcer, Cum eximiis a Deo dotibus esset decoratus, in certamen tamen cum rabiosis illius seculi Theologis descendere noluit. Desii (inquit) disputare, caepi supputare: quoniam illud dissipationem, hoc collectionem significaet. Vidit enim ab iis controversias moveri, quas nulla unquam amoris Dei seintilla calefecerat: vidit ex diuturnis Theologorum rixis, utilitatis ⟨p. 642⟩nihil, detrimenti plurimum in ecclesias redundâsse. i. e. Though he was adorned by God with excellent gifts, yet would he never enter into contention with the furious Divines of that age. I have ceased (saith he) my Disputations, and now begin my Supputation; for that signifieth Dissipation, but this Collection: For he saw, that those men were the movers of Controversies, who had never been warmed with one spark of the love of God; he saw, That from the continual brawls of Divines, no benefit, but much hurt did accrue to the Churches; and it is worth the observing which the Historian addes, Quapropter omnis ejus cura in hoc erat, ut auditores fidei suae commissos, doceret been vivere & beate Mori; Et annotatum in adversariis amici ejus repererunt, permultos in extremo agone constitutos, gratias ipsi hoc nomine egisse, quod ipsius ductu servatorem suum Jesum agnovissent, cujus in cognitione pulchrum vivere, mori vero long pulcherrimum ducerent. Atque haud scio annon hoc ipsum longe Bucholcero coram Deo sit gloriosius futurum, quam si aliquet contentiosorum libellorum myriadas posteritatis memoriae consecrasset. i. e. Therefore this was all his care, That he might teach his hearers, committed to his charge, To live well, and die happily:
Though every Truth of God is pretious, and it is the sin and shame of Professors that are no more able to defend the Truth, yet should all our study of controversie be still in relation to this perpetual Rest, and consequently be kept within its bounds, and with most Christians, not have the twentieth part of our time or thoughts: Who that hath tried both studies, doth not cry out, as Summerhard was wont to do of the Popish School Divinity, Quis me miserum tandem liberabit ab ista rixosa Theologia? Who will once deliver me wretch from this wrangling kinde of Divinity? And as its said of Bucholcer, Cum eximiis a Deo dotibus esset decoratus, in certamen tamen cum rabiosis illius seculi Theologis descendere noluit. Desii (inquit) disputare, caepi supputare: quoniam illud dissipationem, hoc collectionem significaet. Vidit enim ab iis controversias moveri, quas nulla unquam amoris Dei seintilla calefecerat: vidit ex diuturnis Theologorum rixis, utilitatis