A27017:1723
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. III.
- 1§. 3.
3. A Third hinderance, which I must advise thee to beware, is. The company of ungodly and sensual men. Not that I would dissuade thee from necessary converse, or from doing them any office of Love; especially not from endeavouring the good of their souls, as long as thou hast any opportunity or hope: Nor would I have thee conclude them to be Dogs and Swine, that so thou mayest evade the duty of Reproof: Nor yet to judg them such at all, as long as there is any hope of better, or before thou art certain they are such indeed; much less can I approve of the practice of those, who, because the most of the world are naught, do therefore conclude men Dogs or Swine, before ever they faithfully and lovingly did admonish them, yea, or perhaps before they have known them, or spoke with them; and hereupon they will not communicate with them in the Lords Supper, but separate from them into distinct Congregations; I persuade thee to no such ungodly separation: As I never found one word in Scripture, ⟨p. 651⟩where either Christ or his Apostles denied admittance to any man that desired to be a Member of the Church, though but only professing to Repent and Believe; so neither did I ever there find that any but convicted Heretics, or scandalous ones (and that for the most part▪ after due admonition) were to be avoided or debarred our fellowship. And whereas it is urged, That they are to prove their interest to the privileges which they lay claim to, and not we to disprove it; I Answer, if that were granted, yet their mere professing to Repent and Believe in Christ, is a sufficient evidence of their interest to Church member-ship, and admittance thereto by Baptism (supposing them not admitted before:) and their being Baptized persons, or members of the universal visible Church (into which it is that they are Baptized) is sufficient evidence of their interest to the Supper, till they do by Heresy or Scandal blot that Evidence;