A27017:1861
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. X.
- 1§. 10
2. BE sure thou set upon this work, with the greatest seriousness that possibly thou canst. Customariness here, is a killing sin. There is no trifling in holy things; God will be sanctified of all that draw near him. These spiritual, excellent, soul-raising duties, are the most dangerous, if we miscarry in them, of all. The more they advance the soul, being well used, the more they destroy it, being used unfaithfully: As the best meats corrupted, are the worst. To help thee therefore to be serious when thou settest on this work; First, Labour to have the deepest apprehensions of the presence of God, and of the incomprehensible Greatness of the Majesty which thou approachest. If Rebecca veil her face at her approach to Isaac; if Esther must not draw near, till the King hold forth the Sceptre; if dust and worms-meat must have such respect, Think then with what reverence thou shouldst approach thy Maker: think thou art addressing thy self to him, that made the Worlds with the word of his mouth; that upholds the Earth as in the palm of his hand; that keeps the Sun, and Moon, and Heavens in their courses; that bounds the raging Sea with the Sands, and saith,1 Hitherto go, and no farther: Thou art going about to converse with him, before whom the Earth will quake, and Devils tremble; before whose bar thou must shortly stand, and all the world with thee, to receive their doom. O think, I shall then have lively apprehensions of his Majesty; my drowsy spirits will then be wakened, and my stupid unreverence be laid aside: Why should I not now be roused with the sense of his Greatness, and the dread of his Name possess my soul?
2. BE sure thou set upon this work, with the greatest seriousness that possibly thou canst. Customariness here, is a killing sin. There is no trifling in holy things; God will be sanctified of all that draw neer him. These spiritual, excellent, soul-raising duties, are the most dangerous, if we miscarry in them, of all. The more they advance the soul, being well used, the more they destroy it, being used unfaithfully: As the best meats corrupted, are the worst. To help thee therefore to be serious when thou settest on this work; First, Labor to have the deepest apprehensions of the presence of God, and of the incomprehensible Greatness of the Majesty which thou approachest. If Rebecca vail her face at her approach to Isaac; if Esther must not draw neer, till the King hold forth the Scepter; if dust and worms-meat must have such respect, Think then with what reverence thou shouldst approach thy Maker: think thou art addressing thy self to him, that made the Worlds with the word of his mouth; that upholds the Earth as in the palm of his hand; that keeps the Sun, and Moon, and Heavens in their courses; that bounds the raging Sea with the Sands, and saith,