A27017:1922
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.
Even the false hope of the wicked doth much support, and maintain a kind of comfort answerable to their hope; though, its true, their hope and joy will both die with them: How much more will the Saints hopes refresh and support them! All this I have said, to show you the excellency and necessity of this Grace, and so to provoke you to the more constant acting of it. If your hope dieth, your duties die, yours endeavours die, your joys die, and your souls die. And if your hope be not acted, but lie asleep, its next to dead, both in likeness and preparation.
Even the false hope of the wicked doth much support, and maintain a kinde of comfort answerable to their hope; though, its true, their hope and joy will both die with them: How much more will the Saints hopes refresh and support them! All this I have said, to shew you the excellency and necessity of this Grace, and so to provoke you to the more constant acting of it. If your hope dieth, your duties die, yours endevors die, your joyes die, and your souls die. And if your hope be not acted, but lie asleep, its next to dead, both in likeness and preparation.
Therefore, Christian Reader, when thou art winding up thy affections to Heaven, do not forget to give one lift at thy Hope; remember to wind up this peg also. The object of Hope hath four qualifications; First, It must be good, secondly, Future, thirdly, Difficult, fourthly, yet Possible. For the goodness of thy Rest, there is somewhat said before, which thou mayest transfer hither as thou findest it useful; so also of the difficulty and futurity. Let Faith then show thee the truth of the Promise, and Judgment the goodness of the thing promised, and what then is wanting for the raising of thy hope? Show thy soul from the Word, and from the Mercies, and from the Nature of God, what possibility, yea, what probability, yea, what certainty thou hast of possessing the Crown. Think thus, and reason thus with thine own heart: Why should I not confidently, and comfortably hope, when my soul is in the hands of so compassionate a Saviour? and when the Kingdom is at the disposal of so bounteous a God? Did he ever manifest any backwardness to my good? or discover the least inclination to my ruin?