A27017:2061
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.
Awake then,1 O my drowsy soul! who but an Owl or Mole would love this worlds uncomfortable darkness, when they are called forth to live in light? to sleep under the light of Grace is unreasonable, much more in the approach of the light of Glory: The night of thy ignorance and misery is past, the day of glorious Light is at hand, this is the day-break betwixt them both: Though thou see not yet the Sun it self appear, methinks the twilight of a promise should revive thee! Come forth then, O my dull congealed spirits! and leave these earthly Cells of dumpish sadness! and hear thy Lord that bids thee Rejoice, and again Rejoice; thou hast lain here long enough in thy prison of flesh, where Satan hath been thy Jailer, and the things of this world have been the Stocks for the feet of thy Affections, where cares have been thy Trons, and fears thy Scourge, and the bread and water of Affliction thy food, where sorrows have been thy lodging, and thy sins and foes have made the bed, and a carnal, hard, unbelieving heart have been the iron gates & bars that have kept thee in, that thou couldst scarce have leave to look through the Lattices, and see one glimpse of the immortal light: The Angel of the Covenant now calls thee, and strikes thee, and bids thee Arise and follow him: up, O my soul, and cheerfully obey, and thy bolts and bars shall all fly open; do thou obey, and all will obey: follow the Lamb which way ever he leads thee: Art thou afraid because thou knowest not whither? Can the place be worse then where thou art? Shouldst thou fear to follow such a guide? Can the Sun lead thee to a state of darkness? or can he mislead thee that is the light of every man that cometh into the world? will he lead thee to death, who died to save thee from it? or can he do thee any hurt, who for thy sake did suffer so much? follow him, and he will show thee the Paradise of God, he will give thee a sight of the New Jerusalem, he will give thee a taste of the Tree of ⟨p. 804⟩Life: Sit no longer then by the fire of earthly common comforts, whether the cold of carnal fears and sorrows did drive thee; thy Winter is past, and wilt thou house thy self still in earthly thoughts, and confine thy self to drooping and dullness? even the silly Flies will leave their holes when the Winter is over, and the Sun draws near them;
Awake then,1