A27017:2074
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.
O then, what a blessed day will that be, when I shall have all mercy, perfection of mercy, nothing but mercy, and fully enjoy the Lord of Mercy himself! When I shall stand on the shore, and look ⟨p. 812⟩back upon the raging Seas which I have safely passed! when I shall in safe and full possession of glory, look back upon all my pains and troubles and fears and tears, and upon all the mercies which I here received; & then shall behold the glory enjoyed there, which was the End of all this! O what a blessed view will that be! O glorious prospect which I shall have on the celestial mount Zion! Is it possible that there should be any defect of joy? or my heart not raised, when I am so raised? If one drop of lively faith were mixed with these considerations, O what work they would make in my breast! and what a Heaven-ravished heart, should I carry within me! Fain would I believe; Lord help my unbelief.
O then, what a blessed day will that be, when I shall have all mercy, perfection of mercy, nothing but mercy, and fully injoy the Lord of Mercy himself! When I shall stand on the shore, and look ⟨p. 812⟩back upon the raging Seas which I have safely passed! when I shall in safe and full possession of glory, look back upon all my pains and troubles and feares and tears, and upon all the mercies which I here received; & then shall behold the glory enjoyed there, which was the End of all this! O what a blessed view will that be! O glorious prospect which I shall have on the celestial mount Zion! Is it possible that there should be any defect of joy? or my heart not raised, when I am so raised? If one drop of lively faith were mixed with these considerations, O what work they would make in my brest! and what a Heaven-ravished heart, should I carry within me! Faine would I believe; Lord help my unbelief.
Yet further, consider O my soul, How sweet have the very ordinances been unto thee? What raptures hast thou had in prayer and under heavenly Sermons? What gladness in days of thanksgiving, after eminent deliverances to the Church or to thy self? What delight do I find in the sweet society of the Saints? To be among my humble faithful neighbours and friends? To join with them in the frequent worship of God? To see their growth and stability and soundness of understanding? To see those daily added to the Church which shall be saved? O then what delight shall I have, to see the perfected Church in Heaven? and to join with these and all the Saints in another kind of worship then we can here conceive of? How sweet is it to join in the high praises of God in the solemn assemblies? How glad have I been to go up to the house of God? Especially after long restraint by sickness, when I have been as Hezekiah, released, and readmitted to join with the people of God and to set forth the praises of my great deliverer? How sweet is my work in Preaching the Gospel, and inviting sinners to the marriage feast of the Lamb? and opening to them the treasures of free Grace? Especially when God blesseth my endeavours with plenteous success, and giveth me to see the fruit of my labours: even this alone hath been a greater joy to my heart, that if I had been made the Lord of all the riches on earth.