A27017:2094
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.
and the best if not heedfully used, will prove the worst. The better and keener thy knife is, the sooner and deeper will it cut thy fingers, if thou take not heed. Yea, the very number of thy friends is a burden and trouble to thee: every one supposeth he hath some interest in thee, yea the interest of a friend, which is not a little: and how insufficient art thou to satisfy all their expectations? When it is much if thou canst answer the expectations of one. If thou were divided among so many, as each could have but little of thee, so thy self and God (who should have most) will have none. And almost every one that hath not more of thee then thou canst spare for all, is ready to censure thee as unfriendly, and a neglecter of the duty or respects which thou owest them: And shouldst thou please them all, the gain will not be great; nor art thou sure that they will again please thee.
and the best if not heedfully used, will prove the worst. The better and keener thy knife is, the sooner and deeper will it cut thy fingers, if thou take not heed. Yea, the very number of thy friends is a burden and trouble to thee: every one supposeth he hath some interest in thee, yea the interest of a friend, which is not a little: and how insufficient art thou to satisfie all their expectations? When it is much if thou canst answer the expectations of one. If thou were divided among so many, as each could have but little of thee, so thy self and God (who should have most) will have none. And almost every one that hath not more of thee then thou canst spare for all, is ready to censure thee as unfriendly, and a neglecter of the duty or respects which thou owest them: And shouldst thou please them all, the gain will not be great; nor art thou sure that they will again please thee.
Awake then, O my drowsy soul, and look above this world of sorrows! Hast thou born the yoke of afflictions from thy youth, and so long felt the smarting rod, and yet canst no better understand its meaning? Is not every stroke to drive thee hence? and is not the voice of the rod like that to Elijah, What dost thou here? Up and away. Dost thou forget that sure prediction of thy Lord, In the world ye shall have trouble; but in me ye shall have peace? The first thou hast found true by long experience: and of the later thou hast had a small foretaste; but the perfect peace is yet before, which till it be enjoyed cannot be clearly understood.