A27017:2115
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.
Tenthly, Yea, it is a dangerous preparative to total Apostasy. A man will hardly long hold on in a way that he hath no delight in; nor use the means, if he have no delight in the end: But as a Beast, if you drive him a way that he would not go, will be turning out at every gap. If you be Religious in your actions, and become over to God in your outward Conversation, and not in your delight, you will shortly be gone, if your trial be strong. How many young people have we known, who by good education, or the persuasion of friends, or for fear of Hell, have been a while kept up among Prayers, and Sermons, and good company, as a Bird in a Cage; when, if they durst, they had rather have been in an Alehouse, or at their sports; and at last, they have broke loose, when their restraint was taken off, and have forsaken the way that they never took pleasure in. You see then, that it is not a matter of indifferency, whether you entertain these Heavenly Delights, or not; nor is the loss of your present comfort, all the inconvenience that follows the neglect.
Tenthly, Yea, it is a dangerous preparative to total Apostacy. A man will hardly long hold on in a way that he hath no delight in; nor use the means, if he have no delight in the end: But as a Beast, if you drive him a way that he would not go, will be turning out at every gap. If you be Religious in your actions, and become over to God in your outward Conversa•ion, and not in your delight, you will shortly be gone, if your trial be strong. How many young people have we known, who by good education, or the perswasion of friends, or for fear of Hell, have been a while kept up among Prayers, and Sermons, and good company, as a Bird in a Cage; when, if they durst, they had rather have been in an Alehouse, or at their sports; and at last, they have broke loose, when their restraint was taken off, and have forsaken the way that they never took pleasure in. You see then, that it is not a matter of indifferency, whether you entertain these Heavenly Delights, or not; nor is the loss of your present comfort, all the inconvenience that follows the neglect.
And now Christian Friends, I have here lined you out a Heavenly precious Work; would you but do it, it would make you men indeed: To delight in God, is the work of Angels, and the contrary is the work of devils. If God would persuade you now to make conscience of this duty, and help you in it by the blessed influence of his Spirit, you would not change your lives with the