A27017:276
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.
Fifthly,5 another excellent property of our Rest will be, That the Joys of it are immediately from God. Nor doth this contradict the former, as I have before made plain. Whether Christ (who is God as well as man) shall be the Conveyor of all from the Divine Nature to us? And whether the giving up the Kingdom to the Father, do imply the ceasing of the Mediators Office? And consequently, the laying aside of the humane Nature? (though I believe the Negative in these last, yet) are Questions which I will not now attempt to handle. But this is sure; we shall ⟨p. 88⟩God face to face; and stand continually in his presence; and consequently derive our life and comfort immediately from him. Whether God will make use of any Creatures for our service then? or if any, of what Creatures? and what use? is more then I yet know. It seems by that Rom. 8.21. that the Creature shall have a day of Deliverance, and that into the glorious Liberty of the sons of God: But whether this before, or at the great and full Deliverance? or whether to endure to Eternity? or to what particular employment they shall be continued? are Questions yet too hard for me. When God speaks them plainer, and mine understanding is made clearer, then I may know these. But its certain that, at least, our most and great Joys will be immediate, if not all. Now we have nothing at all immediately; but at the second, or third, or fourth, or fifth hand; or how many, who knows? From the Earth, from Man, from Sun and Moon, from the influence of the Planets, from the Ministration of Angels, and from the Spirit, and Christ; and doubtless the farther the Stream runs from the Fountain, the more impure it is. It gathers some defilement from every unclean Channel it passeth through▪ Though it savours not in the hand of Angels, of the imperfection of sinners, yet it doth of the imperfection of Creatures; and as it comes from man, it savours of both. How quick and piercing is the Word in it self? Yet many times it never enters, being managed by a feeble Arm. O what weight and worth is there in every passage of the Blessed Gospel? Enough, one would think, to enter and force the dullest Soul, and wholly possess its thoughts and affections; and yet how oft doth it fall as water upon a stone?