A27017:448
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.
Yet we must not take the same course with all men, to convince them of Scripture Authority. We must first deal with an Atheist, In habitu Philosophico, before we plead, or directly prove Scripture Authority; of which, see learned Ludovicus Crocius, Syntagm. l. 1. p. 126.
The validity of that Humane Testimony, which here we have most use for, dependeth not on any Authority thereto conferred from God, (as Romanists fondly imagine,) but on men as sensible, rational, and of common honesty. The Testimony of the enemies, is more strong then of friends. Strabo witnesseth, Lib. 16. Geogra. of Moses, and the ancient Israelites, That they were truly righteous and godly men. So doth Josephus testify of John Baptist, and James: And Pliny of the Primitive Christians, Lib. 10. Epist. 101.
The validity of that Humane Testimony, which here we have most use for, dependeth not on any Authority thereto conferred from God, (as Romanists fondly imagine,) but on men as sensible, rational, and of common honesty. The Testimony of the enemies, is more strong then of friends. Strabo witnesseth, Lib. 16. Geogra. of Moses, and the ancient Israelites, That they were truly righteous and godly men. So doth Josephus testifie of John Baptist, and James: And Pliny of the Primitive Christians, Lib. 10. Epist. 101.
But I pass these, as not intending a full handling of this subject. The best that I know already extant on it, is Grotius and Du Plessis; and I would some able man would do yet more. For my own part, I have had so many rare convincing experiences of the fulfilling of Promises to me, and answering Prayers, by wonders of unusual Providences, That serve mightily to conform me, by seconding my Arguments: And were it fit to speak so much of my own matters, I would produce them for the confirming of others.