A27017:561
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
THE SAINTS Everlasting REST. PART II. › Chapter 4 › Section 3
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.
20. Consider also how that every Age hath afforded multitudes ⟨p. 205⟩of dWitnesses, who before were most bitter and violent enemies; And divers of these men of note for Learning and place in the world. How mad was Saul against the Truth? Surely it could be no favour to the Cause, nor over-much credulity that caused such men to witness to the death, the truth of that for which they had persecuted others to the death but a little before. Nor could childish Fables, or common flying Tales have so mightily wrought with men of Learning and Understanding. (For some such were Christians in all Ages) 21. Nay, observe but the Confessions of these Adversaries, when they came to believe: How generally and ingenuously they acknowledge their former ignorance and prejudice to have been the cause of their unbelief. 22. Consider also how unable all the enemies of the Gospel have been to abolish these sacred Records. They could burn the Witnesses by thousands, but yet they could never either hinder their succession, or extinguish these Testimonies. 23. Nay, the most eminent Adversaries have had the most eminent ruin: As Antiochus, Herod, Julian with multitudes more: This stone having fallen upon them hath ground them to powder. 24 It were not difficult here to collect from unquestioned Authors, a constant succession of Wonders (at least) to have in several Ages accompanied the Attestation of this Truth: and notable judgments that have befallen the persecutors of it. And though the Papists by their Fictions, and Fabulous Legends have done more wrong to the Christian Cause, then ever they are able to repair; yet unquestionable History doth afford us very many Examples; And even many of those actions which they have deformed with their fabulous additions, might yet for the substance have much truth: And God might even in times of Popery work some of these wonders, though not to confirm their Religion as it was Popish, yet to confirm it as the Christian Religion; for as he had then his Church, and then his Scripture, so had he then his special Providences to confirm his Church in their▪ belief, and to silence the several enemies of the ⟨p. 206⟩Faith.