A27017:615
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 6 › Section 1
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.
3. Consider also in what way Christ doth thus spread his Gospel, and preserve his Church. First, Not by worldly might and power, not by compelling men to profess him by the Sword. Indeed when men do profess themselves voluntarily to be his subjects, he hath authorised the Sword to see in part to the execution of his Laws, and to punish those that break the Laws which they have accepted. But to bring men in from the world into his Church; from Paganism, Turcism, or Judaism to Christianity, he never gave ⟨p. 224⟩the Sword any such commission; He never levied an Army to advance his Dominion; nor sent forth his Followers as so many Commanders, to subdue the Nations to him by force, and spare none that will not become Christians: He will have none but those that voluntarily list themselves under him: He sent out Ministers, and not Magistrates or Commanders, to bring in the world; Yea, though he be truly willing of mens happiness in receiving him, and therefore earnestly inviteth them thereto, yet he lets them know, that he will be no loser by them; as their service cannot advantage him, so their neglect cannot hurt him: He lets them know that he hath no need of them, and that his beseeching of them is for their own sakes, and that he will be beholding to none of them all for their service; if they know where to have a better Master, let them take their course: Even the Kings of the earth shall stoop to his Terms, and be thankful too, or else they are no servants for him: His House is not so open as to welcome all comers, but only those that will submit to his Laws, and accept of him upon his own conditions; therefore hath he told men the worst as well as the best, that if they will be discouraged or frighted from him, let them go: He tells them of poverty, of disgrace, of losing their lives, or else they cannot be his Disciples. And is not this an unlikely way to win men to him? Or to bring in so much of the world to worship him? He flatters none, he humoureth none, he hath not formed his Laws and Ways to please them. Nay, which is yet more, he is as strict in turning some men out of his Service, as other Masters would be ready to take them in. Therefore he hath required all his Followers to disclaim all such as are obstinate offenders, and not so much as to eat, or be familiar with them.
3. Consider also in what way Christ doth thus spread his Gospel, and preserve his Church. First, Not by worldly might and power, not by compelling men to profess him by the Sword. Indeed when men do profess themselves voluntarily to be his subjects, he hath authorised the Sword to see in part to the execution of his Laws, and to punish those that break the Laws which they have accepted. But to bring men in from the world into his Church; from Paganism, Turcism, or Judaism to Christianity, he never gave