A27017:702
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 8 › 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.
And it were easy to manifest this also by Reason: For first, Gods Justice requires an inequality of mens state hereafter as there was of their lives here. And secondly, They that walk not in the way of Rest, and use not the means, are never like to obtain the End; They would not follow Christ in the Regeneration, nor accept of Rest upon his conditions; they thought him to be too hard a Master, and his way too narrow, and his Laws too strict: They chose the pleasures of sin for a season, rather then to suffer affliction with the people of God: They would not suffer with Christ, that so they might reign with him. What they made choice of, that they did enjoy: They had their good things in this life; and what they did refuse, it is but reason they should want: How oft would Christ have gathered them to him, and they would not? And he useth to make men willing before he save them, and not to save them against their wills.
And it were easie to manifest this also by Reason: For first, Gods Justice requires an inequality of mens state hereafter as there was of their lives here. And secondly, They that walk not in the way of Rest, and use not the means, are never like to obtain the End; They would not follow Christ in the Regeneration, nor accept of Rest upon his conditions; they thought him to be too hard a Master, and his way too narrow, and his Laws too strict: They chose the pleasures of sin for a season, rather then to suffer affliction with the people of God: They would not suffer with Christ, that so they might raign with him. What they made choise of, that they did injoy: They had their good things in this life; and what they did refuse, it is but reason they should want: How oft would Christ have gathered them to him, and they would not? And he useth to make men willing before he save them, and not to save them against their wils.
Therefore will the mouths of the wicked be stopped for ever, and all the world shall acknowledge the Justice of God. Had the ungodly but returned before their life was expired, and been heartily willing to accept of Christ for their Saviour and their King, and to be saved by him in his way, and upon his most reasonable terms, they might have been saved.