A27017:715
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 9 › 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.
6. Plain also is that in the Revelations, chap. 14. vers. 13. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord, from henceforth, yea saith the Spirit, that they may Rest from their labours, and their works do follow them (i. e. close as the garments on a mans back follow him, and not at such a distance as the resurrection.) For if the blessedness were only in R•sting in the Grave, then a beast or a stone were as blessed; Nay it were evidently a curse, and not a blessing. For was not life a great Mercy? was it not a greater mercy to enjoy all the comforts of life? to enjoy the fellowship of the Saints? The comfort of the ordinances? And much of Christ in all? To be employed in the delightful work of God, and to edify his Church? &c. Is it not a curse to be so deprived of all these? Do not these yield a great deal more sweetness, then all the troubles of this life can yield us bitterness? Though I think not (as *some) that it is better to be most miserable, even in hell, then not to be at all; yet it is undeniable, that it is better to enjoy life, and so much of the comforts of life, and so much of God in comforts and afflictions as the Saints do, though we have all this with persecution; then to lye rotting in the grave; if that were all we could expect. Therefore it is some further blessedness that is there promised.
6. Plain also is that in the Revelations, chap. 14. vers. 13. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord, from henceforth, yea saith the Spirit, that they may Rest from their labors, and their works do follow them (i. e. close as the garments on a mans back follow him, and not at such a distance as the resurrection.) For if the blessedness were only in R•sting in the Grave, then a beast or a stone were as blessed; Nay it were evidently a curse, and not a blessing. For was not life a great Mercy? was it not a greater mercy to enjoy all the comforts of life? to enjoy the fellowship of the Saints? The comfort of the ordinances? And much of Christ in all? To be imployed in the delightfull work of God, and to edifie his Church? &c. Is it not a curse to be so deprived of all these? Do not these yeeld a great deal more sweetness, then all the troubles of this life can yeeld us bitterness? Though I think not (as