A27017:722
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.
Surely if there be as great an interruption of our life, as till the Resurrection (which with some will be many thousand years) this is no eternal life▪ nor everlasting Kingdom. Lushington's evasion is, That because there is no time with dead men, but they so sleep, that when they awake, it is all one to them, as if it had been at first; Therefore the Scripture speaks of them, as if they were there already. It is true indeed, if there were no joy till the Resurrection, then that consideration would be comfortable: But when God hath thus plainly told us of it before, then this evasion contradicteth the Text. Doubtless there is time also to the dead, though (in respect of their bodies) they perceive it not. He will not sure think it a happiness to be petrified or stupefied, whiles others are enjoying the comforts of life: If he do, it were the best course to sleep out our lives.
Surely if there be as great an interruption of our life, as till the Resurrection (which with some will be many thousand yeers) this is no eternall life▪ nor everlasting Kingdom. Lushingtons evasion is, That because there is no time with dead men, but they so sleep, that when they awake, it is all one to them, as if it had been at first; Therefore the Scripture speaks of them, as if they were there already. It is true indeed, if there were no joy till the Resurrection, then that consideration would be comfortable: But when God hath thus plainly told us of it before, then this evasion contradicteth the Text. Doubtless there is time also to the dead, though (in respect of their bodies) they perceive it not. He will not sure think it a happiness to be petrified or stupified, whiles others are enjoying the comforts of life: If he do, it were the best course to sleep out our lives.
13. In Jude 7. The Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are spoken of, as suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. And if the wicked do already suffer eternal fire, then no doubt but the godly do enjoy eternal blessedness. I know some understand the place, of that fire which consumed their bodies, as being a Type of the fire of