A27017:748
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
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.
I do here expect that thou shouldest in the pride and scorn of thy heart, turn back upon me, and show thy teeth, and say, Who made you the door-keeper of heaven? when were you there? and when did God show you the Book of Life? or tell you who they are that shall be saved, and who shut out?
I do here expect that thou shouldest in the pride and scorn of thy heart, turn back upon me, and shew thy teeth, and say, Who made you the door-keeper of heaven? when were you there? and when did God shew you the Book of Life? or tell you who they are that shall be saved, and who shut out?
I will not Answer thee according to thy folly; but truly and plainly as I can discover this thy folly to thy self, that if there be yet any hope, thou mayest recover thy understanding, and yet return to God and live. First, I do not name thee, nor any other: I do not conclude of the persons individually, and say, This man shall be shut out of heaven, and that man shall be taken in: I only conclude it of the unregenerate in general, and of thee conditionally, if thou be such a one. Secondly, I do not go about to determine who shall repent, and who shall not; much less, that thou shalt never repent, and come in to Christ: These things are unknown to me; I had far rather show thee what hopes thou hast before thee, if thou wilt not sit still and lose them, and by thy wilful carelessness cast away thy hopes: And I would far rather persuade thee to hearken in time, while there is hope, and opportunity, and offers of Grace, and before the door is shut against thee, that so thy soul may return and live; then to tell thee, that, there is no hope of thy repenting and returning. But if thou lye hoping that thou shalt return, and never do it; if thou talk of repenting and believing, but still art the same; if thou live and die with the world, and thy credit, or pleasure nearer thy heart then Jesus Christ: In a word, If the foregoing description of the people of God do not agree with the state of thy soul; Is it then a hard question, whether thou shalt ever be saved? Even as hard a question, ⟨p. 267⟩as whether God be true? or the Scripture be his Word? Cannot I certainly tell that thou shalt perish for ever, except I had seen the Book of Life? Why, the Bible also is the Book of Life, and it describeth plainly those that shall be saved, and those that shall be condemned; Though it do not name them, yet it tells you all those signs and conditions, by which they may be known. Do I need to ascend up into heaven, to know, That without holiness none shall see God?