A27017:804
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. III. › Chapter 2 › Section 12
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.
SECT. XII.1
- 1§. 12.
Seventhly, Again, it will be a most cutting consideration to these damned sinners, to remember on what easy terms they might have escaped their misery; and on what easy conditions the Crown was tendered to them. If their work had been, to remove Mountains, to conquer Kingdoms, to fulfil the Law to the smallest tittle, then the impossibility would somewhat assuage the rage of their self-accusing conscience: If their conditions for heaven had been, the satisfying of Justice for all their transgressions, the suffering of all that the Law did lay upon them, or bearing that burden which Christ was fain to bear; Why this were nothing but to suffer Hell, to escape hell: but their conditions were of another nature; The yoke was light, and the burden was easy which Jesus Christ would have laid upon them,1 his commandments were not grievous. It was but to repent of their former ⟨p. 292⟩transgressions, and cordially to accept him for their Saviour and their Lord; to study his will, and seek his face; to renounce all other happiness, but that which he procureth us, and to take the Lord alone for our Supreme Good: to renounce the government of the world and the flesh, and to submit to his meek and gracious government; to forsake the ways of our own devising, and to walk in his holy delightful way, to engage our selves to this by Covenant with him, and to continue faithful in that Covenant. These were the terms on which they might have enjoyed the Kingdom: And was there any thing unreasonable in all this? Or had they any thing to object against it? Was it a hard bargain to have Heaven upon these conditions? When all the price that is required, is only our Accepting it in that way that the Wisdom of our Lord thinks meet to bestow it? And for their want of ability to perform this, it consisteth chiefly in their want of will: If they were but willing, they should find that God would not be backward to assist them, If they be willing, Christ is much more willing.