A27017:836
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 3 › Section 3
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.
that thou art willing to have them tried, and fearful of being deceived: that they stir up they desires of enjoying what thou hopest for, and the deferring thereof is the trouble of thy heart, Prov. 13.12. If thou be sure that thy hopes be such as these; God forbid that I should speak a word against them, or discourage thee from proceeding to hope thus to the end: No, I rather persuade thee to go on in the strength of the Lord; and what ever men or devils, or thy own unbelieving ⟨p. 307⟩heart shall say against it, go on, and hold fast thy hope, and be sure, it shall never make thee ashamed. But if thy hope be not of this spiritual nature, and if thou art able to give no better reason why thou hopest, then the worst in the world may give, That God is merciful; and thou must speed as well as thou canst, or the like; and hast not one sound evidence of a saving work of grace upon thy soul to show for thy hopes; but only hopest that thou shalt be saved because thou wouldest have it so, and because it is a terrible thing to despair; If this be thy case, delay not an hour; but presently cast away those hopes, that thou mayest get into a capacity of having better in their stead. But it may be thou wilt think this strange doctrine, and say, What, would you persuade me directly to despair? Answ. Sinner; I would be loath to have thy soul destroyed by wilful self-delusion. The truth is, There is a hope (such as I have before showed thee of) which is a singular grace and duty▪ and there is a hope which is a notorious dangerous sin. So consequently there is a despair which is a grievous sin: and there is a despair which is absolutely necessary to thy salvation. I would not have thee, despair of the sufficiency of the blood of Christ to save thee, if thou believe and heartily obey him: Nor of the willingness of God to pardon and save thee, if thou be such a one: Nor yet absolutely of thy own salvation; because while there is life and time, there is some hope of thy conversion, and so of thy salvation, Nor would I draw thee to despair of finding Christ, if thou do but heartily seek him: Or of Gods acceptance of any sincere endeavours, nor of thy success against Satan, or any corruption which thou shalt heartily oppose, nor of any thing whatsoever God hath promised to do, either to all men in general, or to such as thou art.