A27017:839
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.
or would you desire them to do so? Why, what would you think of such a Minister, when those hopes forsake you? or what thanks will you give him, when you find your self in Hell? would you not there lye and curse him for a deceiver for ever? I know this to be true, and therefore I had rather you were displeased with me here, then curse me there. For my own part, if I had but one Sermon to preach while I lived, I think this should be it; to persuade down all your ungrounded hopes of Heaven; not to leave you there in despair, but that you may hope upon better grounds which will never deceive you. God hath told us what we shall say, Isai. 3.10, 11. Say to the Righteous, It shall be well with him, and to the wicked, It shall be ill with him And if I shall say, it shall be well with thee, when God hath said, it shall be ill with thee, what the better were thou for this? Whose word would stand, think you, Gods or mine? O, little do carnal Ministers know what they do, who strengthen the hopes of ungodly men? They work as hard as they can against God, while they stand there to speak in the ⟨p. 310⟩name of God. God layeth his battery against these false hopes, as knowing that they must now down, or the sinner must perish: And these teachers build up what God is pulling down: I know not what they can do worse to destroy mens souls. There are false teachers in regard of application, though they are true in regard of doctrine. This is partly through their flattering men-pleasing temper, partly because they are guilty themselves, and so should destroy their own hopes, as well as others; and partly because being graceless, they want that experience which should help them to discern betwixt hope and hope. The same may be said of carnal friends. If they see a poor sinner but doubting whether all be well with him, and but troubled for fear least he be out of the way: What pains do they take to keep up his old hopes? What, say they, If you should not be saved, God help a great many: You have lived honestly, &c. Never doubt, man; God is merciful. — Alas silly creatures! You think you perform an office of friendship, and do him much good! Even as much as to give cold water to a man in a Fever, you may ease him at the present, but it afterward inflames him. What thanks will he give you hereafter, if you settle him upon his former hopes again? Did you never read