A27017:879
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 4 › Section 9
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.
1Answ. Wilt thou not believe? I do not wonder if thou be loath to believe so terrible tidings to thy soul as these are; which if they were believed and apprehended indeed according to their weight, would set thee a trembling and roaring in the anguish of horror day and night:2 And I do as little wonder that the Devil who ruleth thee, should be loath, if he can hinder it, to suffer thee to believe it: For ⟨p. 329⟩if thou didst believe it, thou wouldest spare no cost or pains to escape it. But go to: If thou wilt read on, either thou shalt believe it before thou stirrest, or prove thy self an Infidel or Pagan. Tell me then, Dost thou believe Scripture to be the word of God? If thou do not, thou art no more a Christian then thy horse is, or then a Turk is: For what ground have we besides Scripture to believe that Jesus Christ did come into the world, or dye for man? If thou believe not these, I have nothing here to do with thee, but refer thee to the second part of this book, where I have proved Scripture to be the word of God. But if thou do believe this to be so, and yet dost not believe that the same Scripture is true, thou art far worse then either Infidel or Pagan: For the vilest Pagans durst hardly charge their Idol Gods to be liars: And darest thou give the lye to the God of Heaven? And accuse him of speaking that which shall not come to pass? and that in such absolute threats, and plain expressions? But if thou darest not stand to this, but dost believe Scripture both to be the word of God, and to be true; then I shall presently convince thee of the truth of these eternal Torments. Wilt thou believe if a Prophet should tell it thee? Why read it then in the greatest Prophets, Moses, David, and Isaiah, Deut. 32.22. Psal. 11.6. & 9, 17. Isai. 30.33. Or wilt thou believe one that was more then a Prophet? Why hear then what John Baptist saith, Mat. 3.10.