A27017:901
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 5 › Section 1
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. I.1
- 1§. 1.
I Come now to the Second Use which I shall raise from this Doctrine of Rest. If there be so certain and glorious a Rest for the Saints, why is there no more industrious seeking after it in the world? One would think that a man that did but once hear of such unspeakable glory to be obtained, and did believe what he heareth, to be true, should be transported with the vehemency of his desires after it, and should almost forget to eat or drink, and should mind and care for nothing else, and speak of, and enquire after nothing else, but how to get assurance and possession of this Treasure! and yet people who hear of it daily, and profess to believe it undoubtedly as a fundamental Article of their Faith, do as little mind it, or care, or labour for it, and as much forget and disregard it, as if they had never heard of any such ⟨p. 340⟩thing, or did not believe one word that they hear; And as a man that comes into America, and sees the Natives regard more a piece of Glass, or an old Knife, then a piece of Gold, may think, sure these people never heard of the worth of Gold, or else they would not exchange it for toys: so a man that looked only upon the lives of most men, and did not hear their contrary confessions, would think, either these men never heard of Heaven, or else they never heard of its excellency and glory; when alas, they hear of it till they are weary of hearing; and it is offered to them so commonly, that they are tired with the tidings, and cry out as the Israelites, Numb. 11.6. Our soul is dried away, because there is nothing but this Manna before our eyes: And as the Indians who live among the golden Mines do little regard it, but are weary of the daily toil of getting it, when other Nations will compass the world, and venture their lives, and sail through storms and waves to get it: So we that live where the Gospel groweth, where heaven is urged upon us at our doors, and the Manna falls about our tents, do little regard it, and wish these Mines of gold were further from us, that we might not be put upon the toil of getting it, when some that want it, would be glad of it upon harder terms: Surely, though the Resurrection of the Body and Life everlasting be the last Article in their Creed, it is not the least, nor therefore put last, that it should be last in their desires and endeavours.