A27017:944
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 6 › Section 7
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. VII.
6. The Vigour of our Affections and Actions should be somewhat answerable to the great cost bestowed upon us,1 and to the deep engaging mercies which we have received from God. Surely we owe more service to our Master from whom we have ⟨p. 154⟩our maintenance, then we do to a stranger to whom we never were beholden. Oh the cost that God hath been at for our sakes! The riches of Sea and Land, of Heaven and Earth, hath he poured out unto us. All our lives have been filled up with Mercies: We cannot look back upon one hour of it, or one passage in it, but we may behold Mercy. We feed upon Mercy; we wear Mercy on our backs, we tread upon Mercy: Mercy within us, common and special; Mercy without us, for this life, and for that to come: Oh the rare Deliverances that we have partook of! both national and personal! How oft, how seasonably, how fully have our prayers been heard, and our fears removed? What large Catalogues of particular Mercies can every Christian draw forth and rehearse? To offer to number them, would be an endless task, as to number the stars, or the sands of the shore. If there be any difference betwixt Hell (where we should have been) and Earth, (where we now are) yea or Heaven, (which is offered us) then certainly we have received Mercy. Yea, if the Blood of the Son of God be Mercy, then are we engaged to God by Mercy; for so much did it cost him to recover us to himself. And should a people of such deep engagements be lazy in their returns? Shall God think nothing too much nor too Good for us; and shall we think all too much that we do for him? Thou that art an observing sensible man, who knowest how much thou art beholden to God, I appeal to thee: Is not a loitering performance of a few heartless duties, an unworthy requital of such admirable kindness? For my own part, when I compare my slow and unprofitable life, with the frequent and wonderful mercies received, it shames me, it silenceth me, and leaves me unexcusable.