A27017:969
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 19
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. XIX.
118. Consider; They that have been the most Serious Painful Christians, when they come to dye do exceedingly lament their negligence. Those that have wholly addicted themselves to the work of God, and have made it the main business of their lives, and have slighted the world, and mortified the flesh, and have been the wonders of the world for their Heavenly Conversations; yet when Conscience is let loose upon them, and God withdraws the sense of his Love, how do their failings wound them, and disquiet them? What terrors do the Souls of many undergo, who are generally admired for their godliness and innocency? Even those that are hated and derided by the world for being so strict, and are thought to be almost besides themselves for their extraordinary diligence; Yet commonly when they lie a dying, do wish, Oh, that they had been a thousand times more holy, more heavenly, more laborious for their Souls! What a case then will the negligent World be in, when their Consciences are awaked? When they lie dying, and look behind them upon a lazy negligent ⟨p. 363⟩life, and look before them upon a severe and terrible Judgment! What an esteem will they have of a holy life? For my own part, I may say as Erasmus, Accusant quod nimium fecerim, verùm Conscientia mea me accusat quod minus fecerim, quodque lentior fuerim. They accuse me for doing too much, but my own Conscience accuseth me for doing too little, and being too slow: And it is far easier bearing the scorns of the World, then the scourges of Conscience. The World speaks at a distance without me, so that though I hear their words, I can choose whether I will feel them: but my Conscience speaks within me at the very heart, so that every check doth pierce me to the quick. Conscience when it is reprehended justly is the Messenger of God; but ungodly Revilers are but the voice of the Devil. I had rather be reproached by the Devil for seeking Salvation, then be reproved of God for neglecting it: I had rather the World should call me Puritan in the Devils name, then Conscience should call me Loiterer in Gods name. As God and Conscience are more useful friends then Satan and the World; so are they more dreadful irresistible Enemies.