A27017:972
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 21
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. XXI.
120. Consider; God hath resolved, That Heaven shall not be had on easier terms. He hath not only commanded it as a duty, but hath tied our Salvation to the performance of it. Rest must always follow Labour. He that hath ordained in his Church on Earth, That he that will not Labour, shall not Eat, hath also decreed concerning the Everlasting Inheritance,2 That he that Strives not, shall not Enter. They must now lay up a Treasure in Heaven, if they will find it there, Mat. 6.19, 20. They must seek First the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, Matth. 6.33. They must not Labour for the food which perisheth, but for that food which endureth to Everlasting Life, Joh. 6.27. Some think that it is good to be Holy, but yet not of such absolute necessity, but that a man may be saved without it: But God hath determined on the contrary, That without it no man shall see his face, Heb. 12.14. Seriousness is the very thing wherein consisteth our Sincerity. If thou art not Serious, thou art not a Christian. It is not only a high degree in Christianity, but of the very life and essence of it. As Fencers upon a Stage (who have all the skill at their weapons, and do eminently and industriously act their parts, but do not seriously intend the death of each other) do differ from Soldiers, or Combatants, ⟨p. 365⟩