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 ...

* 1.1SECT. V.

THirdly, Moreover as they lose God, so they lose all those spi∣ritual delightful Affections, and Actions, by which the Blessed do feed on God. That transporting knowledg: those ravishing views of his Glorious Face: The unconceivable pleasure of loving God. The apprehensions of his infinite Love to us; The constant joys which his Saints are taken up with; and the Rivers of consola∣tion wherewith he doth satisfie them. Is it nothing to lose all this? The employment of a King in ruling a kingdome, doth not so far exceed the imployment of the vilest scullion or slave, as this Heavenly imployment exceedeth his.

These wretches had no delight in Praising God on earth; their recreations and pleasures were of another nature: and now, when the Saints are singing his prayses, and imployed in magnifying the Lord of Saints; then shall the ungodly be denyed this happiness, and have an imployment suitable to their natures and deserts: Their hearts were full of Hell upon earth: in stead of God, and his Love, and Fear, and Graces, there was Pride, and self-love, and lust, and unbelief; And therefore Hell must now entertain those Hearts, which formerly entertained so much of it. Their Houses on Earth were the resemblances of Hell: in stead of worshipping God, and calling upon his name, there was scorning at his worship, and swearing by his name: And now Hell must therefore be their habitation for ever, where they shall never be troubled with that worship and duty which they abhorred, but joyn with the rest of the damned in blaspheming that God who is avenging their for∣mer impieties and blasphemies. Can it probably be expcted, that they who made themselves merry while they lived on earth, in deriding the persons and families of the godly, for their frequent worshiping and praising God, should at last be admitted into the Familie of Heaven, and joyn with those Saints in those more per∣fect praises? Surely without a sound change upon their hearts be∣fore they go hence, it is utterly impossible. It is too late then to

say, Give us of your oyl, for our Lamps are out: Let us now en∣ter with you to the marriage feast: let us now joyn with you in the joyfull Heavenly melody. You should have joyned in it on earth, if you would have joyned in Heaven. As your eyes must be taken up with other kinde of sights; so must your hearts be taken up with other kinde of thoughts, and your voices turned to another tune. As the doors of heaven will be shut against you; so will that joyous imployment be denied to you. There is no singing the songs of Zion in the land of your thraldome: Those that go down to the pit do not praise him; Who can rejoyce in the place of sorrows? And who can be glad in the land of con∣fusion? God suits mens imployments to their natures; The bent of your spirits was another way, your hearts were never set upon God in your lives: you were never admirers of his Attributes and works, nor ever throughly warmed with his love: you never longed after the enjoyment of him; you had no delight to speak or to hear of him: you were weary of a Sermon or Prayer an hour long, you had rather have continued on earth, if you had known how; you had rather yet have a place of earthly preferment, or lands and lordships, or a feast, or sports, or your cups, or whores, then to be interessed in the Glorious Praises of God, and is it meet then that you should be members of the Celestiall Quire? A Swine is fitter for a Lecture of Philosophy, or an Ass to build a City, or govern a Kingdom; or a dead Corps to feast at thy Table, then thou art for this work of Heavenly Praise.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 5.