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 ...

SECT. VII.

* 1.14. ANother Direction I would give you is this: Do it with all possible plainness and faithfulness. Do not dawb with men, and hide from them their misery or danger, or any part of it: Do not make their sins less then they are; nor speak of them in an extenuating language: Do not encourage them in a false hope or faith, no more then you would discourage the sound hopes of the righteous. If you see his case dangerous, tell him plainly of it: Neighbor, I am afraid God hath not yet renew∣ed your Soul; and that it is yet a stranger to the great work of Regeneration and Sanctification: I doubt you are not yet reco∣vered from the power of Satan to God, nor brought out of the state of wrath which you were born in, and have lived in: I doubt you have not chosen Christ above all, nor set your heart upon him, nor unfeignedly taken him for your Soveraign Lord. If you had, sure you durst not so easily disobey him; you could not so neglect him and his worship in your family and in pub∣lique: you could not so eagerly follow the world, and talk of almost nothing but the things of this world, while Christ is sel∣dom mentioned or sought after by you. If you were in Christ, you would be a new Creature: old things would be passed away, and all things would become new: you would have new thoughts, and new talk, and new company, and new endeavors and a new conversation: Certainly without these you can never be saved: You may think otherwise, and hope better as long as you will, but your hopes will all deceive you, and perish with you: Alas, it is not as you will, nor as I will, who shall be saved; but it is as God will:* 1.2 and God hath told us, That without holiness none shall see him, and except we be born again we cannot enter into his Kingdom; and that all that would not have Christ raign over them, shall be brought forth and destroyed before him. Oh therefore look to your state in time. — Thus must you deal roundly and faithfully with men, if ever you intend to do them good: It is not hovering at a distance in a

general discourse that will serve the turn: It is not in curing mens Souls as in curing their bodies, where they must not know their danger, lest it sadden them, and hinder the cure. They are here agents, in their own cure; and if they know not their misery, they will never bewail it, nor know how much need they have of a Saviour: If they know not the worst, they will not labour to prevent it; but will sit still or loiter till they drop into perdi∣tion, and will trifle out their time in delays till it be too late: And therefore speak to men as Christ to the Pharisees, till they knew that he meant them. Deal plainly, or you do but deceive and destroy them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 7.
• * 1.2

  Heb. 12.14. Joh. 3 3. Luk. 19 27.