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. XV.

TEnthly and lastly, It will yet make the vvound in their Con∣sciences much deeper, vvhen they shall remember, that it vvas not onely their own doing, but that they vvere at so much cost and pains for their own damnation: What great undertakings did they ingage in for to effect their ruin? To resist God, to conquer the Spirit, to overcome the power of Mercies, Judgments, and the Word it self, to silence Conscience! all this did they take upon them, and perform. What a number of sins did they manage at once? vvhat difficulties did they set upon? even the conquering of the power of Reason it self. What dangers did they adven∣ture on? Though they walked in continual danger of the wrath of God, and knew he could lay them in the dust in a moment; though they knew they lived in danger of eternal perdition, yet would they run upon all this. What did they forsake for the service of Satan, and pleasures of sin? They forsook their God, their Conscience, their best Friends, their eternal hopes of salva∣tion▪ and all. They that could not tell how to forsake a lust, or a little honor or ease for Christ; yet can lose their souls, and all, for sin. O the labour that it costeth poor wretches to be damned! Sobriety they might have at a cheap rate, and a great deal of health and ease to boot; and yet they will rather have Gluttony and Drunkenness, with poverty, and shame, and sickness, and belch∣ings, and vomitings; with the outcries and lamentations of wife, and children, and Conscience it self. Contentedness they might have with ease and delight; yet will they rather have Covetous∣ness and Ambition, though it cost them study and care, and fears and labour of body and minde, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 continual unquietness and distraction of spirit, and usually a shameful overthrow at the last Though their anger be nothing but a tormenting themselves, and Revenge and Envy do consume their spirits, and keep them upon a continual ••ack of disqu••et, though uncleanness destroy their bo∣dies, and states, and names; and though they are foretold of the hazard of their eternal Happiness, yet will they do and suffer all this▪ rather then suffer their souls to be saved. How fa••t runs Gehezi for his Leprosie? what cost and pains is Nimrod at to purchase an universal confusion? How doth an Amorous Amnon pine himself

away for a self destroying lust? How studiously and painfully doth Absalon seek a hanging? Ahitophels reputation and his life must go together; even when they are struck blinde by a Judgment of God,* 1.2 yet how painfully do the Sodomites grope and weary them∣selves to finde the door? what cost and pains are the Idolatrous Papists at for their multifarious Wilworship?* 1.3 How unweariedly and unreservedly have the Malignant enemies of the Gospel a∣mong us, spent their estates and health, and limbs, and lives, to overthrow the power of Godliness, and set up Formality? to put out the light that should guide them to heaven? and how earnestly do they still prosecute it to the last? How do the Nations gene∣rally rage▪ and the people imagine a vain thing? The Kings of the Earth setting themselves, and the Rulers taking counsel together▪ against the Lord, and against his Christ? that they may break the bonds of his Laws asunder, and cast away the cords of his Govern∣ment from them, though he that sitteth in heaven do laugh them to scorn, though the Lord have them in derision; though ••e speak to them in his vvrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure, and re••solve them that yet in despite of them all, He vvill set his King upon his holy Hill of Sion? Yet vvill they spend and tire out them∣selves as long as they are able to stir against the Lord. O how the reviews of this vvill feed the flames of Hell? With vvhat rage vvill these damned wretches curse themselves? and say, Was dam••nation vvorth all my cost and pains? vvas it not enough that I perished through my negligence, and that I sit still vvhile Satan played his game, but I must seek so diligently for my own perdi••tion? Might I not have been damned on free-cost, but I must pur∣chase it so dearly? I thought I could have been saved without so much ado; and could I not have been destroyed without so much ado? How wel is all my care, and pains, and violence now requited? Must I work out so laboriously my own damnation, vvhen God commanded me to vvork out my Salvation! O if I had done as much for Heaven, as I did for Hell, I had surely had it. I cried out of the tedious vvay of Godliness, and of the painful course of Duty and Self-denial; and yet I could be at a great deal more pains for Satan, and for death. If I had loved Christ as strongly as I did my pleasures and profits, and honors, and thought on him as often, and sought him as painfully, O how happy had I now been! But justly do I suffer the flames of Hell, who would rather

rather buy them so dear, then have Heaven on free cost, when it was purchased to my hands! —

Thus I have shewed you some of those thoughts, which will ag∣gravate the misery of these wretches for ever. O that God would perswade thee, who readest these words, to take up these thoughts now seasonably and soberly for the preventing of that unconceiv∣able calamity, that so thou mayest not be forced in despite of thee, to take them up in Hell as thy own Tormentor.

It may be some of these hardened wretches, will jest at all this, and say, How know you what thoughts the damned in Hell will have?

Ans. First, VVhy read but the 16 of Luke, and you shall there finde some of their thoughts mentioned.

Secondly I know their understandings will not be taken from them, nor their conscience, nor Passions: As the Joyes of Hea∣ven are chiefly enjoyed by the Rationall soul in its Rationall act∣ings: so also must the pains of Hell be suffered. As they will be men still, so will they act as men.

Thirdly, Beside, Scripture hath plainly foretold us as much, that their own thoughts shall accuse them,* 1.4 Rom. 2.15. and their hearts condemn them. And we see it begun in despairing persons here.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 15.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 19.11.
• * 1.3

  As Phocion, when being condemned to die, his fellows had drunk up all the poyson before him so that he could not have any, except he would pay for it a dear price, he desi••es his friend to pay for it, quoni∣am A••henis ne mori qui∣d••m gratis li∣••••t; so, be∣cause God in mercy hath resolved that no man shall be damned except he buy it with his sin∣ful labour, they will pay the price ra∣ther then es∣cape. Phil. 2.12.
• * 1.4

  1 Joh. 3.19.20.22.