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 ...

LECT. XI.* 1.1

ANd thus I have shewed you somewhat of their misery, who miss of this Rest prepared for the Saints. And now Reader, I demand thy resolution, what use thou wilt make of all this? Shall it all be lost to thee? or wilt thou as thou art alone consider of it in good earnest? Thou hast cast by many a warning of God, wilt thou do so by this also? Take heed what thou dost, and how thou so re∣solvest; God will not alwayes stand warning and threatning; The hand of revenge is lifted up; the blow is coming, and wo to him who∣ever he be on whom it lighteth; Little thinkest thou how neer thou standest to thy eternal state, and how neer the Pit thou art dancing in thy greatest jollity; if thy eyes were but opened, as they will be shortly, thou wouldest see all this that I have spoken before thine eyes without stirring from the place (I think) in which thou standest. Dost thou throw by the Book, and say, It speaks of nothing but Hell and Damnation? Thus thou usest also to complain of the Minister; but wouldst thou not have us to tell thee of these things? should we be guilty of the blood of thy soul, by keeping silent that which God hath charged us upon pain of death to make known▪ wouldst thou perish in ease and silence? and also have us to perish with thee, rather then to awake thee, or displease thee by speaking the truth? If thou wilt be guilty of such inhumane cruelty, yet God forbid we should be guilty of such most sottish folly! There are few Preachers so simple, but they know that this kinde of Preaching is the ready way to be hated of their Hearers: And the desire of applause, and the favor of men is so natural to all men, that I think there is few that delight in such a displeasing way: Our temptations to flattery and Man-plea∣sing are too strong for that. But I beseech the consider; Are these things true, or are they not? If they were not true, I would heartily joyn with thee against any Minister that should offer to Preach them, and to affright poor people when there is no cause; and I should think such Preachers did deserve Death or Banishment: But if every word of these threatnings be the words of God, and if they be as true as thou livest and readest this, what a wretch art thou that

wouldest not hear it, or consider it? Why, what is the matter? If thou be sure that thou art one of the People of God, this Doctrine will be a comfort to thee and not a terror; but if thou be yet carnal and unregenerate, methinks thou shouldest be as fraid to hear of Hea∣ven as of Hell, except the bare name of Heaven or Salvation be suffi∣cient; sure there is no Doctrine concerning heaven in all the Scripture, that can give thee any comfort but upon the supposal of thy conver∣sion. What comfort is it to thee to hear that there is a Rest remain∣ing for the people of God, except thou be one of them? Nay, what more terrible then to read of Christ and Salvation for others, when thou must be shut out? Therefore except thou wouldest have a Mini∣ster to preach a lye, it is all one to thee for any comfort thou hast in it, whether he Preach Heaven or Hell to thee: His Preaching Hea∣ven, and Mercy to thee, can be nothing else but to intreat thee to seek them, and not neglect or reject them, but he can make thee no promise of it, but upon the condition of thy obeying the Gospel; and his preaching Hell▪ is but to perswade thee to avoid it: And is not this Doctrine fit for thee to hear? Indeed if thou were quite past hope of escaping it, then it were in vaine to tell thee of hell, but ra∣ther let thee take a few merry hours whilst thou maist; but as long as thou art alive there is some hope of thy recovery, and therefore all means must be used to awake thee from thy Lethargy. O that some Jonas had this Point in hand to cry in your ears [Yet a few days, and the Rebellious shall be destroyed] till you were brought down on your knees in sackcloth and in ashes! Or if some John Baptist might cry it abroad, Now is the Ax laid to the root of the Tree, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen down and cast into the fire; O that some son of Thunder, who could speak as Paul, till the Hearers tremble, were now to Preach this Doctrine to thee! Alas, as terribly as you think I speak, yet is it not the thousand part of what must be felt; for what heart can now possibly conceive, or what tongue can ex∣press the dolours of those souls that are under the wrath of God? Ah, that ever blinde sinners should wilfully bring themselves to such unspeakable misery! You will then be crying to Jesus Christ, O mercy! O pitty▪ pitty, on a poor soul,! Why, I do now in the name of the Lord Jesus cry to thee; O have mercy, have pitty, man, upon thine own soul; shall God pitty thee who wilt not be intreated to pitty thy self? If thy horse see but a pit before him, thou canst scarce∣ly force him in; Balaams Ass would not be driven upon the drawn

Sword, and wilt thou so obstinately cast thy self into hell, when the danger is foretold thee? O who can stand before the Lord, and who can abide the fierceness of his anger? Nah. 1.6. Methinks thou shouldest need no more words, but presently cast away thy soul-damning sins, and wholly deliver up thy self to Christ. Resolve on it immediately, man, and let it be done, that I may see thy face in Rest among the Saints. The Lord perswade thy heart to strike this Covenant without any longer delay: but if thou be hardened unto death, and there be no remedy, yet do not say another day, but that thou wast faithfully warned, and that thou hadst a friend that would fain have prevented thy damnation.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 11.