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. II.

I shall apply this Reproof more particularly yet to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 several sorts of men. First, To the carnal worldly-minded man, who is so taken up in seeking the things below, that he hath neither heart nor time to seek this Rest.

* 1.2May I not well say to these men, as Paul to the Galathians in ano∣ther case? Foolish sinners! who hath bewitched you? It is not for nothing that Divines use to call the world a Witch▪ for as in VVitch∣craft mens lives, senses, goods, or cattle are destroyed by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 se∣cret unseen power of the Devill, of which a man can give no natural Reason; so here, men will destroy their own souls in a way quite against their own knowledg; and as VVitches will make a man dance

naked, or do the most unseemly, unreasonable actions; so the world doth bewitch men into bruit beasts, and draw them some degrees be∣yond madness. VVould not any man wonder that is in his right wit, and hath but the spiritual use of Reason, to see what riding and run∣ning, what scrambling and catching there is for a thing of naught, while eternal Rest lyes by neglected! what contriving and caring, what fighting and bloodshed to get a step higher in the world then their brethren, while they neglect the Kingly dignity of the Saints! what insatiable pursuit of fleshly pleasures, whilest they look upon the Praises of God, which is the joy of Angels, as a tiring burden! what unwearied diligence there is in raising their posterity, in enlarg∣ing their possessions, in gathering a little silver or gold? yea, perhaps for a poor living from hand to mouth? while in the mean time their Judgment is drawing neer; and yet how it shall go with them then? or how they shall live eternally, did never put them to the trouble of ones hours sober consideration; what rising early, and sitting up late, and labouring, and caring year after year to maintain themselves and their children in credit till they dye, but what shall follow after that they never think on, as if it were onely their work to provide for their bodies, and onely Gods work to provide for their souls, where∣as God hath promised more to provide for their bodies without their care, then for their souls; though indeed they must painfully serve his Providence for both; and yet these men can cry to us; May not a man be saved without so much ado? And may we not say with more reason to them? May not a man have a little Air, or Earth? a little credit or wealth without so much ado? or at least, may not a man have enough to bring him to his grave without so much ado? O how early do they rowse up their servants to their labour? up, come away to work, we have this to do, or that to do; but how seldom do they call them, Up, you have your souls to look to, you have Everlasting to provide for, up to prayer, to reading of the Scripture; Alas, how rare is this language! what a gad∣ding up and down the world is here, like a company of Ants upon a Hillock? taking uncessant pains to gather a treasure, which death, as the next passenger that comes by, will spurn abroad? as if it were such an excellent thing, to dye in the midst of wealth and honors! or as if it would be such a comfort to a man at death, or in another world, to think that he was a Lord, or a Knight, or a Gentleman, or a Rich man on earth? For my part, whatever these men may pro∣fess

or say to the contrary, I cannot but strongly suspect that in heart they are flat Pagans, and do not believe that there is an eternal glory and misery, nor what the Scripture speaks of the way of ob∣taining it; or at least, that they do but a little believe it, by the halves, and therefore think to make sure of Earth, lest there be no such thing as Heaven to be had; and to hold fast that which they have in hand, lest if they let go that, in hope of better in another world, they should play the fools and lose all. — I fear, though the Christian Faith be in their mouths, lest that this be the faith which is next their hearts; or else the lust of their Senses doth overcome and suspend their Reason, and prevail with their Wils against the last practical conclusion of their Understanding. What is the excellency of this Earth, that it hath so many Suiters, and Admirers? what hath this World done for its Lovers and Friends, that it is so eagerly fol∣lowed, and painfully sought after, while Christ and Heaven stand by, and few regard them? or what will the world do for them for the time to come? The common entrance into it is through anguish and sorrow: The passage through it is with continual care, and labor, and grief; the passage out of it is with the greatest sharpness and sadness of all. What then doth cause men so much to follow & affect it? O sinful, unreasonable, bewitched men! Will mirth and pleasure stick close to you? Will gold and worldly glory prove fast friends to you in the time of your greatest need? will they hear your cries in the day of your calamity? If a man should say to you at the hour of your death, as Elias did to Baals Priests, Cry aloud, &c. O, Riches, or Honor, now help us! will they either * 1.3 answer, or relieve you? will they go along with you to another world, and bribe the Judg, and bring you off clear? or purchase you a room among the blessed? why then did so rich a man want a drop of water for his tongue? or are the sweet morsels of present delight and honor, of more worth then the eternal Rest? and will they recompense the loss of that enduring Treasure? Can there be the least hope of any of these? why, what then is the matter? Is it onely a room for our dead bodies, that we are so much beholden to the world for? why, this is the last and longest courtesie that we shal receive from it: But we shal have this, whether we serve it or no; and even that homely dusty dwelling, it will not afford us al∣wayes neither: It shall possess our dust but till the great Resurrecti∣on day. Why, how then doth the world deserve so well at mens hands, that they should part with Christ and their salvation to be its

followers? Ah, vile deceitful world! How oft have we heard thy faithfullest servants at last complaining, Oh the world hath deceived me, and undone me! It flattered me in my prosperity, but now it turns me off at death in my necessity! Ah, if I had as faithfully ser∣ved Christ, as I have served it; He would not thus have cast me off; nor have left me thus comfortless and hopeless in the depth of misery! Thus do the dearest friends and favorites of the world complain at last of its deceit, or rather of their own self••deluding folly: and yet succeeding sinners will take no warning. So this is the first sort of neglecters of Heaven which fall under this Reproof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 2.
• * 1.2

  Sic errant aliqui, & in tantum oblivionem & spiritu∣alem phre∣nesin deve∣nerunt, ut tanquam mortui a corde, omnem insumunt operam suam circa carnem; sic intendentes tabernaculo suo, acsi nun∣quam putent esse cas••••••rum. Veruntamen cadat necesse est, atque id quidem in brevi. A••non seipsos nescire videntur, qui sic dedeti sunt carni & sanguini, acsi omnino nihil aliud quam carnem solam se esse re∣putent: Sic in vano accipientes animas suas tanquam prorsus ignorent anim••s se ••abere. Ber. ••er. ••37.
• * 1.3

  Yet Christs saying [that it is as hard for a rich man to be saved, as a Cam∣mel to go through the eye of a Needle] is not to be under∣stood lite∣rally; it being a Proverb which the Jews used of a thing very diffi∣cult. vid. Christ. Cart∣wright in praefat. ante Anno∣ta. in Ge∣nesin.