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. XX.

19. COnsider how far many a man goes,* 1.1 and what a deal of pains he takes for Heaven, and yet misseth it for want of more? When every man that striveth is not crowned, (2 Tim. 2.5.) and many shall seek to enter in, and not be able, (Luk. 13.24.) and the very Children of the Kingdom shall be shut out, (Matth. 13.41.) and they that have heard the Word, and received it with Joy, (Mat. 13.20.) and have heard the Preacher gladly, and done many things after him, shall yet perish, (Mark 6.20.) It is time for us to look about us, and take heed of loytering. When they that seek God dayly, and delight to know his ways, and ask of him the Ordinances of Justice, and take Delight in approaching to God, and that in fasting and afflicting their Souls, (Isai. 58.2, 3.) are yet shut out with Hypocrites and Unbeleevers: When they that have been enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and of the good Word of God, and of the Powers of the World to come, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, may yet fall away be∣yond recovery, and crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh,

(Heb. 6.4, 5, 6.) When they that have received the knowledg of the Truth, and were sanctified by the blood of the Covenant, may yet sin wilfully, and tread under-foot the Son of God, and do de∣spite to the Spirit of Grace, till there is nothing left him but the fearful expectation of Judgment, and fire that shall devour the ad∣versaries; (Heb. 10.26, 27, 28, 29.) Should not this rouze us out of our laziness and security? How far hath many a man followed Christ, and yet forsaken him, when it comes to selling of all, to bearing the Cross, to burning at a stake, or to the renouncing of all his worldly Interests and Hopes? What a deal of pains hath many a man taken for Heaven, that never did obtain it? How many Prayers, Sermons, Fasts, Alms, good desires, confessions, sorrow and tears for sin, &c. have all been lost, and faln short of the King∣dom? Methinks this should affright us out of our sluggishness, and make us strive to out-strip the highest Formalists?

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 20.