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. XI.

2. ANother Cause of uncomfortable living is,* 1.1 That Christians look more at their present Cause of Comfort or Dis∣comfort,

then they do at their Future Happiness,* 1.2 and the way to attain it. They look af••er Signs which may tell th••m what they are, more then they do at P••ecepts which tell them what they should do. They are very desirous to know whether they are Justified and beloved or not; but they do not think what course they should take to be Justified, if they be not. As if their pre∣sent Case must needs be their Everlasting Case; and if they be now unpardoned, there were no Remedy. Why I beseech thee consider this, Oh doubting Soul: What if all were as b••d as thou dost fear? and none of thy sins were yet pardoned? Is not the Remedy at hand? May not all this be done in a moment? Dost thou not know that thou mayst have Christ and pardon when ever thou wilt? Call not this a loose or strange doctrine. Christ is willing if thou be willing. He offereth himself and all his benefits to thee: He presseth them on thee, and urgeth thee to accept them: He will condemn thee and destroy thee if thou wilt not accept them. Why dost thou therefore stand whining and complaining that thou art not Pardoned and Adopted, when thou shouldst take them being offered thee? Were he not mad that would lie weeping and wringing his hands, be∣cause he is not pardoned, when his Prince stands by all the while offering him a pardon, and intreating; and threatning, and per∣swading, and correcting him, and all to make him take it? What would you say to such a man? Would you not chide him for his folly, and say, If thou wouldst have Pardon and Life, why dost thou not take it? Why then do you not say the like to your selves? Know ye not that Pardon and Adoption are offered you only on the Condition of your Believing?

And this Believing is nothing else but the Accepting of Christ for thy Lord and Sa∣viour, as he is offered to thee with his benefits in the Gospel: And this Accepting is principally (if not only) the Act of thy Will. So that if thou be willing to have Christ upon his own terms, that is, to Save and Rule thee, then thou art a Believer: Thy willingness is thy Faith.

And if thou have Faith, thou hast the surest of all Evidences. Justifying Faith is not thy Perswasi∣on of Gods special Love to thee, or of thy Justification; but thy Accepting Christ to make thee Just and Lovely. It may be thou

wilt say, I cannot Believe; It is not so easie a matter to Believe as you make it. Answ. Indeed to those that are not willing, it is not easie: God only can make them willing: But to him that is will∣ing to have Christ for King and Saviour, I will not say Believing is easie, but it is already performed; for this is Believing. Let me therefore put this Question to every doubting complaining Soul: What is it that thou art complaining and mourning for? What makes thee walk so sadly as thou dost? Because thou hast not Christ and his benefits. Why, art thou willing to have them on the forementioned Condition? or art thou not? If thou be Will∣ing, thou hast him: Thy Accepting is thy Believing: To as many as Receive him (that is, Accept him) to them he gives power to be∣come the Sons of God, even to them that Believe on his Name, Joh. 1.12. But if thou art not Willing, why dost thou Complain? Methinks the tongue should follow the bent of the heart or Will; And they that would not have Christ, should be speaking against him, at least against his Laws and Ways, and not complaining be∣cause they do not enjoy him. Dost thou groan and make such moan for want of that which thou wouldst not have? If indeed thou wouldst not have Christ for thy King and Saviour, then have I nothing to say but to perswade thee to be Willing. Is it not madness then to lie complaining that we have not Christ, when we may have him if we will? If thou have him not, take him, and cease thy complaints: Thou canst not be so forward and willing as he is: And if He be Willing, and thou be Willing, who shall break the Match?* 1.3 I will not say as Mr Saltmarsh most horridly doth, That we ought no more to Question our Faith, which is our first and foundation Grace, then we ought to Question Christ the Foundation of our Faith. But this I say, That it were a more wise and direct course to Accept Christ offered (which is Believing) then to spend so much time in doubting whether we have Christ and Faith or no.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 11.
• * 1.2

  You sit pore∣ing •• search∣ing for pillers of hope with∣in you, & be-bestow much pains to an∣swer your own fears, but the ready way to make the business clear is by going to Christ. Stand not so much upon this Question, Whether you have believ'd in truth or no; but put al out of doubt by a present faith. The door is open; enter & live: You may more easily build a new fabrick of comfort, by 〈…〉〈…〉, then repair your old dw••lling, and clear all suits that are brought against your tenure. Simonds Deserted Soul. pag. 554.
• * 1.3

  Flowings of Christs Blood, &c. pag. 95.