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. IX.

* 1.1I Would not have bestowed this time and labour in urging you with all these fore-going Considerations, but that I know how backward man is to this duty. And though I am certain that these Motives have weight of Reason in them, yet experience of mens unreasonableness in things of this Nature, doth make me Jealous, lest you should lay by the Book when you have read all this, as if you had done, and never set your selves to the practise of the duty. Reader, Thou seest the Case in hand is of greatest moment: It is to know, Whether thou shalt Everlastingly live in Heaven or Hell? If thou hast lived hitherto in dark uncertainty, it is a pitiful case: but if thou wilfully continue so, thy Madness is unexpressible: And is it not wilfully, when a through Tryal might help thee to be Re∣solved, and thou wilt not be perswaded to be at so much pains? What sayst thou now? Art thou fully resolved to fall upon the Work? Shall all this labour that I have bestowed in perswading thee be lost, or no? If thou wilt not obey, I would thou hadst ne∣ver read these lines, that they might not have aggravated thy guilt, and silenced thee in Judgment. I here put this special Request to thee in behalf of thy Soul; nay I lay this charge upon thee in the Name of the Lord, That thou defer no longer, but take the next op∣portunity that thou canst have, and take thy Heart to task in good earnest, and think with thy self, Is it so Easie, so Common, and so Dangerous to be Mistaken? Are there so many wrong ways? Is the heart so guil••ful? Why then do I not search into every corner? and ply this work till I know my state? Must I so shortly undergo the Tryal at the Bar of Christ? And do I not presently fall on Try∣ing my self? Why what a case were I in if I should then miscarry? May I know by a little diligent Enquiry now? and do I stick at the labour? And here set thy self to the duty.— Object. But it may be thou wilt say, I know not how to do it. Ans. That is the next Work that I come to, to give thee Directions herein: but, alas, it will be in Vain if thou be not resolved to practise them. Wilt thou therefore before thou goest any further here promise be∣fore the Lord, to set thy self (to thy power) upon the speedy per∣forming of the duty according to these Directions which I shall lay down from the Word? I demand nothing unreasonable or im∣possible

of thee: It is but That thou wouldst presently bestow a few hours time, to know what shall become of thee for ever. If a neighbor, or common friend, desire but an hours time of thee, in conference, or in labour, or any thing that thou mayst help them in, thou wouldst not sure deny it: How much less shouldst thou deny this to thy self in so great a Case? I pray thee take this request from me, as if upon my knees in the Name of Christ I did prefer it to thee: And I will betake me upon my knees to Christ again, to beg that he will perswade thy heart to the Duty: And in hope that thou wilt practise them, I will here give thee some Di∣rections.

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 9.