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. III.

3. AS thy heart will be loitering, so will it be diverting. It will be turning aside like a carless servant, to talk with every one that passeth by: When there should be nothing in thy minde, but the work in hand, it will be thinking of thy calling, or thinking of thy afflictions, or of every bird, or tree, or place thou seest, or of any impertinency, rather then of Heaven. Thy heart in this also will be like the Husbandmans Ox or Horse; if he drive not, he will not go; and if he guide not, he will not keep the furrow; and it is as good stand still, as go out of the way. Experience will tell thee, thou wilt have much ado with thy heart in this point, to keep it one hour to the work without many ex∣travagancies and idle cogitations. The cure here is the same with that before; to use watchfulness, and violence with your own imaginations, and as soon as they step out, to chide them in. Say to thy heart, What? did I come hither to think of my business in the world? to think of places, and persons, of news, or vanity, yea, or of any thing but Heaven, be it never so good? what? canst thou not watch one hour? wouldst thou leave this world, and dwell in Heaven with Christ for ever? and canst thou not leave it one hour out of thy thoughts, nor dwell with Christ in one hours close Meditation? Ask thy heart as Absalom did Hushai, Is this thy love to thy friend? Dost thou love Christ, and the place of thy Eternal, Blessed abode, no more then so? When Pharaohs Butler dreamed,* 1.2 That he pressed the ripe Grapes into Pharaohs Cup, and delivered the Cup into the Kings hand, it was a happy dream, and signified his speedy access to the Kings pre∣sence: But the dream of the Baker, That the Birds did eat out of the Basket on his head, the baked meats prepared for Pharaoh, had an ill omen, and signified his hanging, and their eating of his flesh. So when the ripened Grapes of Heavenly Meditation are pressed by thee into the Cup of Affection, and this put into the hands of Christ by delightful praises (if thou take me for skilful) this is the interpretation, That thou shalt shortly be taken from this prison where thou liest, and be set before Christ in the Court of Heaven, and there serve up to him that Cup of praise (but much fuller, and much sweeter) for ever, and for ever. But if the

ravenous fowls of wandring thoughts, do devour the Meditations intended for Heaven, I will not say flatly it signifieth thy death, but this I will say, That so far as these intrude, they will be the death of that service; and if thou ordinarily admit them, That they devour the life, and the joy of thy thoughts; and if thou continue in such a way of duty to the end, It signifies the death of thy soul, as well as of thy service. Drive away these birds of prey then from thy sacrifice, and strictly keep thy heart to the work thou art upon.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 3.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 40.10, 11, &c.