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. IV.* 1.1

4. LAstly, Be sure also to look to thy heart in this, That it cut not off the work before the time, and run not away through weariness, before it have leave. Thou shalt finde it will be exceed∣ing prone to this; like the Ox that would unyoke, or the Horse that would be unburdened, and perhaps cast off his burden, and run away. Thou maist easily perceive this in other duties; If in secret thou set thy self to pray, is not thy heart urging thee still to cut it short? dost thou not frequently finde a motion to have done? art thou not ready to be up as soon almost as thou art down on thy knees? Why, so it will be also in thy contemplati∣ons of Heaven: As fast as thou gettest up thy heart, it will be down again; it will be weary of the work; it will be minding thee of other business to be done; and stop thy Heavenly walk, before thou art well warm. Well, what is to be done in this case also? why the same authority and resolution, which brought it to the work, and observed it in the work, must also hold it to it, till the work be done. Charge it in the Name of God to stay; do not so great a work by the halves; say to it, VVhy foolish heart! If thou beg a while, and go away before thou hast thy alms, dost thou not lose thy labor? if thou stop before thou art at the end of thy journey, is not very step of thy travel lost? Thou camest hither to fetch a walk to Heaven, in hope to have a sight of the glory which thou must inherit; and wilt thou stop when thou art almost at the top of the Hill? and turn again before thou hast taken thy survey? Thou camest hither in hope to speak with God, and wilt thou go before thou hast seen him? Thou camest to

bathe thy self in the streams of Consolation, and to that end didst uncloath thy self of thy Earthly thoughts; and wilt thou put a foot in, and so be gone? Thou camest to spie out the Land of Promise; O go not back without the bunch of Grapes, which thou maist shew to thy Brethren, when thou comest home, for their Confirmation and Encouragement; till thou canst tell them by experience, That it is a Land flowing with Wine and Oyl, with Milk and Honey.* 1.2 Let them see that thou hast tasted of the Wine, by the gladness of thy heart; and that thou hast been anointed with the Oyl, by the cheerfulness of thy countenance: Let them see that thou hast tasted of the Milk of the Land, by thy feeding, and by thy milde and gentle disposition; and of the Honey, by the sweetness of thy words and conversation. The views of Heaven would heal thee of thy sinfulness, and of thy sadness; but thou must hold on the Plaister, that it may have time to work: This Heavenly fire would melt thy frozen heart, and refine it from the dross, and take away the earthy part, and leave the rest more spiritual and pure; but then thou must not be presently gone, be∣fore it have time, either to burn or warm. Stick therefore to the work, till something be done; till thy graces be acted; thy af∣fections raised, and thy soul refreshed with the delights above; or if thou canst not obtain these ends at once, ply it the closer the next time, and let it not go till thou feel the blessing. Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he comes, shall finde so doing, Matth. 24.46.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 4.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 104.15.