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. XXV.* 1.1

LAstly,* 1.2 Understand me in this also, That I have spoke all this to the faithful soul. I perswade not the ungodly from fearing death: Its a wonder rather, that they fear it no more; and spend not their days in continual horror, as is said before. Truly, but that we know a stone is insensible, and a hard heart is dead and stupid, or else a man would admire how poor souls can live in ease and quietness, that must be turned out of these bodies into ever∣lasting flames! Or that be not sure, at least, if they should die this night, whether they shall lodg in Heaven or Hell the next; espe∣cially when so many are called, and so few chosen; and the Righ∣teous themselves are scarcely saved? One would think such men should eat their bread with trembling; and the thoughts of their danger should keep them waking in the night; and they should fall presently a searching themselves; and enquiring of others, and crying to God, That if it were possible they might quickly be out of this danger, and so their hearts be freed from horror! For a man to quake at the thoughts of death, that looks by it to be dis∣possessed of his happiness, and knoweth not whether he is next to go; this is no wonder. But for the Saints to fear their passage by Death to Rest, this is an unreasonable hurtful Fear.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 25.
• * 1.2

  For comfort in the Death of Friends, the Nine Con∣siderations of Gerson are ex∣cellent. Operum part. 4. f. 146. And his fol∣lowing Tra∣ctate, De Con∣solatione mortis parentum.