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. VI.

6. ANother impediment to this Heavenly Life, is, Wilful lazi∣ness, and slothfulness of Spirit: And I verily think for knowing men, there is nothing hinders more then this. O, if it were onely the exercise of the Body, the moving of the Lips, the bending of the Knee; then it were an easie work indeed, and men would as commonly step to Heaven, as they go a few miles to visit a friend; yea, if it were to spend most of our days in numbering Beads, and repeating certain words and Prayers, in

voluntary humility, and neglecting the body, after the command∣ments and doctrines of men, (Col. 2.21, 22, 23.) yea, or in the out∣ward part of duties commanded by God, yet it were comparative∣ly easie: Further, if it were onely in the exercise of parts and gifts, though we made such performance our daily trade, yet it were easie to be heavenly-minded. But it is a work more difficult then all this: To separate thoughts and affections from the world; to force them to a work of so high a nature; to draw forth all our graces in their order, and exercise each on its proper object; to hold them to this, till they perceive success and till the work doth thrive and prosper in their hands! This, this is the difficult task. Reader, Heaven is above thee, the way is upwards. Dost thou think, who art a feeble, short-winded sinner, to travel daily this steep ascent, without a great deal of labor and resolution? Canst thou get that earthly heart to Heaven, and bring that backward minde to God, while thou liest still, and takest thine ease? If ly∣ing down at the foot of the Hill, and looking toward the top, and wishing we were there, would serve the turn, then we should have daily travellers for Heaven.* 1.2 But the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force: There must be violence used to get these first fruits, as well as to get the full possession. Dost thou not feel it so, though I should not tell thee? Will thy heart get upwards, except thou drive it? Is it not like a dull and jadish horse, that will go no longer, then he feels the spur? Dost thou finde it easie to dwell in the delights above? Its true, the work is exceeding sweet, and no condition on Earth so desireable; but therefore it is that our hearts are so backward, especially in the beginning, till we are acquainted with it. O how many hundred Professors of Religion, who can easily bring their hearts to or∣dinary duties, as Reading, Hearing, Praying, Conferring; could never yet in all their lives, bring them, and keep them to a heaven∣ly contemplation, one half hour together! Consider here, Read∣er, as before the Lord, whether this be not thine own case. Thou hast known that Heaven is all thy hopes; thou knowest thou must shortly be turned hence, and that nothing below can yield thee rest; thou knowest also, that a strange heart, a seldom and careless thinking of Heaven, can fetch but little comfort thence; and dost thou not yet for all this, let slip thy opportunities, and lie below in dust, or meer duties, when thou shouldst walk above, and live

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with God? Dost thou not commend the sweetness of heavenly life, and judg those the excellentest Christians that use it; and yet didst never once try it thy self? But as the sluggard that stretched himself on his bed, and cryed, O that this were working! So dost thou talk, and trifle, and live at thy ease, and say, O that I could get my heart to Heaven! This is to lie a bed and wish, when thou shouldst be up and doing. How many a hundred do read Books, and hear Sermons, in expectation to hear of some easie course, or to meet with a shorter cut to comforts, then ever they are like to finde in the Word! And if they can hear of none from the Preachers of Truth, they will snatch it with rejoycing from the Teachers of Falshood; and presently applaud the excellency of the doctrine, because it hath fitted their lazy temper; and think there is no other doctrine will comfort the soul, because it will not comfort it with hearing, and looking on. They think their Venison is best, though accompanied with a lie, because it is the easiest catched, and next at hand, and they think will procure the chiefest blessing, (and so it may, if God be as subject to mistake as blinde Isaac.) And while they pretend enmity onely to the impos∣sibilities of the Law, they oppose the easier conditions of the Gospel, and cast off the burden that is light also, and which all must bear that will finde rest to their souls; and in my judgment, may as fitly be stiled enemies to the Gospel * 1.3, as enemies to the Law (from whence they receive their common title.) The Lord of light, and Spirit of comfort, shew these men in time, a surer way for lasting comfort. The delusions of many of them are strong, and ungrounded comforts they seem to have store, I can

judg it to be of no better a kinde, because it comes not in the Scripture way: They will some of them profess, That when they meditate and labor for comfort themselves, they either have none, or at least but humane, and of a lower kinde; but all the com∣forts that they own and value, are immediatly injected without their pains: So do I expect my comforts to come in, in Heaven, but till then, I am glad if they will come with labor, and the Spirit will help me to suck them from the brests of the promise, and to walk for them daily to the face of God. It was an established Law among the Argi, That if a man were perceived to be idle and lazy, he must give an account before the Magistrate, how he came by his victuals and maintenance: And sure, when I see these men lazy in the use of Gods appointed means for comfort, I cannot but question how they come by their comforts: I would they would examine it throughly themselves; for God will require an account of it from them. Idleness, and not improving the Truth in painful duty, is the common cause of mens seeking comfort from Error; even as the people of Israel, when they had no com∣fortable answer from God, because of their own sin and neglect, would run to seek it from the Idols of the Heathens: So when men-were falshearted to the Truth, and the Spirit of Truth did deny them comfort, because they denied him sincere obedience; there∣fore they will seek it from a lying spirit.

A multitude also of professors there are, that come and enquire for Marks and signs, How shall I know whether my heart be sin∣cere? and they think the bare naming of some mark, is enough to discover; but never bestow one hour in trying themselves by the marks they hear. So here, they ask for directions for a Hea∣venly Life▪ and if the hearing, and knowing of these directions, will serve, then they will be heavenly Christians; But if we set them to task, and shew them their work, and tell them, they cannot have these delights on easier tearmes; then, here they leave us, as the young man left Christ with sorrow (How our comforts are only in Christ, and yet this labor of ours is necessary thereto, I have shewed you already in the beginning of this book; and therefore still refer you thither, when any shall put in that objection.) My advice to such a lazie sinner is this: As thou art convict that this work is necessary to thy comfortable living, so resolvedly set up∣on it: If thy heart draw back, and be undisposed; force it on

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with the command of Reason; and if thy Reason begin to dispute the work, force it with producing the command of God; and quicken it up with the consideration of thy necessity, and the other Motives before propounded: And let the enforcements that brought thee to the work, be still in thy minde to quicken thee in it. Do not let such an incomparable treasure lye before thee, while thou lyest still with thy hand in thy bosom: Let not thy life be a continual vexation, which might be a continual delightful feasting, and all because thou wilt not be at the pains. When thou hast once tasted of the sweetness of it, and a little used thy heart to the work, thou wilt finde the pains thou takest which thy backward flesh, abundantly recompensed in the pleasures of thy spirit. Only ••it not still with a disconsolate spirit, while comforts grow before thine eyes, like a man in the midst of a Garden of Flowers, or de∣lightful Medow, that will not rise to get them that he may partake of their sweetness. Neither is it a few formal lazy running thoughts, that will fetch thee this consolation from above: No more then a few lazy formal words will prevail with God in stead of fervent prayer. I know Christ is the fountain, and I know this, as every other gift, is of God: But yet if thou ask my advice, How to obtain these waters of consolation? I must tell thee, There is something also for thee to do: The Gospel hath its conditions, and work; though not such impossible ones as the Law; Christ hath his yoak and his burden,* 1.4 though easie, and thou must come to him weary, and take it up, or thou wilt never finde Rest to thy soul. The well is deep, and thou must get forth this water, before thou canst be refreshed and delighted with it, What answer would you give a man that stands by a Pump, or draw-Well, and should ask you, How shall I do to get out the water? Why, you must draw it up, or labor at the Pump, and that not a motion or two, but you must pump till it comes, and then hold on till you have enough. Or if a man were lifting at a heavy weight; or would move a stone to the top of a mountain, and should ask you, How he should get it up? Why what would you say, but that he must put to his hands, and put forth his strength? And what else can I say to you, in direct••ing you to this Art of a Heavenly Life, but this? You must deal roundly with your hearts, and drive them up; and spur them on; and follow them close till the work be done, as a man will do a lazy unfaithful servant, who will do nothing longer then your eye

is on him; or as you will your horse or ox at his labor, who will not stir any longer then he is driven; And if your heart lye down in the midst of the work; force it up again till the work be done, and let it not prevaile by its lazy pol••••es. I know so far as you are spiritual, you need not all this striving and violence; but that is but in part, and in part you are carnal; and as long as it is so, there is no talk of ease. Though your renewed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 do delight in this work▪ yea no delight on earth so great 〈…〉〈…〉 so far as it is freshly and unrenewed, will draw back and rest, and necessitate your industry. It was the Parthians custome, the none must give their children any meat in the morning, before th•• saw the sweat on their faces, with some labor. And you shall finde this to be Gods most usual course, not to give his children the tastes of his delights, till they begin to sweat in seeking after them▪ Therefore lay them both together, and judg whether a heavenly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or thy carnal ease be better? and as a wise man make thy choice accord∣ingly. Yet this let me say to encourage thee; Thou need••st not expend thy thoughts more then thou now dost; it is but only to employ them better; I press thee not to busie thy minde much more then thou dost; but to busie it upon better and more pleasant objects. As Socrat••s said to a lazy fellow that would fain go up to Olympus,* 1.5 but that it was so far off; Why, saith he, walk but as far every day, as thou d••st up and down about thy house, and in so many dayes thou wilt be at Olympus,. So say I to thee, Imploy but so many serious thoughts every day, upon the excellent glory of the life to come, as thou now imployest on thy necessary affairs in the world; nay, as thou daily losest on vanities and impertinen∣cies, and thy heart will be at heaven in a very short s••ace.

To conclude this, As I have seldom known Christians perplexed with doubts of their estate, for want of knowing right evidences to try by, so much as for want of skil and diligence in using them▪ so have I seldom known a Christian, that wants the joyes of this heavenly Life, for want of being told the means to get it, but for want of a heart to set upon the work, and painfully to use the means they are directed to. It is the field of the slothful that is overgrown with weeds, Pro. 24.30, 31, 32, 33, 34. And the desires of the slothful killeth his [Joyes] because his hands refuse to labor, Prov. 21.25. whiles he lyes wishing, his soul lyes starving. He saith, There is a Lyon (there's difficulty) in the way, and turneth himself

on the bed of his ease as a nor turneth on the hinges; he bideth his hand in his bosome, and it gr••••veth him to bring it to his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (though it be ••o feed himself with the food of life,) Prov. 26•• 13, 14, 15, 16. whats this, b•••• espising the feast prepared? and setting light by the dear••bough pleasures? and consequently by the pre∣tious blood that bough them? and throwing away our own con∣solations? For the S••rit hath told us, That he also that is slothful in his work, is bro••••••r to him that is a great waster▪ Prov. 18.9. Apply this to th•• spiritual Work, and study well the meaning of it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 6.
• * 1.2

  Matth. 11.12.
• * 1.3

  Antinomists. Many are hin∣dered, because they refuse to give them∣selves to Pray¦er or Medita∣tion, except they feel themselves brought to it by devotion; and except it be when these duties delight them, and go to their hearts; otherwise, all seems to them unprofitable. But these kinde of men are like him, that being vexed with cold, will not go to the fire, except he were first warm; or like one that is ready to perish with famine, and will not ask meat, except he were first satisfied. For why doth a man give himself to Prayer or Meditation, but that he might be warm∣ed with the fire of Divine Love? or, that he may be filled with the gifts and grace of God! These men are mistaken, in thinking the time lost in Prayer or Meditation, if they be not present∣ly watered with a showre of devotion: For I answer them, That if they strive as much as in them lyeth for this, and do their duty, and are in war, and in continual sight against their own thoughts, with displeasure, because they depart not, nor suffer them to be quiet: Such men for this time, are more accepted, then if the heat of devotion had come to them suddenly, without any such conflict. The reason is, Because they go to warfare for God, as it were, at their own cost and charges, and serve him with greater labor and pains, &c. Gerson, part. 3. fol. 386. De monte contemplationis, cap. 43. Read this you Libertines, and learn better the way of Devotion from a Papist.
• * 1.4

  In omni disci∣plina infirma est artis praecep∣tio sine summa assiduitate ex∣ercitation•• Cicer. ad Heren.
• * 1.5

  Eras. Apotheg. lib. 3.