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. II.

2. LAbor as to know Heaven to be the onely happiness, so al∣so to be thy happiness. Though the knowledg of excel∣lency and suitableness may stir up that love, which worketh by desire; yet there must be the knowledg of our interest or proprie∣ty, to the setting awork of our love of complacency. We may confess Heaven to be the best condition, though we despair of en∣joying it; and we may desire, and seek it, if we see the obtainment to be but probable and hopeful: But we can never delightfully rejoyce in it, till we are somewhat perswaded of our title to it. What comfort is it to a man that is naked, to see the rich attire of others? or to a man that hath not a bit to put in his mouth, to see a feast which he must not taste of? What delight hath a man that hath not a house to put his head in, to see the sumptuous buildings of others? Would not all this rather increase his anguish, and make him more sensible of his own misery? So for a man to know the excellencies of Heaven, and not to know whether he shall ever enjoy them, may well raise desire, and provoke to seek it, but it will raise but little joy and content. Who will set his heart on another mans possessions? If your houses, your goods, your cattel, your children, were not your own, you would less minde them, and delight less in them. O therefore Christians, rest not

till you can call this Rest your own; sit not down without assu∣rance; get alone, and question with thy self; bring thy heart to the bar of tryal; force it to answer the interrogatories put to it; set the conditions of the Gospel, and qualifications of the Saints on one side, and thy performance of those conditions, and the qualifications of thy soul on the other side; and then judg how neer they resemble: Thou hast the same word before thee, to judg thy self by now, by which thou must be judged at the great day: Thou art there before told the questions that must then be put to thee▪ put these questions now to thy self: Thou mayst there read the very Articles, upon which thou shalt be tryed; why try thy self by those Articles now. Thou mayst there know beforehand, on what terms men shall be then acquit and condemned; why try now whether thou art possessed of that which will acquit thee, or whether thou be upon the same terms with those that must be con∣demned; and accordingly acquit or condemn thy self: Yet be sure thou judg by a true touchstone, and mistake not the Scriptures description of a Saint, that thou neither acquit nor condemn thy self upon mistakes. For as groundless hopes do tend to confusion, and are the greatest cause of most mens damnation; so groundless doubtings do tend to discomforts, and are the great cause of the disquieting of the Saints. Therefore lay thy grounds of tryal safely, and advisedly; proceed in the work deliberately and me∣thodically; follow it to an issue resolutely and industriously; suffer not thy heart to give thee the ••lip, and get away be∣fore a judgment, but make it stay to hear its sentence: If once or twice, or thrice, will not do it, nor a few days of hearing bring it to issue, follow it on with unwearied diligence, and give not over till the work be done, and till thou canst 〈◊〉〈◊〉 knowingly off or on; either thou art, or art not, a member of Christ; either that thou hast, or that thou hast not yet title to this Rest. Be sure thou rest not in wilful uncertainties. If thou canst no•• dispatch the work well thy self, get the help of those that are skilful; go to thy Minister, if he be a man of experience; or go to some able experi∣enced friend, open thy case faithfully, and wish them to deal plain∣ly: And thus continue till thou hast got assurance. Not but that some doubtings may still remaine; but yet thou maist have so much assurance as to master them, that they may not much inter∣rupt thy peace. If men did know Heaven to be their own inhe∣ritance,

we should less need to perswade their thoughts unto it, or to press them to set their delight in it. O if men did truly know, that God is their own Father, and Christ their own Redeemer and Head, and that those are their own Everlasting habitations, and that there it is that they must abide and be happy for ever; how could they chuse but be ravished with the forethoughts thereof? If a Christian could but look upon Sun, and Moon and Stars, and reckon all his own in Christ, and say, These are the portion that my Husband doth bestow, These are the blessings that my Lord hath procured me, and things incomparably greater then these; what holy raptures would his spirit feel? The more do they sin against their own comforts, as well as against the Grace of the Gospel, who are wilful maintainers of their own doubtings, and plead for their unbelief, and cherish distrustful thoughts of God, and scandalous injurious thoughts of their Redeemer who repre∣sent the Covenant, as if it were of works and not of grace, and re∣present Christ as an enemy, rather then as a Savior; as if he were glad of advantages against them, and were willing that they should keep off from him and dye in their unbelief; when he hath called them so oft, and invited them so kindly, and born the hell that they should bear. Ah wretches that we are! that be keeping up Jealousies of the Love of our Lord, when we should be rejoyc∣ing and bathing our souls in his love! That can question that love, which hath been so fully evidenced! and doubt still, whether he that hath stooped so low, and suffered so much, and taken up a na∣ture and office of purpose, be yet willing to be theirs who are willing to be his! As if any man could chose Christ, be∣fore Christ hath chosen him! or any man could desire to have Christ, more then Christ desires to have him! or any man were more willing to be happy, then Christ is to make him happy! Fie upon these injurious (if not blasphemous) thoughts! If ever thou have harboured such thoughts in thy brest; or if ever thou have uttered such words with thy tongue, spit out that venome, vomit out that rancor, cast them from thee, and take heed how thou ever entertainest them more. God hath written the names of his people in heaven, as you use to write your names in your own books, or upon your own Goods, or set your Marks on your own sheep: And shall we be attempting to rase them out, and to write our names on the doors of hell? But blessed be our

God,* 1.2 whose foundation is sure, and who keepeth us by his mighty power through Faith unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. Well then; this is my second advice to thee, that thou follow on the work of self-examination, till thou hast got assurance that this rest is thy own; and this will draw thy heart unto it; and feed thy spirits with fresh delights, which else will be but tormented so much the more, to think that there is such Rest for others, but none for thee.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 2.
• * 1.2

  2 Tim. 2.19.