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. V.

* 1.15. THis Rest containeth A Sweet and constant Action of all the Powers of the Soul and Body in this fruition of God. It is not the Rest of a stone, which ceaseth from all motion, when it at∣tains the Center. The Senses themselves (as I judg) are not only Passive in receiving their object, but partly Passive, and partly Active. Whether the external Senses, such as now we have, shall be continued and imployed in this work,1 1.2 is a great doubt. For some of them, it's usually acknowledged, they shall cease, because their Be∣ing importeth their use, and their use implyeth our estate of Imper∣fection: As there is no use for eating and drinking, so neither for the taste. But for other Senses the Question will be harder: For Job saith, I shall see him with these eyes.

But do not all senses imply our imperfection? If Job did speak of more then a Redemption from his present distress (as it's like he did,* 1.3) yet certainly these eyes will be made so Spiritual, that whe∣ther the name of Sense, in the same sence as now, shall befit them, is a question. This body shall be so changed, that it shall no more be flesh and blood, (for that cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 15.50.) but a spiritual body, vers. 44. That which we

sow, we sow not that body that shall be; But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own Body, 1 Cor. 15.37, 38. As the Oar is cast into the fire a stone, but come forth so pure a mettal, that it deserves another name, and so the difference betwixt it and the Gold exceeding great; So far greater will the change of our bodies and senses be: even so great, as now we can∣not conceive. If Grace make a Christian differ so much from what he was, that the Christian could say to his Companion, Ego non sum ego, I am not the man I was; how much more will Glory make us differ? We may then say much more, This is not the body I had, and these are not the senses I had. But because we have no other name for them, let us call them Senses, call them Eyes and Ears, Seeing and Hearing: But thus much conceive of the differ∣ence; That as much as a Body Spiritual, above the Sun in Glory, exceedeth these frail, noisom, diseased Lumps of flesh or dirt, that now we carry about us; so far shall our sense of Seeing and Hear∣ing exceed these we now possess: For the change of the senses must be conceived proportionable to the change of the body. And doubtless as God advanceth our sense, and enlargeth our capacity; so will he advance the happiness of those senses, and fill up with himself all that capacity.* 1.4 And certainly the body should not be raised up, and continued, if it should not share of the Glory: For as it hath shared in the obedience and sufferings, so shall it also do in the blessedness: And as Christ bought the whole man, so shall the whole partake of the everlasting benefits of the purchase: The same difference is to be allowed for the Tongue.* 1.5 For though per∣haps that which we now call the tongue, the voyce, or language, shal not then be: Yet, with the forementioned unconceiveable change, it may continue. Certain it is, it shall be the everlasting work of those Blessed Saints, to stand before the Throne of God and the Lamb, and to praise him for ever and ever. As their Eyes and Hearts shall be filled with his Knowledg, with his Glory, and with his Love; so shall their mouthes be filled with his praises. Go on therefore, Oh ye Saints, while you are on Earth, in that Divine Duty. Learn, Oh learn that Saint-beseeming work; for in the mouthes of his Saints, his praise is comely. Pray, but still praise;* 1.6 Hear, and Read, but still praise: Praise him in the presence of his people; for it shall be your Eternal work: Praise him, while his Enemies deride and abuse you: You shall praise him, while

they shall bewail it and admire you. Oh Blessed Employment! to sound forth for ever, Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Honor, Glory, and Power, Revel. 4.11. And worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honor, and Glory, and Blessing; for he hath Redeemed us to God by his blood out of every kinred, and tongue, and people, and Nation; and hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests, Revel. 5.12, 9, 10. Alleluja: Salvation, and Honor, and Glory, and Power unto the Lord our God: Praise our God all ye his ser∣vants, and ye that fear him, small and great. Alleluja: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, Revel. 19.1, 5, 6. Oh Christians! this is the Blessed Rest; A Rest without Rest: For they Rest not day and night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come, Revel. 4.8. Sing forth his prai∣ses now, ye Saints; It is a work our Master Christ hath taught us. And you shall for ever sing before him, the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, Just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints, Revel. 15.3.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 5. 5. A sweet and constant Acti∣on of all the powers of the Soul in the fruition of God.
• 1 1.2

  Of the Senses.
• * 1.3

  I think the Apostle speaks of flesh and bl••od in a pro∣per sense, and not of sin.
• * 1.4

  Yea, the Body.
• * 1.5

  The Tongue in praising.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 33.1, 2, and 147.1.