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. VII.

ANd doubtless the Memory will not be Idle,* 1.1 or useless, in this Blessed work. If it be but by looking back, to help the soul to value its enjoyment, Our knowledg will be enlarged, not dimi∣nished; therefore the knowledg of things past shall not be taken away. And what is that knowledg, but Remembrance? Doubt∣less from that height, the Saint can look behind him and before him. And to compare past with present things, must needs raise in the Blessed Soul an unconceiveable esteem and sense of its Condition. To stand on that Mount, whence we can see the Wilderness and Canaan both at once, to stand in Heaven, and look back on Earth, and weigh them together in the ballance of a comparing sense and judgment, how must it needs transport the soul, and make it cry

out, Is this the purchase that cost so dear, as the blood of God? No wonder: O blessed price! and thrice blessed Love, that invented and Condescended! Is this the end of Believing? Is this the end of the Spirits workings? Have the Gales of Grace blown me into such a Harbour? Is it hither that Christ hath enticed my Soul? O blessed way, and thrice blessed end! Is this the Glory which the Scripture spoke of, and Ministers preached of so much? Why now I see the Gospel indeed is good tydings, even tydings of peace, and Good things;* 1.2 tydings of great Joy to all Nations! Is my mourn∣ing, my fasting, my sad humblings, my heavy walking, groanings, complainings, come to this? Is my praying, watching, fearing to offend, come to this? Are all my afflictions, sickness, languishing, troublesom physick, fears of Death, come to this? Are all Satans Temptations, the worlds Scorns and Jeers, come to this? (And now if there be such a thing as Indignation left, how will it here let fly?) O vile nature, that resisted so much, and so long, such a bles∣sing! Unworthy Soul! Is this the place thou camest so unwilling∣ly towards? Was Duty wearisom? Was the world too good to lose? Didst thou stick at, leaving all, denying all, and suffering any thing, for this? Wast thou loath to dye, to come to this? O false Heart! that had almost betrayed me to Eternal flames, and lost me this Glory! O base flesh, that would needs have been pleased, though to the loss of this felicity! Didst thou make me to question the truth of this Glory? Didst thou shew me Improbabilities, and draw me to distrust the Lord? Didst thou question the Truth of that Scripture which promised this? Why my soul! art thou not now ashamed, that ever thou didst question that Love that hath brought thee hither? That thou wast Jealous of the faithfulness of thy Lord? That thou suspectest his Love, when thou shouldst only have suspected thy self? I hat thou didst not Live continually tran∣sported with thy Saviours Love? and that ever thou quenchedst a motion of his Spirit? Art thou not ashamed of all thy hard thoughts of such a God? Of all thy mis-interpreting of, and grudg∣ing at those providences, and repining at those ways that have such an end? Now thou art sufficiently convinced, that the ways thou calledst Hard, and the Cup thou calledst Bitter, were necessary: That thy Lord had sweeter ends, and meant thee better then thou wouldst believe: And that thy Redeemer was saving thee, as well when he crossed thy desires, as when he granted them; and as well

when he broke thy Heart, as when he bound it up. Oh no thanks to thee, unworthy Self, but shame, for this received Crown: But to Jehovah and the Lamb be Glory for ever.

Thus, as the memory of the wicked will eternally promote their torment, to look back on the pleasures enjoyed, the sin committed, the Grace refused, Christ neglected, and time lost: So will the Me∣mory of the Saints for ever promote their Joys. And as it's said to the wicked, Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst Thy good things:* 1.3 So will it be said to the Christian, Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thine evils; but now thou art comforted, as they are tormented. And as here the Remembrance of former good is the occasion of encreasing our grief, (I remem∣bred God, and was troubled; I called to Remembrance my Songs in the night, Psal. 77.3, 6.) So there the Remembrance of our former sorrows addeth life to our Joys.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 7. 2. Memory.
• * 1.2

  Luke 1 19. & 2, 10. Acts 13.32.
• * 1.3

  Luke 16 25.