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. III.

THe third part of this Prologue to the Saints Rest,* 1.1 is the publick and solemn process at their Judgment where they shall first themselves be acquit and justified; and then with Christ judg the World. Publick I may well call it: for all the world must there appear. Young and old, of all estates, and Nations, that ever were from the Creation to that day,* 1.2 must here come and receive their doom. The judgment shal be set, and the books opened & the book of Life produced; and the Dead shall be judged out of those things which were written in the books,* 1.3 according to their works: and who∣soever is not found written in the book of Life, is cast into the lake of fire. O Terrible! O Joyful Day! Terrible to those that have let their Lamps go out,* 1.4 and have not watched, but forgot the coming of their Lord! Joyful to the Saints, whose waiting and hope was to see this day! Then shall the world behold the goodness and severity of the Lord:* 1.5 on them who perish, severity; but to his chosen, goodness. When every one must give account of his stewardship: And every Talent of Time, Health, Wit, Mercies, Afflictions, Means, Warnings, must be reckoned for: When the sins of youth, and those which they had forgotten, and their secret sins, shall all be layd open before Angels and men: When they shall see all their Friends, wealth, old delights, all their confidence and false hopes of Heaven to forsake them: When they shall see the Lord Jesus whom

they neglected, whose Word they disobeyed, whose Ministers they abused, whose Servants they hated, now sitting to judg them: When their own Consciences shall cry out against them, and call to their Remembrance all their misdoings; Remember at such a time, such or such a sin: at such a time Christ sued hard for thy Conver∣sion; the Minister pressed it home to thy heart; thou wast touched to the quick with the Word; thou didst purpose and promise re∣turning, and yet thou casts off all. When an hundred Sermons, Sab∣baths, Mercies, shall each step up and say, I am witness, against the Prisoner, Lord; I was abused, and I was neglected! Oh which way will the wretched sinner look? Oh who can conceive the ter∣rible thoughts of his heart? Now the world cannot help him; his old companions cannot help him; the Saints neither can nor will: onely the Lord Jesus can; but Oh there's the Soul-killing misery, he will not: Nay, without violating the truth of his Word, he cannot; though otherwise, in regard of his Absolute power, he might. The time was, Sinner, when Christ would, and you would not; and now, Oh how fain would you, and he will not. Then he followed thee in vain with entreaties, Oh poor Sinner, what dost thou? Wilt thou sell thy Soul and Saviour for a lust? Look to me, and be saved; Return, why wilt thou dye? But thy Ear and heart was shut up against all. Why now, thou shalt cry, Lord, Lord, open to us;* 1.6 and he shall say, Depart, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity: Now, Mercy, Mercy, Lord: Oh but it was Mercy you so long set light by, and now your day of Mercy is over. What then remains but to cry out to the mountains, fall upon us, and to the hills, O cover us from the presence of him that sits upon the Throne; But all in vain: For thou hast the Lord of Mountains and hils for thine enemy, whose voyce they will obey, and not thine. Sinner, make not light of this: for as true as thou livest (except a through change and coming in to Christ prevent it) (which God grant) thou shalt shortly, to thy unconceiveable horror, see that day. Oh Wretch! Will thy cups then be wine, or gall? Will they be sweet, or bitter? Will it comfort thee to think of all thy merry days? and how pleasantly thy time slipt away? Will it do thee good to think how rich thou wast? and how honorable thou wast? or will it not rather wound thy very Soul to remember thy folly? and make thee, with anguish of heart, and rage against thy self, to cry out, Oh Wretch! where was thine understanding? Didst thou

make so light of that sin, that now makes thee tremble? How couldst thou hear so lightly of the Redeeming Blood of the Son of God? How couldst thou quench so many motions of his Spirit? and stifle so many quickening thoughts, as were cast into thy Soul? What took up all that Life's time which thou hadst given thee to make sure work against this day? What took up all thy heart, thy love and delight, which should have been layd out on the Lord Je∣sus? Hadst thou room in thy heart for the wor••d, thy friend, thy flesh, thy lusts? and none for Christ? Oh Wretch! whom hadst thou to love but him? What hadst thou to do, but to seek to him, and cleave to him, and enjoy him? Oh, wast thou not told of this dreadful day a thousand times; till the Commonness of that doctrine made thee weary? How couldst thou slight such warnings? and rage against the Minister, and say, he preacheth Damnation? Had it not been better to have heard and prevented it, then now to en∣dure it? Oh now for one offer of Christ, for one Sermon, for one day of Grace more! But too late, alass too late! Poor careless Sinner, I did not think here to have said so much to thee; for my business is, to refresh the Saints: But if these lines do fall into thy hands, and thou vouchsafe the reading of them; I here charge thee,* 1.7 before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judg the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his Kingdom; that thou make hast and get alone, and set thy self sadly to ponder on these things: Ask thy heart, Is this true, or is it not? Is there such a day? and must I see it? Oh what do I then? Why trifle I? Is it not time, full time, that I had made sure of Christ and comfort long ago? should I sit still another day, who have lost so many? Had I not at that day rather be found one of the Holy, faithful, watchful Christians, then a worldling, a good-fellow, or a man of honor? Why should I not then choose it now? Will it be best then, and is it not best now? Oh think of these things. A few sad hours spent in serious fore-thoughts, is a cheap prevention. It's worth this, or It's worth nothing. Friend, I profess to thee, from the Word of the Lord, That of all thy sweet sins, there will then be nothing left, but the sting in thy Conscience, which will never out through all eternity; except the blood of Christ beleeved in, and valued above all the world, do now, in this day of grace, get it out. Thy sin is like a Beautiful Harlot; while she is young and fresh, she hath many followers: but when old and withered,

every one would shut their hands of her; she is onely their shame; none would know her: So will it be with thee; now thou wilt venture on it, what ever it cost thee: but then, when mens rebel∣lious ways are charged on their Souls to death; O that thou couldst rid thy hands of it! O that thou couldst say, Lord it was not I! Then Lord,* 1.8 when saw we thee hungry naked, imprisoned? How fain would they put it off? Then sin will be sin indeed; and Grace will be Grace indeed. Then say the foolish Virgins, Give us of your Oyl, for our Lamps are ou••: Oh for some of your faith & holiness, which we were wont to mock at! But what's the answer, Go buy for your selves;* 1.9 we have little enough: would we had rather much more. Then they will be glad of any thing like Grace: and if they can but produce any external familiarity with Christ, or Common gifts, how glad are they? Lord, we have eat and drunk in thy presence, pro∣phecyed in thy name, cast out devils, done many wonderful works; we have been baptized, heard Sermons, professed Christianity: But, alas, this will not serve the turn: He will profess to them, I ne∣ver knew you:* 1.10 Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. Oh dead hearted sinner! is all this nothing to thee? As sure as Christ is true, this is true. Take it in his own words: Math. 25.31. When the Son of man shall come in his Glory: and before him shall be gather∣ed all Nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on the right hand, and the goats on the left: and so on, as you may read in the Text.

But why tremblest thou, Oh humble gracious Soul? Cannot the enemies and slighters of Christ be foretold their doom, but Thou must quake?* 1.11 Do I make sad the Soul that God would not have sad? Doth not thy Lord know his own sheep, who have heard his voyce and followed him? He that would not lose the family of one Noah in a common deluge, when him onely he had found faithful in all the earth: He that would not over-look one Lot in Sodom; nay, that could do nothing till he were forth: Will he forget thee at that day? Thy Lord knoweth now to deliver the godly out of temptations,* 1.12 and to reserve the unjust to the day of Judgment to be punished: He knoweth how to make the same day the greatest for terror to his foes, and yet the greatest for joy to his people. He ever intended it for the great distinguishing and separating day: wherein both Love and Fury should be manifested to the highest.* 1.13

Oh then let the Heavens rejoyce,* 1.14 the Sea, the Earth, the Floods, the Hills, for the Lord cometh to judg the Earth: With Righte∣ousness shall he judg the World, and the People with Equity. But especially let Sion hear, and be glad, and her children rejoyce: For when God ariseth to judgment, it is to save the meek of the Earth. They have judged and condemned themselves many a day in heart∣breaking confession, and therefore shall not be judged to condemna∣tion by the Lord: For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus,* 1.15 who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spi∣rit. And who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? Shall the Law? Why, whatsoever the Law saith, it saith to them that are under the Law: but we are not under the Law, but un∣der Grace: For the Law of the Spirit of life, which is in Christ Jesus, hath made us free from the Law of sin and death: Or shall Conscience?* 1.16 Why, we were long ago justified by faith, and so have peace with God; and have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and the Spirit bearing witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God.* 1.17 It is God that justifieth, who shall con∣demn? If our Judg condemn us not, who shall? He that said to the Adulterous woman,* 1.18 Hath no man condemned thee? neither do I condemn thee; He will say to us (more faithfully then Peter to him) Though all men deny thee,* 1.19 or condemn thee, I will not. Thou hast confessed me before men,* 1.20 and I will confess thee before my Father, and the Angels of Heaven. He whose first coming was not to condemn the world,* 1.21 but that the world through him might be saved; I am sure intends not his second coming to con∣demn his people, but that they through him might be saved. He hath given us Eternal Life in Charter and Title already, yea, and partly in possession; and will he after that condemn us? When he gave us the knowledg of his Father and himself,* 1.22 he gave us Eter∣nal Life: And he hath verily told us, That he that heareth his word, and beleeveth on him that sent him, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life. Indeed if our Judg were our enemy, as he is to the world, then we might well fear. If the Devil were our Judg, or the Un∣godly were our Judg, then we should be condemned as Hypocrites, as Heretiques, as Schisinatiques, as proud, or covetous, or what not?* 1.23 But our Judg is Christ who dyed, yea rather who is risen a∣gain, and maketh request for us. For all power is given him in

Heaven and in Earth;* 1.24 and all things delivered into his hands: and the Father hath given him authority to execute judgment al∣so, because he is the Son of man. For though God judg the world, yet the Father (immediately without his Vicegerent Christ) judg∣eth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. Oh what inexpressible joy may this afford to a Beleever? That our Dear Lord, who loveth our Souls, and whom our Souls love, shall be our Judg? Will a man fear to be judged by his dearest friend? By a Brother? By a Father? Or a Wife by her own Husband? Chri∣stian, Did he come down, and suffer, and weep▪ and bleed, and dye for thee; and will he now condemn thee? Was he judged, and condemned, and executed in thy stead; and now will he condemn thee himself? Did he make a Bath of his blood for thy sins? and a garment of his own Righteousness, for thy nakedness? and will he now open them to thy shame? Is he the undertaker for thy Salva∣tion? and will he be against thee? Hath it cost him so dear to save thee? and will he now himself destroy thee? Hath he done the most of the work already, in Redeeming, Regenerating, and San∣ctifying, Justifying, preserving and perfecting thee? and will he now undo all again? Nay, hath he begun, and will he not finish? Hath he interceded so long for thee to the Father? and will he cast thee away himself? If all these be likely, then fear, and then rejoyce not. Oh what an unreasonable sin is unbelief, that will charge our Lord with such unmercifulness and absurdities? Well then, fellow Christians, let the terror of that day be never so great, surely our Lord can mean no ill to us in all. Let it make the Devils tremble, and the wicked tremble; but it shall make us to leap for Joy. Let Satan accuse us, we have our answer at hand, our surety hath dis∣charged the debt. If he have not fulfilled the Law, then let us be charged as breakers of it: If he have not suffered, then let us suffer: but if he have, we are free. Nay, our Lord will make answer for us himself, These are mine, and shall be made up with my Jewels: for their transgressions was I stricken,* 1.25 and cut off from the earth: for them was I bruised and put to grief, my Soul was made an offering for their sin, and I bore their transgressions: They are my seed, and the travel of my Soul: I have healed them by my stripes; I have justified them by my knowledg. They are my sheep; who shall take them out of my hands?* 1.26 Yea, though the humble Soul be

ready to speak against it self (Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and feed thee, &c.) yet will not Christ do so. This is the day of the Beleevers full Justification. They were before made just: and esteemed Just: and by Faith justified in Law: and this evidenced to their consciences. But now they shall both by Apology be main∣tained Just, and by Sentence pronounced Just actually, by the live∣ly voyce of the Judg himself; which is the most perfect Justificati∣on. Their Justification by Faith, is a giving them Title in Law, to that Apology, and Absolving Sentence, which at that Day they shall Actually receive from the mouth of Christ. By which Sen∣tence, their sin,* 1.27 which before was pardoned in the sence of the Law, is now perfectly pardoned, or blotted out, by this ultimate Judgment. Act. 3.19. Therefore well may it be called, the Time of Refreshing, as being to the Saints the perfecting of all their for∣mer Refreshments. He who was vexed with a quarrelling Con∣science, an Accusing World, a Cursing Law, is solemnly pro∣nounced Righteous by the Lord the Judg. Though he cannot plead, Not Guilty, in regard of fact; yet being pardoned, he shall be ac∣quit by the proclamation of Christ. And that's not all: But he that was accused, as deserving Hell, is pronounced a member of Christ, a Son of God, and so adjudged to Eternal Glory. The Sentence of pardon, past by the spirit and conscience within us, was wont to be exceeding sweet: But this will fully and finally resolve the questi∣on; and leave no room for doubting again for ever. We shall more rejoyce that our names are found written in the Book of Life, then if men or Devils were subjected to us. And it must needs affect us deeply with the sense of our mercy and happiness, to behold the contrary condition of others: To see most of the world tremble with Terror, while we triumph with Joy: To hear them doomed to everlasting flames, and see them thrust into Hell; when we are proclaimed heirs of the Kingdom: To see our neighbors that lived in the same Towns, came to the same Congregation, sate in the same seats, dwelt in the same houses, and were esteemed more ho∣norable in the world then our selves; to see them now so differ∣enced from us, and by the Searcher of hearts eternally separated. This, with the great magnificence and dreadfulness of the day, doth the Apostle pathetically express in 2 Thess. 1.6, 7, 8, 9, 10. It is Righteous with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you: and to you who are troubled, Rest with us: when the Lord

Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels; In flaming fire, taking vengeance on then that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his power, &c. And now is not here enough to make that day a welcom day, and the thoughts of it delightful to us? But yet there's more. We shall be so far from the dread of that Judgment, that our selves shall become the Judges. Christ will take his people, as it were, into Commission with him; and they shall sit and approve his Righteous Judgment: Oh fear not now the re∣proaches, scorns and censures of those that must then be judged by us: Did you think, Oh wretched worldlings, that those poor de∣spised men, whom you made your dayly derision, should be your Judges? Did you beleeve this, when you made them stand as of∣fenders before the Bar of your Judgment? No more then Pilate, when he was judging Christ, did beleeve that he was condemning his Judg; Or the Jews, when they were whipping, imprisoning, killing the Apostles, did think to see them sit on twelve Thrones Judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. Do you not know (saith Paul) that the Saints shall judg the world?* 1.28 Nay, Know you not that we shall judg Angels? Surely were it not the Word of Christ that speaks it, this advancement would seem incredible, and the language arrogant. Yet even Henoch the seventh from Adam prophecyed of this, saying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints, to execute Judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed; and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoke against him, Jude 14. Thus shall the Saints be honored,* 1.29 and the Righteous have dominion in the morning. O that the careless world were but wise to consider this; and that they would remember this latter end!* 1.30 That they would be now of the same minde, as they will be, when they shall see the Heavens pass away with a noise, and the elements melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein to be burnt up! 2 Pet. 3.10. When all shall be on fire about their ears, and all earthly Glory consumed. For the Heavens and the Earth which are now, are reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment, and perdition of ungodly men, 2 Pet. 3.7. But alas, when all is said, the wicked will do wickedly;* 1.31 and none of the wicked shall understand; But

the wise shall understand. Rejoyce, therefore, O ye Saints; yet watch, and what you have, hold fast till your Lord come, Revel. 2.25. and study that use of this Doctrine which the Apostle pro∣pounds, 2 Pet. 3.11, 12. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Con∣versation and Godliness? Looking for, and hasting to the coming of the day of God; wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dis∣solved, and the Elements melt with fervent heat. But go your way, keep close with God, and wait till your change come, and till this end be; for you shall Rest, and stand in the Lot at the end of the days, Dan. 12.13.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 3. 3. Our Justifi¦cation at Judgment.
• * 1.2

  Rom. 2.16. and 14.10.
• * 1.3

  Rev. 20.12, 13, 14, 15.
• * 1.4

  Mat. 25.5, 6, 7
• * 1.5

  Rom. 11.22. Matt. 25.
• * 1.6

  Mat. 7.22, 23.
• * 1.7

  2 Tim. 4.1.
• * 1.8

  Matt. 25.
• * 1.9

  Mat. 25.8, 9.
• * 1.10

  Mat. 7. 22, 23.
• * 1.11

  Ezek. 13.22. John 10.27. Gen. 7.1.23 Gen. 19.22
• * 1.12

  2 Pet. 2.9.
• * 1.13

  Matt. 13.
• * 1.14

  Psa 96.11, 12 13. Psa 98.7 8 9. Psa. 97.8. Psal. 76.8, 9.
• * 1.15

  1 Cor. 11 31. Rom. 8 1. Rom. 8.33. Rom. 3.19. Rom. 6.14. Rom. 8.2.
• * 1.16

  Rom. 5 1. Heb. 10.22
• * 1.17

  Rom. 8.16.
• * 1.18

  John 8.11.
• * 1.19

  Mark 14.31.
• * 1.20

  Matt. 10 32.
• * 1.21

  John 3, 17.
• * 1.22

  John 17.3. John 5, 24.
• * 1.23

  Rom. 8.34, 35 Mat. 28.18.
• * 1.24

  Joh. 13. 3. Joh. 5. 27. and Vers. 22, 23.

  That Christs judging power according to his humane nature is not the principal, primitive su∣pream; but onely the su∣pream dele∣gate derived power, is cer∣tain, sicut Sco∣tus in l. 4. sent. dist. 48. Q. 1. p. 256.
• * 1.25

  Isa. 53.5, 8, 10 11.
• * 1.26

  Joh. 10.28
• * 1.27

  Some I have heard preach, that Christ justifieth, 1. our persons, and then our Actions; but in proper sence I take it for very un∣sound doctrine to say That God justifieth our works, and of dangerous consequence. Luk. 10 17, 18 19, 20.
• * 1.28

  1 Cor. 6.2, 3
• * 1.29

  Psal 49.14.
• * 1.30

  Deut. 32.29.
• * 1.31

  Dan. 12.10.