The Saint's Everlasting Rest: A Treatise of the Blessed State of the Saints in Their Enjoyment of God in HeavenBaxter, Richard
Religion
The Saint's Everlasting Rest: A Treatise of the Blessed State of the Saints in Their Enjoyment of God in Heaven
Baxter, Richard
Devotional literature
§ 17. On the whole, as ever Christians would have comforts that will not
deceive them, let them make it the great labor of their lives to grow in
grace, to strengthen and advance the interest of Christ in their souls,
and to weaken and subdue the interest of the flesh. Deceive not
yourselves with a persuasion, that Christ hath done all, and left you
nothing to do. To _overcome the world_, the _flesh_, and the _Devil_;
and in order to that, to stand always armed upon our watch, and
valiantly and patiently to fight it out, is of great importance to our
assurance and salvation. Indeed it is so great a part of our baptismal
vow, that he, who performeth it not, is no more than a nominal
Christian. Not to every one that presumptuously believeth, but _to him
that overcometh, will Christ give to eat of the hidden manna, and will
give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no
man knoweth saving him that receiveth it: He shalt eat of the tree of
life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God, and shall not be
hurt of the second death. Christ will confess his name before his
Father, and before his angels, and make him a pillar in the temple of
God, and he shall go no more out, and will write upon him the name of
his God, and the name of the city of his God, which is New Jerusalem,
which cometh down out of heaven from his God, and will write upon him
his new name._ Yea, _He will grant to him to sit with him on his throne,
even as he also overcame, and is set down with his Father on his throne.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches._[284]
[Footnote 284] Revelation ii, 7, 11, 17. iii, 5, 12, 21, 22.
CHAP. IX.
The Duty of the people of God to excite others to seek this Rest.
§ 1. The Author laments that Christians do so little to help others to
obtain the Saint's Rest; § 2. (I.) Shews the nature of this duty;
particularly, § 3. (1.) In having our hearts affected with the misery
of our brethren's souls, § 4-6. (2.) In taking all opportunities to
instruct them in the way of salvation, § 7. (3.) In promoting their
profit by public ordinances; § 8. (II.) He assigns various reasons why
this duty is so much neglected, § 9. And answers some objections
against it. § 10-13. Then (III.) Urges to the discharge of it, by
several considerations, § 14. Addressed to such as have knowledge,
learning, and utterance, § 15. Those that are acquainted with sinners,
§ 16. Physicians that attend dying men, § 17. Persons of wealth and
power, § 18. Ministers, § 19. And those that are intrusted with the
care of children or servants, § 20. The chapter concludes with an
earnest request to Christian parents to be faithful to their trust.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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