the great and daily care of every Christian to use faithfully all the said ordinances, and improve the said providences. 18. That though the new law or covenant be an easy yoke, and there is nothing grievous in Christ's commands, yet so bad are our hearts, and so strong our temptations, and so diligent our enemies, that whosoever will be saved, he must strive, and watch, and bestow his utmost care and pains, and deny his flesh, and forsake all that would draw him from Christ, and herein continue to the end, and overcome. And because this cannot be done without continual supplies of grace, whereof Christ is the only fountain, therefore we must live in continual dependence on him by faith, and know that our life is hid with God in him. 19. That Christ will thus by his word and Spirit gather him a church of all the elect out of the world, which is his body, and spouse, and he their head and husband, and will be tender of them as the apple of his eyes, and preserve them from danger, and continue among them his presence and ordinances; and that the members of this church must live together in most entire love and peace, delighting themselves in God and his worship, and the forethoughts and mention of their everlasting happiness; forbearing and forgiving one another, and relieving each other in need, as if that which they have were their brother's. And all men ought to strive to be of this society. Yet will the visible churches be mixed of good and bad. 20. That when the full number of these elect are called home, Christ will come down from heaven again, and raise all the dead, and set them before him to be judged; and all that have loved God above all, and believed in Christ, and been willing that he should reign over them, and have improved their mercies in the day of grace, them, he will justify, and sentence them to inherit the everlasting kingdom of glory; and those that were not such, he will condemn to everlasting fire: both which sentences shall be then executed accordingly.

This is the creed, or brief sum, of the doctrine which you must teach your children. Though our ordinary creed, called the apostles' creed, contains all the absolute fundamentals; yet in some it is so generally and darkly expressed, that an explication is necessary.

Sect. XVIII. Then, for matter of practice, teach them the meaning of the commandments, especially of the great

'Nov nola in genere talem admonitionem notat, qua alicui veluti in animum ponas ac ingeras quid factu opus sit.-Hemingius in Eph. vi. 4.

170

THE SAINT'S EVERLASTING rest.

commands of the Gospel; show them what is commanded and forbidden, in the first table and in the second, towards God and men, in regard of the inward and the outward man; and here show them, 1. The authority commanding; that is, the Almighty God, by Christ the Redeemer. They are not now to look at the command as coming from God immediately, merely as God, or the Creator, but as coming from God by Christ the Mediator, who is now the Lord of all, and only lawgiver; seeing the Father now judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son. (John v. 21-24.) 2. Show them the terms on which duty is required, and the ends of it. 3. And the nature of duties, and the way to perform them aright. 4. And the right order; that they first love God above all, and then their neighbour: first seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 5. Show them the excellences and delights of God's service. 6. And the flat necessity. 7. Especially labour to get all to their hearts, and teach them not only to speak the words.

And for sin, show them its evil and danger, and watch over them against it. Especially, 1. The sins that youth is commonly addicted to. 2. And which their nature and constitution most lead them to. 3. And which the time and place do most strongly tempt to. 4. But especially be sure to kill their killing sins; those that all are prone to, and are of all most deadly as, pride, worldliness, ignorance, profaneness, and flesh-pleasing.

And for the manner, you must do all this: 1. Betimes, before sin get rooting. 2. Frequently. 3. Seasonably. 4. Seriously and diligently. 5. Affectionately and tenderly. 6. And with authority; compelling where commanding will not serve, and adding correction where instruction is frustrate.

And thus I have done with the use of exhortation to do our utmost for the salvation of others. The Lord give men compassionate hearts that it may be practised and then, I doubt not, but he will succeed it to the increase of his church.

THE

SAINT'S EVERLASTING REST.

THE FOURTH PART.

CONTAINING

A DIRECTORY FOR THE GETTING AND KEEPING OF THE HEART IN HEAVEN,

By the Diligent Practice of that excellent unknown Duty of Heavenly Medi tation. Being the main thing intended by the Author in the writing of this Book, and to which all the rest is but subservient.

ΤΟ

MY DEARLY BELOVED FRIENDS IN THE LORD,

THE

INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN OF SHREWSBURY,

BOTH MAGISTRATES, MINISTERS, AND PEOPLE,

As also of the neighbouring Parts,

RICHARD BAXTER devoteth this part of this Treatise as a testimony of his love to his native soil, and to his many godly and faithful friends there living;

HEARTILY praying the Lord and Head of the Church to keep them in unity, peace, humility, vigilancy, and steadfastness in the truth; and to cause them to contribute their utmost endeavours for the setting up of able, faithful teachers, and building up the House of God, which hath so long been neglected, and which hath now so many hands employed to divide and demolish it: and that the Lord would save them in this hour of temptation, that they may be approved in this trial, and not be found light when God shall weigh them: and that he would acquaint them with the daily serious exercise of this most precious, spiritual, soul-exalting work of heavenly meditation, and that when the Lord shall come, he may find them. so doing.