Saints Everlasting Rest

Here is Nuttall's presentation of a number of points made by Baxter in his book "Saints everlasting rest" - "a programme of what he would like to carry out if only he could". Number 10 is my favourite, what's yours?

1. Labour to be men of knowledge and sound understandings, let the Bible be much in your hands and hearts. Deut 6:6-7.

2. Do the utmost you can to get a faithful Minister, when I am taken from you; submit to his private Oversight, as well as publike Teaching. It is but the least part of a Ministers work which is done in a Pulpit.

3. Let all your knowledge turn into Affection and Practice; keep open the passage between your heads, and your hearts, that every Truth may go to the quick.

4. Be sure to make conscience of the great Duties that you are to perform in your families. If you cannot do what you should, yet do what you can.

5. Beware of extreams in the controverted points of Religion. As for separation, the mischeif lies not in the bare error of judgement, but in the un-christian and church-dissolving division and alienation which thence followeth.

6. Above all, see that you be followers of Peace and Unitie, both in the Church, and among your selves. Remember Heb.12:14. Those that say, No Truth must be concealed for Peace, have usually as little of the one, as the other. I ever loved a godly, peaceable Conformist, better that a turbulant Non-Conformist. I here charge you, That if God should give me up to any factious Church-rending course (against which I daily pray) that you forsake me, and follow me not a step. If any heart-burnings arise, do not keep strange but go together, and lovingly debate it, or pray together, that God would reconcile you; O rememer that piercing example of Christ, who washed his Disciples feet, to teach us that we must stoop as low to one another.

7. Above all, be sure to get down from the pride of your hearts. Forget not all the Sermons I preached to you against this sin. No sin more natural, more common, more deadly.

8. Be sure you keep the mastery over your flesh and senses. Few ever fall from God, but flesh-pleasing is the cause.

9. Make conscience of the great duty of reproving, and exhorting those about you: Admonish them lovingly and modestly, but be sure you do it, and that seriously.

10. Lastly, Be sure to maintain a constant delight in God, and a seriousness and spirituality in all his Worship. Think it not enough to delight in Duties, if you delight not in God. You are never stable Christians till you reach this. Psalm 37:4. Fear the beginnings and apearances of sin. Beware lest Conscience once lose its tenderness.