The Saints' Everlasting Rest - Richard Baxter

When a thousand millions of ages are past, they are as fresh to begin as the
first day. If there were any hope of an end, it would ease the damned to
foresee it; but For ever is an intolerable thought! They were never weary of
sinning, nor will God be weary of punishing. They never heartily repented of
sin, nor will God repent of their suffering. They broke the laws of the eternal
God, and therefore shall suffer eternal punishment. They knew it was an
everlasting kingdom which they refused, and what wonder if they are
everlastingly shut out of it? Their immortal souls were guilty of the trespass,
and therefore must immortally suffer the pains. What happy men would they
think themselves, if they might have lain still in their graves, or might but
there lie down again! How will they call and cry, "O death, whither art thou
now gone? Now come and cut off this doleful life. O that these pains would
break my heart, and end my being! O that I might once at last die! O that I
had never had a being!" These groans will the thoughts of eternity wring
from their hearts. They were wont to think sermons and prayers long; how
long then will they think these endless torments! What difference is there
betwixt the length of their pleasures and their pains! The one continued but a
moment, the other endure through all eternity. Sinner, remember how time is
almost gone. Thou art standing at the door of eternity; and death is waiting to
open the door, and put thee i., Go, sleep out a few more nights, and stir about
a few more days on earth, and then thy nights and days shall end: thy
thoughts, and cares, and pleasures shall all be devoured by eternity; thou
must enter upon the state which shall never be changed. As the joys of
heaven are beyond our conception, so are the pains of hell. Everlasting
torment is inconceivable torment.
But methinks I see the obstinate sinner desperately resolving, "If I must
be damned, there is no remedy. Rather than I will live as the Scripture
requires, I will put it to the venture; I shall escape as well as others, and we
will even bear it as well as we can." Alas poor creature, let me beg this of
thee, before thou dost so resolve, that thou wouldst lend me thy attention to a
few questions, and weigh them with the reason of a man. Who art thou, that
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