N17286:108
The saints everlasting rest
The saints everlasting rest: or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory: extracted from the works of Mr. Richard Baxter, by John Wesley, M.A. late fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford.
Philadelphia: printed by Prichard & Hall, 1790
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A heaven of the knowledge of GOD, and his Christ; and a delightful complacency in that mutual love, and everlasting rejoicing in the fruition of our GOD, a perpetual singing of his high praises: this is a heaven for a saint: a spiritual rest, suitable to a spiritual nature. Then we shall live in our element. We are now as the fish in some small vessel of water, that hath only so much as will keep him alive: but what is that to the full ocean? We have a little air let into us to afford us breathing: but what is that to the sweet and fresh gales upon mount Zion? We have a beam of the sun to lighten our darkness, and a warm ⟨p. 56⟩ray to keep us from freezing: but then we shall live in its light, and be revived by its heat for-ever.
A heaven of the knowledge of GOD, and his Christ; and a delightful complacency in that mutual love, and everlasting rejoicing in the fruition of our GOD, a perpetual singing of his high praises: this is a heaven for a saint: a spiritual rest, suitable to a spiritual nature. Then we shall live in our element. We are now as the fish in some small vessel of water, that hath only so much as will keep him alive: but what is that to the full ocean? We have a little air let into us to afford us breathing: but what is that to the sweet and fresh gales upon mount Sion? We have a beam of the sun to lighten our darkness, and a warm ⟨p. 56⟩ray to keep us from freezing: but then we shall live in its light, and be revived by its heat for-ever.
2. It is suitable to the desires of the saints: for such as is their nature, such are their desires; and such as their desires, such will be their rest. Indeed we have now a mixed nature; and from contrary principles, arise contrary desires. But it is the desires of our renewed nature, which this rest is suited to. Whilst our desires remain corrupt and misguided, it is a far greater mercy to deny, yea, to destroy them, than to satisfy them: but those which are spiritual, are of his own planting, and he will surely water them, and give the increase. He quickened our hunger and thirst for righteousness, that he might make us happy in a full satisfaction.