N17286:13
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.
CHAP. I. This Rest defined.
IT was not only our interest in GOD, and actual fruition of him, which was lost in Adam's fall; but all spiritual knowledge of him, and true disposition towards such a felicity. Man hath now an heart too suitable to his estate; a low state, and a low spirit. As the poor man that would not believe that any one man had such a sum as an hundred pounds, it was so far above what he possessed: so man will hardly now believe, that there is such an happiness as once he had, much less as Christ hath now procured.
The apostle bestows most of this epistle in proving to the Jews, that the end of all ceremonies and shadows, is to direct them to Jesus Christ, the substance; and that the rest of sabbaths, and Canaan, should teach them to look for a future rest. My text is his conclusion after divers arguments to that end; a conclusion ⟨p. 8⟩so useful to a believer, as containing the ground of all his comforts, the end of all his duty and sufferings, that you may easily be satisfied, why I have made in the subject of my present discourse. What more welcome to men under afflictions, than rest? What more welcome news to men under public calamities? Hearers, I pray GOD your entertainment of it, be but half answerable to the excellency of the subject; and then you will have cause to bless GOD, while you live, that ever you heard it, as I have that ever I studied it.