N17286:152
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.
4. The fourth thing that the soul is convinced and sensible of, is the absolute necessity, the full sufficiency, and perfect excellency of JESUS CHRIST.
This conviction is not by mere argumentation, as a man is convinced of some unconcerning consequence by disp•te: but also by the sense of our desperate misery, as a man in a famine of the necessity of food; ⟨p. 77⟩or a man that had read, or heard his condemnation, is convinced of the absolute necessity of a pardon. Now the sinner finds himself in another case than ever he was aware of: he feels an insupportable burden upon him, and sees there is none but Christ can take it off: he perceives that he is under the wrath of GOD, and that the law proclaims him a rebel and out-law, and none but Christ can make his peace: he is as a man pursued by a lion, that must perish if he find not present sanctuary: he feels the curse doth lie upon him, and upon all he hath, for his sake, and Christ alone can make him blessed: he is now brought to this dilemma, either he must have Christ to justify him, or be eternally condemned; he must have Christ to save him, or burn in hell for-ever: he must have Christ to bring him again to GOD, or be shut out of his presence everlastingly. And no wonder, if he cry, as the martyr Lambert, none but Christ; none but Christ. It is not gold but bread, that will satisfy the hungry: nor any thing but pardon, that will comfort the condemned. All things are now but dross and dung; and what he counted gain, is now but loss in comparison of Christ: for as the sinner feeth his utter misery, and the disability of himself, and all things to relieve him; so he doth perceive, that there is no saving mercy out of Christ. There is none found in heaven or on earth that can open the sealed book save the Lamb; without his blood there is no remission, and without remission there is no salvation. Could the sinner now make any shift without Christ, or could any thing else supply his wants, and save his soul, then might Christ be disregarded: but now he is convinced, that there is no other name, and the necessity is absolute.