N17286:158
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.
1. The sin which the understanding pronounceth evil, the will doth turn from with abhorrency. Not that the sensitive appetite is changed, or any way made to abhor its object; but when it would carry us to sin against GOD; this disorder and evil the will abhorreth.
2. The misery also which sin hath procured, as he discerneth, so he bewaileth. It is impossible that the soul now living, should look either on its trespass against GOD, or its own self procured calamity, without some compunction. He that truly discerneth, that he hath killed Christ, and killed himself, will surely in some measure be pricked to the heart. If ⟨p. 79⟩he cannot weep, he can heartily groan; and his heart — feels what his understanding sees.
3. The creature he now renounceth as vain, and turneth it out of his heart with disdain. Not that he undervalueth it or disclaimeth its use; but its idolatrous abuse, and its unjust usurpation.
There is a two-fold error very common in the descriptions of the work of conversion. The one, of those who only mention the sinner's turning from sin to GOD, without mentioning the receiving Christ by faith. The other, of those who only mention a sinner's believing, and then think they have said all: nay, they blame them as Legalists, who make any thing but the bare believing of the love of GOD in Christ to us, to be part of the work; and would persuade poor souls to question all their former comforts, and conclude the work to have been only legal, because they have made their change of heart and turning from sin, part of it; and have taken up part of their comfort from the reviewing of these.