N17286:212
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
Part 2 › Chapter 2: The Aggravation of the Loss of Heaven to the Ungodly.
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.
Oh how all these passionate pleadings of Christ will passionately transport the damned with self-indignation! That they will be ready to •ear out their own hearts! How fresh will the remembrance of them be still in their minds, lancing their souls with renewed torments! What self-condemning pangs will it raise within them, to remember how oft Christ would have gathered them to himself even as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but they would not? Then will they cry out against themselves, how justly is all this befallen me! Must I tire out the patience of Christ? Must I make the GOD of heaven to follow me in vain, till I had wearied him with crying to me, repent, return? Must the LORD of all the world thus wait upon me, and all in vain? O how justly is that patience now turned into fury, which falls upon my soul with irresistible violence! when the LORD cried out to me in his word, How long will it be before thou wilt be made clean and holy? My heart, or at least my practice answered, never; I will never be so precise: and now when I cry out, how long will it be till I be freed from this torment, and saved with the saints! how justly do I receive the answer! never, never.—Oh sinner, I beseech thee for thy own sake, think of this while the voice of mercy soundeth in thine ears! Yet patience continueth waiting upon thee: ⟨p. 100⟩canst thou think it will do so still? Yet the offers of Christ and life are made to thee in the gospel, and the hand of GOD is stretched out to thee: but will it still be thus? The Spirit hath not yet done striving with thy heart: but dost thou know how soon he may turn away, and give thee over to a reprobate mind? Thou haft yet life, and time, and strength, and means: but dost thou think that this life will always last? Oh seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near: he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what Christ now speaketh to his soul. And today, while it is called to-day, harden not your hearts, lest he sware in his wrath that you shall never enter into his rest. For-ever blessed is he, that hath a hearing heart and ear, while Christ hath a calling voice.
Oh how all these passionate pleadings of Christ will passionately transport the damned with self-indignation! That they will be ready to •ear out their own hearts! How fresh will the remembrance of them be still in their minds, lancing their souls with renewed torments! What self-condemning pangs will it raise within them, to remember how oft Christ would have gathered them to himself even as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but they would not? Then will they cry out against themselves, how justly is all this befallen me! Must I tire out the patience of Christ? Must I make the GOD of heaven to follow me in vain, till I had wearied him with crying to me, repent, return? Must the LORD of all the world thus wait upon me, and all in vain? O how justly is that patience now turned into fury, which falls upon my soul with irresistible violence! when the LORD cried out to me in his word, How long will it be before thou wilt be made clean and holy? My heart, or at least my practice answered, never; I will never be so precise: and now when I cry out, how long will it be till I be freed from this torment, and saved with the saints! how justly do I receive the answer! never, never.—Oh sinner, I beseech thee for thy own sake, think of this while the voice of mercy soundeth in thine ears! Yet patience continueth waiting upon thee: