N17286:213
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.
5. Again, it will be a most cutting consideration to these, to remember on what easy terms they might have escaped their misery. If their work had been to remove mountains, to conquer kingdoms, then the impossibility would somewhat assuage the rage of their self-accusing conscience. If their conditions for heaven had been, the satisfying of justice for all their transgressions, the suffering of all the law did lay upon them, or bearing the burden which Christ was fain to bear; this were nothing but to suffer hell to escape hell. But their conditions were of another nature. The yoke was light and the burden was easy, which JESUS CHRIST would have laid upon them; his commandments were not grievous. It was but to repent, and accept him as their Saviour; to study his will, and seek his face; to renounce all other happiness, but that which he procureth us, and to take the LORD alone for our supreme good; to renounce the government of the world and the flesh, and to submit to his meek and gracious government; to forsake the ways of our own devising, and to walk in his holy delightful way; to engage ourselves to this by covenant ⟨p. 101⟩with him, and to continue faithful in […] •• venant.
5. Again, it will be a most cutting consideration to these, to remember on what easy terms they might have escaped their misery. If their work had been to remove mountains, to conquer kingdoms, then the impossibility would somewhat assuage the rage of their self-accusing conscience. If their conditions for heaven had been, the satisfying of justice for all their transgressions, the suffering of all the law did lay upon them, or bearing the burden which Christ was fain to bear; this were nothing but to suffer hell to escape hell. But their conditions were of another nature. The yoke was light and the burden was easy, which JESUS CHRIST would have laid upon them; his commandments were not grievous. It was but to repent, and accept him as their Saviour; to study his will, and seek his face; to renounce all other happiness, but that which he procureth us, and to take the LORD alone for our supreme good; to renounce the government of the world and the flesh, and to submit to his meek and gracious government; to forsake the ways of our own devising, and to walk in his holy delightful way; to engage ourselves to this by covenant ⟨p. 101⟩