N17286:226
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 3: They shall lose all Things that are comfortable, as well as Heaven.
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. They shall lose their present conceit of their interest in GOD, and of his favour towards them, and of their part in the merits and sufferings of Christ. This false belief doth now support their spirits, and defend them from the terrors that would else seize upon ⟨p. 107⟩on them: but what will ease their trouble when this is gone? When they can believe no longer, they will be quiet no longer. If a man conceit that he is in safety, his conceit may make him cheerful till his misery comes, and then both his conceit and comforts vanish.
There is none of this believing in hell; nor any persuasion of pardon or happiness, nor any boasting of their honesty, nor justifying themselves. This was but Satan's stratagem, that, being blindfold, they might follow him the more boldly; but then he will uncover their eyes, and they shall see where they are.
2. Another addition to the misery of the damned will be this: that with the loss of heaven, they shall lose all their hopes. In this life, though they were threatened with the wrath of GOD, yet their hope of escaping it did bear up their hearts. We can now scarce speak with the vilest drunkard, or swearer, or scorner, but he hopes to be saved for all this. O happy world, if salvation were as common as this hope; even those whose hellish nature is written in the face of their conversation, whose tongues plead the cause of the devil, and speak the language of hell; yet strongly hope for heaven, though the GOD of heaven hath told them no such shall ever come there. Nay, so strong are men's hopes, that they will dispute the cause with Christ himself at judgment, and plead their eating and drinking in his presence, their preaching in his name, and casting out devils, (and these are more probable arguments than our baptism, and common profession, and name of christians) they will stiffly deny that ever they neglected Christ in hunger, nakedness, prison, till Christ confute them with the sentence of their condemnation. Though the heart of their hopes will be broken at their death; yet, it seems, they would fain plead for such hope at the general judgment.