N17286:237
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.
These things I would have thee despair of, and whatever else GOD hath told thee shall never come to pass. And when thou hast sadly searched into thy own heart, and findest thyself in any of these cases, I would have thee despair of ever being saved in that state thou art in. This kind of despair is one of the first steps to heaven.
Consider, if a man be quite out of his way, what must be the first means to bring him in again? Why a despair of ever coming to his journey's end in the way that he is in. If his home be eastward, and he be going westward, as long as he hopes he is in the right, he will go on: and as long as he goes on hoping, he goes further amiss. Therefore when he meets with somebody that assures him that he is clean out of his way, and brings him to despair of coming home except he turn back again; then he will return, and then he may hope.
Consider, if a man be quite out of his way, what must be the first means to bring him in again? Why a despair of ever coming to his journey's end in the way that he is in. If his home be eastward, and he be going westward, as long as he hopes he is in the right, he will go on: and as long as he goes on hoping, he goes further amiss. Therefore when he meets with somebody that assures him that he is clean out of his way, and brings him to despair of coming home except he turn back again; then he wi•l return, and then he may hope.
Why, sinner, just so it is with thy soul; thou art out of the way to heaven, and in that way thou hast proceeded many a year; yet thou goest on quietly, and hopest to be saved, because thou art not so bad as many others. Why, I tell thee, except thou throw away these hopes, and see that thou hast all this while been quite out of the way to heaven; I say, till thou be brought to this, thou wilt never return and be saved. Who will turn out of his way while he hopes he is right? Remember what I say; till thou feel GOD convincing thee, that the way which thou hast lived in will not serve thy turn, and so break down thy former hopes, there is yet no saving work wrought upon thee, how well soever thou mayst hope