N17286:261
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 4: The Greatness of the Torments of the Damned discovered.
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.
Fifthly, Tell me faithfully, what if thou shouldst but see the devil appear to thee in some terrible shape, would it not daunt thee? What if thou shouldst meet him in thy way home, or he should show himself to thee at night in thy bedchamber, would not thy heart sail thee, and thy hair stand on end? I could name thee those that have been as confident as thyself, who, by such a sight, have been so appalled, tha• they were in danger of being driven out of their wits. Or what if some damned soul, of thy former acquaintance, should appear to thee, would not this amaze thee? Alas! what is this to the torments of hell? Canst thou not endure a shadow to appear before thee? O how wilt thou endure to live with them for-ever, where thou shalt have no other company but devils and the damned: and shalt not only see them, but be tormented with them, and by them!
Fifthly, Tell me faithfully, what if thou shouldst but see the devil appear to thee in some terrible shape, would it not daunt thee? What if thou shouldst meet him in thy way home, or he should shew himself to thee at night in thy bedchamber, would not thy heart sail thee, and thy hair stand on end? I could name thee those that have been as confident as thyself, who, by such a sight, have been so appalled, tha• they were in danger of being driven out of their wits. Or what if some damned soul, of thy former acquaintance, should appear to thee, would not this amaze thee? Alas! what is this to the torments of hell? Canst thou not endure a shadow to appear before thee? O how wilt thou endure to live with them for-ever, where thou shalt have no other company but devils and the damned: and shalt not only see them, but be tormented with them, and by them!
Lastly, Let me ask thee, if the wrath of GOD be to be made so light of, why did the Son of GOD himself make so great a matter of it? When he had taken upon him the payment of our debt, and bore that punishment we had deserved, it makes him sweat water and blood; it makes the LORD of life to cry, My soul is heavy, even to the death. It makes him cry out upon the cross, My GOD, my GOD, why hast thou forsaken me? Surely, if any one could have borne these sufferings, it would have been Jesus Christ. He had another measure of strength to bear it than thou hast.