N17286:296
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 6: An Exhortation to Seriousness in seeking Rest.
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.
Now, the works of a christian here are very many, and very great: the soul must be renewed; many and great corruptions mortified; custom, temptations and worldly interest must be conquered; flesh must be mastered; life and friends, and credit, and all must be slighted; conscience must be upon good grounds quieted; assurance of pardon and salvation must be attained. And though it is GOD that must give us these, and that freely, without our own merits; yet will he not give them without our earnest seeking and labour.
Besides, there is a deal of knowledge to be got, for the guiding ourselves, for defending the truth, for the direction of others, and a deal of skill for the right managing of our parts: many ordinances are to be used, and duties to be performed, ordinary and extraordinary; every age, and year, and day, doth require fresh succession of duty; every place we come ⟨p. 141⟩in, every person we have to deal with, every change of our condition, doth still require the renewing our labour, and bringing duty along with it: wives, children, servants, neighbours, friends, enemies, all of them call for duty from us. and all this of great importance too; so that for the most, if we miscarry in it, it would prove our undoing.
Judge then yourselves, whether men that have so much business lying upon their hands, should not bestir them? And whether it be their wisdom either to delay, or to loiter?