N17286:308
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.
8. How close should they ply their work, who have such attendants as we have? All the world are our servants, that we may be the servants of GOD. The sun, and moon, and stars, attend us with their light and influence: the earth, with all its furniture, is at our service: how many thousand plants, and flowers, and fruits, and birds, and beasts, do all attend us? The sea with its inhabitants, the air, the wind, the frost and snow, the heat and fire, the clouds and rain, all wait upon us while we do our work: yea, the angels are ministering spirits for us. And is it not an intolerable crime for us to trifle, while all these are employed to assist us? Nay more; the patience of GOD doth wait upon us: the LORD JESUS CHRIST waiteth, in the offers of his blood; the holy Spirit waiteth, in striving with our backward hearts: besides, all his servants, the ministers of his gospel, who study and wait, and preach and wait, and pray and wait upon careless sinners: and shall angels and men, yea the LORD himself, stand by and look on, while thou dost nothing?
O christians, I beseech you, whenever you are on your knees in prayer, or reproving the transgressors, or exhorting the obstinate, or upon any duty, do but remember what attendants you have for this work; and then judge how it behoves you to perform it.
9. How forward and painful should we be in that work, where we are sure we can never do enough? If there were any danger in over-doing, then it might well cause men to moderate their endeavours: but we know, that if we could do all, we were but unprofitable servants; much more when we fail in all.