N17286:342
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.
O, thou that didst weep and groan over dead Lazarus, pity these sad and senseless souls, till they are able to weep and groan for, and pity themselves. As ⟨p. 159⟩thou hast bid thy servants speak, so speak now thyself; they will hear thy voice speaking to their hearts, that will not hear mine speaking to their ears. Long hast thou knocked at these hearts in vain, now break the doors, and enter in.
Yet I will add a few more words to good men in particular, to show them why they above all men should be laborious for heaven; and that there is a great deal of reason, that though all the world sit still, yet they should abhor that laziness and negligence, and lay out all their strength on the work of GOD. To this end, I desire them also to answer soberly to these few questions.
Yet I will add a few more words to good men in particular, to shew them why they above all men should be laborious for heaven; and that there is a great deal of reason, that though all the world sit still, yet they should abhor that laziness and negligence, and lay out all their strength on the work of GOD. To this end, I desire them also to answer soberly to these few questions.
1. Quest. What manner of persons should those be, who have felt the smart of their negligence, in the new birth, in their several wounds and trouble of conscien•• in their doubts and fears, in their various afflictions: they that have groaned and cried out so oft, under the sense and effects of their negligence, and are like enough to feel it again, if they do not reform it? Sure one would think they should be slothful no more.