N17286:345
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.
2. Quest. What manner of persons should those be who have bound themselves to GOD by so many covenants as we have done, and in special have covenanted so oft to be more painful and faithful in his service? At every sacrament; on many days of humiliation and thanksgiving; in most of our deep distresses and dangerous sicknesses; we are still ready to bewail our neglects, and to engage ourselves, if GOD will but try us and trust us once again, how diligent and laborious we will be, and how we will improve our time, and reprove offenders, and watch over ourselves, and ply our work; and do him more service in a day, than we did in a month? The LORD pardon our perfidious ⟨p. 160⟩covenant-breaking; and grant that our engagements may not condemn us.
3. Quest. What manner of men should they be in duty, who have received so much encouragement, as we have done? Who have tasted such sweetness in diligent obedience, as doth much more than countervail all the pains; who have so oft had experience of the wide difference between lazy and laborious duty, by their different issues; who have found all our lazy duties unfruitful; and all our strivings and wrestlings with GOD successful, so that we were never importunate with GOD in vain? We who have had so many deliverances upon urgent seeking; and have received almost all our solid comforts in a way of close and constant duty: how should we above all men ply our work?
4. Quest. What manner of persons should they be in holiness, who have so much of the great work yet undone? So many sins in so great strength; graces weak, sanctification imperfect, corruption still working, and taking advantage of all our omission? When we are as a boat-man on the water; let him row never so hard a month together, yet if he do but slack his hand, and think to ease himself, his boat goes faster down the stream than before it went up: so do our souls, when we think to ease ourselves by abating our pains in duty. Our time is short: our enemies mighty: our hinderances many: GOD seems yet at a distance from many of us: our thoughts of him are dull and unbelieving: our acquaintance and communion with Christ, is small: and our desires to be with him are as small. And should men in our case stand still?