N17286:409
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 9: Containing Directions to Examination, and some Marks of Trial.
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.
1. Thou makest him the end of thy desires and endeavours: the very reason why thou hearest and prayest, why thou desirest to live and breathe on earth, is this, that thou mayst seek the LORD. Thou seekest first the kingdom of GOD and its righteousness: tho' thou dost not seek it so zealously as thou shouldst; yet hath it the chief of thy desires and endeavours: and nothing else desired or preferred before it.
2. Thou wilt think no labour or suffering too great to obtain it. And though the flesh may sometimes shrink, yet art thou resolved and content to go through all.
3. If thou be an heir of rest, thy valuation of it will be so high, and thy affection to it so great, that thou wouldst not exchange thy title to it, and hopes of it, for any worldly good whatsoever. If GOD would set before thee an eternity of earthly pleasure on one hand, and the rest of the saints on the other, and bid thee take thy choice; thou wouldst refuse the world, and choose this rest.
But if thou be yet in the flesh, then it is clean contrary with thee: then dost thou in thy heart prefer thy worldly happiness before GOD; and though thy tongue may say, that GOD is the chief good, yet thy heart doth not so esteem him. For,