N17286:411
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.
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,
1. The world is the chief end of thy desires and endeavour•; thy very heart is set upon it; thy greatest care and labour is to maintain thy estate, or credit, or fleshly delights. But the life to come hath little of thy care or labour. Thou didst never perceive so much excellency in the unseen glory as to draw thy heart so after it; but that little pains which thou bestowest that way, it is but in the second place. GOD hath but the world's leaving, and that time and labour which thou canst spare from the world, or those few cold and careless thoughts which follow thy constant, earnest, and delightful thoughts of earthly things: neither wouldst thou do any thing at all for heaven, if thou knewest how to keep the world: but lest thou shouldst be turned into hell, when thou canst keep the world no longer, therefore thou wilt do something.