N17286:490
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
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.
The charity of our ignorant fore-fathers may rise up in judgment against us, and condemn us: they would give all their estates almost, for so many masses or pardons, to deliver the souls of their friends from a feigned purgatory: and we will not as much as admonish and entreat them, to save them from the certain flames of hell.
4. Another hinderance, is, a base man-pleasing disposition that is in us. We are so loth to displease men, and so desirous to keep in credit and favour with them, that it makes us neglect our own duty. A foolish physician he is, and a most unfaithful friend, that will let a sick man die for fear of troubling him. And cruel wretches are we to our friends that will rather suffer them to go quickly to hell, than we will anger them, or hazard our reputation with them. If they did but fall in a swoon, we would rub them and pinch them, and never stick at hurting them. If they were distracted, we would bind them with chains, and we would please them in nothing that tended to their hurt. And yet when they are beside themselves in point of salvation, and in their madness posting on to damnation, we will not stop them, for fear of displeasing them. How can these men be christians, that love the praise and favour of men, more than the savour of God? John xii. 43. For if they yet seek to please m•n, they are no longer the servants of Christ, Gal. i. 10. To win them indeed they must become all things to all men: but to please them to their destruction, and let them perish, that we may keep our credit with them, is a course so base and barbarously cruel, that he that hath the face of a christian should abhor it.
4. Another hinderance, is, a base man-pleasing disposition that is in us. We are so loth to displease men, and so desirous to keep in credit and favour with them, that it makes us neglect our own duty. A foolish physician he is, and a most unfaithfal friend, that will let a sick man die for fear of troubling him. And cruel wretches are we to our friends that will rather suffer them to go quickly to hell, than we will anger them, or hazard our reputation with them. If they did but fall in a swoon, we would rub them and pinch them, and never stick at hurting them. If they were distracted, we would bind them with chains, and we would please them in nothing that tended to their hurt. And yet when they are beside themselves in point of salvation, and in their madness posting on to damnation, we will not stop them, for fear of displeasing them. How can these men be christians, that love the praise and favour of men, more than the savour of God?