N17286:576
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 12: An Advice to some more particularly to help others to this 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.
Answ. Indeed this is the very sore of the land: but is it not a pity that men should so receive their destruction by tradition? Would you have this course to go on thus still? Your parents did not teach you, and therefore you cannot teach your children, and therefore they cannot teach theirs: by this course the knowledge of GOD would be banished out of the world, and never be recovered. But if your parents did not teach you, why did not you learn when you came to age? The truth is, you had no hearts for it; for be that hath not knowledge, cannot value it, or love it. But yet, though you have greatly sinned, it is not too late, if you will but follow my faithful advice in these four points.
1. Get your hearts deeply sensible of your own sin and misery, because of this long time which you ⟨p. 254⟩have spent in ignorance and neglect. Bethink yourselves when you are alone• did not GOD make you, and sustain you for his […]? Should not he have had the youth and strong•• of your spirits? Did you live all this time at the door of eternity? What if you had died in ignorance, where had you been? What a deal of time have you spent to little purpose? Your life is near done, and your work all undone. You are ready to die, before you have learned to live. Should not GOD have had a better share of your lives, and your souls been more regarded and provided for? In the midst of these thoughts, cast down yourselves in sorrow, as at the feet of Christ; bewail your felly, and beg pardon and recovering grace.
1. Get your hearts deeply sensible of your own sin and misery, because of this long time which you ⟨p. 254⟩have spent in ignorance and neglect. Bethink yourselves when you are alone• did not GOD make you, and sustai• you for his ? Should not he have had the youth and strong of your spirits? Did you live all this time at the door of eternity? What if you had died in ignorance, where had you been? What a deal of time have you spent to little purpose? Your life is near done, and your work all undone. You are ready to die, before you have learned to live. Should not GOD have had a better share of your lives, and your souls been more regarded and provided for? In the midst of these thoughts, cast down yourselves in sorrow, as at the feet of Christ; bewail your felly, and beg pardon and recovering grace.