N17286:65
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.
And in the meantime walk carefully, watch constantly, and then let GOD measure out thy times and degrees of joy. It may be he keeps them till thou hast more need: thou mayst better lose thy comfort, than thy safety: as the joy of the hypocrite, so the fears of the upright, are but for a moment. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. O blessed morning! Poor drooping soul, how would it fill thee with joy now, if a voice from heaven should assure thee of thy part in these joys! What then will ⟨p. 29⟩thy joy he, when thy actual possession shall convince thee of thy title: when the angels shall bring thee to Christ, and when Christ shall (as it were) take thee by the hand, and lead thee into thy purchased possession! Wilt thou not be almost ready to draw back, and to say, What I, LORD, I, the unworthy neglecter of thy grace! I, the unworthy disesteemer of thy blood, and slighter of thy love! Must I have this glory? Make me an hired servant, I am no more worthy to be called a son: but love will have it so; therefore thou must enter into his joy.
And it is not thy joy only: it is a mutual joy, as well as mutual love: is there such joy in heaven at thy conversion, and will there be none at thy glorification? Will not the angels welcome thee thither, and congratulate thy safe arrival? Yea, it is the joy of Jesus Christ: for now he hath the end of his labour, suffering, dying, when we have our joys; when he is glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe. We are his seed, and the fruit of his soul's travail, which when he seeth, he will be satisfied: he will rejoice over his purchased inheritance, and his people shall rejoice in him.
And it is not thy joy only: it is a mutual joy, as well as mutual love: is there such joy in heaven at thy conversion, and will there be none at thy glorification? Will not the angels welcome thee thither, and congratulate thy safe arrival? Yea, it is the joy of Jesus Christ: for now he hath the end of his labour, suffering, dying, when we have our joys; when he is glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe. We are his seed, and the fruit of his soul's travail, which when he seeth, he will be satisfid: he will rejoice over his purchased inheritance, and his people shall rejoice in him.