N17286:806
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 3 › Chapter 10: An Example of this heavenly Contemplation, for the Help of the Unskilful.
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.
where will you hide yourselves? or what shall cover you? Mountains are gone, the earth and heavens that were, are p••••• away, the devouring fire hath consumed all, except yourselves, who must ⟨p. 377⟩be the fuel for-ever: O that you could consume as soon as the earth, and melt away as did the heavens! Ah, these wishes are now but vain; the Lamb himself would have been your friend, he would have loved you, and ruled you, and now have saved you; but you would not then, and now it is too late: never cry, LORD, LORD: too late, too late, man: why dost thou look about? can any save thee? Whither dost thou run? can any hide thee? O wretch, that hast brought thyself to this! Now blessed are ye that have believed and obeve•; this is the end of your faith and patience; this is that for which ye prayed and waited: do you now repent your sufferings and sorrows? your self-denying and holy walking? are your tears of repentance now bitter or sweet? O see how the Judge doth smile upon you! there is love in his looks; the titles of redeemer, husband, head, are written in his amiable face: hark! doth he not call you? he bids you stand here on his right hand; fear not, for there he sets his sheep: O joyful sentence pronounced by his mouth! Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world! See how your Saviour takes you by the hand; the door is open; the kingdom is his, and therefore yours: there is your place before his throne: the Father receiveth you as the spouse of his Son, he bids you welcome to the crown of glory; never so unworthy, crowned you must be: this was the project of free redeeming grace, the purpose of eternal love. O blessed grace! O blessed love! O the frame that my soul shall then be in! but I cannot express it, I cannot conceive it!
This is that joy which was procured by sorrow; this is that crown which was procured by the cross: my LORD did weep, that now my tears might be wiped away; he did bleed, that I might now rejoice; he was forsaken, that I might not now be forsaken; ⟨p. 378⟩