N17286:73
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 1 › Chapter 4: The four great Preparatives to our 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.
And first, let us consider the great preparations: for the porch of this temple is exceeding glorious. Let us observe, 1. The most glorious coming of the Son of GOD. 2. His raising our bodies, and uniting them again with the soul. 3. His solemn proceedings in their judgment, where they shall be justified before all the world. ⟨p. 32⟩4. His enthroning them in glory.
1. And well may the coming of CHRIST be reckoned with those ingredients that compound this precious rest: for to this end it is intended; and to this end it is of apparent necessity. For his people's sake he sanctified himself to his office: for their sake he came into the world, suffered, died, rose, ascended: and for their sake it is that he will return. To this end will CHRIST come again to receive his people to himself, That where he is, they may be also. John xiv. 3. He that would come to suffer, will surely come to triumph: and he that would come to purchase, will surely come to possess.
But why stayed he not with his people while he was here? Why? must not the Comforter be sent? Was not the work on earth done? Must he not receive the recompense of reward, and enter into his glory? Must he not take possession in our behalf? Must he not go to prepare a place for us? Must he not intercede with the Father, and plead his sufferings, and be filled with the spirit to send it forth, and receive authority to subdue his enemies? Our abode here is short: if he had stayed on earth, what would it have been to enjoy him for a few days, and then die? But he hath more in heaven to dwell among; even the spirits of the just of many generations, there made perfect. O what a day will that be! when we who have been kept prisoners by the grave, shall be fetched out by the LORD himself; when Christ shall come from heaven to plead with his enemies, and set his captives free? It will not be such a coming as his first was, in meanness, and poverty, and contempt: he will not come to be spit upon, and buffeted, and scorned, and crucified again: he will not come, O careless world! to be slighted by you any more. And yet that coming which was in infirmity and reproach