N17286:96
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.
2. The second pearl in the saint's diadem, is, that it is free. This seemeth as Pharaoh's second kine, to devour the former. But the seeming discord, is but a pleasing diversity which constitutes the melody. These two attributes purchased and free, are the two chains of gold, which make up the wreath for the heads of the pillars in the temple of GOD. It was dear to Christ, but free to us. When Christ was to buy, silver and gold were nothing worth; prayers and tears could not suffice; nor any thing below his blood; but when we come to buy, our buying is but receiving: we have it freely, without money and without price. Nor do the gospel-conditions make it the less free; if the gospel-conditions had been such as are the laws, or payment of the debt required at our hands; the freeness then were more questionable. Yea, if GOD had said to us, Sinners, if you will satisfy my justice for one of your sins, I will forgive you all the rest, it would have been a hard condition on our part, and the grace of the covenant not so free, as our disability doth require. But if all the condition be our cordial acceptation, surely we deserve not the name of purchasers. Thankful accepting of a free acquittance, is no paying of the debt. If life be offered to a condemned man, upon condition that he shall not refuse the offer, the favour is nevertheless free. Nay, though the condition were, that he should beg, and wait before he have his pardon, and take him for his LORD who hath thus redeemed him, this is no satisfying the justice of the law: especially when the condition is also given by GOD; surely then •••e is all free: if the Father freely give the Son, and the Son freely pay the debt; and if GOD freely accept that way of payment, when he might have required it of the principal; and if both Father and Son freely offer ⟨p. 48⟩us the purchased life upon those fair conditions; and if they also freely send the spirit to enable us to perform those conditions, then what is here, that is not free? O the everlasting admiration that must needs surprise the saints to think of this freeness! What did the LORD see in me, that he should judge me meet for such a state? that I who was but a poor, despised wretch, should be clad in the brightness of this glory? that I, a silly, creeping worm, should be advanced to this high dignity?