PLAIN TRUTHS | AdventAI

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 6, 1857

PLAIN TRUTHS.

(Concluded)

X. Therefore the saints do not obtain their rewards and crowns and glory in heaven at death, but at the coming and kingdom of the Redeemer.

PROOF. Ps. xvii, 16. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness. Isa. xi, 10. Behold, the Lord God will come with a strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him . . . behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. Isa. lxii. Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy salvation cometh; behold; his reward is with him, and his work before him. Luke xvi, 13, 14. When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: for they cannot recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. Matt. xxv, 31, 34. When the Son of man shall come in his glory. . . . Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. John xiii, 33; xiv, 1-3; iii, 13. 'Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go ye cannot come; so now I say to you. . . . Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. Acts ii, 3, 4. For David is not yet ascended into the heavens. Col. iii, 34. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 2 Tim. iv, 7, 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing. 1 Pet. i, 6, 7. Though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. iv, 12, 13. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 1 Pet. v, 4. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Rev. xxii, 12. And behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be.

PROOF FROM THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH.

Said Justin Martyr, A. D. 150: "Some indeed are called Christians, but in reality are atheists and wicked heretics, because that in all things they teach what is blasphemous, ungodly, and unsound. If therefore you meet with some that are called Christians who confess not this truth, but even dare to blaspheme the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and say that there is no resurrection of the dead, but that immediately when they die their souls are received up into heaven, take care that you do not look upon these as Christians; as no one that rightly considers would say that the Sadducees or the like sects of Genists, Merists, and Pharisees are Jews, . . . but that they only seem to be Jews, and the children of Abraham, and to confess God with their lips as God himself hath said, but their heart is far from him."

Said Bishop Jeremy Taylor: "That is a plain departure from antiquity, which was determined by the Council of Florence, 'That the souls of the pious being purified, are immediately at death received into heaven, and behold clearly the triune God just as he is:' for those who please to try, may see it dogmatically resolved to the contrary, by Justin Martyr, Irenæus, Origen, Chrysostom, Theodoret, &c.

Said Calvin: "Christ is our head, whose kingdom and glory have not yet appeared. If the members were to go before their head, the order of things would be inverted and preposterous: but we shall follow our Prince then, when he shall come in the glory of his Father, and sit upon the throne of his majesty." The Scripture uniformly commands us to look forward with eager expectation to the coming of Christ, and defers the crown of glory that awaits till that period.

Said Tyndale, the translator of the Bible, to More the Papist: Ye in putting departed souls in heaven, hell, and purgatory, destroy the arguments wherewith Christ and Paul prove the resurrection. If the souls be in heaven, tell me why they be not in as good a case as the angels be? and then what cause is there of a resurrection.

Said John Wesley in a sermon on Luke xvi, 31. It is indeed very generally supposed that the souls of good men, as soon as they are dislodged from the body, go directly to heaven; but this opinion has not the least foundation in the oracles of God: on the contrary, our Lord says to Mary, after the resurrection, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father in heaven.

XI. The coming of Christ in glory and the resurrection is therefore the hope of the church, and should ever be looked for and desired by the people of God.

PROOF. 1 Cor. xv, 16-18. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. Rom. viii, 22-23. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Phil. iii, 20-21. For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Acts xxiv, 14, 15. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: and have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. Acts xxvi, 6-8. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come: For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? Acts xxiii, 6. Of the hope and resurrection of the dead, I am called in question. 2 Cor. v, 4. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Heb. ix, 27-28. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 1 Thess. i, 9-10. Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thess. ii, 19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 1 Thess. iv, 13-18. But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them which sleep

in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. John iii, 2-3. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. Luke xii, 35-40. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching. Be ye therefore ready also; for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Titus ii, 11-15. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.

PROOF FROM THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH.

Said Clement, A. D. 96. Wherefore let us every hour expect the kingdom of God in love and righteousness, because we know not the day of our Lord's appearing.

Said Cyprian, A. D. 220. It were a self-contradictory and incompatible thing for us, who pray that the kingdom of God may quickly come, to be looking for long life here below. . . . Let us ever in anxiety and cautiousness be awaiting the sudden advent of the Lord.

Said Cyril, A. D. 350. Do thou look for the true Christ, the Son of God, the only Begotten, who is henceforth to come not from earth but from heaven, appearing to all more bright than any lightning, or any other brilliance, with angels for his guards, that he may judge the quick and dead. . . . Venture not to declare when these things shall be, nor on the other hand abandon thyself to slumber; for he saith which &c. . . . but it behooveth us to know the signs of the end,—and we are looking for Christ.

Said Augustine concerning the virgins in Matt. xxv, But men continually say to themselves, Lo, the Day of Judgment is coming now, so many evils are happening, so many tribulations thicken; behold all things which the prophets have spoken have well nigh fulfilled—the day of judgment is already at hand. They who speak thus speak in faith, go out, as it were, with such thoughts to meet the bridegroom.

Said Tyndale, Christ and his apostles . . . warned to look for Christ's coming again every hour.

Said John Bradford, Covet not the things that are in this world, but long for the coming of the Lord Jesus.

Said John Piscator, The Advent of the Lord is to be looked for with perpetual vigilance,—especially by ministers of the word.

Said Latimer, Let us therefore have a desire that this day may come quickly; let us hasten God forward; let us cry unto him, day and night, Most Merciful Father, thy kingdom come.

Said Ridley, The world, without doubt,—this I do believe, and therefore I say it,—draws towards an end. Let us, with John, the servant of God, cry in our hearts unto our Saviour Christ, Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Said Calvin, We must hunger after Christ, we must seek and contemplate till the dawning of that great day, when our Lord will fully manifest the glory of his kingdom.

Said Luther, I ardently hope, that amidst these internal dissensions on the earth, Jesus Christ will hasten the day of his coming, and that he will crumble the whole universe into dust.

Said Baxter, This is the day that all believers should long, and hope, and wait for, as the accomplishment of all the work of their redemption, and all the desires and endeavors of their souls. Hasten, O Lord, this blessed day.

Said Joseph Alleine, writing from the Ilchester jail to his flock, This is the day I look for, and wait for, and have laid up all my hopes in. If the Lord return not, I profess myself undone—my preaching in vain, and my suffering in vain, and the bottom in which I have entrusted all my hopes is forever miscarried.

Said the seraphic Rutherford, The Lord hath told you what ye should be doing till he come; wait and hasten, saith Peter, for the coming of your Lord. All is night that is here, in respect to ignorance and daily ensuing troubles . . . therefore sigh and long for the dawning of that morning, and the breaking of that day of the Son of man, when the shadows shall flee away. It stands yourself that the King is coming. Read his letter sent before him,—Rev. xxii, 20. Behold I come quickly. Wait with the wearied night-watch, for the breaking of the eastern sky.

Said Mathew Henry, As Christians, we profess not only to believe and look for, but love and long for the appearing of Christ, and to act in our whole conversation with regard to it. The second coming of Christ is the centre in which all the lines of our religion meet, and to which the whole of the divine life hath a constant reference and tendency.

Said Increase Mather, You must not only look for, not only believe that such a day will come, but you must hasten to it—that is, by earnest desires and longing wishes.

Said Doddridge, He comes quickly, and I trust you can answer with a glad Amen that the warning is not troublesome or unpleasant to your ears; but rather that his coming—his certain, his speedy coming—is the object of your delightful hope, and of your longing expectation. For with regard to his final appearance to judgment, our Lord says, Surely I come quickly. And will you not here also sing your part of the joyful Anthem? Amen; even so come, Lord Jesus.

Said John Wesley: "The church in her militant state, Is weary and cannot forbear; The saints in an agony wait To see Him again in the air; The news of his coming I hear And join in the catholic cry— O Jesus in triumph appear. Appear in the clouds of the sky."

And Watts exclaims: "How bright the vision! O how long Shall this glad hour delay, Fly swifter round, ye wheels of time, And bring the welcome day!"

The above are a few of the plain truths taught in the word of God. Let us, like the Bereans of old, search the Scriptures daily and see if these things are so. Let us give heed to the words of the Lord and seek for eternal life through Jesus Christ at his coming.