http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/349035584

The place and power of the hope of heaven in the teaching of Richard Baxter's The saints everlasting rest

The power and place of the hope of heaven in the teaching of Richard Baxter's The Saints Everlasting Rest is an exploration of the personal eschatology of the famous Puritan, Anglican minister, and writer whose life paralleled the dramatic events of seventeenth-century England. Its specific focus is on the power and place of hope in Baxter's teaching, especially as presented in his devotional opus, The Saints Everlasting Rest. Hope is seen as critical in Baxter's teaching because of its place in his overall soteriology, and especially as it is related to sanctification. Baxter's preoccupation with the theme of heaven and its relationship to hope are presented as foundations for his emphasis on evangelical righteousness, understood as sanctification. Evangelical righteousness, in turn, is seen as necessary in its relationship to continuing justification, by which Christians continue to enjoy the benefits of their initial justification, secured by faith at the time of their conversion. An overview of Baxter's life and the culture in which he lived is provided. The development of English Puritan thought on the themes of sanctification and personal eschatology is also summarized. Baxter's overall view of justification and sanctification is explored along with an investigation of his concept of heaven and a thorough study of the Puritan anthropology of the soul. Lastly, the specifics of the relationship between eschatological hope and sanctification are outlined as evidence for Baxter's view of hope related to sanctification which is similar in certain respects to his view of faith related to justification.

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