The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 10 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 10 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
‘Oh, he is come! He is come! O how sweet! How glorious is the blessed
Jesus! What shall I do to speak the thousandth part of his praises!
Oh for words, to set out a little of that excellency! But it is
inexpressible! Oh how excellent, glorious and lovely is the precious
Jesus! He is sweet, he is altogether lovely! And now I am sick of love,
he hath ravished my soul with his beauty! I shall die sick of love!
‘Oh my friends, stand by and wonder, come look upon a dying man, and
wonder; I cannot myself but stand and wonder! Was there ever a greater
kindness; was there ever sensibler manifestations of rich grace!
Oh, why me! Lord, why me! Sure this is akin to heaven, and if I were
never to enjoy any more than this: it were well worth all the torments
that men and devils could invent, to come through even hell to such
transcendent joys. If this be dying, let no true Christian ever be
afraid of dying. Oh death is sweet to me. This bed is soft. Christ’s
arms and kisses, his smiles and visits, would turn hell into heaven. Oh
that you did but see and feel what I do! Come and behold a dying man,
more chearful than ever you saw an healthful man in the midst of his
sweetest enjoyments. Oh Sirs, worldly pleasures are poor, sorry things,
compared with one glimpse of this glory, which shines in so strongly
into my soul! Oh why should any of you be so sad, when I am glad: this,
this is the hour that I have waited for!’
About eight and forty hours before his death, his eyes were dim, and
his sight failed; his jaws shook and trembled, and his feet were cold,
and all the symptoms of death were upon him. His extreme parts were
already dead, and yet, his joys were (if possible) greater still. He
seemed to be in one continued act of seraphic love and praise. He spake
like one that was just entring into the gates of the new _Jerusalem_:
the greatest part of him was now in heaven; not a word dropt from his
mouth but it breathed Christ and heaven.
Then he would give instructions to them that came to see him. He was
scarce ever silent, because the love of Christ and souls constrained
him. There was so much work done for Christ in his last hours, that he
did as much in one hour as some do in a year.
Every person had a faithful affectionate warning. And that good
minister, that was so much with him, used this as an argument to
persuade him to be willing to live a little longer, “God hath something
for thee to do that is yet undone; some word of exhortation to some
poor soul, that you have forgot.”
He was wont every evening to take his leave of his friends, hoping not
to see them till the morning of the resurrection; and he desired that
they would make sure of a comfortable meeting at our Father’s house in
that other world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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