Wesley Corpus

“If the prospect of glory sweetly opens before thee, repeat the sign. He instantly raised it again, and in half a minute, a second time. He then threw it up, as if he would reach the top of the bed; after this, his hands moved no more. But on my saying, “Art thou in pain?’ he answered, ‘No. From this time he lay in a kind of sleep, though with his eyes open and fixed. For the most part he sat upright, against pillows, with his head a little inclining to one side; and so remarkably composed, yea, triumphant, was his countenance, that the least trace of death was scarce discernible in it. Twenty-four hours he was in this situation, breathing like a person in common sleep. About thirty-five minutes past ten on Sunday night, August 14, his precious soul entered into the joy of his Lord, without one struggle or groan, in the fifty-sixth year of his age. “And here I break off my mournful story; but on my bleeding heart the fair picture of his heavenly excellencies will be for ever drawn. When I call to mind his ardent zeal, his laborious endeavours to seek and save the lost, his diligence in the employment of his time, his Christ-like condescension toward me, and his uninterrupted converse with heaven; I may well be allowed to add, My loss is beyond the power of words to paint. I have often gone through deep waters; but all my afflictions were nothing to this. Well; I want no pleasant prospect but upwards, nor anything whereon to fix my hope but immortality. “From the time I have had the happiness and honour of being with him, every day more and more convinced me he was the Christian. I saw, I loved, in him the image of my Saviour; and thought myself the happiest of women in the possession of the most sympathizing and heavenly friend. My sorrow bears a due proportion; but it is alleviated by that thought, “United in God, we cannot be divided. No; we are of one household still; we are joined in Him as our centre, ‘of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. It is said of New Testament believers, “They are come to the spirits of just men made perfect;’ to the glorious privilege of com munion with the Church triumphant.