Wesley Corpus

mortal can approach, whom flesh and blood hath not seen nor can see to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost the ever-blessed Trinityone God be glory and praise, might and ma jesty, now and for ever ! i (Preached at Fredcrica : at Savannah : at Christchurch, Boston.) He that goethforth and weepeth, bearing pre cious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm exxvi. 6. Experience shows us that even they who are Christians indeed, who serve God with all their strength, may go on their way weep ing, perhaps for many years, perhaps to the end of this transitory life. They are followers of him who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief ; and if any man will come after him he must deny him self, and take up his cross ; he must suffer with his master, more or less, being like him, to be made perfect through sufferings. For this very cause are these sufferings permitted, to lead them to higher perfection ; they go on their way weeping, that the good seed they bear may yield them more fruit ; and that good seed (even all those Christian virtues which are perfected by affliction) shall in due time grow up into a plenteous harvest of rest, and joy, and life eternal. The certainty of this great truth is pointed out to us by the very manner wherein it is re vealed. Heaven and earth may, nay must, pass away, but not one tittle of the sacred word of God. As sure as He exists, and is a rewarder of all that diligently seek him, so sure no one virtue of any disciple of Christ, shall in any wise lose its reward. Only let him bear forth this good seed unto the end, and though he may now go on his way weep ing, he shall come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him. I propose briefly to explain, that every virtue is the seed of joy eternal ; an important consi deration, which requires your most frequent thought and deepest attention. The time in deed will not permit me to enumerate every Christian virtue, but only those general graces