(James Smith, “The Pleading Savior” 1861)
“I am glorified in them!” John 17:10
That is, I HAVE been glorified . . .
by their faith, for they have exercised confidence in Me;
their choice, for they have left all and followed Me;
by their ministry, for they went where I sent them, and served as I directed them;
their self-denial, for they have taken up their cross and have followed Me;
by their perseverance, for they have adhered to Me when others forsook Me;
and by their holy character, for they have endeavored to imitate Me.
I SHALL be glorified . . .
in their full redemption and perfect salvation,
their worship and services,
in their motives and actions,
by their undivided love and practical holiness!
Jesus gets glory by all that He does, or suffers, or procures for His people — and by all that they do and suffer for Him! This is a sweet and precious truth to the believer — full of comfort, and a source of the sweetest joy!
Jesus is glorified by all that He does for me — and by all that I do for Him!
Marvelous mystery! Glorious scheme! Worthy at once of the wisdom, majesty, and grace of God!
~ ~ ~ ~
Genuine assurance
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness”, 1662)
…
Genuine assurance will be a spring of joy and comfort
in you. It will make heavy afflictions light, long afflictions
short, and bitter afflictions sweet. It will make you frequent,
fervent, constant, and abundant in the work of the Lord. It
will strengthen your faith, raise your hope, inflame your love,
increase your patience, and brighten your zeal. It will make
every mercy sweet, every duty sweet, every ordinance sweet,
and every providence sweet. It will rid you of all your sinful
fears and cares. It will give you ease under every burden,
and make death more desirable than life. It will make you
more strong to resist temptation, more victorious over
opposition, and more silent in every difficult condition.
Genuine assurance will turn . . .
every winter night into a summer’s day,
and every cross into a crown, and
every wilderness into a paradise.
Genuine assurance will be . . .
a sword to defend you,
a staff to support you,
a cordial to strengthen you,
a medicine to heal you, and
a star to lead you.
Well, remember this—next to a man’s being saved, it is the
greatest mercy in this world—to know that he is saved.