In Faith and Patience

We bless your name, O Lord, as those that are redeemed from death and hell! As those who are advanced to the dignity of sons! As those whom you save from all their enemies, but especially from ourselves, and from our sins. We bless your name, as those who are entering into glory, and hope to be with Christ forever, where sin and sorrow, enemies and fears, shall be shut out, and shall molest our souls no more forever! We foresee, by faith, that happy day! We see, by faith, the New Jerusalem! The innumerable angels! The perfected spirits of the just! Their glorious light! Their flaming love! Their perfect harmony! We hear, by faith, their joyful songs of thanks and praise. Lately they were as low and sad as we; in sins and sorrows, in manifold weaknesses, sufferings, and fears! But by faith and patience, they have overcome! And in faith and patience we desire to follow our Lord and them! The time is near! This flesh will quickly turn to dust, and our delivered souls shall come to you! Our life is short, and our sins and sorrows will be short! Then we shall have sight! We shall no more groan and cry out in darkness, O that we could know the Lord! Then shall we love you with pure, unmixed, perfect love, and need no more to groan and cry. O that our souls were inflamed with your love! Then shall we praise you with thankful cheerful readiness and joy, which will exceed our present apprehensions and desires! Amen. Richard Baxter