"This is that kingdom of heaven, or of God, which is within us; even 'righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' And what is 'righteousness,' but the life of God in the soul; the mind which was in Christ Jesus; the image of God stamped upon the heart, now renewed after the likeness of Him that created it What is it but the love of God, because he first loved us, and the love of all mankind for his sake.
And what is this 'peace,' the peace of God, but that calm serenity of soul, that sweet repose in the blood of Jesus, which leaves no doubt of our acceptance in him; which excludes all fear, but the loving filial fear of offending our Father which is in heaven.
This inward kingdom implies also 'joy in the Holy Spirit;' who seals upon our hearts "the redemption which is in Jesus," the righteousness of Christ imputed to us 'for the remission of the sins that are past;' who gives us now 'the deposit of our inheritance,' of the crown which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give at that day. And well may this be termed, 'the kingdom of heaven;' seeing it is heaven already opened in the soul; the first springing up of those rivers of pleasure which flow at God's right hand for evermore."
--John Wesley, Sermon 21, "Upon Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, Discourse One" (on Matthew 5:1-4), 1.11
And what is this 'peace,' the peace of God, but that calm serenity of soul, that sweet repose in the blood of Jesus, which leaves no doubt of our acceptance in him; which excludes all fear, but the loving filial fear of offending our Father which is in heaven.
This inward kingdom implies also 'joy in the Holy Spirit;' who seals upon our hearts "the redemption which is in Jesus," the righteousness of Christ imputed to us 'for the remission of the sins that are past;' who gives us now 'the deposit of our inheritance,' of the crown which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give at that day. And well may this be termed, 'the kingdom of heaven;' seeing it is heaven already opened in the soul; the first springing up of those rivers of pleasure which flow at God's right hand for evermore."
--John Wesley, Sermon 21, "Upon Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, Discourse One" (on Matthew 5:1-4), 1.11
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