Guide to the Saviour

This little yolame contains six lectures, making a part of my coarse of lectures on entire sanctification in this life, as published in the third volume of my Systematic Theology. I have been repeatedly urged to consent to the publication of these lectures in a small volume by themselves, for the following reasons:

1. Their value to many Christians who can not afford to purchase the entire work on Systematic Theology.

2, Their value to those who, though able to purchase the entire work, have not sufficient leisure to read it.

VI INTRODUCTION.

3. Their value to young Christians and to all that class of persons who would not he able to read and comprehend the larger work entire.

4. Thay are thought to contain that spiritual food which is greatly needed by all classes of Christians, and should, therefore, as far as possible, be put within the reach of all, and in a form and size the least expensive and most convenient.

Let it be borne in mind that these six lectures are confined to a presentation of the conditions qf’ abiding haUness of heart and life. They are designed, not to define entire sanctification, riot to prove its attainability — nor that it has been attained, but simply to indicate the necessary eondObna or meanspt continue ing in obedience to God. Those who would understand my vie;^8 of the whole subject, must read and ponder toell the entire course of lectures upon the subject, as found in the third volume to the first edition of my Systematic Theology.

The full scope and bearing of these six lectures will not be so fully seen, separated from the entire course, but it is thought that by themselves they contain sufficient spiritual instruction to warrant and demand a separate publication.

I might, as is indicated in the lectures themselves.

greatly enlarge every head, and swell this to a large volume. But, first, I have not time to do so. Secondly, the yolome would then be too large for multitudes of purchasers and readers. Thirdly, on many of the relations of Christ to believers, I greatly desire to enlarge, but upon the whole, I will consent to have the lectures presented as they are found in the original work.

To Christ and his dear children I consecrate these lectures. If any one shall be refreshed by their perusal, I shall be happy to give all the glory to Ourist, and be content myself with the satisfaction of having been made instrumental in feeding the “flock of God which he has purchased with his own blood.”

THE AUTHOR.

I. A State of entire sanctification can never be attained by an indifferent waiting of God’s time.

II. Nor by any works of law, or works of any kind performed in your own strength, irrespective of the grace of God. By this I do not mean that, were you disposed to exert your natural powers aright, you could not at once obey the law in the exercise of your natural strength aad continue to do so. But I do mean, that as you are wholly indisposed to use your natural powers aright without the grace of God, no efforts that you will actually make in your own strength or independent of his grace, will ever result in your entire sanctification.

III. Not by any direct efforts to feel right. Many spend their time in vain efforts to force themselves into a right state of feeling. Now it should be forever understood, that religion does not consist in a mere feeling, emotion, or involuntary affection of any kind. Feelings do not result from a direct effort to feel. But on the contrary, they are the spontaneous actings of the mind when it has under its direct and deep consideration the objects, truths, facts or realities that are correlated to these involuntary emo«* ^tions. They are the most easy and natural state of mind possible under such circumstances. So far from its requiring an effort to pat them forth, it would rather require

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an effort to prevent them, when the mind is intensely considering those objects and considerations which have a natural tendency to produce them. This is so true that when persons are in the exercise of such affections, they feel no difficulty at all in their exercise, but wonder how any one can help feeling as they do. ‘It seems to them so natural, so easy, and I may say so almost unavoidable, that they often feel and express astonishment that any one should find it difficult to exercise the feelings of which they are conscious. The course that many persons take on the subject of religion has often appeared wonderful to me. They make themselves, their own state and interest, th central point around which their own minds are continually revolving. Their selfishness is so great that their own interests, happiness, and salvation, fill their whole field of vision. And with their thoughts and anxieties, and whole souk clustering around Ihevi oxl ^^ics^SiSs^

16 OUmB TO THB 8AYIOK.

they complain of a hard heart — that thejr can not love Grod — that they do not repent and can not believe. They manifestly regard love to God, repentance, faith, and all religion, as consisting in mere fed’ ing. Being conscious that they do not feel right, as they express it, they are the more concerned about themselves, which concern but increases their embarassment and the dijfficulty of exercising what they call right affectiops. The less they feel, the more they try to feel — the greater efforts they make to feel right without success, the more are they confirmed in their selfishness, and the more are their thoughts glued to their own inter* ests; and they are of course at a greats er and greater distance from any right state of mind. And thus their selfish anxieties beget ineffectual efforts, and these efforts but deepen their anxieties. And if in this state,* death should appear in a visible form before them, or the last trumpet sound, and they should be summoned to the solemn Judgment it would but increase their distraction, confirm and almost give omnipotence to their selfishness, and render their sanctification morally impossible. It should never be forgotten that all true religion consists in voluntary states of mind, and that the true and only way to attain to true religion is to look at and understand the exact thing to be done and then to put forth at once the voluntary exercise required.

IV. Not by any efforts to obtain grace by works of law. In my lecture on Faith, in the first volume of the Evangelist, I said the following things:

1. Should the Question be proposed to a Jew, “What shall I do that I may work the works of God?” — he would answer. Keep the law, both moral and ceremonial, that is, keep the commandments.

2. To the same inquiry an Arminian would answer, Improve common grace, and you will obtain ponverting grace that is, use the means o{ gtae.^ ^e,cQtvci%

OUIDB TO THE SAVIOR.

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to the best light you have, and you wil obtain the grace of salvation. In thi answer it is not supposed, that tha inquirer already has faith; but that he is in state of unbelief, and is inquiring afte converting grace. The answer, there fore, amounts to this; you must get converting grace by your impenitent works you must become holy by your hypocrisy; you must work out sanctification b; sin.

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