Preface

The following pages do not pretend to exhaust the subject of the I wills’’ of Christ. Those which are to be found in the messages to the Churches in the commencement of the Revelation, and which are here left untouched would be abundantly sufficient for a volume. The author has taken but one here and there, and woven them together so as to present the reader with a picture of the Lord’s gracious work upon a soul. The book might have been, with tolerable accuracy, entitled The history of a soul exemplified in the I wills’ of Christ.” We have the sinner presented to us as invited; then on his acceptance of the invitation, as being received; then as being healed; then made a confessor of Christ; then a worker for Christ; then as comforted of Christ in life’s struggles; then as being placed wholly at Christ’s disposal; then as attaining to the highest of all points of sanctification viz.^ the subjection of the will; and finally, as being received to glory to be with Jesus where He is.

Experience has shown the author the great value of illustration both in writing and preaching; he has, therefore, gathered together many facts with which to illustrate the truths in the following pages. Some of the extracts it was impossible to shorten, as by so doing, the spiritual processes in which consist their value, would have been lost; they would have been worthless if more condensed. Some of these extracts have been printed in smaller type so as to save space.

Since this work was put to press, a volume has been published on a kindred subject, principally on the expressions of the Divine will in the Old Testament. The gifted authoress, and the writer of the following pages were employed, unknown to each other, on a similar task. The similarity between the volumes will be found to be in idea, more than in the subjects selected, or the method of their treatment; they are distinct branches of one common tree; and may they each be found to throw grateful shade, and bear precious fruit for weary, hungry souls.

The author is deeply thankful to Almighty God, for the blessing which He has vouchsafed to very many of the readers of his book, to which this is a companion. viz.5 The I Wills’ of the Psalms and he earnestly prays that a like blessing may be vouchsafed to the readers of this book. Having heard Christ’s I will” of invitation, may they hear also His I will” of glorification, and finally be with Him forever, where He is.

Christ Church Parsonage,

Worthing December, 1861.