anything short of this. Some of the persons I have mentioned did arrive
at such a state of feeling. President Edwards enjoyed, for many years,
the constant light of God's countenance, and habitual communion with
him. And so did Mrs. Edwards, James B. Taylor, and many others.

She, for a long time, enjoyed, as she said, "THE RICHES OF FULL
ASSURANCE." She felt "an uninterrupted and entire resignation to God,
with respect to health or sickness, ease or pain, life or death; and an
entire resignation of the lives of her nearest earthly friends." She
also felt a "sweet peace and serenity of soul, without a cloud to
interrupt it; a continual rejoicing in all the works of nature and
Providence; a wonderful access to God by prayer, sensibly conversing
with him, as much as if God were here on earth; frequent, plain,
sensible, and immediate answers to prayer; all tears wiped away; all
former troubles and sorrows of life forgotten, except sorrow for sin;
doing everything for God's glory, with a continual and uninterrupted
cheerfulness, peace, and joy." At the same time, she engaged in the
common duties of life with great diligence, considering them as a part
of the service of God; and, when done from this motive, she said they
were as delightful as prayer itself. She also showed an "extreme anxiety
to avoid every sin, and to discharge every moral obligation; she was
most exemplary in the performance of every social and relative duty;
exhibited great inoffensiveness of life and conversation; great
meekness, benevolence, and gentleness of spirit; and avoided, with
remarkable conscientiousness, all those things which she regarded as
failings in her own character."

How did these persons arrive at this eminence in the Christian life?
Although by free sovereign grace, yet it was by no miracle. If you will
use the same means, you may attain the same end. In the early part of