The attainments of eminent saints are too generally looked upon as out of the reach of common Christians.  They seem to think God is not willing to give all his children the same measure of grace.  But he could not have said more than he has in his holy word, to convince them to the contrary.  “Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.”  Our Lord repeatedly assures us that God is more willing to give good things to those that ask him, than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children.  And whoever will read the lives of such eminent Christians as Edwards, Whitefield, Brainerd, Martyn, Payson, Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Anthony, Mrs. Huntington, James B. Taylor, and many others which might be mentioned,—­and take notice of the means which they used, will not be surprised at their attainments.  The Bible represents the Christian as in the constant exercise of holy affections; and we should never rest with 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 his Christian life, President Edwards says,—­“I felt a burning desire to be, in everything, a complete Christian, and conformed to the blessed image of Christ.