Editors Preface.

The Providence of God among the Churches seemsto call to the present time for further light upon the subject of a higherexperience than that usually attained by the members of our Christiansocieties. Among the teachers who have been from time to time anointed for thiswork, Fenelon and Madame Guyon are justly held in high estimation. While some,perhaps, have had a more interior experience, few, if any, have so joined tothe deepest devotion, a power of spiritual analysis that eminently fitted themfor the office of instructors.

The extracts from Fenelon here given under the title of "ChristianCounsel" have been translated from the "AvisChretiens" contained in the fourth volume of the Paris edition of his worksin 10 vols. 12 mo, 1810.

The Spiritual Letters are from the same source.

The translation of the "Method of Prayer" is that which commonly passesunder the name of Thomas Digby Brooke. It has been carefully compared andcorrected by the Editions of the "Opuscules"published at Cologne 1704, and Paris 1790. The "Concise View" and"Spiritual Maxims" which follow, have been translated from the Paris edition of1790.

It was at first proposed to have prefixed to the selections an accountof the lives of the authors, but the design was subsequently abandoned. Thevery unsatisfactory character of a mere sketch, the space that would bedemanded by anything like a fitting biography, and the very accessible form inwhich the materials have been lately placed by Professor Upham, are some of thereasons that contributed to the change.

As this little work is intended to be simply devotional, matter of apurely sectarian or controversial character has been as far as possibleomitted.

And now, beloved reader, one word in conclusion, from the love of God toyou. God has led you, in his Providence, to open this book that He may do yougood. If through his infinite mercy you have had a personal experience of thematters herein written, your heart will be filled with thanksgiving and praiseas you read. What hath God wrought! If not, you will find many things strange,and it would not be surprising if you should be ready to pronounce some untrue.But ah! beware of being wise in your own conceit! The Spirit of God thatsearcheth the deep things of God, alone can decide.

Do not distrust the reports of these spies whom God has sent before youinto the promised land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey; true, thechildren of Anak are there, in whose sight we are but as grasshoppers, but theyare bread for us. The Lord God, He it is that shall fight for us, and He willsurely bring us into that exceeding good land.

The natural man receiveth not the things of God, for they arefoolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spirituallydiscerned. If, then, you have not experienced the things that follow, think itnot strange that they should seem foolish and false; in God's own time they shallbe perceived, if you follow on to know.

If you will be advised by one who knows nothing, and who is least in thehousehold of faith, you will deny nothing—reject nothing—despise nothing, lesthaply you be found fighting against God: you will receive nothing but what isaccompanied by the Amen of the Spiritof God in your heart; all else shall be as the idle wind. Reading thus, inabsolute dependence, not upon man's wisdom or teaching, but upon the utterancesof the blessed Spirit within, you shall infallibly be guided into all Truth.Such is the promise of Him who cannot lie. And may His blessing rest upon you!