Excerpt from Entire Holiness: An Essay

Tan following pages would not have been prepared but at the request of several in the ministry, whose age, talents, and position in the Church, qualified them to judge whether any thing of the kind was demanded by the peculiar phases which certain teachings on the subject of holiness had taken upon them in this eventful period of novel views. 80 many works had been already published on this sub ject, that the author felt a diflidence in presenting any thing further of the kind. But various articles, recently put forth, and strong agitations touching the method of obtaining the blessing, and the matter of professing it, had so confused and unsettled many, that it was deemed important something should be furnished, if possible, which would disentangle those who had been thrown into trouble, and encourage such as had become disheartened. How far these pages may go towards accomplishing this end, must be left for the future to declare. The writer simply avows sincerity and honesty of purpose, and faithful ness of effort. Perhaps an apology will be thought due for the non-appearance of quotations from Mr. Wesley, and other authors on the subject of holiness.

The sole reason for this is, that it would have exten ded the work beyond its contemplated size, and crea ted the necessity of purchasing the same matter twice over, in all cases where a copy of each should be obtained. This increase of expense might hinder the present volume from finding its way into hands where it might otherwise go to accomplish its mis sion. If any desire to know whether the views here embodied are Wesleyan, they have only to compare them with what Mr. Wesley has written on this subject. If it should be thought that the chapter on Justice and the claims of the law, is discordant with his views, let his description of the character of a Methodist be consulted, in which he insists that the person he describes obeys the law, not in some points barely, but in all points; and that with all his might. Let it be distinctly marked that our argument main tains that the claims of Justice required that satisfac tion should be made in the provisions of the atone ment, for all the disabilities of our race which were the result of the first transgression, in order that the race might be propagated, and still continued under a law which only claimed the amount of ability remaining.

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