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AGUIDE

TO

TRUEPEACE

REVISITED

EDITED BY

ROLAND TRUJILLO

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A Guide to True PeaceRevisited

The Excellency of Inward and SpiritualPrayer

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A_Guide_toTrue_PeaceRevisited

The Excellency of Inward andSpiritual Prayer

Newly edited and with a specialintroduction by Roland Trujillo

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Copyright © 2012 by Roland Trujillo

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This book is dedicated to the memory of LammertOost, my step dad. He was a very decent man and agood role model, not fully appreciated during hislife, who remained cheerful to the end. May Godcare for his soul and grant him peace.

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This book is a reproduction of the 1846 Third AmericanEdition of A Guide to True Peace in the public domain. Theoriginal preface has been faithfully reproduced. Abbreviationsfor the Bible books and Roman numerals to designate Biblechapters have been updated to modern form for ease ofreading. Few changes in text have been made other thanoccasional use of modern words or phrasing to make the OldEnglish more readable.

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CONTENTS

Introduction by Roland Trujillo 8Preface 171. The Spirit of God Dwells in the Heart of Man_____192. On Faith 233. On Prayer 254. All Are Capable of Attaining to Inward and

Spiritual Prayer 285. On Attaining to True Prayer 336. On Spiritual Dryness 427. On Defects and Infirmities 498. On Temptations and Tribulations 519. On Self Denial 5910. On Mortification 6311. On Resignation 6512. On Virtue 6813. On Conversion 6914. On Self Annihilation 7215. Man Acts More Nobly Under the Divine

Influence, Than He Can Possibly Do byFollowing His Own Will 75

16. On the Possession of Peace and Rest BeforeGod 84

17. On Perfection, or the Union of the Soul withGod 88

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Introductionby Roland Trujillo

"In this hour of all-but-universal darkness one cheering gleam appears: . .. . there are to be found increasing numbers of persons whose religious livesare marked by a growing hunger after God Himself. They are eager forspiritual realities and will not be put off with words, nor will they becontent with correct `interpretations' of truth. They are athirst for God,and they will not be satisfied till they have drunk deep at the Fountain ofLiving Water." A. W. Tozer

There is a way of living and moving and havingour being that is happy and care free, and throughwhich we can find the love to solve our problemsand prevent new ones.

We need love to deal kindly and authentically withour family and acquaintances. We need love todispassionately bear persecution and trial; and weneed love to be patient with our own errors.

We need understanding to respond wisely toothers and to gain insight into the nature of our ownmental and emotional issues.

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Down through history, mystics have talked of amarvelous state of being where such problemsolving love and understanding are to be found. Wewould like to find this state of being too.

Wise people have sought to leave us instructionon how to live properly. For example, our parents,teachers, and ministers have offered us advice.

As good intentioned as their instruction andadvice may be, their advice is second hand for us. Itis also hard to accept, especially when we are young,because we resist being dictated to. The naturalinclination is toward freedom, and we often preferliving in error to having someone tell us what to door how to live our lives.

What we really need is tutoring in how to see forourselves what is wise. Then we may more readilychoose to live wisely based on what we havediscovered for ourselves.

That way, we may live wisely from our owninsights. We are free to live our own life founded onour own discoveries—neither conforming to thepressure of authority nor rejecting good advicebecause of the meanness or hypocrisy of the advicegiver.

We may thereby find acceptable the wise action,since it is based on our own realization and free willchoice, not because of the pressure of externaldictates or the promises of external seduction.

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We also need self control and self confidence; andwe sense that these must come from within andcannot be artificially and externally imparted to us.

Mystics down through the ages have suggestedthat wisdom and love, as well as patience and poise,are to be found within. At some unplumbed level ofour being, we sense that this is true. But how can wefind and unlock the secret to this inner love andwisdom?

Many people search for the secret in study,formalistic prayer, guided meditations, song, positiveaffirmations, or devotions. Though we may drawsome comfort from one of these practices or inreassuring words, especially in times of crisis--wesense that they are dry and dead as far as a real liveconnection is concerned.

Somehow we know in our heart that it is aconnection with the Father, from Whom allblessings flow, that would supply the love andunderstanding we need.

We also sense that peace of mind based on wordsand music is built on the shifting sands of emotions.

Some people have tried artificial techniques—suchas hallucinogenic drugs, rituals or esotericpractices—but we see how these can lead towithdrawal, confusion, madness or cult likeinvolvement.

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The artificial manipulation of mind or body isunnatural and contrived. Surely if living wisely andjoyously is the natural state, then we should nothave to contort our bodies or take drugs to attain it.

Somehow we know in our hearts that we were notcreated to be confused, withdrawn, or reliant onexternal drugs or techniques.

We were meant to be something like joyouschildren are—carefree, spontaneous, happy go luckyand creative. When we observe adults who are thisway, we marvel; and we always want to ask themwhat the secret is to their joy and spontaneity!

When someone is chronically unhappy, externallydriven, tense, worrying about the past, or planningfor the future instead of living in the now present,we sense something is wrong with them.

We sense that they have missed the mark and aredoing something in error. We sense that they havebeen made into a victim and cannot find their wayback to the natural joyous state of being they onceknew. They need to be shown the way back, but itmust be by someone who has found it.

Few have written as beautifully and convincinglyabout the inner way to the blessed life as MadameJeanne Guyon, Francois Fenelon and MichaelMolinos. It is from their timeless writings that thisbook is gleaned.

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The Spirit of God Dwellsin the Heart of Man

It is certain from Scripture, that the Spirit of Goddwells within us, that a "manifestation of this Spiritis given to each of us for the common good," (1Corinthians 12:7) and that this is "the true Light,which comes into the world and enlightens everyperson." (John 1:9).

This is the grace of God, which brings salvation,and which has appeared unto all men; teaching us,that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, weshould live soberly, righteously, and godly, in thispresent world (Titus 2: 12).

But we make too little account of this internalTeacher, which is the soul of our soul, and by whichonly we are able to form good thoughts and desires.

God ceases not to reprove us for evil, and toinfluence us to that which is good; but the noises of

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the world without, and of our own passions within,deafen us, and hinder us from hearing him.

We must retire from all outward objects, andsilence all the desires and wandering imaginations ofthe mind; that in this profound silence of the wholesoul, we may hearken to the ineffable voice of theDivine Teacher.

We must listen with an attentive ear; for it is a still,small voice. It is not indeed a voice uttered in wordsas when a man speaks to his friend; but it is aperception infused by the secret operations andinfluences of the Divine Spirit, insinuating to usobedience, patience, meekness, humility, and all theother Christian virtues, in a language perfectlyintelligible to the attentive soul.

But how seldom is it that the soul keeps itselfsilent enough for God to speak! The murmurs ofour vain desires, and our self-love, disturb all of theteachings of the Divine Spirit. Ought we then to besurprised, if so many persons, apparently devout,but too full of their own wisdom, and confidence intheir own virtues, are not able to hear it; and thatthey look upon this internal word as the chimers offanatics? Alas! What is it they aim at with their vainreasoning? The external word, even of the gospel,would be but an empty sound without this livingand fruitful Word in the interior, to interpret andopen it to the understanding.

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Christ says, "Behold, I stand at the door, andknock —if any man hear my voice, and open thedoor, I will come in unto him, and sup with him andhe with me," Revelation 3:20). His knocks are themonitions of his Spirit; which touch us, and operatein us. And to attend to these monitions and followthem, is to open unto him.

He speaks in impenitent sinners; but these,engrossed in the eager pursuit of worldly pleasures,and the gratification of their evil passions, are notable to hear him. His word with them passes for afable.

But woe to those who receive their consolation inthis life. The time will come when their vain joysshall be confounded.

He speaks in sinners who are in the way ofconversion: these feel the remorse of theirconscience, and this remorse is the voice of theSpirit, which upbraids them inwardly with theirvices. When they are truly touched, they have nodifficulty to comprehend the secret voice, for it isthis that so pierces them to the quick. It is that two-edged sword within them, of which Paul speaks,which goes even to the dividing of soul from itself:"The word of God is quick and powerful, andsharper than any two-edged sword; piercing even tothe dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the

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joints and marrow; and is a discerner of thethoughts and intents of the heart," (Hebrews 4:12).

He speaks in persons enlightened, learned, andwhose life, outwardly regular, seems adorned withmany virtues; but often these persons, full ofthemselves, and of their knowledge, give too muchear to themselves to listen to his teachings. Godwho seeks only to communicate himself, finds noplace (so to speak) where to introduce himself intothese souls that are so full of themselves, and soover-fed with their own wisdom and virtues.

He hides his secrets from the wise and prudent,and reveals them to the low and simple; Jesus said,"I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth!

Because Thou hast hid these things from the wiseand prudent, and have revealed them unto babes,"(Matthew 1:25). It is with the humble and childlikethat He delights to dwell, and to disclose to them hisineffable secrets.

It is these who are more peculiarly qualified forreceiving in a greater measure the gift of faith; for,being willing that the pride of Reason should be laidin the dust, they obstruct not the entrance of thisgift of their vain arguments; but believe withsimplicity and confidence.

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Roland Trujillo, author, lecturer and spiritual coach, is oneof the world’s leading authorities on Christian mindfulnessmeditation. On the radio for over 20 years, Roland has beenhelping people face and overcome some of life’s toughestissues. Peace of mind, joy, hope and a productive life are justaround the corner, saysRoland. Just learn to be moreforgiving and open yourheart to what you have alwaysknown deep down is right.

There is a way of living and moving and having our beingthat is happy and care free, and through which we can findthe love to solve our problems and prevent new ones.

We need love to deal kindly and wisely with our familyand acquaintances. We need love to be patient with ourown errors. We need understanding to respond wisely toothers and to gain insight into the nature of our ownmental and emotional issues.

Few have written as beautifully and convincingly aboutthe inner way to the blessed life as Madame Jeanne Guyon,Francois Fenelon and Michael Molinos. It is from theirtimeless writings that this book is gleaned. Newly editedwith a special introduction by Roland Trujillo, this jewelwill become one of your favorite companions as youdiscover in each of these three mystical writers a kindredspirit.