Part 10

O, glory! Justification is a wonderful blessing! With this, we are enabled to keep all of God’s commands. It is not true, as commonly reported in religious meetings, by those professing salvation, that they are in the way, and yet, they are making zig-zag paths. “Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life,” and the justified soul has found it, and is walking in it. Hallelujah! The first introduction into the kingdom of grace, gives the victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil, and not only so, they are happy in God. “Believing,” says James, “ye rejoice with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.” “Again, the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion, with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Glory to God for justifying grace. This takes murmuring, complaining, fault-finding, dishonesty, covetousness, hatred, ill-will, emulation, strife, wrath, jealousy, adultery, and every miserable thing, blue devils, and all out of a man.

Dear reader, do you enjoy this grace?

HOLINESS DEFINED.

We read this paper before the ministerial association of Oswego, N. Y., January, 1880. We give the paper, and some of its criticisms:

They gave me this scripture to write from. “_And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly._”--1 Thess. 5:23.

We formulated it in this way. What more did the prayer embrace than what they already had?

They were a Christian people. This they manifested. First, by their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, by their love for God and each other. And thirdly, by their keeping the commandments, and entertaining a blessed hope of a glorious resurrection.

In this epistle, the first I think that the apostle wrote to any church, he does not reprove them for any faults, or failures in their moral or religious character, which he was always sure to do, if the condition of things required it; but treated them as a pure church; manifesting at the same time, a strong desire that they should attain unto all that completeness of life and character, which God required at their hands; and that holiness, which will alone permit us to see his face in peace. “_And holiness, without which, no man shall see the Lord._”--Heb. 12:14.

Do the scriptures teach a distinction between regeneration, and entire sanctification? They do. “And I brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” In that wonderful prayer of the Saviour, “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth,” the same doctrine is clearly brought to light.

The scriptures do assume a distinction between regeneration, and entire sanctification, or being sanctified wholly.

To sinners, God says--“Ye must be born again.” To the regenerate, He says, “be ye holy, for I am holy.” Unanswerable argument. These two classes of commands, in their various forms, are prominent through the gospels, and epistles. Different terms are employed in the scriptures to represent the same state, a perfect salvation.

Perfect love, perfection, sanctification, and holiness, are synonymous terms, pointing to the same exalted state of saving grace, enjoyed in this life. But while they all denote the same religious state, each one of them indicate some of its essential characteristics, and peculiar phases. These terms are significantly expressive of the _state_.

The term, “_sanctification_,” has regard especially to the work of a complete consecration of soul and body to God. To “_sanctify_,” means to set apart; to devote to holy uses. “_Sanctify_ yourselves therefore, and be ye holy.”

The term “_perfection_,” refers especially to the completeness of Christian character; its freedom from all sin, and its possession of all the graces of the spirit; completeness in kind. “Let us go on unto perfection.”

The term perfect love points more directly to the spirit, temper, and element in which the wholly _sanctified_ and perfect Christian lives. “God is love,” and they that dwell in God, dwell in love.

In regeneration sin does not reign; in “_sanctification_,” it does not exist. In _regeneration_, sin is suspended; in _sanctification_, it is destroyed. In regeneration, irregular desires, anger, pride, unbelief, envy, malice, are subdued; in “_sanctification_,” they are removed.

Regeneration is salvation from the voluntary commission of sin; “_sanctification_” is salvation from the being of sin. “It is the will of God, even your _sanctification_.”

This state of grace is both _permissive_, and _authoritative_. The cleansing stream is in reach of every believer, and the declaration has gone out, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. It is gloriously possible to touch the hem of his garment, and be made whole every whit.” But secondly, it is the will of God in an _authoritative_ sense. He requires us, to seek entire holiness. The length and breadth of the evangelical law, is this: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength, and what is this but a state of entire sanctification,” and what less could God require? I believe that all real Christians accept this statement, but disagree in regard to the time when this blessed work shall be accomplished. Many putting it at, or near death, while we, upon the authority of God’s word say that _now_, is the acceptable time, “To day, is the day of salvation.” This state of grace, bears its own legitimate fruit; and when Christians love the Lord with all their hearts, love the souls of men more than their own ease, or emolument, “and love each other with pure hearts fervently,” their example speaks volumes, and preaches more effectively than words in favor of the cause they profess to love.

“Then they put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” Then the gospel acquires an influence which wins its way to the heart of the multitude. The sacramental host of God’s elect, clad with the panoply of God, saved from the corruptions which are in the world, and armed with holy faith and mighty prayer, hold in check the powers of hell, and triumphs over the most formidable, and appalling obstacles. In her infancy, when few in number, the church by her purity, silenced the objections of philosophers, and the power of persecution; successfully assailed the strongholds of superstition, and finally demolished the whole fabric of idolatry, which had been rendered venerable and sacred by the lapse of ages. She “quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness was made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.” The simple preaching of the cross, by men “_sanctified_” _wholly_, baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire, backed up by a holy and self denying life, like an earthquake struck dumb a giddy and clamorous world, and carried terror to the very gates of hell!

Who can look back to the period when Christianity achieved her noblest triumphs, and see altars and temples crumbling to dust, and the Gods of the heathen given to the moles and the bats, the church multiplied and increased under the bloodiest persecutions, martyrs going to the stake in ecstacy, and their very executioners converted by the grandeur of their example, and in their turn following them to the possession of the martyr’s crown--who I say, can survey these scenes without feeling convinced that there is a power altogether unearthly in a life of purity and self-denial. A life, wholly consecrated, and completely “_sanctified_,” heart and tongue set on fire with God’s eternal love.

When the purity and simplicity of the apostolic age shall characterize the great mass of Christian believers--when the institutions of Christianity shall be strictly conformed to the original plan, and the members of the church shall stand forth completely armed with the “armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,” then will the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven be given to the people of the Most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. Daniel 7:27.

If these be facts and who can say they are not? then, what is the duty of every believer? and especially every minister of the gospel, but to seek until he, or she obtains the blessing?

After the paper was read the chairman called on the clergy to go tell what they thought of the paper. Brother “B.” was first called on. He was a Congregationalist. Said Brother B., “I was brought up on that _cream_, but I don’t believe a word of it now.”

Doubtless this Brother had been converted. His father was a United Brethren preacher, and believed in the life and power of salvation. This Brother had said to me previous to this that he and his father used to hold meetings with just such results and manifestations as you Free Methodist have. He was looked upon by the association as a _free thinker_.

Doctor D. T. was next called on. “Well,” said the aged divine, “I sin every day in thought, word and deed. That is all I have to say about that paper.”

A Congregationalist missionary to the churches of America, was present, having preached in the city the Sabbath previous.

When called upon to state his views upon the paper, remarked, “I take no stock in the doctrine discussed by the paper. If it means to feel good, there may be something in it and it’s possible I have got it, for there are times when I feel pretty good.”

Several preachers present would not venture a remark on the subject. The only one that endorsed the paper was Rev. Frank Beck, an M. E. preacher. He endorsed it heartily, backing up his argument by Scripture, Wesley and others; at the same time he was in bondage to oath-bound societies, and lacked that freedom and unction which every minister of the gospel ought to possess--might possess, if all was on the altar, accepted of God, set on fire of the Holy Ghost.

I was surprised with that intelligent, cultured, company of ministers, who manifested such ignorance in regard to what was meant, in being a gospel minister, or a real child of God.

Brother H. H. S., a Presbyterian, when asked what he had to say, replied, “I never met with any of those changes; and am satisfied with this--I have always been good. I think that I was converted before I was born, never since.”

XIII.

A DIRECT ROUTE.

Many have a desire to see Jesus, but miss the route, and fail in the end. They say a great deal, and do much--but after all they fail. We read of one away back in the days when Christ was on earth, who desired to see him, and hearing that he was to pass that way hastened to the road where he was to pass, _and climbed up a tree_, in order as he supposed to have a fine prospect; but Jesus called him down. It is just so with many at the present day; they want to see Jesus, but take the wrong route! they climb up,--_i. e._, they tell you how good they are; how much good they have done here and there. I heard a young preacher say, he went to Baltimore and converted two souls. His talk was full of self. Jesus was not the one altogether lovely with him.

It’s down at the foot of the cross, where flows the blood, that bought our guilty souls for God. This brother like a great many, fail to touch the blood, consequently, they always dine on old manna.

The last I saw of him he was loaded down with old musty bread, gotten from the Gibeonites. Too many take this route and fail. The direct route to Jesus, starts from low down in the valley,--the place called _self-abasement_. It is true, that way down here, there seems to be clouds and vapor, mixed with mist, while the eye is turned inward, and especially while under the direct rays of the Holy Ghost we see our unlikeness to God,--our infirmities--our ignorance--our sins--our short comings, heart wanderings, and alienations from him; and as we confess these to God and our brethren, we grow less in our own estimation. And as we go down in this way--confessing to the very bottom, suddenly, and as by magic, the clouds disperse, shadows fly--the invisible appears to mortal eye--glory to God!

Would you see Jesus? come down into the valley of blessing so sweet! “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” “If we seek to save our lives we shall lose them.” God has opened up a new and living way; that is the route of repentance--and confession--and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We need not be deceived in regard to our whereabouts. This route is paved all the way through with blood divine.

Then, too, the cross that _kills_ is here; and this is always visible; and upon its beams are written: “He that would be my disciple, let him take up his cross daily, and come after me.” The direct route to Jesus is covered completely by the _cross_! Would you find it? Come down from your high perch! get off from your stilts, limber up; be child-like; leave off your affectation; talk natural, be just what you are; let God have you--and as quick as light from the smitten steel, you will find yourself in the direct route to glory; high above the storm and vapor--winging your way to the land that hath no storms.

XIV.

REST, BUT NOT LOITER.

There is a bridge crossing the river Thames, at London, and at one end of this bridge, there is a seat prepared for the weary pilgrim to rest himself; and just above this seat hangs a sign, with these words, “_Rest, but not loiter_.”

In the great plan of salvation, God has provided a mercy-seat, where all may find _rest_; rest to the weary soul; rest from the commission of sin, rest from the inbeing of sin, rest from all moral defilement;--rest from slavish fear, rest from the fear of evil tidings, rest from the fear of man; rest from the fear of what the people will say; rest from the fear of want; rest in prosperity, when all goes well, and in adversity when all goes ill, rest in the fire, rest out of the fire; rest in sickness, rest in persecution, in necessities, in cruel mockings, in stripes, in imprisonments; rest under all the ills which flesh is heir to; and, O! what a blessed prospect of _rest_ in death--in the resurrection morn; rest, rest forever in the paradise of God.

How _few_ have found this rest. The multitude are loitering about Christ, as in bygone days, for the loaves and fishes. You find them thronging holy places, and in fact, their names are on the church record--they call themselves Christians,--but, O! how destitute of _soul-rest_. They talk of rest, but how easily is their rest turned into unrest, their humility into vain pomp and show; their love into downright anger; their benevolence, into God-dishonoring covetousness; their separation from the world into commingling with those that hate God and trample his law under their feet. The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, sits enthroned in their hearts. Many thronged the Saviour when he was on earth, but how few got near enough to touch the hem of his garment. On one occasion, a poor woman pressed her way into the crowd, touched the Saviour and found rest; yes, glory be to God, she found rest for soul and body. Hallelujah! We may rest, and not loiter.

“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Thank God! there is a place of rest. You need not be fretful, peevish, impatient, cross, proud, vain, fierce, heady, high-minded, jealous, full of deceit--evil speaking--tale-bearing, covetous, filthy, fearful, unbelieving. No! there is power in Jesus’ blood to wash these all away, and give perfect _rest_ to the soul. “For we which have believed do enter into rest.”

How refreshing to the weary pilgrim, after the toils of the day are o’er, the sun sinking in the west, the shades of night coming on, to have a place of rest,--a place where the cares of life are for the time-being forgotten, and the mind is at liberty to roam the vast fields of thought, and revel in all the delights of fancy. How blessed it will be, after the toils and conflicts of life are o’er, to have an eternity of rest--to be forever shut in with God, “Where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest.”

Rest, but not loiter.

XV.

A LIVING SACRIFICE.

God requires a living, not a dead sacrifice. The time for sacrificial offerings is past. Jesus Christ suffered unto death, even the death of the cross, to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto Himself a “peculiar people,” and make us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. God now requires, that we should be a complete offering to Him; soul, body and spirit: all we have, all we are, and all we ever expect to be, for time and eternity. We frequently say with our lips, but do we say it deep down in our heart:

“Take my soul and body’s powers; Take my mem’ry, mind and will; All my goods, and all my hours; All I know, and all I feel; All I think, or speak, or do; Take my heart, but make it new.”

This is just what God requires; hear the command: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies A LIVING SACRIFICE! holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is this good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Ro. 12:12.)

Again, “Ye are not your own! For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and spirit, which are his.” (1 Cor. 6:19.) The above expresses in general, what is implied in being, “A living sacrifice.” Too many, are content with a sort of wholesale consecration; and too many we have reason to fear, keep back a part of the price. Let us, dear reader, look carefully at our offering, to see, if it be just what God requires, without blemish or spot, or any such thing.

First, Our memory: Is it devoted to God? Do we always, and under all circumstances, recollect God’s commandments? Do we always inquire of Him, before engaging in any business transaction? Do we remember daily, to discharge our obligations, to God, our brethren and sisters, our neighbors, and all we have to do with? Do we always act out our religion, just what we profess before the enemies of the cross of Christ, as well, as when among His friends?

Second, The mind: We must serve God with our intellects. The mind must be cultivated for His Glory. We have no right to remain in ignorance. The command is, “Study to show thyself approved unto God.” “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy soul and with all thy mind.” Our intellects must be cultivated; not to gain the applause of men, but that we may have more power to win souls to Christ, and build them up in that Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord; and not prostituted, to a time-saving policy.

Third, Our will: The will, to our intellectual machinery, is the same as the rudder to a vessel. This gives direction to the ship when under way, and if in the hands of a skilled helmsman, she goes just as desired. It is so with the will, if in the hands of the Holy Ghost, our minds will be guided into all truth.

Fourth, The eye: must be wholly sanctified to God, or else we shall be running after strange flesh, and strange sights. If the eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

Fifth, The ear: When fully consecrated will be quick to hear when God speaks, by His providence, His spirit or in His blessed word; but will not listen to reports of slander, not unsanctified music when offered up as worship to the great I am.

Sixth, The face: The index of the soul must be clean and comely. It affords great comfort and delight to look upon, especially when Jesus Christ is living and reigning in the heart; when the oil of gladness makes the face to shine; but how it detracts in beauty and expression, if the mouth be covered over with moustache, like worldly minded men. To me it is an expression of pride and vanity, as much as for females to cover their head with flowers and ribbons.

Seventh, The mouth: We must not allow anything to enter our mouths that would in any way defile our bodies knowingly. That class of food that proves injurious to the system we must not use; neither drink what hurts. Tobacco, used in any form, defiles; hence, we cannot use it and be a “living sacrifice.”

Eighth, The tongue: Is an unruly member, full of deadly poison. No man hath ever been able to tame it without the grace of God; and with this it requires constant watching, held in with bit and bridle. O! how much it means to have a sanctified tongue; having our conversation always “seasoned with salt, ministering grace to the hearers.”

Ninth, Our bodies: With all pertaining thereto, life, health, strength, family, friends, farms, bank and railroad stock, all are to be devoted to the cause of human redemption. We give ourselves up to do and suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants men and women thus devoted to His cause in every department of life. In the pulpit and in the pew; the merchant, the mechanic, the sailor, the scavenger, the manufacturer, teachers, servants to do the little work, mothers to rear families, presidents, statesmen, judges, and all rulers in authority.

Tenth, The results: When professors are thus devoted to the cause of Christ, a slumbering world will awake to righteousness, and not before. Then nations will be born in a day, they will learn war no more. The blood stained banner will be unfurled in every clime; Jesus Christ will reign from the rivers to the ends of the earth.

Are you a living sacrifice?

XVI.

THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL.

The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. This is the route ordained of God, there is no other way. Both are necessary to our salvation. The law reveals to us our lost condition. We must be made to see our danger, before we will apply the remedy; the Gospel is the remedy. The law declares that we are diseased. “From the soul of the foot even unto the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores. They have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Isaiah 1:6.

The sight that God gives of our natural condition is not very flattering. The sinner is inclined to think himself pretty good, until God makes these revelations. Then, as the eye is turned inward, we are often overwhelmed as we gaze upon our own hearts when under the direct rays of the Holy Ghost. We loathe ourselves when God we see, and at the same time, we hear the law proclaiming, “That the soul that sinneth, _it shall die_.” Now the sinner is burdened with his own guilt. There seems to be a mountain’s weight upon him, and from the very depths of his soul he cries out: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Rom. 7:24. I, that speak in righteousness, _mighty to save_! I from Edom, the land of Bozra, with garments dyed in blood. The sinner hears the voice; he listens--he looks away to Calvary--to the cross; he sees the bleeding victim, he hears words of comfort. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:22.