1. How much is allowed by our brethren who differ from
us in regard to sanctification?
They grant, first, that every one must be entirely
sanctified in the article of death; second, that until then a believer
daily grows in grace, comes nearer and nearer to perfection; third, that
we ought to be continually pressing after this and exhort all others to
do so.
2. What do we allow them?
We grant, first, that many of those who have died in
the faith, yea, greater part of those we have known were made perfect in
love, till a little before death; second, that the term “sanctified” is
continually applied by St. Paul to all that were justified, and were
true believers; third, that by this term alone he rarely (if ever)
means, saved from sin; fourth, that consequently it is not proper to use
it in this sense without adding the words “entirely,” “wholly,” or the
like; fifth, that the inspired writers almost continually speak of or to
those who were wholly sanctified; sixth, that consequently it behooves
us to speak in public almost continually of the state of justification,
but more rarely, at least in full and explicit terms, concerning entire
sanctification.
3. What then is the point wherein we divide?
It is this: whether we should expect to be saved from
all sin, before the article of death.
4. Is there any clear Scripture promise of this; that
God will save us from all sin?
There is, Psalm 130:8: “He shall redeem Israel from
all his iniquities.” This is more largely expressed in the prophecy of
Ezekiel 36:25, 29: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye
shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I
cleanse you. I will also save you from all your uncleanliness. No
promise can be more clear. And to this the Apostle plainly refers in
that exhortation: “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.” 2 Corinthians 7:1.
Equally clear and expressive is that ancient promise:
“And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy
seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy
soul….Deuteronomy 30:6.
5. But does any assertion answerable to this occur in
the New Testament?
There does, and that laid down in the plainest terms.
“. . . for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might
destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8. The works of the devil –
without any limitation or restriction; but all sin is the work of the
devil. Parallel to which that assertion of St. Paul, Ephesians 5:25, 27:
“Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself…a glorious Church, not
having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy
and without blemish.” And to the same effect is the assertion: “…God
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh… That the
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the spirit.” Romans 8:3-4.
6. Does the New Testament afford any further ground for
expecting to be saved from all sin?
Undoubtedly it does, both in those prayers and
commands, which are equivalent to the strongest assertions.
7. What prayers do you mean?
Prayers for entire sanctification which were there no
such things, would be mere mockery of God. Such in particular are: First
– Deliver us from evil, or rather, from the evil one. Now when this is
done, when we are delivered from all evil, there can be no sin
remaining.
Second – “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them
also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be
one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they may also be
one in us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me. I in them,
and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world
may know that thou hast sent me, and has loved them, as Thouhast loved
me.” John 17:20, 21, 23. Third – “…I bow my knees unto the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ…that he would grant you, according to the riches of
his glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man;
that Christ may dwell in your heart by faith; that ye, being rooted and
grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the
breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of
Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:14, 16, 17, 18, 19. Fourth – “The very God
of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God, your whole spirit and soul
and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ.: 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
8. What command is there to the same effect?
First – “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father
which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48
Second - "....Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew
22:37. But if the love of God fill all the heart, there can be no sin
there.
9. But how does it appear that this is to be done before the article of
death?
First – From the very nature of a command, which is
not given to the dead, but to the living; therefore, “Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart,” cannot mean, Thou shalt do this
when you diest, but while thou livest.
Second – From express texts of Scripture: “…The grace
of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us
that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world: Looking for that blessed
hope…Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works.” Titus 2:11-14. He “hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in
the house of his servant David…To perform the mercy promised to our
fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, The oath which he sware to
our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered
out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness
and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.” Luke 1:69,
72-75.
10. Does not the harsh preaching of perfection tend to
bring believers into a kind of bondage or slavish fear?
It does. Therefore, we should always place it in the
most amiable light, so that it may excite only hope, joy, and desire.
11. Why may we not continue in the joy of faith, even
till we are made perfect?
Why, indeed! Since holy grief does not quench this
joy; since even while we are under the cross, while we deeply partake of
the sufferings of Christ, we may rejoice with joy unspeakable.
12. Do we not discourage believers from rejoicing
evermore?
We ought not to do so. Let them all their time rejoice
unto God, so it be reverence. And even if lightness or pride should mix
with their joy, let us not strike at the joy itself (this is the gift of
God), but at the lightness of pride, that the evil may cease and the
good remain.
13. Ought we be anxiously careful about perfection, lest
we should die before we have attained it?
In no wise. We ought to be thus careful for nothing,
either spiritual or temporal.
14. But ought we not be troubled on account of the
sinful nature which still remains in us.
It is good to have a deep sense of this, to be much
ashamed before the Lord. But this should only incite us the more
earnestly to turn unto Christ every moment, and to draw light and life
and strength from him, that we may go on conquering and to conquer. And,
therefore, when the sense of our sin most abounds, the sense of his love
should much more abound.
15. Will our joy or our trouble increase as we grow in
grace?
Perhaps both. But without doubt, our joy in the Lord
will increase as our love increases.
16. Is not teaching believers to be continually poring
over their inbred sin, the ready way to make them forget that they were
purged from their former sin?
We find by experience it is; or to make them
undervalue, and account it as little things; whereas, indeed (though
there are still greater gifts behind), this is inexpressibly great and
glorious.
