To Mr. P——
PrematTwe application of the promises — Not willing to be holy-Paul’s concise statement of the way to holiness — Distinction between consecration and sanctification — Obedience must precede appropriating faith — Wickedness of removing a sacrifice from the altar — Thomas — The will; its language — Of one who gave up his will.
Dear Sir, — I think many err by urging the promises upon those who have no right to them. It was only this morning that a friend observed to
me,” I asked brother L how his mind stood,
in relation to the subject of holiness. He acknowledged his need of the blessing, and said that he desired it.
* Can you conceive of any reason why you do not receive it?’
*’ * I do not know, imless it is my ^inbelief” This friend then began to ui’ge the promises upon him; but she soon found that he rather needed the threatenings which are denounced against those who are unwilling to be holy, as he soon afterward frankly intimated (and as though it were a light matter) that he was not willing to consecrate all to God. This brother, then, according to his own concession, was not willing to be holy. How unsuccessful would have been the solicitude of his anxious friend, though she had continued hours longer in endeavoring to overcome his unbelief, by urging the promises upon him! It is my
Labor lost. Consecration. Promise. Cleansing.
opinion, that a large amount of well-intended labor, in urging persons to lay hold upon the promises, is lost precisely in that way.
Paul, in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, chap, vi, 17, 18, and chap, vii, 1, presents the way by which holiness may be attained, in the clearest and most concise manner. The question, “Is consecration entire sanctification?” is here also fully met. First in order stand the terms of the covenant, ‘’Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing.” Next come the promises, “I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” Here, then, is entire consecration, and immediately follow the promises, which, the moment the conditions are met, are given to the seeker, (and not one moment prior to this compliance,) and yet the apostle addresses the thus consecrated one, as not yet cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit! But he admonishes the humble aspirant, as already in possession of the means by which he is to cleanse himself — not as though he were to accomplish this work unaided by the power of God. No. Having these promises, which the Lord Jehovah gave him the mom.ent he made an entire consecration of himself, he is at once directed to the next step in order, which is to appropriate the promises; and from that point he goes on perfecting holiness in
Premature Attempts to believe.
the fear of God. It is thus that the words of the Saviour, “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth,” are illustrated in the experience of the disciple.
Thus we see how obedience to the primary injunctions of the word must precede the act of appropriating faith. As has been before premised, the difficulty which most persons find in endeavoring to exercise that faith which appropriates the blessing, comes through the effort to believe, he/ore the steps which should precede it are taken. Suppose Abraham had tried to believe that his offering was “truly acceptable,” before he had laid it upon the hallowed altar. How inconsistent! Imagine that he had even brought it within reach of the altar, and yet diad not laid it upon that “most holy” place, would it have been sanctified? But, after it was once laid there, was it any more at the option of the offerer? lo. It was no more at his disposal, than if it had been borne away by Gabriel, and laid upon the throne of the Eternal, the moment it touched that altar, by the virtue of which it was sanctified to God. If God saw fit, for the trial of his faith and patience, (and shall we say his honesty also?) that it should for a season remain, in order that these various graces might be tried, it was not for him to dictate. Had Abraham yielded to impatience, and again resumed the offering and appropriated it to his owzi use, it
Sacrilege. “I will not believe.” Great Mistake.
would have been a most sacrilegious act; for the offering was no more his own — no more in any possible way at his own disposal. Had he thought of it as otherwise than wholly sanctified, he would have greatly dishonored God by his want of faith in his word:” He that believeth not, maketh God a liarr
But does an offerer at the Christian’s altar really give up all, until he gives up his unbelief? There are many who imagine that they have given up all, who still retain their own will, especially on this point — except they see signs and wonders they will not believe. With unbelieving Thomas they say, “Except I shall see “— thus and thus, according to some preconceived plan —” I will not believe.” And thus it is, though willing, perhaps, to suri’ender everything else, they hold on to this point, “I will not believe, except — .” The real position of such persons seems to be expressible as follows: Unless the high and holy One shall come down to meet my will, and give me the witness of this salvation, in a way to meet my own views, as to the manner of its reception, “/ will not believe.^* What an egregious mistake is here! If it had been said,” If any man will do his own will, he shall know of the doctrine,” then there were some hope of the will of such being met. But since Jesus hath said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,” no hope remams for the
A Man without a Will. Belief without a Sign.
entire sanctification of such, until the will be surrendered.
This surrender of the will may, to some, seem a small matter; but to me it appears tremendouslygreat. If a man resigns his will to another, the identity of that man is, in every important sense, lost. His words and actions are all expressive of the mind and will of the other, not of himself. Thus, when the will is wholly given up to God, that person will, in all the minutiae of life, in word and action, present a transcript of the mind and will of God.
An interesting case, corroborative of the sentiments just expressed, occurred at our house some time since. A lovely young brother, now in heaven, had said in the Tuesday afternoon meeting, “I do not obtain the blessing, and yet it seems to me I am willing to consecrate all.” After the meeting had closed, I addressed him thus: —
“If I should tell what you have not given up, would you endeavor now, in the strength of the Lord, to make the sun-ender?” “I will.”
“It is here. You, doubtless, give up all but your will, which requires something besides the word of God as a foundation for your faith: ‘Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.’ But God says, ISTo other sign shall be given you, than that which has already been given; that is, the WORD OF God. Are you now willing to rely
Just the Difficulty. Unconscious Faith, Intellectual Faith.
upon that alone, and trust God to give whatever emotion he may judge best as the fruit of your faith?” He saw just where the difficulty had been — made the surrender of his will, and received the end of his faith, even the full salvation of his soul, and the witness of that salvation.
I cannot precisely see how one can believe, and yet not know it. If this be a truth, I need further instiniction on this point. I prefer the good old Scripture doctrine, “He that believeth hath the witness in himself.” Yours, &c., in love.