Conditions of Attaining to Holiness
I. A State of entire sanctification can never be attained by an indifferent waiting of God’s time.
II. Nor by any works of law, or works of any kind performed in your own strength, irrespective of the grace of God. By this I do not mean that, were you disposed to exert your natural powers aright, you could not at once obey the law in the exercise of your natural strength aad continue to do so. But I do mean, that as you are wholly indisposed to use your natural powers aright without the grace of God, no efforts that you will actually make in your own strength or independent of his grace, will ever result in your entire sanctification.
III. Not by any direct efforts to feel right. Many spend their time in vain efforts to force themselves into a right state of feeling. Now it should be forever understood, that religion does not consist in a mere feeling, emotion, or involuntary affection of any kind. Feelings do not result from a direct effort to feel. But on the contrary, they are the spontaneous actings of the mind when it has under its direct and deep consideration the objects, truths, facts or realities that are correlated to these involuntary emo«* ^tions. They are the most easy and natural state of mind possible under such circumstances. So far from its requiring an effort to pat them forth, it would rather require
RIGHT FEI^O. 15
an effort to prevent them, when the mind is intensely considering those objects and considerations which have a natural tendency to produce them. This is so true that when persons are in the exercise of such affections, they feel no difficulty at all in their exercise, but wonder how any one can help feeling as they do. ‘It seems to them so natural, so easy, and I may say so almost unavoidable, that they often feel and express astonishment that any one should find it difficult to exercise the feelings of which they are conscious. The course that many persons take on the subject of religion has often appeared wonderful to me. They make themselves, their own state and interest, th central point around which their own minds are continually revolving. Their selfishness is so great that their own interests, happiness, and salvation, fill their whole field of vision. And with their thoughts and anxieties, and whole souk clustering around Ihevi oxl ^^ics^SiSs^
16 OUmB TO THB 8AYIOK.
they complain of a hard heart — that thejr can not love Grod — that they do not repent and can not believe. They manifestly regard love to God, repentance, faith, and all religion, as consisting in mere fed’ ing. Being conscious that they do not feel right, as they express it, they are the more concerned about themselves, which concern but increases their embarassment and the dijfficulty of exercising what they call right affectiops. The less they feel, the more they try to feel — the greater efforts they make to feel right without success, the more are they confirmed in their selfishness, and the more are their thoughts glued to their own inter* ests; and they are of course at a greats er and greater distance from any right state of mind. And thus their selfish anxieties beget ineffectual efforts, and these efforts but deepen their anxieties. And if in this state,* death should appear in a visible form before them, or the last trumpet sound, and they should be summoned to the solemn Judgment it would but increase their distraction, confirm and almost give omnipotence to their selfishness, and render their sanctification morally impossible. It should never be forgotten that all true religion consists in voluntary states of mind, and that the true and only way to attain to true religion is to look at and understand the exact thing to be done and then to put forth at once the voluntary exercise required.
IV. Not by any efforts to obtain grace by works of law. In my lecture on Faith, in the first volume of the Evangelist, I said the following things:
1. Should the Question be proposed to a Jew, “What shall I do that I may work the works of God?” — he would answer. Keep the law, both moral and ceremonial, that is, keep the commandments.
2. To the same inquiry an Arminian would answer, Improve common grace, and you will obtain ponverting grace that is, use the means o{ gtae.^ ^e,cQtvci%
OUIDB TO THE SAVIOR.
rii
to the best light you have, and you wil obtain the grace of salvation. In thi answer it is not supposed, that tha inquirer already has faith; but that he is in state of unbelief, and is inquiring afte converting grace. The answer, there fore, amounts to this; you must get converting grace by your impenitent works you must become holy by your hypocrisy; you must work out sanctification b; sin.
3. To this question, most professed Calvinists would make in substance the sum reply. They would reject the languag while they retain the idea. Their direction would imply, either that the inquire already has faith, or that he must perfon some works to obtain it, that is, that h must obtain grace by works of law.
A late Calvinistic writer admits thf entire and permanent sanctification is a tainable, although he rejects the idea the actual attainment of such a state th/s life. He supposes the condition attaining this state or the way to attain it, is by a diligent Use of the means of ’ grace and that the saints are sanctified just so far as they make a diligent use of the means of sanctification. But as he denies that any saints -ever did or will use all the means with suitable diligence, he denies also of course that entire sanctifi* cation ever is attained in this life.^ The way of attaining it, according to his teaching, is by the diligent use of means. If then this writer were asked, “What shall I do to work the works of God,” — or in other words, what shall I do to obtain entire and permanent sanctification, his answer, it seems, would be: >’ Use diligently all the means of grace,” that is, you must gjet grace by works, or, with the Arminian, improve common grace and you will secure sanctifying grace.
Neither an Arminian, nor a Calvinist, would formcJly direct the inquirer to the laWf as the ground of Justification. But nearly the whole ChurcVv N<JOli!i ^n^-
rectioQS that would amount to the same thing. Their answer would be a legale and not a gospel answer. For whatever answer is given to this question, that does not distinctly recognize faiths as the condition of abiding holiness in Christians, is legal. Unless the inquirer is made to understand, that this is the first, grand, fundamental duty, without the performance of which all virtue, all giving up of sin, all acceptable obedience, is impossible, he is misdirected. He is led to believe that it is possible to please God without faith, and to obtain grace by works of law. There are but two kinds of works — works of law, and works of faith. Now if the inquirer has not the “faith which works by love,” to set him upon any course of works to get it, is certainly to set him to get faith by works of law. Whatever is said to him that does not clearly convey the truth, that both justification and sanctification are by faith, without works o law, is law and not gospel. Nothing
WORKS OF IiAW. 21
fore or -without faith, can possibly be done by any one, but works of law. His first iuty, therefore, is faith; and every attempt to obtain faith by unbelieving works, is to lay works at the foundation, and make grace a result. It is the direct opposite of gospel truth.
Take facts as they arise in every day’s experience, to show that what I have stated is true of almost all professors and non-professors. Whenever a sinner begins in good earnest to agitate the question, “What shall I do to be saved?” he resolves as a first duty to break off from his sins, that is, in unbelief. Of course, his reformation is only outward. He determines to do better — to reform in this, that, and the other thing, and thus prepare tumself to be converted. He does not expect to be saved without grace and faith but he attempts to get grace by works of law.
The same is trud of multitudes of anxious Christians, who are inquiring what they shall do to overcome le ^oi^^^
22 OUIDB TO 9«B SAVtOR.
flesh, and the devil They overlook the fact, that” this is the victory which overcometh the world, even our faith,** that it is with “the shield of faith” that they are “to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” They ask, Why am I overcome by sin? Why can I not get above its powers? Why am I thus the slave of my appetites and passions, and the sport of the devil? They cast about for the cause of all this spiritual wre tchedness and death. At one time, they think they have discovered it in the neglect of one duty; and at another time in the neglect of another. Sometimes tlley imagine they have found the cause to lie in yielding to one sin, and sometimes in yielding to another. They put forth efforts in this direction, and in that direction, and patch up their righteousness on one side, while they make a rent on the other side. Thus they spend years in running arolind in a cirde, and making dams of Wnd across the current of their own habitudes and ttudenciaf.
WORKS OF lAW. 33
Instead of at once purifying their hearts by faithj they are engaged in trying to arrest the overflowing of the bitter waters of their own propensities. Why do I sin? they inquire; and casting about for the caufie, they come to the sage conclu* irion, it is because I neglect such a duty, that is, because I do sin. But how st)!^ 1 get rid of sin? Answer: by doing my duty, that te, by ceasing from sin- Wow the real inquiry is. Why do they neglect their duty? Why do they commit sin at «^? Where is the foundation of all this mischief 7 Will it be replied, the foundation of all this wickedness is in the focce of temptation — in the weakil W our hearts — In the strength of our evil propensities und habits? But all this on ^ngs un back to the real inquiry again, h(ii9 are these things to be overcome? I lE^swer by faith alone. No works of lltW have the feast tendency to overcome ^iMIt sitis; but rather to confirm the voul 0rif-dghtefO«3Ae8« aaid lffAsi^« The great and fundamental sin, which is at the foundation of all other sin, is unbelief. The first thing is to give up that — to believe the word of God. There is no breaking off from one sin without this. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” ‘’ Without faith it is impossible to please God.”
Thus we see that the backslider and convicted sinner, when agonizing to overcome sin, will almost always betake themselves to works of law to obtain faith. They will fast, and pray, and read, and struggle, and outwardly reform, and thus endeavor to obtain grace. Now all this is in vain and wrong. Do you ask, shall we not fast, and pray, and read, and struggle? Shall we do nothing — but sit down in Antinomian security and inaction? I answer. You must do all that God commands you to do: but begin where Ha tells you to begin, and do it in the maimer in which He commands you to do It; that is, in the ezerdse of that faith that workf by love. Purify your hearts by faith. Believe in the Son of God. And say not in your heart, “Who shall ascend into heaven, that is, to bring Christ down from above; or who shall descend into the deep, that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach.”
Now these facts show that even under the gospel, many professors of religion, while they reject the Jewish notion of justification by works of law, have, after all, adopted a ruinous substitute for it, and suppose that, in some way they are to obtain grace by their uxprks,
y. A state of entire sanctification can* not be attained by attempting to copy thto experience of others. It is very common for convicted sinners, or for Christians inquiring after entire sanctification, in their blindness, to ask others to relate their experience, to mark minutely the detail 26 GUIDE TO THE 8AYIOR.
of all their exercises, and then set themselves to pray for and make direct efforts to attain the same class of exercises — not seeming to understand that they can no more exercise feelings in the detail like others, than they can look like others. Human experiences differ as human countenances differ. The whole history of a man’s former state of mind, comes in of course to modify his present and future. experience. So that the precise train of feelings which may be requisite in your case, and which will actually occur, if you are ever sanctified, will not in all iXt details, coincide with the exercises of any other human being. It is of vast importanc for you to understand, that you can be r copyist in any true religious experienc and that you are in great danger of bei deceived by Satan whenever you atten to copy the experience of others. I seech you, therefore, to cease from pra; for or trying to obtain the precise exience of any person whatever. All
COPYING others’ vxpesmsce. 27
Christian experiences, are, like human countenances, in their outline, so much alike, as to be readily known as the lineaments of the religion of Jesus Christ, But no farther than this are they alike, any more than human countenances are alike.
But here let it be remembered that sanctification does not consist in the various affections or emotions of which Christians lipeak, and which are often mistaken for or confounded with true religion; but that sanctification consists in entire con-, secration, and consequently it is all out of place for any one to iattemp t to copy the feel-, ings of another, inasmuch as feelings do no constitute religion. The feelings of which Christians speak = do not constitute tru religion, but often result from a right stttp of heart. These feelings may properly enough be spoken of as Christian. iexperi-. cnce, for, although involuntary states of mind, they are experienced by true Christians. The only way to secure theija is to
set the will right, and the emotions will be a natural result.
VI. Not by waiting to make preparations before you come into this state. Observe that the thing about which you are inquiring is a state of entire consecration to God. Now do not imagine that this state of mind must be prefaced by a long introduction of preparatory exercises. It is common for persons when inquiring upon this subject with earnestness, to think themselves hindered in their progress by a want of this or that or the other exercise or state of mind. They look every where else but at the real difficulty. They assign any other and every other but the true reason for their not being already in a state of sanctifica tion. The true difficulty is voluntary selfishness or voluntary consecration to self-interest and self-gratification. This is the difficulty and the only difficulty to be overcome.
Vn. Not by attending meetings, asking the prayers of other Christians, or de» pending in any way upon the means of getting into this state. By this I do not intend to say that toeans are unnecessary, or that it is not through the instrumentality of truth, that this state of mind is induced. But I do mean that while you are depending upon any instrumentality whatever, your mind is diverted from the real point before you, and you are never like to make this attainment*
VIII. Not by waiting for any particular views of Christ. When persons, in the state of mind of which I have been speakittg, hear those who live in faith describe their views of Christ, they say, O, if I had such views 1 could believe; I must have these before I can believe. Nbw you should understand that these views are the result and effect of faith in th§ promise of the Spirit to take of the things of Christ and show them to you. Lay hold of this class of promises, and the Holy Spirit will reveal Christ to you in the relations in which you need Him from time
30 GUIDfe t6 Tfilfi SAVrOR*
to time. Take hold, then, on the simple promise of God. Take God at his word* Believe that He means juirt what He Says; and this will at once bring you into the state of mind after which you inquire.
IX. Not in any way which you may mark out for yourself. Persons in an inquiring state are very apt, without seeming to be aware of it, to send imagination on before them, to stake Out the way, atid set up a flag where they intend to come out. They expect to be thus and thus exercised — to have such and such peculiar views and/eelings, when they have attained their object. Now there probably never was a person who did not find himself disappointed in these respects. God says,” I will bring the blind by a way that they know not. 1 will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” Thii suffering your imaginalioii lo xxAik out your path is a great hindrance to you, as it sets you upon making many fruitless and worse than fruitless, attempts to attain this imaginary state of mind, wastes much of your time, and greatly wearies the patience and grieves the Spirit of God. While He is trying to lead you right lo the point, you are hauling off from the course, and insisting that this which your imagination has marked out is the way, inistead of that in which He is trying to lead you. And thus in your pride and igno* ranee you are causing much delay, and abusing the long-suffering of God. He says, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” But you say, no — this is the way. And thus you stand and parley and banter, while you are every moment in dangei* of grieving the Spirit of God away from you and of losing your soul.
X. Not in any manner, or at any time nor place, upon which you may in your own mind lay any stress. If there is any thing in your imaginalvoxL W.W^Sxia definitely upon any particular mannei time, or place, or circumstance, you wil in all probability either be deceived by thi devil, or be entirely disappointed in th< result. You will find that in all thes< particular items on which you had lai< any stress, that the wisdom of man is foolishness with God — that your ways are no his ways, nor your thoughts his thoughts “For as the heavens are higher than th( earth, so are his ways higher than youi ways, and his thoughts higher than youi thoughts.”
But,
XL This state is to be attained by faitl alone. Let it be forever remembered that “without faith it is impossible t( please God,” and “whatsoever is not o faith, is sin.”
Both justification and sanctification arc by faith alone. Rom. 3: 30; “Seeing i is one God who shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcisioD through faith; “and 5: 1;” Thereforej being justified by faith, we tiave peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’* Also, 9: 30, 31; “What shall we say then? that the Gentiles, who followed not after. righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of * faith. But Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to ’ the law of righteousness. Wherefore! ‘’ Because they sought it not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law.”
XII. But let me by no means be under- ’ stood as teaching sanctification by faith as -^ distinct from and opposed to sanctification by the Hdl Spirit or Spirit of Christ, - or, which is the same thing,. by Christ our sanotification living and reigning in the heart Faith is rather the instrument or condition than the efficient agent that induces, a state of j)resent -and permanent - sanctification. Faith, simply receives Christ, as king, to live and reign in the soul. It is Christ in the exercise of his different offices and apiiOYtv^V^ lsi
different relations to the want a of the soulf by faith, who secures our sanctification. This he does by divine discoveries to the soul of his Divine perfections and fullness. The condition of these discoveries is faith and obedience. He says, Jno. 14: 21 — 2a — “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto Him, (not Iscariot,) Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him^If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” But I must call your attention to Christ as our sanctification more at large hereafter.