SOME RESULTS OF ERADICATION OF THE OLD MAN
Many are the results of the eradication of the old man. The old man dies; he stops playing possum and dies. The heart is perfected in love. The soul enjoys the life more abundant. No better picture can be given of a sanctified heart than some notes from John Wesley explaining the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians.
"And first, 'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels'; with an eloquence such as never was found in men concerning the nature, attributes, and works of God, . . . . though I were not herein a whit behind the chief of the apostles; preaching like St. Peter, and praying like St. John; -- yet unless humble, gentle, patient love be the ruling temper of my soul, I am no better in the judgment of God, 'than sounding brass, or a rumbling cymbal.' The highest eloquence, . . . . the brightest talents either for preaching or prayer, if they were not joined with humble, meek, and patient resignation,
might sink me the deeper into hell, but will not bring me one step nearer heaven.
"And though I have miracle working faith, and have not this love, I am nothing.
"Though I -- Deliberately, piece by piece, give all my goods to feed the poor . . . . though I deliver up my body to be burned -- and have not the love hereafter described, it profiteth me nothing.
"Love suffereth long and is kind.' -- Suffers all the weaknesses of the children of God, all the wickedness of the children of the world, and that not for a little time only, but as long as God pleases. Love inspires with the most amiable sweetness and fervent, tender affection toward the one that knowingly injures you, and amid it all you will feel and manifest a mild, tender, long-suffering spirit in look, action, and voice.
"Deceive not, therefore, your own souls: he who is not thus kind, hath not love.
"Consequently, 'Love envieth not;' it is impossible it should. It is directly opposite to that baneful temper. It cannot be, that he who has that tender affection to all, who earnestly wishes all temporal and spiritual blessings, all good things in this world and the world to come, to every soul that God hath made, should be pained at his bestowing any good gift on any child of God. However then we may flatter ourselves, or one another, he that envieth hath not love.
"It follows, 'Love vaunteth not itself;' or rather, is not harsh, or hasty in judging: for this is indeed the true meaning of the word. As many as love their neighbor for God's sake, will not easily receive an ill opinion of any to whom they wish all good, spiritual as well as temporal.
Many are the results of the eradication of the old man. The old man dies; he stops playing possum and dies. The heart is perfected in love. The soul enjoys the life more abundant. No better picture can be given of a sanctified heart than some notes from John Wesley explaining the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians.
"And first, 'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels'; with an eloquence such as never was found in men concerning the nature, attributes, and works of God, . . . . though I were not herein a whit behind the chief of the apostles; preaching like St. Peter, and praying like St. John; -- yet unless humble, gentle, patient love be the ruling temper of my soul, I am no better in the judgment of God, 'than sounding brass, or a rumbling cymbal.' The highest eloquence, . . . . the brightest talents either for preaching or prayer, if they were not joined with humble, meek, and patient resignation,
might sink me the deeper into hell, but will not bring me one step nearer heaven.
"And though I have miracle working faith, and have not this love, I am nothing.
"Though I -- Deliberately, piece by piece, give all my goods to feed the poor . . . . though I deliver up my body to be burned -- and have not the love hereafter described, it profiteth me nothing.
"Love suffereth long and is kind.' -- Suffers all the weaknesses of the children of God, all the wickedness of the children of the world, and that not for a little time only, but as long as God pleases. Love inspires with the most amiable sweetness and fervent, tender affection toward the one that knowingly injures you, and amid it all you will feel and manifest a mild, tender, long-suffering spirit in look, action, and voice.
"Deceive not, therefore, your own souls: he who is not thus kind, hath not love.
"Consequently, 'Love envieth not;' it is impossible it should. It is directly opposite to that baneful temper. It cannot be, that he who has that tender affection to all, who earnestly wishes all temporal and spiritual blessings, all good things in this world and the world to come, to every soul that God hath made, should be pained at his bestowing any good gift on any child of God. However then we may flatter ourselves, or one another, he that envieth hath not love.
"It follows, 'Love vaunteth not itself;' or rather, is not harsh, or hasty in judging: for this is indeed the true meaning of the word. As many as love their neighbor for God's sake, will not easily receive an ill opinion of any to whom they wish all good, spiritual as well as temporal.
"'Love is not puffed up.' As is the measure of love, so is the measure of humility. Nothing humbles the soul so deeply as love: it casts out all 'high conceits; engendering pride, all arrogance and over weening; makes us little, and poor, and base, and vile in our eyes. It abases us both before God and man; makes us willing to be the least of all, and the servant of all, and teaches us to say, 'A mote in the sunbeam is little, but I am infinitely less in the presence of God.' And whosoever is otherwise minded, let him give up all vain hope: he is puffed up, and so hath not love.
"It 'doth not behave itself unseemly;' it is not rude or willingly offensive to any.
"'Love seeketh not her own.' In striving to please all men, the lover of mankind has no eye at all to his own temporal advantage. He covets no man's silver, or gold, or apparel: he desires nothing but the salvation of their souls: yea, in some sense he may be said not to seek his own spiritual, any more than temporal advantage; for while he is on the full stretch to save their souls from death, he, as it were, forgets himself. He does not think of himself, so long as that zeal for the glory of God swallows him up.
"No marvel that such 'love is not provoked'. It is not provoked to unkindness towards any one. Occasions indeed will frequently occur; outward provocations of various kinds: but love does not yield to provocation; it triumphs over all. In all trials it looketh unto Jesus, and is more than conqueror in his love.
"Love 'thinketh no evil'. It tears up, root and branch, all imagining what we have not known. It casts out all jealousies, all evil surmisings, all readiness to believe evil. It is frank, open, unsuspicious; and, as it cannot design, so neither does it fear evil.
"It 'rejoiceth not in iniquity.' Who scruple not to rejoice over their enemy, when he falleth either into affliction, or error, or sin? Only a man of love. He alone weeps over either the sin or folly of his enemies, takes no pleasure in hearing or in repeating it, but rather desires that it may be forgotten for ever.
"But he 'rejoiceth in the truth,' wheresoever it is found; in 'the truth which is after godliness;' bringing forth its proper fruit, holiness of heart, and holiness of conversation. He rejoices to find that even those who oppose him, whether with regard to opinions, or some points of practice, are nevertheless lovers of God, and in other respects unreprovable.
"'Love beareth all things.' Whatever evil the lover of mankind sees, hears, or knows of any one, he mentions it to none; it never goes out of his lips, unless where absolute duty constrains to speak. A talebearer, a backbiter, a whisperer, an evil speaker is to him all one as a murderer. He would just as soon cut his neighbor's throat as thus murder his reputation.
"Love 'believeth all things.' It is always willing to think the best; to put the most favorable construction on everything. It is ever ready to believe whatever may tend to the advantage of any one's character.
'Love hopeth all things.' The eye of the soul in 'perfect love' can see the silver side of the darkest clouds of opposition, hatred, violence; in fact, such souls live there. The spirit of loving compassion takes things usually for better than they really are. 'Of the sins, faults, failures of another, perfect love hopeth it is not so bad after all;' it leans to mercy rather than censure and condemnation.
'Love endureth all things.' Endures with unwearied patience anything that God can permit, or men and devils inflict. Endures reproach, slander, misunderstanding, opposition, contempt, ridicule, affliction, poverty, and even death."
A heart that is free from the old man is cured of the "ups and downs"; is kept sweet amidst the greatest provocations; lives in security, abounds in humility, lives in harmony with others, delights in the will of God, has a holy courage, is rid of the fear of man, has an illuminated Bible, has an open pocketbook, is dead to the praise of man, never has the pouts, never goes up the miff tree, is loyal to God, never feels superior to others, bears much fruit, has great liberality, abounds in praise, gives himself to prayer, has a burden for the lost, is well fed, lives a conquering life, is rich with true riches, is hilarious, is stable in the midst of wavering, rejoices evermore, and prays without ceasing.
In short, the only way to know what Entire Sanctification does do is to get this glorious experience, and you will say, "The half has never yet been told."
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