The Profession of Perfect Love Part 2

120. To what is the Christian to give his testimony?

A witness is to testify to what he knows. A Christian is to testify regarding his experience, "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." Any ambiguity or concealment by a witness, is a high offense against civil statutes, and an insult to any court of justice. Every court in the world would dismiss from the stand as an incompetent witness any one who could only affirm a belief, a desire, or a hope respecting the facts involved in his testimony.

He who witnesses for Christ must tell just what he has done. This is allowable by all in regard to justification and regeneration; why not in regard to sanctification? Why not declare all that God has done for us, just so far as there is clear evidence of its accomplishment, as well as to declare only a part? Must they withhold the clearest and best part of their testimony? Moses did not so understand our duty. He says, alluding to the law, the works, and the goodness of God,

"Thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Christians are to testify to their knowledge of pardon, adoption, regeneration, and sanctification; their evangelical experience being the base of their testimony.

121. Will not the spirit, conversation, and example exhibit what grace has done, so as to exclude the necessity for a profession?

These are important and indispensable, but are not the whole of our duty. If the sanctified soul can be excused on this ground from professing holiness, then the converted sinner can be excused on the same ground with equal propriety from any profession, and we should have no professors at all.

The outward life, however exemplary, is not a religious testimony it can declare nothing definite as it respects its own origin, whether its visible excellencies are inborn and natural, or whether they are the results of self-culture, discipline, or self-control, while the heart may be full of pride, hatred, and unbelief; or whether they are the result of the atoning blood, and the power of grace. The life, if well ordered, may testify to the purity of your morals. It may prove you honest, industrious, and neighborly; but all these may exist without either justification or sanctification. Multitudes but partially sanctified desire to know if any have experienced deliverance from inbred sin, and would be encouraged to seek the blessing, by clear testimony, given in the spirit of holiness. The idea so prevalent "that people are to live their religion, and say as little about it as possible," is in direct conflict with the teaching and practice of Christ and the Apostles.

Dr. D. A. Whedon says: "It is to be feared that special danger lies hid in the idea that we are not to openly profess this grace, but to show it forth in the life. It is jut the idea which the devil, the greatest foe of vital godliness, would have prevail, -- it is the point at which some of his fiercest temptations are directed, and at which scores stumble and fall." -- Letter in N. C. Advocate.

The pastoral address of the General Conference of 1832 presents the following upon the subject of holiness:

"Why then have we so few LIVING WITNESSES that 'the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin'? Among primitive Methodists, the experience of this high attainment in religion may justly be said to have been COMMON; now a PROFESSION of it is rarely to be met with among us.

"Is it not time for us, in this matter at least, to return to first principles? Is it not time that we throw off the reproach of inconsistency with which we are charged in regard to this matter? Only let all who have been born of the Spirit, and have tasted of the good word of God, seek with the same ardor to be made perfect in love as they sought for the pardon of their sins, and soon will our class meetings and love feasts be cheered by the RELATION of EXPERIENCES of this high character, as they now are with those which tell of justification and the new birth. And when this shall come to be the case, we may expect a corresponding increase in the amount of our Christian enjoyments, and in the force of the religious influence we shall exert over others."

In this we have the true ring of primitive Methodism plain, straightforward, simple Methodism, just as it should be, and not as the prejudices and customs of the people would like to have it.

We do not design to take extreme ground in regard to the profession of perfect love, but to present truth and duty concerning it, as we understand them. We most firmly believe that an honest, humble, full confession of perfect love is scriptural Wesleyan, and honorable to God.