Holiness Attainable Part 8

60. What is the voice of the leading writers on sanctification in respect to it instantaneousness?

They teach that the work of entire sanctification proper -- the cleansing of the heart by the Holy Spirit is instantaneous. Those who teach otherwise, my invariably confound purity with maturity, and predicate a gradual sanctification upon the growth and maturity of the Christian virtues.

The following quotations will be seen to agree with our positions on this subject.

1. I give Mr. Wesley's views. "Indeed, this is so evident a truth that well-nigh all the children of God, scattered abroad, however they differ in other points, yet generally agree in this: that although we may 'by the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body,' resist and conquer both outward and inward sin, -- although we may weaken our enemies day by day, -- yet we can not drive them out. By all the grace which is given at justification we can not extirpate them. Though we watch and pray ever so much, we can not wholly cleanse either our hearts or hands. Most sure we can not, till it please our Lord to speak to our hearts again -- to speak the SECOND time, 'Be clean;' and then only the leprosy is cleansed. Then only the evil ROOT, the CARNAL MIND, is destroyed; inbred sin subsists no more. But if there be no such SECOND CHANGE: if there be no INSTANTANEOUS deliverance AFTER justification if there be NONE but a GRADUAL work of God (that there is a gradual work none denies), -- then we must be content, as well as we can, TO REMAIN FULL OF SIN TILL DEATH." --Sermons, vol. i. p. 122.

"Inquiring in 1761, how it was that in all these parts we had so few witnesses of full salvation, I constantly received one and the same answer: 'We see now we sought it by our works; we thought it was to come gradually; we never expected it to come in a moment, by simple faith, in the very same manner as we received justification.' What wonder is it, then, that you have been fighting all these years as one that beateth the air!" -- Works, vol. vii. p. 377.

"You may obtain a growing victory over sin from the moment you are justified. But this is not enough. The body of sin the carnal mind, must be destroyed; the old man must be slain, or we can not put on the new man, which is created after God (or which is the image of God) in righteousness and true holiness; and this is done in a moment. To talk of this work as being gradual, would be nonsense, as much as we talked of gradual justification." -- Journal of H. A. Rogers, p. 174.

"As to manner, I believe this perfection is always wrought in the soul by a simple act of faith; consequently in an instant." He further says: "Look for it every day, every hour, every moment. Why not this hour -- this moment? Certainly you may look for it now, if you believe it is by faith. And by this token you may surely know whether you seek it by faith or by works. If by works, you want something to be done first before you are sanctified. You think, I must be or do thus or thus. Then you are seeking it by works unto this day. If you seek it by faith, you expect it as you are; and if as you are, then expect it now. It is important to observe that there is an inseparable connection between these three points -- expect it by faith, expect it as you are, and expect it now. To DENY ONE IS TO DENY THEM ALL." -- Sermons, vol. i. p. 391.

"In London alone I found six hundred and fifty-two members of our society, who were EXCEEDING CLEAR IN THEIR EXPERIENCE, and of whose testimony I could see no reason to doubt." And every one of these (after the most careful inquiry, I have not found ONE EXCEPTION either in Great Britain or Ireland) has declared that his deliverance from sin was instantaneous; that the change was WROUGHT IN A MOMENT. Had half of these, or one third, or one in twenty, declared it was gradually wrought in them, I should have believed this in regard to them, and thought that some were gradually sanctified, and some instantaneously. But as I have not found, in so long a space of time (more than thirty years), a single person speaking thus AS ALL, who believe they are sanctified, declare with one voice, that the change was wrought in a moment I can not but believe, that sanctification is commonly, if not always, an instantaneous work." -- Sermons, vol. ii. p. 223.

"I have continually testified for these five and twenty years in private and public, that we are sanctified as well as justified by faith. And, indeed, the one of those great truths does exceedingly illustrate the other. EXACTLY AS WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, So ARE WE SANCTIFIED BY FAITH." -- Works, vol. i. p 338.

Tyreman says: "The doctrine of Christian Perfection, attainable in an instant by a simple act of faith, was made prominent in Methodist congregations in 1762, and ever after it was one of the chief topics of Mr. Wesley's ministry and that of his itinerant preachers." (Tyreman, vol. ii. pp. 346, 416, 444.) According to this, during half of his ministerial life, Mr. Wesley made instantaneous sanctification a prominent topic of his ministry. He wrote his brother Charles in 1766: "Insist everywhere on full redemption received now by faith alone. Press the instantaneous blessing."

2. "It is, I think, allowed on all sides," says Rev. John Fletcher, that 'we are saved,' that is, sanctified, as well a justified 'by faith.' Now, that particular height of sanctification, that full 'circumcision of the heart,' which centrally purifies the soul, springs from a peculiar degree of saving faith, and from a particular operation of the 'spirit of burning;' a quick operation this, which is compared to a baptism of fire, and proves sometimes so sharp and searching. that it is as much as a healthy, strong man can do to bear up under it." -- Last Check, p. 566.

3. Dr. Adam Clarke says: We are to come to God for an instantaneous and complete purification from all sin, as for instantaneous pardon. In no part of the Scriptures are we directed to seek the remission of sins seriatim -- one now and another then, and so on. Neither in any part are we directed to seek holiness by gradation. Neither a gradation pardon nor a gradation PURIFICATION exists in the Bible." For as the work of cleansing and renewing the heart is the work of God, his almighty power can perform it in a moment. in the twinkling of au eye. And as it is this moment our duty to love God with all our heart, and we can not do this till he cleanse our hearts, consequently he is ready to do it this moment, because he wills that we should in this moment love him. This moment, therefore, we may be emptied of sin, filled with holiness, and become truly happy." -- Clarke's Theology, p. 208.

4. Bishop Janes said in his sermon at Morristown: "These two blessings, pardon and regeneration, justification and sanctification, are here presented [1 John i. 8, 10]in the same manner, offered upon the same condition ... the conditions of justification and sanctification, according to the text, are the same."

6. Bishop Foster says: sanctification is "distinct in opposition to the idea that it is a mere regeneration holding it to be something more and additional instantaneous, in opposition to the idea of GROWTH GRADUALLY TO MATURITY OR RIPENESS." "And though there is progress toward it, yet that its attainment is not a mere ripeness ensuing by gradual growth, but is by the direct agency of the Holy Ghost, and instantaneously wrought, however long the soul may have been progressing toward Christian Purity, p. 46.

6. Dr. Nathan Bangs says: "Those who teach that we are gradually to grow into a state of sanctification, without ever experiencing an instantaneous change from inbred sin to holiness, -- are to be repudiated as unsound, anti-scriptural and anti-Wesleyan." -- Article in Guide, 1854.

7. Dr. F. G. Hibbard says: "It is hence Mr. Wesley, and also Mr. Fletcher, distinguish sanctification into two stages: the lowest degree is to be 'emptied of all sin,' the highest to be 'filled with God.' To be emptied of all sin, to be 'cleansed from all unrighteousness,' is a work to be done by the Spirit of God immediately acting on the soul, through the truth. It is done at once according to the faith of the believer, through the meritorious blood and righteousness of the Redeemer. But to bring forth the Christian graces to the highest measure of maturity or perfection compatible with this earthly state, or with the moral capabilities of the believer, is a work of time, to be carried forward and performed, till the day of Jesus Christ." -- N. C. Advocate.

8. Rev. Dr. Fuller, in his address before the Evangelical Alliance: "Nor did you find relief, peace, strength, victory over your corruptions, until you repaired to the fountain in open for sin and uncleanness, until looking to Jesus, casting your soul upon him for sanctification, just as you did at first for pardon."

9. Richard Watson: "To this faith shall the promises of entire sanctification be given, which in the nature of the case, supposes an instantaneous work immediately following upon entire and unwavering faith." -- Institutes, vol. ii. p. 455.

10. Rev. J. S. Inskip says: "I apprehend in all cases where any special success has been given to the teaching of this doctrine, it has been where the instantaneous character of the work has been made very prominent." -- Method of Promoting Perfect Love.

11. Rev. Dr. Lowry says "Salvation in all its stages is by faith and by faith alone. And this makes sanctification not only instantaneous, but creates a necessity that we should receive it as a gracious gift, bestowed in opposition to a product worked out, or resulting from development and growth." -- Divine Life, June, 1878.

12. The pastoral address of the General Conference of 1832 presents the following upon the subject of holiness: "When we speak of holiness, we mean that state in which God is loved with all the heart, and served with all the power. This, as Methodists, we have said, is the privilege of the Christian in this life and we have further said that this privilege may be secured instantaneously by an act of faith, as justification was."