The Nature of Christian Perfection Part 1

THE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

 

in 1733, when Mr. Wesley was thirty years of age, he preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the University, his sermon on the "Circumcision of the heart,'' in which he said: —

 

"The circumcision of the heart is that habitual disposi­tion of soul, which, in the sacred writings, is termed holi­ness; and which directly implies the being cleansed from sin, from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit; and by con­sequence, the being endued with those virtues which were also in Christ Jesus; the being so renewed in the image of our mind, as to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect."

 

Thirty-two years after, in 1765, he says: —

 

'This sermon contained all that I now teach concerning salvation from all sin, and loving God with an undivided heart."—

Sermons, vol. i. p. 147.

 

"I believe it to be an inward thing, namely, the life of God in the soul of man; a participation of the Divine nature; the mind that was in Christ; or, the renewal of our heart, after the image of Him that created us."—Journal, Sept, 1739.

 

"What is, then, the perfection of which man is capable, while he dwells in a corruptible body? It is the complying with that kind command: "My son, give Me thy heart.' It is the 'loving the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind.' This is the sum of Christian perfection: it is all comprised in that one word, love. The first branch of it is the love of God: and as he that loves God loves his brother also, it is inseparably connected with the second: 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;' Thou shalt love every man as thy own soul, as Christ loved us. 'On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets;' these contain the whole of Christian perfection."—Sermons, vol. ii. p 168.

 

His sermon on "Christian Perfection" was written in 1741. Mr. "Wesley says: —

 

"I think it was the latter end of the year 1740, that I had a conversation with Dr. Gibson, then Bishop of London, at Whitehall. He asked me what I meant by perfection I told him without any disguise or reserve. When I ceased speaking,' he said: 'Mr. Wesley, if this be all you mean, publish it to all the world.' I answered, 'My lord, I will'; and accordingly wrote and published the sermon on 'Christian Perfection.'"

 

Letter to the Bishop of London: —

 

"What, it may be asked, do you mean by 'one that is perfect,' or, 'one that is as his Master?' We mean one in whom is, 'the mind which was in Christ,' and who so 'walk-eth as He walked;' a man that 'hath clean hands and a pure heart;' or that is 'cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit;' one 'in whom their is no occasion of stumbling,' and who, accordingly, 'doth not commit sin.' To declare this a little more particularly: We understand by that Scriptural expression, 'a perfect man,' one in whom God hath fulfilled His faithful word: 'From all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you. I will also save you from all your uncleanness.' We understand, hereby, one whom God hath sanctified throughout, even in 'body, soul, and spirit;' one who 'walketh in the light, as He is in the light,' in whom 'is no darkness at all; the blood of Jesus Christ His Son' having 'cleansed him from all sin.'

 

"This man can now testify to all mankind, 'I am cruci­fied with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet I live not, but Christ liveth in me.' He 'is holy, as God who called him is holy,' both in life, and 'in all manner of conversation.' He 'loveth the Lord his God with all his heart, and serveth Him with all his strength'. He 'loveth his neighbor' (every man) 'as himself;' yea, 'as Christ loved us;' them in par­ticular that 'despitefully use him and persecute him,' be­cause 'they know not the Son, neither the Father.' Indeed, his soul is all love, filled with 'bowels of mercies, kindness, meekness, gentleness, long suffering.' And his life agreeth thereto, full of 'the work of faith, the patience of hope, the labor of love.' And 'whatsoever he doeth, either in word or deed,' he doeth 'it all in the name, in the love and power, of the Lord Jesus.' In a word, he doeth the will of God 'on earth, as it is done in Heaven.'

 

"This is to be 'a perfect man,' to be 'sanctified through­out, created anew in Jesus Christ;' even 'to have a heart so all flaming with the love of God' (to use Archbishop Usher's words), 'as continually to offer up every thought, word, and work, as a spiritual sacrifice, acceptable unto God through Christ.' In every thought of our hearts, in every word of our tongues, in every work of our hands, 'to show forth His praise who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.' Oh, that both we, and all who seek the Lord Jesus in sincerity, may thus 'be made perfect in one!'"—

Works, vol. v. p. 342.

 

"By salvation, I mean, not barely, according to the vulgar notion, —deliverance from hell, or going to heaven; but a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul to its primitive health, its original purity; a recovery of the Divine nature; the renewal of our soul after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness, in justice, mercy, and truth. This implies all holy and heavenly tempers, and by consequence, all holiness of conversation."—

Written in 1744, Works, vol. v. p. 35.

 

Tyerman says, in his "Life of Wesley," that at the first conference, in 1744, Christian perfection was de­fined: —

 

"A renewal in the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness. To be a perfect Christian is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, imply­ing the destruction of all inward sin; and faith is the con­dition and instrument by which such a state of grace is obtained."—

Tyerman, vol. i. p. 444.

 

How John Wesley Was Led into the Light of Full Salvation

HOW MR. WESLEY WAS LED INTO THE LIGHT OF FULL SALVATION.

 

"but how came this opinion into my mind? I will tell you with all simplicity. In 1725 I met with Bishop Taylor’s 'Rules of Holy Living and Dying.' I was struck par­ticularly with the chapter upon intention, and felt a fixed intention 'to give myself up to God.' In this I was much confirmed soon after by the 'Christian Pattern,' and longed to give God all my heart. This is just what I mean by perfection now: I sought after it from that hour."—

Journal, May, 1765.

 

Mr. Wesley was then in his twenty-third year, and Bishop Taylor was an eminent prelate in the English Episcopal Church.

 

"In the following year (1726) I met with Kempis' 'Chris­tian Pattern.' The nature and extent of inward religion, the religion of the heart, now appeared to me in a stronger light than ever it had done before."

 

Thomas a Kempis was an Augustine monk, distin­guished for his apostolic simplicity and purity. His "Christian Pattern" has been translated into all modern languages, and published in more than a thousand editions.

 

"In 1727, I read Mr. Law's 'Christian Perfection.' and 'Serious Call.' and more explicitly resolved to be all devoted to God, in body, soul, and spirit. In 1730 I began to be homo unius libri! ¹ to study (comparatively) no book but the Bible. I then saw, in a stronger light than ever before, that only one thing is needful, even faith that worketh by the love of God and man, all inward and outward holiness; and I groaned to love God with all my heart, and to serve Him with all my strength.

 

"January 1, 1733, I preached the sermon of the 'Circum­cision of the heart'; which contains all that I now teach concerning salvation from all sin, and loving God with an undivided heart. In the same year I printed (the first time I ventured to print anything) for the use of my pupils, 'A Collection of Forms of Prayer;' and in this I spoke ex­plicitly of giving 'the whole heart and the whole life to God.' This was then, as it is now, my idea of perfection, though I should have started at the word.

 

"In 1735, I preached my farewell sermon at Epworth, in Lincolnshire. In this, likewise, I spoke with the utmost clearness of having one design, one desire, one love, and of pursuing the one end of our life in all our words and actions.

 

"In January, 1738, I expressed my desire in these words: —

 

O grant that nothing in my soul

May dwell but thy pure love alone! 

O may thy love possess me whole,

My joy, my treasure, and my crown! 

Strange flames far from my heart remove,

My every act, word, thought be love!

 

"And I am still persuaded this is what the Lord Jesus hath bought for me with His own blood.

 

"Now, whether you desire and expect this blessing or not, is it not an astonishing thing that you, or any man living, should be disgusted at me for expecting it; and that they should persuade one another, that this hope is 'subversive of the very foundations of Christian experience?' Why then, whoever retains it cannot possibly have any Christian ex­perience at all. Then, my brother, Mr. Fletcher, and I, and twenty thousand more, who seem both to love and fear God, are, in reality, children of the devil, and in the road to eternal damnation."—

Journal, May, 1765.

 

"Many years since, I saw that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. I began by following after it and in­citing all with whom I had any intercourse to do the same. Ten years after, God gave me a clearer view than I had before of the way how to attain it, namely, by faith in the Son of God. And immediately I declared, to all, 'We are saved from sin, we are made holy by faith.' This I testified in private, in public, in print, and God confirmed it by a thousand witnesses."—

Vol. vii. p. 38.

 

This was written in 1771. In 1744, nearly thirty years before, he wrote: —

 

"In the evening, while I was reading prayers at Snows-field, I found such light and strength as I never remember to have had before. I saw every thought as well as action or word, just as it was rising in my heart, and whether it was right before God, or tainted with pride or selfishness.

 

"I waked the next morning, by the grace of God, in the same spirit; and about eight, being with two or three that believed in Jesus, I felt such an awe, and tender sense of the presence of God, as greatly confirmed me therein; so that God was before me all day long. I sought and found Him in every place; and could truly say, when I lay down at night, 'now I have lived a day.'"—

Journal, Dec., 1744.

 

These paragraphs contain the substance which Mr. Wesley left in writing regarding his experience of full salvation. He seldom recorded his personal religious experience in his Journals, and yet we have as much regarding his experience of sanctification as of justifi­cation. The most he says about his justification, was that at Aldersgate he felt "his heart strangely warmed." This is often quoted respecting his justification, while the foregoing statements are both as clear and as definite respecting his sanctification. There is just as much propriety, in the light of his Journals, in asserting that he did not claim to be justified, as that he did not claim to be sanctified.

 

His whole life and work, during a long and useful ministry, teach more positively than any words of his, that his consecration and faith received a Divine re­sponse in the blessed experience which he insisted upon in others, and into which he led so many thousands of his hearers. There is no reason for believing that John Wesley sent his people ahead of himself, or that he led them into richer fields of light, sweetness, and love, than he himself enjoyed.

 

¹A man of one book.

Holiness Must Be Preached Part 9

161. Is it not often objected to professors of holiness that they indulge in censoriousness?

It is, and it always will be, so long as there are so many worldly, formal, backslidden professors in the church. No man can successfully wage a campaign against the formalism or deadness which hides itself under the pretense of dignity and decency without appearing to be censorious. We do not deny that some may have given an occasion for this objection; but let any Christian, in the ministry or laity, do his whole duty to the church and the world in their present state -- let him speak to them and of them as they really are -- and he will of course incur the charge of censoriousness. Who suffered more of this than Mr. Wesley?

Rev. Charles G. Finney says: "Entire sanctification implies the doing of all our duty. But to do all our duty we must rebuke sin in high places an in low places. Can this be done with all needed severity without, in many cases, giving offense, and incurring the charge of censoriousness? No, it is impossible; and to maintain the contrary would be to impeach the wisdom and holiness of Jesus Christ himself."

With some people it is a common thing if a brother has not "charity" enough to apologize for sin and cover up the "works of the devil," to charge him with "censoriousness," "sour godliness," &c. There can be no holiness which has no rebuke for sin, or opposition to Satan. Look at the Great Exemplar -- the Son of God. The Spirit of God and the spirit of the world can never harmonize they are perfect antagonisms.

162. Are there two kinds of holiness among men, one a sweet, loving, peaceful holiness, and the other a fighting one?

Holiness is the same in kind in God, angels, and men. It invariably secures peace, meekness, and love as sweet as heaven. But these very elements make men hate the devil, and oppose sin with all their might. Perfect love makes its possessor as meek as a lamb and as bold as a lion. While it inspires love and gentleness, it teaches an uncompromising opposition to all unrighteousness. It makes its possessor a burning, shining, loving, fighting, conquering soldier of Christ.

They said the meek and lowly Jesus had a devil. John Wesley was accused incessantly, for years, of being heady, willful, self-conceited, censorious, and bigoted. He could be led by a hair in the right direction, but the combined powers of earth and hell could not move him an inch contrary to his honest convictions of duty.

If standing up straight for God, loving all he loves, hating all he hates, and opposing all sin, either in or out of the church, constitutes a fighting Christian, we hope to live and die one.

Second Bible Study of the Quarter: Harden Not Your Heart

 Today’s lesson comes from Psalm 95: 1-11. There are many examples in the Bible of people who failed to believe God. The Israelites in the wilderness are the focus of today’s lesson. Consider the following: Zedekiah, Judah’s last king, who would not listen to Jeremiah; the Pharisees who refused to believe Christ; King Agrippa who refused to yield to Paul’s entreaty. What was their problem? The evil heart of unbelief, that is carnality. Today, we focus on those who rejoice in the great Creator God, who is also their personal Shepherd, and those who, because of unbelief, become hardened, faultfinding, and critical. 

This Psalm contains both an exhortation to praise and an exhortation to obedience. This is not about loud noise. Expressions of adoration are empty if they do not come from a submissive heart. There is an old expression, “lots of thunder, but no rain.” This refers to people who make lots of noise but there is no anointing from above. The last portion of the Psalm uses the illustration of the Israelites’ rebellion as an admonition to be obedient and submitted to God’s will.

The first section is “A Call to Worship.” Vv. 1, 2 Verse 1 is a personal invitation to enter God's presence. We are to make a "joyful noise" to the Lord. A "joyful noise" could actually read, "shout for joy." If you have ever wondered if it is acceptable to shout in church, you now know the answer, YES! We are to sing to the Lord. The songs and hymns are to be about Him not us. Too often, "worship" songs are about man's feelings and thoughts. Worship songs should be praise and worship to the God of all Creation.  Christianity is not a morbid religion. It is to be filled with music and joy. The praises of God's people are directed to the "Rock of our salvation." The invitation is to "come before His presence with thanksgiving." We are to express gratitude for what He has done in the past, what He is doing now, and what He will be doing in the future. What a marvelous God we serve! We are to confess our gratitude and give Him praise for His blessings and providence.

The second section is "Reasons to Worship." vv. 3-7a This portion of the lesson provides us some reasons to worship. First, "For the LORD is a great God." Our God is infinite, immeasurable, inconceivably, great, and subject to no limitation. He is the "great King above all gods." Second, our God is not only great, He is Sovereign. He is the Creator of all things. God knows the end from the beginning and He is actively involved in the affairs of the world to bring about His perfect plan. It may not look perfect to us, but His advantage point is much different than ours. He knows best. Third, God is the Creator of the seas with their vast store of plants, animals, and minerals. As His creatures, we must humble ourselves before Him, and render our praise to Him. Finally, even though He is a great God and to be reverenced, He is approachable. Though He is immense and infinite, we are to "kneel before the LORD our maker." He has taken us into a covenant relationship. Through that covenant, we may have salvation and sanctification. He will guide and protect His children in accordance with His perfect plan. These are reasons that we owe Him our worship.

The third section is "Warnings About Worship." The last portion of the lesson is quoted in Hebrews 3: 7-11 as a warning against unbelief and "departing from the living God." To disobey God is to question His authority and doubt His word. Such action produces a hardness of heart. When this happens, the person becomes insensible to the voice of God, and deadened to spiritual realities. The verses speak of the Israelites wandering for forty years and tempting the LORD with their unbelief. Unbelief is a carnal trait and evidence that one has not been entirely sanctified. When someone refuses entire sanctification they are rebelling against God's loving provision for their soul. 

The wandering generation got their desire and they died in the wilderness. It was their unbelief that brought about their downfall.When God makes a promise, it is sure. When He says, "As surely as I live, this will come to pass," you have a guarantee that what He has promised will come to fruition. Our God is a great God, the Owner and Creator of the universe and mankind. He is a personal God, a patient God, a covenant-keeping God. We are to sing His praises with thanksgiving. However, He is also a just God. "God's threatenings are as sure as His promises." (Matthew Henry) 

As we walk in faith and not unbelief, we will have a thankful heart that will want to praise Him. God has provided, through the blood of Jesus Christ, a way for us to have carnality removed from our hearts. It would be unbelief to deny this Biblical truth. Harden not your hearts!

My summary points:

1. We are to answer God's call to worship Him.

2. Our God is a great and merciful God and worthy to be praised.

3. Harden not your heart through unbelief.

The Golden Text is: "Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." (Psalm 150:6) We need to use our breath to praise the Lord as opposed to gossip and faultfinding. You need to breath to speak. Instead of wasting your breath with conversations that belong to the world, we are to use our breath to praise the LORD! Regardless of what circumstances look like, we have the victory. God has already won the war and death and hell have been defeated. That is something to shout about! Lift your voices and sing unto the LORD. Accept the invitation from verse 1 and enter His presence.

Next week's lesson: "Sing Unto the Lord." (Psalm 96: 1-13)

Don't forget to read the Sunday School Beacon for inspiration and encouragement.

Holiness Must Be Preached Part 8

159. Should we not ASSUME, that there is no opposition to the spread of this doctrine and experience?

We should not. To assume that there is no opposition to it, is to assume what is not true, and what is very generally known not to be true. "To be forewarned is to be forearmed," and there is an opposition, strong and persistent, that every faithful worker in this regard has to encounter. To refuse to look at difficulties and dangers that environ us is not courage, but folly and cowardice.

We should not unduly magnify this opposition, nor dwell much upon it. We should not give it too much attention, nor attach very much importance to it. We are to work as though there were no opposition, and not talk too much about it, so as to let it hinder us. It is especially important that we do not allow it to engender bitterness in our minds, which is the most dangerous item. This should be carefully guarded against, as the many little annoyances and frictions from this source, are calculated to sour or embitter the spirit of those constantly subject to them.

160. How is this opposition usually manifested?

By misrepresentations, false accusations, and by taunts and sneers at those who give it prominence.

There is no doctrine of revealed religion that has suffered more misrepresentation than this blessed doctrine of perfect love. There is rarely an article written against it, that states it fairly, or that does not more or less misrepresent the teachings of its special advocates.

The sneers and taunts, "He is one of the sanctified ones," "He makes a hobby of Holiness," and the like, are so common, and so fruitful of evil, as to demand attention.

That some go to an unwarrantable extreme in regard to the subject of Christian holiness, we admit, and it is a source of grief to all the true friends of holiness. Untimely and unintelligent efforts are injurious to any cause. Nevertheless, where there is one thus chargeable in regard to this subject, there are fifty who fail to seek this grace, and live beneath their privilege and duty.

1. To make a hobby of holiness is both rational and scriptural. Noah Webster defines a hobby; "Any favorite object of pursuit." "That which a person pursues with zeal or delight." In the sense of Mr. Webster's definition, every Christian should make a hobby of holiness. But this is far from the sense in which it is used by these accusers. In its proper sense it would be a commendation rather than a taunt.

2. To say a man makes holiness a hobby, is the same as saying he makes a hobby of religion, for entire sanctification or holiness is religion in full gospel measure. Those who accuse their brethren of making a hobby of holiness do not mean this, and they should say what they mean. They deny making any thrusts at holiness, and say they are not opposed to it. "Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee." (Luke xix. 22. )

3. These accusations breathe a spirit of opposition to the discipline of the church. The discipline says: "Let your MOTTO be HOLINESS TO THE LORD." This is to the point, and is good authority. The bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church say: "We believe that God's design in raising up the preachers called Methodists, in America, was to reform the continent, and spread scriptural holiness over these lands." This has been subscribed by all our bishops, from Asbury down to the last one elected.

4. These accusations are indicative of a heart unfriendly to the Wesleyan and Bible doctrine of entire sanctification as a distinct blessing to be received subsequently to regeneration. Any man who preaches this doctrine "constantly, strongly, and explicitly," as Mr. Wesley directs, will incur these taunting accusations from the opposers of this doctrine.

Dr. W. F. Warren, president of the Boston University, said in his address before the Boston Preachers' Meeting: "If there is any sin next to the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost, it is the making fun of his work in the sanctification of a human soul."

Bishop Foster rebukes this conduct: "There can be no excuse for sneers and epithets, and for an uncharitable spirit which is but too apparent. It is far from creditable to the piety of a Christian minister, when he can so far forget himself as to seem to want sympathy with sanctity, or with the souls which seem to be aspiring after it." -- Christian Purity, p. 279.

5. These railing accusations come from those not walking in the light of perfect love, and whose religious experience is indefinite and uncertain, and who manifest no special desire for a better experience.

6. This mode of opposition serves to quiet the convictions of many who are dissatisfied with their spiritual condition, and feel the need of a clean heart. The maddog cry of hobbyism has frightened multitudes of timid souls from the pursuit of holiness.

7. These accusations are now made mainly by persons within the pale of the Methodist church itself. The time was when the early Methodist preachers had plenty of this kind of treatment from without. They were accused of making a hobby of "free grace," and of "full salvation," by the opponents of those doctrines in other churches. Now, while that kind of opposition from abroad has ceased, we have an abundance of it at home.

Christian holiness and its friends have sufficient opposition in the depraved hearts of the unconverted, and in those who reject the doctrine altogether, without an ambush fire of this kind from their professed friends.

Dr. H. Bannister says: "The animus of such offense, however, seems too like that exhibited in flings and taunts at all religious people." -- Advocate of Holiness, 1875.

We ask, in the language of John Wesley: "Why have the preachers of it been hooted at like mad dogs, even by men that fear God, nay, and by some of their own children, some whom they, under God, have begotten through the gospel? ' -- Plain Account, p. 170.

Dr. Abel Stevens says: "Ministers who profess and preach holiness have to encounter suspicion, denunciation, theological and ecclesiastical ostracism." And he asks, "Is it not time that this thing was not only abandoned, but regarded with shame and penitence?"

8. How would such accusations sound from the lips of John Fletcher, or William Bramwell, or John Nelson, .... from that great and good man, John Wesley? who said "Therefore ALL our preachers should make a POINT of preaching PERFECTION to believers CONSTANTLY, STRONGLY and EXPLICITLY; and ALL believers should mind this one thing, and constantly agonize for it."

Whoever read or heard of Wesley or Fletcher accusing or reproving anybody for making a hobby of holiness? Wesley said to all his preachers, "Let your MOTTO be, HOLINESS TO THE LORD." He declared holiness "the peculiar doctrine committed to our trust" -- and for this he suffered the greatest opprobrium.

Mr. Wesley never accused even George Bell of making a hobby of holiness. He reproved Bell and others for mischievous extravagances, but never for making a hobby of perfect love.

9. These scoffing accusations prevent the subject of entire sanctification from receiving the attention and prominence in ministerial labor its interests demand. Our preachers know, if they follow the advice of Mr. Wesley, and the directions given in the Discipline, and give this subject prominence (and they cannot enjoy it without), they will be accused of being "sanctificationists," and of "riding the hobby of holiness." Many are not willing to trust their ministerial reputation with the advocacy of this doctrine. Our ministers know also, that some of our churches have been so poisoned and prejudiced, that they will not have a preacher who is known to profess and preach it.

10. Odium is no weapon for theological controversy. Throwing smut and mud helps no man to God, and furthers no good cause. Christian men should have too much conscience and honor to use odium as a battering ram to break down truth, or a scarecrow to keep people from an open avowal of gospel privilege and duty.

These unbrotherly accusations help on this condition of things; hence, the attention we have given them as evils, as only evils, and that continually.

Mr. Wesley wrote: "I hope brother C. is not ashamed to preach full salvation, receivable now by faith. This is the word which God will always bless, and which the DEVIL PECULIARLY HATES therefore he is constantly stirring up both his own children and the weak children of God against it."

There is a class of temporizing, self-indulgent, tobacco using men in some of our pulpits, who neither believe in, preach, nor enjoy much religion -- these are ready to utter such accusations against any who profess or preach Christian holiness, and these manifest and shameful facts are neither palliated nor concealed by their stale cry of "Croaker!" against wholly consecrated persons who weep over the desolations of Zion.

Should we address any such, we ask: If you neglect your duty -- do not seek or enjoy this grace, and fail to lead the church to seek and obtain it; ought you to find fault with and hinder those who are keeping their ordination vows, following the Discipline, and are trying to do the very best they can to lead the hungry thousands in the church into the clearer light and deeper experience of perfect love?

The Bible gives prominence to the subject of holiness. All the standards of Methodism, the Discipline, and the Hymn Book, give prominence to it. Why, then, is it censurable for a minister to give it prominence in pulpit and pastoral labor? It is undeniable that multitudes in our ministry but seldom preach a sermon specifically on the subject of holiness, notwithstanding thousands in the church are but partially sanctified, and the church is suffering for the want of purity and power.

Holiness Must Be Preached Part 7

157. Is there any opposition in the ministry to putting this subject in the foreground and giving it prominence?

There is, and always has been. During a hundred years past, those who have confessed and preached perfect love, and urged believers partially sanctified to press after "the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ," have seen opposition and suffered from it.

Dr. John P. Brooks says: "Notoriously, there are ministers not a few, who are the authorized expounders of doctrine in the denominations for which they speak, who steadily and purposely ignore the subject of holiness in their pulpit ministrations. -- There the pulpits, and many of them, from which holiness is declaimed against; from some of them, misrepresented; from others, berated; from still others, calumniated." -- Address at Holiness Conference.

Mr. Wesley wrote to Dr. Adam Clarke:

"Dear Adam: The account you send me of the continuance of the great work of God in Jersey gives me great satisfaction. To retain the grace of God is much more than to gain it: hardly one in three does this. And this should be strongly and explicitly urged on all who have tasted of perfect love. If we can prove that any of our local preachers or leaders, either directly or indirectly, speak against it, let him be a local preacher or leader no longer. I doubt whether he should continue in the Society. Because he that could speak thus in our congregations can not be an honest man."

The British Wesleyan Conference, in order to preserve its societies from heresies and erroneous doctrines. in 1807, resolved, that "No person shall on any account be permitted to retain any official situation in our societies who holds opinions contrary to the total depravity of human nature -- and Christian holiness, as believed by the Methodists."

158. Is it not claimed that the opposition is in regard to the measures adopted, rather than to the doctrine or experience?

It is so claimed to some extent; but those who make objections to the measures adopted almost invariably do not claim to possess perfect love themselves, and manifest no sympathy for instantaneous sanctification, or any special meetings, or direct means for its promotion. They rarely preach upon the subject specifically, and when they do, they either labor to fault those who teach and profess this grace, or to throw the whole subject into vague and indefinite generalities. Their treatment of the doctrine and experience is the same as those ministers in churches that reject instantaneous sanctification altogether, and only teach growth and Christian culture. The results are precisely the same: none are led into the clear light and experience of perfect love, and whole churches become prejudiced against instantaneous sanctification.

Holiness Must Be Preached Part 5

154. Is it wise to make holiness a specialty in the church and in Christian effort?

1. It is. The Bible makes it a specialty. It is the grand objective point of the whole Christian system -- the center where all the lines of truth meet. The commands, promises, invitations, exhortations, and counsels all run to this "central idea" of Christianity.

Bishop Foster says: "It is the truth glowing all over, welling all through, revelation; the glorious truth which sparkles and whispers, and sings and shouts in all its history, and biography, and poetry, and prophecy, and precept, and promise, and prayer. The great central truth of the system." -- Christian Purity, p. 80.

We hardly need say, in harmony with this, that Christian perfection, or "perfecting the saints," is a specialty in Methodist theology and history. Why, then, may it not be pushed to the front, or why should it be deemed contraband in our meetings and church work?

2. The expediency of making it a specialty is seen in its importance, and in its essential relation to the whole work of God. (See Section XVI.) When this prospers, every other interest of religion prospers; and when this is neglected, all other interests suffer, and none other can compensate for it. Making a specialty of this doctrine and experience, more than any other cause, produces all manner of precious fruit, both in heart and life hence, in its highest gospel form, holiness ought to be the specialty of the whole church.

3. To make it a specialty, or give it prominence, does not involve the neglect of other truths, as many seem to suppose. There can be no true presentation of holiness, without presenting its correlated truths in the Gospel. A moment's thought will show that human depravity, the atonement, the work of the Spirit, faith, obedience, and the conversion of sinners, all stand intimately related to it.

4. This is the most common and popular form of objection to efforts for the spread of holiness in the church and world. This opposition stands against distinctively teaching it, or giving it prominence by word or pen. Making holiness a specialty, of course, involves presenting it distinctly, distinctively, and persistently, and this is the main point of the objection. Mr. Wesley said "Let all our preachers make a point (specialty) to preach Christian perfection to believers constantly, strongly, explicitly." -- Plain Account, p. 169.

5. No one excels, except he makes his pursuit, for the time, a specialty. College and Seminary professors understand this for in teaching it is deemed essential. Why should "perfect love." as a specialty, be an exception. "Love" is declared to be "the fulfilling of the law," and love out of a pure heart the end of the commandment.

6. The cry of "fanaticism," "extravagance," "division," and "secession," as against making this subject a specialty, is rather too wholesale, and too common to frighten intelligent, thinking people. These have been the staple so long with infidels, worldly men, and cavilers, it is unseemly for those who call themselves Christians to adopt them.

7. The assertion that those who make this subject a specialty become "narrow," and are "men of one idea," is not disparaging to any man's character. If a man has an idea large enough to take in all other true ideas, he has no occasion to abandon it, nor need he fear being made "narrow" by it. One idea, and that a good one, is better than no ideas at all, or than a number of very poor ones. Holiness is the grandest and most comprehensive idea in the universe.

8. The world is indebted to men of one idea for its inventions, its discoveries, and its great moral and religious reformations.

Columbus was a man of one idea, and he discovered a new world. John Wesley resolved to be "a man of one Book," and "a man of one work." What has been the result? St. Paul proclaimed his devotion to one idea. "This one thing I do." "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified." "Teaching every man, in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." Was the apostle wise?

Newton, Herschel, Shakespeare, Howard, Luther, Fulton, Morse, Edison, and Longfellow, were all specialists. Were they "narrow," and lacking in breadth because of their several, one great idea?

9. The Methodist Church has always had her specialists. Do they become "narrow"? Did Dr. Durbin become narrow because he made the missionary cause a specialty for more than a score of years? And how in regard to Drs. Whedon, Curry, Vincent, and Kynett? On the other hand, who believes that the Missionary Society, Sabbath School, Church Extension, and Quarterly Review, have suffered in their interests because these men have made them specialties?

Suppose, now, that some make, in study and effort, the grand "central idea of Christianity" a specialty, and devote themselves fully and intensely to the work of "perfecting the saints," or spreading holiness through the church, will that belittle them, make them "narrow," or be out of harmony with the policy of the church which makes a large use of specialists as book agents, presiding elders, bishops, editors, secretaries, presidents of colleges, &c.? Where do we look for the deepest penetration, or the highest skill? Where?