1.A 10. LETTER X

LETTER X. The possibility of attaining this blessing Proved from the de sign of Christ’s coming From the nature of pure religion This incompatible -with sin Its possibility appears from the premises From the language of our poet Several verses quoted. MY DEAR M : Having, as I believe, fully proved the necessity of an entire sanctification of our natures, I will now attempt to demonstrate its possibility. This arises, in the first place, from the benevolent design of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For what purpose, it may be asked, did the Son of God come into our world, preach, suffer, die, rise again, ascend to heaven, and for what purpose does he now live at the right hand of God, to make intercession for us? This purpose is most explicitly declared in the word of God : " His name shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." Here the very end of his coming is expressly announced by the angel of the Lord to Joseph, namely, that he should " save his people from, 1 not in, " their sins."

" Who gave himself for us, that he might re deem us from ALL iniquity, and PURIFY to him self a peculiar people, zealous of good works." To say that no one is redeemed from ALL iniquity in this life, and purified here to the service of God, is to say that the very design for which the Saviour " gave himself for us " is universally defeated.

" For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."

What are the works of the devil" but sin? Surely this beautiful world, with all its rich and varied productions, our food and raiment, and all the blessings of life, are not the devil’s works. He did not make the world. The Apostle Paul will tell us what are the works of the devil. Speaking of the " prince of the power of the air" that is, the prince of darkness, who dwells in the air or atmosphere he says, who "now worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience." Here then are found the works of the devil, in the hearts of the children of disobedience.

If, then, the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, and as these works are found in the hearts of the children of disobedience, He must empty the heart of sin, which is emphatically the devil’s work, and till it with His own pure love.

Now will any man say that the very end for which Jesus Christ was born the express design for which He gave himself for us the declared purpose for which he was manifested, shall never be accomplished? He who says this, does in effect say, that the Son of God forsook the realms of glory, came into our world, suffered and died, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, where he ever liveth in his godlike power, but is continually defeated in the purpose for which he did and continues to do all this! And can a more injurious reflection be cast upon the Son of God than this? Its possibility arises, in the second place, from the very nature of that religion which Jesus Christ came to establish in the hearts of the children of men.

What is the nature of this religion? It is nothing less nor more than love to God and man. Love, without any mixture of hatred. Love ac companied with meekness, patience, long-suffering, gentleness, and goodness, which inward graces of the Holy Spirit are always exemplified by an external obedience to the commandments of God. This is the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ. This He came to establish. This He has pledged Himself to work in all those who believe on Him.

Now can this religion consist or subsist in a heart that is filled with sin? We might as well believe that light and darkness can co-exist, can occupy the same place, as to suppose that this "pure and undefiled religion" can dwell in a heart that is occupied by the works of the devil. Allowing that when grace begins to operate on the heart of a sinner, his heart is full of sin, one or the other, either sin or grace, must ultimately gain the predominance. They cannot long co exist. And which will finally prevail, provided the believing, penitent sinner resign himself up into the hands of God, persevere in the path of obedience, we cannot doubt, if we rely on the promises of God, that He will thrust out these enemies of His; Jesus will " bind the strong man armed, spoil his goods, and cast him out," and take possession of the mansion himself, and reign without a rival there. Christ and Belial have no concord, any more than light and darkness.

Let, then, this Divine love fill the heart, and all hatred is expelled, and with it this hatred, which is the root of all evil this hatred to God and man being the pivot on which the soul of the sinner turns in all his whirling acts of disobedience all his sinful propensities are expelled slain annihilated and love fills every avenue of the soul, actuates the believer in all he thinks, desires, and dot-s. Its possibility arises, in the third place, from the many promises of God to that effect. God, indeed, has pledged himself to accomplish this great work in the hearts of all who come unto Him with penitent, believing hearts. "I WILL circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with all thy strength;" and the fulfilment of this promise, our Saviour tells us, is the answering the whole demands of the law.

Now can any promise be more full, absolute, and comprehensive, than this? And remember, my dear M., that God has said that He will circumcise thy heart, that He will "cleanse the heart from all unrighteousness." And the apostle, after having prayed God to sanctify the Thessalonians wholly, " soul, body, and spirit," manifestly with a view to remove all cause of doubt respecting the possibility of this thorough work being wrought in them, adds this most encouraging declaration : " FAITHFUL is he that called yon, who also WILL DO IT." HE WILL do it. And will He not?

What puny arm is that which lifts itself up against the omnipotent arm of Jehovah? Can it prevail? Nay, indeed! " Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the GREATNESS OF HIS STRENGTH? I that speak in righteousness, MIGHTY TO SAVE!" What words are these! How full of majesty! Of majesty? How full of comfort! He is the God and Saviour, travelling in the greatness of his strength! He speaks in righteousness, but, above all, He is mighty to SAVE! O what ful ness of comfort is unfolded in these words! I cannot express the wonderfulness of the idea impressed on my mind while meditating upon these words. So full of majesty of goodness of loving-kindness of Divine consolation! The poet has expressed, much better than I can, what occupies my heart at this very moment of writing :

"Jesus, thy boundless love to me, No thought can reach, no tongue declare : O knit my thankful heart to thee, And reign without a rival there." And I tremblingly adopt the following lines, which you, my dear M., can adopt with a full, overflowing heart :

" Thine wholly, thine alone I am, Be thou alone my constant flame."

Turn to Isaiah Ixiii, 1-9, and read the whole passage; then turn to the 321st Hymn, old edi tion, and read and sing it too, if you choose for I know you can through the first and second part, and then doubt, if you can, the ability and willingness of the Almighty Saviour to save you to the uttermost and to keep you saved every moment of your life! You will perceive, from these promises and a thousand others might be added, for the Bible is full of them, both in the Old and New Testaments, they sparkle in the symbolical heavens like the stars in the firmament, though like these they all disappear when the bright Sun of Righteousness bursts upon the soul in His own effulgence, dissipating every cloud from the intellectual horizon I say, from these promises you will perceive that the accomplishment of this work does not depend upon our strength, upon our works, either of repentance or faith, only as a condition on which the promise is to be fulfilled, but upon the power, the faithfulness, the LOVING-KINDXESS of our covenant-keeping God upon our adorable, Almighty Jesus. And is He not able to accomplish all that he has promised? What though Satan rage and vent his spite,

" In vain doth Satan rage his hour, Beyond his chain lie cannot go; Our Jesus shall stir up his power, And soon avenge us of our foe."

God, therefore, shall shortly bruise Satan beneath our feet. If the work of sanctification depended, in whole or in part, upon us, upon our strength or goodness, we might well despair of its ever being effected. But it does not. We must, to be sure, repent, believe, seek, watch, and pray, part with all our idols, and be come willing that all our sins should be slain; but, after all this, unless God interpose, by his almighty power unless Jesus Christ come to our aid by the omnipotence of His grace un less the Holy Spirit apply the promises by the internal energy of His mighty working, our repentance, believing, watching, and praying, were all vain. But we may rest assured that God will fulfil His promise to those that believe it "with a heart unto righteousness." We may be as sure of this as that there is a God. He HAS spoken the word, and He cannot lie. " Because he could swear by no greater, He hath sworn by Himself, In blessing I will bless thee." We have, therefore, the oath of God, which is no thing less than God himself, pledging himself, solemnly engaging all his attributes to the fulfilment of his word. On this word on the veracity of his immutable promise we may rely with the utmost confidence, with the most un wavering faith, and, doing so, we cannot be disappointed. In view of these things, who will say that it is impossible? Let him say it that dare contradict God. Let him say it who has the hardi hood to insult Him to His face, by telling Him, " Thou art a liar! I believe not what thou say- est." But let you and I give God the glory of being true to all His promises. Let us sing, ill the language of the poet :

" Lord, wo BELIEVE the promise sure! The promised Comforter impart! Apply thy blood to make us PUUK; To KEEP us pure in life and heart." So exactly does our poetry correspond with the sentiments of Holy Scripture, that I can not quote it too often, and more especially for your taste; for you, who are such an enthusiastic admirer of our hymns. Take the following as expressive of the strongest confidence in the efficacy of the Saviour’s blood, to break the hardest, and to purify and to cleanse the foulest heart :

" More hard than marble is my heart, And foul with sins of deepest stain; But thou the mighty Saviour art; Nor flow d thy cleansing blood in vain; Ah, soften, melt this rock, and may Thy blood wash all these stains away." Does not your glad heart, while meditating upon these encouraging words, thrill with gratitude to God? and as your eye runs along the page until it lights on the following, with which I conclude this letter, only with adding a silent prayer to Almighty God, that the aspiration it breathes may be answered, even while you send it up to His throne, to the joy of your heart :

" Still let thy love point out the way :

How wondrous things thy love hath wrought I Still lead me, lest I go astray;

Direct my work, inspire my thought; And if 1 fall, soon may I hear Thy voice, and know that love is near "