Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

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In harmony with this view, Dr. Daniel Steele, in his Half Hours with St. Paul, well says: "The foundation of the Christian doctrines is laid in the word of God. We Protestants believe that no doctrine is to be received or enforced upon any person that is not found in the open Bible. Nevertheless, the confirmations of a doctrine are found in our own experience. I believe all the doctrines of the Bible are confirmed in Christian experience. All the doctrines of the word of God find a response in human needs and in human experience. They are confirmed by such experience." Of course, Dr. Steele refers chiefly, if not solely, to the doctrines of sin and salvation, and kindred truths, which relate to man's condition and duty in this life. Bishop R. S. Foster, in the preface to his very able work, the Philosophy of Christian Experience, states the subject of his book in the following words: "The subject is sympathetic with the temper of the age. It deals with facts rather than speculations; with experimental verities rather than mere dogmas. It subjects Christianity to practical tests, and so puts it in line with scientific method. It offers the inner experiences of the soul and to the examination and explanation of reason. The age busies itself with facts, demands facts, will have nothing but facts, relegates all speculation. The subject accepts the situation, and presents facts for consideration -- the deepest and most indisputable of all facts; not the mere facts of sense about which there may be dispute, and which relate to mere temporal and material things, but the deeper facts of the soul, facts of consciousness, about which it is impossible that there should be any dispute; facts which affect character and destiny, therefore of the most profound interest possible." The bishop, in the first chapter or lecture of his book, defines or describes the experience, whose philosophy and evidential value he discusses. He says: "Experience more specifically relates to the internal state and feelings, existing as present, or recalled as past consciousness, through which one has passed or is passing. This is the sense in which it is most commonly used, and in which it is invariably used in these lectures. Whatever a man experiences he knows. It is the knowing that constitutes the experience. If he did not know the experience, he could not be said to have it. There is no consciousness of which we are not conscious, or of which we have not knowledge." Again the bishop says: "The proof of pain is that we feel it. The same is true of all subjective experiences. The proof of them is that we have them. The philosophy of these matters of experience comprises simply the consciousness of them, the right understanding of their grounds and sources, and their significance or relation to ends to be served by them." After thus clearly stating the principles and postulates of his philosophy, Bishop Foster proceeds to enumerate the facts of consciousness to which they are applicable: "To put clearly before us our task, we restate in brief the experience, the philosophy of which we are to render. It embraces five discrete facts of consciousness: (1) Consciousness of guilt; (2)
consciousness of repentance; (3) consciousness of faith; (4) consciousness of pardon and forgiveness; (5) consciousness of a new life springing in the soul; with other subsequent experiences which need not be mentioned." But later on Bishop Foster does mention and apply his philosophy to post-regeneration experiences -- to the facts which emerge in consciousness after conversion. He holds that these facts establish the following postulates: (1) that the soul is not thoroughly healed in regeneration; (2) that this cure is or may be completed gradually or instantaneously in this life by a second work of the Spirit; and (3) that the soul may subsequently have perpetual sunshine and peace, resulting from a consciousness, experience, or knowledge of this perfect cure and its consequences. President Finney, in his Systematic Theology, takes substantially the same ground that Bishop Foster does touching the infallibility of the testimony of consciousness to the facts of religious experience. He says: "A man's consciousness is the highest and best evidence of the present state of his own mind. I understand consciousness to be the mind's recognition of its own existence and exercises, and that it is the highest possible evidence to our own mind of what passes within us ... It is a testimony that we cannot doubt any more than we can doubt our existence. How do we know that we exist? I answer, by our consciousness. How do I know that I breathe, or love, or hate, or sit, or stand, or lie down, or rise up; that I am joyful or sorrowful? In short, that I exercise any emotion or volition or affection of mind? How do I know that I sin, or repent, or believe? I answer, by my own consciousness. No testimony can be so direct and convincing as this." He then applies this philosophy to the highest work of the Spirit in the soul, and says that "consciousness can testify to our present sanctification," meaning entire and permanent sanctification. Dr. Daniel Steele, in his Love Enthroned, presents and elaborates the same view. He says: "We will now endeavor to show the philosophic grounds of certainty in regard to the spiritual manifestation of the Son of God to the perfect believer. The subtle suggestion is sometimes presented that this whole matter of Christian experience is illusory -- a phenomenon of our own mind under the influence of causes wholly within itself. The thoughtful believer is sometimes annoyed by the thought that God has nothing to do with inward religious emotions -- that what seems to come from without, and to move so marvelously within the soul, assuring of pardon and cleansing from sin, really arises from the hidden depths of our own mysterious nature, while intently contemplating religious ideas, and that there is no manifestation of God at all as an objective existence. To this we have two answers: "1. In the first place, if this illusion leaves permanent beneficial effects upon the character, gives victory over sin, fills the soul with love toward God and the purest philanthropy, destroys the fear of death and adorns and beautifies the spirit with all excellences, it is infinitely better thou any reality to be found on earth, and it should be earnestly coveted and diligently sought by every person.
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WESLEYAN HERITAGE Library Holiness
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were hostile to the "second blessin
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SCRIPTURAL SANCTIFICATION: An Attem
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9 Sanctification Subsequent to Rege
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the gospel was first preached. Rede
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with tongue and pen as if in the gr
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extravagances of some unbalanced mi
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all depravity in this life, and tha
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elief of the truth." Peter tells th
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"separate and consecrate," and to h
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"Strengthened with might by His Spi
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mind" -- are removed and nothing is
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Job was one of the finest character
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Peacemaker. Hence, probably, peace
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given before. And yet, as all admit
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(2) There seems to be today a large
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It is believed, however, that there
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The ignorant and captious part of t
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to what Joel prophesied about. The
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the Spirit that had been promised b
Page 51 and 52: SCRIPTURAL SANCTIFICATION: An Attem
Page 53 and 54: "An influential and constantly incr
Page 55 and 56: pollution, and weakness, as well as
Page 57 and 58: Now, with these concessions and exp
Page 59 and 60: a fuller measure of the Spirit when
Page 61 and 62: Dr. Mudge would explain the case of
Page 63 and 64: Truth and candor require admissions
Page 65 and 66: his theory and ours seems to be tha
Page 67 and 68: that time. In a letter to the write
Page 69 and 70: Dr. Steele continues: "That the Eng
Page 71 and 72: these Paul is believed to teach tha
Page 73 and 74: prayers; remembering without ceasin
Page 75 and 76: 3. The use of the aorist indicates
Page 77 and 78: in their history, indicated by the
Page 79 and 80: then adds, "that we might receive t
Page 81 and 82: We have purposely omitted many pass
Page 85 and 86: In controverting the above, Dr. Gor
Page 87 and 88: It would seem from the foregoing th
Page 89 and 90: this "renewal," "sanctification," o
Page 93 and 94: standards on this subject." And we
Page 95 and 96: Bishop Ninde comes the nearest to t
Page 97 and 98: the man whom the Rev. Dr. D. C. Kel
Page 101: Peter's case illustrates the meanin
Page 105 and 106: Let the doubting reader weigh well
Page 107 and 108: We are profoundly convinced that th
Page 109 and 110: witnesses, to testify, not merely f
Page 111 and 112: divinely inspired, is but the Bible
Page 115 and 116: give many passages of his writings
Page 117 and 118: The same test was applied to regene
Page 119 and 120: Again he says: "Not trusting to the
Page 121 and 122: As late as 1768 he writes a friend,
Page 123 and 124: I now obey it, and tell you all, to
Page 125 and 126: We, for a time, turn from Methodist
Page 127 and 128: "Since that resignation spoken of b
Page 129 and 130: ethren of the High Life -- all thes
Page 131 and 132: Kirk, in his lectures on Revivals,
Page 133 and 134: "It was on the 23d of April, 1822,
Page 137 and 138: to me to be the witness of the Holy
Page 139 and 140: day in the Congregational Church. T
Page 141 and 142: about the truth of the gospel, and
Page 143 and 144: the shadow of one of those doubts w
Page 145 and 146: purpose than I did ... For eighteen
Page 147 and 148: "How has it been with me since?" Th
Page 149 and 150: We note the usual expressions of th
Page 151 and 152: "Never shall I forget the astonishm
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"And now, if I am asked what is my
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7. That she was not backslidden whe
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We only stress certain points: 1. H
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unbroken communion with him that th
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"The weary burden grew heavier with
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doctrine of sanctification by faith
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"I do not find this life -- what in
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In commenting on the foregoing expe
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service, the whole membership were
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temperance and social purity than a
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After telling of his going to a cam
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lay my head upon my pillow until I
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"I have said enough; the half I hav
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"A meeting commenced in my church.
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itter opposition on the part of oth
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But other physicians and patients a
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God. Sons are born into his family
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"What is meant and what is true is
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I strong" in God, because "the powe
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that while a man's heart is right w
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Before leaving this point we would
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we need the work of regeneration at
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shrink from the awful mystery and t
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the truth of his teaching concernin
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supposed. I was conscious of feelin
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In speaking of the love which resul
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chapter, calls "carnal" and "babes
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dedication of the temple, and is, "
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2. Does sanctification eradicate or
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meaning here seems vague. However,
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(3) Another reason is the greater u
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"'Then kneel right down here and pr
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Presbyterian minister's wife, who h
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Pentecost came after our Lord's ful
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wondrous love, ought it not to make
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is, however, more or less of strife
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may see what Israel needs, and then
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President Finney made the same comp
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teacher with power to teach his or
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whole spirit, and soul, and body be
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filth" -- hence that it needs no fo
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