Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

Let the doubting reader weigh well the above extracts. Dr. Steele quotes and endorses the
following from Rauch's Psychology. In speaking of religion, the latter calls it
"a peculiar activity of God in the human soul, differing from all its other operations, by which it is
converted, renewed, and purified by a Power which manifests itself to the consciousness, needing
no other light."
The importance of this matter, we think, justifies the giving of these long extracts from such
profound philosophers, who have experimented as well as speculated in this blessed science. And
we think it is easy to show that this philosophy harmonizes with the teaching of Scripture, especially
the five or six different facts of consciousness to which Bishop Foster calls attention. Did not Felix
have a distinct consciousness of guilt, the publican of repentance, the father of the dumb demoniac
of faith, the penitent woman at Simon's house of forgiveness, and the upper-room disciples of the
baptism of purity, peace, and power? And was not this consciousness of these facts a knowledge of
them? When the jailor was awakened, did he not know that he was guilty? When Paul was "justified
by faith," did he not know that he had peace? When a man "loves the brethren," does he not "know"
that he has "passed from death unto life"? And when one is conscious of absolute freedom from
condemnation and fear, and from every feeling or temper contrary to love, having humble and
confident boldness in view of the judgment having this experience continuously for a series of years
-- does he not know that he has "perfect love"?
When a man "tastes and sees that the Lord is good" and "gracious," does he not receive
experimental knowledge of the fact? When he has "tasted the good word of God," "the heavenly
gift," and "the powers of the world to come," has he not had an experience of these things? And does
not this experience bring or involve a knowledge of them? May not a man as really know that he
"hungers and thirsts after righteousness as that he hungers and thirsts for the things that satisfy his
physical wants? And may he not just as really and satisfactorily feel and know that he is "filled" with
"righteousness" as that he hungered and thirsted after it? And can he not know that he is "filled" with
the Spirit and his fruit as really as that his physical hunger and thirst are satisfied?
And if we may "know that we have passed from death unto life" -- been regenerated -- "because
we love the brethren," why may we not know, with the same degree of certainty, that we have been
saved from the impurity, weakness, and feeling of remaining spiritual depravity by the baptism of
the Spirit, that "purifies our hearts by faith," "strengthens us with might in the inner man," "roots and
grounds us in love," and "fills us with all the fullness of God"?
These are just as really facts that emerge in consciousness as are the facts of guilt, pardon, the
witness of the Spirit to adoption, and his fruit of "love, joy, and peace" which attends that witness.
And the intelligence takes as full cognizance of the one class of facts as it does of the other, and as
really knows of, and can as confidently testify to, their existence. While we will not stop here to
argue the question, we are sure that the Spirit just as clearly testifies to the work of entire
sanctification and its result of "perfect love," wrought after regeneration, as he does to the guilt and
condemnation before that time, or to his pardon and adoption at that time. And we are sure that the
fully saved believer is just as conscious of the Spirit's fruit of perfect or unmixed love, joy, and peace