Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

supposed. I was conscious of feelings which looked so suspiciously like ambition, pride, discontent,
and selfishness, that I could not feel perfectly at ease about the matter ... Owing to some bitter trials,
a fuller disclosure was made to me than ever before as to certain remains of the self-life needing
further attention. . . I had found, however positively all appeared well, that when increasingly keen
and unexpected tests were from time to time brought to bear, a little of self always showed its head,
calling for further purification, further repression. Hence I inferred it would probably always be so;
as long, at least, as I remained on earth."
We would give the most candid consideration to these passages from Dr. Mudge. For we regard
him not only as a man of very marked ability and scholarship, but also as one of superior piety and
honesty.
(1) If Dr. Mudge analyzes and interprets his experience correctly -- if he did find selfishness and
sinwardness in his heart after his supposed sanctification -- such state may have resulted from a
temporary relapse into the self-life. During the "very bitter trials" noted, he may have taken his eye
off his ever-present and strengthening Saviour and yielded to the tempter, so that something like
"certain remains of the self-life" appeared again. We have no doubt that Peter felt very much the
same way when he dissembled at Antioch.
(2) Dr. Mudge's feelings are susceptible of an interpretation that is perfectly consistent with his
freedom from selfishness. All thoughtful men realize the difficulty of distinguishing certain virtues
and vices -- the innocent and the sinful expressions of some of our natural affections, propensities,
etc. For example, the line of demarcation between innocent self-love and selfishness, proper
self-esteem and pride, lawful acquisitiveness and covetousness, a proper feeling of resentment or
opposition to wrong and sinful anger or revenge, a laudable desire to be useful and unholy ambition
-- the difference between these is not always easily seen. Of course Dr. Mudge knows that these
innocent affections are not destroyed by sanctification, but that they are simply purified and regulated
by it. And he will readily grant that it is not wrong for a man to desire the good opinion of his fellows
and the approval and praise of his God. God appeals to our self-love and encourages us to "seek for
glory and honor and immortality," as well as "eternal life." Jesus distinctly recognizes the lawfulness
of self-love, and only enjoins that we love our "neighbor as" much as we do ourselves -- not more.
No sober philosopher insists that it is wrong for the soul to burn with indignation -- a sort of anger
-- at grievous wrong done himself or another. He would be less than a complete man if he did no feel
it. Jesus felt this kind of anger, while God is "angry with the wicked every day" in this sense. And
there is a sort of that all may feel -- a "dissatisfiedness" with his outer life, which, because of
infirmities of mind and body, is not exactly what he desires to be.
Dr. Mudge evidently recognizes the difficulty of making the distinction noted above. He says: "I
was conscious of feelings which looked so suspiciously like ambition, pride, discontent, and
selfishness that I could not feel perfectly at ease about the matter." His conviction was only a
suspicion of something wrong. His feelings "looked like ambition," etc., and his "ease about the
matter" was not "perfect." A laudable "ambition" may "look like" an unholy one, a proper
self-esteem like pride, a "discontent" with external conditions like impatience, and innocent self-love
like "selfishness."