Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

wondrous love, ought it not to make your love more abounding? If you have tasted this grace, I know
you feel so.
"You love holiness. The first advice I offer is, love it more and more; still continue to aspire after
its greater depths and heights; you cannot be too holy; but do not make the mistake of imagining that
the profession of holiness is holiness, or is a means to its attainment, or a means to its continuance.
Above all, avoid extravagance in the manner and terms of profession. This has been, and yet
[8] [9]
is, a source of great evil. There is no occasion for it. Your heart compels you to confess what God
has done for you. That is right, but you want to be wise in the manner of your confession, and your
life to correspond with it; otherwise, it becomes an offense and does immense harm. Great mischief
has come to the Church from this source. If your experience is genuine, you would not do harm -make
not your godliness itself an offense. It will not hurt you to be modest in speaking of yourself
to remember that you are fallible -- not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think; in
honor to prefer others. Remember that self-distrust is not a vice but a virtue rather. Remember
further that any experience you may have had has not freed you from common infirmities, and
therefore the reason for modesty [very important]. That there are tendencies to over profession,
separation, spiritual egotism, pride, antinomianism, a freeing from the common law of duty, schism
of the body of Christ, uncharitable judging of others, setting up a censorship over the pulpit,
self-assertion and overweening confidence, a depreciation of the ordinary means of grace, fanaticism,
no one who is observant can doubt. Every thoughtful Christian knows that these dangers are rife.
You may not be conscious of them in yourself, but you know they exist. This ought to be sufficient
to put you on your guard."
The following from the good bishop may well be considered and heeded by ministers and others
belonging to both of these classes:
"There can be but one aim with us as Christians. That aim must be that the whole Church shall
be brought to the highest possible completeness in Christ, that all the members of the mystical body
shall become vigorous and healthy, that the entire Church should be penetrated and filled with the
divine life to utmost fullness. I am bold to say that this is the longing desire and aim of every
regenerate soul. Nothing is more certain than that things which tend to strife and contention and
schism must hinder that aim. Can we doubt, with all the facts before us, that great evil has arisen
from the spirit of separation that has been engendered and is assiduously cultivated among us? Is it
to edification that a guild should be established on the profession of special attainments in grace?
Does it improve the quality and usefulness of the class so distinguishing itself? Does experience
prove that it is helpful to the body? Is it authorized by the teachings and Spirit of the Master himself.
It has happened time and again: does the history of the past warrant the belief that it is of God? Is
there not a better way? Reflect. [Whether or not we fully agree with the good bishop, should we not
seriously consider this?]