Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

Truth and candor require admissions on our part that may bring Drs. Mudge and Tillett and
ourselves nearer together than we seem to be. We concede that, as Dr. Mudge says, "all true
Christians, when they are born of the Spirit, are filled with the Spirit up to their capacity [we should
say faith] at that time, are baptized with the Spirit, in a certain sense, and receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost, even the Spirit of adoption, or the Spirit of holiness, whereby they cry to God, 'Father,' and
are made holy" in part. We believe that was to some extent -- up to the measure of their faith -- the
experience of the apostles before Pentecost, and of others today before they reach their personal
Pentecost. But the apostles were not, and these others are not, in possession of what is called by
preeminence "the promise of the Father," "the gift" or "baptism of the Holy Ghost," or what Dr.
Mudge calls "the most important" of these gifts or baptisms of the Spirit.
[Transcriber Note: -- Brooks, the author of this work, believed that the heart was cleansed from
all unrighteousness in the second work of grace. However, in my opinion, his agreement with Mudge
in the following discussion, that "a baptism" of the Holy Ghost can mean "much, more, or most"
concedes too much and tends to confuse the various outpourings of the Spirit with the one,
all-important "Baptism of the Holy Ghost" wherewith the believer is sanctified wholly. Brooks had
done better not to enter into such speculations while attempting to point his readers to the true
"Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." I leave the following paragraphs that touch on
these things, not as good holiness doctrine, but as a sample of some of the theological reasoning of
that day. Happily, Brooks does repeatedly quote from the testimonies of Daniel Steele, which shine
forth in this discussion like the noon-day sun in revealing the true, sin-consuming, second work of
grace, Baptism of the Holy Ghost. -- DVM]
And we agree with Dr. Mudge that "a baptism of the Holy Ghost, as the words are used now -that
is, a quickening, or strengthening, or uplifting of the spiritual life -- may be a very great thing
or a comparatively small thing, something permanent or something evanescent, according to
circumstances." Also, that "being filled with the Holy Ghost may mean much or more or most." And
we are also inclined to accept the theory of Dr. Steele, that there are three kinds of baptism or
fullness of the Spirit -- the "ecstatic" or "emotional" fullness, the "charismatic" or "prophetic"
fullness, and the "ethical" or "moral" fullness -- "the fullness of righteousness."
1. The first of these -- the "emotional" fullness -- may be realized in regeneration, and, as Dr.
Steele says, "may temporarily conceal, but does not remove, the evils of the heart," being, as Dr.
Mudge states, "evanescent" and leaving no permanent moral effect. This is what Mr. Fletcher thinks
was realized in case of most of the multitude at Pentecost. While he concedes that some or many of
them may have been made perfect in love, he thinks that some, if not most of them, "may have had
the imperfection of their love only covered over by a land flood [freshet] of peace and joy in
believing." Mr. Wesley speaks of those who at conversion felt no sin in the heart and concluded,
hence, that there was none, but who were soon undeceived. And this seems to be the case with many
of the present day at their conversion, or at other marked periods in their history subsequent thereto.
They feel nothing but love at the time -- seem to be on a higher spiritual plane -- but soon after their
conversion or reconsecration they or others see their mistake. It was only an "emotional" fullness.
2. The second kind, or "charismatic" fullness, is an extraordinary gift of the Spirit, which seems
sometimes to be bestowed on unconverted men like Balaam, and some of whom our Lord speaks in