Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

SCRIPTURAL SANCTIFICATION:
An
Attempted Solution of the Holiness Problem
By The
Rev. John R. Brooks, D.D.
Chapter 10
THE VIEW OF GREAT, LEARNED,
AND SPIRITUAL MEN OF NEARLY ALL CHURCHES
1. It need hardly be stated that every leading Church of Christendom, Greek, Romish, and
Protestant, embodies in her creed, as her interpretation of the Bible, the theory that men are not fully
saved from depravity, original sin, or a bias toward evil in regeneration. We presume that no
intelligent and well-informed person will dispute this.
2. Many of these leading Churches teach by implication, if not expressly, that there is in this life
a second, instantaneous, and important gift of the Spirit imparted to men, on certain conditions. The
theory and practice of confirmation by the Greek, Roman, Lutheran, Anglican, and American
Protestant Episcopal Churches is based on the supposed Scripture teaching that, subsequent to
regeneration, a distinct and larger gift of the Spirit comes to the regenerate. (1) It should be noted
that this rite is based on such passages of Scripture as Acts viii. 14-17 and xix. 16, where we are
taught that the Holy Ghost fell upon the Samaritan and Ephesian disciples after their regeneration.
(2) That in "the order of confirmation" those confirmed are said to have been previously regenerated
"by water and the Holy Ghost," and to have had "given unto them forgiveness for all their sins." (3)
That the prayer made by the bishop for those to be confirmed is: "Strengthen, we beseech thee, O
Lord, with the Holy Ghost, the 'Comforter,'" etc. (See "the order of confirmation" of the Protestant
Episcopal Church.)
Now, while we are not taught here that the Spirit, in his fully cleansing and empowering grace,
is in that rite expected or given, we are led to believe that he comes, as the Comforter and
Strengthener, to abide with and confirm in obedience those who in this rite are supposed to receive
him. And, while we may fear that in the great multitude of cases this rite, because of the condition
of those receiving it, may be a comparatively profitless form and a mere shadow of good things, yet
there would seem to be in the Scriptures some substance to cast this shadow over the minds of so
many great, learned, and devout men of these venerable Churches. The practice of this rite raises at
least a presumption in favor of the supposed scriptural theory of a second gift or work of the Spirit,
bestowed or wrought instantaneously after regeneration.
3. Leading divines of non-ritualistic, as well as of prelatical, Churches so interpret the Scriptures.
There is a good list of older writers and a larger one of more modern authors, who hold substantially
the view advocated in this book. More than half a century ago Drs. Upham and Mahan, eminent
ministers of the Congregational Church, and President Finney, probably the greatest evangelist of
this century, of the Presbyterian Church, held and ably advocated this view. So did the Rev. Dr. A.
B. Earle, a noted and most successful evangelist of the Baptist Church. We will not now quote from
the writings of these well-known preachers and authors, who held and taught entire sanctification,