Letters on Christian holiness

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LETTERS

Preface

This little volume is tlie result of numerous conversations on the subject of Christian holiness, or the holiness which the Methodist Church has always held to be attainable through the blood of Christ, and the agency of the Holy Spirit; and not only attainable, but the privilege of all Christians. The aim in writing these letters was to meet objections and inquiries, which the writer found to arise in the minds of those, especially young persons, with whom she conversed. These she found to be various : difficulties were raised, by the great adversary^ varying according to the mental constitution, or circumstances of the person ; and often, when one was surmounted, another was raised in the same mind, so that some persons have had nearly all the temptations, here referred to, to contend with. And although they are met,

VI PREFACE.

directly or indirectly, in the excellent treatises on this subject that have appeared, the answers are generally so mixed with other matter that the inquirers will not take the trouble of searching them out. The apology for offering these Letters to the public is this, many persons, in whose judgment the church has confidence, earnestly advised their publication; thought they were adapted to do good,* and would be read by many who would not read a treatise however excellent it was. If the Great Head of the Church will condescend to employ them to incite any of the youth of the church, for whom particularly they were written, to a fuller consecration of their powers to God, to a " closer walk" with him, the writer will think her time well spent, and will "give God the praise."

* The Rev. Levi (now Bishop) Scott said, in a letter to the writer, " I cordially advise their publication ; I think them well adapted to do good ; to promote the great cause of Christian Perfection."

Letter I

The light of the Spirit necessary to show us our privilege — We live under the dispensation of the Spirit — We ought to seek to know our privilege — What Holiness, or Perfect Love implies — Christ's Atonement the ground of acceptance, &c. &c. . P. 13

Letter II

The means of purification, the Fountain opened in the house of David — The blood of Christ— The Agent the Holy Spirit — He enlightens, convinces, renews, seals, sanctifies, and bears his testimony to the fact in the believing heart — Christ the Alpha and the Omega in our salvation — The act of ours that brings us into possession is faith — Its importance, &c. &c. . 21

Letter III

The foundation of our faith is the word of God — Its precepts enjoin holiness, and its promises secure it to us — Its prophecies point to it, and its prayers recognize it as our privilege ; and its exhortations press us on to its attainment, &c 28

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Letter IV

Satan presents seeming discouragements — There are no real discouragements — Faith will triumph over all opposition — If allowed to exert its omnipotence, it will certainly bring the power that " slays the dire root and seed of sin," &c. . . . P. 41

Letter V

The difference between saving faith and the faith we are daily exercising is in the objects to which they relate — We err in mystifying faith — The difference between general and appropriating faith — How the Spirit assists our faith, and thus increases it — Errors in praying for faith as the consequence of mistaken notions of it — An anecdote — The omnipotence of faith, &c .47

Letter VI

Satan opposes our spiritual progress — Faith overcomes him — Personal experience of the power of faith — This is the dispensation of the Spirit, &c. &c. . 57

Letter VII

Distrust of God a common temptation — God does not willingly afflict his people, though he sometimes leads them through great tribulation — It is important that we have the spirit of sacrifice — Resignation not stoical indifference — Personal experience of the

CONTENTS. IX

sweetness of resignation — Religion hinders none of our rational enjoyment of the blessings of this life — Christ the common "centre where all Christians meet, &c. &c P. 68

LETTER Villi

Christian perfection not Adamic — Love is the fulfilling of the law — Christ makes an atonement for our imperfections — Continual faith in his blood brings us into constant contact with his merits, and renders our imperfect services acceptable — Christian perfection described — Some of its glorious results referred to, &c 77

Letter IX

Satan's wiles further considered — Our weakness no cause of discouragement, since Christ is our strength — It is a false humility that would keep us from Christ — Exhortations to press on to the enjoyment of our privilege, &c. 86

Letter X

Reasons for early consecration further considered — There may be much usefulness where great talents are not given — Those who have been most useful were early consecrated to God — The necessity of being entirely consecrated to God, that we may be kept in his fear — There is no presumption in claiming our privilege — If others live beneath their privilege that is no reason why we should, &c. . 95

CONTENTS.

Letter XI

Encouragements to persevere in the way of faith. — Examples of persons early consecrated to Grod — Devotion to Christ ranks us with the ancient and modern worthies, at the head of which phalanx Christ stands — Exhortations to an immediate act of faith — Joy in heaven over the soul contending for its privilege— The thought that those of our friends who have gone before participate in it, a strong stimulus to perseverance — The happy consequences of believing, &c.

Letter XII

Exhortations to an entire trust in Christ and to present faith in his blood — Christ's readiness to give us full salvation — Danger in expecting him to work according to our preconceived notions — Fletcher's opinion on that subject — The simplicity of love, &c. . 113

Letter XIII

The blessedness of the enjoyment of perfect love — The importance of walking in the highway of holiness — The perfect Christian derives momentarily his life from Christ — The Christian armor given us to use it — Persecution to be expected — Christ hath set us an example of patient endurance — Necessity of culti-

CONTENTS. Xi

vating the graces of the Spirit — Christian perfection admits of growth — Christ will lead his people on, &c.

Letter XIV

Joy a fruit of faith — Various causes operate so as to damp it — An anecdote showing that it exists when it is not sensible — Resignation the deepest lesson the Christian learns — It is likeness to Christ — Personal experience — Faith, love, and resignation the cardinal graces — Diligence in the service of God, the way to enjoyment, &c. 133

Letter XV

The importance of cross-bearing — The kind of self-denial we are to practise — The Word of God, and not the example of professors, is to be our guide in this matter — It is a false humility that shuns the cross — We are Jesus' witnesses — No spirit to be followed but the one that breathes in the divine word.

Letter XVI

Observations on dress — Neatness and simplicity to be observed — All affectation to be avoided — A sense of dependence to be cultivated — The love of Christ is infinite, &c. &c 157

Xll CONTENTS.

Letter XVII

The beauty of holiness — It brings power to resist temptation — Personal experience — There is a grief caused by the separation of friends that is not inconsistent with resignation — It is a great salvation to be saved from unnecessary self-reproach — The unction of the Holy One will teach all things, &c. &c. . P. 164

Introduction

"As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation, " is a precept of unspeakable importance to all who aspire to the life eternal in heaven. To aid such is the design of this volume. In the form of familiar "letters/ 7 it treats of "Christian holiness" as the privilege of all, who will enter into the " holiest by the blood of Jesus." Here the understanding of the earnest inquirer is not confused and bewildered by the din and strife of controversy ; but is led to regard purity of heart and life as the distinguishing privilege of the believer on earth, and as the condition upon which is suspended an entrance into " the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

The polemics of the subject abound in books of

different pretension from this, while its more

didactic forms have been fully treated by numerous

and able advocates, who have stood forth in de-

XIV INTRODUCTION.

fence of " the truth as it is in Jesus. " Here, without any pretensions to skill in authorship, the writer asserts the purchased privilege of believers in a style well befitting the simplicity of the gospel ; and with a fervency of spirit quite in harmony with the designs of the Son of God in giving " himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." The epistolary form will render it at once simple and attractive. By this means, the humble and teachable in the school of Christ, will be led into the experimental realization of a " peace that passeth understanding," without the perplexities which too often involve the subject in the more elaborate treatises upon this sublime theme. Indeed, it is our clear and well-settled conviction, that simplicity in the style and mode of setting forth the great doctrines and privileges of the gospel, is preeminently a want of the age. It is thus such themes are treated in the teachings of the Master and his apostles ; and it is thus all should treat them, who ardently desire to lead the lambs of Christ's flock into the rich pasturage provided for their sustenance and growth.

It will be seen by the reader that the author

INTRODUCTION. XV

has kept herself within the well settled bounds and limits of the subject — indulging in no theories or visionary speculations, but steadily paying merited deference to the conclusions of a sound Wesleyan theology — " teaching none other things" than those sanctioned by the godly judgment of the man whom we honor as teacher of the " deep things of God." It is, therefore, a safe work for the young, and well adapted to stimulate them to diligence in the pursuit of that holiness without which none shall see the Lord.

It is cause of devout thanksgiving to God that " Christian holiness" is becoming more than ever the theme of the pulpit, and the experience of the church. No longer confined and restricted to the teachings of a few, who were supposed to be setters-forth of an impracticable and unattainable experience, it is now the common theme of an evangelical Christendom ; while its purifying spirit has permeated almost every heart, and baptized almost every lip, to whose ministry is intrusted " the unsearchable riches of Christ." Among the agencies by means of which it is hoped, through God's blessing, to quicken the churches into a higher life, this little volume asks and claims an humble place. It goes on its mission with the

XVI INTRODUCTION.

earnest hope and sincere prayer, that it may lead many souls to know, and to rejoice in, the unspeakable privileges of a " perfect love that

CASTETH OUT ALL FEAR."

W. KEKNEY.

Philadelphia, December, 1858.

LETTERS ON CHRISTIAN HOLINESS.

Letter I

The light of the Spirit necessary to show us our privilege — "We live under the dispensation of the Spirit — We ought to seek to know our privilege — What Holiness, or Perfect Love implies — Christ's Atonement the ground of acceptance, &c. &c.

It is with great pleasure, and yet with trembling awe, I attempt to answer your inquiries on the subject of Perfect Love. I would feel pleasure in aiding you in your pursuit of this invaluable blessing; yet, conscious as I am of the sacredness of the ground on which I tread in trying to do so, I approach the subject with profound solemnity; entreating the Father of spirits, and Source of light, to aid me in writing, and cause his Spirit to shine into your heart, and to shine upon his word, and so to take of the things that are Christ's, and show them unto you, that you may be able to apprehend your high calling's glorious hope; and that you, having correct views of your privilege in the gospel, may, by faith, "lay hold on the hope set before you." This is emphatically the dispensation of the Spirit; therefore, it becomes us as Christians to examine carefully what God the Spirit proposes to do in us, lest we allow ourselves to be kept dwarfs in religion, when we might come up to the measure of the stature of a " Perfect man in Christ Jesus." You are anxious to know what this Holiness or Perfect Love, of which we speak, is, and how it is to be attained. Perhaps we cannot get a clearer view of it than by referring to those persons and animals that, under the law, or Mosaic dispensation, were termed holy. The priests were of this number, and by a reference to the account given us by Moses, we find they were separated from all purposes foreign to the service of the temple, consecrated to that service, and cleansed or purified for it. We also find that blood was used in the purification; for the Lord said unto Moses: "And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him." — Ex. xxix. 21. Holiness, then, we see, implies two things; entire consecration and purification. In view of this, the apostle Peter calls the Christians, to whom he addresses an epistle, and all who "Have obtained like precious faith," "A royal priesthood" — "Kings and priests unto God."

My sister, is not our calling, then, a high and holy one ? We are called to be kings and priests unto God, to offer unto him spiritual sacrifices. Yea, the way is opened into the "Holiest" by the blood of Jesus, and we may approach to God "by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh."

We may, yea, we are kindly and pressingly invited to come and enjoy communion with the Maker and Governor of the universe — the "King of kings, and Lord of lords;" because we have there, at all times, a merciful and gracious High Priest, who presents our cause and pleads the sacrifice once offered of himself for us; for as, under the Mosaic law, all preparations for office, or for approach to God were accompanied by bloody sacrifices; so, under the Christian dispensation, the individual who comes to God must plead the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world as the ground of his hope. And, I doubt not, when we examine the subject a little farther and see how great are the privileges which this sacrifice secures to us, you will say with me, hallelujah to God and the Lamb! or unite with the heavenly company which John heard: "Saying, with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Yes!

worthy is the Lamb, and when all heaven's hierarchy, and all the redeemed from earth shall join in an eternal song of "Worthy is the Lamb," that shall peal through the celestial dome, his worthiness, his love can ne'er be told. Then —

" my soul, prolong The never ceasing song ; Christ my theme, my hope, my joy,

His be all my happy days ; Praise my every hour employ,

Every breath be spent in praise."

But a question arises here: "What is the nature of the consecration we are to make, and by w T hat means shall we attain to this state of purification? Christ is the sacrifice, you will say, but what is the means of purification ? With respect to the consecration which we are to make, I would say it is clearly set forth in the divine word. St. Paul, in the 12th chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, and 1st verse, says: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which 2* is your reasonable service." Here is an allusion to those animals which were presented to God for sacrifice under the Mosaic law. They were living animals when brought to the temple; nothing that had died of itself was acceptable; they were also free from blemish, and were the very best of the flock or herd.

This teaches us that now, while we have life and health, we are to dedicate ourselves unreservedly to God; to do or to suffer his righteous will; to keep his glory, and the answering of his designs in view, in the disposal of all our time; to employ all our talents in his service, whether he has given us one, or five, or ten; willing to be "hewers of wood or drawers of water," so we may be employed for him in the way he shall choose to appoint. We are to commit all choosing and legislating for us into his hands, without reserving to ourselves any right to say what he shall give, or what he shall withhold. We must renounce the world — its spirit is enmity to God — and until we are willing to act independent of its smiles or frowns, we are not fully prepared to acknowledge Christ as our King. "We are to form the determination to stand for God, in the strength of grace, at all times, in all places, and at all hazards. In making this dedication, however, we need not fear being called to renounce all rational means of enjoyment, or suppose that God will take delight in afflicting us, because we have promised that, in his strength, we will not become restive under his hand.

God is love, and cannot be indifferent to the comfort of any of his creatures ; he takes no pleasure in the pain of any living thing; on the contrary, he provides for the comfort and happiness of all ; and those who make an entire consecration of themselves to him, become the especial objects of his care. They enter into covenant with him, and he with them; the consecration above described is their part of the covenant; and, as his part, he condescends to charge himself with the care of all that concerns them. They that touch them, touch the apple of his eye —

" He sees their hopes, lie knows their fear, And looks, and loves his image there ;"

and lie will make all things work together for their good, and require them to sacrifice nothing but what his infinite wisdom sees hurtful to them.

I have now, my dear friend, filled up my present letter, and must defer the further consideration of the subject to some future time ; hoping and praying that, in the mean time, you will make the subject of consecration a matter of serious and prayerful consideration, and that you may be enabled to make the sacrifice, and to lay yourself on the altar a whole burnt offering, is the prayer of your friend.

Letter II

The means of purification, the Fountain opened in the house of David — The blood of Christ— « The Agent the Holy Spirit — He enlightens, convinces, renews, seals, sanctifies, and bears his testimony to the fact in the believing heart — Christ the Alpha and the Omega in our salvation — The act of ours that brings us into possession is faith — Its importance, &c. &c.

I now resume the subject which we began to consider in my last letter, and shall proceed to consider the means of purification. The Prophet Zechariah looked forward from the desolate state of the church in his day, and beheld, in prophetic vision, "A fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness." — Zech. xiii. 1. St. John tells us in his first General Epistle, 1st chapter, and 7th verse: "The blood of Jesus Christ — cleanseth us from all sin." Paul, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, 9th chapter, and 13th and 14th verses, says: "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh ; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" This precious blood it is which purifies our polluted souls. It is when this is applied that we become "elect through sanctification of the Spirit, and sprinkling of the blood of Christ." John refers to this fact when, in his salutation to the seven churches in Asia, he uses this sublime and poetic language: "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." — Eev. i. 5, 6.

The sprinkling of the blood of the atoning animal on Aaron, and his sons, which rendered them legally clean, and purified them for the service of the Jewish temple, typified the application of the blood of Christ, our atoning sacrifice, to our hearts and consciences, preparing us, as priests to God, to render unto him purely spiritual worship in the temple of our hearts, the place which, under the gospel dispensation, he hath chosen for himself to dwell. The great agent in this work of salvation is the Holy Spirit. The Saviour himself informs us of the work of the Spirit : " He shall teach you all things ;" "The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth;" "He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." — John xiv. 26, and xvi. 13, 15. St. Paul, also, in writing to the Corinthian Church, says: "Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." — 1st Cor. vi. 11. In another place he tells us: "It is by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost that we are saved;" and we are exhorted not to grieve the Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption.

Thus, we see, the ever blessed Trinity is united in the great work of redemption, as in the work of creation. The Father, in answer to the prayer of the Son, sends the Holy Spirit; the Spirit shows us our depravity, leads us to the open fountain, applies the precious blood of sprinkling, affixes his seal, and bears his testimony to his own work. "Here the whole Deity is seen;" but prominent, indeed, stands the Son. He took our nature upon him, and not only did he satisfy the demands of Divine justice in paying the penalty due to the broken law, and thus provide means by which God can be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus, but his is the sacrifice that renders our offering acceptable when we would consecrate body, soul, and spirit to God. His is the blood that cleanseth from all sin. His flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed : of which, if we partake not, we have no life in us.

In the earliest stages of our Christian experience, the Lamb slain is the foundation of our hope and the burden of our song ; as we progress, it is the Lamb ; when we arrive at the state of fathers in Christ, still we sing the Lamb; and when we shall mingle our hallelujahs with the celestial choir, the highest note will be glory to God and the Lamb ! Jesus Christ is to us the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Now, although the whole Trinity have thus conspired to effect our restoration to the Divine image, such is the plan of salvation, that this great, this desirable end will not be answered without our co-operation; and the immediate act of ours that brings the blessing is faith. When we bring our offering to the altar faith is necessary to its acceptance ; indeed, I think, we will not be likely to make the offering until we believe it will be accepted as soon as we offer it. And as "the altar is most holy, so whatever toucheth it is holy." It must not be applied to carnail uses, and the fire of Divine love will consume, speedily, whatever dross remains, so that we need not be deterred from making the offering by the consideration that we have nothing to bring but what has much remaining impurity in it. We are to bring our offering to God just as it is, and believe it will be accepted and 3 purified. God does not require us to bring to him what we have not to give. If we were pure, there would be no need of cleansing; we would then only have to be careful to keep ourselves unspotted in the would; but as we come to God through Christ, feeling and knowing our impurity, we are required to believe that he will take away all our dross; that he is a Saviour to his people from all their sins. Nay, more, that he does save us when we come to him and ask him, because he has promised to do so, and his promise cannot fail.

The reason why a great many fail to obtain this full salvation is, they stumble here at the very threshold; they keep praying and praying for a clean heart, but will not believe for it; and so, like the man at Bethesda's pool, they lie for a long time, while many, by faith, plunge into the opened fountain and experience its cleansing power. Again, others come with a faith so weak that, by its faint and flickering ray it appears to them at a great distance, and only to be reached by a slow process; therefore, they

CHRISTIAN HOLINESS. 2T

think they must travel towards it; and after they have toiled and striven, perhaps for a series of years, they will at last arrive at the goal, and enjoy the much desired rest of fperect love ; but after living for years, perhaps for many years, in this way, you find they get no nearer to it until they discover that "the word is nigh them, even in their mouth, and in their heart; the word of faith which, we preach." Some of these, instead of advancing towards it after they have viewed it in the distance for some time, turn their thoughts from it, and instead of going on to perfection, they are found measuring their steps back to earth again; associating with the worldly and the gay, and retaining little of religion but the form.

You see, then, my dear friend, that faith is of the utmost importance ; indeed, without it " it is impossible to please God.' 7 Then let the cry of your heart be —

" Oh for a firm and lasting faith, To credit all the Almighty saith ; To embrace the promise of his Son, And feel the Comforter my own."

This is the realizing light that drives away the shadows of unbelief, and clears up the prospect of the goodly land, and enables us to enter in. May it be yours.

Letter III

The foundation of our faith is the word of God — Its precepts enjoin holiness, and its promises secure it to us — Its prophecies point to it, and its prayers recognize it as our privilege ; and its exhortations press us on to its attainment, &c.

You are desirous of knowing on what foundation your faith can rest. What reason you can give for indulging the " Glorious hope of perfect love." I said in my last you were to rest it on the word of God. That is the only sure foundation, and if our hopes are built on anything else, we must be doomed to disappointment. It is certainly very important, then, that we should know whether we have a right to expect a thing before we either pray or believe for it. I believe one great reason why we do not see more answers to prayer in the church is, people pray too much at random, without considering whether they really need what they ask; and whether or not God has promised it. Indeed, so inconsistent are some, that I have heard them pray most devoutly, to all appearance, for holiness, while, at the same time, they denied its attainableness. But as you wish to be consistent and scriptural, let us search the Scriptures that we may see what they teach, and I think you will be persuaded that nothing can have a firmer basis than has our faith for this great blessing. Let us, therefore, look at the promises and precepts that are left on record for our encouragement. And before we do so it may be proper to say that, in Scripture, this state has various names : as The being perfect in Christ Jesus — Loving God with all the heart —Holiness, &c. Indeed, I believe the term most frequently used in Scripture to express 3* it is, perfection or perfect love. We have a right to take encouragement from the COmmands of Almighty God, as well as from his promises; for, we cannot think that a just and holy God would require of us a service which it is impossible for us to render; so that we may safely infer that whatever he requires of us he will give us grace to perform.