The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-04-06
CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.


in the NJ. E. Church, on Sunday morning
last. We shall publish from week to week
synopsis of each sermon delivered, as
well on account Of the general interest re-
Gently awakened in this community on this
subject, as on account of the religious i'm
portance of it. Mr.. Ridgway will treat the
subject popularity rather than theologicaliy,
which, in view of the erroneous ideas enter
tanned by many upon the subject OF per-
sonal sanCtitication, seems the most ettec-
tive method of presenting it.
Text, Gen. II, /: l am the Almighty
God walk before Me and be thou perfect.
We find i'll the language of this passage
of Holy Writ demand made by God on
one of His creatures, an indication Of a
relationship that we believe is taught in
Scripture to be possible to all of God S
children.
Ne have chosen this passage as a motto
rather than text for our discussion of the
subject OF Christian Perfection.
This doctrine, bearing the various names
of purity. sanctiiicatiop. holiness, perfect
love, and several other titles, is explicitly
taught in the discipline aud hsmnology and
by the standard authors of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, notably by such writer's
as Wesley, Fletcher, Watson, Hedding and
more recently Bishop Foster.
Summary, the doctrine is the possibility
and consequent duty of believers living i'll
condition Of slnlessuess both Of act and
Of thought; and the teaching of the doc
trine has awakened considerable discussion
and much opposition, aud this IN many
4
lowers of The Saviour.
These objections, we believe, arise from
miseonception of what is taught, from mis-
understanding Of the doctrine as found in
the authors of our church: aud one promi-
nent object of this series of discoul ses is
10 present the doctrine as it is taught, dis
claiming the inaccuracies and some times
extravagances of profession into which some
Of las advocates have fallen.
The word rendered perfect " or - ner-
fiction occurs in the Bible 10 times, in
4, of which it is applied 20 men; the word
"sanctity OF sanctitied = 122 times, in
36 OF which it is applied to men; and the
word holy is applied to persons 20 times
in i personal, and not official, relation.
Now, if the Bible is of any value as Il
book Of Instruction, the idea thus SO promi-
nently presented and applied to individuals
is worthy Of consideration; it means some
thing; the question is, what is its signlfca-
ton?
The primal or root idea of sanotifcation
and of holiness also is consecrGtt5n or erc3u-
sire decotion. The reference was originally
to things devoted To sacrifice especially,
and them rs Gods demand was for that
which was unspotted and pure, as nothing
unciean might be offered to Him, AS moth
ing incomplete or imperfect was to be pre-
scented before Him, there grew up the idea
Of cleanliness purity, aud perfection. 1t is
i'll this modified, but nevertheless correct
Specification that it is applied to individ-
ualS.
In the writings of Richard Watson, the
standard theo!o.ian ofthe Methodist Church
in Wesley's and Fietcher's Plain Account
Of Christian Perfection, explicit and posi-
tive declaration is made Of such doctrine
as part of the creed of the Methodist Church
In the book of discipline, paragraph 149,
we find the questions asked of every caDdi-
date for admission into the travelling minis
try Of the VI. L. Church: Are you going
on to perfection ~ and do you expect to
be made perfect in love in this life ." and
an affirmative answer is required in order
TO reception into tue ministry.
The hymn book of the NJ. T. Church is
also full Of the same theme. We instance
but few. No. $50 begins,
" What is our calling glorious hope,
But inward holiness >"
No. 49l.
"Oh glorious hope of perfect love-"
And No. i92,
"oh joyful sound of gospel grace,
Christ shall in me appear:
], even |, shall see his face,
shall be hoiy here."
Nor does the NJ f. Church stand alone
although she is most prominent in the pro.
mitigation Of this doctriael in this article
Of her creed, for the Church of England
and our fellow oiiShcot prove that com
inuniOn III her pre-cDmmUuion prayer thus
duplicates, "Cleauae Thou the thoughts
of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy
Holy Spirit that We may perfectly lore 7hee. :"
Moreover, Mr.. De Rentz, of the Roman
Catholic Church. was regarded by Nh.
Wesley as an exemplcation of this doc
trlne, and in this latter day scores and
thousands OF all denominations profess this
same blessing of holiness.
And as many, yea more thousands of
Christians IN name, certainly decry the
doctrine and say you declare a man may
reach some wonderful condition that rem
ders CEriSt's atonement and prayer and
careful living unnecessary and sin an i'm
possibility This IS their mistake. and
from just such errors We may fear too
often founded upon the extravagant or un
wise expressions OF some of it's professors
arises the only opposition that we care to
regard and placate.
We assert. then, that Christian perfec-
ton, as taught by the authorities already
mentioned and by the standard and creeds
Of orr church, is l not angelic perfection
No such claim is made, but the fact of our
fallen condition, of our ignorance and weak
ness is, by all the authorities of the church.
impressed upon believers. We never hope.
while clogged with limbs of clay, to tiy
with the speed Of Al angels wing, nor
within our narrow Lori6on, bounded by
the circle Gi Our vision, to see and know
as do the holy ones from the heights of
their heavenly position.
1t is not y Adamic perfection. Mr.
Fletcher says, With respect to the charge
that ours is an Adamic Christless law of
innocence and Paradisiac perfection. ::
we utterly renonpce the doctrine" Ours
is moi Adamic: We are not in Paradise, nor
ih tlic iiiusl ~ th''st CURIOUS StiiOuDu-
lrgs, every one OF whiCh was an incentive
to love and serve God whose atmosphere
was all pure, but in the midst of the evil
dences Of ravage and ruin and ourselves
deblitated by the inheritance of centuries
of sin; nor do we believe that God de-
Names ,a43 thus fettered and shut in and
burdened, we snail lender UNTO Him such
service as was required ot the nrst mla in
his pristine STRENGTH
1t is not 81 state Of perfection in knowl-
edge, nor of freedom from error in iudg-
ment and even practice. MIR. Wesley says
in his " f!aia Account" "A man may be
filled with pure lows s.na still be liable to
mistake. : | do not expect to DE freed
from actual mistake till this mortal puts
on Immortality. - But we may carry this
thought further yet. A mistake in iudg-
ment may occasion a mistake in practice;
fol- instance hir lie Isentz's mistake con
corning the nature &C nGrtii. cation occa-
stoned that PRACTICAL mistake of wearing
au irGn gsrdie.
1t is not a a state FROM which a man
may not fall, nor condition from winch
there can be no advance. Mr.. Fletcher
says, We exhort the strongest believers
to grow up in Christ in all things, assert