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THE K I NG ' S BUS I NES S unbelief, but pure love alone.’ ” But he states that they are not perfect in the sense of being free from ignor ance, mistake, infirmity, and temptation, and never in a state not admitting of increase, and in another letter he in cludes “negligences” and “ omissions.” When, however, he comes to discuss this freedom from evil thoughts he says in his sermon on “Wandering Thoughts” (No. 41, the very next to that on “Per fection” ) : “To expect deliverance from wander ing thoughts occasioned by evil spirits is to expect that the Devil should die; . . . to expect deliverance from those occa sioned by other men is to expect that men should cease from the earth; . . . to pray for deliverance from those which are occasioned by the body is in fact to pray that we may leave the body, other wise it is praying for absurdities and im possibilities, praying that God would re concile contradictions by continuing our union with a corruptible body without any of the necessary consequences of that union.” Now, no one questions the godliness or sincerity of John Wesley, a man greatly beloved, but that his words “Perfect” and “Sinless” allowed for all these things, negligences, omissions, mistakes, ignorance, and evil thoughts suggested by demons, men, and the body, shows that it is not the per fection others thought he contended for. As to those forty or fifty who felt no pride, etq., we would suggest that per haps they scarcely distinguished between having pride and feeling it. But the controversy is history now, intensely instructive to read, and valu able as exercising the heart on the sub ject of attainment. Mr. Spurgeon’s clever remark as to one who claimed perfection is true of these old saints: “We all thought our brother was per fect until he told us so.” To claim perfection is but to confess a deficiency of spiritual discernment or
to make a misuse of terms. But let us not be satisfied with im perfection and habitual failure. God forbid. We are called unto holiness, and it is not how much sin may be ex cused or failure expected, but how full a deliverance from it may be realized. 1. We may expect to attain to , A Full Assurance of our Acceptance in Christ, of the forgiveness of all our sins, and the consequent peace with God. Many of the Lord’s people enjoy that peace unbroken and undisturbed year after year; A peace: “Perfect, yet it floweth, Fuller every day; Perfect, yet it groweth, Deeper all the way.” 2. We may expect A Complete and Perfect Deliverance from some forms of sin. Thousands testify to the fact that whereas they were drunkards, hopeless ly bound in the slavery of that degrad ing habit, yet the very taste for drink has been removed. The wicked habit of getting into debt, the foolish habit of swearing, the practice of stealing, of cheating, of lying, of fornication, and .other unclean ways have become things of the past. “Such were some of you, but ye washed yourselves (middle voice in Greek); ye were sanctified” (1 Cor. 6. 9-11). Look at the list given. We can, may, should, and must attain to a complete deliverance from these. 3. We May Keep a Good Conscience. Paul repeatedly stated that he had walked in all good conscience (Acts 23. 1; 24. 16; 2 Cor. 1. 12; 2 Tim. 1. 3). He could say, “I know nothing against my self” (1 Cor. 4. 4, R. V.), and there can be no doubt that many of the Lord’s peo ple can lie down habitually at night with the consciousness that they have not wil fully grieved the Holy Spirit. This is far from being perfect or sinless, but it is no doubt what many saints in past ages claimed as such. The change from
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