in trespasses and sins.
The first movement, however, must always be from God to the
sinner, and not from the sinner to God. God does, indeed, in His great
mercy, come first to us. This He does through His own means of Grace.

In holy baptism He meets us even on the threshold of existence,
takes us into His loving arms, places His hands in blessing upon our
heads, breathes into us a new life, and adopts us into His own family.
If the sinner afterwards fall from this baptismal Grace, goes back
into the ways of sin, and breaks his side of the covenant, God is
still faithful and comes to him again by His Holy Spirit through His
Word; strives with him and endeavors to turn or convert him again
_from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God_.

We should notice here a distinction between those, who have at
some time been under divine influence, as by virtue of the sacramental
Word in baptism, or the written or preached Word, and those who have
never been touched by a breath from above. When the Spirit of God
comes to the former, He finds something still to appeal to. There is
more or less _receptivity_ to receive the Grace of God, as there is
more or less life still in the germ formerly implanted. When He comes
to the latter class there is nothing to work on. The foundations must
be laid. A receptivity must be brought about, a new life must be
inbreathed. In other words, in the conversion of the latter the Holy
Spirit must do what He has already done in the former. The one is the
conversion of a once regenerate but now lapsed one. The other is the
regeneration and conversion of one heretofore always dead in sin.

But in every case, God comes first to the sinner; whether it be
in the sacramental, or the written and preached Word. It is always
through that Word, as we have already shown, that the Spirit of God
operates on the sinful heart, enkindling penitence and begetting faith
in Christ.

Now, what part does the will perform in this great work? Is it
entirely passive, merely wrought upon, as the stone by the sculptor?
At first, the will is doubtless entirely passive. The first movements,
the first desires, the first serious thoughts, are beyond question
produced by the Spirit, through the Word. These are the advance
signals and heralds of Grace. They are the preparatory steps, and
hence these first approaches of divine influence are called by
theologians _Prevenient Grace_, that is the divine influence of Grace
which precedes or goes before all other movements in the return of the
soul to God.

This preparatory Grace comes to the sinner unsought, and is so
far unavoidable. It is purely and entirely the work of the Holy Spirit
_upon_ the sinner. The human will has nothing whatever to do with
the first beginnings of conversion. Of this our Confessions testify:
"God must first come to us." "Man's will hath no power to work the
righteousness of God, or a spiritual righteousness, without the spirit
of God." Of this the Prophet speaks when he says, Zech. iv. 6, "_Not
by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord_." Also, 1
Cor. xii. 3, "_No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the
Holy Ghost_."

After prevenient Grace, however, begins to make itself felt, then
the will begins to take part. It must now assume an attitude, and meet
the question: Shall I yield to these holy influences or not? One or
the other of two courses must be pursued. There must be a yielding to
the heavenly strivings, or a resistance. To resist at this point
requires a positive act of the will. This act man can put forth by his
own strength. On the other hand, with the help of that Grace, already
at work in his heart, he can refuse to put forth that act, of his
will, and thus remain non-resistant.

If man, thus influenced from above, now deliberately uses his
will power, and _resists_ the gracious influences of prevenient
Grace, he quenches the Holy Spirit of God, whereby he is sealed to the
day of redemption. He has hardened his heart. His last state is worse
than the first. He remains unconverted, and on himself alone is the
responsibility.

If, on the other hand, he even _with_ the assistance of
prevenient Grace, permits it to do its work, the process goes on. His
will is being renewed. It experiences the pulsations of a new life. It
realizes the possession of new powers. There is an infusion from God's
will into his will, and now prevenient Grace is changed into operating
Grace. The Word has _free course_. _It runs and is glorified._ He
"_works out his own salvation with fear and trembling_," while it
is all the time "_God that worketh in him both to will and to do of
His good pleasure_."

Such a person is a new creature in Christ Jesus. Operative Grace
goes out into cooeperating Grace. He becomes a worker with God, and as
he grows in Grace and in knowledge, his will becomes more and more
free as it comes more and more into harmony with God's will.

Again we ask, What has the human will to do with this great
change? We answer, Two things.

First, man can and will to go to church where the means of Grace
are, or he can will to remain away. If he deliberately wills to absent
himself from where their influence is exerted, he remains unconverted,
and _on himself is the responsibility_. If, on the other hand, he
wills to go where God speaks to man in His ordinary way, he does so
much towards permitting God to convert him.

Secondly, when the means of Grace do carry renewing power, and he
is made to realize their efficacy--though it be at first only in an
uneasiness, dissatisfaction with self, and an undefined longing after
something better--he can, as we have seen, permit the work to go on.
Thus he may be said, negatively, to help towards his conversion. On
the other hand, he can shake off the good impressions, tear away from
the holy influences, resist the Spirit, and remain unconverted.
Clearly, _on himself is all the responsibility_ if he perish. God
desired to convert him. He "_rejected the counsel of God against
himself_." Luke vii. 30.

And thus our Lutheran doctrine of _Grace through the means of
Grace_, clears away all difficulties and avoids all contradictions. It
gives God all the glory, and throws on man all the responsibility.

Sailing thus under the colors of scriptural doctrine, we steer
clear of the Scylla of Calvinism on the one hand, and also escape the
Charybdis of Arminianism on the other.

We give to Sovereign Grace all the glory of our salvation just as
much as the Calvinists do. And yet we make salvation as free as the
boldest Arminian does. Whatever is excellent in both systems we
retain. Whatever is false in both we reject. We refuse to make of man
a machine, who is _irresistibly_ brought into the kingdom of God,
and forced indeed to accept of Sovereign Grace. On the other hand, we
utterly repudiate the idea that man is _himself_ able to "get
religion," to "get through," to "grasp the blessing," or to "save
himself." To such self-exaltation we give no place--no, not for a
moment!

With Luther we confess, "I believe that I cannot, by my own
reason or strength, believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him.
But that the Holy Spirit hath called me by His Gospel, enlightened me
by His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in
like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole
Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ
in the true faith. In which Christian Church He daily forgives me
abundantly all my sins and the sins of all believers, and will raise
up me and all the dead at the last day, and will grant everlasting
life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly
true."

"Grace first contrived the way
To save rebellious man;
And all the steps that Grace display
Which drew the wondrous plan.

"Grace taught my roving feet
To tread the heavenly road;
And new supplies each hour I meet,
While pressing on to God.

"Grace all the work shall crown
Through everlasting days;
It lays in heaven the topmost stone,
And well deserves the praise."




CHAPTER XXI.

JUSTIFICATION.

Among all the doctrines of our holy Christian faith, the doctrine
of Justification by Faith alone, stands most prominent. Luther calls
it: "The doctrine of a standing or a falling church," _i.e._, as
a church holds fast and appropriates this doctrine she remains pure
and firm, and as she departs from it, she becomes corrupt and falls.
This doctrine was the turning point of the Reformation in the
sixteenth century. It was the experience of its necessity and efficacy
that made Luther what he was, and equipped him for a Reformer.
Naturally, therefore, it occupies the chief place in all our
Confessions, and is prominent in all the history of our Church.

In these chapters on the "Way of Salvation," it has been
_implied_ throughout. There is indeed no doctrine of salvation
that is not more or less connected with or dependent on this one.

Some time ago we noticed a statement of a certain bishop in a
large Protestant Church, declaring that "not Justification, but the
Divinity of Christ, is the great fundamental doctrine that conditions
the standing or falling of a church." At first sight this seems
plausible. But when we come to reflect, we cannot but see that the
true doctrine concerning the Person of Christ is not only implied, but
embraced in the doctrine of Justification by Faith. A man might be
sound on the Divinity of Christ, and yet not know aright the Way of
Salvation. But a man cannot be sound on Justification without being
sound, not only on the Person of Christ, but also on His work and the
Way of Salvation through Him.

So much has been written and preached in our Church on this
subject, that it is not necessary for us to enter upon a full
discussion here. We will endeavor, therefore, merely in outline, to
call attention to a few of its most prominent and practical features.

We inquire briefly into its meaning and nature. Justification is
an act of God, by which He accounts or adjudges a person righteous in
His sight. It is not a change in the person's nature, but it is a
change in his _standing_ in the sight of God. Before justification he
stands in the sight of God, guilty and condemned. Through
justification, he stands before God free from guilt and condemnation;
he is acquitted, released, regarded and treated as if he had never
been guilty or condemned. The justified person stands in the sight of
God, as if he really had never committed a sin and were perfectly
innocent. Thus it is clear that justification treats of and has regard
to the sinner's _relation_ to God. It has nothing to do with his
change of nature. It is of the utmost importance that this be kept
constantly in mind. It is by applying justification to the change in
the sinner's nature that so many become confused, and fall into
grievous and dangerous errors.

The original source, or moving cause of justification, is God's
love. Had God not "_loved the world_" there would have been no
divine planning or counseling for man's justification. Truly it
required a divine mind to originate a scheme by which God "_could be
just and yet justify the ungodly_." All the wisdom of the world
could never have answered the question: "_How can mortal man be just
with God_?"

Man stood, in the sight of God, as a rebel against His divine
authority, a transgressor of divine law, guilty, condemned, and wholly
unable to justify himself, or to answer for one in a thousand
offences. God had given His word that, because of guilt, there must be
punishment and suffering. This word was given before sin was
committed, and was repeated a thousand times afterwards. There must
then be obedience to an infinite law, or _infinite_ punishment
for transgression. How could this gulf be bridged, and man saved?

There was only one way. "_God so loved the world that He gave
His only-begotten Son._" That Son, "_the brightness of the
Father's glory and the express image of His person_," "_in whom
dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily_," came into our
world. He came to take the sinner's place--to be his substitute.
Though Lord and giver of the law, He put Himself under the law. He
fulfilled it in every jot and tittle. He did no sin, neither was guile
found in his mouth. Thus He worked out a complete and perfect
righteousness. He did not need this righteousness for Himself, for He
had a righteousness far above the righteousness of the law. He wrought
it out not for Himself, but for man, that He might make it over and
impute it to the transgressor. Thus then while man had no obedience of
his own, he could have the obedience of another set down to his
account, as though it were his own.

But this was not enough. Man had sinned and was still constantly
sinning, his very nature being a sinful one. As already noted, the
divine Word was pledged that there must be punishment for sin. The
Son, who came to be a substitute, said: Put me in the sinner's place;
let me be the guilty one; let the blows fall upon me. And thus, He
"_who knew no sin was made sin_ (or a sin-offering) _for us_." He
"_was made a curse_," "_bore our sins_" and "_the iniquity of us
all_." He, the God-man, was regarded as the guilty one, treated as the
guilty one, suffered as the guilty one.

He suffered as God, as well as man. For the Divine and human were
inseparably united in one person. Divinity by itself cannot suffer and
die. But thus mysteriously connected with the humanity it could and
really did participate in the suffering and dying. And who will
calculate what Immanuel can suffer? What must it have been when it
crushed Him to earth, made Him cry out so plaintively, and at last
took His life! Our old theologians loved to say, that what the
sufferings of Christ lacked in _extensiveness_ or duration, they
made up in _intensiveness_. Thus there was a perfect atonement.
_All_ the punishment had been endured. A perfect righteousness
had been wrought out, and the Father set His seal to it in the
resurrection and ascension of His dear Son. Here, then, was real
substitution, and this is the _ground_ for our justification.

It has been asked, on this point, if Christ by His perfect life
wrought out a complete righteousness, which He needed not for Himself,
but intended for the sinner, why was not this sufficient? Why was His
death necessary? On the other hand, if His death is a perfect
atonement for all sin, why does the sinner, in addition to a full and
free forgiveness, procured by the death of Christ, need also the
application of the righteousness of the life of Christ? In a word, why
are both the life and death necessary to justify the sinner?

We answer: By His death or suffering obedience He wrought out a
_negative_ righteousness, the forgiveness of sins. By His life,
or active obedience, He wrought out a _positive_ righteousness.
The former releases from punishment. The latter confers character,
standing and honor in the kingdom of God.

To illustrate. Two persons have broken the laws of their land,
are guilty, condemned, and suffer the penalty in prison. To one comes
a message of pardon from the king. The prison doors are opened and he
goes forth a free man. The law cannot again seize him and condemn him
for the crimes of which he is pardoned. But as he goes forth among his
fellow-men he realizes that though released from punishment, and
_negatively_ righteous, he has no standing, no character, no
positive righteousness, unless he earn and merit it for himself.

To the other criminal also comes a message of pardon from his
king. In addition to pardon, or release from punishment, he is assured
that his king has adopted him as his son, will take him into his
family and endow him with his name and all the privileges of his
house.

Now this pardoned one has a double righteousness; Negatively,
pardon and release from punishment; positively, a name, standing,
character, honor, and the richest endowments of the kingdom.

Even thus has the Son of God wrought out for us a two-fold
righteousness, viz.: Negatively, by His sufferings and death, the
forgiveness of sin and release from punishment; and positively, by His
life of obedience, the appropriation of a perfect righteousness, a
name and a place in His kingdom, with all its honors and blessings.

In the procuring of this double righteousness, Christ wrought out
first the positive and then the negative. In the conferring of it He
gives first the negative and then the positive.

And therefore the two-fold message of consolation. Is. xl. 1, 2:
"_Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably
to_--(i.e., speak ye _to the heart of_)--_Jerusalem, and cry unto her
that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for
she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins._"

This justification has been purchased and paid for. But it is not
yet applied. The sinner has not yet appropriated it and made it his
own. How is this to be done? We answer: BY FAITH. Faith is the eye
that looks to Christ. It sees His perfect atonement and His spotless
righteousness. It is, at the same time, the hand that reaches out and
lays hold of Christ, and clings to him as the only help and the only
hope. This faith, springing from a penitent heart, that realizes its
own unworthiness and guiltiness, renouncing all claim to merit or
self-righteousness, casts itself on the divine Saviour, trusts
implicitly in Him, and rests there. This faith justifies. Not because
it is an act that merits or earns justification. No! In no sense.
Christ has earned it. Faith only lays hold of and appropriates what is
already purchased and paid for.

There certainly can be no merit in our faith, because it is
itself a "_gift of God_," as the Scriptures declare. He that has
the faith is justified, acquitted, forgiven. The appropriation or
application, is when we believe with all the heart on the Son of God.

Such, in brief, is the Lutheran doctrine of "Justification by
Faith." We have not thought it necessary to quote from the Augsburg
Confession or the Formula of Concord for proof. Neither is it
necessary or desirable that we lengthen out this chapter with
quotations from standard theologians. Any one desiring further proof
or amplification can find abundance of it in all our Confessions, and
in all recognized writers in the Church. Nor have we taken up the
space with Scripture quotations. To quote all that the Bible says on
the subject would be to transcribe a large proportion of its passages.
It would necessitate especially a writing out of a large part of the
writings of Paul, who makes it the great theme of several of his
epistles. Every devout reader of Paul's letters will find this great
doctrine shining forth in every chapter, so much so that the Romish
Bishop who was driven by Luther to a study of the New Testament threw
down his book and said: "_Paul also has become a Lutheran_!"

In conclusion, we desire to impress one thought. The doctrine of
Justification is so highly prized by the believer, not so much because
of the grand and matchless scheme it brings to light, as because of
the peace and comfort it has brought into his heart. He who truly
embraces this doctrine, realizes its efficacy and power. It is
precious to him, above all things, as a matter of personal experience.
This experience is not the doctrine, but the result of receiving it.
He has realized the blessedness of having his own sins forgiven, his
transgressions covered. Being _justified by faith, he has peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ_.

This blessed experience was the root and spring of Luther's
courage and strength. Without this heart-experience, all theorizing
about the doctrine is vain. Such a scriptural experience never
develops a Pharisee. It never runs into self-exaltation. It constantly
exalts and magnifies Christ. It habitually humbles self. It lays self
low at the foot of the cross, and remains there. Not that it is a
gloomy or despondent spirit. For while it constantly mourns over the
imperfections and sins of self, it, at the same time, constantly
rejoices in the full and perfect salvation of Christ. While it never
ceases in this life to shed the tears of penitence, it also never
ceases to sing the joyful song of deliverance. It develops a Christian
after the type of Paul and Luther, and Gerhard and Francke. Blessed is
he who understands and experiences justification by faith. Doubly sad
the state of him who has the doctrine, without its experience and
peace and glory.

"Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.

"Bold shall I stand in that great day,
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully through these absolved I am
From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.

"This spotless robe the same appears,
When ruined nature sinks in years:
No age can change its constant hue;
Thy Blood preserves it ever new.

"Oh let the dead now hear Thy voice;
Now bid Thy banished ones rejoice!
Their beauty this, their glorious dress,
Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness."




CHAPTER XXII.

SANCTIFICATION.

In the last chapter we showed that the doctrine of justification
deals with the sinner's change of relation, or change of state.

We also learned that faith is the instrumental or applying cause
of justification. In another place we showed that true faith
presupposes penitence, and this again presupposes a sense and
knowledge of sin. Again we showed that penitence and faith are the two
essential elements of conversion; that where these elements are found
there is a change of heart, and the beginning of a new life. This new
life is, however, only in its germ. These are the _beginnings_ of
new views, new affections, new actions, a new _life_.

They are of a germinal or seed character. Now it belongs to the
very nature of life to develop, increase, and make progress. And it is
this development or growth of the new life that we wish now to
consider. It is called _sanctification_, or growth of the soul
into the image of a holy God.

It is closely related to justification, and yet clearly distinct
from it. In justification, God _imputes_ or _counts over_ to the
sinner the righteousness of Christ. In sanctification, God _imparts_
the righteousness of the new life. Justification is what God does
_for_ the believer; sanctification is what His Spirit does _in_ him.
Justification being purely an act of God, is _instantaneous_ and
complete; sanctification being a work in which man has a share, is
_progressive_. Justification takes away the _guilt_ of sin;
sanctification gradually takes away its _power_. Sanctification begins
with justification. So soon as the sinner believes he is justified;
but just so soon as he believes, he also has the beginnings of a
new life.

In time, therefore, the two come together; but in thought they
are distinct. And it is of the greatest importance that these
distinctions be understood and kept in mind. It is by confounding
justification with sanctification, and _vice versa_, that all the
flagrant, soul-destroying errors concerning the so-called "higher
life," "sinless perfection," etc., are promulgated and believed. It is
by quoting Scripture passages that speak of justification, and
applying them to sanctification, that this delusion is strengthened.
How often have we not heard that precious passage, 1 John i. 7, "_The
blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin_," quoted to
prove entire sanctification. Now, if we understand the Scriptures at
all, that passage speaks of the _forgiveness_ of sin through the
efficacy of Christ's blood, and not of overcoming sin in the believer,
or eradicating its very fibres and impulses.

But this, perhaps, is a digression. Let us understand clearly
what we mean by sanctification. The English word comes from a Latin
word that means sacred, consecrated, devoted to holy purposes. The
Greek word translated sanctify in our English Bible also means to
separate from common and set apart for holy purposes. The same word
that is translated sanctify, is in many places translated consecrate,
or make holy. The English word _saint_ comes from the same Latin
root, and is translated from the same Greek root, as sanctify. It
means a sanctified one, or one who is being sanctified. Thus we find
believers called saints, or sanctified ones. We find, indeed, that the
apostles call all the members of their churches saints. Thus they
speak of "_the saints which are at Jerusalem_," "_The saints which are
at Achaia_," "_To all that be in Rome ... called to be saints_," "_As in
all the churches of the saints_." So in many other passages.

In harmony with the apostolic usage, we confess in the Apostles'
Creed: "I believe in the Holy Christian Church (which is) the
communion--or community--of saints." If then saints means sanctified
ones, or holy persons, do not the Bible and the Apostles' Creed demand
perfect sinlessness? By no means. Christians are indeed to strive to
constantly become more and more free from sin. They are "_called to be
saints_," are constantly being sanctified or made holy. But their
sanctity or holiness is only _relative_.

They have indeed "_come out from the world_," to "_be separate_."
They are "_a peculiar people_." They hate sin, repent of it, flee from
it, strive against it, and overcome it more and more. They "_mortify
the deeds of the body_," "_keep it under_," "_crucify the flesh with
its affections and lusts_," "_present_--(or consecrate)--_their
bodies, as living sacrifices to God_." They have pledged themselves at
Christ's altar to "renounce the devil and all his works and ways, the
vanities of the world and the sinful desires of the flesh, and to live
up to the doctrines and precepts of Christ."

In so far, they are separated from the world, set apart to become
holy, consecrated to Christ. Not that their sanctification or
saintship is complete. If that were the case, the apostles would not
have written epistles to the saints. For perfect beings need no
Bibles, no Churches, no means of Grace. The angels need none of these
things. There is indeed not one sinless person mentioned in the Bible,
except that divine One, "_who did no sin, neither was guile found in
His mouth_."

If there were one Scripture character who, if such a thing were
possible, would have attained to sinless perfection, that one would
certainly have been the greatest of all the apostles, Paul. He labored
more than they all; he suffered more than they all; he went deeper
into the mysteries of redemption than they all. He was not only
permitted to look into heaven, as the beloved John, but he "_was
caught up into the third heaven, and heard words that it was not
lawful for him to utter_" on this sinful earth. Oh, what purifying
through suffering! What visions and revelations! What experience of
Grace! And yet this burnished vessel never professed sinless
perfection. Indeed, he never ceased to mourn and lament the sinfulness
and imperfection of his own heart, and called himself the chief of
sinners. He does indeed speak of perfection. Hear what he says, Phil.
iii. 12, 13, 14: "_Not as though I had already attained, either were
already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for
which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not
myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those
things that are behind, and reaching forward unto those things which
are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus._"

The saints on earth, then, are not sinless ones. The Bible does
indeed speak of those born of God sinning not, not committing sin,
etc. But this can only mean that they do not _wilfully_ sin. They do
not intentionally live in habits of sin. Their sins are sins of
weakness and not sins of malice. They repent of them, mourn over them,
and strive against them. They constantly pray, "_Forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us_." But their
heart-purity and sanctification are only relative.

Sanctification is gradual and progressive. We have seen that Paul
thus expressed himself. He was constantly "_following after_,"
"_reaching forth_," "_pressing toward_" the mark. He exhorts
the Corinthians, 2 Cor. vii. 1, to be "_perfecting holiness in the
fear of the Lord_," and again, 2 Cor. iii. 18, to be "_changed
into the same image from glory to glory_." He tells them in chapter
iv. 16 that "_the inward man is renewed day by day_." He exhorts
the saints or believers, again and again, "_to grow_," "_to
increase_," "_to abound yet more and more_."

Growth is the law of the kingdom of nature. And the same God
operates in the kingdom of Grace, and, indeed, much after the same
order. Our Saviour, therefore, so often compares the kingdom of God,
or the kingdom of Grace, to growth from a seed, where it is "_first
the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear_," Mark iv.
26-29. In harmony with all this Paul calls those who have but lately
become believers, "_babes in Christ_." He tells them they must be
"_fed with milk as babes_," etc. Therefore, it is quite natural that
we find so many exhortations to grow in Grace and in knowledge.

How directly contrary to all this is the unscriptural idea, not
only of entire sanctification, but of instantaneous sanctification.
Surely, in this fast age, many have run far ahead of prophets,
apostles, martyrs, reformers and the most eminent saints of all ages.
As we read the lives and words of these heroes of faith, we find that
the more Christ-like and consecrated they were, the more did they
deplore their slow progress and their remaining sin.

While, therefore, we have no Scripture warrant to expect
sinlessness here, while we must "_die daily_," "mortify our members_,"
and "_fight the good fight of faith_," between the old Adam, whose
remnants cleave to us, and the new man in Christ Jesus, we can still
do much to promote our sanctification, and make it more and more
complete. We can use the powers that God has given us to carry on the
warfare with sin. We can increase these powers, or rather permit
divine Grace to increase them, by a diligent use of the means of
Grace. In the chapter on the Word of God as a means of Grace, we
showed that the Holy Spirit sanctifies through the Word. In the
chapters on baptism and the baptismal covenant, we showed how that
holy sacrament is a means of Grace, whose efficacy is not confined to
the time of its administration, but that it is intended to be a
perennial fountain of Grace, from which we can drink and be refreshed
while life lasts. In the chapters on the Lord's Supper, we learned
that it also was ordained and instituted to sustain and strengthen our
spiritual life.

We have, therefore, all the means necessary for our
sanctification. Do we prayerfully use them? Might we not be much
further on in the work of holiness than we are? Do we use the truth as
we should, that we maybe "_sanctified through the truth_?" Do we
"_desire the sincere milk of the Word, that we may grow thereby_?"
Does it "_dwell richly among us_?" Know we not, or have we forgotten
it, that "_as many of us as have been baptized into Christ, were
baptized into His death_?" Do we say, with those early Christians,
"_henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of
the Lord Jesus_?" And when we go to our Lord's Table do we realize
that His "_flesh is meat indeed, and His blood is drink indeed_?" Do
we go in the strength of that heavenly nourishment many days? Might we
not, by making a more sincere, hearty and diligent use of all these
means of Grace, live nearer to Christ, lean more confidingly on Him
and do more effectually all things through Him who strengthened us?

Yes, doubtless, we must all confess that it is our own fault that
we are not sanctified more fully than we are; that if, in the strength
derived from a proper use of the means of Grace, we would watch more
over self, pray more, meditate more on divine things and thus surround
ourselves more with a spiritual atmosphere, we would be more
spiritual. "_This is the will of God, even your sanctification._"
"_Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord._"

"And what am I? My soul, awake,
And an impartial survey take.
Does no dark sign, no ground of fear
In practice or in heart appear?

"What image does my spirit bear?
Is Jesus formed and living there?
Ah, do His lineaments divine
In thought and word and action shine?

"Searcher of hearts, O search me still;
The secrets of my soul reveal;
My fears remove; let me appear
To God and my own conscience clear."




CHAPTER XXIII.

REVIVALS.

We might have closed our studies of the Way of Salvation with
Sanctification, without giving any attention to the subject of
Revivals. We remember, however, that, in the estimation of many,
revivals are the most essential part of the Way; so much so that, in
certain quarters, few, if any, souls are expected to be brought into
the way of life, otherwise than through so-called "revivals of
religion." According to this widespread idea, the ingathering of
souls, the upbuilding of the Church, her activity, power and very
life, are dependent upon the revival system.

In view of all this, we have concluded to bring our studies to a
close with an examination of this system. Before we enter upon the
subject itself, however, we desire to have it distinctly understood
that we intend to discuss the _system_, and not the _people_ who
believe and practice it. There doubtless are very excellent Christian
people who favor a religion built up and dependent on such movements,
and there may be very unchristian people who oppose it. With this we
have nothing to do. We are not discussing _persons_, but _doctrines_
and _systems_. The advocates of modern revivalism claim the right to
hold, defend and propagate their views. We only demand the same right.
If we do not favor or practice their way, our people have not only a
right to ask, but it is our duty to give grounds and reasons for our
position.

In discussing this subject, we intend, as usual, to speak with
all candor and plainness. We desire to approach and view this subject,
as every subject, from the fair, firm standpoint of the opening words
of the Formula of Concord, viz.: "We believe, teach and confess that
the only rule and standard, according to which all doctrines and
teachings should be esteemed and judged, are nothing else than the
prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testament." We
wish to test it by the infallible Word. By it, we are willing to be
judged. According to it, our views and doctrines must stand or fall.

What then is a revival? The word revive means to bring back to
life. It presupposes the existence of life, which for a time had
languished or died. Life was present, it failed and was restored.

Strictly speaking, therefore, we can only use this word of the
bringing back of a life that had been there formerly and was lost.
Applying it to spiritual life, strictly speaking, only a person who
has once had the new life in him, but lost it for awhile and regained
it, can be said to be revived. So, likewise, only a church or a
community that was once spiritually alive, but had grown languid and
lifeless, can be said to be revived. On the other hand, it is an
improper use of terms to apply the word revival to the work of a
foreign missionary, who for the first time preaches the life-giving
Word, and through it gathers converts and organizes Churches. In his
case it is a first bringing, and not a restoring, of life.

All those Old Testament reformations and restorations to the true
worship and service of the true God, after a time of decline and
apostasy, were revivals according to the strict sense of the word. For
these revivals patriarchs and prophets labored and prayed.

On the other hand, the labors and successes of the apostles in
the New Testament were not strictly revivals. They preached the Gospel
instead of the law. They preached a Redeemer who had come, instead of
one who was to come. It was largely a new faith, a new life, a new way
of life that they taught, and in so far a new Church that they
established. Its types, shadows and roots, had all been in the old
covenant and Church. But so different were the fulfillments from the
promises, that it was truly called a _New_ Dispensation. And,
therefore, the labors of the apostles to establish this dispensation
were largely missionary labors. It was not so much the restoring of an
old faith and life, as the bringing in of a new. We find their
parallel in foreign mission work much more than in regular Church
work. It is by overlooking this distinction that many erroneous
doctrines and practices have crept into the Church, _e.g._, as to
infant baptism, conversion and modern revivalism.

As to revivals, popularly so-called, we maintain, first of all,
that it ought to be the policy and aim of the Church to preclude their
necessity.

It is generally admitted that they are only needed, longed for
and obtained, after a period of spiritual decline and general
worldliness. A Church that is alive and active needs no revival. A
lifeless Church does. Better then, far better, to use every right
endeavor to keep the Church alive and active, than permit it to grow
cold and worldly, with a view and hope of a glorious awakening.
Prevention is better than cure. We would rather pay a family physician
to prevent disease and keep us well, than to employ even the most
distinguished doctor to cure a sick household; especially if the
probability were that, in some cases, the healing would be only
partial, and in others it would eventuate in an aggravation of the
disease.

In the chapters on the Baptismal Covenant and Conversion, we
showed that it is possible to keep that covenant and thus always grow
in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. While we
sorrowfully admitted that the cases of such as do it are not as
numerous as is possible and most desirable, we also learned that they