CHAPTER THIRTEENTH.

Relation of consecration to assurance of Faith.

It can hardly be necessary to say any thing, in addition to what has already been said, in illustration of the great importance of that state of mind, which is denominated assurance of faITH. He, who truly desires the blessed experience of holiness of heart, will necessarily attach a high value to the possession of Assurance; because holiness, in the Gospel or evangelical sense of the term, is obviously identical with perfection of love. And perfection of love, as we shall have occasion to notice more particularly in a subsequent chapter, is the natural result of perfection or assurance of faith.

In respect to the nature of assurance of faith, we may remark here, after an examination of various statements and illustrations on the subject, that it appears to consist essentially in two things; FIRST, in a general but unwavering confidence in God's character, administration, and promises; and, SECONDLY, in a confident belief of our personal acceptance with God through Christ. And accordingly it is not limited to the second particular, as some persons may be inclined to suppose; but the second

element, viz. that of a particular or personal accéptance, which probably, in the popular view of it, is the striking or characteristic trait, has its basis in a prevailing or assured faith of a more general char

acter.

With these remarks we proceed to enter on the principal topic of the present Chapter, viz. the relation existing between consecration and assurance.-We have already had occasion, particularly in the third chapter, to refer to the relation, existing between consecration and faith in general. Faith, (especially that faith, which is appropriating and purifying,) and the commission of known sin cannot go together. They are mutually antagonistical and destructive of each other. Just so far as consecration, which implies a fixed determination with divine assistance to resist sin in all its forms, actually exists and no further, is the way open for the principle of faith, especially in its appropriating character, to enter and to take effect in the soul. The Savior himself has explicitly taught us, (John 5: 44,) that those, who, in the spirit of self-seeking, pursue worldly honor, and not the honor which cometh from God only, are unable, in the religious sense of the expression, to BELIEVE.

(1.) But proceeding from the more general view of the subject to the particular and specific one now under consideration, we remark in the first place, that ASSURANCE of faith, like all other forms of religious faith considered in distinction from natural faith, is the gift of God. No one has it without the divine blessing. But here, as in

every other case of God's dealings, we see no other course but to take the position as almost a self-evident one, that there are reasons in the divine mind for every occurrence or fact and also for every modification of the divine conduct; and that God, in imparting the immense blessing of assurance of faith, does not, and cannot act accidentally. In other words, there is some antecedent fact, some preparatory condition, in connection with which this great blessing takes place. Not a meritorious condition, it is true; nothing which lays God under obligation; but still a preparatory antecedent or condition actually existing in the view of the Divine Mind, and as an indispensable part of the divine arrangement. And that condition, as the matter presents itself to our view, is CONSECRATION. Not a consecration in part, but in whole. If, with any inferior degree of consecration there may be an inferior degree of faith, there cannot be a perfection or assurance of faith, without a consecration corresponding to it. It must, therefore, be a consecration, such as was described in the chapter on that subject, both of body and of spirit, both of persons and of possessions, ENTIRE, PERMANENT, and

IRREVOCABLE.

(2.)-We proceed to mention, secondly, some considerations in support of this view, viz. that entire consecration is, and must be, the antecedent condition of entire or full assurance.-Assurance of faith, as the phrase is commonly employed by writers, and as we have already had occasion to notice, is used not only to express an entire and per

fect confidence on the part of those who possess it, in the character and administration of God; but also in their own personal acceptance with God through Christ. They have no doubt, on the one hand, of the truth, mercy, and justice of God; nor have they any doubts, on the other, that they are the beloved children of God; and that, in entire consistency with his truth and justice, are fully accepted of Him. Such is the nature of their assurance. But we hazard nothing in saying, that it is impossible for a man to believe with assurance of faith, that he is fully accepted of God, which is one of the leading elements, though not the only one, in the state of mind denominated assurance, while he is knowingly sinning against Him; which, of course,. he must be regarded as doing, so long as he remains unwilling to consecrate himself. It is impossible, among other things, because it is contrary to the natural operations of the human mind in all analogous cases. It is just as impossible, (repeating here an illustration of the subject which has been already employed,) as it is for us to believe that a man, whom, we are injuring and illtreating every day, and whom we also know to be acquainted with our evil conduct, can regard us as a friend. There is something, in such a case, in the nature of a moral contradiction. The two things cannot go together.

And, furthermore, it is impossible, because such a belief, viz. that God does fully and cordially accept of us, while we are withholding the entire consecration of our bodies and our spirits, and are

therefore knowingly sinning against him, evidently implies a conviction on the part of the person who is the subject of the belief, that God is not necessarily displeased and offended with sin. A view of things alike contrary to reason, the character of God, and the Scriptures; and therefore not reasonably to be expected in any one.-We are constrained, therefore, to draw the conclusion, (a conclusion which we think might be sustained by other considerations,) that assured confidence in the character and administration of God, combined with the additional element of assured faith in our present acceptance with Him, cannot exist, except in connection with entire consecration. In other words, we must be conscious of doing all that we can do in the fulfilment of God's holy will; of separating ourselves from every voluntary transgression; of discharging with divine aid every known duty; of laying all our powers, possessions, and gifts deliberately upon the divine altar, and without any intention of ever resuming them. The man, who is truly set apart to God in consecration, strives and prays continually, that he may not, in the smallest thing, offend his heavenly Father. He would infinitely prefer death to known transgression, even the slightest transgression.

In this state of mind, it is easy to see, that there is a natural basis for the exercise of faith, particularly the faith of personal acceptance, in the highest degree. In such a state of things, when the obstacles, which previously existed, are removed, the soul naturally turns to God; naturally relies