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Sanctification by Thomas Charles
From Grace Gems - Free and Public Domain:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Grace Gems!
___________________________________________
Sanctification by Thomas Charles
From Grace Gems - Free and Public Domain:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Grace Gems!
___________________________________________
SANCTIFICATION
Thomas Charles, 1838
Sanctification is aimed at by many, if not by most who are religiously inclined. Even the heathen talked much about a virtuous life and a conduct conformable to right reason. But it is understood only by a few.
That holiness, which adorns God's people, greatly surpasses all the painted virtues of the heathen, and all the scrupulous morals of the Scribes and Pharisees. The boasted virtue of the heathen and Pharisees, had its rise in self and terminated in self—they meant no more than to exalt themselves and to quiet their consciences. But the Christian's holiness has its origin from God, and terminates in him—his glory animates the believer, and leads him to the performance of every action by which it can be displayed.
The nature of sanctification, and the means of attaining it, are expressed in 2 Corinthians 3:18, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit."
It consists in possessing the mind that was in Christ, and a conformity to his image. He is the pattern which we are to copy, and the perfect example which we are to imitate. He has in his own person marked the path to glory; and we are to follow his steps.
He teaches us not only by his word, but also by the example of his life. He says both by his words and by his actions, "learn of me." His word points out the way—and he having trod the road himself, we have the prints of his feet in which we may step. It is a very great blessing to have the holiness of God exactly delineated, and painted in natural colors in his written law—but it is there like a picture, without life and motion. It is a much greater blessing to have his holiness, which is portrayed in the law, living and animated, as it is in Christ. He, as man in our own nature, pure, uncontaminated with vice, holy, blameless and unspotted—is a living law to his people.
Christ is to be considered in a threefold respect; as Man, Mediator, and God.
What he did here on earth, as mediator and God—is not proposed to us for our imitation. As a mediator he was circumcised, fasted forty days, was tempted in the wilderness, offered himself a sacrifice for sins, performed the offices of prophet, priest and king—in these respects he is not to be imitated by us.
Nor is he to be imitated in what he performed as God—in his miracles, in all those actions which manifested a supernatural power.
But as the Son of Man he is a bright example to us, and a perfect pattern of every virtue.
Jesus was perfect pattern of HUMILITY—he who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, emptied himself, and was found in fashion as a man, and took upon him the form of a servant. He placed himself in the lowest station in life, had nowhere to lay his head, nor had even money to pay the tribute required. His parents were poor; his friends and companions were the poor of this world. The afflicted, and those that were distressed and despised by the world, found a friend in him.
Jesus was perfect pattern of MEEKNESS—he was meek and lowly in spirit. When tribute was unjustly required of him, that he might not "give offence," he commanded Peter to discharge it. He was the meek and harmless lamb of God, and deceit was not found in his mouth.
Jesus was perfect pattern of PATIENCE—he endured willingly the contradiction of sinners. Though he was led as a sheep to the slaughter—yet like a lamb, dumb before his shearers, he opened not his mouth, but was obedient even unto the death of the cross. Though he was loaded with reproaches—yet he bore them all patiently.
Jesus was perfect pattern of UNWEARIED PERSEVERANCE IN DOING GOOD—he was continually going about doing good. Persecutions and ingratitude from the objects of his kindness, did not deter or dishearten him in his friendly purpose.
Jesus was perfect pattern of UNSELFISHNESS—he sought not his own advantage or profit, but the good of others.
Jesus was perfect pattern of ZEAL for God's glory, which was so great that it had consumed him.
These and many other virtues, blazed forth with the most perfect splendor and glory in the person of Christ. He represented in his human nature the image of God, in which the first man was created. He possessed and practiced all the virtues of a rational creature, without any defects—so that he is in the fullest manner proposed for our imitation, and is the standard by which we are to form a judgment of our attainments in holiness and the divine life.
But let us next consider the MEANS by which we may attain this most desirable of all blessings. It would afford but a very small consolation to a person cast on a desert coast, where he could find nothing to exist on, to hear that an island, a few leagues off, was well stored with all sorts of provisions, suitable to the necessities of man—unless he was able by some means or other to cross over to that island.
The poor man at the pool of Bethesda found no benefit from the angel troubling the water at a certain season, for he was unable to step in; for while he "was going, another stepped in before him." Nor will it avail us anything, to have received a perfect pattern, unless we be enabled to copy it. It will be no advantage to us to hear of such a happy state, unless it be one to which we can attain. Various have been the means proposed by man's fertile imagination to accomplish this, but all equally wide of the point.
The Mystic will gravely tell us, that there is no avoiding the contagion of sin, or refusing the poisonous cup daily offered to us—but by leaving all society and running into solitary deserts, and associating with the wild beasts of the forest.
The Brahmin and the monk will advise us to afflict and excruciate the body with the severest chastisements.
But all these things have been found inefficient. Let us, therefore, hearken to what an inspired apostle teaches us on this subject: "We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." It is by looking unto Jesus and beholding his glory, that the blessed change is produced in us. Nowhere else does virtue and holiness charm us with so pleasing an aspect, as in Christ—and the more frequently it is viewed with the eyes of the mind, the more the beholder is transformed into the same image.
When Moses had been admitted into a familiar converse with God on the mount, where he spent forty days, the skin of his face shone with such effulgence, that the eyes of the Israelites could not bear it.
Thus it is with those who on Mount Zion view Jesus, the king of glory in his beauty, with unveiled face, by the Spirit of God. The rays of heavenly glory, issuing from Christ, pervade the inmost parts of the soul, and convey new vigor to the spiritual life. The oftener the believer beholds Christ by the Spirit, the more clearly he knows his perfections, of which his holiness is the ornament—and the more clearly he knows them, the more ardently he loves them; and the more ardently he loves them, the more like them he desires to be.
Nay, love is in itself of a transforming nature. You insensibly catch the habits and manners of a person you love, and you are sweetly and imperceptibly cast into his mold—and love itself, when reciprocal, produces a great similitude.
Again, the more ardently a believer loves God, the more frequently and attentively he will seek to behold him; as the more you love one of your fellow-mortals, the more pleasure and delight you find in his company, and the more you regret his absence. In the same way, the soul by beholding and loving, by loving and beholding—gains something by every act, and acquires a new feature of this most glorious image.
Nothing less than the supreme being himself can satisfy an awakened immortal soul. Could we conceive any being above God—then God would not content the soul; for it aspires after the supreme. But the perfections of God cannot be fully known or clearly seen, but in the face of Jesus Christ. Therefore the soul flees to him as Moses did to the rock, that it may behold his glory, and bask in his bright beams until his piercing rays pervade its inmost parts, and change it by degrees to his own glorious nature. By this means, a dead and dark soul is enlivened, and becomes exceedingly transparent, bright, glorious and beautiful.
As looking on the brazen serpent expelled the deadly poison and healed the Israelites, and as the bright beams of the sun disperse the thickest darkness—so do glorious views of the lovely Jesus dislodge sin from its mansion, and heal the wounded soul. As our growth in holiness here, depends on the views we have of Christ; so our perfection in the state of bliss, will be in consequence of the brighter and clearer discoveries we shall have of him there. We shall be like him, "because we shall see him as he is"—like him—whom? Jesus himself! O glorious state! O happy condition! Who, considering this, would not cry, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!"