THE

CHRISTIAN MISCELLANY,

AND

FAMILY VISITER.

AUGUST, 1846.

REMARKS ON "A CLEAN HEART," THE CHRISTIAN'S

PRIVILEGE.

a

"MAKE clean our hearts within us," is a petition to which an enlightened and sincere believer of Methodist doctrines adds an 66 amen," with a promptitude and emphasis for which some other sincere Christians are not prepared. The limited and indistinct conceptions of the latter of the importance of " clean heart," and their doubts as to the possibility of every child of God obtaining such an inestimable blessing, and living in the possession of it, disqualify them for that elevated tone of spiritual devotion which those enjoy who apprehend it to be their undoubted privilege to obtain inward holiness by faith. 66 Bowing their knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," they can say, Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee," with an energy of faith peculiar to themselves. True, many who believe it to be their privilege to be "sanctified wholly," rest short of " a clean heart." The root of bitterness is still felt within; the unsubdued portion of the carnal mind yet infects the heart with "the plague of leprosy ;" the Canaanites, devoted to destruction, have become, as it was prophesied of them, "thorns in their sides, and pricks in their eyes;" the heart, destined, when the Holy Ghost took possession of it in justification, to be "a house of prayer," is in danger of becoming too much like 99 66 a den of thieves," a cage of every unclean and hateful bird," a chamber of idols and wicked abominations." But, among other causes for tolerating this inbred sin, and submitting to such a comparatively unhappy state of mind, is not the want of due encouragement to the children of God to claim their Christian privilege, one of the foremost? "Being justified by faith," they have embraced the covenant whose gracious provisions give them title to "all things;" but more especially to "all spiritual blessings in Christ." "A clean heart" is a part of the legacy bequeathed to them by their dying Saviour, when he said, "My peace I leave with you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." Yes, his will is their present and "entire sanctification.' And this inestimable boon may be obtained now by a simple act of faith: " According to your faith be it unto you." Do not mistake your position. While you are even the feeblest "babe in Christ," the blessing is yours in reversion, because you are Christ's." That is, "by the covenant

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REMARKS ON A CLEAN HEART,"

ordered in all things and sure," you have a right, an indefinite right, to "a clean heart," to that "holiness without which no man shall see the Lord :" and that not in the same sense in which you hold the title to heaven, your future reward; that happiness is not to be obtained here: but to inward holiness, you hold a legal claim to present occupation, to immediate possession. You may have it now: do not delay to possess it, however numerous the inconveniencies and sorrows to which you may be exposed, from a want of faith; and if you continue "pursuing," though "faint," your long-suffering Saviour will by his own arm, and for his name's sake, " perfect that which concerneth you," and receive you to his mercy above.

But, "dearly beloved," do not rest here; do not leave your property in the hands of your enemy; "thank God, and take courage:" be of good cheer; the blessing, even the blessing of "a clean heart" is before you, it is near you, it is within your reach. Put out your hand, your hand of faith, and take it. Yes, this moment take the blessing of perfect love, that "perfect love which casteth out fear" and sin, all evil desire, all pride and passion, and fills the soul with "all joy and peace in believing." In believing you shall realize the great salvation. One act of trust, and yours is "the heaven of loving God alone.” The object of sanctifying faith, is Christ crucified: it is his blood that "cleanseth from all sin." In this act the believer takes Christ for his Sanctifier,—for his "Redeemer from all sin;” and in the full assurance of faith, ventures to say in his heart, "Jesus, my perfect Saviour, thou dost cleanse me now from all sin." This is "believing with the heart unto righteousness," unto "pardon, and holiness, and heaven." By this bold act of faith, you say to the mountain sin, "Remove from hence, and be thou cast `into the sea of my Redeemer's blood," and the powerful mandate is obeyed. It is granted that this is not unlike the performance of a moral miracle. No sooner is this faith exercised in the true spirit of contrite, humble prayer, than the Holy Ghost answers for himself, by "creating within us a clean heart." Now it is that, in a more full and perfect sense than in justification, we become new creatures in Christ Jesus;" "old things are passed away, and behold all things are become new." Suffer me then to ask, Do you feel your want of this change? Is indwelling sin your grief and burden? Are you willing to part with all for Christ? To"walk with him in white?" To be crucified to the world? To be singularly good? Then is Christ this moment willing to give you himself, and become at once your "sanctification." "Fear not; only believe." Dare to say over for yourself, yea, and repeat again, and again, the four last verses of the 417th hymn. Come, begin at once:

"For this, as taught by thee, I pray," &c.

Now fall on your knees, and in the spirit "of wrestling Jacob," pray for the Comforter, and the God of peace will verily "sanctify you wholly ;" and on the condition of your continuing thus to believe and pray, and pray and believe, you will henceforth be "preserved in your whole spirit and soul and body blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen, so be it.

But whither am I led? It was not my intention to enlarge on the nature of the blessing, or the mode of attaining it, but rather to offer a few remarks on the importance of keeping the doctrine before the eyes of the Church; of urging the necessity of using all diligence to lay hold on this Christian privilege; of exemplifying its power and blessedness in our experience; of maintaining it, if possible, openly, firmly, explicitly, and zealously; and with

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227

stronger assurance that God has called us to this state of "perfect holiness," and that he is well-pleased to bestow it now on "every one that believeth." We shall observe :

1. First, then, it is an object of special divine favour. Upon "such as are of a clean heart" God looks with peculiar approbation. There he sees his image, and he loves it. The righteous Lord who loveth righteousness "looketh on the heart;" and the man who is "renewed in righteousness and true holiness,"" after the image of Him who created him,"-is an object of divine complacency. Over him God "rejoices with joy, he rests in his love, he joys over him with singing." As the holy Daniel walked in spotless purity in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, this "wholly new man shall hear a voice from the court of the King of Kings, "O man, thou art greatly beloved." As Enoch walked alone in perfect holiness, in the midst of a corrupt world, the perfect man shall have this testimony from the Angel of the Covenant,-that "he pleaseth God." Covered with the robe of righteousness, beautified with the garment of salvation, and, "like the King's daughter, all-glorious within," the Spirit of truth shall say in his heart, "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over his bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." What a distinguished felicity, what a high honour! Who would not aspire to such a crown of rejoicing? And is it holiness, inward holiness, a clean heart, that confers this distinction? Then without holiness no one can enter and abide in the felicity of the divine presence; but "blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God," shall enter the holy of holies, shall possess his ineffable smile, and abide in his "fulness of joy."

2. The witness of the Spirit expects a clean heart for its residence. Unless all sin be cast out, or you are sincerely seeking its destruction, you must not look to enjoy the Spirit's abiding witness. The moment you yield to sin, the evidence of your adoption is beclouded. It is only while we walk in the light of the Spirit's testimony, that we can " read our title clear." When the Holy Spirit (now dwelling in the believer as the temple of the living God) is "grieved," the "beams of sacred bliss" no longer shine from the propitious heavens, and the sweet "whisper" from Jesus, that "I am his," is no longer heard. "The temple of the Holy Ghost being defiled," the threatening rod is uplifted, and the anger that was "turned away," is again seen gathering in the eye and on the brow of the eternal Father. It is true the door of repentance is open, and the gracious, all-prevalent Advocate is in his place above; but while sin, even inward sin, is tolerated or connived at, the glory of God "removes to the threshold of the house," and the "joy of his salvation" takes its departure. Hence you may perceive the true reason why so many who profess justification become shorn of their strength, and retain nothing of their adoption, but a cold, feeble, unloving confidence. Their first love is gone, and the witness of the Spirit, "vexed" with many heart-backslidings, is lingering on the "threshold." The two peculiar doctrines of Methodism, the direct witness of the Spirit, and that of entire sanctification, are like the two kine that drew back the ark of God from its exile,-they are yoked together; they are a wedded pair; and what God hath joined, let no man put asunder. If they be not kept side by side, if they be not equally encouraged and led on together, the ark of Methodism, the chariot of our Aminadab, will move heavily along. The one blessing brings us into immediate contact with the Deity, the other assimilates us to the divine nature; the one brings us to see openly God's reconciled countenance, the other changes us into the same image. The Spirit's direct testimony places us so immediately in the divine presence, so directly in the midst of the "holy of holies," that unless we consent instantly to have "holiness to the Lord" written on our

hearts, we must submit to withdraw to some less favoured compartment of the "temple of the living God."

(To be continued.)

USEFUL PREACHING.

BUT what is preaching without impression and effect? And is nothing here to be sacrificed to secure this? Can you plant a flower without bending, or lift up a child from the ground without stooping? Is there to be no difference between the press and the pulpit? Are Preachers only to consider what will be gratifying to scholars, and overlook the mass of their audience? "The words of the wise are as goads and as nails." There is no informing the multitude in the way of dissertation: argument with them is nothing, unless it be brief and illustrated by comparison; and no feeling is to be produced without facts, examples, natural imagery, touches of passion, and strokes of imagination. How few are there of those who freely pronounce on Preachers, who are proper judges of what is necessary to rouse the careless mind, to relieve the jaded attention, to recall the wandering thought, to fix a sentiment, to furnish a handle to an idea, so that it may be laid hold of and carried away; to put a picture over the lesson of the child, to honey the vessel which contains the medicine which the patient is by no means willing to receive! Yet we are talked of, and we are censured, by persons who consider condescension as a want of taste, and a plainness of address as vulgarity, and who never take into account our situation as Ministers, our difficulties, and our aims. I remember a French King wished that all his subjects could be Kings for a few months; for, he said, "it would free them from envy and vexation." I wish that all our hearers, upon the same principle, could be Preachers for a few months; for I am sure it would disarm them of those free and foolish remarks in which they now often indulge. However, I bless God I have never regarded fastidious criticism, or resigned one particle of that freedom by which I could use anything important or convertible to popular edification. Is not one sentiment, though it may be quaintly expressed, which is remembered and repeated by numbers twenty years afterwards, better than a whole sermon of tame smoothness which slides off from the mind like oil or mercury down a slant marble, and is forgotten before the admiring audience have even reached their own homes?-Rev. William Jay.

A DRUNKARD SAVED.

DURING the period that the late Rev. Theophilus Lessey laboured in the Halifax Circuit, the following affecting fact transpired, and has been recorded by his biographer, the Rev. Dr. Hannah. A most notorious drunkard repaired one Sunday afternoon, as usual, to the public-house. But the landlady refused to supply him with any more liquor until the old score, which stood against him, was discharged. At last, however, she consented to let him have a pot of beer for his hat. Not a drop more would she give him; and he returned home mortified and vexed. On entering his cottage he perceived a tract lying on the table. It had just been left by a Tract-Distributor. A woodcut on the first page attracted his attention. That cut represented a woman, the mistress of a public-house, driving a drunkenlooking fellow from her door, while she pointed with one hand to a long score against the wall, and held his hat in the other. The man was thunderstruck.

He

It was precisely such a scene as the one in which he had been an actor. saw what an object of contempt and derision he had rendered himself by his misconduct, and resolved that he would change his course. Having washed and dressed himself, he set out after tea for a walk; but as he passed the Wesleyan chapel, he was attracted by the singing which he heard, and turned in thither. Mr. Lessey was the Preacher. The word of God, as administered by him, reached the heart of this poor sinner. From that time he resolved that he would regularly attend the chapel, entirely withdrawing himself from the scenes of his accustomed resort. Deep conviction had seized upon his heart. He was heavily burdened with a sense of his guiltiness before God, and earnestly sought acceptance with him. The Sunday but one after the event above-mentioned had occurred, he again heard Mr. Lessey, and during the sermon was enabled to commit himself, by faith, into the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ. He instantly found the mercy for which he mourned, and "went down to his house justified." And the change was not transitory. He continued steadfast in the ways of the Lord; and more than a year afterwards recited the circumstances of his wonderful conversion in a Wesleyan lovefeast, rejoicing in that divine compassion which had plucked him also "as a firebrand out of the burning."-Lessey's Memorials,

RUSSIAN RESTITUTION.

AN English woman, who held an appointment in the Winter Palace, and whose daughter was educated at Zarskoje-Sselo, delivered to a poor Isdawoi five hundred rubles, which he was to carry to the latter. Next day the man came back to his constituent, kissed her hands, and said, "Forgive me, I am in fault; I have lost your money, I know not how, and have searched everywhere, but cannot find it. Do with me what you think proper." The lady, who had no wish to ruin the poor fellow, put up with the loss, said nothing about the matter, and some time afterwards entirely lost sight of the man, on his removal to another part of the palace. At length, six years after the occurrence just related, he went to her one day with joyous countenance, and in the most cheerful mood, and counted out upon the table the five hundred rubles which he had lost by his carelessness. On her inquiring how he had raised such a sum, he told her that he had denied himself every indulgence, and saved so much of his monthly wages till he had at last scraped together three hundred rubles. As he had lately obtained a better situation and higher wages, he had found himself in a condition to marry. His wife had brought He had persuaded her

him one hundred rubles, and other little valuables. to give up these articles and dispose of them by lottery among his comrades, and the produce of this had completed the sum, which he now repaid as a debt that had weighed heavily upon his mind for six years. As the honest fellow was not to be persuaded to take back his money, the English lady, whose head and heart were likewise in the right place, put the little capital out to interest as a gift to the first offspring of the marriage, thus grounding the good luck of the child on the honesty of the parent. Such instances of integrity, adds the same author, are by no means rare among the Russians. Truly, honesty is the best policy.-Russia and the Russians: by J. G. Kohl, Esq., vol. i., p. 167.