ENTIRE CONSECRATION INDISPENSABLE TO THE HIGHER CHRISTIAN LIFE.
“Thus nothing should our hearts divide,
But on our years serenely glide,
And all to love be given.” Consecrated yourself, have you? friend? How far have you gone in this work of consecration? What progress have you made in cutting off right hands, plucking out right eyes? Consecration to God's service means something; have you counted the cost? “The foxes have holes, the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.” “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword.” “He that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me.” Matt. x, 38. “He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” “Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father or mother, or wife or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” Matt. xix, 29. Thus far the introduction. What next? the catalogue? the details? the specification, item by item, little sins, and great sins, sins of the flesh and the spirit, of omission and commission, of thought, word, and deed? First, then, where is your pride? Dead and buried? “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” Your vanity? Any shadow of this? Is it manifested on love of dress, outward adornings of gold, or pearls, or costly array? In regard to love of gain, laying up treasures on earth? Have you brought all the tithes into the storehouse? Are you a steward? Are you making friends with the mammon of unrighteousness? Are you feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, causing the widow's heart to sing for joy? Is your heart and your purse open wide, joyfully, when calls are made for charity and mercy? Very many Christian professors and seekers after the higher life are groping in darkness at noonday; starving to death spiritually; crying out “Oh! my leanness, my leanness,” on account of close-fistedness. “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” Prov. xi, 24-26. We may pray and pray, fast and fast, and wonder why God does not bow the listening ear graciously. How can he hear so long as we keep back part of the price? “Whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him.” 1 John iii, 17. “Blessed is he that considereth the poor.” See also James i, 27; Ps. cxii, 9; Prov. xix, 17. “Is not this the fast I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; and the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer. Thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.” Isa. lviii, 6-9. This whole chapter of Isaiah is a chapter of consecration, of ceasing to do evil and learning to do well. Read it. Pray over it. Bring it home to your inmost soul. “The love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience,211meekness; fight the good fight of faith; lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Tim. vi, 10-12. Again, how is your appetite? Pampered? indulged to excess? Are you a slave to narcotics of any kind? the poisonous Indian weed, tea, coffee? “Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.” Again, how is your conversation at all times? Edifying, administering grace to the hearer? or are you garrulous, light and trifling, giving loose to a flippant, unguarded tongue, indulging in levity, foolish talking, and jesting. No wonder the smiles of redeeming, sanctifying grace are withheld. No marvel at all that you are destitute of a holy unction, a spirit of fervent, prevailing prayer, the joys of perfect love. As soon expect the Holy Spirit to take up his abode in “an idol's temple,” or “a cage of unclean birds.” Light reading, silly novels, romances, love tales, light and trifling conversation, are mutual, the leprosy of the day, the gangrene of hell! eating out the essence—the very life of spirituality! Finally, beloved reader, have you come out from the world entirely? laid all upon the altar of Christ Jesus, time, talents, property, reputation, life itself? Without this entire, unreserved, perpetual, persevering consecratedness, there is nothing done to purpose or acceptance. What avail good desires, resolutions, prayers, preachings, writings, expostulations, doing this, or doing that, without this entire consecration, giving up all for God?—without first laying all upon the altar, “laying aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us,” meanwhile abstaining from all appearance of evil? Till this consecration is heartily made, all is sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. How is it possible for God to look complacently on any one, saint or sinner, professor or non-professor minister or layman, without this presenting the “body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service.” The whole tenor of God's merciful dispensations goes on the principle or condition of this consecration. There is no divine acceptance, no solid peace, hope, or comfort—no joy in the Holy Spirit—no smiling approbation of the Most High—no permanent success in our labors, in the cause of truth and salvation, save on the condition of this entire consecration, this giving up our wills to God's will. Reader, is not this correct theology, sound, scriptural, undeniable? God declares it, reiterates it on every page of inspiration. See Isa. i, 15-18; Rom. xii, 1, 2; 2 Cor. vi, 14-17. Till this entire, unreserved consecratedness is made in good faith, and forever in the sight of Heaven, angels, and men, there is no pardon, no forgiveness, no acceptance with God, no sweet, heavenly, glowing joyful manifestations of the Most High. God cannot, will not bow the listening ear. The heavens are brass above us, the earth iron beneath! Heaven is shut—the pearly gates barred—so long as we cling to earth, hold on to lust, the pride of life—refuse to bow the knee, humbly, consecratedly, and give God the glory henceforth and forever. When we have complied with God's reasonable, necessary, permanent, unalterable conditions—grounded entirely the arms of our rebellion, made a willing, hearty, unreserved sacrifice of all we possess for Jesus; brought all the tithes into the storehouse, the windows of heaven are then opened wide, salvation streams! The Lord smiles graciously, gloriously! “Come now let us reason together, saith the Lord.” See Isa. i, 18. Now, “the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” 1 Thess. v, 23. “There is a path that leads to God,
All others go astray;
Narrow but pleasant is the road,
And Christians love the way.” AUTHOR OF “SHINING LIGHT.”