LECTURE II.

THE NATURE OF PERFECTION.

"Let us go on unto perfection," Hebrews vi, 1.

In the preceding lecture I endeavoured to show that we must leave elementary principles, and the state of novitiates, and advance. In this my object shall be to exhibit the mark at which we are to direct our efforts. We must "go on unto perfection."

And that we may not act at random, or fight as those who beat the air, it will be necessary, if possible, to have definite views of that perfection at which we are to aim. I shall consequently, in the first place, attempt to ascertain the meaning of the term perfection, as it is to be understood in the text, and in similar passages. Several commentators suppose that by perfection, here, the apostle means the higher degrees of knowledge. Macknight says: "The apostle calls the knowledge of the doctrines and promises of the gospel, as typically set forth in the covenant with Abram, and darkly expressed in the figures and prophecies of the law, Teλεorns, perfection, either in allusion to the Greeks, who termed the complete knowledge of their mysteries Teλεorns, or reλeiwois, perfection; or in allusion to what he had said chap. v, 14, that strong meat belongs to Teλewv, full-grown men."

Perfection here unquestionably implies an advanced state of knowledge; but this is but a small part of what I conceive to be embraced. I much prefer the thorough views of Dr. Clarke to those of Macknight and others who agree with him. This distinguished

critic paraphrases the passage thus: "Let us go on to perfection'-Let us never rest till we are adult Christians; till we are saved from all sin, and are filled with the spirit and power of Christ."

In endeavouring to have right conceptions of the doctrine of Christian perfection, we may be somewhat aided by a correct understanding of the simple idea of perfection in the abstract. Perfection signifies completeness. Hooker says: "We count those things perfect which want nothing requisite for the end whereunto they were instituted." So any thing that is complete in its kind is perfect.

As to the different kinds of perfection, or the different applications of the term, after an examination of a large number of critics upon the subject, the following, from Bailey's "Dictionarium Britannicum," is the most satisfactory :

The adjective perfect he defines "[perfectus, L.,] entire; to which nothing is wanting, or that has all the requisites; also, excellent, accomplished; also, arrant; [i. e., mere, downright ;t] also, well skilled in."

"PERFECTION, the state or condition of that which is perfect; also excellency, great accomplishment.

"Absolute PERFECTION, is that wherein all imperfection is excluded, such as is that of God, or secundum quid, and in its kind.

"Essential PERFECTION, is the possession of all the essential attributes; or of all the parts necessary to the integrity of a substance.

"Natural PERFECTION, is that whereby a thing has all its powers or faculties; and those, too, in their full

* Folio, printed 1730.

+ Phillips, (1706,) Kersey, (1708,) and Bailey, give this definition to arrant. Now it is obsolete.

vigour; all its parts, both principal and secondary; and those in their due proportion, constitution, &c.

"Moral PERFECTION, is an eminent degree of virtue, or moral goodness, to which men arrive by frequently repeated acts of beneficence, piety, &c."

This definition of "moral perfection" is lax, but is a true exhibition of the sense in which the term was employed by many theologians of the last two centuries. The Wesleyan view of moral or Christian perfection is, that completeness of the Christian character which is required and promised in the gospel, "to which men arrive," not so much "by frequently repeated acts of beneficence, piety, &c.," as by a true and living faith.

After this general view of the philology of the subject, I shall proceed to a discussion of its elements, as they are presented in the Scriptures, and in the writings of several classes of theologians.

In the first place, then, let us inquire, What light do we derive from the Scriptures upon the subject?

I need not attempt to prove, that perfection of some sort is presented in the Bible as an attainable state. No one will deny this. The simple announcement of the text, which I make my motto, is sufficient warrant for the assumption at present. And it may now be taken for granted that it is the thing we mean by Christian perfection, and not the name, that is deemed objectionable: for it is difficult to perceive how serious and intelligent Christians can object to language so strongly sanctioned by Scripture use What, then, is the perfection held up in the Scriptures as attainable and obligatory?

If man were mere matter, his highest perfection might consist in his physical organization, the proportions of his various parts, and the beauty of his form:

if he were a mere animal, then his highest excellence might consist in the perfection of his animal functions -sensations, instincts, &c.: if he were merely an intellectual being, his greatest glory would be in the strength and quickness of his intellectual faculties or his understanding. But as he is a moral being, his highest perfection must consist in likeness to his great Author in his moral character-it must consist in "the beauty of holiness.". To Christian perfection, then, we must necessarily attach the idea of holiness, or sanctification to the fullest extent of which we are capable in our present state-what St. Paul means by being sanctified wholly, (1 Thess. v, 23,) and by standing complete in all the will of God. Col. iv, 12.

Sanctification is the renovation of the heart; but the term, unqualified, does not always, or even generally, imply what we mean by Christian perfection. Justification implies pardon. But simultaneously with the sinner's being taken into favour, he is born again, or regenerated. This is a real change wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God. And those thus changed or regenerated are often in the writings of the apostles called holy, and sanctified. Mr. Wesley says: "The term sanctified is continually applied by St. Paul to all that were justified. By this term alone he rarely, if ever, means, 'saved from all sin;"" and "that, consequently, it is not proper to use it in that sense, without adding the word wholly, entirely, or the like."*

Hence, to speak of a sanctified state simply as a state of entire freedom from sin, would be, in the view of Mr. Wesley, to depart from the general usage of St. Paul. It would be equally foreign from the views both of St. Paul and Mr. Wesley, to speak of those

* Plain Account of Christian Perfection, 18mo., pp 51, 52.

who are not sanctified wholly as in a state of damning sin. For they are justified and born anew, and consequently adopted into God's family. And though their sanctification is not complete, they have the promise of eternal life, and of course have the pledge of complete sanctification, if they should be cut off by death in that state. It is most absurd to suppose that a justified soul can be lost, without having forfeited his justification, by backsliding.

Mr. Wesley, in many places, speaks in very strong terms of the blessedness of a state of justification, and applies the language of Scripture to that state, which certainly implies a high degree of triumph over the lusts of the flesh. The following may be considered as specimens of a large class of passages which might be quoted :

"An immediate and constant fruit of this faith whereby we are born of God, a fruit which can in no wise be separated from it, no, not for an hour, is power over sin;-power over outward sin of every kind; over every evil word and work; for wheresoever the blood of Christ is thus applied, it 'purgeth the conscience from dead works ;'-and over inward sin; for it purifieth the heart from every unholy desire and temper."* Again :

"Now, the word of God plainly declares, that even those who are justified, who are born again in the lowest sense, 'do not continue in sin;' that they cannot 'live any longer therein,' Rom. vi, 1, 2; that they are planted together in the likeness of the death' of Christ verse 5; that their 'old man is crucified with him,' the body of sin being destroyed, so that henceforth they do not serve sin; that being dead with Christ, they are free from sin, ver. 6, 7; that they are 'dead unto sin, * Works, vol. i, p. 155. `