ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION DEFINED

Would you not agree that most modern day holiness preachers sell this grace short?

FROM JOHN FLETCHER
Again: we give the name of “Christian perfection” to that maturity of grace and holiness which established adult believers attain to under the Christian dispensation: and thus we distinguish that maturity of grace, both from the ripeness of grace, which belongs to the dispensation of the Jews below us; and from the ripeness of glory, which belongs to departed saints above us. Hence it appears, that by “Christian perfection” we mean nothing but the cluster and maturity of the graces which compose the Christian character in the Church militant.

In other words, Christian perfection is a spiritual constellation made up of these gracious stars, perfect repentance, perfect faith, perfect humility, perfect meekness, perfect self denial, perfect resignation, perfect hope, perfect charity for our visible enemies, as well as for our earthly relations; and, above all, perfect love for our invisible God, through the explicit knowledge of our Mediator Jesus Christ.

And as this last star is always accompanied by all the others, as Jupiter is by his satellites, we frequently use, as St. John, the phrase “perfect love,” instead of the word perfection; understanding by it the pure love of God shed abroad in the hearts of established believers by the Holy Ghost, which is abundantly given them under the fulness of the Christian dispensation.

FROM JOHN WESLEY
22. By what "fruit of the Spirit" may we "know that we are of God," even in the highest sense?

By love, joy, peace, always abiding; by invariable long-suffering, patience, resignation; by gentleness, triumphing over all provocation; by goodness, mildness,sweetness, tenderness of spirit; by fidelity, simplicity, godly sincerity; by meekness, calmness, evenness of spirit; by temperance, not only in food and sleep, but in all things natural and spiritual.

23. But what great matter is there is this? Have we not all this when we are justified?
What! Total resignation to the will of God, without any mixture of self-will? Gentleness, without any touch of anger, even the moment we are provoked? Love to God, without the least love to the creature, but in and for God, excluding all pride? Love to man, excluding all envy, all jealousy, and rash judging? Meekness, keeping the whole soul inviolably calm? And temperance in all things? Deny that any ever came up to this, if you please; but do not say all who are justified do.

FROM BROOKS, SCRIPTURAL SANCTIFICATION

In telling us what this enlargement is, Bishop Foster gives the following definition ordescription of this "higher experience," which, in advance of more elaborate definitions, we adoptas our own:
"What is this higher grace? Some call it holiness; some, purity; some, sanctification; some,perfection; some, maturity. There has been much unseemly disputation over the name as well asmuch fanatical profession concerning the experience, and much crude and unsound teaching as towhat it includes and how it is to be attained, and much ill-tempered criticism.
"It answers all the ends of description to say, it is the perfecting of the soul in love. Love isnot simply the queen of the graces, but the mother of them all -- the all-embracing.

Love is thefulfilling of the law; love made perfect excludes envy, jealousy, pride, and all violent and hurtful tempers and acts; love is reverent, meek, humble, docile, patient, obedient, worketh no ill,fulfilleth all righteousness. Perfect love inspires perfect faith, courage, heroism, self-denial,casteth out all fear ... God fills the soul with his love to overflowing. It thrills with gladness; itexpels impurity. While it reigns, there is no place for evil thoughts, evil desires, evil feelings.Heaven has already come. Can it be permanent at its highest pitch? We think we are safe in saying no, as an emotion. The thrill of love and joy must be intermittent in a life like ours on earth. Otherfeelings must come, and for the time obscure and replace these. But as a principle governing thelife, we are bold to say love may and should abide moment by moment and without alloy."