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Bible Proofs of the Second Work of Grace

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Bible Proofs of the Second Work of Grace Bible Proofs of the Second Work of Grace or Entire Sanctification as a Distinct Experience, Subsequent to Justification, Established by the United Testimony of Several Hundred Texts, Including A DESCRIPTION OF THE GREAT HOLINESS CRISIS OF THE PRESENT AGE, BY THE PROPHETS. By D. S. Warner “Yet shew I unto you a more excellent way”—1 Cor. 12:31. “And it shall be called The way of holiness”—Isaiah 35:8. Digitally Published by THE GOSPEL TRUTH www.churchofgodeveninglight.com Originally Published by Gospel Trumpet Company 1880 To the Sacred Memory Of My Sainted Mother Whose tender affections were the only solace in my suffering childhood, and whose never-failing love, and whose pure and innocent life, were the only stars of hope that shone in the darkness of my youth, Is This Volume Respectfully Dedicated By The Author. Contents CHAPTER I Introductory Remarks .................................................................. 1 CHAPTER II Christian Perfection and Holiness the Same ................................ 9 CHAPTER III Entire Sanctification, in the Economy of Grace, Is a Distinct Work Subsequent to Regeneration. The First Disciples ................................................................22 CHAPTER IV The Twofold Salvation Continued Under the Labors of the Apostles ......................................................................37 CHAPTER V Entire Sanctification a Distinct Grace, Typified by the Land of Canaan ....................................................................54 CHAPTER VI The Second Grace Inferred From the Seeming Impracticability of the Scriptures, While in the Merely Justified State ...........................................................86 CHAPTER VII The Second Work of Grace, Taught by Those Scriptures That Enjoin the Believer’s Consecration ..............................97 CHAPTER VIII The Second Work Is Established by the Fact That Justification Inducts Into a Dual State, i.e., Grace or the Spirit, and our Fallen Nature: and the Bible Teaches the Subsequent Destruction of the Latter ...............109 CHAPTER IX The Words of Christ in John 15 Are Positive Proof of Two Works of Grace .....................................................................136 CHAPTER X The Fullness a Grace Upon Grace ...............................................143 CHAPTER XI Romans 5:1-5: Proof Positive of Two Distinct Degrees of Grace .....................................................................................147 CHAPTER XII Absolute Proof—2 Corinthians 1:15 ...........................................152 CHAPTER XIII The Divine Image Restored to the Soul in the Higher Christian Experience .............................................................157 CHAPTER XIV Perfection a Distinct, and Higher Grace ......................................170 CHAPTER XV Love, an Old and New Commandment ........................................192 CHAPTER XVI The First Epistle to the Thessalonians Most Emphatically Teaches Entire Sanctification as a Second Work .................205 CHAPTER XVII Two Measures of Salvation in Christ Jesus, Taught in 2 Timothy 2 ...........................................................................216 CHAPTER XVIII The Scarlet Thread in the Epistle to the Hebrews ........................224 CHAPTER XIX The Scarlet Thread of Hebrews Continued ..................................236 CHAPTER XX St. John’s Testimony to the Second Work ...................................252 CHAPTER XXI Entire Sanctification Always Addressed to Believers; Hence Attained After Pardon ................................................260 CHAPTER XXII Purification a Distinct, Instantaneous Work Proved by the Greek Tenses ........................................................................275 CHAPTER XXIII Some of the Parables Teach the Two Distinct Works of Grace ................................................................................299 CHAPTER XXIV The Second Shaking—Purification of the Church— Hebrews 12:25-29 .................................................................306 CHAPTER XXV The Once More Shaking and Purification of the Church, Continued ..............................................................................324 CHAPTER XXVI The Shaking Crisis Continued—Separation of the Wheat and Chaff ..............................................................................340 CHAPTER XXVII Two Degrees of Divine Light in the Soul—Lamplight and Perfect Day ...........................................................................364 CHAPTER XXVIII Two Degrees of Christian Faith Taught in the New Testament ..............................................................................373 CHAPTER XXIX Two Impartations of Life in the Gospel .......................................377 CHAPTER XXX What the Spirit Saith Unto the Churches—A Higher Grace Taught in Revelation .............................................................382 CHAPTER XXXI A New Parable—The Wild Olive Root, or Reply to the Charge of Hobby ...................................................................394 Chapter I Introductory Remarks “After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared” unto me, in removing the veil of ignorance and deep prejudice from my heart; enabling me to see and appropriate Christ as my sanctification, all the longing of my heart seemed to center in a desire that all God’s dear children should enter this “valley of blessing so sweet.” I wondered that we should have tarried so long in the “first tabernacle,” when, but a thin veil, and that rent by the death of Christ, separated between us and the “holiest of all”: where the glory of God forever dwells, even that glory which Christ has given to the church “that they may be one” John 17:22. I soon perceived that it was for want of someone to “give the trumpet a certain sound,” or set forth perfect holiness as the privilege of all Christians, attainable now, by a definite act of faith. In order to experience either justification or entire sanctification these blessings must be presented to the eye of faith as a definite object of pursuit. Hence under the pall of formalism, where the change of heart is but vaguely and indefinitely taught, it is rarely experienced. BIBLE PROOFS OF THE SECOND WORK OF GRACE Hence, also, the great mass of the church, who have actually come out of spiritual Egypt, are yet with the murmuring host in the wilderness; battling with their inbred evil nature, because, under the generalizing preaching of the present day no further application of the blood of Christ is pointed out to meet the deeply felt want of perfect heart purity. And the great day of reckoning will disclose the solemn fact, that thousands have turned back to the double bondage of Egypt, and are now eternally lost, who, with definite teaching in the way of holiness, would have been washed in the Redeemer’s blood, had their “fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” The church is God’s appointed means of saving the world. But perfect holiness is her normal condition. And holiness is only attained by a definite grasp of faith, and it cannot be thus appropriated until presented to the mind in a definite form. Having, therefore, a clear conviction, that upon the preaching, and testimony of entire sanctification, as a distinct experience, subsequent to justification, more than upon all else besides, depends the salvation of immortal souls, the safety of converts, the purity and consequent power, peace and prosperity of the church, and the glory of God: and perceiving that this “second grace” is the ultimate end of Christ’s death, and the great burden of the apostolic ministry: I was constrained to dedicate, forever unto the Lord, all the energies of my being, for the promotion of this great salvation. The ordinary indefinite way of preaching holiness never leads to its blessed fruition, nor provokes opposition. But, I soon discovered that the old adversary “the accuser of the brethren” regards this definite work as entirely ignoring the compromise into which he has so generally seduced the church. Therefore his wrath 2 BIBLE PROOFS OF THE SECOND WORK OF GRACE is greatly stirred against all who hold up this pure light, so fatal to his kingdom of darkness. “But, having obtained help of God, I continued unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things, than those which Moses and the prophets did say,” “that the blood of Christ God’s Son cleanseth us from all sin.” To assist in removing the false and extravagant notions, respecting the holiness work, with which Satan has so generally prepossessed the minds of the people, I was induced to write these pages, knowing that this most blessed theme can never be exhausted; besides each writer having a circle of friends, who are most apt to procure and read his productions, it is quite probable that this work may find its way into the hands of some who would not be reached by any of the excellent works on the subject. A mingled feeling of gratitude to God, and love for all his dear children; a clear conviction of duty, and yet a deep sense of self- insufficiency, has humbled the writer before the Lord in prayer for the “wisdom that cometh from above,” even the “Spirit of truth”; to aid in this vindication of the perfect “salvation that is in Christ Jesus.” I have not written, particularly, for those who already dwell in the Canaan of perfect love. They have an experience that fully satisfies them; an experience that is better than all theory, and excludes every
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