Wesley says, " I believe this perfection is always wrought in the soul by a simple act of faith, consequently in an instant. But I believe there is a gradual work, both preceding and following that instant," — Quoted by Dr. Peck, pp. 47, 48.
They hold that this entire sanctification is not to be effected through either the strength or the merit of man, but entirely of grace, for Christ's sake, by the Holy Ghost, through the instru- mentality of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which faith involves our believing, 1st, "in the sufficiency of the provisions of the gospel for the complete deliverance of the soul from sin." 2d. " That these provisions are made for us." 3d. " That this bless- ing is for us noiu." — Peck, " Ch. Doc. Sane," pp. 405-407.
33. Wliat is the Oberlin doctrine of perfection 1
"It is a full and perfect discharge of our entire duty, of all existing obligations to God, and all other beings. It is perfect obedience to the moral law." This is God's original and univer- sal law, which, however, always, not because of grace, but of sheer justice, adjusts its demands to the measure of the present ability of the subject. The law of God can not now justly de- mand that we should love him as we might have done if we had always improved our time, etc. Yet a Christian may now attain to a state of " perfect and disinterested benevolence," may be, " according to his knowledge, as upright as God is," and as "per- fectly conformed to the will of God as is the will of the inhabit- ants of heaven." And this, Mr. Finney appears to teach, is
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418 PERFECTIONISM.
essential for even the lowest stage of genuine Christian experi- ence. The amount of the matter appears to be, God has a right to demand only that which we have the power to render ; there- fore, it follows that we have full power to render all that God demands, and, therefore, we may be as perfectly conformed to his will as it regards us, as the inhabitants of heaven are to his will as it regards them.
Pres. Mahan, " Scripture Doctrines of Christian Perfection," and Prof. Finney, Oberlin Evangelist, Vol. IV., No. 19, and Vol. IV., No. 15, as quoted by Dr. Peck.
34. State the points of agreement and disagreement betiveen these several theories, Pelagian, Romish, Arminian, and Oberlin f
1st. They all agree in maintaining that it is possible for men in this life to attain a state in which they may habitually and perfectly fulfill all their obligations, i. e., to be and do perfectly all that God requires them to be or do at present.
2d. The Pelagian theory differs from all the rest, in denying the deterioration of our natural and moral powers, and conse- quently, in denying the necessity of the intervention of super- natural grace to the end of making men perfect.
3d. The Pelagian and Oberlin theories agree in making the original moral law of God the standard of perfection. The Ober- lin theologians, however, admitting that our powers are deterio- rated by sin, hold that God's law, as a matter of sheer justice, adjusts its demands to the present ability of the subject. The Eomish theory regards the same law as the standard of perfec- tion, but differs from the Pelagian theory in maintaining that the demands of this law are adjusted to man's deteriorated pow- ers ; and on the other hand, it differs from the Oberlin theory, by holding that the lowering of the demands of this law in adjust- ment to the enfeebled powers of man, instead of being of sheer justice, is of grace for the merits of Christ. The Arminian the- ory differs from all the rest in denying that the original law is the standard of evangelical perfection ; in holding that that law hav- ing been fulfilled by Christ, the Christian is now required only to iulfill .the requirements of the gospel covenant of grace. This,
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however, appears to differ more in form than essence from the Eomish position in this regard.
4th. The Eomish and Arminian theories agree, 1st, in admit- ting that the perfect Christian is still liable to transgress the pro- visions of the original moral law, and that he is subject to mis- takes and infirmities. The Eomanist calls them venial sins ; the Arminian, mistakes or infirmities. 2d. In referring all the work of making man perfect to the efficiency of the Holy Ghost, who is given for Christ's sake. But they differ, on the other hand, 1st, as to the nature of that faith by which sanctification is ef- fected, and, 2d, as to the merit of good works.
35. Wliat are the arguments upon ichicli perfectionists sus- tain their theory, and how may they be answered ?