Let us not stop here. Oh, yes, you may receive some blessing; a satisfaction of knowing you took your hands off and turned your will and life to him. At times the Spirit will give to the seeker a “blessing of encouragement.” lest they faint and fail to receive the Divine person in sanctifying grace. Some take this blessing as the witness, but no, the witness is more than a blessing, it is an assurance. Fail not to go through!

Do not come short of the glory of God. The cross must be a reality to us; a personal crucifixion. We must die! Our old man is given to the death of the cross. The struggle for survival ceases. The conflict of wills has ended.

Wrestlings of the flesh are felt no longer. The faculties of the soul are hushed, restful, expectant, the trusting soul whispers, “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.” Have you thus died? O, of a certainty it is an act of faith in Christ’s provisional grace, but faith is real, faith is substance. We must follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, and he will bring us to the place of crucifixion. “I am crucified with Christ — the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world,” testifies Paul the Apostle. Would you seek a life without the Cross, a resurrection without death? It would be in vain.

Jesus, I my cross have taken All to leave and follow thee Naked, poor, despised, forsaken, Thou from thence my all shall be.

Perish every fond ambition, All I’ve sought and hoped, and known Yet how rich is my condition, God and heaven are still my own!

Let the world despise and leave me; They have left my Savior, too Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou are not like man untrue. And while thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom love and might Foes may hate, and friends may shun me, Show thy face and all is bright. —H. F. Lyte

“Know ye not, that as many of us were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death — for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection.” Romans 6:3-5

An old Methodist altar song expressed it;

“I must be dead from day to day Let me die; let me die!

Dead to the world and its applause, To all the customs, fashions, laws, Of those who hate the humbling Cross.

Let me die! Let me die! “My friends may say I’ll ruined be, If I die, if I die.

If I leave all to follow thee, But I’ll die, but I’ll die, Their arguments will never weigh Nor stand the trying judgment day, Help me to cast them all away.

Let me die! Let me die! “Oh I must die to scoffs and sneers, Let me die! Let me die!

I must be freed from slavish fears, Let me die! Let me die!

So dead that no desire will rise, To appear good, or great, or wise, In any but my Savior’s eyes; Let me die! Let me die! “If Christ would live and reign in me, I must die! I must die!

Like him I crucified must be,” I must die! I must die!

Lord, drive the nails, nor heed the groans My flesh may writhe and make its moans, But this the way and this alone, I must die! I must die!

Begin at once to drive the nail, Let me die! Let me die!

O suffer not my heart to fail, Let me die! Let me die!

Jesus, I look to thee for power, To enable me to endure this hour When crucified by sovereign power, I shall die! But I shall live!” —Unknown

The obedient seeker must not only die but be in the likeness of his burial.

Put away, planted together with him. Hidden from earth in action, out of sight awaiting by faith the dawn of resurrection. Oh! blessed hope. You await the glorious dawning. He will not leave the soul in this state. You have finished doing the will of God. “Cast therefore not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward — He that shall come will come, and shall not tarry.” Believe it, await his coming; receive his presence. Open the door he will come in and sup with you, “The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple.” Malachi 3:1 Jesus said, “I will send him (the Holy Ghost) unto you.”

“Come, O my God, the promise seal, This mountain, sin, remove, Now in my waiting soul reveal, The virtue of thy love.

I want thy life, thy purity, Thy righteousness brought in I ask, desire and trust in thee, To be redeemed from sin.

For this as taught by thee, I pray, My inbred sin cast out!

Thou wilt in me thy power display, I can no longer doubt.

Let anger, sloth, desire and pride, This moment be subdued, Be cast into the crimson tide, Of my Redeemers blood, Savior to thee my soul looks up, My present Savior thou!

In all the confidence and hope, I claim the blessing now. ‘Tis done; thou dost this moment save, With full salvation bless; Redemption through thy blood I have, And spotless love and peace. —Wesley

The heart responds to the witness of the Spirit, not only from the lips but from every nerve, fiber and fabric of our being, and weeps in joyous praise, “Clean, clean, clean! “ The fiery baptism has done its work. The Holy Ghost has come to live in his temple. He is sovereign of our spirit, soul and body. The Dove of the Spirit has found his place of rest. The soul has found its Comforter. The human and the divine are united in peace.

Might we sing with the hymn writer:

Oh, sweet rest!

Oh, sweet rest!

The rest of the soul, So happy and blest, By faith in his promise, I lean on his breast.

My soul from his labor Has found its sweet rest. —C.F.O.

The Father’s will is now fulfilled in us by sanctification. The Son’s provisional grace is complete, we are now sanctified by his one offering; the body and the blood. The Spirit has come to cleanse and abide. “He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost is witness unto us.” Hebrews 10:14-15.