(On progressive sanctification)No, indeed, dearest, I shall not tell you that having Christ, and being therefore rich in hope, you can want nothing more. I know that when sure, quite sure of the pardon of sin, we do want more - we want to be rid of it. Such is the beautiful design of God. We are safe in being justified; but we are not happy, but in proportion as we are sanctified; the former satisfies our fears, but our desires are restless for the latter. As the former is the first act of divine love, it is naturally the first thing a believer seeks to be assured of; and when he has assured himself of pardon and justification in Christ, he very often fancies for a time that he has the whole of salvation, and is sanctified. But this does not last; he finds out as you do, that he wants more; he wants holiness and cannot be happy without it. But then what a comfort that the one is secure as the other, although a slower process; that the same blood which bought our justification, and bestows it at once, bought our sanctification - the other half of one and the same salvation, - and must bestow it ultimately.
Caroline [Fry] Wilson
From: An Autobiography and Letters of the Author of The Listener, Christ Our Law, Etc. (1849)
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