Letter 329
—————
CCCXXIX. — To Mrs. A. F.
MY DEAR SISTER, October 12, 1764.
THAT great truth, “that we are saved by faith,” will never be worn-out; and that sanctifying as well as justifying faith is the free gift of God. Now, with God one day is as a thousand years. It plainly follows, that the quantity of time is nothing to Him: Centuries, years, months, days, hours, and moments are exactly the same. Consequently, he can as well sanctify in a day after we are justified, as a hundred years. There is no difference at all, unless we suppose Him to be such a one as ourselves. Accordingly we see, in fact, that some of the most unquestionable witnesses of sanctifying grace were sanctified within a few days after they were justified. I have seldom known so devoted a soul as S—— H——, at Macclesfield, who was sanctified within nine days after she was convinced of sin. She was then twelve years old, and I believe was never afterwards heard to speak an improper word, or known to do an improper thing. Her look struck an awe into all that saw her. She is now in Abraham’s bosom. Although, therefore, it usually pleases God to interpose some time between justification and sanctification, yet, as it is expressly observed in the “Farther Thoughts,” we must not fancy this to be an invariable rule. All who think this, must think we are sanctified by works, or, which comes to the same, by sufferings: For, otherwise, what is time necessary for? It must be either to do or to suffer. Whereas, if nothing be required but simple faith, a moment is as good as an age.
The truth is, we are continually forming general rules from our own particular experience. Thus S—— R——, having gone about and about herself, which took up a considerable time, might very naturally suppose, all who are sanctified must stay for it near as long a time as she did. Again: If God has so rooted and grounded her in love (which I neither affirm nor deny) that she cannot now fall from Him, she very naturally thinks this is the case with all that are sanctified. Formerly S——