Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-10-17
VOL. XI. No. a.

The term, sanctify. is used in the Scrip.
lures, win Some variety of Specification.
IL often signifies to set apart from an earth
ly, to sacted use. Thus the time of the
Holy Sabbath is sancti6ed. By express
of God, it is consecrated err
clusively y the holy services Of Divine
worship. In the same sense are MANY
other things said to be sanctified in The
Holy Scriptures. But this term is more
frequently used in the New Testament. TO
signify the removal of moral purity-to
make holy. This is the sense in which
II is used in the passage which we have
quoted from the prayer of our Lord. He
prayed that his disciples might be made
essentially holy.
But, we shall better understand this
important subject, by considering what is
removed, and what is produced, in the
work Of Christian Specification.
In this important work, moral impur;.
ty is removed. By moral impurily, we
mean, that state of the heart in fallen men,
in which originate feelings and desires,
contrary to the law of God, and which
often break out into acts of open sin and
rebellion against God Some of these are
named in the Scriptures Said our Saw.
Tor, Mat. XIV, $780, "But those things
which proceed out OF the mouth come
forth from the heart; and they defle the
man. For out of the heart proceed evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornica-
tons, lhe(tS, false-witness, blasphemies.-
These are the things which defle man."
The works which spring from this source,
are denominated by the apostle, the works
of the flesh; for it is through The flesh
that they manifest themselves. (Gal. v,
1871 Nov the works OF the flesh
are manifest. which are these; adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness.
idolatry, wilchcraft, hated, variance. en-
ulations, wrath, strife. sedtions, heresies.
envyings, murders, drunkenness, reveI-
lings, and such like" And the apostle
goes oil to say, that they which commit
such things, shall not inherit the kingdom
of God"
Now the work of sanctifcation con.
sists in cleansing the heart. the fountain
of all these denominations, and bringing il
under the reign of the Holy Spirit-Ihe
control of the holy principles of The Cos
pei For this the Psalmist prayed, when
he said, Create in me a clean heart
and renew a right spirit ,oithin me.''
La proportion as this work advances.
will the fruits of the Holy Spirit appear,
such as, Love, joy, peace. long.snffer-
ing, gentleness. goodness, faith, meekness.
temperance; against which there is no
law"
Having thus briefly shown in what
Christian Specification consists, we pro-
coed TO consider how il is effected.
1t is by the power of God, through the
truth. This is evident from the PRAYER
of our Savior, already quoted, and also
from the prayer of the apostle, (Thes. v,
23,) And the very God Of peace sancti.
fly you wholly" &c. 1t is said of the
Holy Spirit, He will reprove the world
Of SIN This is the way in which he nc-
complishes the sanctifcation OF Christians
He causes them TO see, in the light of d.
vine truth, as they are able to bear il, the
exceeding depths of their moral pollution,
and produces that deep self-loathing with
out which none have ever arrived at emf
nent atlainments in holiness. And, hav-
ing discovered TO them more fully, their
remaining filthiness, by the searching
light Of Gods word, and produced in them
an inward thirst for moral purity, too deem
to be expressed by words, which is often
breathed out 10 God in "groaninss which
cannot be uttered," he brings to their view
in The word of truth, the precious fountain
OF the Savior's ood,-ihe blood which
cleanseth from all unrighteousness."-
He gives them power to believe, and feel
the cleansing virtue of that blood. This
in short is the manner in which the work
of Christian Sanctiicalion is carried for
ward. This is according 10 the pIaiu
teachings the Bible This view Of the
subject. is also confirmed by the expert.
ence of oil who have been blessed with
high attainments in holiness.
| 1t should be said further, thai this work
is more generally effected gradually /;
this supposition is in accordance with
what we know Of the ordinary operations
Of the human mind. In almost every
thing we advance by little and little.
This too, ia in accordance with Christian
experience, as spread out in the lives of
holy men in the Bible. Here we hear
the great apostle of the Genties, saying.
Il count not myself to have apprehend-
ed: but. this one thing | do, forgetting
those things which are behind, and reach.
ing forth unto those things which are be-
fore. | press towards the mark. for the
prize of the high calling Of God in Christ
Jesus" Again: {" keep my body un-
der" Sc. Such also is the import of
apostolic exhortatiOns and prayers
"Mortify, therefore, your members, which
are upon earth" &c. Having, there
fore those promises. dearly behaved l.,