Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-11-20
SANCTEEECgATEON.
a Sermon by tlae Rev. DIR .
Grasty at the Christian
Church, Mexico. Mo.


Gods free grace, whereby we are re-
newed in the whole man after the
image of God, and are enabled more
and more to die unto sin and live unto
righteousness" Agreeably to this!
definition justification differs from
sanctification Il. } in that the formert
is a transient act, and the latter al
progressive work. (2.) Justification
is forsensic act, God acting as judgel
declaring justice satisfied, as far asI
the believing sinner is concerned.
Whereas, sanctification is all effect
due to the divine efficiency. 6. VI
Justification changes or declares to be
changed the relation of the sinner to
the justice of God. Sanctifcati0n.
involves change of character. (4D
The former therefore, is objective Cor
from wiihout), the latter subjective
Cor wrought withim. (5.) The for
mer is founded on what Christ has
done for us, the latter is tie effect of
what He does in US. Justification is
complete and the same in all, while
sanctilication is progressive and is
more complete in some than in others.
The question before US, just now,
is not as To the duty of believers. All
admit that we ale bound to be perfect
rs our Father in Heaven is perfect
Nor is it u question as TO the COM
mand OF God, for the first, original
and universally obligatory command
mcn1 Is, that we should love GCd
with all our heart, and our nei9hbor
as ourselves. Nor does the question
concern the provisions of the gospel.
1t is admitted that the gospel provides
all that is needed for the complete
sancLitication and salvation Of belev-
ers. What can we need more than
We have i'll Christ; lis spirit, His
word and His ordinances ! Nor does
it concern the promises of God; for
ali rejoice iii the hope founded on the
. Divine promise that we shall be uIti-
matciy delivered from all sin. God
has i'll Christ made provision for the
complete salvation of His people ;
that is, for their entire deliVeraucc
from the penalty Of the law, from the
power Of sin, from all sorrow, pain
and death; and not only for mere
negative dclivcraucc, hut for their
being transformed into the image OF
Chljst, filled with His spirit, and glo-
rltiyd by the beauty OF the Lord. |; is,
however, TOO plain that, unless sane
tiiicati III he ;In exception, no one OF
these promises besides that which
concerns iu,tiication is perfectly full
filled i'll tbs life See Hodge.
Let It's take the promise contained in
Ephesians. Y. -. Christ loved til.
church and gave Himself for it, that
He might sanctily ard cleanse it Will
the washing OF water 10y his word that
He might present it 70 Himself Il gio-
rious church, not having spot OF
wrinkle or any such thing "But
that it should he holy and without
blemish.' Now, does this scripturt
picture the church ON this side of the
grave! Has there ever existed a bod,
Of believers Oh this earth who in per.
sonal character were holy and without
hlcmish: The answer given to thi.
question by the church universal is j,
til" negative! Listen to the teaching.
OF pcrlectionjsts themselves. DR.. Peel
says, that the law to which believer.
are subject is not the law giyen tt
Adam. Fletcher says. with rcspec
To the Christless law Of plradisica
obedience, we utterly disciairn sinlrs.
perfection. We shall not be iudrcC
by that law, bat by a law adapted t,
our present state and circumstances
called the law of Christ. Our Hcay
enly Father never expects Of US in ou
dehiIltated state the obedience of i'm
mortal Adam in Paradise. The stand
ard of character set up in the gospc
must be such rs is PRACTICAL by maj
tuiIen as he is. Coming up to tn,
standard is what we call christia,
pcrtection," Deus mHltas inpertccc
tiones etioPSos coDdonUt. Wesley SAYS
by s,n is meant O) voIultar,
Iransgrcssiou OF known law. In thi
sense, all who are born Of God ar
free from sin. &. 1t means all un
holy tempcrs, sclt-wll, pride, anger
sinful thought. From these the Der
feet are free. (3.) But mistakes an,
iniirmiticS are not sin. These ar
indeed deviations from the perfect Ia,
ana consequently need atoncnent
yet, they are not properly sins. !
i. person filed with the love Of God !
still liable to these involuntary trans
gressions. Such transgressions yo
may call sins you please do not =
The question, however, is not wha
Mr.. Wesley or any other man choose
to call sin, but what does the law {
God condemn: Nothing which til
law does not condemn can nee,
atonement. If these transgrcssion
need atonemcnt, need to be forgiven
they are sins in the sight of God, an
they that commit them are not pei
feet. Our refusal to recognize trans
gressions us sNcii, ioes not alter thei
nature or remove their guilt.
so long as the believer lives In thi
world, he will need to pray for pal
don. The grounds OF this doctrin
are: C.) The spirituality and immu
liability of the law. II condemns q
, sinful any want Of conformity to til
standard of absolute perfection a
y exhibited in the Bible. Anythin
less than loving God constantly wit
all the heart, tll the soul, all tn
mind, ali the strength, and our neigh
bors as ourselves is sin. (2) The eS
press declaration of the scriptures tha
7 all men are sinners. ''If we say tha
! we have No sin, we deceive ourselve
and the truth is not in u.s." ether
is none righteous; no, not one.
"All have sinned and come short {
the glory of God" No flesh living
just in the sight of God. Every on
must lay his hand on his mouth an
his mouth in the dust, in the sight Q
the infinitely holy God, who accuse
His angels with folly. These scrip
N lures refer to all men without exceI
, tion, to Jews and Gentiles, the re
newed and unrenewed, to babes i
Christ and to mature christians. A
feel and all are bound to acknoVledp