Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-02-04
Readiua fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
lOriginal.1
SANCTIFICATION.

line Work OF grace, lFOlIl llS luClpleNCy W
its completion, may be viewed as single
thing, or it may be contemplated under a va
riety OF aspects. 1t is a unit, but finite crea-
lures, no matter how intelligent, are una
BILE to grasp any subject, as whole, at the
same time They are forced to treat every
subject in finite way. The work of re-
deeming love isa unit-a single operation
of the divine energy, but finite minds, in
order to get clear knowledge Of it, are
forced to take it to pieces and examine each
part separately. Some of these parts are so
intimately and inseparably connected that
they can, even in the mind, be only partial
ly detached. They overlap and blend into
each other so that it is not easy to discover,
clearly, where the one ends and the other
| begins. This is true, at least to some ex-
tent, in the case of regeneration and sancti-
fcation. They differ from each other, but
it is only as the same thing differs from it.
self in the process of development. The
fruit germ differs from the blossom, the
blossom differs from the growing fruit and
the growing fruit differs from the ripe fruit.
The difference is, however, only one Of de-
velopment, not Of nature. Regeneration is
life-the principle of life. Sanctification is
that princip pie Of life, either completely de-
veloped or undergoing the process of devel-
Opment.
Etymologically defined the word sanctifi-
cation means the act or operation of sancti-
flying. This is its Scriptural import. Hence
if we have correct knowledge of the Scrip
tural meaning of the word sanctify, we can
have no difficulty in arriving at the import
of the word sanctifcatiOn.
The word sanctifcation does not occur in
the commonly received English translation
of the Old Testament, and only five times
in the New Testament, and all of these ex-
cept one UI Peter | p in the epistles of
Paul. The word sanctify, however, is found
in the Old Testament two hundred and
thirty-seven times, and in the New Testa-
ment more than thirty times. In the Old
Testament there is but one word, (qadtsk),
that is translated sanctify, and in the New
Testament but one, (hdgiago) which is so
tify is used principally in two senses, and
these not antagonistic to each other, but
akin. 1t sometimes means to set apart a
person or thing to a sacred use. In this
sense the word is clearly used when it is said
God sanctified the seventh day. (Gen. 2:2.)
The word sanctify also means to make in
ternally holy. "Sanctify them by thy
TRUTH" John :17), isan example. When
God sanctified the seventh day he separated
it from all the days of the week, and set it
apart to sacred use, but when the Saviour
asked that his people might be sanctitied by
the truth, he prayed that all sin might be
might be made holy. Taking the last
meaning of the word sanctify we readily
and correctly conclude that sanctifcation is
the act or operation of making an individ-
ual holy. If we have clear idea of the
import of the word holy, we are able to un-
derstand what is meant by sanctiication.
It is worthy of note that the word gadesh
or derivatives from it, is the word which,
in the Old Testament, is translated holy.
The word holy occurs in the Old Testament
Scriptures more than three hundred times,
and the word so translated is generally
derivative of the word which is translated
sanctify. The same remark is true with re-
gard to the word holy in the New Testa-
nent. Such being the case, we conclude
that to sanctify and to make holy mean one
in both words-that in the Old Testament
and that in the New Testament-is to sepa-
rate. The idea of fitness is not foreign to
the words sanctify and holy. A sanctitied
person is fit for the purpose for which he
was separated, and the same is true of the
person who has been made holy. The per-
son who has been made holy possesses hol-
ness, and is fit for heaven, and so the person
who is sanctifed he possesses holiness, and
is fit for heaven. Sanctification may, with
Scriptural accurateness, be defined to bethe
work of Gods grace, by which believers in
Jesus Christ are, by the operations of the
fitted for heaven.
sc{., oF{ {,,.o nrt- fr,f
there is the removing of sin, and then there
is the development Of the life which is i'm
planted in the new birth. Sanctifcation,
although inseparably connected with both
justification and adoption, differs from both
in number of particulars. 1t is God, the
Father, that both justifes and adopts, but
it is God, the Holy Spirit, that sanctifies.
In justification the Righteousness Of Jesus
Christ is imputed and received by faith
alone, but in sanctifcation a righteousness
is wrought in the justified by the Holy
Spirit. Sanctifcation is very like regenera
ton, but they are not the same thing, al
though they may Scripturally be regarded
as different phases of the same thing. Re-
generation is prior to sanctlfcation. With
out life there can be no life-groWth. Those
who are not regenerated are spiritually
dead. In regeneration the soul is passive
that is it does nothing because being spirit
ually dead it can do nothing that is sprtu-
ally good. In sanctifcation the soul is act
i've, it works with or is a fellOW-laborer with
God.
The work of sanctification is both internal
and external. The understanding is illumi-
mated, the affections are purified and elevat-
ed and the will is renewed. In addition to
this, as the work of sanctitication progresses
the will is both quickened and purified.
These are internal operations, but there are
others which may be called external. The
members of the body which, prior to regen-
eration, were welded as instruments OF un-
righteousness unto sin, are made to become
instruments of righteousness unto God.
The means used by the Holy Spirit to car
ry on and perfect the work of sanctification,
are the ordinances Of grace and the dispen-
sations of divine providence. The gracious
ordinances are the reading of the Scriptures
and the preaching Of the gospel, and the sac
raments, baptism and the Lords Supper.
The Providential dispensations by which
the Holy Spirit causes the image of God
to be restored to the soul are many. In fact,
all things tend to holiness to those who be-
lieve.
A moments reflection will convince any
one that sanctfcatiOn is necessary. With
out holiness no man shall see the Lord is Il
truth Of revelation, but it is full harmony
with reason. In the nature of things sin or
sinful creatures cannot enter heaven. If it
were possible for sin polluted beings to en-
ter heaven they would not and could not be
happy. How could those who delight not
in God in this world, be happy in heaven,
in the company Of those who delight in
nothing butGod.
A JOyOIS REIIGION.-The ministratiOn