William Huntington

IX. - The Sanctification of the Sinner, the Matter and the Manner of it

"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth," John, xvii. 17.

To sanctify is to appoint, ordain, consecrate, or set apart, any person or thing to a holy and special use; and thus God sanctified the sabbath day, the tabernacle, its furniture, and all the vessels of the ministry, Gen. ii. 3; Exodus, xl. 9, 10, 11. These things were not only to be set apart by the appointment of God to be used in his service, but they were to be sprinkled with blood and anointed with oil. To sanctify, in one sense of the word, signifies to wash, cleanse, or purify: the priests were sanctified by washing in water, and with the anointing oil, and by blood upon the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot; the common people by washing their flesh, clothes, &c. &c.; and others by the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh, Heb. ix. 13. But it is the substance of this shadow that I am at, which sanctifies wholly body, soul, and spirit.

"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." The elect of God were sanctified in the purpose of God from everlasting; and in this purpose of grace Christ was made sanctification and redemption to them from all eternity. "From everlasting I was set up," Prov. viii. 23. And in his undertaking for us "he went forth from of old, yea from everlasting," Micah, v. 2. In this sense we are said to be "sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Christ Jesus, and called," Jude, i. God worketh all things after the counsel of his own will; and this is his will of purpose, which in time, when he began to speak to men, became the will of promise, and in the fullness of time it became the good will of God in Christ Jesus; that is, at Christ's appearing, who came to execute every branch of the Father's good will and pleasure, and to be manifested to us at our sanctification, according to the ancient settlements, or councils of old. "Then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will O God; by the which will we are sanctified," Heb. x. 7, 10. This branch of sanctification, being in the purpose and good will of God, must undoubtedly signify setting apart and appointing us to it; and, as it was settled and done in the purpose of God, it is spoken of in the past tense; "sanctified by God the Father" from everlasting, "preserved in Christ Jesus" in time, from the womb to conversion; "and called" in due time to the fellowship of the Lord Jesus; for, being chosen in Christ from eternity, we are preserved in him throughout our state of nature, as his own remnant. "Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are born by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: and even to your old age I am he; and even to hoary hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you," Isaiah, xlvi. 3, 4.

2. We are sanctified by the blood of Christ, which has appeased the offended Majesty of heaven; which blotted out our transgressions as a cloud from the book of God's remembrance; which satisfied justice, removed the curse, purged our conscience, and procured our enlargement from the prison. By the blood the covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners "out of the pit therein is no water. Wherefore Jesus also, that the might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate," Heb. xiii. 12.

3. We are sanctified by the Spirit of God, who reveals God's secret purposes of grace to us, and applies the great atonement to the conscience, and who, by his powerful operations, regenerates and renews us, which is called "the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Under these operations the soul is cleansed, renewed, and the faculties of the soul turned to God; the will submits and chooses the better part; the heart relents, and repents towards God, and becomes soft, broken, and contrite; the mind begins to be heavenly, and to mind heavenly things. Such have life and peace; the affections go after God, and are placed above, and the conscience acts an honest and just part for God; "that the offering up of the Gentiles might be accepted, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost," Rom. xv. 16.

Thus it may be seen that each person in the Godhead has hand in the sanctification of God's people. We "are sanctified by God the Father" in his purpose; Christ sanctified us by his own blood when he suffered without the gate; and we are made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Moreover, we may see that the word sanctification, both in the Old Testament and in the New, signifies something more than setting apart; in this sense we were sanctified in the purpose of God. But we read of purging our sins, and of purging the conscience, of purifying the heart, "of sanctifying and cleansing the church, with the washing of water by the word," Eph. v. 26. "And of the washing of regeneration, &c.; and of cleansing us from all our filthiness, and from all our idols." Now this sanctification reaches to body, soul, and spirit. The body is sanctified by the in-dwelling of the Holy Ghost; the body is his temple, and he is the Lord that sanctifies us. The soul is sanctified as above described; and even the animal spirits are often high, and much elated in the service of God, when the powerful operations of God are upon the believer; much more so than a fainting, wearied man is inebriated and made merry with the most generous wine.

Furthermore, to cleave close to Christ in love, and abide in him; to walk with God in filial fear, and with a good conscience; to serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter; to follow peace with all them that call upon God out of a pure heart; to shun the works of darkness, and abide in the truth; and to persevere in faith; is "possessing the vessel in sanctification and honour."

"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." This word of truth is not the old law, though that was true. No, nor yet the prophecies of the Old Testament, though they are the more sure word of prophecy, and are all infallibly true, and cannot be broken. But then Christ is the truth of all the legal types, and he is the substance of all the prophecies; "for to him gave all the prophets witness," and of him they all prophesied. He is the end of the law for righteousness, and the substance of all the prophecies, for life and salvation; and therefore "he magnified" the one, and sealed the other; "he magnified the law, and made it honourable;" and he fulfilled and "sealed up all vision and prophecy," Daniel, ix. 24. "Moses the lawgiver, and Elijah the prophet," both resigned their offices to Jesus on the mount, Matt. xvii. 3. And hence it is said, "the law and the prophets were until John," Luke, vi. 16. Before Christ came, the law, both moral and ceremonial, was in full force; and the prophecies respecting Christ lay open, unaccomplished, and unfulfilled; but, when Christ came, he abolished the one, and fulfilled and sealed up the other: and now we must look for all truth cleared, fulfilled, and fulfilling, in Christ; for "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ:" and, as he is the substance of all the ceremonial shadows, the truth of all the legal types, the true light of all vision, and the subject and subject matter of all predictions or prophecies, he styles himself "the way, the truth, and the life."

The truth therefore mentioned in my text, through which we are sanctified, is, without all doubt, the absolute and unconditional "promises of God, which are all yea and amen now in Christ Jesus to the glory of God by us," to the glory of God's grace by the eternal salvation of us. I have shewed that we are sanctified by the election of God, by the blood of Christ, by the Holy Ghost, and by the continual communications of grace; and, as we are to be sanctified through the truth (thy word is truth), we must look for some true word of promise, where this sanctification is held forth and promised to us; and, let them be where they may, they are all now in Christ.

And first, "I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away; mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." Here is his choice of us, in which decree we were sanctified.

"I will cleanse their blood which I have not cleansed. So shall he sprinkle many nations. From all their filthiness will I cleanse them; and by the blood of thy covenant I have sent them out of the pit." Here are the promises of sanctification by the blood of Christ.

"I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. I will pour out my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." Here is the promise of sanctification by the Holy Ghost.

This people have I formed for myself, they shall shew forth my praise; I will direct their work in truth; I will give them one heart and one way; I will keep them; I will water them, and put my fear in their heart, and they shall not depart from me. Here is the sanctification and honour that shall be upon every chosen vessel.

Now, Holy Father, as thou hast promised thus to sanctify them, and hast made me sanctification to them, and hast promised that they shall be sanctified through me; and as thy choice of them is in me, and the blood I am going to shed is for them, and the fullness of the Spirit that is upon me is to flow to them from me; and as all the fullness of grace is in me for them; then sanctify them according to thy true and faithful word of promise, for "thy word is truth."

"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." Where-ever thy word is preached by those who are chosen in me, and appointed to preach; who declare thy whole counsel; who are pardoned by me, and preach pardon; who are born again and are ministers of the spirit; who are partakers of grace and good stewards of it; let the knowledge of thine election of them, the atonement that I have made for them, the spirit that thou hast promised to them, and the abundant grace given them in me, ever accompany the word of truth preached, and be communicated to all the appointed heirs of it, who receive the word with power, and in the love of it. "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth."

And every believer that is called under the ministry of the word, or by the operation of the spirit without the word preached, which is promised in the word, and comes according to it, is a living witness of this truth. By these means they make their calling and election sure; receive pardon and peace by faith in the blood of Christ, which faith mostly comes by hearing; they receive the spirit by the hearing of faith; and find the good work of grace begun and carried on under it, which is a full answer to this prayer, "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth."

And in this way the disciples were sanctified under the personal ministry of the dear Redeemer. "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you: abide in me," John, xv. 3, 4. What word was this? He told them of his Father's election of them. "Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."

Blood was drink indeed. He promised to send them the Spirit, the promise of the Father; and a measure of the Spirit was upon them, though they knew not what manner of spirit they were of. And virtue had gone out of him to them all; the grace of life was in them; and by faith they had passed from death unto life, and had everlasting life. And thus God's promised sanctification attended the word of the Saviour to all that heard the word and kept it; they were sanctified through the truth, and clean through the word that the Lord had spoken unto them. This is the sanctification of the Lord's people, and it is all of God. "I am the Lord that sanctify you." The prophecies and promises of the Old Testament respecting Christ were two branches; the one was what he should do and suffer; the other branch was the glory that should follow his sufferings. The former were all fulfilled by him, and then all the other became yea and amen in him; and all the promised blessings, and all the glory that should follow, are in him also. Hence he is made "sanctification to us" in all its branches; he is the first above, and our election is in him; our sanctification by blood is of him, who is the fountain opened for sin; our sanctification by the Spirit is the same, for the Spirit with all his fullness is in him; he sends the promise of the Father upon us, and all the communications of grace to us are out of his fullness; our sanctification is complete in him, and we are sanctified by a believing cordial reception of him into our hearts; and our life of sanctification in this world stands in our walking in him, cleaving to him, and holding communion and fellowship with him; for "he is made of God unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption."