{"id":17873,"date":"2023-06-08T02:09:32","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T02:09:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/?p=17873"},"modified":"2023-06-08T02:09:32","modified_gmt":"2023-06-08T02:09:32","slug":"addendum-the-sanctification-of-the-spirit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/2023\/06\/addendum-the-sanctification-of-the-spirit\/","title":{"rendered":"Addendum – The Sanctification Of The Spirit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Surprise may be felt that no Article is expressly devoted to the above in previous pages, and that, with few exceptions, none is to be found in the Confessions of Faith in use among Strict and Particular Baptist Churches. The reasons may be that:<\/p>\n

(1) It is omitted from the summaries of saving knowledge in the New Testament, e.i., Rom. 8:28-30, and 1 Cor. 15:1-4.<\/p>\n

(2) Dr. Gill\u2019s Declaration makes no reference to it.<\/p>\n

(3) All our churches are agreed that the objects of justifying grace are the subjects of an inwrought work whereby spiritual life and holy principles are infused, by the Spirit of God, into the hearts of the saints, and the bias of their minds graciously affected.<\/p>\n

There is, however, great diversity of opinion as to the range of the truths expressed by the term \u201cSanctification.\u201d Some restrict it to the Divine operation by which naturally sinful men are made holy. Others extend it to include the gracious acts of the Father and the Son, (Jude 1, Heb. 13:12,) by which God\u2019s people were set apart as holy. Some, with John Stevens, have used the phrase \u201cimputed sanctification,\u201d against which others protest. Some \u2014 while denying the Arminian error of \u201cperfection in the flesh \u201d\u2014assent to the ex\u00adpression \u201cprogressive Sanctification,\u201d which others earnestly repudiate.<\/p>\n

These are doubtless mere questions of definition and terminology. Nevertheless, it might be difficult to bring the thoughtful members of one of our Churches into unanimity as to an Article which explicitly and fully expressed their views as a whole.<\/p>\n

It were well if the word Sanctification, as a technical term in Theology, were restricted to the meaning accepted by the majority of Evangelical Christians. None of our persuasion would, we think, object to assent to the following as an Article of Faith:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe that Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in the souls of God\u2019s chosen and redeemed people; which is begun in their Regeneration, when their minds are first enlightened, their wills renewed, and the principle of all the graces implanted: and is consummated at death by their entire conformity to the nature, character, and will of God.\u201d<\/p>\n

This may be compared with three others\u2014the first from the Declaration of Faith and Practice issued by the Church at Eden Chapel, Cambridge.<\/p>\n

\u201c 13. We believe in Sanctification by the Father, (Jude 1;) by our Lord Jesus Christ, (Heb. 13:12,) and by the Holy Ghost, (1 Pet. 1:2,) according to which the vessels of mercy were set apart to holiness; their sins were washed away with blood, and they made partakers of holiness. And we believe that no man hath any godliness or spiritual goodness in him, or about him, until he is sanctified by the Holy Ghost, (Rom. 15:16.)\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The second is from the Articles of Faith of the Church at Zion Chapel, New Cross, London.<\/p>\n

\u201c13. We believe that the elect of God are sanctified by the great Three-One; chosen by the Father that they should be holy, which holiness they receive from Christ, their glorious Head and Sanctifier, by the invincible operations of the Holy Ghost, who makes them the subjects of a new nature, which is the root of all holy desires and gracious practices. (Jude 1; 1 Cor. 1:2; Heb. 2:11; 1 Pet. 1:2.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The third is from \u201cThe Sunday School Catechism,\u201d prepared by Ebenezer Marsh, Minister of Gurney Road Chapel, Stratford, and issued by The Metropolitan Association of Strict Baptist Churches, Section 5. Question 11:<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018What is Sanctification? A.\u2014Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of God\u2019s chosen people, whereby they are set apart to walk in newness of life and bring forth fruit unto God.\u201d (Rom. 6:4-6; 1 Cor. 6:11,17; Eph 1:4; 3:16,19; 5:23,24; Col.1:10,11; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 John 3:9; Jude 1)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The subject is disoussed in the author\u2019s Manual, pages 122-157, which may help the reader. This we assure him\u2014that holiness of heart and life is deemed essential to vital Christianity by the Strict and Particular section of the Baptist Denomination.<\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720<\/p>\n

XXIX. Conclusion.<\/p>\n

All and each of these doctrines and ordinances we consider ourselves under the greatest obligation to embrace, maintain, and defend; believing it to be our duty and privilege to \u201cstand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.\u201d<\/p>\n

And whereas we are very sensible that our \u201cconversation,” both in the Church and in the World, ought to be \u201cas becometh the gospel of Christ,\u201d we judge it our incumbent duty to \u201cwalk in wisdom towards them that are without and to exercise a conscience void of offence towards God and man, by living, \u201csoberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.\u201d<\/p>\n

And as regards our conduct to each other in our Church communion, we esteem it our duty and our privilege to walk with each other in all humility and brotherly love; to watch each other\u2019s conversation; to stir up one another to love and good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, but as we have opportunity, to worship God according to His revealed will; and when the case requires, to warn, rebuke, and admonish one another, according to the rules of the Gospel.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Moreover, we think ourselves obliged to sympathise with each other, in all conditions, both inward and outward, into which God, in His providence, may bring us; as also to bear with each other\u2019s weaknesses, failings, and infirmities; and particularly to pray for, and with one another, that the Gospel and the ordinances thereof, may be blessed to the edification and comfort of our souls, and for the accomplishment of the number of God\u2019s elect all which duties and privileges we desire to be found in the performance of, through the gracious assistance of the Holy Spirit; whilst we admire and adore the grace which has given us \u201ca place and a name in God\u2019s house better than that of sons and daughters.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The End.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Annotations:<\/p>\n

This resume of the duties and privileges of a Gospel Church is, with a few verbal alterations, identical with the closing paragraphs of the Declaration of the Faith and Practice of the Church of Christ at Horsleydown, under the pastoral care of Dr. Gill, and entered by him in the Church Book in 1720. On this also the foregoing Articles are mainly based.<\/p>\n

Dr. Gill\u2019s Declaration was designed to take the place of the Church Covenant, printed for the use of the Church, in 1697, by its then Pastor, Benjamin Keach. This, it is probable, was in substance identical with the one which was formerly read publicly before the Lord\u2019s Supper at the admission of Christians to the Membership of Particular Baptist Churches, and is still used at New Street Chapel, St. Neot\u2019s, Hunts. the person to be received is as follows:\u2014<\/p>\n

If you, Brother, [or Sister] now in the awful presence of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the presence of His holy angels, and in the presence of His people and all others who are here present, do give up yourself unto the Lord and unto us His people, by the will of God, solemnly promising and engaging in the aforesaid awful presence, to walk with God, and us, His Church and people, as the Lord shall enable and en\u00ad lighten you, signify the same by holding up your right hand to the Lord.<\/p>\n

We likewise, in the aforesaid awful presence, do receive you into our Communion, solemnly engaging to behave towards you as a Church of Christ, watching over you in the Lord.<\/p>\n

In testimony hereof, we give you the right hand of Fellow\u00ad ship, wishing your coming into this Church may be attended with blessing both to us and to you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":13447,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1101],"tags":[1194,1250,1197],"class_list":["post-17873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-william-styles-a-guide-to-church-fellowship","tag-gospel-law","tag-regeneration","tag-spiritual-growth"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17873"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17873\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17875,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17873\/revisions\/17875"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17873"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}