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SERMON

PREACHED IN THE

JOHN Q. ADAMS, PASTOR,
JUNE 12, 1859.

\\ NORTH BAPTIST CHURCH, NEW YORK, ®

1 The verr God of Peace Sanctify you Wholly.'

Weil) S"orft:
SHELDON & CO., 115 NASSAU STREET.
" 1859.

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SANCTIFICATION :

SEBMON,

PREACHED IN THE

NORTH BAPTIST CHURCH, NEW YORK,

JOHN Q. ADAMS, PASTOR,
JUNE 12, 1859.

" The verr God of Peace Sanctify yon Wholly."

Neto ¥or!t:
SHELDON & CO., 115 NASSAU STREET.
1859.

SEEM ON.

Test. — " And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly ; and I pray God your whole
spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ." 1 Thess. v. 23.

It is an indisputable fact that just at this time an unusual
degree of interest is felt in the minds of Christians in refer
ence to a higher state of religious experience than has been
generally enjoyed in the past; and anxious inquiry in refer
ence to the doctrine of sanctification is exceedingly common.
Among all denominations of evangelical Christians this is
true. The earnest longings of the souls of devoted men and
women, refuse to be satisfied with anything less than the full
enjoyment of all that God has provided for them here. And
not a few in all these denominations, have been brought, by
Divine grace, into the possession of an experience far supe
rior to that which they had ever enjoyed before.
It is also true, as might be expected, that such inquiries,
and such experiences, meet with opposition from a variety of
sources. The powers of darkness would, of course, oppose
every effort to advance the holiness and happiness of believ
ers — the time-serving and worldly-minded professors of relig
ion will oppose that phase of Christianity which necessi
tates the abandonment, either of their profession, or of their
known, willful sins, and glaring inconsistencies ; — and many
of the wise and good, prompted by the purest motives, yet
misled by terms which they misapprehend, honestly array

themselves against what they sincerely believe to be both
fanatical and erroneous. Such being the state of things, it
is not strange that some who are seeking, and others who
have received this gracious gift, should either conceal it alto
gether, or strive to veil it under terms which are not offen
sive to its opponents. But such a course is pursued at the
expense of the continued evidence of its possession — as it is
an invariable law of grace that God's favors must be ac
knowledged and confessed, in order to their full enjoyment.
It is, however, a cheering fact that God's people are awaking
to the consideration of the doctrine brought to view in our
text — sanctification. And, as a Baptist, I am glad that our
own denomination is not indifferent to the subject. Go where
you will, this subject is introduced. Our pulpits discuss it —
our periodicals direct our attention to it — our Association at
its recent Anniversary was commenced with a sermon upon
it from the very text I have chosen for this discourse. I
surely, then, need no apology for introducing it into the pul
pit of the North Baptist church. Without further remarks,
then, permit me to »
I. Explain the Doctrine, and II. Prove it.
I. Let me explain the Doctrine which I understand to be
here taught. " The very God of peace sanctify you wholly."
Without seeking to be critical it is enough to remark here,
that " to sanctify " is to set apart — to devote to a particular
purpose. In the Gospel sense, it is to be set apart for the
purpose of being made holy. To be "sanctified wholly " — or
entirely sanctified, for the terms are synonymous — is to be
entirely set apart for God- — to be wholly consecrated, with
the consciousness, wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit,
that such consecration is accepted through the merits of
Christ, and that God does take that which is so devoted, and
use it for His service and glory. This consecration includes
the body, with all its members, and all their capacities — the
soul with all its faculties, and all their powers — the spirit
with all its perceptions and prerogatives, so that body, and
soul, and spirit, are sanctified wholly, that they may be " pre-

served blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus." Thus
the entire being is given up to God, through Christ.
This consecration, accompanied with the faith of accept
ance, brings the soul into a condition or state where it re
ceives largely the blessings of the Gospel. This state is one
of the most perfect self-renunciation — not only the abandon
ment of all self-righteousness as a ground of acceptance with
God, but of everything that pertains to self— wisdom, strength,
all. The creature falls into nothing— is lost. In the language
of Edwards, it desires to sink " infinitely low " before God.
And just as the creature sinks, Christ is exalted. He becomes
inexpressibly precious. His infinite fullness, and his intimate
union with the soul, are no longer speculative theory, but a
felt reality, constantly enjoyed. " The indwelling of the
Holy Spirit," is a phrase now understood by the soul, but in
dicating an experience incommunicable in human language.
The whole being is enwrapt in God. There is constantly
joy and peace — at times, ecstacy and rapture — yet these
never interfere with the ordinary duties of life, or divert or
distract the mind from the pursuit of its appropriate work.
The soul is sweetly at rest ; and though, like the sea, when
storms sweep over it, the surface may at times be ruffled, yet
deep down in the heart, there is a holy calm — the rest of
faith— undisturbed by passing events. The soul is in sweet
harmony with God in all His providences, and ever exclaims,
however severe the trial, "He hath done all things well."
There is also a sweet sense of inward purity, under the sancti
fying power of the Spirit of God, through faith in the all-
cleansing blood of Jesus. Love to God and man fills the
heart, and an intense desire to glorify God prompts every
action of the life. These are some, and only some, of the
features of the state into which the soul is brought when
sanctified wholly.
This work is a Divine work. "The God of peace sanctify
you wholly." It is by the sovereign grace of God alone that
it is effected— not by any merit of the creature, or on account
of any work done, or consecration made. The best offerings
are infinitely unworthy of the least notice of God. And, oh,
my beloved in the Lord, if you would arrive at something

6
like a true estimate of the insignificance of all you have and
are, just bring all and present it as an offering before God;
and learn how much less than nothing your persons, your
talents, your possessions will appear when laid as a gift
before Him. For myself, were I possessed of all the moral
qualities of all the redeemed on earth and the glorified, in
heaven — could I blend in myself all the intellectual attain
ments of every created intelligent being in existence, and
•were I proprietor of the material universe — and then, were I
to bring these as an offering to God, they would all appear
as nothing when contrasted with His infinite majesty.
Without Jesus Christ, as the altar on which my gift should be
sanctified, I would despair of its acceptance. It is for
Christ's sake alone that our consecration is accepted — for
after we have done all these things, we are unprofitable serv
ants — we have only done what it was our duty to do.
This work is not perpetuated by the power, or on account of
the worthiness of the creature, after it is effected. "Be preserved
blameless." Here the passive voice is employed. The soul
lies passive in the hands of God. Its safety and preserva
tion in this state consists in a perfect non-resistance to the
will of God. *Its security is " to lie passive in His hands,
and know no will but His." In such a state of mind God
can consistently, and does employ the soul, in an eminent
degree, for His glory. It is, literally, an instrument in His
hands, just as really as the axe in the hands of the woodman.
You will never hear a soul in this experience adopting the
idea of being an agent in God's hands. No ; it is a passive
thing, for God to use as He will. The believer labors, indeed;
but he " strives according to His working, who worketh in
him mightily." — Col. i. 26. In this state there is no exemp
tion from trials and temptations. On the contrary, the soul
may be, and generally will be, more fiercely assailed by both.
But these are regarded as only new opportunities of testing
the fidelity of God, and fresh occasions for the manifestations
of Divine strength, made perfect in its weakness. It is, in
short, a " life of faith on the Son of God." Having stated
the doctrine, I proceed,

II. To Prijve it. Is there such an experience for the Chris
tian here ? Can this sweet picture be realized on earth ? I
answer, Yes. And will consider,
1. The Presumptive Proof. Notice here, a few facts. (1.)
There is in the justified soul, a deep sense of the need of just
such an experience as this. I appeal to my brethren and sis
ters in the Lord. Months or years ago, you were under con
viction of sin ; you were led by the Spirit of God to realize
your exposedness to Divine wrath — you fled to Jesus, you
received Him as your righteousness, and were justified by the
merits of His atoning death. Great joy — the joy of deliver
ance from hell, filled your heart. You were exceedingly
happy. Days, perhaps weeks passed on, and you discovered
that sin still dwelt in you, and oftentimes you were brought
into captivity^ — darkness filled your soul. You were disap
pointed ! The Gospel had not done for you all that you
expected it would. Your hope in Jesus was not abandoned :
He was still your righteousness to justify — but, oh, how
you longed for deliverance — how the soul yearned for free
dom — not from the body, but from the power and dominion of
sin. You did not so much desire to leave the world, for here
you wished to labor for God, as to be able to live a holy life
in it. Unless, like the speaker, you were taught that you
could do no better ; then, doubtless, you often wished to die
that you might cease sinning. Oh, how you felt the need
of Jesus as your Sanctification — not merely a,s your Right
eousness to justify, but as your Strength tq.sustain you
against all the assaults of hell and sin.
(2.) There is a deep conviction in the minds of justified souls
that they are not living up to their present privileges. There is
a consciousness that there ' is something here, in the present,
which they might enjoy, but which they do not. There is a
conviction — it may be vague and almost undefined — it may
be at times battled and suppressed — but there ,js a conviction
which makes itself felt, that there is provision made for all
the wants of the soul in the Gospel ; and that it is the privi
lege of the believer to have all his " need supplied, according
to God's riches in glory, by Christ Jesus." The lack of this,

8
they know, prevents their usefulness, ' and interferes with
their enjoyment. Now these are desires and convictions in
reference to the present, not the future. Now, is the soul to
be continually burdened and pained with such cravings, only
to be mocked with defeat and despair ? No, no I The very
longing of the soul for something better, as a present privilege,
is strong presumptive evidence of the existence of that some
thing for which it longs.
(3.) Unconverted men expect that Christians should exhibit just
such fruit as this experience only can produce. The world is
acquainted somewhat with the Christian's text-book, and has
a keen perception of the discrepancies between the life of Him
who was " holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sin
ners," and those who profess to " follow Him." All efforts to
lead the Church in any great degree to such a state of holy
living as shall correspond to the teachings • of the Bible, and
the example of Christ, without the experience of sanctification,
must be abortive. We offer no extenuation of the persecu
ting spirit of the world, which leads to the magnifying of the
faults of professed Christians, but we fearlessly assert, and
the present generation of Christians prove it, that the mouths
of gainsayers cannot be stopped, till a higher experience in
the inner-life shall lead to a more consistent outward life. It
is hard for a Christian to live above his experience !
(4.) In proportion as the believer grows in grace, opposition to
this doctrine diminishes. There may be growth in years and
knowledge, where there is little growth in grace. But when
God's Spirit is poured into the soul, and the child of God is
all alive in His service, then the idea of entire consecration,
with large and confident faith, is not considered strange.
Then the world is abandoned, self is abased, Christ is exalted,
and, theoretically, the whole doctrine is received, and at such
times, where it is understood and sought, the experience of
entire sanctification is imparted to the soul. The same thing
is true in genuine revivals of religion. How many were
wholly given up to God's service, during the work of grace
in 1858, and enjoyed the constant evidence of acceptance
through Christ ?

(5.) This experience is never opposed in the near approach of
death and eternity. How the world is renounced then I How
self is abandoned wholly, and how body, soul, and spirit, are
committed into the hands of Christ 1 How the soul then feels
the cleansing efficacy of the blood of Jesus ! It does not look
on death, then, to sanctify it, but only to release it, that it
may soar away to its appropriate sphere. And oftentimes, in
death, there is expressed the deep conviction that such a state
of sanctification as is then enjoyed, might have been pos
sessed before, and what is called " dying grace," it is found,
was just the thing the soul needed to enable it to live to God's
glory. These are presumptive proofs. Whence come these desires ?
Why these convictions ? Does the world put the standard of
Christian character too high ? Do revivals, and the dying
hour mislead the soul ? Notice,
2. The Argumentative Proofs. These we derive, (1.) From
the Power of God. He is able to produce such an experience
in the hearts of His people. No one can question this without
limiting God's Omnipotence. We need not, therefore, dwell
upon it.
(2.) His Willingness. It is in accordance with His holy char
acter. He delights in holiness — in the entire sanctification of
His people. He " hath chosen us in Christ before the foun
dation of the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before Him in love." " This is the will of God, even
our sanctification." And for this, He has made abundant pro
vision in the Gospel.
(3.) The Declarations of His Word. Look at the promises.
Ezek. xxxvi. 25-2T — " Then will I sprinkle clean water upon
you, and ye shall be clean ; from all your filthiness, and from all
your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart, also, will I give
you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take
away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a
heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and
cause you to walk in my statutes, and do them." "I will
also save you from all your uncleannesses." " Blessed are they

10
that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall
be filled." "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
God." " Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, I will do it."
" Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." In ac
cordance with these promises are the prayers of Christ and the
Apostles. , In the " Lord's Prayer," we are taught to say —
" Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." " Forgive us
our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us."
" Sanctify them through thy. truth." The prayer of the apos
tle in Eph. iii. 14-20 — " For this cause I bow my knees unto
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole
family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant
you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened
with all might by His spirit in the inner man, that Christ may
dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and
ground in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints
what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and
to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that
ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto
Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we
ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto
Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all
ages, world without end. Amen." Also his prayer in the
text — "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I
pray God, your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved
blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ — faithful
is he that calleth you, who also will do it." These prayers,
as well as these promises, have reference to the present, not
the future state. This is so palpably evident, that I need not
spend time in attempting to prove it. And yet who but a
sanctified believer realizes the fulfillment of these promises, or
believingly presents these petitions ?
But mark, further, these promises and prayers were fulfilled
in the experience of primitive Christians. Stephen was " filled
with the Holy Spirit." Barnabas was a " man full of faith
and the Holy Ghost." Converts in primitive times had their
hearts purified by faith, Acts xv. 7-9. " Peter rose up and
said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good
while ago, God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by

11
my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe.
And God, who knoweth the hearts, bare them witness,
giving them the Holy Ghost,- even as He did unto us, and put
no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by
faith." Here Jew and Gentile had their hearts purified by
faith. Paul himself lived a "Life of faith on the Son of
God." Look, once more, at. the precepts of GooVs Word. In the
fourth chapter of Philippians, we are commanded to " Rejoice
in the Lord always," to " Be careful for nothing, but in every
thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, to let
our requests be made known unto God." Christ teaches us
to have no anxiety, to " take no thought for food or raiment,"
" or for the morrow" — pointing us to the lily and the sparrow
as evidences of God's care for the trusting soul. In our con
text we are told to " Rejoice evermore ; pray without ceas
ing ; in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you." Here, then, are our argumen
tative proofs ! God can do this work. He is willing to do it.
He has promised to do it. He inspires prayer for it. He
enjoins such exercises of the soul, as are alone in harmony
with it. He has performed it on the hearts of many of His
dear children. This leads me to notice,
3. The Demonstrative Proofs. There are those that have
enjoyed and do now enjoy the experience we have described.
Many eminent saints have left their testimony on this point.
Edwards tells us that, at a particular period of his life,
merely seeing the name of God or Christ in a book, instantly
filled his heart with love and joy. For twenty years the
journal of the pious Payson is filled with such passages as
the following : " Oh how infinitely glorious ,and lovely did
God in Christ appear 1 I saw, I felt that God was mine, and
I His, and was unspeakably happy. Now, if ever, I enjoyed
communion with God. He shone sweetly upon me, and' I
reflected back His beams in fervent, admiring, adoring love,"
The excellent James Brainerd Taylor, more than three years
before his death, made this entry in his journal : " My soul
has melted down at the presence of Jesus I A pressure of

12
love rested on me, and praise, praise, praise in a stream went
up from my inmost soul ! My love to God's children was
increased, and my desire for a clean heart was intense. It
was given, and mine eyes ran down with tears, sweet tears."
But let me read you an extract from a letter written by one
whose name you all know, our beloved Sister Wade, of the Ta-
voy Mission, one of our first Baptist Missionaries, who labored
with Mr. and Mrs. Judson in Burmah. Writing to some of her
dear friends in this country, she says : " I have thought much
of late of the precious -promises of the Bible to the Christian,
and it seems to me we do not claim them and plead them be
fore the throne of grace, as it is our privilege to do. Is not
Christ promised to us as our wisdom, righteousness, and sancti
fication, as well as our redemption f And ought we not to believe
that Christ will give us a victory over sin, as well as save us
from, hell ? The apostles write as though it was common for
Christians to abide in Christ — be led by the Holy Spirit, and
have Christ dwelling by faith in their hearts. Do Christians
generally, in America, understand the nature of these bless
ings ?¦ How is it with, you, my beloved sisters ? Are your
affections weaned from, earth and fixed on heaven ? Have you
submitted your wills entirely to the will of God, so that
Christ now lives and reigns, in your hearts by faith ?
" I have read nothing scarcely, of late, but my Bible, and it
seems to me these are. the common blessings of the Gospel
covenant, free for all. And it seems to me the great difficulty
with Christians with whom I have been acquainted is, that
they have exercised faith in Christ to convert them, and have
then set about trying to subdue sin in themselves, or rather
praying God to enable them to do it themselves, without exer
cising faith in Christ to purify their hearts, just as they did
exercise that faith for their conversion. Are we not just as
able to subdue sin in our hearts as we were to convert them
at first ? And must not both blessings be obtained by faith 1"
Why, my hearers, this is just my language, uttered before
ever I saw this letter of Sister Wade's. And then mark her
concluding sentence. Oh, it is just the sentiment of every
one who has been brought into this sweet experience. They
feel that human language is too meagre to tell the emotions

13
of the soul, and expressions and figures which before seemed •
extravagant are faint and puerile compared with what the
soul would fain convey to the mind of those with whom it
communicates : " I see I write awkwardly on this subject,
but having had some very sweet views of the sufficiency of
Christ for all we need, I love to think and speak of it." Now
here are witnesses who have passed away. But their testi
mony on this point has frequently been suppressed.
God has still His witnesses, and we rejoice in the assurance
that they are multiplying and will continue to multiply. Some,
indeed, have failed to testify to what God has done for them,
for fear of being branded as " Perfectionists /" And, indeed,
this fear is well grounded ; for I have been met frequently of
late with the sneer, and the charge of thinking myself " sin
less," " perfect," and the like. Now, hear me, my hearers,
while I tell you of my perfection. I will establish my claim
to it indisputably. Look upon me. I am perfect in ignorance,
in weakness, in folly, and, aside from Christ, I am perfect in
vileness and sin 1 This only is the .perfection I claim ! But
for my perfect ignorance, Christ has perfect knowledge — for
my perfect weakness, He has perfect strength — for my perfect
folly, He has perfect wisdom— for my perfect vileness and
sin, He has perfect righteousness and sanctification. By faith
I appropriate Him, and taking Him, I take all. "In the Lord
have I righteousness and strength."
Now let us gather all our proofs together. If this doctrine
be not true, we must suppose that God will not, or cannot,
supply the need of His children.WWe must suppose that
desires implanted by Himself He will not gratify — that the
world has fixed the standard of Christian morality higher
than God has — that a high degree of piety, revivals of relig
ion, and the dying hour, are favorable conditions for the
reception of error into the mind — that God has promised what
He will not perform — that Christ and the apostles prayed for
what was impossible — that a state of mind is commanded to
the Christian which is unattainable — that the Scriptures have
misled the most humble and prayerful students of it, and that
the most eminent, and pious, and useful Christians have been

14
deceived, or were themselves deceivers. All this and more
must be admitted, if this doctrine be not true.
And let it be borne in mind, also, that this is a matter of
experience. It is not a question of chronology, like Miller-
ism ; it is not a question of metaphysics ; it does not depend
on a logical chain of reasoning for its support ; but it is
attested by those who have felt it in their hearts, and exhib
ited its fruit in their lives. Oh, my hearers, you may test its
truth by the touchstone which Jesus gave to the Jews : " If
any man will do His will he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." Are you
willing to consecrate yourself a living sacrifice to God, giv
ing up to Him, to be disposed of as He wills, all you hold near
and dear, trusting for acceptance, not in yourself or your
offering, but simply in Jesus ? If thus you " prove " the
Lord, you will see that He will " pour you out a blessing that
there will not be room enough to receive it," and your glad
heart, overflowing with love and gratitude, will go out after
lost sinners, and joy, and peace, and spiritual prosperity and
success will crown your days. Oh, my prayer for this Church,
as I leave it, is that " the very God of peace may sanctify
you wholly, and your spirit, and soul, and body be preserved
blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus." Amen.