SANCTIFICATION PETER VANHORN 1787...

[ed. We publish this circular letter to show the confusion that was already present in the Philadelphia Association on the subject of sanctification.  In one part Vanhorn truly grasps the truth of this glorious doctrine, in the other, he contradicts it.  So Vanhorn jumped between positional sanctification and progressive sanctification.]


CIRCULAR LETTER.BY Rev. P.P. Vanhorn After embracing the Baptist faith, he became a member of the Pennypack Baptist Church on Sep. 6, 1741, being baptized when 22 years old. On Feb. 7, 1762, Rev. Vanhorn resigned as Pastor at Pennypack, Philadelphia, and moved to New Mills (now Pemberton), New Jersey, to establish a church there. The Baptist Church thus became the first church in the area, standing up against apostasy and vague Christianity, being a strong witness to those moving there. The New Mills Baptist Church was officially organized on Jun. 23, 1764, and Rev. Vanhorn was the first Pastor. He resigned from the New Mills Baptist Church on Apr. 2, 1768, and returned to Pennepack, Pennsylvania. Two years later, Apr. 7, 1770, he was called to pastor the church in Cape May, New Jersey. In 1775 he resigned from Cape May, and pastored churches in Dividing Creek and Salem. In 1785, he became Pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of New Jersey, where he continued until he died. His son, William Vanhorn, became an important figure as a pastor and leader. He died Sep. 10, 1789, at the age of 71 years, in Salem, New Jersey. .The messengers of the several Baptist churches, belonging to the Philadelphia Association, met in the city of New York, October 2d,3d, 4th, and 5th, 1787.


To the churches to which they are respectively related, greeting.

Dear brethren,—We beg leave to introduce our circular letter by informing you, that our souls have been refreshed at this meeting,by the glorious tidings brought from different parts, of the advancement of our Redeemer's cause. We congratulate you on this joyful event, portentous, we hope, of the speedy accomplishment of the promises made by the Father to Christ, the King of Zion. As also, on the kind interposition of Divine Providence, visible in that happy union which obtained among the members of the late federal convention The United States Constitution had been adopted September 17, 1787, two weeks earlier., to agree upon and report to the States in this Union, a form of a Federal Government; which promises. On its adoption, to rescue our dear country from that national dishonor, injustice, anarchy, confusion and bloodshed, which have already resulted from the weakness and inefficiency of the present form; and which we have the greatest reason to fear is but the beginning of sorrows, unless the people lay hold on this favorable opportunity offered to establish an efficient government, which, we hope, may, under God, secure our invaluable rights,both civil and religious; which it will be in the power of the great body of the people, if hereafter found necessary, to control and amend.

As we wish you to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, [ed. (II Pet.3:18)] we shall address you on the important subject of Sanctification. We are exhorted to contend earnestly for the faith, once delivered to the saints; and as there are some who deny the work of sanctification,¹ and too many who are little acquainted with it, we shall therefore consider the subject in the following order - 

I. We shall explain the term sanctification.

II. Give some reasons why sanctification is necessary.

III. The happy effects in the subjects of it.

I. In a performance of this nature, brevity must be expected; yet enough may be said to display our sentiments on the subject. By searching the Scriptures, you will find the term hath various significations.

1. It is used to signify the setting apart a person or thing to the peculiar service of God. This is the general use of the word in the Old Testament, and in this sense God is said to sanctify the Sabbath, Gen. 2:3; and to the same purpose it is applied to the first born, Exod. 13:2. Thus the temple, the priests, the altar and sacrifices, were sanctified under the law.

2. It is used for that holiness and purity of nature, which gives us a meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light; and, in some respects, may be distinguished from regeneration, though it is radically connected with it. The Apostle, speaking of our salvation,said, "It was not by works of righteousness which we have done,but according to his mercy, he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost," Tit. 3:5.

By washing of regeneration, we understand that great change, which is instantaneously made in us by the power of the Holy Ghost,when we are first made alive in Christ Jesus; and from that period we are new creatures, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. The word is used in the same sense in 1 Cor. 6:11, where the Apostle says, "But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified." In regeneration, the divine nature is begun in us by the power of the Holy Ghost, and without this work, there can be no growth in grace.² From these passages of Scripture, we see that the Holy Ghost makes a distinction between regeneration and sanctification; in regeneration we receive a new nature or principle, and sanctification is the growing of that new nature to the stature of a man in Christ Jesus.³ The washing of regeneration is never repeated, but the renewing of the Holy Ghost is carried on through the whole life of a Christian,⁴ [ed. (Titus 3:5)] till he ascends to be with Jesus, Phil. 2:6. It is the Holy Ghost which begins it, and it is his work to finish it; for in the great plan of salvation, the Holy Spirit is as firmly engaged to begin and finish this work, as the Son of God was to finish the work of redemption assigned him to do. The council of God has ordained this way to make us meet for that state of glory, to which we have a right by the adorable Redeemer's righteousness; and therefore we are said to be "chosen unto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit," 2 Thess. 2:13.

II. We now proceed to demonstrate the necessity of sanctification.

1. We premise, that the necessity of sanctification and regeneration arise from the same cause, the fall of man. This has incapacitated us for communion with God; therefore, notwithstanding all our  blessed Redeemer has done, we are represented to be in a lost state till this good work is begun. As sanctification is a progressive work,⁵ the necessity of it arises from the consideration that we are at first only babes in Christ, and not complete in holiness;⁶ for the best men have a body of sin and death. Every renewed soul must feel this to be his case. The great Apostle groaned under it, and the beloved disciple said, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves," 1 John 1:8.  The Holy Ghost is promised to dwell with us and remain in us as his temple, and ye know the temple of the Lord must be holy.5  "Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." [ed. (Heb. 12:14]

2. Sanctification is necessary, because without it we cannot honor and glorify God. For this our blessed Lord prayed, and for this we should daily apply to the throne of grace, that we may understand the mysteries of his kingdom, and the glory of his grace;  that we copy after his great example, and honor him in every dispensation of his providence.

3. It was the great design of Christ's coming into the world; therefore his name is called Jesus, because he saves his people from the demerit and the pollution of sin; purifying a peculiar people unto himself, zealous of good works. This great end of the Redeemer's coming shall be fully accomplished in all God's elect by the effectual operations of his Holy Spirit; whose work it is to glorify the Son of God, in applying his benefits to the heirs of glory, and give them a meetness to that inheritance that fadeth not away.

III. We shall now attempt to consider the effects of sanctification.

1. The effects of it appear immediately after regeneration, in a sincere and hearty detestation of sin. The prophet having spoken of a new heart and a new spirit, adds, "Then shall ye remember your own evil ways and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight," Ezek. 36:31. No man can loathe himself till he is born of God, because the new man only sees the deformity of sin. After he is turned he truly repents after a godly sort, and is humbled in dust and ashes before God; firmly believing that nothing can deliver him from guilt, but the precious blood of the dear Redeemer.

2. Another effect is, we see more clearly our divorcement from the law, by the satisfaction of Christ, as the way by which life is to be obtained by the believing soul, who, at the same time, honors the law, by acknowledging that it is good, just, and holy. It is the fatal mistake of all in a state of nature, to expect acceptance with God, by the deeds of the law; but the renewed man knows that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. The great Apostle says, "I, through the law, am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." [ed. (Gal.2:19)] What a display of infinite wisdom in the plan of salvation! Here we see the sinner saved by grace, flowing consistent with all the perfections of God, and, at the same time, maintaining the honor of the divine law.⁷ Vain are the expectations of all who separate what God has joined together. Preserve divine truth in its own order, and it is glorious and harmonious. In the great plan of salvation, God joined together justification by the righteousness of Christ, imputed unto us by an act of grace, by which we have a right to eternal life, and sanctification, which gives us a meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light.⁸ One great error in religion is, separating what God has joined together, and joining together what God has separated. Beware of all who applaud the imputed righteousness of Christ, and, at the same time, either deny the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification, or speak lightly or reproachfully of it.  He, therefore, who would either verbally or doctrinally exclude the imputed righteousness of Christ, and, at the same time, make great professions of holiness and zeal for religion, ought to be considered as an inveterate enemy to the blessed Redeemer and his truth.

Now, dear brethren, we take our leave of you, by entreating you to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. [ed. (Eph. 4:1)]  Watchover one another in love; in humility, seek spiritual growth to glorify your heavenly Father, and appear as lights in the world. May the God of all grace sanctify you wholly, and preserve you blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Amen.
James Manning, Moderator.
William Vanhorn, Clerk.

[ed. ¹It is not clear who Vanhorn is referring to, but we may say that John Wesley might have been on his mind with his view of "perfectionism".  Thus we have a classic quote from Wesley in his work titled, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection:

Not in careless indifference, or indolent inactivity; but in vigorous, universal obedience, in a zealous keeping of all the commandments, in watchfulness and painfulness, in denying ourselves, and taking up our cross daily; as well as in earnest prayer and fasting and a close attendance on all the ordinances of God. And if any man dream of attaining it any other way, (yea, or of keeping it when it is attained,when he has received it even in the largest measure,) he deceiveth his own soul. It is true, we receive it by simple faith: But God does not, will not, give that faith, unless we seek it with all diligence, in the way which he hath ordained.

On the other hand, he might be referring to so-called "antinomians".  These, to a man would have disagreed with "progressive sanctification".  More shall be said later on this topic.]

[ed. ²Here Mr. Vanhorn confuses growing in grace with some sort of increase or perfection of sanctification.  Sanctification is a position in Christ.  It is where we stand in relation to God, we are set aside to himself as his property, through Christ.  As Gilbert Beebe stated in the March 15, 1880 article titled, I Corinthians 6:19-20 in the Signs of the Times:

To sanctify is to set apart by solemn consecration to a sacred purpose or calling; so by the redemption in which Christ gave himself for them they are individually and personally, as well as collectively, bought with a price, and are by sacred right the property of him who purchased them with his own blood; and are therefore not their own, nor have they a right to withhold their service from him whose they are, and whom they are commanded to glorify in their body and in their spirit, which are God’s.

Even the passage he gives I Cor. 6:11 speaks of accomplished things, not some ongoing process.]

[ed. ³This renewing is something that happens continually in the life of the believer, but it is not sanctification or the the washing.  In the passage Mr. Vanhorn cites the word or idea of sanctification is not used.]

[ed. ⁴On what basis does Vanhorn state this?  These two things the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost were accomplished when Christ saved us, I Tim 3:5.  On what basis does he make one an event and the other a process?  In Rom 12:1-2, we are told to not be conform ourselves to the world, but to transform ourselves.  These are ongoing things in the life of the believer.  But, the cause of this happening is due to the renewal of our minds which happened at the time of the new birth.  The renewal is a one time event and upon this factual event that occured in our lives, we are told to continually be transformed, not be continually conformed to the world.  Thus, we are to behave according to what we ARE.  This transformation does not consist in an attempt to do "holy" works, but in the outward deportment (because all our works are tainted with sin (Rom. 7)), described in the book of James.]

[ed. ⁵We know of no such term found in the bible as progressive sanctification.  All the passages where the word is found refer to a one time event ( We quote an unknown writer who wrote on this subject in the 1838 issue of the Gospel Magazine, in an article titled, Some Folds in Christ's Fullness Unfolded:

In short, progressive sanctification is at best a delusion - a phantom of the brain; it is a heterogeneous jargon of hypocrites’ unprofitable divinity.  It has no truth from scripture or experience.  It is the Shibboleth of dead men, the mummery of the pope, and the can’t of the professing religious world.  In short it is false!  The scriptures plainly and blessedly declares, Christ is made unto us wisdom, righteousness and sanctification.  It represents our new nature as being made after God in righteousness and true holiness, and further, that our righteousness is of the Lord.  Where then, I would ask, is the utility of teaching the creature to look for progressive sanctification in himself?  I admit the grace in the heart will produce a general correctness in life; and where this is not made manifest, stand ye in doubt of them.  But here let me ask a question, Who knows not but tens of thousands possess great correctness in conduct who never were imbued with the Spirit of grace?  And how knows not that many who possessed so much saving grace, have awfully,  for a season, turned aside?  Facts are stubborn things, and from God’s word there is no appeal.  Were mere professors convinced more of internal sin, and given to see more of the plague of their heart, then progressive sanctification would be cast unto the moles and bats.  Did they ever truly feel the damning power of sin, and the law’s tremendous curse, progressive sanctification would be converted into progressive devilism.  Did they ever know what it was to be plunged into the ditch, to stick in the mire, and their own clothes to abhor them, then progressive sanctification would be cashiered from their creed; then Christ, by the Spirit’s teaching, would be exalted, white the sinner debased!  Ministers, by nature of their office, are called (as instruments in God’s hand) workers together with God, and private Christians are enjoined to grow in grace; and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus.  Some are tempted to look much into their sanctification to gain a satisfactory evidence of their justification.  I do not know there can be much fault in this, if confined within its proper dimensions.  Where there are no traces of the sanctification of the Spirit upon the heart, soul, and conscience, in vain shall we in the scriptures look or an evidence of our justification in Christ!  Where there is the one, there must be the others.  Where Jesus justifies, he also sanctifies, both flow from eternal election, both are eternal acts, and both are found perfect in Christ.  From his side flowed blood and water, from his mouth words of soberness and truth, and from his person virtue and salvation.

We cannot add anymore to the subject than this so eloquently spoken.]

[ed. ⁶It is true that we are born "babes" in Christ, I Cor 3:1).  But this does not mean that Christ is not fully formed in us, or that we are not fully justified, or fully sanctified.  It is preposterous to imagine a baby Christ in us!  Nowhere is this idea implied in the text.  We find it interesting that Mr. Vanhorn switches his use of words from sanctification to holiness.  And here is the confusion.  Holiness does not mean sinlessness.  It means being set apart.  We were fully set apart when we were born again.  We were fully sinless (in Christ, which is what matters) when we were born again.  What will happen at the death of the old man is that we will be fully GLORIFIED with Christ.]

[ed. ⁷We have no idea what this phrase "maintaining the honor of the divine law" means.  It cannot mean that we fulfill it by our works, since they are all unclean.  It Vanhorn means a positional fulfillment of the law in Christ, then this is true.]

[ed. ⁸Again Vanhorn errs when he speaks of this "meetness" in sanctification.  The only thing that God accepts is Christ's sacrifice and his righteousness imputed to our account.  The only meetness is Christ's not our actions here on earth.]