03 -- SCRIPTURE TESTIMONY
Christian purity, as the great evangelical fact of holiness, -- the extirpation of all sin in
principle from the soul, or the absence of all pollution in the heart of a believer, stands forth
prominently through all the Scriptures. In this, and the following chapter we shall give a few of the
many passages teaching this truth, with brief comments on each. In the expositions given, we
acknowledge assistance from Clarke, Benson, Henry, and the principal Biblical expositors of the
Church.
1. "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Matt. v. 8.
To be pure, is literally to be clean,, clear, and unmixed. It is applied in the Scriptures to
"linen," to "water," and to "gold." "Pure and white linen" is untarnished and unstained linen. "Pure
water" is that which is clean and clear. "Pure gold" is that which is unmixed and without alloy. --
Heb. x. 22, Rev. xv. 6, Rev. xxi. 18.
A pure heart is one that is cleansed from all indwelling sin, and is morally cleansed and
right before God. The heart is the seat of moral action -- the seat of virtue or of vice, of sin or of
holiness, It is that in man of which moral character, or moral quality may be predicated; and it
cannot be clean until all inbred sin is removed by the cleansing blood of Christ. In the pure heart
all the Christian virtues exist to the exclusion of their opposite vices as love without hatred,
submission without rebellion, faith without unbelief, humility without pride, meekness without
anger, patience without impatience, and peace with no strife.
Rev. Albert Barnes says in his notes on this passage, -- "That is, whose minds, motives,
and principles are pure. Who seek not only to have the external actions correct, but who desire to
be holy in heart, and who are so."
Richard Watson in his Exposition, says: In the heart lies the true fountain of evil; and there
the sanctification of man must begin and be completed ... It implies, also, the extirpation of all
unholy desires, imaginations, tendencies, and affections ... A nature, to use St. Paul's words,
'sanctified wholly,' to effect which, entire sanctification of man, is the peculiar and glorious work
of the Holy Ghost, through the Gospel."
A heart in every thought renew'd,
And full of love divine;
Perfect and right, and pure, and good,
A copy, Lord, of thine.
-- C. Wesley
2. "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? "He
that hath clean hands, and a pure heart." Ps. xxiv. 3, 4
"Clean hands" indicate freedom from all bodily or outward sins; including all filthy
conversation, all cross or dishonest acts, and all pollution of the flesh. A "pure heart" implies a
cleansing further back and deeper down than outward purity; the soul itself washed from all
defilement so as to be free from all impurity, resulting in an irreproachable conscience and a holy
life.
This query of Solomon, Rev. John Fletcher evangelically answers thus:-- "The man in
whom thy father David's prayer is answered -- 'Create in me a clean heart, O God'; the man who
has regarded St. James' direction to the primitive Solifidians, -- 'Cleanse your hearts, ye
double-minded,' the men who have obeyed God's awful command, O Jerusalem, wash thy heart
from iniquity, that thou mayest be saved,' -- the man who is interested in the sixth beatitude, '
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,' -- that man, I say, can testify to the honor of
the blood which cleanseth from all sin, that he has made his heart clean."
Purge me from every sinful blot,
My idols all be cast aside,
Cleanse me from every sinful thought,
From all the filth of self and pride.
-- C. Wesley
3. "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with
hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." -- Ps. li. 2, 7
If one sin, or any sin can be washed away by the blood of Jesus, so can all. If this is not so,
we ask, from how much sin can it cleanse, and how much can it not cleanse? Who can draw the
line of demarcation? Certainly the Bible makes no limit. If one stain of depravity can be removed
by the atonement, so can every one. The greater implies the less. "He that spared not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? -- Rom.
viii. 32.
Justification, regeneration, and adoption, all things considered, are much greater than
purification. Mr. Watson says, -- "Regeneration which accompanies justification is a large
approach to this state of perfect holiness."
Dr. Adam Clarke says, -- "Justification is far greater than sanctification." After this
statement, and after describing sanctification, he adds -- "Great as this work is, how little, humanly
speaking, is it, when compared with what God has already done for thee." -- Clarke's Theology, p.
206.
Justification and regeneration, including our change to the divine government and law, and
the change wrought in us, are much greater than that of "perfecting holiness," or entire
sanctification. In a judicial point of view, no change can exceed that which occurs when God
pardons our sins. The inward, conscious experience of those entirely sanctified sometimes appears
much greater than in regeneration: nevertheless, with many even this is not the case.
We all know that valuable garments may become soiled and stained, and that there are
substances which, when properly applied, will remove every spot, purge out every stain, and
extract every impurity so that they become clean and beautiful again. This truth in natural things is
analogous to God's work in the economy of grace; whereby the immortal soul, stained with sin, can
be washed and made "whiter than snow."
"If the blood of Christ (says Mathew Henry), which cleanseth from all sin, cleanse us from
our sin, then we shall be clean indeed. If we be washed in the 'fountain opened,' we shall be whiter
than snow." The prophet Isaiah said, the Lord saith, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be
as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
"Create in me a clean heart, O God." Creation is God's prerogative. Here is purity by
creating power. He who created the world by the "word of his power," as God of nature, can, as
"the God of all grace," by "the word of his power," create in us clean hearts -- "created anew in
Christ Jesus."
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean." This has reference to the cleansing of the
leper by sprinkling water or blood upon him with a bunch of hyssop. The Apostle calls the blood
of Christ "the blood of sprinkling," which purges the "conscience from dead works, to serve the
living God."
Enter thyself and cast out sin;
Thy spotless purity bestow;
Touch me and make the leper clean,
Wash me and I am white as snow.
-- C. Wesley
4. "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your
filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you ... I will also save you from all your
uncleannesses." -- Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 29
Here we have the influences and work of the Holy Spirit typified by water, whose property
is to cleanse, whiten, purify, refresh, render healthy and fruitful. As water cleanses, its emblematic
sense is often and chiefly that of purity. This was its ancient ritualistic sense in the Mosaic
economy, when purifications were by water, or by blood. Expiation was by sacrifice, and
purification by water and by blood. These were types of the atoning blood of Christ and the Holy
Spirit's most gracious operations -- the New Testament privileges.
Believers receive pardon -- justification -- through the merits of Christ and purity --
sanctification through the efficacious blood of Christ.
If under the blessing and presence of God, the waters of rivers and streams, as Jordan in
the case of Naaman, and the Pool of Bethesda, could be made to cleanse from the most loathsome
and incurable disease; shall not the precious blood of Christ cleanse from all sin?
God, in infinite mercy, has made ample provision for both our pardon and purity. He not
only promises to forgive and remove the guilt of our sins; but to cleanse and remove the pollution
of sin from our nature: to effect a good work in us, as well as to do a good work for us. "Ye shall
be clean."
"From all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you," from every sort of
internal and external pollution. As Naaman was cleansed of his leprosy in Jordan, which leprosy
was a type of indwelling sin, so Christ will "sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean,"
that is, cleansed from all pollution of nature or spirit.
How strong and positive the declaration, "I will also save you from all your
uncleannesses."
Here is the salvation, which is the birthright of every Christian, -- the complete destruction
of all sin, -- the removal of all impurity from the soul.
"I will sprinkle you with water,
I will cleanse you from all sin;
Sanctify and make you holy;
I will dwell and reign within."
5. "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness." -- Zech. xiii 1.
"In that day," that is, in the Gospel day there shall be "a fountain opened" -- provision made
for the cleansing of the human soul. This fountain opened is the blood and atonement of the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shed forth "both water and blood" for cleansing. He is the Rock smitten, which
is to our race "the fountain of living waters."
Blood and water as we have stated, were instruments of purification under the haw, which
showed that man needs both pardon and purity in order to salvation. This was seen on the cross.
The fountain of water and of blood was opened at the same time. St. John saw the soldier pierce
our Lord's side, and there came out "water and blood." He refers to it in his Epistles. "This is he
that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ, not by water only, but by water and blood." Thus
Christ opened the fountain for pardon and purity. This fountain is now open for us, and if we are
not made clean it is our own fault. Mark, it is a "FOUNTAIN"! A FOUNTAIN OPENED;" ever
flowing and overflowing! It is a fountain opened "for sin" and "for uncleanness" -- for the removal
of both guilt and pollution.
Bishop Simpson said in an address at Vineland: "Have you a single stain upon your heart?
Come to the fountain. Have you trouble and sorrow? Come at once to the Saviour and receive joy
and comfort; for, thank God, there is room in His heart for all. How many have stepped into the
fountain already, and found it a Sovereign balm for every sorrow and defilement! Thank God,
cleansing power is there still!"
Rev James Brainard Taylor wrote to his sister after God cleansed his heart, -- "I have been
in the fountain and am clean."
All may come! It is inexhaustible! "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of
life freely." "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the UTTERMOST, that come unto God by
him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Though ten thousand times ten thousand
thousands have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, the fountain is
still open and infinitely efficacious.
"There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.
-- Cowper
6. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." -- Isaiah i.
18.
Scarlet is known to be one of the most indelible colors, so much so that many paper-makers
do not purchase scarlet rags, because the color cannot be extricated. This color is here used to
represent the fearful dye or stain of sin in the human soul. Original and actual sin have made a
ruinous stain, taint, or pollution upon the human spirit, which nothing can remove but the blood of
Christ. His blood can remove all the guilt of sin, original or actual, and cleanse the soul from the
inbeing of every stain or pollution.
This passage teaches, as our duty and privilege, so complete a purification that not a stain
is left. To be made "as white as snow," and even "whiter than snow, is to be truly "cleansed from
all sin."
My heart, which now to thee I raise,
I know thou canst this moment cleanse;
The deepest stains of sin efface,
And drive the evil spirit hence.
-- C. Wesley
7. "And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love
the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." -- Deut. xxx. 6
Dr. Adam Clarke says, -- "The circumcision of the heart implies the purification of the soul
from all unrighteousness. Hence the apostle says -- 'Circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit
and not of the letter ' -- ' in the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of
Christ.' The marginal reference refers to the passage in Ezekiel -- "Then will I sprinkle clean
water upon you, and ye shall be clean," &c.
This passage stands correlated to the great commandment of both Testaments -- "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all
thy strength, and thy neighbor as thyself."
Thus what God commands us to do, he will enable us to perform. No man can complain of
inability to observe this commandment, on which hang all the law and the prophets, in view of the
promise of God in this passage, and in the 30th chapter of Ezekiel, where he says, "I will put my
spirit within you and cause you to keep my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them."
Divinely provided, gracious ability, is the foundation of our obligation to obey God.
Lord, I believe thy power the same,
The same thy truth and grace endure;
And in thy blessed hands I am,
And trust thee for a perfect cure.
-- C. Wesley
8. "For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and
purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they
may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness." -- Mal. iii. 2, 3.
Humanity is polluted. Christ is the great Refiner. For this end he gave himself for the
Church, that he might "sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word," and "purify
unto himself a peculiar people."
In this passage the most valuable metals are used to illustrate the purification of the human
soul. God values the soul as man values gold and silver, and his process of purifying it is
analogous, hence we are said to be "purged as gold." Christ like a "refining fire" separates the
dross from the gold, the precious from the vile; or like "fullers' soap," he extracts every spot or
defilement from the garment.
He cleanses his people from all corruption, like refined gold, without alloy. He washes
away every spot from without, and purges all the dross from within.
As a refiner he purges them with fire, as gold and silver are purged. Fire being more
intensely searching and purifying than water, it goes through the soul, a sanctifying flame -- as "The
spirit of burning," consuming all its curruptions.
He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire," -- that is, "with the Holy Ghost"
working like fire. The silversmith, with his silver in the crucible, heats and melts it until the dross
is separated and consumed; and until the pure silver presents a mirrored appearance. "When the
refiner can clearly see his face in the silver, he knows the refining is complete.
Thus the mighty Spirit of Christ pervades and melts the soul, removes all its dross and
makes it pure, so as to reflect fully his own precious image.
O that in me the sacred fire
Might now begin to glow!
Burn up the dross of base desire,
And make the mountains flow!
-- C. Wesley
9. "Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? ..
And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not
evil?" -- Mal. i. 7-8.
God will not accept corrupt service. With offerings of "polluted bread," or with "the
lame," "the blind," "the torn," "the sick," God is not pleased. Our bodies and souls, our services
and praises must be offered from pure hearts, from correct motives, and in a right spirit. He will
accept no service or offering "in unrighteousness." "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service."
O grant that nothing in my soul
May dwell, but thy pure love alone!
O may thy love possess me whole,
My joy, my treasure, and my crown!
Strange flames far from my heart remove,
My every act, word, thought, be love.
-- C. Wesley
10. "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in
the Holy Ghost." -- Rom. xiv. 17.
The Apostle here gives the very essentials and essence of Christianity. The items named
constitute its foundation and superstructure, its life and its soul. To produce them in the human
heart and life is the great design and object of the Gospel.
Mr. Watson says, -- "Holiness rather expresses the renewed state and habit of the soul; and
righteousness, all those external fruits which spring from it, whether of piety, justice or mercy.
"In the Holy Ghost," that is, produced by the Holy Ghost, as St. Luke says of the Gentiles
Being sanctified by the Holy Ghost." "He that in these things," in "righteousness, and peace, and
joy in the Holy Ghost," serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men." Dr. Adam
Clarke says, "This is a genuine counterpart of heaven; righteousness without sin, peace without
inward disturbance, joy without any kind of mental agony or distressing fear."
Come in this accepted hour;
Bring thy heavenly kingdom in;
Fill us with thy glorious power,
Rooting out the seeds of sin.
-- J. Wesley
11. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." -- John xvii. 17
Here our Lord prays for the purity of his disciples, and not only for them, but "for them also
which shall believe on him through their word," ALL CHRISTIANS. Those whom Christ prayed
for, doubtless like all justified believers, are already saved in part, and he prayed that they might
be sanctified -- purified.
Mr. Wesley on this verse says, -- "It means, perfect them in holiness by means of thy
word."
It is clear, they needed a further cleansing to complete their purity or sanctification. To
accomplish this, Christ consecrated himself, and offered himself without spot to God that his
people might be made holy. It is because Christ shed his blood; and died, that any soul can be
made pure and fit for the Kingdom of God. While without "the shedding of blood" there is no
remission -- pardon of sins, so without the meritorious efficacy, (of atoning blood, there is no
"cleansing from all unrighteousness."
The primary signification of the term sanctification is purity. When applied to the body, or
any physical object, such object may be said to be sanctified, when in a state wholly free from
defilement or pollution. As the idea of purity in a sense still higher, attaches to anything pertaining
to religion, any object is, in this sense said to be sanctified, when it is purified and consecrated to
religious uses. In this sense God sanctified the Sabbath. In this sense, also, the ancient Temple,
with all its vessels and appurtenances, was sanctified.
As holiness is purity in the highest sense, and depravity, impurity in the worst conceivable
sense, a Christian may be said to be sanctified when in a state of separation from "all
unrighteousness."
Our moral voluntary powers are sanctified, when they are cleansed from all defilement and
when their action is in complete harmony with the will of God. Our sensibility is sanctified, in a
Bible sense, when washed in the blood of Christ, and brought by the grace of God into such
relation to the action of sanctified will, as to harmonize in inclination or impulse with it, and not to
oppose it. Any department of our nature is sanctified, when its action is in harmony with that of a
will entirely sanctified to God. "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy." This purity is
through the truth. God's truth is like fire. "Is not my word like fire? saith the Lord." When correctly
presented it searches, illuminates, quickens, melts, and refines and transforms like fire.
Thy sanctifying Spirit pour,
To quench my thirst, and make me clean;
Now, Father, let the gracious shower
Descend, and make me pure from sin.
-- C. Wesley
12. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:" -- Col. iii. 5
To mortify means to put to death. By "members," we are to understand, all the lust and
corruption of our heart and nature -- all remains of the carnal mind unpurged from the soul.
The doctrine of this scripture is that of death to sin, illustrated by the process of
mortification. It is clear that these Colossians, though in a state of grace, had the remains of
corruption to be destroyed by mortification.
That the remains of the "carnal mind," cleave to merely justified believers, runs through all
the Epistles of St. Paul. The "perfecting of the saints" implies the extirpation and death of all
remaining carnality -- evil passions or propensities of our nature.
See, Lord, the travail of thy soul,
Accomplish'd in the change of mine
And plunge me, every whit made whole,
In all the depths of love divine!
-- C. Wesley
1. "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins,
should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." -- I. Pet. ii. 24.
The work of grace in the soul is usually presented in the Scriptures as embracing two
leading ideas. First, the death or destruction of sin, and second, the spiritual resurrection or life of
grace. In this passage we have both these great items stated -- the death of sin, and the life of
righteousness. To be dead to a thing morally, is to have nothing to do with it; to be totally
separated from it; to be free from or beyond its power, control or influence. "He that is dead is
freed from sin" -- that is, is free from its power, dominion, and inbeing.
Rev. Dr. Hodge's comment on being "dead to sin," is that, it is having no more to do with
sin than the people buried in the Trinity Churchyard have to do with the life that rushes daily along
Broadway.
"By whose stripes ye were healed." The Apostle here refers to Isaiah liii., which has
regard to the sacrificial death of Christ; by whose stripes the deep and inveterate wounds and
disease inflicted by sin on the soul may be healed. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead
indeed unto sin; but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Jesus, a word, a look from thee,
Can turn my heart and make it clean;
Purge out the inbred leprosy,
And save me from my bosom sin.
-- C. Wesley
14. "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be
destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin." -- Rom.
vi. 6, 7
The "old man" is our corrupt and depraved nature, derived from Adam, born and bred with
us. This is to be crucified. The "body of sin" is the whole mass of our corruption, or vicious nature
with its sinful passions and lusts. This is to be destroyed -- "that the body of sin might be
destroyed." When our nature is fully sanctified, the remaining rudiments of the "old man which is
corrupt," is "put off with his deeds," so that God causes our "iniquities to pass from us." He who
can raise the dead soul to life, can easily destroy all the interior antagonisms to that life.
Dr. Clarke says on this passage, "From all which we may learn that the design of God is to
counterwork and destroy the very spirit and soul of sin, that we shall no longer serve it, no longer
be its slaves ... Our body of sin is destroyed by this quickening Spirit, that henceforth we should
live unto Him who died and rose again.
I need the love, I need the blood,
I need the grace, the cross, the grave,
I need the resurrection power,
A soul like mine to purge and save.
-- Dr. Bonar
15. "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness ... For when ye
were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness ... But now being made free from sin, and
become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." -- Rom. vi.
18, 20, 22.
Being "free from righteousness" is the finished character of a sinner; so "freedom from sin"
is the finished character of a true Christian.
The doctrine taught by the Apostle here, is, that as believers have been universally polluted
-- "free from righteousness," so God would have them entirely cleansed -- "free from sin." Their
holiness is to be as universal as their former sinfulness; their obedience us entire as their former
disobedience, and their purity as deep and complete as their depravity. Their depravity and
sinfulness were both internal and external, and their freedom from sin and pollution must be both
inward and outward -- the vessel must be cleansed both inside and outside.
No safe interpretation of these Scriptures can render doubtful our obligation to be entirely
cleansed from sin; nor can we neglect this with impunity, as God commands and requires
immediate obedience.
Salvation from sin; from all sin! This is the grand design of the Gospel.
I ask no higher state;
Indulge me but in this,
And soon or later then translate
To my eternal bliss.
-- C. Wesley
16. "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." -- Titus ii. 14
In this passage we have the author and price of personal holiness. "He gave himself a
ransom for all." "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold ... But with the
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." Christ "gave himself for
us." That is, the great object and end of his death was to "redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people."
BLESSED BE HIS NAME! Myriads have proved that he redeems from all iniquity and
purifies from all uncleanness, so that his saints -- holy ones, are a
purified, "peculiar people, zealous of good works." Christ gave
himself -- died, as much to purify his people, as to pardon them; as
much to free them from all pollution, as from all guilt; and he can
accomplish their purification as easily and perfectly as their
justification.
The peculiarity of his people spoken of is their purity and consequent unlikeness to the
world. They are "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people." God's
true people are separate from the world, are cleansed from all unrighteousness, are purified unto
himself, and made fervent and abundant in good works. "How shall we escape if we neglect so
great salvation?"
I want the witness, Lord,
That all I do is right, --
According to thy will and word, --
Well pleasing in thy sight.
-- C. Wesley
17. "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification." -- I. Thess. iv. 3.
God's will as revealed in his word, is that his people should be holy -- pure, chaste, clean
-- cleansed from all filthy lusts of the flesh, and all manner of uncleanness both of heart and life, of
soul and of body. To assert that there is any sin of which the human heart is possessed, from which
our God can not, or will not deliver us, is to say that either the devil is stronger than he, or that our
sanctification is not his will.
This passage may have special regard to bodily purity and chastity; and stands against all
bodily uncleanness. Strictly speaking, the body is not the subject of sanctification, because, being a
material substance, it is susceptible of neither virtue nor vice. But it may be sanctified in the sense
of being dedicated to the service of God, and its organs and members, which were formerly
employed in sinful actions, and were excitements to them, are changed into "instruments of
righteousness."
The body of the Christian is "a temple of the Holy Ghost," and is to be "preserved in
sanctification and honor" -- kept free from lust or concupiscence -- SACRED TO GOD. "For God
hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." "If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
Our sanctification or purification, is God's will in both the permissive and authoritative
sense. He is willing we should be holy, and he commands and requires us to be holy. Duty and
privilege are bound together in religious things; duty is privilege, and privilege is duty. We can put
it either I must, or I may. And duty is not more prominent than privilege.
He wills that I should holy be!
What can withstand his will?
The counsel of his grace in me
He surely shall fulfill.
-- C. Wesley
18. "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and
he will thoroughly purge his floor." Luke iii. 16, 17
Dr. F. G. Hibbard says:-- "In the time of Christ, through the prevalent influence of the
Greek language and culture, baptism in a religious sense had come to be synonymous with
purification."
The baptism of the Holy Ghost and of fire teaches the purification of the soul, which like
fire in its operations purifies the heart from sin, consuming its lusts and corruptions. The metaphor
is very expressive. Fire, as we have seen, is enlightening and illuminating. It is warming and
melting. It is also pervading, consuming and transforming. Thus the blessed Holy Ghost works in
the heart as a, "refiner's fire," penetrating, melting, illuminating, and purging its corruption.
"Being sanctified by the Holy Ghost," that is, the work is wrought in the believer's heart by
the power of the Holy Spirit, enlightening the understanding, rectifying the will, melting the
sensibilities, purging the conscience, subduing the propensities, regulating and warming the
affections, and thus renewing the whole soul "in righteousness and true holiness."
That this is possible, no one will doubt who believes in the supreme Divinity of the Holy
Ghost, as the third person in the adorable Trinity; whose office it is, to possess, enlighten, renew,
strengthen, comfort, and sanctify the human soul. This is the blessed work of the Holy Spirit, and of
it alone. He can pervade every part of the soul, and assimilate the whole to the image of God.
Refining fire, go through my heart;
Illuminate my soul;
Scatter thy life through every part,
And sanctify the whole.
-- C. Wesley --
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