"Flee also youthful
lusts; but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that
call on the Lord out of a pure heart."

The prophet Malachi saw the glorious fullness of this gospel salvation
as he beheld and spake by the Spirit: "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. 3:3.

All these plain texts set forth the doctrines of cleansing beyond
question. Then when Peter takes the witness-stand (Acts 15:9) and
testifies that he and all the one hundred twenty at Pentecost, and
afterward the household of Cornelius, received the cleansing at the time
of the outpouring upon them of the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that
God certainly is no respecter of persons, and has the same measure of
grace for his people in this evening time of the gospel day. Praise his
holy name! Let us magnify and exalt the power of the all-cleansing
blood, for it can reach beyond the inmost depths of our fallen nature
and wash us whiter than snow. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats,
and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the
purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge
your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"--

"Oh, now I see the cleansing wave,
That fountain deep and wide;
Jesus, my Lord, mighty to save,
Points to his wounded side.

"The cleansing stream, I see, I see,
I plunge, and oh, it cleanseth me
Oh, praise the Lord, it cleanseth me!
It cleanseth me, yes, cleanseth me."

CHAPTER VIII

Christian Perfection

Definition of =perfection=: Unblemished, blameless, pure.

We are commanded to be perfect. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
Father which is in heaven is perfect."--Matt. 5:48. "For we are glad,
when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your
perfection. Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort,
be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be
with you."--2 Cor. 13:9, 11. "Therefore leaving the principles of the
doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection."--Heb. 6:1.

We must be perfect in love. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all th