g in the process of the life of bearing holy
fruit in this justified relation. The branch is now bearing the very
fruit of the holy root, but there is something to be done in it that it
may bring forth more fruit; it must be purged from its inward depraved
dispositions which it possessed from its parent stock--its "old man ...
that the body of sin might be destroyed." Before the purging there was
much time and energy occupied in keeping its depraved nature from
sprouting. The holy nature of the root was indeed being manifested in
the production of holy fruit which was a source of satisfaction, but
there was that inward consciousness of an unfavorable condition which
hindered the root-life from producing in the branch the quantity
necessary to the perfect satisfaction of the husbandman, the vine or the
branch.

But now what a glorious change: the old nature is entirely gone, and the
sweet soul-rest which the purged branch now enjoys is beyond the power
of mortal to express; it can now repose itself so sweetly in the holy
vine in its perfectly consecrated life, without any inward hindrance to
a perfect flow of the vine-life through its entire being. It can now
bring forth more fruit, for every energy from the root is sent direct
into the fruit-buds of the branch, and the result is glorious. This
purging is just what perfects the inward harmony of the branch with the
vine. It could not continue very long in the abiding condition without a
consciousness of the need of the purging process. This process becomes a
necessity to every branch which abides. "He that abideth in me, and I in
him, the same bringeth forth much fruit," which is equivalent to the
text, "Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring
forth more fruit." It is purged that it may bring forth "more fruit,"
and now the object of purging is realized, it brings forth "much fruit."
Thank God for the purging, the subsequent work in the heart!

The apostles had not yet received this experience. They were clean
through the word which Jesus had spoken unto them, to the extent of
their knowledge and experience. Unquestionably they were clean from
guilt and condemnation, for they were taken out from the world--were no
more of it, and the world hated them. They were living in perfect
obedience to all the known word of God and were clean through that word,
but they had not had the pentecostal purging, "purifying their hearts by
faith," as Peter himse