making resistance, and indicating actual presence, and needing to be entirely sanctified."

It is by no means uncommon for persons to imagine at the time of forgiveness that depravity is completely destroyed. The change is so great, even as "from death unto life," that the work of moral renovation seems perfect. The love and gladness of the newborn soul is so overflowing, as for a time to create the impression that the heart is entirely cleansed. 'How easily do they draw the inference, I feel no sin, therefore I have none; it does not stir, therefore it does not exist; it has no motion, therefore it has no being. But it is seldom long before they are undeceived, finding sin was only suspended, not destroyed." When this occurs the new convert is often surprised and alarmed, and sometimes deems his conversion a failure, not knowing the Scriptures or the two-fold nature of sin.

"That a distinction exists," says Richard Watson, "between a regenerate state, and a state of entire and perfect holiness, will be generally allowed. Regeneration, as we have seen, is concomitant with justification, but the apostles, in addressing a body of believers in the Churches to whom they wrote their Epistles, set before them, both in the prayers they offer on their behalf, and in the exhortations they administer, a still higher degree of deliverance from sin, as well as a higher growth in Christian virtues. Two passages only need to be quoted to prove this:I Thess. v. 23: '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.' 2 Cor. vii. 1: 'Having therëfore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' In both these passages deliverance from sin is the subject spoken of; the prayer in the one instance, and the exhortation in the other, goes to the extent of the entire sanctification of the 'soul' and 'spirit,' as well as of the 'flesh' or 'body,' from all sin; by which can only be meant our complete deliverance from all spiritual pollution, all inward depravation of the heart, as well as that which, expressing itself outwardly by the indulgence of the senses, is called filthiness of flesh and spirit."

In regeneration sin is subdued and conquered, but it is not destroyed. The fortress of Mansoul has been won for its legitimate Lord, but within its garrison some traitors lurk, maimed and bleeding, but not dead. The disease is modified, but it is not eradicated. The bitter and baneful thing is nipped in the bud, some of the branches are lopped off, but the root is not removed. Depravity is suspended, held in check, repressed; but it is not fully expelled from the soul. It does not reign, but it exists. Tendencies to sin are controlled, but they are not extirpated. There is still a warfare within, a sort of duality, in which flesh and spirit antagonise each other. It is a state of mixedness, in which Christians in a degree, according to the measure of their faith, are spiritual, yet in a degree they are carnal. We would not for a moment minify the great and glorious work of conversion, but all experience testifies that an "infection of nature does

remain, warring against the Spirit even in those who are regenerate." The result often is that from the germ-sins in the heart spring actual sins in the life.

Regeneration is the beginning of purification. Entire sanctification is the finishing of that work. Entire sanctification removes from the soul all the elements which antagonise the elements of holiness planted in regeneration. It is an elimination, as dross is separated from the gold by fire. It is an eradication, the removal of all roots of bitterness, the seeds of sin's disease. It is a crucifixion, the putting to death of the body or the life of sin. It is such a complete renewal of the heart that sin has no longer any place within, its last remains are scattered, the war within the citadel ceases, and God reigns without a rival.

There are those who teach that entire sanctification consists in the power of the Holy Spirit repressing inbred sin, holding in check our sinful proclivities, choking down the old man instead of putting him to death. When the apostle speaks of the body of sin being destroyed (Rom. vi. 6) they tone down the meaning of the word destroyed, and explain it as meaning to render inert or inoperative; but Dr. Steele with his critical research points out the strength of the word by comparing it with the following texts where the same word is rendered "abolish," consume," or "destroy": 2 Corinthians iii. 13, Ephesians ii. 15, 2 Timothy i. 10, 1 Corinthians vi. 13, I Corinthians xv. 26, 2 Thessalonians ii. 8, Hebrews ii. 14. We have no fear of the result of a careful investigation of these texts by unprejudiced and candid minds. The same writer also calls attention to the fact,

that while the Greek language abounds in words signifying repression, a half-score of which occur in the New Testament, and are translated by to bind, bruise, cast down, bring into bondage, repress, hinder, restrain, subdue, take by the throat, yet none of these is ever used of inbred sin, but such verbs as signify to cleanse, to purify, to mortify or kill, to crucify, and to destroy. We have diligently sought," he says, "in both the Old Testament and the New for exhortations to seek the repression of sin. The uniform command is to put away sin, to purify the heart, to purge out the old leaven, to seek to be sanctified throughout spirit, soul, and body. Repressive power is nowhere ascribed to the blood of Christ, but rather purifying efficacy. Now if these verbs, which signify to cleanse, wash, crucify, mortify, or make dead, and to destroy, are all used in a metaphorical sense, it is evident that the literal truth signified is something far stronger than repression. It is eradication, extinction' of being, destruction." Here is surely sufficient warrant for the prayer:

Every deed and thought unruly

Do to death; for He has died."

This teaching is confirmed also by the prayer, already referred to, which St. Paul offered for the Thessalonians, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly." The word "sanctify" has two principal meanings: (1) to dedicate, or set apart, things or persons to sacred purposes; (2) to cleanse or purify. In the prayer before us the word is used in the latter sense, and to denote the thoroughness and pervasive nature of the purification prayed for, the apostle uscs

a strong word which is found nowhere else in the New Testament. Commentators agree that the word translated "wholly" is one of the strongest words that could possibly be used to express complete deliverance from spiritual pollution. Dr. Mahan says it is compounded of two words, one meaning all, the other perfection. Dr. Adam Clarke says the original word signifies precisely the same as our English phrase "to all intents and purposes." Luther translates it "through and through." In the Vulgate it is rendered "in your collective powers and parts." Mr. Wesley says it means every part of you perfectly." If full deliverance from sin is not taught in this prayer, it is not within the power of human language to teach it. Thrice welcome the assurance that follows the prayer: "Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."

"

Do any ask what is the exact difference between. regeneration and entire sanctification? It is this: the one has remaining impurity; the other has none. We do not say that entire sanctification embraces nothing more than complete cleansing from sin-it does. It is the full gracious endowment of perfect love, and much else, but with the positive aspects of holiness we will deal later. It is sufficient in this chapter to set forth the fact that entire sanctification completes the work of purification and renovation begun in rege

neration.

The difference between the two experiences has been well illustrated as follows:-In the coal regions of the Wyoming Valley, in America, there are two principal seams of coal. In the first and upper scam