By the Blood of Christ JESUS, The LORD our righteousness!

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit." -II Corinthians 7:7 [KJV]

“Cleanse ourselves!” What! was holy Paul the subject of filthiness? Yes: he, as well as the holy saints of Corinth, constantly wanted cleansing, by the blood of Christ. St. Paul, again and again, declares against the proud notion of sinless perfection. He well knew, that regenerating grace and adopting love, do not entirely destroy the infection of our nature; but hereby being brought into a holy state, we are set above the power of sin. We hate the defilement of it; and we ever have the precious blood of the Lamb to have recourse to, for cleansing from it. The Son of God has made us free indeed (see John 8:36.) 

Free from the slavery of sin, and the bondage of the law: free, to come to Him, that we may wash our garments, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. Do you see and lament that you are the subject of internal, as well as external filthiness? Should you not be ashamed, that your fellow Christians should know what filthy and abominable thoughts pass through your mind? Are they not the grief of your very soul? The Lord knows them all: He has provided, and set open, a precious fountain for sin and uncleanness (see Zechariah 13:1!) 

Believe His love; take the benefit of His Son’s blood; come freely, come daily, come constantly to it by faith; wash and be clean. See the reason of this: “Having these promises.” O! consider how great and precious they are. 

(1st.) Of being temples of the living God. 

(2d.) Of His indwelling presence.

(3d.) Of His being our God, and we His sons and daughters. 

(4th.) Of God’s receiving us, and owning us as such, whenever we come to Him. Most powerful motives for cleansing! See, believers! your precious privileges. We are not called upon, and urged to cleanse ourselves, by the terrors of the law, on pain of damnation. 

No! but as loving children, in a state of salvation, under a covenant of love and grace. Nothing but great and precious promises await us, from the love of God our Father, from the grace of God our Redeemer, and from the witness of God our Sanctifier: and it is by these we are animated and excited to cleansing and purification. 

Would it not be a scandal and a shame to an earthly monarch, for his children to appear in filthy garments, associate with the low and vulgar of his subjects, and give in to their practices? O! ye sons and daughters of the King of kings, consider your dignity; act up to your high station; adorn your profession; walk worthy of your God! 

Lord I’ve daily need of cleansing 

By Thy most precious blood: 

Filthiness of flesh and spirit 

Cleave to my ev’ry good. 

Now I’m in Thy new creation, 

O, cleanse and keep me clean! 

Jesus, Thou art my salvation 

Purge me from ev’ry stain.

 

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)