Wesley Corpus

25. Every one of these can say, with St. Paul, "I am crucified with Christ: Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:" Gal 2:20 Words that manifestly describe a deliverance from inward as well as from outward sin. This is expressed both negatively, I live not; (my evil nature, the body of sin, is destroyed;) and positively, Christ liveth in me; and, therefore, all that is holy, and just, and good. Indeed, both these, Christ liveth in me, and I live not, are inseparably connected; for "what communion hath light with darkness, or Christ with Belial" 2 Cor. 6:15 26. He, therefore, who liveth in true believers, hath "purified their hearts by faith;" Acts 15:9 insomuch that every one that hath Christ in him the hope of glory, Col. 1:27 "purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:3.) He is purified from pride; for Christ was lowly of heart. Matt. 11:29 He is pure from self-will or desire; for Christ desired only to do the will of his Father, and to finish his work. John 4:34; 5:30 And he is pure from anger, in the common sense of the word; for Christ was meek and gentle, patient and long-suffering. I say, in the common sense of the word; for all anger is not evil. We read of our Lord himself, (Mark 3:5,) that he once "looked round with anger." But with what kind of anger The next word shows, sullupoumenos, being, at the same time "grieved for the hardness of their hearts." Mark 3:6 So then he was angry at the sin, and in the same moment grieved for the sinners; angry or displeased at the offence, but sorry for the offenders. With anger, yea, hatred, he looked upon the thing; with grief and love upon the persons. Go, thou that art perfect, and do likewise. Be thus angry, and thou sinnest not; see Eph. 4:26 feeling a displacency at every offence against God, but only love and tender compassion to the offender.