his prayer into thanksgiving; "I
thank Thee for having created in me a clean heart;" but he could not thank
God for what he had not received. Giving thanks for the clean heart would
prove that it was in his possession. Note also that heart "cleansing" is
God's work alone. We are exhorted to "cleanse _ourselves_ from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit" (2 Cor. vii. 1), which simply means
"separation" from all the palpable, manifest evils Paul had just been
enumerating, such as "yoking with unbelievers," "unrighteousness,"
"darkness," "Belial," "infidel," "idols," "unclean things" (_vide_ 2 Cor.
vi. 14-17). In reference to all such things God says "cleanse yourselves."
The aorist tense is used in the original, denoting a definite, decisive
act; "separate from these things at once and be done with them." And where
are we to get the enabling power? In effect, God says, "Draw a check on ME;
draw on My resources for all you need," for all God's commandings are God's
enablings. But when it comes to be a question of cleansing the "heart,"
the inner being, the springs of action, that part of the man where the
affections and the will are seated, God undertakes that Himself; He says,
"Bring that to Me." If this work were left to us it would indeed be a
"process" slow and tedious, and progress might be made, as it so often is,
alas! backward. But now the question is,--not what can the believer do by
his efforts to overcome indwelling sin, but what can the Almighty God do?
It is not a question of our power, but of His.

"'Twas most impossible of all,
That here sin's reign in me should cease;
Yet shall it be! I know it shall:
Jesus, look to Thy faithfulness:
If nothing is too hard for Thee,
All things are possible to me."

He is able and willing to "cleanse." Are we willing to be cleansed?

Another mistake to be carefully guarded against is this, making
"cleansing" to be an _end_ instead of a _means_ to an end. "Cleansing" is
not the blessing that we are seeking; it is only a means. The end is the
"Filling of the Holy Ghost." "Cleansing" is a negative blessing, the
separating from sin; but we can only be satisfied with a positive blessing.
When the housewife cleans the house, does she then go out and live in the
yard? Not so. She cleans the house that it may be the more fit for her to
inhabit. God cleanses, "empties, sweeps, and garnishes" (Matt. xii. 44),
that He may come in to dwell; and if He, the Holy One, doe