26. He therefore who liveth in true believers, hath _purified their hearts by faith_: insomuch that _every one that hath Christ in him, the hope of glory, purifieth himself even as he is pure_. (1 John iii. 3.) He is purified from pride; for Christ was lowly of heart. He is pure from self-will, or desire; for Christ desired only to do the will of his Father, and to finish his work. 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_ iii. 5.) that he once _looked round with anger_. But with what kind of anger? The next word shews; συλλυπούμενος, being _at the same time grieved for the hardness of their hearts_. 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_: feeling a displacency at every offence against God; but only love and tender compassion to the offender. 27. Thus doth Jesus _save his people from their sins_: and not only from outward sins, but also from the sins of their hearts; from evil thoughts and from evil tempers. “True, say some; we shall thus be saved from our sins: but not till death, not in this world.” But how are we to reconcile this with the express words of St. _John_? _Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we_ in this world. The apostle here beyond all contradiction speaks of himself and other living Christians, of whom (as tho’ he had foreseen this very evasion, and set himself to overturn it from the foundation) he flatly affirms, that not only at, or after death, but _in this world_, they are as their Master, _1 John_ iv. 17.