He was full of light, and love, and grace, and truth; though He was meek and lowly in heart; though His teachings were those of truth and purity, His tears those of pity, His prayers those of faith and feeling, and His miracles those of majesty and mercy; though He sacrificed Himself to be the great propitiator, and conquered death and hell, and embalmed the tomb, and took possession of the keys, and ascended triumphantly to His throne ;—the world knew Him not. Secondly: It knew not the brightest and best of His followers. It knew not that lovely disciple who leaned on His bosom at the supper, but banished him to Patmos. It knew not the seraphic man who spent himself in making known the riches of Christ to the Gentiles. It knew not the holiest of their successors, but made them an army of martyrs. Therefore, the children of God, of our times, should not think it surprising that the world should disown, and despise, and degrade, them; for it knows not their character, their principles, their motives, their griefs, their joys, their hopes, their dignity, their titles, and prospects.

III. THAT PRIVILEGES OF A HIGHER ORDER AWAIT THE CHILDREN OF GOD IN A FUTURE STATE. "When He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." This brief, plain, simple, beautiful, allusion in one sentence to their future bliss implies, First: That "He shall appear." He will come, according to His purpose, and promise, and arrangement, to destroy the powers and works of death and hell; to deliver a groaning creation from its bondage of corruption; to arrange and to adorn the new heaven and the new earth; to perfect the salvation of his followers, and to deliver up the kingdom to His Father. The very last promise He gave was, "Surely I come quickly." He will effect the work of the last day, not by commission; -but will come Himself. He will "surely" come, and "quickly" come. Though eighteen hundred years have passed since He gave that promise, and though thousands of ages may elapse before he come, those ages will pass

"quickly," and his people, as they joyfully awake that morning, will say, Behold, He comes! and, indeed, He has come "quickly." Secondly: When he shall appear, they shall be present to "see him." The brilliance of many a court-day in England passes without being seen by millions of the most loyal subjects. After reading the announcement of a coming royal day, they who care for such pageantry have to sigh and say, We cannot be there. The celebration will be one of great splendour, but we shall not be present to see it. But every disciple of Christ shall be present at the last day. Every one of His followers shall be there to "see Him." And, Thirdly: They shall see and hear all, from first to last; —shall awake in time;-shall be taken to the best position to see Him, His crown, and throne, and court, and face. It will be not a dim distant sight of Him, but a full clear, near, satisfying view:-"They shall see Him as He is." And, Fourthly: "Shall be like Him." Shall be in His nature, in His righteousness, in His love, and so "like Him" in body, and spirit, and state, as to be meet to be for ever with Him.

IV. THAT THOSE PRIVILEGES OF THEIR FUTURE STATE CANNOT BE FULLY REVEALED TO GOD'S PEOPLE ON EARTH. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be.” First There are here no mediums adapted to make fully known to them the glories of heaven. No earthly language can describe the glory of heaven. The copious language of England cannot. The strong old words of Wales cannot. The wonderful symbols of China cannot. The inspiration of the bard cannot put it in his verse. The painter has no colours of the right tint to put it on his canvass. The harps and organs of this world can give no specimen of the music of heaven. The imagination of the strongest faith on earth cannot have a full vision of the place. We may speak of mansions and temples, and pearly gates, and flowery mounds, and white robes, and living fountains; but we can have no full idea of heaven. We have no language, no symbols, no figures, equal to a full description. "It doth not yet appear what

we shall be." And, Secondly: If there had been mediums for a full revelation, there is not a heart on earth sufficiently strong and spiritual to bear the weight of that glory. A full view of heaven would unfit the merchantman to spread his sails before the winds of heaven; would unfit the harvest-man to reap his corn field; would unfit the shopman to stand behind his counter; would unfit the Christian for even the highest places of earth's holiest sanctuaries. A full vision of an unveiled heaven would be too much for the best believer in his present state of probation.

V. THAT ALL THESE PRIVILEGES, PRESENT AND TO COME, FLOW FROM THE "LOVE" OF THE FATHER. "Behold, what manner of love!" Behold how low, and vile, and worthless, the object on which it fixed its regard and compassion! Behold, how rich the salvation it provided;—life, and more than life! Behold, how great the sacrifice it made to obtain for sinful man that grace and glory!

VI. THAT EVERY MAN, THAT HATH THIS HOPE OF HEAVEN "He THROUGH THE LOVE OF THE FATHER, “PURIFIETH HIMSELF. knows that God is pure; and pants after purity that he may enjoy communion with God. He knows that Jesus is pure; and he "purifieth himself," that he may be a disciple of Jesus. He knows that the Spirit is holy; and he "purifieth himself" that he may realize the consolations of his fellowship. He understands that the truths and ordinances of the Gospel are pure; and he purifieth himself in order to experience their power. He knows that angels are pure; and he "purifieth himself" in order to share in their company and their ministry. He knows that the spirits of the "just made perfect" are pure, and that all the services and enjoyments of heaven are pure; and he "purifieth himself,” that he may be made meet for heaven.

SAMUEL ROBERTS, M. A.

Llanbrynmair.

SUBJECT:-The Supreme Importance of Moral Purity.

"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie," &c.—1 John, i. 5-7.

Analysis of Homily the Hundred and Fifty-third.

The context suggests :

First That Christianity is based upon the palpable facts in the history of an extraordinary person. The person is here said to be "from the beginning,"- -"which was with the Father," is called "the Word of life," "Eternal life." And these facts, connected with this personage, John says, "We have seen with our eyes," &c.

Secondly: That these palpable facts were observed by competent witnesses, who have transmitted them to us for moral ends. The apostles were intellectually and morally competent. The facts were to promote "fellowship" with God, "joy,” moral purity. This last comprehends all, and this is the subject before us :-the supreme importance of moral purity.

I. MORAL PURITY IS THE ESSENCE OF THE DIVINE CHARACTER. "God is light." Light is mysterious in its essence; science has speculated whether it belongs to matter or mind. "Who, by searching, can find out God?" Light is revealing in its power; through it we see all things. The universe can only be rightly seen through God. Light is felicitating; the animal creation feels it. He is the one "blessed" God. Light is pure, and in this sense God is called light. distinguish God's holiness

There are three things which

from that of any creature:—

First: It is absolutely perfect. Not only has He never thought an erroneous thought, felt a wrong emotion, performed a wrong act, but He never can. He is infinitely above it. There is no power in the universe that can tempt

Him. In Him there is no darkness at all. His holiness is the glory of His being, the splendour of His perfections, the stability and majesty of His throne. He charges the angels with folly, &c. "He is glorious in holiness."

Secondly: It is eternally independent. The holiness of all creatures is derived from without, and depends greatly upon the influences and aids of other beings. But God's holiness is uncreated. He was as holy when He dwelt in the solitude of eternity—when there was no being in immensity but Himself, as He is now. He dwells "in the high and holy place." The holiness of creatures is susceptible of change. Thirdly: It is universally felt.

It is felt in heaven.

Where is it not felt? "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty," is one of the anthems that resound through the upper world. It is felt in hell. All guilty consciences feel its burning flash. It is the consuming fire. It is felt on earth. The compunctions of conscience, the impressions of Calvary, the strivings of the Spirit, the judgments of providence, make us sensible of it.

Another argument suggested for the importance of moral purity is

II. THAT MORAL PURITY IS THE CONDITION OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. "If we say that we have fellowship with him," &c. Three things are implied here :—

First: That fellowship with God is a possible thing. John assumes this as something that need scarcely be argued. Fellowship with man is intercourse; and fellowship with God is the same. It is the intercourse of mind-a reciprocal giving and receiving. God giving benevolently, and man receiving gratefully and reverently. Two thoughts show its possibility. First: That the fellowship of a moral being with its Creator is antecedently probable. God is the Father of all intelligent spirits; and is it not probable that the father and the child should have intercourse with each other? Secondly: Man is in possession of means suited to this end. If it be said that, God is invisible-that we cannot commune with