by merely this imperfect view of Christ. Even now, "beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, they are changed into the same image from glory to glory."c Even here they bear some traces, however faint, of the Divine Likeness. What then shall be the case, when they shall see Christ far otherwise than they now see him? When the veil which now dims their sight shall be taken away: when they shall" see him as he is," in all the splendour and majesty of his glorious person? The transforming power of his presence, will then be instantly and universally felt; all the remaining pollution of sin and infirmity will be done away for ever. The dross of sensual affection will at once be consumed before the brightness of his coming. The soul seeing face to face, him, 'whom she so ardently loves, will reflect nothing but his pure and glorious image. Every spot and wrinkle, which have hitherto defaced her, will disappear. She will be holy and with-out blemish; all beautiful, all glorious within. Such will be the state of the soul at Christ's appearing and such then is now the great Object of the Christian's hope. He longs to be like Christ. He longs to be sanctified in body, soul, and spirit. He feels and la

ments the corruption of his nature; and therefore he looks forward with earnest expectation, to the time when this corruption shall be done away; when the Victory, over the flesh, shall be complete; when he shall appear with Christ in glory; and " awaking up with his likeness, shall be satisfied with it."

2 Cor. iii. 18.

We see then, what there is in the Object of the Christian's hope, which distinguishes this hope from every other thing, which takes to itself the name. It is not merely a hope of happiness, without any idea of what that happiness will be. It is not merely a hope of being with Christ, and of seeing his glory. It is not merely a hope of going to heaven, and of living in the presence of God. It is a hope, which, while it cou'tains all these things, has still a clearer and more precise object in view. It is a hope of holiness: a hope of being perfectly holy, that so we may be perfectly happy: a hope of seeing Christ" as he is;" that by this sight of Him, we may be made like Him; and thus may become fitted for going to heaven, and for living with God in glory.

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And now, my brethren, let us ask ourselves, Is this our hope? Has our hope this object? Is this the thing which we have in view the thing to which we are looking for happiness? Do we hope to be like Christ, that we may be qualified for living with him, and capable of enjoying that happiness, which he has provided for us? Let us examine ourselves strictly on this point. Let us search and see what our hope is. If holiness be not a grand part of its Object, our hope is certainly not the hope of the Christian.

To assist us in this examination, let us consider the other particular here stated, respecting Christian hope, namely,

II. Its Effect: what it leads men to do.

As bope has always some object in view; something to which it looks for happiness; so it always sets a VOL. II. 7

man to seek after that object, and to do what is in his power to obtain it. There cannot then be a better way of finding out what our hope is, than by seeing what it leads us to do. If wealth, or power, or honour, be the things which we hope to gain; how will this Hope influence our conduct? What will it lead us to do? It will lead us to use those means which are most likely to make us rich, or great, or honourable. Thus on the other hand, if holiness be the object of our hope, what in this case, will our hope lead us to do? It will lead us now to seek after holiness. We shall be trying to become holy. This will be the Effect of our hope. This is what it will lead us to do. And what is this but the very Effect, which St. John, in the text, declares that Christian Hope always produces. "Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as He is pure." It is a general, an universal rule, which admits of no exception. How, indeed, can it be otherwise? If a man really believe, that his happiness hereafter, will consist in being like Jesus Christ; if he really look forward to this likeness as the grand object of his hope, how can he do otherwise than now seek to become like Jesus Christ? How can he do otherwise, than now strive to become pure, even as Christ is pure? The future object of his hope must have a constant, an active, a powerful influence on his present conduct. If it have not, nothing can be plainer than that he does not really believe and hope, what he professes to do. If while he professes to have the hope of a Christian, he yet willingly continues unholy and im pure, and reflects not, nor tries to reflect any part of

the image of Christ, nothing can be plainer than that his professions are vain, and that, at the best, he miserably deceives himself.

But let us more distinctly see what this Effect, of which we are speaking, is: what is meant by a man's purifying himself. This expression may seem to imply that a man is able to make himself holy, to cleanse his own heart, to sanctify his own nature; and so may uppear to contradict the general doctrine of Scripture, which teaches a very different truth. This doctrine is, that sanctification is God's work, and not man's: that the preparations of the heart are from the Lord: that it: js he who cleanseth the heart, by the inspiration of His Holy Spirit; creates in us a new heart; and renews the soul after His own image and likeness. Nor is there any thing in the text, which at all opposes this doctrine, or differs from it in the least. We meet with many other expressions, of the same kind with that in the text. The Lord himself says, by His Prophet Ezekiel, "Make you a new heart, and a new spirit." St. James, in like manner, says, "Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded;" while St. paul exhorts us to "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit." Do we suppose that these passages contradict the general doctrine stated above? No such thing. The scriptures cannot disagree with each other. When we meet with texts

which like those just cited, enjoin us to do something, which the general tenour of the bible tells us that we cannot do; the way in which we must un derstand such texts, is this: we must understand them as enjoining us to use those means, which God has ap

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pointed for attaining the thing in question, and in the faithful use of which he has promised that we shall attain it. Let us take this way of interpretation in the present instance; and then we shall see how the text is to be understood. Every man that has this hope, purifieth himself;" that is, he does not cleanse, renew, and sanctify his own heart, for that he cannot do; but he uses those means, which God has appointed, for the cleansing, renewing, and sanctifying of the heart; and in the proper use of which, it is promised, that the heart shall be cleansed, renewed, and sanctified. In virtue of this appointment, in reliance on this promise, he uses these means, and thus purifies himself.

Here then, my brethren, we have another ground for self-examination. Does our hope produce in us this effect? Does it lead us thus to purify ourselves? In the first place, do we seek after purity? Do we seek, not only to be outwardly moral, but also to be inwardly holy? Do we think it not merely enough to regulate the con duct, but do we seek also to regulate the motives of our conduct in short, not only to have clean hands, but also to have a pure heart? And while we seek this inward purity, do we faithfully and diligently use the means which God has commanded us to use, in order to attain it? Do we earnestly beseech him to cleanse our hearts by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit?' Do. we add to our prayers, watchfulness; do we keep our heart with all diligence; examine with a jealous eye its secret motives; check its first approaches. to evil; and carefully guard every door by which sin may enter into it, especially that. sin,. be what it. may, by which.