lmmlED m VAIN; 1, We should first of al! learn that tM hoU of O«l on all Uidl., Jw,ve and are iw abriorute. We are but t"nants-a•-wm. The proud and conceited. talk as if the world were ours-" :My river is my own, and I have made U for mysalf"- ie an abomination to the !Ard. God has never waived his rights in entn&ing kJ tfll his IOMHI. Let merchaots, stockbrokers, bankers, bondhold81'81 tf'!Mlel'I\ learn thie lesson. In our great city it is too often forgotten. li.t any momenHlod may b q ILll our poss8Slmlns to nought; and he will do that a:t, his own time,, not waiting fo1 aan. 2. It may well yield us matter for lame:atatioe tl\at tM me ¥ 119 mwh: ~ mpital is 4 pervert:«l, OTM. Mwy of God'• gi!t& ar-, put m ·aLliamcs with ove11reaehtng,. eorrnption, and fraud. In themselves they are uo,t to be despised. "Every orea,t11re. oi God is good," etc. But when things of wealth and belm-ty heoome-· thd' imt.rue•umts of apostasy, it is sad indeed. Aad the, tnore so waen• we add to aJl this the tht>• that Divine gifts misulled do, in. so being misv.eed, decelte and. rain tlie.soal&of men; mid in proportion to the joy whioh their ri;.iht· and. pro1Jer use would haive- bnml§lit ie the treasured-up woe which their al>u~ wilI crertamly eus1tre,, 3-. Let us. learn ta loOlii ilt whateY'eF is beautiful 1111d costly arlCl artisiio 38- precie!lus in the truest 8(>,IJS~, onl:,.i as it is alli,,d to or in harmony with righteou1mes,. Beauty .Aoo wea.tth. are- only of genuine value when employed in accordance with God's will and \Vord. 4.. Let us t:a:ke care that, se far as we are ooncerned, we ll.6ve no share in this heiwt-apnsfA8y of Babylon the great, even in the <lomthercial world. The voice eries now, "Come out .of her, my people" (ei. Isa. xlvm. 20; lii. 11 t Jer. 1. 8;, li. 6;, 45; a Cor. vi-. 1!~17). lf'we would not share her plagues,. we must no4. share her sillSI "Come ye euf from," etc. For in this London of ou.n Babylon the greai. and the- New·Jerw;alent lll'8·side by side.- '!'her• ar,e those who ue in Babylon the peat, the slaves of. godle111 gain or godless pleasure. There are those who belong to the new and eternal ctl,yt the New Jerusalem,. who grave on the bellw of the horses," Holiness to the Loiti," and whose daily toH is being sanctified for him. And oh-! it is worth a struggle.a be living even now in that city of God, into which no foe can enter and whiclii :no convulsion can for a moment disturb. It may cost something to reDounce all fellowship with Babylon. But it is worth infinUJely more than it costs. Ye111, to lie right is so transcendently great, that the queMion of. cost should scarce be deemed worth a thought. Better die with Christ than reiga with C-ar. Let 1111 dace to be singular. By the gewgaws of this B;1,bylonian harlotry mauy are attracted. So, b& ii not with us. A nobler aim be ours, (lvec. to "sea; the· things which are above, where Cnrist sitteth on the J!ight hand of God;" a.od when- our cGmmim.ioo, with this earth is sundered, we shall find our home in the New Jerusalem.. Heaee We' may " go forth of Babylon ..•. with a voice of singing," and ma.y "utt'er it eftll. to th.e end» of the earth•• , • 'l'he Lord hath redeemed hia servant Jacobi'' .
HOMILIES BY V .ARIDUS AUTH(')RS. Vera. 1-24.-771., OfJerthrow of wic'lrednes,, This, in symbolic: form, II' the real subject of this chapter. Wick-edness shall. be utterly and fur ever destroy,ed. I. A GL-ORious AKGEt, PROCLAIIMS THIS. (Of. ver. l as tG· this angel.) Then, IIUOh overthrow mu~t be: 1. Righteous, 2, Blaw. 8. Divine. Had it been possible far men to affect this, it would have been done long since. II. Goo's Pl!OPL):I: Rll;CEIV:E COMMAND. 1. To separate t h ~ from ,m, From which we learn: (1) That God's poople may have to• dwell in the midst: of Bin. (2) That t'houghwhere wickedness is, they are not to be partnk<'rs ol it'. (~) That they shall one day be effectually separated from it. 2. 7b avenge thems,,lvu upon it. Reae~ ment and wrath are passions gitim ue by God. Ottr peril. awl propensity is. lest ft turn· them in a wrong difflr:'tion. We do so when we use them· for private revenge. 'J'his is what our Lord fr,rbids. But against th• forces of sin·Uieymay, tlte;rllhoulct, b& used. This the comm&nd here. :UJ. THE FRIENDS OJI' WJOKBDDl!S LAJIEN'l', 1, W ~ ha, jriffld& 'J'hoee who tind delight in it, who" live- deliciously" in it (ver. D). Those who make profit out of it. The merchants, etc. (ver. 11). And: 2. T/mr· la.mmt w lotlfl and long. 'fhey weep, mourn, wail; say," Alu, alai.l" east duat on their heads, etc. (Ters. 11, 15, t88 TllE REVELATION OP ST. JOHN TBE DIVINE. [ou. xvm. 1-24..