PART 2:

 

Containing Animadversions on SPINOZA, and a French Writer, pretending to confute him. With, a Recapitulation of the former Part. And an Account of the Destitution, and Restitution of God’s Temple among Men.

 

CHAPTER 1:

 

 WE have shown, That what is necessarily, or of itself, is an absolutely perfect Being, distinct from all things else. When we understand so much of God, we understand enough to give a foundation to religion, and to let us see He ought to have a temple and worship; and another sort of temple than is made by men's hands, other worship than can be performed by the hands of men; as is clearly argued, and inferred by the Apostle upon those plain grounds.

 

 Now when we are arrived thus far, it is seasonable to make use of the further help which we may observe the great, and wise, and good GOD to have most condescendingly, most aptly, and most mercifully afforded us, for our more distinct understanding of his nature, and our own state; and how we are to behave ourselves towards Him thereupon.

 

 II. Taking notice therefore, that there is a written revelation of Him extant in the world, that bears his name, and gives itself out to be from Him; if now we look into it, observe the import and design of it, compare it with what we before knew of his nature, and our own; consider what is most obvious to an easy self-reflection in our own state and case, and how exactly this written revelation agrees to those our former notices; taking in withal the many considerations that concur besides, to evidence to us the Divine Original, and authority thereof: We cannot but have much rational inducement and obligation to receive, with all reverence and gratitude, this revelation as from God; and to rely upon it, as a sure and sacred light sent down from heaven, to direct us in all our concernments GOD ward.

 

 For finding our own great need, of such an additional light, and apprehending it sufficiently agreeable to the Divine. goodness to afford it; and expecting it to be such in its scope and design, as we find it is. If we further consider it must have had some author, and perceiving it not easy, with any plausible pretence, to affix it to any other than GOD himself. If we consider that it could not, be invented by men, without some design or self-advantage, either in this world, or in the other; and how absurd any such expectation must be, either from men here, the contents thereof being so repugnant to the common inclinations of men, as to oblige those that owned them to the severest sufferings on that account; or from GOD hereafter, who could not be expected to reward forgery, falsehood, and the usurpation of his name.

 

 If again; we further observe the positive attestations, whereby he has challenged, and owned it as his own; and wherein the Divine Power bath borne witness to the Divine Truth contained in it, if the matters of fact oi; which all depends, appear not less certain, than that there were men and nations in the world that we have not seen, and before we were born.

 

 If we see it not only improbable, but even next to impossible that the records of those miraculous attestations should have been forged, and nations imposed upon thereby; and amongst them many of the wisest men, in those very-times when the things recorded were alleged to have been done, and in a matter wherein their eternal hope were concerned: We shall, upon the whole, see cause to judge, that as it were most absurd to suppose such a revelation given by GOD, and no sufficient rational evidence withal given that it is from Him, (without which it cannot serve its end, and so would signify nothing,) so that there is nothing wanting to make up such a sufficient, rational evidence; unless we would suppose it necessary, that every man should have a Bible reached him down by an immediate hand from heaven; or that we count not that sufficient evidence, which ought to satisfy our reason, if it do not gratify our fancy and curiosity too.

 

 It is not fit, here, to say more of the Divine Original of those Holy-Writings; nor needful, so much being written already, with so great clearness on that subject by many.

 

 That therefore being out, of question, what you cannot reason out yourselves, or apprehend from the reasonings of others, concerning God’s nature, tending to represent Him worthy of a temple with you; and capable of receiving, and rewarding your sincere and spiritual worship: Fetch from that Divine Volume.

 

 For you way be sure, though you cannot search Him out unto perfection; He perfectly understands Himself, and is certainly such as He there tells you He is. And He there reveals Himself to be such, as to whom the temple and worship we here intend, cannot be doubted to be both due and grateful. Whatever might be (otherwise) matter of doubt is, by his express discovery of Himself, taken away.

 

 III. If it were still a doubt (after all that had been said) whether the Deity be one only, or manifold; whether the world had one or many makers; and so whether there be no danger of misapplying our religion, or of mistaking the object of our worship: This word plainly tells us,” There is but one God the FATHER, of whom are all. things;” (1 Cor. viii. 6;)” that He is GOD, and there is none else.” (Isa. xlv. 21, 22.) And that However there be” Three that bear witness in heaven,” and the stamp of whose name is, in our baptism, distinctly and solemnly put upon us; (Matt. xxviii 1 John v;) yet (as in many other instances, that may be in some respect Three, which in some other respect is but One) without the unnecessary, punctual declaration, how these are Three, and how but One, it expressly tells us these Three are One.

 

 And if it be yet a doubt with us, whether this one God be so absolutely and every way perfect, as to be sufficient for us all; whether he can understand all our concernments, relieve us in all our necessities, hear our prayers, satisfy our desires, receive our acknowledgments and thanksgivings, and take notice with what love and- sincerity they are tendered him; or, if He can do for us according to our necessities and reasonable desires: Whether we have any ground to believe that He will This word’ of his plainly assures us that He is God all sufficient, that He bath all fullness in Him. (Gen. 17: 1.)

 

 It often represents Him to us, under the name of the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY tells us that He can do every thing, and that He does whatsoever it pleases Him. It tells us his, understanding is infinite, and particularly assures us, that He searches the hearts of men, and tries their reins; that they cannot think a thought, or speak a word, but He understands them afar off, and knows them altogether. That his eyes are upon all the ways of men, that He knows all things, and therefore knows if they love Him.

 

And, that we may be fully out of doubt, how easy it is to Him to do so;. we are assured that He is every where present, that-He fills heaven and earth, that the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain Him; that there is no going from his SPIRIT, or flying from his presence; that if one go up to heaven, He is there; lie down in' hell, He is there; go to the uttermost part of the sea, yet there his hand shall lead, and his right hand hold him.

 

 IV. And that all doubt may vanish, concerning his will and gracious inclination; how expressly doth he make himself known by this name! namely, that he is ' the LORD, the LORD GOD, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness, and truth.” (Exod. xxxiv. 7.) And by the same blessed and inspired penman, of a part of these Holy Writings, (the beloved disciple, who lay in the bosom of his only-begotten Sox; who also is in the bosom of the FATHER and bath declared him,) we are not only told that God is Light, whereby the knowledge, purity, simplicity, and glory of the Divine Being are represented;, but also (once and again) that God is Love, that we might understand him as a Being, not of more glorious excellency in himself, than of gracious propensions towards his creatures.

 

 And lest it should be thought our meanness should exempt us, and put us beneath his regard; we are told he takes care for sparrows, he hears the ravens when they cry;; and generally that the, the eyes of all wait upon him, and he gives them their meat in season,” (Psalm civ.) which even the brute creatures are emphatically said to seek of God, and that “he opens his hand, and satisfies the desire of every living thing.” (Psalm civ.)

 

 And besides what he bath so expressly testified, concerning his own nature; his favorable inclinations towards men might sufficiently be collected, from that very nature which lie bath given to man; considered in comparison and reference to his own. That he made him in his own image, and that he being the FATHER of spirits, has placed a spirit in man, so agreeable to his own spiritual nature; and by his own inspiration given him that understanding, that the mind begotten corresponds, by its most natural frame and constitution,' to the mind that begot, the *, (as it was anciently called,) his own eternal mind.

 

 And that if its own original be remembered, it turns itself toward him, seeks his acquaintance, by an instinct he bath himself implanted in it; and cannot rest till he have such a temple erected in it, wherein both he and it may cohabit together.

 

By all this, his aptness to that converse with men, which is imported in the notion of a temple, doth so far appear, that at least it is evident such converse cannot fail to ensue, supposing there were nothing in the way, that might be a present obstruction thereto. And it will more appear, when we have considered (since there is somewhat that obstructs this converse) what he bath done to remove the obstruction, and how he bath provided, that the intercourse may be restored, and his temple be resettled with men, upon everlasting foundations.

 

CHAPTER 2:

 

 I. BUT so far it is, that there should want probability of a very inward commerce between GOD and man; that we have reason to think it rather strange, considering his nature and our own, it should not have been continual and that his unbounded, and self-communicative fullness was not by him always-afforded, and always imbibed and drawn in by so capable, and indigent a creature. One would wonder what should have discontinued this intercourse! What can be so apt to give and flow out, as fullness What should be apt to receive and take in, as want and emptiness Such a commerce then as can be supposed between one that is rich and full, and them that are poor and necessitous,, one would think should never have failed.

 

 We are therefore put upon a new inquiry, and need no longer spend ourselves in anxious thoughts, Can there be any converse between GOD and men We may rather say, How can it not be Or, How strange is it there is not more That he bath not a temple in every, human breast, replenished with his vital presence!. There are nothing but ruins and desolation to be found, where one would expect a fabric worthy of -GOD, and an in-dwelling Deity! This must, therefore, be the subject of our thoughts a while, What bath rendered the blessed God so much a stranger on earth, and occasioned him, in so great part, to forsake his terrestrial dwelling, Whence we shall have the advantage (seeing how just cause there was on his part, for this deplorable distance) to adore the grace that returns him to us, and inclined him to take that strange course, which we find he did, to repair his for Lord temple; and fill this desolate and forsaken world with the joyful sound of those glad tidings,” The tabernacle of God is with men!”

 

 II. We shall find he is no further a stranger in this world, than we have made, and continued him so. No farther an home-dweller in it, than by an admirable contrivance of wisdom and love, that will be the eternal wonder of the other world, he bath made way for himself. Whereby his propensions towards men, prevailing against so great an obstruction, do even now appear at once both evident, and marvelous; and ought to be not only the matter of our belief, but admiration.

 

 Wherefore our discourse must here proceed by these steps, to show,

 

 1. That mankind has universally revolted, and been in a state of apostasy from GOD.

 

 2. That, hereby, the temple of GOD in man has been generally made waste and desolate.

 

 3. That he has laid both the new foundations, and the platform of his present temple, in IMMANUEL, GOD with us; who rebuilds, beautifies, furnishes, inhabits it, and orders all the concernments of it.

 

 III. 1. The first we little need to labor in, every man's own reflection, upon the vitiated powers of his own soul, would soon as to himself put the matter out of doubt; whence each one's testimony, concerning his own case, would amount to an universal testimony.

 

 No man that takes a view of his own dark and blinded mind, his slow and dull apprehension, his uncertain staggering judgment, roving conjectures, feeble and mistaken reasonings about matters that concern him most; ill inclinations, propension to what is unlawful to him, and destructive aversion to his truest interest and best good, irresolution, drowsy sloth, exorbitant and ravenous appetites and desires, impotent, and self-vexing passions; can think human nature, in him, is in its primitive integrity, and so pure as when it first issued from its pure original.

 

 By such reflection, every man-may perceive his own ill case, in these and many more such respects; and by observing the complaints of the most serious, and such as have seemed most to study themselves, collect it is generally so with others also.

 

 IV. They that have read the sacred volume, cannot be ignorant that all flesh have corrupted their way; that the great GOD (looking down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek GOD) has only the unpleasing prospect before his eyes,. even of an' universal depravation and defection, that every one of -them is gone back, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that does good, no not one I that all have sinned, and come short of’the glory of Gon; that this world lies in wickedness.

 

 And that this was not the first state of man, but that he is degenerated into it, from a former and better state; that GOD made him upright, but that he is become otherwise, by his own many inventions. That by trying conclusions, to better a state already truly good, he brought himself into this woe full plight; and by aiming at somewhat above, sun' so far beneath himself, into that gulf of impurity and misery, that is now become to him as his own element, and natural state.

 

 Yea and the matter bath that evidence, that many of them who, for ought we know, never conversed with those sacred records, have no less clearly discovered their sense of the present evil state of man, than their ignorance of the original of that evil; though some of them carefully acquitting God of it.

 

 We And their complaints of the malignity of ignorance, surrounding all the earth, and that corrupts the soul shut up in the body. That as a garment, and web enwraps the Winds of men, that they cannot look to Him, whose pleasure it is to be known; and who is not to be heard with cam, nor seen with eyes, or expressed by words. That till it be rent in pieces, they have upon them the bond of corruption, the dark coverture, the living death, the sensible carcass, a moving sepulcher, which they carry about with them.

 

We find complaints, that by bonds and chains our mind is held from our infancy.

 

Of certain mean and debasing passions, that fasten and even nail the soul to the body.

 

Of much greater evils, and more grievous than the most painful bodily diseases, gouts, strangeries, dysenteries, and myriads of the like; namely, all manner of sins, wickednesses, transgressions, ungodlinesses, which we have to lament as the maladies, or disaffections of our soul.

 

 Of certain old or inveterate spots, that are by all means to be washed and purged out. That there are certain principles of viciousness, as pleasures, griefs, lusts, fears, enkindled from the body, but mixed with the soul, and that absurdly bear rule over it.

 

And the naturalness of these is more than intimated, while they are said to be rather from parents, and our first elements, than ourselves: Or rather to be imputed (as is elsewhere said) to those that plant, than those who are planted.

 

 Whence also vice is said to be involuntary; being rooted in our natures.) That whosoever are vicious, become so from such things as do even prevent our choice; and that all men do more evil than good, beginning even from their very childhood.

 

And even from hence that virtue is voluntary, vice is, by another, concluded to be involuntary. For who can willingly, in the most lovely, and most noble part of himself, choose that which is the greatest of all evils Esteeming vicious inclination the most repugnant thing to liberty, (as it is indeed in the moral sense,) and the greatest slavery.

 

 Whereupon, another inquiring, since GOD does nothing but what is good, whence evils should come, resolves that whatsoever is good is from heaven, but all evil from our self-natural vileness. And another speaks of an evil adhering to our being, and not only acquired, but even connatural to us. Yea, and this evil is said to be the very death of the soul.

 

 The sadness of the common case of man, in this respect, lath been therefore emblematically represented by a potion of error, and ignorance, presented to every one at their first coming into the world, and whereof, it is said, all do drink-'more or less; a woman called imposture, accompanied by other harlots, opinion, lust, pleasure, &c., seizing and leading away every one.

 

 And hence are bitter complaints and accusations poured forth even against nature itself, as being a mere force and war, and having nothing pure or sincere in it, but having its course amidst many unrighteous passions yea, and its rise and first production is: lamented as founded in unrighteousness; the discontentful resentments whereof have made some not spare to censure our very make and frame, the uniting of an immortal thing to a mortal in the composition of man, as a kind of distortion of nature, that the thing produced should be made to delight in having parts so unnaturally pulled,, and drawn together.

 

 V. So that some of the 'Ethnic philosophers have been so far from denying a corruption and depravation of nature in man, that they have over-strained the matter, and thought,vicious inclination more' deeply natural than indeed it is; and so taxed and blamed nature, in the case of man, as to reflect on the blessed Author of nature himself. Whereto the known principles of the sect of the Stoics do too plainly tend, who give in so vast a catalogue of the diseases and distempers of the mind of man; taking every thing into the account that bath the least of perturbation in it, without excepting so much as mercy itself, or pity towards them that suffer unjustly; and yet seem to subject all things to fate, and natural necessity, whereby all the evils would be rejected upon the Holy God, as the original cause.

 

 Whence, therefore, some that were more sober, have made it their business to vindicate God from so horrid an imputation; and one of much note animadverts upon the mistakes of such as seemed so to charge Him, sharply blaming them for such an intimation.

 

 Some do, with great reverence of the Divine Majesty, confess the rise of all this evil to be from man himself; namely, even that sort of evil which is called by the name of wickedness is said to be from an innate principle, which the arbitiary power of a man's own soul hatches and fosters, and the fault is his who admits it; but God is faultless: That God did place the soul over a terrene body, as a charioteer over a chariot, which it might govern or neglect.

 

 The Platonists seem often to attribute vicious inclination to the soul's being united with the body; (as supposing it to have existed pure and sinless before;) yet even they appear also not to have thought it impossible an human soul should, sometime, have been in an earthly body without sin. For their renowned leader discourses at large of a former iucorrupt state of man in the body, (a golden age as others call it,) and of a defection or apostasy from it; which state, though his Egyptian tradition misinformed him about the continuance of it, he excellently describes, (as also man's declining from it,) telling us, that’ then God familiarly conversed with men, taking care of them as a shepherd of his flock: That He was chiefly intent upon the government of their minds: That (as he afterwards says in another part of that discourse) while the God-like nature continued in sufficient vigor with them, they were obedient to laws, and behaved themselves friendly towards that Divine thing that was akin to them. Then they possessed thoughts that were true, and altogether great; using meekness and prudence in reference to their own conditions, and one another: That they disregarded all things in comparison of virtue: They easily bore a prosperous condition, esteeming all outward things little They were-not intoxicated with sensual delights; but sober and quick-sighted; and all things increased upon them through their mutual love and virtue. But they, growing at length into a too great love of terrene things, and that participation which they had of God decaying, and being variously intermingled with much deadly evil, and a kind of human custom or course of living (as elsewhere he expresses sinful corruption) prevailing among them, and they not able to bear a prosperous condition, came to shame and ruin with it; having lost the loveliest of their most precious things.'

 

 VI. Nor, if we consider, can it be so much as imaginable to us, that the, present state of man - is his primitive state, or that he is now such as he was at first made. For neither is it conceivable the blessed GOD should have made a creature with an aversion -to the only important ends, whereof it is naturally capable; or particularly, that He created man with a disaffection to himself; or, that ever He, at first, designed a being of so high excellency as the spirit of man, to drudge so meanly, and be so basely servile to terrene inclinations; or that, since there are manifestly powers in him of a superior and inferior sort, the meaner should have been, by original institution, framed to command, and the more noble and excellent only to obey; as now every one that observes, may see the common case with man is.

 

 And how far he is swerved from what he was, is easily conjecturable, by comparing him with the measures which show what he should be. For it cannot be conceived for what end laws were ever given him, if, at least, we allow them not the measures of his primitive capacity, or deny him ever to have been in a-possibility to obey. Could they be intended for his government, if conformity to them were against or above his nature Or were they only for his, condemnation Or, for that, if he was never capable of obeying them

 

 How inconsistent were it with the Goodness of the blessed God, that the condemnation of his creatures should be the first design of his giving them laws; and with his Justice, to make his laws the rule of punishment, to whom they could never be the rule of obedience; or with his Wisdom, to frame a system of laws, that should never serve for either purpose, and so be upon the whole useful for nothing! The common reason of mankind teaches us to estimate the wisdom and equity of law-givers, by the suitableness of their constitutions to the genius and temper of the people for whom they are made; and we commonly reckon nothing can more expose government, than the imposing of constitutions, which are never likely to obtain. How much more incongruous must it be esteemed, to enjoin such as never possibly could! Prudent legislators, and studious of the common good, would be shy to impose upon men, under their power, against their genius, and common usages, neither alterable easily, nor to any advantage.

 

 Much more absurd were it, with great solemnity, and weighty sanctions, to enact statutes for brute creatures! And wherein were it more to purpose to prescribe unto men strict rules of piety and virtue, than to beasts or trees, if the former had not been capable of observing them, as the latter were not

 

 We insist not on the written precepts in the sacred volume, (where we have also the history of man's creation and fall,) but let the law be considered which is written in men's hearts; the lex nata (in the Ethnic language) which the eternal Law-giving Mind bath created in our soul; and how evidently doth that law convince, that we neither are nor do what we should! How gross and numerous deformities do we daily behold, by that shattered and broken glass! How many things which we disapprove, or certainly would, if we discussed the matter with ourselves! How frequent buffetings are many, when they reflect, constrained to suffer at their own hands; even wherein (not having another law) they are” only a law to themselves,” (Rom. ii,) and have only their own thoughts, either their excusers or accusers!

 

 And what doth that signify but a lapse, and recess from their original state; the broken imperfect memorials whereof are a standing testimony against their present course; their notions of right and wrong, remonstrating against their vicious inclinations and ways For would they ever reprove themselves for what was not possible to be otherwise Or was man created a mere piece of self-contradiction Or with a nature made up of repugnances, and perpetually at war with itself’ This I should do, but that which is clean contrary I have a mind to;' were these ever like to be impressions, both signed upon him by the same band Nothing is plainer, therefore, than that he is corrupted from his primitive integrity, and become a depraved and degenerate thing.

 

 VII. 2. We go on then, in the next place, to show, that by this degeneracy the temple of the living God, among men, became waste and desolate; uninhabitable, or unfit for his blessed presence; and, thereupon, deserted and forsaken of it. And (because in breaches and disagreements man bath the first hand and part) we shall therefore treat, (1.) Of the unaptness of man, in his state of apostasy, to entertain the Divine presence, or be any longer GOD'S temple. (2.) Of the blessed God’s absenting himself, and estrangement from him hereupon. 

 

 (2.) That the spirit of man, by his having apostatized, became unfit to answer the purposes of a temple, will too plainly appear by considering the nature of that apostasy; which what was it, but a severing himself from GOD, a recess and separation Not in respect of place, (which was impossible,) but the temper of his mind and spirit; not by a local removal, but by unsuitableness and disaffection, departing in heart from the living GOD.

 

 It is true indeed, that, by this his revolt, he became indisposed to all other converse which belonged to him, as a creature intelligent and virtuous, but chiefly to divine; the blessed GOD being the chief term of this defection and revolt. For man, by his original rectitude, was principally determined towards GOD; and, by the same due bent and frame of spirit by which he stood rightly postured towards him, he was in a right disposition to every thing besides, wherewith he had any concern; adhering to him

 

wisdom, righteousness, sincerity, goodness, purity. Here nothing would please but utmost dissimilitude, and to be as unlike GOD as he could devise. But in those things that were within the enclosure, and appropriate most peculiarly to the Godhead; to be the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega;” the only one on whom all must depend, and to whom all must be subject and obey: These sacred regalia,, the highest rights and flowers of the eternal crown, these are thought fine things, and beheld with a libidinous devouring eye, caught at by a profane sacrilegious hand. Nothing would satisfy but to be GOD-like, in this most disallowed and impossible sense.

 

 Man, when he had reduced himself to the lowest pitch of vileness, misery, and penury, now will be self-sufficient; and when he is become the most abject slave to ignominious lusts and passions, now he will be supreme; that is, having made himself viler than the meanest creature, and worse than nothing, he will be a GOD, even his own, a God to himself; having severed and cut himself off from GOD, he will supply the room; and live only within himself, be to himself what Gull was, and should ever be. He now moves wholly in his own sphere, disjoined from that of the whole world, and is his own centre. All he does is from himself, and for himself. Thus is the true image of God torn down from his own temple, and that alienated, and become the temple of a false God, dedicated to that abominable idol, Self.

 

 VIII. [2] Whence it comes to pass, that man is most disaffected to GOD, and full of enmity. So Scripture testifies concerning the” carnal mind.” (Rom. viii. 8.) And whom before it had represented (Chap. 2:) full of all malignity, it afterwards speaks of as directing it (most horrid to think) against this blessed object” haters of GOD, despiteful.” Nor is any thing more natural; for, in part, the contrariety of their nature to his, more immediately begets this enmity, which always rises out of dissimilitude, and partly it is fomented and increased to a great degree by a secret consciousness of that dissimilitude; and the misgivings of their own guilty fears thereupon. Which must tell them, whensoever they have so much communication with themselves, that they are unlike, and cannot but be unpleasing to him; and this infers some kind of dread; whence (as has been commonly observed) the passage is short and easy to hatred. And though the more positive workings of this enmity do not (perhaps with the most) so ordinarily discover themselves; and they do not see or suspect that they hate-him, while they are not urged to self reflection and when they are, hardly admit a conviction that they do: Yet the matter carries its own evidence with it, and would soon be put beyond a question, if men were willing' to understand the truth of their own case.

 

 For whence else do they slowly entertain the knowledge of GOD, when the whole earth is full of his glory When so manifest prints and footsteps of his wisdom, power, and goodness, offer themselves to view, in every creature Whence can it be, but that” they like not to retain him in their knowledge” (Rom. 1:) And that their very hearts say to him,” Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways” (Job 21:) Why is so bright a light not observed, but that it shines amidst a malignant darkness, that resisting, comprehends it not Why are the thoughts of GOD so unpleasant to men, and unfrequent, that when one would suppose no, thought should be so obvious, none so welcome; yet it' is become the character of an unrenewed man, to” forget GOD,” (Psalm ix,) or” not to have him in all his thoughts” (Psalm 10:) Why do men decline his acquaintance live voluntary strangers to him all their days and as” without him in the world” (Eph. 2:) Why are' men so averse to trust him, and turn to him, even upon so mighty assurances What makes them shy to take his word, but rather count him a liar, though they know it inconsistent with his nature, and can form no notion of GOD, without including this conception therein,” that he cannot lie;” when as yet they can ordinarily trust one another, though there be so much colour to say,” All men are liars” Why do they resist his authority, against which they cannot dispute and disobey his commands, unto which they cannot devise to frame an exception What, but the spirit of enmity, can make them regret so easy a yoke, reject so light a burden, shun and fly off from so peaceful and pleasant paths; yea, and take ways that so manifestly” take hold of hell, and lead down to the chambers of death;” rather choosing to perish, than obey

 

 Is not this the very height of enmity What further proof would we seek of a disaffected and implacable heart Yet to all this we may cast in that fearful addition, their saying in their heart,” No GOD.” (Psalm xiv,) As if they had said,’ O that there were none!' This is enmity, not only to the highest pitch of wickedness, to wish their common Parent extinct, the Author of their being; but even unto madness itself. For in the forgetful heat bf this transport, it is not thought on that they wish the most absolute impossibility; and that, if it were possible, they wish, with His, the extinction of their own, and of all being; and that the sense of their hearts, put into words, would amount to no less than a direful and most horrid execration and curse upon GOD, and the whole creation of GOD at once! As if by the blasphemy of their poisonous breath, they would wither all nature, blast the whole universe, and make it fade, languish, and drop into nothing.

 

 This is to set their mouth against heaven, and earth, themselves, and all things at once; as if they thought their feeble breath should over-power the omnipotent word, shake and shiver the adamantine pillars of heaven and earth, and the Almighty fiat be defeated by their Nay; striking at the root of all! So fitly is it said,” The fool bath in his heart muttered” thus. Nor are there few such fools, but this is plainly given us as the common character of apostate man, the whole revolted race; of whom it is said, in very general terms,” They are all gone back, there is none that does good:' This is their sense, one and all, that is, comparatively, and the true state of the case being laid before them, it is more their temper and sense to say,” No GOD,” than to repent and turn to Him. What mad enmity is this! nor can we devise into what else to resolve it.

 

 This enmity indeed more plainly shows itself, where the Divine glory (especially that of his grace, and good-willtowards men, a thing not less evident, than strange) more brightly shines; yet there are so manifest appearances of it every where, and he has so little left himself without witness unto any; that the universal strangeness of men towards him, apparently owes itself more to enmity than ignorance; and even where there is much darkness, there is more ill-will. For their ignorance, by which they are alienated from” the life of GOD,” is called” blindness of heart;” (Eph. 4: 18;) that is, voluntary, affected blindness. It can be imputed to nothing else, that they who have GOD so near to every one of them,” who live, and move, and have their being in him,” do not yet seek after him, and labor to feel and find him out; that is, that they can miss of God so nigh at hand, when they have even palpable demonstrations of his nearness, and kind propensions towards them. Now this being the case, whatever this degenerate, vile creature might serve for else, he was plainly most unfit for the use of a temple; or to be the dwelling-place of

 

GOD.

 

 (2.) Nor can it now be a wonder, that the Divine presence should be hereupon withdrawn, that the blessed GOD absents himself, and is become. a stranger to this his once beloved mansion. We shall here take notice how apparent it is, [l..] First, That he has done so. [2.] Secondly, That he was most highly justifiable herein.

 

 (1.) And First, that lie bath withdrawn himself, and left this his temple desolate, we have many sad and plain proofs before us. The stately ruins are visible to our eye, that bear in their front, (yet extant,) this doleful inscription; Here God once dwelt. Enough appears of the admirable structure and frame of the soul of man, to show the Divine presence did sometime reside in it; more than enough of vicious deformity, to proclaim he is now retired and gone. The lamps are extinct, the altar -overturned., the light and love are now vanished, which did the one shine with so heavenly brightness, the other burn with so pious fervor. The golden candlestick is displaced, and thrown away as an useless thing, to make room for the throne of the Prince of darkness. The sacred incense, which sent rolling up in clouds its rich perfumes, is exchanged for a poisonous hellish vapor; and here is, instead of a sweet savor, a stench. The comely order of this house is turned all into confusion. The beauties of holiness, into noisome impurities. The house of prayer to a den of thieves, and that of the worst and most horrid kind; for every lust is a thief, and every theft sacrilege: Continual rapine, and robbery is committed upon holy things. The noble powers which are designed and dedicated to Divine contemplation and delight, are alienated to the service of the most despicable idols, and employed unto vilest intuitions and embraces; to behold and admire lying vanities, to indulge and cherish lust and wickedness.

 

 What have not the enemies done wickedly in the sanctuary! How have they broken down the carved work thereof, and that too with axes and hammers; the noise hereof was not to be heard in building

 

Look upon the fragments of that curious sculpture, which once adorned the palace of that great King, the reliques of common notions, the lively prints of some underfaced truth, the fair ideas of things, the yet legible precepts that relate to practice. Behold with what accuracy the broken pieces show those to have been engraven by the finger of GOD, and how they now lie torn and scattered, one in this dark corner, another in that, buried in heaps of dirt and rubbish. There is not now a system, an entire table of coherent truths to be found, or a frame of holiness, but some shivered parcels.

 

 And if any, with great toil or labor, apply themselves to draw out here one piece, and there another, and set them together, they serve rather to show how exquisite the Divine workmanship was in the original composition, than for present use, to the excellent purposes, for which the whole was first designed.

 

 Some pieces agree and own one another; but how soon, are our inquiries non-plused, and superseded! How many attempts have been made, since the fearful fall and ruin of this fabric, to compose again the truths of so many my several kinds into their distinct orders, and make up frames of science, or useful knowledge! and after so many ages, nothing is finished in any one kind. Sometimes truths are misplaced, and what belongs to one kind, is transferred to another, where it will not fitly match; sometimes falsehood inserted, which shatters or disturbs the whole frame. And what is, with much fruitless pains, done by one hand, is dashed to pieces by another; and it is the work of a following age to sweep away the fine-,spun cobwebs of a. former. -And those truths which are of greatest use, though not most out of sight, are least regarded; their tendency and design are over-looked, or they are loosened and torn off, that, they cannot be wrought in, so as to take hold of the. soul; but hover as faint and ineffectual notions, that signify nothing. Its very fundamental powers are shaken and disjointed, and their order towards one another confounded, and broken.

 

 So that what is judged considerable, is not considered; what is recommended as eligible and lovely, is not loved and chosen. Yea the truth, which is after godliness, is not so much disbelieved, as hated, held in unrighteousness; and shines as too feeble a light, in that malignant darkness which comprehends it not.

 

 You come, amidst all this confusion, as into the ruined palace of some great Prince, in which you see: here the fragments of a noble pillar, there the shattered pieces of some curious imagery; and all lying neglected and useless amongst heaps of dirt. He that invites you to take a view of the soul of man, gives you but such another prospect, and doth but say to you, BEHOLD THE DESOLATION, all things rude and waste.

 

 So that should there be any pretence to the Divine presence, it might be said,’ If GOD be here, why is it thus' The faded glory, the darkness, the disorder, the impurity, the decayed state in all respects of this temple, too plainly show that the great Inhabitant is gone.

 

 IX. [2.] And what was so manifest a sign of GOD'S absence, was also -a most righteous cause; for who have committed these great wastes, and made this temple uninhabitable, but men themselves And what could be more injurious to the -holy God, than to invade, and profane his temple Or for what could we suppose him to show more jealousy and concern Whoever were a God, one would expect he should plead for himself, when men have cast down his altar.

 

 No words can express the greatness of the indignity! For do but take the following state of the case thus: Man was his own creature, raised out of nothing, by his mighty and most arbitrary hand; it was in his power, and choice whether ever he should have any being, any, or none, another, or this of so noble an order and kind.

 

 The designation was most apt, of so excellent a creature to this office and use, to be immediately sacred to himself, and his own converse. His temple and habitation, the mansion and residence of his presence, and indwelling glory! There was nothing whereto he was herein designed, whereof his nature was not capable. His soul was, after the required manner, receptive of a Deity; its powers were competent to their appointed work and employment; it could entertain God by knowledge, and contemplation of his glorious excellences, by reverence and love, by adoration and praise.

 

 This was the highest kind of dignity, whereto created nature could be raised, the most honorable state. How high and quick an advance! This moment, nothing; the nest, a being capable, and full of GOD! It was a most delectable and pleasant state, to be separated to the entertainment of the Divine presence; that as soon as matt could first open his eyes, and behold the light and glory of this new made world, the great LORD and Author of it should present himself, and say,’ Thou shalt be mine.'

 

 How grateful a welcome into being! Thee, above all my works, which thou beholdest, I, choose out for myself. Thine employment shall be no laborious, painful drudgery; unless it can be painful to receive the large communications of immense goodness, light, life and love, that shall of their own accord be perpetually flowing in upon thee! Whatsoever thou espiest besides, that is even most excellent and pleasant to thy sense, is yet inferior to thee, and insufficient for thy satisfaction and highest delight; and but -the faint shadow of that substantial fullness,' which I myself will be Unto thee.

 

 There was, in all this, the freest and most condescending vouchsafement; no necessity could urge the self-sufficient Good to affect union and familiarity with its own creature. Man's alienation of himself from GOD, was as entirely voluntary, nothing could force him to it; he could have no inducement, which it was not easy to resist; heaven and earth could not, afford the matter of a regardable temptation, to withdraw him from what did so infinitely' excel.

 

 But how mean things have become the tempting; and prevailing objects, the momentary relishes of a merely sensual delight, that might have been had innocent and pure, without breaking the inclosure Ravenous appetite, lust after forbidden pleasure, is impatient of restraint; reason, that should have restrained it, resigns its office, falls into a treacherous combination with usurping sense, chooses rather to obey than rule, to rebel than obey; for not to rule, being thereto enjoined by the supreme Ruler, was to rebel. The empire of rebellious appetite was reckoned more tolerable, than God’s; thus are his authority affronted, and his goodness despised, both at once. He is rejected both as Ruler and Benefactor, with equal disrespect to his majesty and grace, to his governing, and his heart-delighting presence.

 

 And how ignominious, hereupon, is the rejection! When so vile things are chosen and preferred! The tyranny of lust, before his holy, reasonable, orderly government; the pleasures of sin, rather than those of the Divine presence; this being the practical decisive judgment, given in the ease, that these are better.

 

 It is better to be the meanest drudge and slave, than his servant; to feed upon husks or ashes, than his (pure, and most satisfying) communications. And what he chose to be, he is; that is, with the indignity done to don, he hath joined the vilest debasement of himself.

 

 For, hence also, how loathsome a creature is he now become! How perverted in all his powers! How full of darkness, confusion, impurity, malignity, and venom! How universally, and horridly deformed!

 

 And hereof an estimate may be made, from his unaptness to self-reflection; which how notorious is it! What doth he not rather choose to do with his thoughts, than turn them inward And how unfit is he for Divine converse, that cannot endure his own; or to associate with GOD; that is become too foul a creature to have any satisfying converse with himself! Now what could be expected to ensue upon all this, but that he should be forsaken of GOD That the blessed presence be withdrawn, that had been so despitefully slighted, to return no more.

 

 No more, till at least a recompense should be made him for the wrong done, and a capacity be recovered for his future converse; namely, till both his honor should be repaired, and his temple; till he might again honorably return, and be fitly received,

 

But who could have thought in what way these things should ever be brought to pass That is, neither could his departure but be expected, nor his return but be above all expectation.

 

 To depart was what became him; a thing, as the case was, most worthy of GOD; it was meet so “great a Majesty,” having been so condescendingly gracious, should not be also cheap; to appear unapprehensive of being neglected, and set at nought.

 

It became him, as the self-sufficient Being, to let it be seen he designed not man his temple, for want of an house. That having of old inhabited his own eternity, and having now the heavens for his throne, the earth his footstool; he could dwell alone, or where he pleased else, in all his great creation; and did not need, where he was not desired.

 

 That of the Cynic was thought a brave saying, when his mal-contented servant turned fugitive, and left him’ It were an unworthy thing MANES should think he can live without DIOGENEs, and that DIOGENES cannot without MANES.' How much better would it suit with the real selffullness of a Deity, where nothing of this kind can look like an empty boast!

 

 It was becoming his pure and glorious holiness, not to dwell amidst impurities, or let it be thought He was a GOD that took pleasure in wickedness; and most suitable to his equal justice, to let them who said to him,” Depart from us,” feel they spake that word against their own life and soul; and that 'what was their rash and willful choice, is their heaviest doom and punishment.

 

 It was only strange, that when he left his temple, he did not consume it; and that not leaving it, without being basely expulsed, he bath thought of returning, without being invited back again.

 

 Yea, and that whatsoever was necessary thereto, is designed by his own strange contrivance, and done at his own so dear expence; his only begotten SON most freely consenting with him, and in sundry capacities sustaining the weight and burden of this great undertaking.

 

 AND indeed, what was to be designed and done, did every way call for so great an Undertaker. The indignity offered to the majesty of the Most High GOD, in his ignominious expulsion from his own temple, was to be recompensed. And the ruin must be repaired, which had befallen his temple itself.

 

 I. In reference to both these performances, it was determined, IMMANUEL, that is, his own Sow, his substantial image, the brightness of his glory, the eternal Word should become incarnate; and being so, should undertake several parts, and in distinct capacities, and be at once a single temple himself, and that this temple should be also a sacrifice; and thereby give rise to a manifold temple, conformed to that original one; of each whereof, in the virtue of that sacrifice, he was himself to be the glorious pattern, the firm foundation, the magnificent i under, and the most curious architect and former, by his own various and most peculiar influence. 

 

 This has been the result of the divine counsel, and the LORD'S own doing, most justly marvellous in our eyes, namely, (which we are next to consider,)

 

 II. That the blessed GOD has laid the platform, and the foundations of his temple, as it was to be restored, and set up again among men; in and by that great IMMANUEL, his own SON made flesh.

 

 It is to be considered that the world had a long time lain deluged with wickedness, sunk in sensuality, and a deep oblivion of GOD; his memorial was even lost among men, and nothing less thought of than a temple, in the true meaning of it; the notices of GOD, and.-any inclination to religion that remained (too deeply fixed into the mind of men, to be quite extinct) were yet so faint and weak, carnal terrene propensions so strong, that the vital religion, which was the proper business of a living temple, could have no place. It was not only thus in the Pagan world, from which GOD had further withdrawn himself; but even with that select people, to whom he vouchsafed more _peculiar manifestations of his mind and presence. They had a figurative temple by his own' appointment, erected in much glory among them, that might have instructed them, and by degrees the rest of the world, (if they would have understood its true meaning,) that God was yet willing to dwell with men ’on earth, and that it should be a house of prayer for all nations; who ought upon those glorious appearances of God among that people, to have gradually proselyted themselves unto them.

 

 It prefigured what he intended, namely, in his appointed season, by his own SON to descend and inhabit, make and constitute him a much more glorious temple, than could be built of wood or stone, or by the hands of men. That in after-time SHILOH would come, unto whom the gathering of the people should be; and by whom he would reconcile, and re-collect the apostate world to himself.

 

 But all this was unintelligible mystery, on all hands it entered not into the minds of men of either sort, but much less into ’their hearts; and the Jews did much more affect to Paganize, and go further off from God, than the Pagans (which in this they ought) to Judaize, and draw nearer to him.

 

 The natural sentiments of religion, which were common to all men, did run out only into mere external observances, and empty formalities, that might well enough agree with a sensual life, transacted in habitual estrangement from GOD, and as without him in the world; so as not only not to answer the true intent and use of a temple, but to frustrate and elude it.

 

 III'. When this was the state of things with this world, and the fullness of time was now come, wherein GOD intended, with more vigour and efficacy, to renew and reinforce his mighty and merciful work of setting up his temple, and to make it rise in splendor and glory in the world;, he at length sends down his SON; he puts on man, becomes IMMANUEL, and incarnate GOD among men, and a man inhabited by all the fullness of GOD. This man was therefore a most perfect temple, the original one; that is, not only a single one himself, but an exemplary temple, to which all other were to be conformed; the advantage whereof, to the forming of more, we shall see hereafter; whereby he was also a virtual one, from. which life and influence was to be transfused, to raise and form all others.

 

 But in order to its being so, this very temple must become a sacrifice, and by dying, multiply. A seminal temple, as we shall hereafter show, and as he himself represents the matter. (John 12: 24.) And which is in the full sense of it said, 1 Pet. ii; where, when we were first told,” We must come to him as unto a living stone,” and -as lively stones be built up a spiritual house;” (Verse 4, 5;) we are further told,” That he himself bare our sins, in his own body, on the tree, [where he was offered as a sacrifice,] that we might die to sin, and live to righteousness.” (Verse 24.)

 

 For now a temple being, in its proper use and design, intended for divine honor, could not have its foundation in the ruin thereof, or be built upon his tinremedied dishonor; the SON of GOD, by tendering himself for a valuable recompence, must be the Corner-Stone of this new building.

 

 The wrong that man has done to, the Divine Majesty, should be expiated by none but man; and could be by - none but God. Behold then, the wonderful conjunction of both in the one IMMANUEL! Who was, by his very constitution, an actual temple, GOD with us; the habitation of the Deity returned, and resettling itself with men; and fitted to be (what it must be also) a most acceptable sacrifice. For here was met together man that could die, and GOD that could overcome death; man that might suffer, and GOD that could give sufficient value to those sufferings; sufficient to atone the offended majesty, and procure that life. might be diffused, and spread itself to all that should unite with him; whereby they might become living stones, joined to that living Corner-Stone, a spiritual temple, again capable of that Divine presence which they had forfeited, and whereof they were forsaken.

 

That all this may be the better understood, we shall endeavor to show more distinctly,

 

 1. The sufficiency and, aptness of the constitution and appointment of IMMANUEL, (considering what he was, and what was undertaken to be suffered, and performed by him,) as the most proper and adequate means for the restoring of GOD's temple with men.

 

 2. The necessity of. this course, for this end.

 

 1. And for the former, the aptness and sufficiency of this course, or what the setting up of IMMANUEL might do for this purpose, may be seen in the suitableness hereof to the foregoing state of the case; and by comparing therewith what he is, and has done, and suffered in order hereto.

 

 We haves seen that the former desolate state of this temple was occasioned, and inferred by man's apostasy; whereby lie became incapable of serving, any longer, the purposes of a temple; and GOD's, departure thereupon. There was therefore the concurrence of somewhat on man's part, and somewhat on Gore's, unto this desolation; on man's, what was unjust, leading, and causal; on Gore's, what was most just, consequent, and caused thereby. Man's unrighteous, and ill-deserving aversion from GOD; and GOD's most righteous and deserving aversion hereupon from him. The one caused by the other, but both causing in different kinds the vacancy, and deserted state of this temple which ensued; the former as a sinning cause; the latter as a punishing.

 

Now what we have considerable in the IMMANUEL, to-wards the restoration of this temple, and that it might become again habitable, and replenished by the. Divine presence, as before, is answerable to this state of the case; and directly tending to compose things between the distanced parties, both on the one part and the other.

 

 And (because God was to have the first and leading part in reconciliations, as man bath in disagreements) we have enough in him, whereupon God might express himself willing to rebuild and return to his former dwelling; and. man be willing to render it back to him, and admit the operation of the fashioning hand, whereby it is to be prepared and refitted for its proper use. 

 

 IV. (1.) The former is effected, and a foundation' is laid for the effecting of the other too, in his becoming a sacrifice to justice; a sacrifice so rich and fragrant, so full of value and grateful savor, as that abundant' recompense is made by it, for the wrong man had done the Majesty of. heaven, by profaning and polluting this temple, and exelling so contumeliously its great Inhabitant. An injury, to which the creation, consuming in an universal flame, had been an unproportionable sacrifice; but the sacrifice of himself, the IMMANUEL, God-Man, could be defective in nothing; was both suitable and equal to the exigency of the case. For the sacrifice of Him, who was man, was' suitable to the offence of man; and of Him, who was Goo, was equal to the wrong done to GOD.

 

 Long before this sacrifice was offered, the expectation of it, and since the remembrance have been precious. It was of sufficient virtue to work and diffuse its influence at the greatest distance; and not of time only, but of place too, to perfume the world, and scatter blessings through all the parts and nations of it, as well as through all the ages. When no other sacrifice or offerings could avail any thing, (Psalm xl; Heb. x,)” Lo! He comes into a body prepared” on purpose; which, though it was not formed and assumed till” the fullness of time,'' (Gal. 4: 4,) was yet reckoned as slain from the beginning of it.” (Rev. 13: 8.)

 

 This was the seed in which, though it sprung up only in Judea, yet” all the nations of the earth were to be blessed.” (Gen. 22: 18.) Long was this body in preparing, and the seed transmitted through many generations, whence it was at length to arise; into which, as its last preparation, the Deity descended; and that it might be a sufficiently costly sacrifice, filled with the Divine fullness;” for in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col. 2: 9.) When we read “ABEL'S sacrifice to'have been more excellent than CAIN'S,” (Heb..xi. 4,) the Greek word is, it was fuller; how full an one was this! That was filled by faith, with a derivative fullness; this immediately by God himself, with his own self-fullness, which” fills all in all,” and whence all must receive.

 

 Being so filled, it was a temple, and must now further be a sacrifice; both are signified in that one short passage, which Himself let fall,” Destroy this temple;” (John 2: 19;) that is, that He was a temple, and was to be destroyed, which is carried in the notion of a sacrifice.”This He said of his body.” (Verse p21.) Strange mystery! The very temple itself a consuming oblation! Self-devoted even to destruction, and outt of that again self-raised. The Divine Justice could not hereby but be well satisfied,’and say, It- was enough, when the whole temple became propitiatory; and the profanation of the former temple was expiated, by the immolation of the new: So that, in point of honor and justice, no exception could now lie against the return of the Divine presence to its wasted and forsaken temple.

 

 V. Only his return could not as yet be, presently to dwell there, (for it was most unfit,) but to refit, and prepare it for his future dwelling. It had been long desolate, and hereby' was become decayed and ruinous, full of noisome impurities; yea, the habitation of dragons and devils. Many an abominable idol was set up here, that filled up the room of the one GOD. It was wholly in the possession of. false Gods,, for whose use it was the more fit, by how much it was the less fit for His; for amidst darkness, confusion, and filthiness, was the chosen seat of the principalities and powers, that now did dwell, and, rule here. Here was the throne of the Prince of darkness, the resort of his associates, the altars of as many lusts as the heart of man, now wholly given up to all manner of wickedness, could multiply to itself; by whose consent and choice, this horrid alienation had been made, and continued: Upon such terms,” the strong man armed kept the house.”

 

The blessed GOD might now return, but He must build before He dwell, and conquer ere He build.

 

 He might return,, but not upon other terms than the expiatory value, and actual. oblation of that above-mentioned sacrifice; for when He forsook this his temple, He left it with just resentment, and his most righteous curse upon it: A curse that was of that import, ’Never any thing holy. and pure any more come here, or any thing good and pleasant; the light of the sun never shine any more at all on thee; the voice of joy and gladness never be Beard any more at all in thee.'

 

 The powerful horror of this curse, held it doomed to all the desolation and misery that was upon it, confirmed it in the power of him that ruled here at his will. Hence had the magic and charms of the evil one rendered it an enchanted place, adjoined it to the nether world, the infernal region, made it the next neighborhood, even of the very suburbs of hell, barred out all Divine light and grace, all heavenly beams and influences from it: So that, had it not been for this sacrifice, this temple had been and remained an accursed place, as hell itself; the SPIRIT of GOD should have had no more to do here, than there; for so the sentence and curse of his violated law had determined,” Thou shalt die the death,” did say no less.

 

 VI. But now” Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree; that the blessing of ABRAHAM might come on the Gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the SPIRIT, through faith.”

 

 He was made a curse for us; not the same in kind which we had incurred; (which it were horrid to think 4 but such as his state could admit, and ours could require. For that a person, so immutably pure and holy, should become an impure thing, was what his state could not admit; and that one of so high dignity, should willingly suffer to that degree which ’He did for us, was a thing of so, great merit, as to answer the uttermost of our ill-deservings; than which the exigency of our case could not, in that respect, call for more.

 

 And the end of his becoming to that degree a” curse for us,” being expressly said to be this,” that we might receive the promise'of the SPIRIT,” (or the promised SPIRIT,) implies, that the curse upon us had intercepted and cut off from us all influences of that Holy Blessed SPIRIT; for the fresh emission whereof, in God’s own stated method, He bad now again opened the way.

 

 That this blessing is hereby said to become the portion of the Gentiles, was enough to the Apostle's present purpose, writing to the Galatians; the Jews having upon the same terms had the same privilege formerly from age to age:” Thou gayest thy good SPIRIT to instruct them;” (Neh. 9: 20;) which also is implied in their being charged with vexingtand rejecting this blessed SPIRIT, one, generation after another. (Isaiah lxiii. 10; Acts 7: 51.) And they had now the same Gospel, and are here also included, in that it is said to be” the blessing of ABRAHAM;” into the communion whereof, the Gentiles are now declared to have been admitted, about which so great doubt bad been in those days. That therefore the SPIRIT might be given for the mentioned purpose, on the account i f the SON of God’s oblation of Himself, is out of question; the necessity that He should be only given on these terms, will be seen hereafter.

 

 By this great sacrifice, the Divine justice is so well satisfied, and his majesty and honor so fully asserted and, vindicated, that He now may, without wrong to himself, his justice. and the dignity of his government,' cast a compassionate eye upon the desolations of his temple; take up kind thoughts towards it; send forth his mightier. SPIRIT to dispossess “the strong man armed,” to vanquish the combined enemy-powers, to build, and cleanse, and beautify the habitation of his holiness, and then inhabit and dwell in it: Upon which account it is now called” the temple of the HOLY GHOST;” the SPIRIT which the FATHER sends in the name of the SON, upon this errand; He having obtained that it should be sent.

 

 By Which SPIRIT also the IMMANUEL was sufficiently enabled to gain our consent unto all' this; for his dying on the cross was not that he might have the SPIRIT in himself, but that He might have the power of communicating it; and so might the foundation be laid for what is to be done on our part, by the offering of this sacrifice; of which we are next further to treat.

 

 VII. ’Wherefore, (fi.) That which was to be done on our part, in order to the restoring of GOD's temple in us, was, that we be made willing of his return, and that there be wrought in us whatsoever might tend to make us fitly capable of so great a presence.

 

 More needs not be said to show that we were most unwilling. And that our becoming willing was requisite, is sufficiently evident; for what sort of temple are we to be Not of wood and stone, but as our worship must be all a reasonable service, of the same constitution must the temple be, whence it is to proceed. We are to be temples, by self-dedication, separating ourselves to that purpose; and are to be the voluntary under-laborers, in the work that is to be done, for the preparing of this temple for its proper use. And the use which is to be made of it, that there the blessed GOD, and we might amicably, and with delight converse together, supposes our continual willingness; which therefore must be once obtained.

 

 Now unto this purpose also, the constitution of IMMANUEL was most suitable; or the setting up of this one eminent temple first, GOD in CHRIST. This was a leading case, and had a further design; it was never meant that the Divine, presence should be confined to that one single person, or only that God should have a temple on earth, as long as the man CHRIST should reside there; but he was to be the primary original temple; and his being so, contributed to the making us willing to become his temples also.

 

 1. As here was the fullness of that SPIRIT, by whose power and influence that, and all subsequent work, was to be wrought in us: Which fullness is, by that blessed name IMMANUEL, signified to be in him, on purpose to be communicated, or as what must be some way common unto GOD with us. Our aversion was not easily vincible, the people it was said (speaking of the reign of IMMANUEL) should be: willing in the day of his power,” (Psalm cx. 3,) and (as it follows)” in the beauties of holiness.” (1 Chron.. 16: 29.) This was a known name of God’s temple, for the building whereof DAVID was now preparing, and whereto the passages agree. (Psalm 27: 4; Psalm xcvi. 8, 9.)

 

 And that spiritual one whereof we speak, must be here chiefly meant, whereof the Christian world, in its exterior frame, is. but the outer court: or is subordinate to the interior frame, and to the work thereof, but as scaffolds to the building which they inclose.

 

 The people shall be willing, but not otherwise, than being made so” by his power;” and that not always. put forth, but” in the day of his power.” On a noted memorable day, a day intended for the demonstration, and magnifying of his power; that is, the season when IMMANUEL (the Loan to whom the speech is' addressed) would apply himself, with his might, to the great work of restoring and raising up the temple' of GOD. A work not to be done by might and power, (according to the common vulgar notion thereof, by which nothing is reckoned might and power but a visible arm of flesh, hosts and armies, horses and chariots,) “but by my SPIRIT,'says the LORD of hosts.” (Zech. 4:)

 

 Then though the spirits of men swell as mountains, in proud enmity and opposition, (which must be leveled where this building is designed,) those mountains shall appear bubbles; What are they before this great Undertaker They shall become” a plain,” when “the head-stone is brought forth with shoutings,” unto which the cry shall be, Grace, grace: This is the stone laid in Sion for a foundation, sure and tried, elect and precious, disallowed by men, but chosen of God, the chief Stone of the corner.”

 

 A living stone, from, which is a mighty effluence of life and spirit, and all to attract and animate, other stones, and raw them into union with itself; so as to compact and raise up this admirable fabric, a spiritual house for spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to GOD, by JESUS CHRIST. A Stone that shall spread life through the whole frame, called therefore a Branch, as well as a Stone; whereto is attributed the work and the glory of building God’s temple” Behold the man. whose name is the Branch, and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Loan, even He shall build the temple of tale LORD, and he shall bear the glory,” &c. (Zech. 6:) A plain indication, that the prophecies of that book did not ultimately terminate in the restoration of the temple of Jerusalem; but more mystically intended the great comprehensive temple of the living God, which the MESSIAH should extend by a mighty communication of his SPIRIT, through the world. When (as is afterwards said)” They that are afar off shall come and build in the temple of the Lobo;” (tcrse 15;) and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,”Let us go speedily to pray before the Loan, and to seek the Loan of Hosts; I will go also. Many people and strong nations.” (Chap. viii. 20, l1, 22.)” Ten men out of all languages to one Jew, that shall, say, We will go with you, for we have heard that GOD is with you.” (Mic. 4: 2.)

 

 This, it is said, shall be at Jerusalem; but it must be principally meant of the” New Jesusalem, that cometh down from heaven,” that is from above, that is free with her children, and is the mother of us all.

 

 And how plentiful an effusion of the SPIRIT, how mighty and general an attraction, by it, is signified in all this! By which so deeply rooted an aversion to GOD, and serious living religion, as is known to be common to men, is overcome, and turned into willingness and inclination towards Him! And whereby that great primary temple, CHRIST, replenished with the Divine fullness, multiplies itself into so many, or enlarges itself into that one, his Church; called also his body, (as both his very body, and that church are called his temple,)” the fullness of Him that fills all in all.” Nor needs it give any trouble, that we find this name of a temple placed upon a good man singly and alone, sometinies upon the whole community of such together. Each bears a double. habitude, direct towards God, by which he is capable of being his private mansion; collateral towards our fellow-Christians,; whereby he is a part of his more enlarged dwelling. Whensoever then any accession is made to this spiritual temple, begun in CHRIST himself, it is done by a farther diffusion of that SPIRIT, whereof that original temple is the first receptacle.

 

 VIII. But moreover, because it was a rational subject that was to be wrought upon; it is also to be expected-that the work itself be done in a rational way. These that must be made living, and that were before intelligent stones, were not to be hewed, squared, polished, and moved to and fro by a violent band; but being to be rendered willing,, must be dealt with in a way suitable to the effect to be wrought. They are themselves to come as lively stones, to the living Corner-stone, by a vital act of their own will; which we know is not to be moved by force, but rational allurement.

 

 Wherefore this being the thing to be brought about, it is not enough to inquire by what power, but one would also covet to know by what motive or inducement is this willingness and vital co-operation brought to pass; and we shall find this 'original temple, IMMANUEL, had not only in it a spring of sufficient power, but also,

 

2. Carried with it enough of argument and rational inducement, whereby to persuade and overcome our wills into a cheerful compliance and consent. And that,

 

 IX. 1. As it was itself the most significant demonstration of Divine love, than which nothing is more apt to move and work upon the spirit of man.” The bonds of love are the cords of a; man;” (Hos. 11: 4;) of an attractive power, most peculiarly suitable to human nature:” We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:)

 

 This is rational magnetism. When in the whole sphere of beings we have so numerous instances of things that propagate themselves,, and beget their like; can we suppose the Divine love to be only barren, and destitute of this power And we find, among those that are born of GOD, there is nothing more eminently conspicuous, in this production, than love. This new creature were otherwise a dead creature; this is its very heart, life, and soul, that which acts and moves it towards GOD, and is the spring of all holy operations. -Since then love is found in it, and is so eminent a part of its composition; what should be the parent of this love, but love

 

 Nor is this a blind or unintelligent production, in respect of the manner of it, either on the part of that which begets, or of that which is begotten; not only He who is propagating his own love, designs it, and knows what he is about; but he that is hereby made to love, knows whereto he is to be formed, and receives, through an enlightened mind, the very principle, power, and spirit of love.

 

 Is his love the cause of ours Or, do” we love Him because He first loved us” And what sort of cause is it Or how doth it work its effect, otherwise than as his love, expressing itself, lets us see how reasonable it is, that we should love again As is more than intimated by the same sacred Writer, in that Epistle: Hereby perceive we the love of GOD.” (Chap. 3: 16.) Somewhat or other must first-render his love perceivable to us, that thereby we may be induced to love Him for his own, and our brother for his sake. And again,” We have known and believed the love that, God has to us: GOD is love.” After which it shortly follows:” We love Him because He first loved us;” as if he had said, The way of God’s bringing us to that love-union with Himself, that we” by love dwell' in Him, and He in us,” is by His representing Himself a being of love: Till he beget in Las that apprehension of Himself, and we be brought to know and believe the love that He has towards us; this is not done.

 

 But where have we that representation of GOD's love towards us, save in IMMANUFL This is the sum of the ministry of reconciliation, or (which is all one) of making men love GOD, to wit,” that GOD was in CHRIST reconciling the world to Himself,” &c. (2 Cor. Y. 18, 19.)

 

 This was the very make and frame; the constitution and, design of the original temple, to be the tabernacle of witness, a visible testimony of the love of God, and of his kind and racious propensions towards the race of men, However they-were -become an apostate race; to let them see how inclined and willing He was to become acquainted again with them, and that the old intimacy, long since out-worn, might be renewed.

 

 And this gracious inclination was testified, partly by CHRIST'S taking up his abode. on earth, or by the erecting -of this original temple, by” the Word's being made flesh,”. (John iv,) wherein (as the Greek expresses it) He did “tabernacle” among us. That whereas we did dwell here in earthly tabernacles, (only now destitute of the Divine presence,) He most kindly comes and pitches his tent amongst our tents, sets up his tabernacle by ours, replenished and full of GOD; so that here the Divine glory was familiarly visible, the’' Glory of the only-begotten Son of the FATHER,” shining with mild and gentle rays, such as should allure, not affright us, nor their terror make us afraid: ’A veil is most condescendingly put on, lest majesty should too potently strike disaccustomed and misgiving minds; and what is more terrible of this glory is allayed, by being interwoven with grace and truth.

 

 Upon this account might it now truly be proclaimed,” Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men!”. That is performed which once seemed hardly credible, and (when that temple was raised that was intended but for a type of this) wts-spoken of with wondering expostulation:” In very deed will GOD dwell with men on earth” Whereas it might have been reasonably thought, this world should have been for ever forsaken of GOD, and no appearance of Him ever have been seen here,- unless with a design of taking vengeance; how unexpected and surprising a thing was this, that in a state of so comfortless darkness and desolation, “the day-spring from on high should visit it;” and that GOD should come down, and settle Himself in so mean a dwelling, on purpose to seek the acquaintance of his offending, disaffected creature!

 

 But chiefly, and more eminently, this his gracious inclination was testified by the manner and design of his leaving this his earthly abode, and yielding that his temple to destruction:” Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up.” This being an animated living temple, could not be destroyed without sense of pain, unto which it could not willingly become subject, but upon design; and that could be no other than a design of-love. When He could have commanded twelve legions of angels to have been the guardians of this temple, to expose it to the violence of profane and - barbarous hands; this could proceed from, nothing but love; and” greater love could none show,” especially if we consider what was. the designed event. This temple was to fall but single, that it might be raised manifold; it was intended (as it came to pass) to be multiplied by being destroyed, as Himself elegantly illustrates the matter: “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit;” (John xii;) which He afterwards expresses without a metaphor: ”And I, if I be lift up from the earth, (signifying, as it follows, the death He should die,) will draw all men unto me.”

 

 We will not here insist on what was said before, that hereby the way was opened for the emission of the SPIRIT, which, when it came forth, performed such wonders in this kind, creating and forming into temples many a disaffected unwilling heart. Whence it may be seen, that he forsook that his present dwelling, not that he might dwells here no longer, but only to change the manner of his dwelling, and that he might dwell here more to common advantage; the thing he intended, when he came down. He ’came down, that by dying and descending low into the lower parts of the' earth, he might make way for a glorious ascent; and ascended, that” he might fill all things,” (Eph. 4:)' that “he might give gifts to men, even the rebellious also, that he might dwell among them.” (Psalm lxviii.) Not, I say, to insist on this, which shows the power by which those great effects were wrought;; we may also here consider the way wherein they were wrought, that is, byway, of representation, and' demonstration of the Divine love to men. 

 

 How brightly did this shine, in the glorious ruin and fall of this temple: Herein how did redeeming love triumph! How mightily did it conquer, and slay the enmity that wrought in the minds of men before! Here he overcame by dying, and slew by being slain; now were” his arrows sharp in the hearts of enemies, by “which they became sub-. ject” (Psalm xlv.) What wounded him, ’did, by a strong reverberation, wound them back again. How inwardly were thousands of them pierced, by the sight of”him whom they had pierced!” How sharp a sting was in those words:” Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God bath made that same JESUS, whom ye crucified, both LORD and CHRIST.” (Acts 2:) For it immediately follows:” When they heard this, they were pricked to the heart.” They that crucified him, are crucified with him; are now in agonies, and willing to yield to any thing they, are required: “Men and brethren, what shall we do” He may have temples now for-taking them, the most obdurate hearts are overcome; and what could be so potent an argument what so accommodate to the nature of man So irresistible by it

 

 To behold this live temple of the living God, the sacred habitation of a Deity, full of pure and holy life and vigor, by vital union with the eternal Godhead, voluntarily devoted to the most painful and ignominious suffering, purposely to make atonement for the offence done by revolted creatures against their rightful LORD! What rocks would not rend at this spectacle! Enough to put the creation (as it did) into a paroxysm, and bring upon it travailing pangs And how strange if the hearts of men, next and most closely concerned, should alone be unmoved, and without the sense of such pangs! Well might it be said,” I, if I be lift up, will draw all men,” without any such diminishing sense, as to mean by that all a very few only; not intending so much by it the effect wrought, (though that also be not inconsiderable,) as the power, or natural aptitude of the cause; as if he had said, This were enough to vanquish and subdue the world, to mollify every heart of man, and to leave the character upon them of most inhuman creatures, and unworthy to be called men, that shall not be drawn. It might be expected, that every one that bath not abandoned humanity, or bath the spirit of a man in him, should be wrought upon by this means; and they, cannot but incur most fearful guilt, even all men, who once having notice of this matter, are not effectually wrought upon by it.

 

 Upon which account the Apostle asks the Galatians, (who had not otherwise seen this sight, than as the Gospel narrative had represented it to them,)”who had bewitched them, that they should not obey, before whose eyes CHRIST had been set forth crucified among them;” intimating, that he could not account them less than bewitched, whom the representation of CHRIST crucified did not captivate into obedience.

 

 And since, in his crucifixion, he was a sacrifice, that is, placatory and reconciling, and that reconciliations are always mutual, of both the contending parties to one another; it must have the proper influence of. a sacrifice immediately upon both, and as well mollify men's hearts towards God, as procure that he should express favorable inclinations towards them: That is, that all enmity should cease, and be abolished for ever; that wrongs be forgotten, rights restored, and entire friendship, amity, and free converse be renewed, and be made perpetual. All which signifies, that by this means the spirits of men be so wrought upon, that they render back to GOD his own temple most willingly, not merely from an apprehension of his right, but as overcome by his love, and valuing his presence more than their own life.

 

 Guilt is apt to be jealous, no wonder if the spirits of men, conscious of so great wrong done to GOD, (and a secret consciousness there may be, even where there are not very distinct reflections upon the case,) be not easily induced to think GOD reconcileable. And while he is not thought so, what can be expected but obstinate aversion on their part For what so hardens as despair

 

 Much indeed might be collected, by deeply considering minds, of a propension on God’s part to peace and friendship, from the course of his Providence, and present dispensation towards the world: His clemency, long-suffering, and most of all his bounty towards them; these “lead to repentance” in their own natural tendency; yet are they but dull insipid Gospel in themselves to men -drowned in sensuality, buried in earthliness, in whom the Divine SPIRIT breathes not, and who have provoked the blessed SPIRIT to keep at 4 distance, by having stupified and laid asleep the considering power of their own spirit.

 

 Nor are these the usual means, apart and by themselves, which the SPIRIT of GOD is wont to work by, upon the hearts of men; as experience and observation of the common state of -the Pagan world doth sadly testify, and without the concurrence of that blessed SPIRIT, even the most apt and suitable means avail nothing.

 

 But where there is so express a testification, as we find in the Gospel of CHRIST, of GOD'S willingness to be reconciled; a proclamation distinctly made, that imports no other thing, but” glory to GOD in the highest, peace on earth, and good-will towards men:” For confirmation whereof, the SON of God incarnate is represented slain., and offered up a bloody sacrifice; and that we might see at once both that GOD is reconcileable, and bow or upon' what terms he comes to be so: No place for reasonable doubt any longer remains, we have before our eyes, what, by the wonderful strangeness of it, should engage the most stupid minds to consider; what ought to assure the most misgiving,. doubtful mind, that God is in good earnest, and intends no mockery or deceit in his offer of peace; and what ought to melt, mollify, and overcome the most obdurateheart.

 

 Yea not only what is, in its own nature, most apt to work towards the producing these happy effects, is here to be found; but wherewith also the SPIRIT of grace is ready to concur. It being his pleasure, and most fit in itself, that he should choose to unite, and fall in with the aptest means, and apply himself to the spirits of men in a way most suitable to their own natures, and most likely to prevail with them: Whereupon the Gospel is called ”the ministration of spirit and life, and the power pf God to salvation.” But that this Gospel, animated by that mighty and good SPIRIT, bath not universally spread itself overall the world, only its own resolved, and resisting-wickedness is the faulty cause; otherwise there had been Gospel, and temples raised by it every where.

 

 X. 2. This original, primary temple bath matter of rational inducement in it; as it gives us a plain representation of Divine holiness, brightly shining in human nature. For here was to be seen a most pure, serene, dispassionate mind, unpolluted by any earthly tincture, inhabiting an earthly tabernacle, like our own: A mind adorned with the most amiable lovely virtues, faith, patience, temperance, godliness, full of all righteousness, goodness, meekness, mercifullness, sincerity, humility, most abstracted from this world, immoveably intent upon what had reference to a future state of things, and the affairs of another country: Inflexible, by the blandishments of sense, not apt to judge by the sight of the eye, or be charmed by what were most grateful to a voluptuous ear; full of pity towards a wretched sinful world, compassionate to its calamities, unprovoked by its sharpest injuries; bent upon doing the greatest good, and prepared to suffer whatsoever evil.

 

 Here was presented to common view, a life transacted agreeably to such a temper of mind,; of one invariable tenor, equal, uniform, never unlike itself, or disagreeing with the exactest rules. Men might see a God was come down, to dwell among them;” the brightness of the FATHER's glory, and the express image of his person;” a Deity inhabiting human flesh; for such purposes as he came for, could not be supposed to carry any more becoming appearance, than he did.

 

 Here was therefore an exemplary temple, the fair and lovely pattern of what we were, each of us, to be formed unto; imitating us (for sweeter allurement) in what was merely natural, and inviting us to imitate him in what was (in a communicable sort) supernatural and divine. 

 

 Every one knows how great is the power of example, and may collect how apt a' method this was to draw the spirits of men. Had only precepts and instructions been given- men, how they were to prepare and adorn,- in themselves, a temple for the living God, it had, indeed, been a great vouchsafement; but how much had it fallen short of what the present state of man did, in point of means, need and call for! How great a defalcation were it from the Gospel, if we wanted the history of the life of CHRIST! But not only to have been told of what materials the temple of God must consist, but to have seen them put together; to have opportunity of viewing the beautiful frame in every part, and of beholding the lovely imitable glory of the whole, and which we are to follow, though we cannot with equal steps: How merciful condescension, and how great an advantage is this unto us.

 

 We have here a state of entire devotedness to GOD (the principal thing in the constitution of his temple)' exemplified before our eyes, together with what was most suitable besides to such state. Do we not see how, in a body of flesh, one may be subject to the will of GOD To count the doing of it our meat and drink When it imposes any thing grievous to be suffered, to say:” Not my will, but thine be done” How in air things to seek, not our own glory, but His And not to please ourselves, but Him How, hereby, to, keep his blessed presence with us, and live in his constant converse and fellowship; never to be left alone, but to have him ever with us, as always aiming to do the things that please him Do we not know how to be tempted, and abstain; injured, and forgive; disobliged, and do good To live in a tumultuous world, and be at peace within To dwell on earth, and have our conversation in heaven

 

 We see all-this bath been done, and much more than we can here mention; and by so lively a representation of the brightest excellencies, beautifying this original exemplary temple, we have a two-fold advantage towards our becoming such, namely, That hereby both the possibility and the loveliness of a temple (the thing we are now ourselves to design) is here represented to our view; by the former whereof we might be encouraged, by the latter allured unto imitation; that working upon our hope, this working upon our desire and love, in order hereto.

 

 1. The possibility. I mean it not in the strict sense only, as signifying no more than that the thing, simply considered, implies no repugnance in itself; for as no one needs to be told that such a thing is (in this sense) possible, so to be told it would signify little to his encouragement. There are many things, in this sense, not impossible, whereof no man can, However, have the least rational hope; as that another world may shortly be made, that he may be a Prince or a great man therein; with a thousand the like.

 

 But I mean it of what is possible to Divine power (that is, to the grace and SPIRIT of God) now really to go forth, in a way and method of operation, already stated and pitched upon for such purposes. For having the representation before our eyes of this original temple, God inhabiting human flesh on earth; we are not merely to consider it as it is in itself, and to look upon it as a strange thing, or as a glorious spectacle, wherein we are no further concerned, than only to look upon it, and take notice that there is or bath been such a thing; but we are to consider how it came to pass, and with what design it was that such a thing should be, and become obvious to our view. Why have we such a sight offered us Or what imports it unto us And when we have informed ourselves, by taking the account the Gospel gives us of this matter, and viewed the inscription of that great name IMMANUEL, by wonderful contrivance, inwrought into the constitution of this temple; we will then find this to be intended for a leading case, and that this temple was meant for a model of that which we ourselves are to become; or after which the temple of GOD in us, must be composed and formed. And so that this matter is possible to an ordinate Divine power, even to that mighty SPIRIT that resides eminently in this temple, on purpose to be transmitted thence to us, for the framing of us to the likeness of it; so that the thing is not merely possible, but designed also; namely,” That as he was, so we might be in this world.” (1 John 4: 17.) Unto which -is necessary our believing intuition towards him, or a fiducial acknowledgment that this JESUS is the Sox of God, come down on purpose into human flesh, to bring about an union between God and us; whereupon that union itself ensues, the matter is brought about, we come to dwell in God, and he in us. (Verse 15.)

 

 And,” Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He:bath given us of his SPIRIT.” (Verse IS.) And though it was an unmeasured fullness of this SPIRIT, which dwelt in this primary temple; yet we are taught and encouraged hence to expect, that a sufficient and proportionable measure be imparted to us, that we may appear not altogether unlike, or unworthy of Him; that this temple and ours are of the same make, and both He that sanctifies, and they that are sanctified, are all of one; that we so far agree with our original, that He may not be ashamed to call us brethren. (Heb. 2: 11.)

 

 And how aptly doth this tend to excite and raise our hope of some great thing, to be effected in this kind, in us; when we have the matter thus exemplified already before our eyes, and behold the perfect model, according whereto we ourselves are to be framed!

 

 Nor doth that signify a little to the drawing of our wills, of the engaging us to a consent and co-operation, as the under-builders in the work of this temple; a design that in itself appears advantageous, needs no more to set it on foot, than that it, does represented hopeful. No one, that understands any thing of the nature of man, is ignorant of the power of hope.

 

 This one engine moves the world, and keeps all men busy. Every one soon finds - his present state not perfectly good, and hopes some way to make it better: Otherwise, the world were a dull scene. Endeavor would languish, or rather be none at all; for there were no room left for design, or a rational enterprizing of any thing; but a lazy, unconcerned trifling, without care, which end goes forward, and with an utter indifferency whether to stir or sit still.

 

 Men are not, in their own designs, without hope; but their hope is placed upon things of no value; and when they have gained the next thing they hoped for and pursued, they are as far' still as they were from what they meant that for. They have obtained their nearer end, but therein mistook their way, which they designed by it to their further end. When they have attained to be rich, yet they are not happy, perhaps much further from it than before when they have preyed upon the pleasure they had in chase; they are still unsatisfied; it may be, guilty reflections turn it all to-gall and wormwood. Many such disappointments might make them consider, at length, they have been out all this while, and mistaken the whole nature and kind of the good, that must make them happy. They may come to think with themselves, Somewhat is surely lacking, not only to our present enjoyment, but to our very design; somewhat it must be without the compass of all our former thoughts, wherein our satisfying good must lie.

 

 GOD may come into their minds, and they may cry out, O! that is it, here it was-I mistook, and had forgotten myself. Man once had a GOD! and that Goo had his temple, wherein He resided, and did converse with man; hither He must be invited back. Yea, but his temple lies all in ruin, long ago deserted and disused, forsaken upon provocation, and with just resentment; the ruin is to be repaired by no mortal hand; the wrong done to be expiated by no ordinary sacrifice.

 

 All this imports nothing but despair; but let now IMMANUEL-be brought in, this original temple be offered to view, and the design of it be laid open; and what a spring of hope is here! What can now be wanting to persuade a wretched soul of, GOD's willingness to return Or, being now sensible of its misery,. by his absence; to make it willing of his return: Yea, and to contribute the utmost endeavor, that all things may be prepared, and put into due order for his reception Or if any thing should be still wanting, it is but what. may more work upon desire, as well as beget hope; and to this purpose, a narrower view of this original temple also serves; that is, it not only shows the possibility, but gives us opportunity to contemplate.

 

 2. The loveliness too of such a temple. For here is the fairest representation that ever this world. had, or that could be had, of this most delectable object. The Divine holiness incarnate did never shine so bright. And we may easily apprehend the advantage of having so lively, and perfect a model set before us, of what we are to aim at: Precepts could never have afforded so full a description, or have furnished us with so perfect an idea. He that goes to build an house, must have the project formed in his mind before; and he is to make a material house of an immaterial: So here, we may say the real house is to be built out of the mental, or notional one.

 

 It is true indeed, when we have got the true and full idea or model of this temple, our greatest difficulty is not yet over; how happy were it, if the rest of our work would as soon be done! And our hearts would presently obey our light. If it were ductile and easy to yield, and receive the impression that would correspond to a well-enlightened mind; if we could presently become like to the notions we have, of what we should be: What excellent creatures should we appear, if on the sudden our spirits did admit the habitual, fixed frame of holiness, whereof we sometimes have the idea in our minds.

 

 But though to have that model truly formed in our understandings, be not sufficient, it is However necessary; and although our main work is nort immediately done by it, it can never be done without it.

 

 Truth is the means of holiness:” Sanctify them through thy truth.” (John 17: 17.) GOD bath chosen us to salvation,” Through sanctification of the SPIRIT, and belief of the truth.” (2 Them. 2: 3.) Therefore it is our great advantage to have the most full notion, that may be, of that temper and frame of Spirit we should be of. When the charge was given MOSES of composing the tabernacle, (that moveable temple,) he had the perfect pattern of it shown him in the mount. And to receive the very notion aright of this spiritual living temple, requires a some way prepared mind, purged from vicious prejudice, possessed with dislike of our former pollutions and deformities; antecedent whereto is a more general view of that frame, whereunto we are to be composed, and then a more distinct representation is consequent thereon. As we find the Prophet is directed, first to show the people the house, that they might be ashamed; whereupon it follows:” If they be ashamed of thiat they have done,” then he must show them the form of the house, and the” fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the ordinances thereof.” (Ezek. xliii. 10, 11.)

 

 How much would it conduce to the work of God’s temple, in us, if upon our having had some general intimation of his gracious propensions towards us to repair our ruins, and restore our forLord state, we begin to lament after him, and conceive inward resentments of the impurities, and desolations of our souls; we shall now have the distinct representation set before our eyes, of that glorious workmanship which he means to express in our renovation! How taking, and transporting a sight will this be to a soul that is become vile and loathsome in its own eyes, and weary of being without GOD in the world.

 

 But now, wherein shall he be understood to give us so exact an account of his merciful design, in this matter, as by letting us see how his glory shone in his own incarnate SON, his express image; and then signifying his pleasure, to have us conformed to the same image

 

 This is his method, when he goes about to raise his new creation, and erect his inner temple, (as it was in some respect his way, when he made his first great outer temple of the world,) God, ' that commanded light to shine out of darkness, bath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of GOD, in the face of JESUS CHRIST.” (2 Cor. 4: 6.) That glory shines with greatest advantage to our transformation, in the face or aspect of IMMANUEL.

 

 When we set our faces that way, and our eye meets his, we steadily look to JESUS; when” we, with open face, behold as in a glass, the glory of the LORD, we are changed from glory to glory, as by the SPIRIT of the LORD.” (2 Cor. 3: 18.) His very SPIRIT enters with those vital beams, enters at our eye, and is thence transfused through our whole soul.

 

 The seed and generative principle of the new creature is truth:” Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of Gon.” (1 Pet. 1: 23.) We must understand it. of practical truth, or that which serves to show what we are to be and do, (Chap. 2: 1-4,) in our new and regenerate state. Hereby souls are begotten to GOD, hereby they live and grow, hereby they come and join as living stones to the living Corner-Stone, in the composition of this spiritual house: (as we see the series of discourse runs in this context.) Now we have this practical truth, not only exhibited in maxims, in the world; but exemplified in the life of CHRIST. And when the great renovating work is to be done,” the old man to be put off,” the” new man to be put on,” the” spirit of our mind to be renewed;” our business is to learn CHRIST, and” the truth as it is in JESUS” (Epic. 4: 20-24.) So is accomplished the formation of that new man that is after God. And when we become his (second) workmanship, we are created in CHRIST JESUS unto good works; caught into union with that SPIRIT, which showed itself in the whole course of his conversation on earth, and- is gradually to work, and form us to an imitation of him.

 

 Whereunto we are not formed, by mere looking on, or by our own contemplation only of his life and actions, on the one hand; nor on the other hand, is our looking ou useless and in vain, as if we were to be formed like mere stones,. into dead unmoving statues, rather than living temples. Or as if his SPIRIT were to do that work upon us, by a violent hand, while we know nothing of the matter, nor any way comply to the design. But the work must be done by the holding up the representation of this primary temple before our eyes, animated and replenished with Divine life and glory, as our pattern, and the type by which we are to be formed; till our hearts be captivated, and won to the love and liking of such a state. That is, To be so united with God, so devoted to him, so stamped and impressed with all imitable GOD-like' excellencies, as he was; we are to be so enamoured herewith, as to be impatient of remaining what we were before.

 

 And such a view contributes directly hereto, and in a way suitable to our natures. Mere transient discourses of virtue and goodness, seem cold and unsavory things to a soul drenched in sensuality, sunk into deep forgetfullness of God, and filled with aversion to holiness; but the tract and course of a life evenly transacted, in the power of the HOLY GHOST, and that is throughout uniform, and constantly agreeable too itself, is apt, by often repeated insinuations (as drops wear stones) insensibly to recommend itself as amiable; and gain a liking even with them that were most opposite, and disaffected.

 

 And how great a thing is done towards our entire compliance with the Redeemer's design, of making us temples to the living God, ’as he himself was, when he under that very notion appears amiable in our eyes! How natural and easy is imitation to love! All the powers of the soul are now, in, the most natural way, excited and set on work; and we shall not easily be induced to satisfy ourselves, or admit of being at rest, till we attain a state, with the loveliness whereof our, hearts are at once taken.

 

 But nothing of all this is said with design, nor bath any tendency to diminish or detract from that mighty power of the blessed SPIRIT of GOD, by whom men become willing of the return of the Divine presence, into its ancient residence, and, in subordination, active towards it; but rather to magnify the excellency of that Wisdom, which conducts all the exertions and operations of that Power, so suitably to the subject to be wrought upon, and the ends to be effected.

 

 Upon the whole, the setting up of this original temple, inscribed with the great IMMANUEL, or the whole constitution of CHRIST the Mediator, ’has we see a very apparent aptitude, and rich sufficiency in its kind, to the composing of things between God and men; the replenishing this desolate world with temples again, every where, and those with the Divine presence: Both as there was enough in it, to procure remission of sin, enough to procure emission of the HOLY SPIRIT; an immense fullness both of righteousness and SPIRIT; of righteousness, for the former purpose; and of SPIRIT, for the latter. And both of these, in distinct ways, capable of being imparted; because the power of imparting them, was upon such terms obtained, as did satisfy the curse of the violated law, which must otherwise have everlastingly with-held both, from apostate offending creatures. It is not the righteousness of God, as such, that can make a guilty creature guiltless, (which must rather oblige Him still to hold him guilty,) or the SPIRIT of God,, as such, that can make him holy.

 

 Here is a full Fountain, but sealed and shut up, and what are we the better for that But it is the righteousness and SPIRIT Of IMMANUEL, God with us; of Him’• who was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of GOD in him; and who was made a curse for us, that we might have the blessing of the promised SPIRIT:” Otherwise, there were not in him a sufficiency to answer the exigency of the case; but as the matter is, here is abundant sufficiency, in both respects. And therefore, The only thing that remains to be shown herein, is the necessity, and requisiteness of such means as this, to this end.

 

For when we take notice of so great, and so rare a thing as IMMANUEL, set up in the world; and find by this solemn constitution of Him, by the condition of his person, his accomplishments, performances, sufferings, acquisitions, the powers and virtues belonging to Him, that every thing bath so apt an aspect to the restitution of lost man, and of GOD's temple in, and with him we cannot but confess, here is a contrivance worthy of God, sufficient for its end. So that the work needs not fail of being done, if in this way it prove not to be overdone; or if the apparatus be not greater than was needful for the intended end; or that the same purposes might not have been effected at an easier rate.

 

 I design therefore to speak distinctly of the necessity of this cause, in reference,

 

1. To the remission of sin.

 

2. To the emission, or communication of that SPIRIT