him therefore to be very God; because the Christians in whom he dwells, are thereupon a spiritual temple; fuch a temple whofe foundation is the eternal rock Jefus Chrift. And the faith and virtue of his blood it is that makes them so considerable, to be thus highly favoured with the divine Guest from above: yea, not only to have his bleffed Spirit for a gueft, but to be made his fixed refidence, where he fets up his reft, even as a man does in his dwelling houfe; and is even as another foul in the foul, to actuate and quicken it, and to be the very life of it, and though often for a while, he may in part withdraw, yet never totally to leave it.

And how is this temple erected my foul, but like that in the heavens, without hands? for can we set up to ourselves holy temples to the Lord? No, 'tis his own doing, who "creates us in Chrift Jefus," Eph. ii. 10. He is the fole founder and perfecter of the bleffed work. And the faints are builded for a "habitation of God by the Spirit," ver. 22. The fame Spirit of God that gave them being, gives them this new and better being; yea, and a capacity to receive his own bleffed majefty.

But will God indeed, (whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain) be pleased thus to dwell with the poor children of men? O how ftrange is the condefcenfion! and how sweet the confolation! As this fpeaks heavenly comfort, my foul, to have the great God bow his heavens, and come down to me, and the Comforter himself to dwell in me; the leaft of whofe confolations out-weigh the biggeft joys of the world, because they are comforts that enter, and root themselves in the heart, and fuch as will stick to a dying man, and go along with thee, my departing foul, and stay by thee, and to all eternity be ftill growing upon thee; fo what holy duty does it teach me? and O! to what heavenly carriage does it oblige me? when thefe temples of the Lord are built, not only of liv.

ing ftones, but fuch as are alfo precious ftones and his jewels, to be kept unfpotted from the world, fhining as lights in it, and giving a worthy example to it, but still living above it. And O! what deftruction from the Lord may I dread, if I defile this fpiritual temple, peculiarly confecrated to him? If I make it a den of thieves, a habitation of dragons, my body the member of a harlot, my mind the cage of unclean thoughts, my inner man the receptacle of of abominable lufts, and even the portion of devils.

'Tis not enough for this temple to look well unto fpectators eyes abroad, but its chief adornments must be within, to please him that looks upon the heart. And fhall I harbour any thing that is an abomination to the Lord in the very place where he chufes to refide? God forbid. Ó let it grieve my foul, that ever I have grieved the holy in-dwelling Spirit of God. And let my repentance And let my repentance and prayers now do the office of a good Jofiah, to purge the houfe of God, till pride and luft, fraud and malice, excefs and wantonnefs, no more there be found. What! do I know that the Spirit of God dwelleth in me? O how carefully then should I take heed to myfelf, that I do nothing to distaste and affront the heavenly inhabitant, and not only employ my tongue as the bell of the temple, to found his praife, but keep my heart as the fanctum fanctorum, where no iniquity is regarded; nothing filthy finds countenance and harbour! And fhall fin reign in that body, which is the habitation of fuch a Majefty? Away, every curfed enemy; you shall not be refet and cherished juft under his holy eye. Let who will dare to blafpheme the Holy Ghost, and make this Spirit of glory the fubject of their lewd fport and buffoonery; O my foul, revere and adore, bless and praise the divine glorious Inmate; and if I am God's houfe, that houfe then must be a house of prayer, where not only words but my heart must be poured out before the Lord.

And

And in his temple I must also think of his loving kindness, and fpeak of his glory, who inhabits the praises of Ifrael, and is chiefly to be praised by his redeemed, and fuch obliged by him as I have been. O may I fee his power and glory in this fanctuary, the rays and beams of this heavenly light from above, the communications of God himself, when I fet myself to draw nigh to him, and to experience the bleffed enjoyment of him. May I, (through his grace) fo fearch and cleanse the house, fo watch and keep my whole man, foul and body, that the Lord may be pleafed to fay, "This is my house, here will I "dwell, for I have a delight therein; I will never "leave thee nor forfake thee."

THE PRAYER.

REAT Lord! how unmeet am I for that honour, to be a temple of the Holy Ghoft; "such honour have all thy faints; and fuch a divine 66 energy, and omnipotent helper, is needful, to "make and accomplish thy acceptable fervants. "God, the Father almighty, fend the Spirit of thy "Son into my heart; and let that heavenly Gueft "dwell and abide with me, and work and rule in "me, to purge out my drofs, to purify my foul, "to quicken me in thy way, to enable me for thy "work, to draw me from this world unto my "God; and to make me rejoice and glory with the "redeemed of the Lord. Amen."

VOL. I.

H

MEDI

MEDITATION XII.

Of God's Spirit striving with man.

My foul, how many are the gracious methods that God is pleafed to ufe, for the reducing and faving of poor finners? but what fo powerful application to them, as when he fends his own Son to die for them, and his own Spirit to strive with them! though the Lord faid, "his Spirit fhould not

yea

always ftrive with man," Gen. vi. 3. yet, O how long does he ftrive, and how hard does he plead, and how strongly reason to convince the finner! by an overpowering energy, fometimes he breaks in upon him, fo that he cannot but fubmit and yield himself overcome. And indeed there needs no lefs than the power from on high to convert every finner, who is not only without ability to recover himfelf, but has an unhappy power to ftruggle against the things of his own peace.

The bleffed Spirit ftrives by the Word, which is the "miniftration of the Spirit," 2 Cor. iii. 8. and by his minifters, whom he endows with gifts and abilities for the work about which he fends them. He ftrives by darting in beams of light among the ignorant, and by commands, and rebukes, and threats, to awe and break the rebellious: and by promises, and invitations, and befeechings, to draw in them that are otherwife engaged. He ftrives with us by corrections, to drive us out of our fins; and by comforts, to win us into his holy ways. In fuch divers manners, and by manifold impreffions, is the fame Spirit pleafed to work all in all, and by his

grace

grace alone, my foul, it is, that I am what I ain. Whatever good is wrought in me, it was by the bleffed Spirit's operation upon me. And when I have so often contested with him, and done despite to him, O wonder of divine mercy, that fuch a Majefty fhould ever vouchfafe to look after me, and concern himself fo much about me, to prevent my ruin, and make me for ever happy! O by what amazing condefcenfions, and surprising occurrences has he ftrove to gain me to himself, that I might be fafe in fuch bleffed hands! And what fhall I have to fay for myself at the final audit, my foul, when fo inftructed and tried, and hammered, and conducted, by the heavenly Guide, and a hand from above, if I am not thus overcome and won, and made what 1 fhould be? fhall he come down to me, and I be fhifting to run out of the way of his help, or apply no diligence in the ufe of his means? O may I better relish the things of the Spirit of God; and more readily comply with all his gracious overtures, to help me heaven-ward! May I be willing in the day of his power, and put myself forward to meet him in the way of his approaches; instead of striving against him, when he is pleased to strive with me, may I fhew all gladnefs to accept his bleffed offers, and my willingness, that he should do even what he will with me. O may I be compliant and joyful with all my heart, to be owned and difciplined by fuch a glorious Leader, inftead of being forced to it; let it be the defire of my foul to be carried away by his heavenly attractives. O let me admire his grace, and folace my foul in his everlasting arms; and greatly please myself to be under fuch a blessed Convoy. Let him enter and take poffeffion of my heart, and carry all before him, in my foul. O let me not need fo much calling and fpurring on to his holy entertainments, and my own happieft advantage; but may I do all heartily as to the Lord,