Would the using of the means of grace? They account them a servile drudgery If they wished to injure their spiritual interests as much as possible, consistently with a good name among men, they could not adopt a surer method The whole of their conduct unequivocally declares the language of their hearts] To account for this supineness, let us trace it up to II. The causes of it Persons, when convicted of evil doings, will yet affirm their hearts to be good But can a tree be good whose fruits are uniformly bad? The causes of this evil are justly described by the prophet 1. They love sin. ["Whoredom" is frequently (and by Hosea in particular) used for sin in general A "spirit of whoredom" imports an attachment to sin, and delight in ith Now this justly characterizes the state of fallen man It accords with other descriptions given of him in scripturei And is the fundamental cause of the supineness visible in the world In following evil ways we glide easily down the streamBut in renouncing them we stem the tide of our corrupt nature Hence even the first steps of turning to God are irksome and difficult And we lay the rein on the neck of our appetites for want of resolution to restrain them In this very manner does God himself trace up our transgressions to a deceived heart-] 2. They are ignorant of God [Never accustomed to reflect on God, they know nothing of him The ideas they do form of him are grossly erroneous'— In their hearts they "imagine him to be even such an one as themselves" Job xxi. 14, 15. h In a similar sense a spirit of slumber is used, Rom. xi. 8. 1 Eph. iv. 22. and Rom. viii. 7. Isaiah xliv. 20. IPs. xcvii. 7. This is another, and a very fruitful source of their supine ness To this St. Paul ascribes the evil of their hearts and lives"If they knew his power and majesty, could they dare thus to provoke him? If they beheld his holiness, could they account sin so venial an evil? If they were apprised of his justice, would they indulge hopes of impunity? If they believed his veracity, would they so disregard his threatenings? Above all, if they knew his mercy to us in Christ Jesus, could they so trample on the blood that was shed for them?— It would not be possible for them to withstand such views of his perfections Such a discovery would produce on them the effect experienced by St. Paul"] INFER 1. They who shall perish at the last day must ascribe their condemnation to themselves [It is certainly true that man is not able of himself to do all that is required of him But it is no less true that he is able to do many things which he neglects Nor can it be doubted but that, if he cried to God for help, he might obtain it If he use not therefore the power that he has, and the appointed means of obtaining more, he can blame none but himself In this view our Lord expressly declares that the fault is in our own perverse will°— And God expostulates with us on the folly of our conduct— Is the husbandman justified in omitting to plow and sow his ground because he cannot insure a crop?- How much less then shall we be, in neglecting the means to which God has promised success? Let us not then deceive ourselves by offering vain excusesBut turn unto our God, and plead the mercy which he has promised to us—] 2. If we would fully turn unto our God, we must have our hearts renewed, and our minds enlightened with the knowledge of Christ [Would we heal the streams? we must cast the salt into the fountain head Instead of being actuated by the spirit of whoredoms, we must pray to be "led by the Spirit of God"— Instead of “abiding in darkness," we must seek to have "Christ revealed in us", Thus shall new" old things pass away, and all things become We shall sweetly yield ourselves to the constraining influence of Christ's love And not only turn, but "cleave, unto him with full purpose of heart"-] CCCXCVI. THE DANGER OF DEFILING GOD'S TEMPLE. 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. EVERY passion of the human mind should be called forth in aid of vital godliness. The saints indeed are more influenced by considerations that excite their love and gratitude: but they still need to be sometimes impressed with truths that may awaken an holy fear and jealousy, especially when their conduct has been such as to deserve reproof. The Corinthians were in an high degree culpable on account of their contentions: the Apostle therefore warns them of the consequences of acting in a manner so unworthy of their profession. In discoursing on his words, we shall consider I. The acknowledged privilege of Christians Christians, like the temple of old, are the habitation of God [The temple was the place where God dwelt in a more especial manner. Not only was the visible symbol of his presence there, but there also he manifested himself to his people in tokens of his love and communications of his grace. Thus does he also now reveal himself in his church: yea, every individual believer is thus consecrated to his service, and honoured as his immediate residence."] Eph. ii. 20-22. G g VOL. IV. b 2 Cor. vi. 16. Nor is this a doubtful, but a clear acknowledged privilege [Ignorant people may doubt "whether there be any Holy Ghost:" but true Christians know him, and know themselves to be his habitation. St. Paul appealed to the Corinthians respecting this, not imagining that any one of them could entertain a doubt of it. They must have read of it in the Jewish scriptures:d often too must they have heard it from him: nor could they fail of knowing it from their own experience. If for an instant they reflected on the light, the strength, the consolations with which they had been favoured, they could not but ascribe them to the agency of God's spirit; and consequently they must be conscious of his dwelling in them as in his temple. Believers at this day have certainly not less grounds for drawing the same inference with respect to themselves; and therefore they may, and ought to know, that they are in the actual enjoyment of this privilege.] But as this privilege is attended both with duties and dangers, let us consider II. The declaration founded upon it God denounces the heaviest judgments against those who abuse this privilege [He would not suffer any unclean person to enter into his temple of old, however free he might be from moral pollution, or however ignorantly he might have contracted his ceremonial defilement. These ordinances were intended to shew that sin of any kind, and much more such as now prevailed among the Christians at Corinth, was extremely hateful in his sight: such purity does he require in all that come nigh unto him. Doubtless there are errors both in faith and practice, which, though injurious to his people's happiness, will not destroy the relation that subsists between him and them:s but, if they be of such a kind as to affect the foundation of the Christian's hope, or greatly to dishonour the superstructure, they will surely bring down the divine judgments on all who harbour them.] This denunciation is even founded on the privilege itself [Why was God so jealous of the honour of his temple, but because it was his immediate residence? the more inti e Acts xix. 2. Ver. 15. d Isaiah lxvi. 1, 2. e Numb. xix. 13. hips, must import such a degree of defilement as has a tendency to destroy; because the destruction menaced is also expressed by the word φθερεῖ. mately it was connected with him, the more was he himself dishonoured by any pollutions introduced into it. Thus we also, instead of having any reason to hope for impunity on account of our relation to him, are taught to expect rather the heavier indignation, if we provoke the eyes of his glory.'] IMPROVEMENT 1. Let us seek to possess this great privilege [As to be visited by an earthly monarch would be a higher honour than to be admitted into his palace, so to have God dwelling in our hearts on earth is even a higher honour than to be admitted into, his temple above. Shall we not then be solicitous to obtain it? when God has designed that we should even know ourselves possessed of it, and enjoy all the happiness arising from it, shall we treat it with contempt, as a mere phantom of a heated imagination? Let us open wide the doors of our hearts, that the King of glory may enter in.*] 2. Let us be careful lest we abuse this privilege [Doctrines arising from human systems, even though they be true in themselves, must never be pressed into the service of sin, or be brought to enervate the force of declarations, which, though apparently opposite, are equally clear and true. If some truths are revealed for the confirming of our stability, others are intended to create within us a holy jealousy. Instead therefore of attempting to inyalidate the declaration before us, let us flee from those defilements which alone can make it formidable. Let us maintain that purity of heart which God requires, and study to "be holy as God is holy." This was the Apostle's most ardent wish for his converts; and it should be the one continued object of our ambition."] Exod. xxiii. 20—22. Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, pròvoke him not: for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But, if thou shalt indeed obey his |