2. In reference to the temple which is to be erected
in our own hearts —
[Believers are " temples of the Holy Ghost :" Christ dwells in their hearts by faith : " the Father too dwelleth in them, and they in him :" and such temples all of us are called to be. But when persons of every description are urged to consecrate themselves entirely to the service of their God, they reply, as with one consent, " The time is not come." They will not say, ' No ; God never shall dwell in me ;' but, acknow- ledging it to be their duty to surrender up themselves to him, they think themselves excused from it by some providential impediment : one is too young to engage in such holy services as yet: another is too much immersed in business to afford the time : another is for the present afraid of offending some earthly superior : and thus, like the persons invited to the wedding in the Gospel, they all, on some frivolous pretext or other, unite in saying, " I pray thee have me excused."]
But how vain such excuses are, may be seen by,
II. The reproof administered —
This consists of two parts ; an expostulatory appeal, and a solemn admonition : " Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste ? Now therefore, thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Consider your ways."
We then in like manner make our appeal to you —
[Have you time for yourselves, and not for God? for your bodies, and not for your souls ? for the affairs of this short transitory life, and not for those of eternity ? Is it thus that ye have been taught of God ; to " seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness last?" and to "mind your own things only, and not the things of Jesus Christb?" Was this a just return from those who had been delivered from their captivity in Babylon ? and, if not from them, is it from you, who have been redeemed by the blood of God's only dear Son from a bondage infinitely more tremendous, a bondage to sin and Safcm, death and hell ? Judge ye, whether it becomes you to be seeking your own carnal ease, interest, and pleasure ; and to be neglecting the work of God, and the welfare of your immortal souls ? Only let conscience deliver an unbiassed testimony, and we consent that you shall be judges in your own cause.]
To you also we offer this salutary admonition —
t> Phil. ii. 21.