Spirit of God dwelling in him1. " In his heart Christ dwells by faith k :" and, through the effectual operation of the Holy Spirit, " he grows continually, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Yes, this honour has the Church at large ; and this honour have all the saints of every successive age.]
Reflections —
1. How thankful should we be for such inestimable privileges !
[Believers, whoever ye are, ye were once lying in the quarry, as insensible as any that are still there. It was not by any agency of yours, no, nor for any superior goodness in you, that ye were taken thence ; but purely by God's power, for the praise of the glory of his own grace. He it is that has made the difference between you and others, between you also and your former selves. O ! " look unto the rock, whence ye have been hewn, and to the hole of the pit, whence ye have been digged." Never forget what ye once were, or what ye would still have continued to be, if God, of his own good pleasure, had not brought you thence, and made you what ye now are.
Be thankful also for the means which God, of his own infinite mercy, is yet using with you, to carry on and perfect his work in your souls. If ye have many strokes of the ham- mer, complain not of it: you have not one too many, not one that could be spared, if you are to occupy aright the place ordained for you. Lie meekly and submissively before your God ; and let him perfect his work in his own way.
And contemplate the end for which you are destined, even " to be an habitation of God, through the Spirit," to all eternity ! Shall not this prospect make you " joyful in all your tribu- lation ?" Shall so much as an hour pass, and you not give praise and thanksgiving to your God ? Look forward to the end, even to " this grace that shall be given you at the appearing of Jesus Christ ;" and beg of your God and Saviour not to intermit his work one single moment, till you are ren- dered completely meet for the station you are to hold, and the honour you are to enjoy in the eternal world.]
2. How studious should we be to walk worthy of
them !
[This improvement of our privileges we should never overlook : it is the use which the inspired writers continually teach us to make of them. Are we the temples of the Holy Ghost? we must be far removed from all connexion with
• John xiv. 17, 23. k Eph. iii. 17.