forget God, left I tear you in Pieces, and there. be none to deliver. But to him that ordereth his

Converfation aright, will I fhew the Salvation of God. This is the Worship acceptable to him, To do Juftice, love Mercy, and walk humbly with Mic. 6. 8, God. For he that fearches the Heart, and tries the Reins of Man, and fets his Sins in order before him, who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh, looks not to the external Fabrick, but internal Frame of the Soul, and Inclination of the Heart. Nor is it to be foberly thought, that he, who is cloathed with divine Honour and Majefty; who covers himself with Light, as with a Garment; who ftretches out the Heavens like a Curtain; who layeth the Beams of his Chambers in the Deep; who maketh the Clouds his Chariots; and who walks upon the Wings of the Wind; who maketh his Angels Spirits, and his Minifters a flaming Fire; who laid the Foundation of the Earth, that it should not be moved for ever ; can be adequately worshipped by thofe human Inventions, the Refuge of an apoftate People from the primitive Power of Religion, and Spirituality of Chriflian Worship.

§. IV. Chrift drew off his Difciples from the Glory and Worship of the outward Temple, and instituted a more inward and fpiritual Worship, in which he inftructed his Followers, Ye shall neither in this Mountain, nor yet at Je-John 4.21, rufalem, fays Christ to the Samaritan Woman, 24. worship the Father; God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and in Truth. As if he had faid; For the Sake

of

of the Weakness of the People, God condefcended in old Time to limit himself to an outward Time, Place, Temple and Service, in and by which he would be worshipped: But this was during Men's Ignorance of his Omniprefence, and that they confidered not what God is, nor where he is. But I am come to reveal him, to as many as receive me. And I tell you that God is a Spirit, and will be worfhipped in Spirit and in Truth. People must be acquainted with him as a Spirit, confider him, and worship him as fuch. Tis not that bodily Worship, nor thefe ceremonious Services, in Ufe among you now, that will ferve, or give Acceptance with this God that is a Spirit: No, you must obey his Spirit that ftrives with you, to gather you out of the Evil of the World, that by bowing to the Inftructions and Commands of his Spirit in your own Souls, you may know what it is to worship him as a Spirit; then you will understand, that 'tis not going to this Mountain, nor Jerufalem, but to do the Will of God, to keep his Commandments, and commune with thine own Heart, and fin not take up thy Cross, meditate in his holy Law, and follow the Example of him whom the Father hath fent.

§. V. Wherefore Stephen, that bold and confant Martyr of Jefus, thus told the Jews, when a Prifoner at the Bar for difputing about the End of their beloved Temple, and its Services, As 7,47 but falily accused of Blafphemy, Solomon, faid

Stephen, built God an Houfe; bowbeit, God dcelleth not in Temples made with Hands; as

faith the Prophet, Heaven is my Throne, and Ifa. 66. 1. the Earth is my Footstool, what House will ye build me, faith the Lord? Or what is the Place of my Reft? Hath not my Hand made all thefe Things? Behold a total Overthrow to all worldly Temples, and their ceremonious Appendencies. The Martyr follows his Blow upon those apoftate Jews, who were of those Times the pompous, ceremonious, worldly Worshippers: Ye ftiff-necked and uncircumcifed A&ts 7.51. in Heart and Ears, je do always refift the Holy Ghoft; as did your Fathers; fo do ye. As if he had told them: No matter for your outward Temples, Rites, and fhadowy Services, your Pretenfions to Succeffion in Nature from Abraham; and by Religion from Mofes; you are Refifters of the Spirit, Gain-fayers of its Inftructions: You will not bow to his Counsel, nor are your Hearts right towards God: You are the Succeffors of your Fathers Iniquity; and though verbal Admirers, yet none of the Succeffors of the Prophets in Faith and Life.

But the Prophet Ifaiah carries it a little further than is cited by Stephen. For after having declar'd what is not God's Houfe, the Place where his Honour dwells, immediately follow thefe Words: But to this Man will I look, even Isa. 66. z. to him that is poor, and of a contrite Spirit, and trembleth at my Word. Behold, O carnal and fuperftitious Man, the true Worshipper, and the Place of God's Reft! This is the House and Temple of him whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain: An Houfe Self can

not

not build, nor the Art nor Power of Man
pare or confecrate.

pre

§. VI. Paul, that great Apoftle of the Gentiles, twice exprefly refers the Word Temple to Man: Once in his Epiftle to the Church at 1 Cor. 6. Corinth; Know ye not, lays he, that you are the Temples of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God? &c. and not the Building of Man's Hand and Art. Again, he tells the 2 Cor. 6. fame People, in his fecond Epiftle, For ye are 46. the Temple of the living God, as God hath faid; and then cites God's Words by the Prophet, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my People. This is the evangelical Temple, the Chriftian Church, whofe Ornaments are not the Embroideries and Furnitures of worldly Art and Wealth, but the Graces of the Spirit, Meeknefs, Love, Faith, Patience, Self-denial, and Prov. 8. Charity. Here it is, that the eternal Wisdom, 22,23,25, that was with God from everlaßing, before the

31.

Hills were brought forth, or the Mountains laid, chufes to dwell, rejoicing, fays Wisdom, in the babitable Part of the Earth, and my Delights were with the Sons of Men; not in Houses built of Wood and Stone. This living House is more glorious than Solomon's dead Houfe; and of which his was but a Figure, as he, the Builder, was of Chrift, who builds us up an holy Temple to God. 'Twas promised of old, Hag. 2. 9.that The Glory of the latter Houfe fhould tranfcend the Glory of the former; which may be applied to this: Not one outward Temple or

House

M

House to excel another in outward Luftre; for where is the Benefit of that? But the divine Glory, the Beauty of Holiness in the Gospelhoufe or Church, made up of renewed Believers, fhould exceed the outward Glory of Solomon's Temple, which, in Comparison of the latter Days, was but Flesh to Spirit, fading Refemblance, to the eternal Substance.

But for all this, Chriftians have Meetingplaces, yet not in Jewish or Heathen State, but plain; void of Pomp and Ceremony; fuiting the Simplicity of their bleffed Life and Doctrine. For God's Prefence is not with the House, but with them that are in it, who are the Gospel-Church, and not the House. O! that fuch as call themfelves Chriftians, knew but a real Sanctity in themselves, by the washing of God's regenerating Grace, instead of that imaginary Sanctity afcribed to Places: They would then know what the Church is; and where, in these Evangelical Days, is the Place of God's Appearance. This made the Prophet David fay, The King's Daughter is all glorious within, her Cloathing is of wrought Gold. What is the Glory that is within the true Church, and that Gold that makes up that inward Glory? Tell me, O fuperftitious Man! Is it thy ftately Temples, Altars, Tables, Carpets, Tapestries: Thy Veftments, Organs, Voices, Candles, Lamps, Cenfers, Plate and Jewels, with the like Furniture of thy worldly Temples? No fuch Matter; they bare no Proportion with the divine Adornment of the

King