or contemptible. It must grieve an ingenuous Mind, and be a Reproach to any People, to have their own Houses wainscoted with Ce dar, and painted with Vermilion; while the Temple of the LORD of Hofts is destitute of every decent Ornament.

HERE I recollected, and was charmed with, Solomon's fine Address to the Al mighty, at the Dedication of his famous Temple. With immenfe Charge, and exquifite Skill, he had created the most rich and finifhed Structure, that the Sun ever faw, Yet upon a Review of his Work, and a Reflection on the tranfcendent Perfections of the Godhead, how he exalts the one, and abafes the other? The Building was too glorious for the mightiest Monarch to inhabit; too facred, for unhallowed Feet even to enter; yet infinitely too mean, for the Deity to refide in. It was, and the Royal Worshipper acknowleged it to be, a most marvellous Vouchfafement in uncreated Excellency, to "put his Name there." The whole Paffage breathes fuch a Delicacy, and is animated with fuch a Sublimity of Sentiment, that I cannot perfuade myself to pass

on

on without repeating it. *But will GOD indeed dwell on Earth? Behold! The Hea ven, and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less this House that I have builded? Incomparable Saying! Worthy the wifeft of Men. Who would not choose to possess such an elevated Devo

tion,

* But will. A fine abrupt Beginning, moft fignificantly defcribing the Amazement and Rapture of the Royal Prophet's Mind.- GOD: He uses no Epithet, where Writers of inferior Difcernment would have been fond to multiply them: But fpeaks of the Deity, as an incomprehenfible Being, whofe Excellency is exalted above all Praife.-Dwell: To beftow on finful Creatures a propitious Look, or favour them with a tranfient Vifit of Kindness, would have been an unutterable Obligation: Will he then vouchsafe to fix his Abode, and take up his ftated Refidence among them ?-Indeed: A Word, in this Connexion, exceedingly emphatical; expreffive of a Condefcenfion, wonderful and extraordinary almost beyond all Credibility. Then, a most important Reafon is fuggefted for the preceding Admiration: Behold: Intimating the continued, or rather the increafing Surprize of the Speaker, and awakening the Attention of the Hearer.-Behold! The Heaven: The fpacious Concave of the Firmament, that wide-extended Azure Circumference, in which Worlds unnumbered perform their Revolutions, are too fcanty an Apartment for the Godhead.-Nay, The Heaven of Heavens: Thofe vaftly higher Tracts, which lie far beyond the Limits of human Survey, to which our very Thoughts can hardly foar; even These (unbounded as they are) cannot afford an adequate Habitation for Jehovah; even Thefe dwindle into a Point, when compared with the Infinitude of his Effence; even Thefe" are as nothing before him."- How much lefs proportionate then is this poor diminutive Speck, which I have been erecting and embellishing, to fo august a Prefence, fo immenfe a Majesty?

tion, rather than to own all the glittering Materials of that sumptuous Edifice?

We are apt to be ftruck with Admiration at the beautiful Grandeur of a mafterly Performance in Architecture. And, perhaps, on a Sight of the antient Sanctuary, fhould have made the fuperficial Obfervation of the Dif ciples, "What manner of Stones, and what "Buildings are here?"-But what a nobler Turn of Thought, and juster Taste of Things, does it discover, to join with Ifrael's King in celebrating the Condefcenfion of the Divine Inhabitant? That the High and Lofty One, who fills Immenfity with his Glory, fhould, in a peculiar manner, fix his Abode there! Should there manifeft an extraordinary Degree of his benedictive Prefence; permit finful Mortals to approach his Majesty, and promife "to make them joyful in his House of Prayer!""This should more fenfibly affect our Hearts, than the most curious Arrangement of Stones can delight our Eyes.

NAY, the everlafting God does not difdain to dwell in our Souls, by his Holy Spirit, and to make even our Bodies his Temple.-Tell me, ye that frame critical Judgments, and

balance

balance nicely the Diftin&tions of Things, "Is this most aftonishing, or moft rejoicing?" He humbleth himself, the Scripture affures us, even to behold the Things that are in Heaven. 'Tis a most condescending Favour, if he pleases to take the leaft approving Notice of Angels and Archangels, when they bow down in Homage from their celeftial Thrones: And yet will he graciously regard, will he be intimately united to poor, polluted, breathing Dust? O! unparal lel'd Honour! Invaluable Privilege! Be This my Portion, and I fhall not covet Crowns, nor envy Conquerors.

But let me remember, what a Sanctity of Difpofition, and Uprightness of Conversa tion, fo exalted a Relation demands: Remember this, "and rejoice with trembling."

Durst I commit any Iniquity, while I tread these hallowed Courts? Could the Jewish High-priest allow himself in any known Tranfgreffion, when he made that yearly Entrance into the Holy of Holies, and stood before the immediate Presence of Jehovah? No, truly. In fuch Circumstances, a thinking Person must fhudder at the most remote Solicitation to any wilful Offence.

I

I should now be fhocked at the leaft Ins decency of Behaviour, and am apprchenfive of every Appearance of Evil. And why do we not carry this holy Jealousy into all our ordinary Life? Why do we not, in every Place, reverence ourselves, as Perfons dedicated to the Divinity, as living Temples of the Godhead? For, if we are real, and not merely nominal Chriftians, the God of Glory, according to his own Promife, † dwells in us, and walks in us. - -O! that this one Doctrine of our Religion might operate with an abiding Efficacy upon our Confciences! It would be instead of a thousand Laws to regulate our Conduct, inftead of a thousand Motives to quicken us in Holinefs. Under the Influence of fuch a Conviction, we should ftudy to maintain a Purity. of Intention, a Dignity of Action, and "to walk worthy

παρίων δε μάλις' αιχυνει σ' αυτόν,

Was the favourite Maxim of Pythagoras, and fuppofed to be the best moral Precept, that was ever given to the heathen World. With what fuperior Force, and infinite Advantage, does the Argument take Place in the Christian Scheme? Where we are taught to regard ourfelves, not merely as intellectual Beings, that have Reafon for our Monitor; but as confecrated Creatures, who have a GOD of the moft confummate Perfection ever with us, ever in us.

† 2 Cor. vi. 16.

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