HERE I recollected, and was charmed with, Solomon's fine Addrefs to the Almighty, at the Dedication of his famous Temple. With immense Charge, and exquifite Skill, he had erected the moft rich and finished Structure, that the Sum 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 acknowledged it to be, a moft 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 pafs on without repeating it. *But will GOD indeed dwell on

Earth?

1 Kings viii. 27. But will-A fine abrupt Beginning, moft fignificantly defcribing the Amazement and Rapture of the Royal Prophet's Mind. GOD: He ufes 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 bestow on finful Creatures a propitious Look, or favour them with a tranfient

B 3

Vifit

Earth? Behold! The Heaven, and Heaven of Heavens, cannot contain Thee; how much less this Houfe that I have builded?--Incomparable Saying! Worthy the wifeft of Men. Who would not choose to poffefs fuch an elevated Devotion, rather than to own all the glittering Materials of that fumptuous Edifice?

WE

Vifit of Kindness, would have been an unutterable Obligation: Will he then vouchfafe 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 almoft beyond all Credibility. Then a most important Reason 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 Circumfe. rence, in which Worlds unnumbered perform their Revolutions, is 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 Thefe (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 less proportionate then is this poor diminutive Speck, which I have been erecting and embellishing, to so auguft a Prefence, fo immense a Majefty?

WE are apt to be ftruck with Admiration, at the beautiful Grandeur of a masterly Performance in Architecture. And, perhaps, on a Sight of the ancient Sanctuary, should have made the superficial Obfervation of the Disciples, "What manner of Stones, and what Buildings, are here?"

But what a nobler Turn of Thought, and jufter Tafte 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 Immensity with his Glory, should, in a peculiar manner, fix his Abode there! Should there manifest an extraordinary Degree of his benedictive Presence; permit finful Mortals to approach his Majefty; and promife" to make them joyful in his Houfe of Prayer!"--This fhould more fenfibly affect our Hearts, than the most curious Arrangement of Stones can delight our Eyes.

×

NAY, the everlasting 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 nicely the Distinctions of Things, "Is this most astonishing, or moft rejoicing?"-He humbleth himself, the Scripture affures us, even to behold B 4

the

the Things that are in Heaven *. 'Tis a moft condefcending 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 Duft?-O! unparallel'd Hqnour! 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 Converfation, 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 folemn yearly Entrance † into the HOLY of HOLIES, and ftood before the immediate Prefence of JEHOVAH? No, truly. In fuch Circumstances, a thinking Perfon muft fhudder at the most remote Solicitation

any wilful Offence. I fhould now be fhocked at the leaft Indecency of Behaviour, and am apprehenfive of every Appearance of Evil. And why do we not carry this holy Jealousy into

Pfal. cxiii.

+ Hebr. ix. 7.

all

all our ordinary Life? Why do we not, in every Place, reverence our felves; 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 inftead of a thouSand Laws, to regulate our Conduct; instead of a thousand Motives, to quicken us in Holiness. Under the Influence of fuch a Conviction, we fhould ftudy to maintain a Purity of Intention; a Dignity of Action; and "to walk worthy of "HIM," who has called us to this most facred Union with his blessed Self.

THE next Thing, that engaged my Attention, was the Lettered Floor: The Pavement, fomewhat

πανίων δε μάλις' αισχυνει σ' αυτον, Was the favourite Maxim of Pythagoras, and fuppofed to be the best moral Precept, ever given to the heathen World. With what fuperior Force, and infinite Advantage, does the Argument take Place in the Chriftian Scheme! Where we are taught to regard ourselves, not merely as intellectual Beings, that have Reason for our Monitor; but as confecrated Creatures, who have a GoD of the most confummate Perfection ever with us, ever in us.

† 2 Cor. vi. 16.