case of their refusal: which punishment (as is testified by Julius Cæsar*) they accounted the most grievous imaginable. And it needs not be said in what part of the world the same engine hath had the same power with men, even since they obtained to be called Christian. Which, while it hath been of such force with them, who, notwithstanding, persisted in courses of the most profligate wickedness; whence could their religion, such as it was, proceed, save only from a dread of divine revenge? What else could it design (though that most vainly) but the averting it, without even altering their own vile course?

Now let this be the account and estimate of religion; only to propitiate the Deity towards flagitious men, still remaining so; and how monstrous a notion doth it give us of God, that he is one that by such things can ever be rendered favourable to such men! Let it not be so, (while you sever its true and proper end also,) how most despicably inept and foolish a thing doth it make religion! A compages and frame of merely scenical observances and actions, intended to no end at all.

In a word, their religion is nothing but foolery, which is not taken up and prosecuted with a sincere aim to the bettering their spirits; the making them holy, peaceful, meek, humble, merciful, studious of doing good, and the composing them into temples, some way meet for the residence of the blessed God; with design and expectation to have his intimate, vital presence, settled and made permanent there.

The materials and preparation of which temple are no where entirely contained and directed, but in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: as, hereafter, we may with divine assistance labour to evince. The greater is the ignominy done to the temple of God, and the Christian name, by only titular and nick-named Christianity. Will they pretend themselves the temple of God, partakers in the high privilege and dignity of the Emmanuel, (in whom most eminently the Deity inhabiteth,) who are discernibly, to all that know them, as great strangers to God, and of a temper of spirit as disagreeing to him, of as worldly spirits, as unmortified passions, as proud, wrathful, vain-glorious, envious, morose, merciless, disinclined to do good, as any other men? When God cleanses his house, and purges his floor, where will these be found?

And for this temple itself, it is a structure whereto there is a concurrence of truth and holiness; the former letting in (it were otherwise a darksome, disorderly, uncomfortable house) a vital, directive, formative light, to a heavenly, calm, God-like frame of spirit, composed and made up of the latter.

It is this temple, my Lord, which I would invite you both to continue your respect unto in others, and, more and more, to prepare and beautify in yourself.

You will find little, in this part, offered to your view, more than only its vestibulum, or rather a very plain (if not rude) frontispiece; with the more principal pillars that must support the whole frame. Nor, whereas (by way of introduction to the discourse of this temple, and as most fundamental to the being of it) the existence of the great Inhabitant is so largely insisted on, that I think that altogether a needless labour. Of all the sects and parties in the world, (though there are few that avow it, and fewer, if any, that are so, by any formed judgment, unshaken by a suspicion and dread of the contrary,) that of atheists we have reason enough to suppose the most numerous, as having diffused and spread itself through all the rest. And though, with the most, under disguise, yet uncovering, with too many, its ugly face: and scarce ever more than in our own days. Wherefore, though it hath never been in any age more strongly impugned; yet, because the opposition can never be too common, to so common an enemy, this additional endeavour may prove not wholly out of season. And the Epicurean atheist is chiefly designed against in this discourse; that being the atheism most in fashion.

Nor is any thing more pertinent to the design of the discourse intended concerning God's temple; which, importing worship to be done to him, requires, first, a belief that he is.

And surely the [E] inscribed of old, as Plutarch tells us, on the Delphic Temple; signifying, (as, after divers other conjectures, he concludes it to do,) Thou dost exist, is an inscription much more fitly set in view, at our entrance into the temple of the living God, whose name is, I AM.

Amidst the pleasant entertainments of which temple, (made more intimate to you than human discourse can make it,) may you spend many happy days in this world, as a preparative and introduction to a happier eternity in the other. Whereto he is under many and deep obligations, by any means, to contribute to his uttermost, who must (especially in the offices relating to this temple) profess himself,

My honoured Lord,

• Comment. lib. 4.

Your Lordship's most humble,
Devoted Servant,
JOHN HOWE.

THE

LIVING TEMPLE.

PART I.

CONCERNING GOD'S EXISTENCE, AND HIS CONVERSABLENESS WITH MAN.

CHAPTER I.

AUTHORITIES NEEDLESS. INSIGNIFICANT WITH THE ATHEISTICAL, WHO HAVE MADE IT MORE NECESSARY TO DEFEND RELIGION, AND A TEMPLE IN GENERAL, THAN THIS, OR THAT. BETTER DEFENDED AGAINST THEM BY PRACTICE AND USE, THAN ARGUMENT, WHEREOF THEY ARE INCAPABLE. OFTEN DISPUTES OF ITS PRINCIPLES NOT NECESSARY TO THE PRACTICE OF RELIGION. SOME CONSIDERATION OF THOSE SUPPOSED IN THE GENERAL NOTION OF A TEMPLE, PERTINENT (HOWEVER)

means, a neglected, forsaken thing; and is more decayed | debauch, presently to lay it fast again. So that the very by vacancy and disuse, than it could ever have been by principle fails in this sort of men, whereto, in reasoning, the most forcible battery; so as even to promise the rude we should appeal, and apply ourselves. And it were alassailant an easy victory. Who fears to insult over an most the same thing, to offer arguments to the senseless empty, dispirited, dead religion? which alive and shining images, or forsaken carcasses of men. It belongs to the in its native glory, (as that temple doth, which is compacted grandeur of religion to neglect the impotent assaults of of lively stones united to the living corner stone,) bears these men: as it is a piece of glory, and bespeaks a worthy with it a magnificence and state that would check a profane person's right understanding, and just value of himself, to look, and dazzle the presumptuous eye that durst venture disdain the combat with an incompetent or a foiled enemy. to glance at it obliquely, or with disrespect. The temple It is becoming and seemly, that the grand, ancient, and of the living God, manifestly animated by his vital presence, received truth, which tends to, and is the reason of, the would not only dismay opposition, but command veneration godly life, do sometimes keep state; and no more descend also; and be both its own ornament and defence. Nor to perpetual, repeated janglings with every scurrilous and can it be destitute of that presence, if we ourselves render impertinent trifler, than a great and redoubted prince would it not inhospitable, and make not its proper inhabitant be- think it fit to dispute the rights of his crown with a come a stranger at home. If we preserve in ourselves a drunken, distracted fool, or a madman. capacity of the divine presence, and keep the temple of God in a posture fit to receive him, he would then no more forsake it, than the soul a sound and healthy body, not violated in any vital part. But if he forsake it once, it then becomes an exposed and despised thing. And as the most impotent, inconsiderable enemy can securely trample on the dead body of the greatest hero, that alive carried awfulness and terror in his looks; so is the weakspirited atheist become as bold now, as he was willing before, to make rude attempts upon the temple of God, when He hath been provoked to leave it, who is its life, strength, and glory.

III. Therefore as they who will not be treacherous to the interest of God and man, must own an obligation and necessity to apply themselves to the serious endeavour of restoring the life and honour of religion; so will the case itself be found to point out to us the proper course in order hereto. That is, that it must rather be endeavoured by practice, than by disputation; by contending, every one with himself, to excite the love of God in his own breast, rather than with the profane adversary to kindle his anger, more aiming to foment and cherish the domestic, continual fire of God's temple and altar, than transmit a flame into the enemies' camp. For what can this signify? And it seldom fails to be the event of disputing against prejudice, (especially of disputing for the sum of religion at once against the prepossession of a sensual profane temper, and a violent inclination and resolvedness to be wicked,) to beget more wrath than conviction, and sooner to incense the impatient wretch than enlighten him. And by how much the more cogent and enforcing reasonings are used, and the less is left the confounded, baffled creatures to say, on behalf of a cause so equally deplorate and vile; the more he finds himself concerned to fortify his obstinate will; and supply his want of reason with resolution; to find out the most expedite ways of diverting, from what he hath no mind to consider; to entertain himself with the most stupifying pleasures, (that must serve the same turn that opium is wont to do in the case of broken, unquiet sleep,) or whatsoever may most effectually serve to mortify any divine principle, and destroy all sense of God out of his soul.

And how grateful herein, and meritorious often, are the assistant railleries of servile, and it may be mercenary, wits! How highly shall he oblige them, that can furnish out a libel against religion, and help them with more artificial spite to blaspheme what they cannot disprove! And now shall the scurrilous pasquil and a few bottles, work a more effectual confutation of religion, than all the reason and argument in the world shall be able to countervail. This proves too often the unhappy issue of misapplying what is most excellent in its own kind and place, to improper and incapable subjects.

IV. And who sees not this to be the case with the modern atheist, who hath been pursued with that strength and vigour of argument, even in our own days, that would have baffled persons of any other temper than their own, into shame and silence? And so as no other support hath been left to irreligion, than a senseless stupidity, an obstinate resolvedness not to consider, a faculty to stifle an argument with a jest, to charm their reason by sensual softnesses into a dead sleep; with a strict and circumspect care that it may never awake into any exercise above the condition of dozed and half-witted persons; or if it do, by the next

Men of atheistical persuasions having abandoned their reason, need what will more powerfully strike their sensestorms and whirlwinds, flames and thunderbolts; things not so apt immediately to work upon their understanding, as their fear, and that will astonish, that they may convince, that the great God makes himself known by the judgments which he executes. Stripes are for the back of fools (as they are justly styled, that say in their hearts, There is no God.) But if it may be hoped any gentler method may prove effectual with any of them, we are rather to expect the good effect from the steady, uniform course of their actions and conversation, who profess reverence and devotedness to an eternal Being; and the correspondence of their way, to their avowed principle, that acts them on agreeably to itself, and may also incur the sense of the beholder, and gradually invite and draw his observation; than from the most severe and necessitating argumentation that exacts a sudden assent.

V. At least, in a matter of so clear and commanding evidence, reasoning many times looks like trifling; and out of a hearty concernedness and jealousy for the honour of religion, one would rather it should march on with an heroical neglect of bold and malapert cavillers, and only demonstrate and recommend itself by its own vigorous, comely, coherent course, than make itself cheap by discussing at every turn its principles: as that philosopher who thought it the fittest way to confute the sophisms against motion, only by walking..

But we have nothing so considerable objected against practical religion, as well to deserve the name of a sophism ; at least, no sophism so perplexing in the case of religious, as of natural, motion; jeers and sarcasms are the most weighty, convincing arguments; and let the deplorate crew mock on. There are those in the world, that will think they have, however, reason enough to persist in the way of godliness; and that have already laid the foundation of that reverence which they bear to a Deity, more strongly than to be shaken and beaten off from it by a jest; and therefore will not think it necessary to have the principles of their religion vindicated afresh, every time they are called to the practice of it. For surely they would be religious upon very uncertain terms, that will think themselves concerned to suspend or discontinue their course as oft as they are encountered in it with a wry mouth or a distorted look; or that are apt to be put out of conceit with their religion by the laughter of a fool; or by their cavils and taunts against the rules and principles of it, whom only their own sensual temper, and impatience of serious thoughts, have made willing to have them false. That any indeed should commence religious, and persist with blind zeal in this or that discriminating profession, without ever considering why they should do so, is unmanly and absurd; especially when a gross ignorance of the true reasons and grounds of religion shall be shadowed over with a pretended awe and scrupulousness to inquire about things so sacred. And an inquisitive temper shall have an ill character put upon it, as if rational and profane were words of the same signification. Or, as if reason and judgment were utterly execrated, and an unaccountable, enthusiastic fury, baptized and hallowed, the only principle of religion. But when the matter hath undergone already a severe inquisition, and been searched to the bottom; principles have been examined; the strength and firmness hath been tried of its deepest and

most fundamental grounds, and an approving judgment | Yea, and may have laid this for one of its main grounds, been past in the case, and a resolution thereupon taken up, of a suitable and correspondent practice; after all this, it were a vain and unwarrantable curiosity, to be perpetually perplexing one's easy path with new and suspicious researches into the most acknowledged things. Nor were this course a little prejudicial to the design and end of religion, (if we will allow it any at all,) the refining of our minds, and the fitting us for a happy eternity. For when shall that building be finished, the foundations whereof must be every day torn up anew, upon pretence of further caution, and for more diligent search? Or when will he reach his journey's end, that is continually vexed (and often occasioned to go back from whence he came) by causeless anxieties about his way; and whether ever he began a right course, yea or no?

Many go securely on in a course most ignominiously wicked and vile, without ever debating the matter with themselves, or inquiring if there be any rational principle to justify or bear them out. Much more may they, with a cheerful confidence, persist in their well-chosen way, that have once settled their resolutions about it upon firm and assured grounds and principles, without running over the same course of reasonings with themselves in reference to each single, devotional act; or thinking it necessary every time they are to pray, to have it proved to them, there is a God. And because yet many of these do need excitation; and though they are not destitute of pious sentiments and inclinations, and have somewhat in them of the ancient foundations and frame of a temple, have yet, by neglect, suffered it to grow into decay. It is therefore the principal intendment of this discourse, not to assert the principles of religion against those with whom they have no place, but to propound what may some way tend to reinforce and strengthen them, where they visibly languish; and awaken such as profess a devotedness to God, to the speedy and vigorous endeavour of repairing the ruins of his temple in their own breasts; that they may thence hold forth a visible representation of an indwelling Deity, in effects and actions of life worthy of such a presence, and render his enshrined glory transparent to the view and conviction of the irreligious and profane. Which hath more of hope in it, and is likely to be to better purpose, than disputing with them that more know how to jest, than reason; and better understand the relishes of meat and drink, than the strength of an argument.

VI. But though it would be both an ungrateful and insignificant labour, and as talking to the wind, to discourse of religion with persons that have abjured all seriousness, and that cannot endure to think; and would be like fighting with a storm, to contend against the blasphemy and outrage of insolent mockers at whatever is sacred and divine; and were too much a debasing of religion, to retort sarcasms with men not capable of being talked with in any other than such (that is, their own) language: yet it wants

that no exercise of reason may have any place about it. Or perhaps having never tried, they apprehend a greater difficulty in coming to a clear and certain resolution herein, than indeed there is. Now such need to be excited to set their own thoughts a-work this way, and to be assisted herein. They should therefore consider who gave them the understandings which they fear to use. And can they use them to better purpose, or with more gratitude to him who made them intelligent, and not brute creatures, than in labouring to know, that they may also by a reasonable service worship and adore their Maker? Are they not to use their very senses about the matters of religion? For the invisible things of God, even his eternal power and godhead, are clearly seen, &c. And their faith comes by hearing. But what? are these more sacred and divine, and more akin to religion, than their reason and judgment, without which also their sense can be of no use to them herein? Or is it the best way of making use of what God has revealed of himself, by whatsoever means, not to understand what he hath revealed? It is most true indeed, that when we once come clearly to be informed that God hath revealed this or that thing, we are then readily to subject (and not oppose) our feeble reasonings to his plain revelation. And it were a most insolent and uncreaturely arrogance, to contend or not yield him the cause, though things have to us seemed otherwise. But it were as inexcusable negligence, not to make use of our understandings to the best advantage; that we may both know that such a revelation is divine, and what it signifies, after we know whence it is. And any one that considers, will soon see it were very unseasonable, at least, to allege the written, divine revelation, as the ground of his religion, till he have gone lower, and fore-known some things (by and by to be insisted on) as preparatory and fundamental to the knowledge of this.

And because it is obvious to suppose how great an increase of strength and vigour pious minds may receive hence, how much it may animate them to the service of the temple and contribute to their more cheerful progress in a religious course; it will therefore not be besides our present purpose, but very pursuant to it, to consider awhile, not in the contentious way of brawling and captious disputation, (the noise whereof is as unsuitable to the temple, as that of axes and hammers,) but of calm and sober discourse, the more principal and lowermost grounds upon which the frame of religion rests, and to the supposal whereof, the notion and use of any such thing as a temple in the world, do owe themselves."

CHAPTER II.

neither its use nor pleasure, to the most composed minds, The two more principal grounds which a temple supposes. 1. The existence

and that are most exempt from wavering herein, to view the frame of their religion, as it aptly and even naturally rises and grows up from its very foundations; and to contemplate its first principles, which they may in the mean time find no present cause or inclination to dispute. They will know how to consider its most fundamental grounds, not with doubt or suspicion, but with admiration and delight; and can with a calm and silent pleasure enjoy the repose and rest of a quiet and well-assured mind, rejoicing and contented to know to themselves, (when others refuse to partake with them in this joy,) and feel all firm and stable under them, whereupon either the practice or the hopes of their religion do depend.

And there may be also many others of good and pious inclinations, that have never yet applied themselves to consider the principal and most fundamental grounds of religion, so as to be able to give or discern any tolerable reason of them. For either the sluggishness of their own temper may have indisposed them to any more painful and laborious exercise of their minds, and made them to be content with the easier course of taking every thing upon trust, and imitating the example of others; or they have been unhappily misinformed, that it consists not with the reverence due to religion, to search into the grounds of it.

of God. 2. His conversableness with men both argued from common consent. The former doubtful if ever wholly denied in former days. The latter also implied in the known general practice of some or other religion. Evidenced in that some, no strangers to the world, have thought it the difference of man. The immodesty and rashness of the persons from whom any opposition can be expected. These two grounds proposed to be more strictly considered apart. And, first. The existence of God, where first the notion of God is assigned. The parts whereof are proposed to be evinced severally of some existent being. 1. Eternity. 2. Self-origination. 3. Independency. 4. Necessity of existence. 5. Self-activity. (The impos sibility this world should be this necessary self-active being. The inconsist ency of necessary alterable matter, more largely deduced in a marginal digression.) 6. Life. 7. Vast and mighty power. A corollary.

1. Now the grounds more necessary to be laid down, and which are supposed in the most general notion of a temple, are especially these two? The existence of God, and his conversableness with men. For no notion of a temple can more easily occur to any one's thoughts, or is more agreeable to common acceptation, than that it is a habitation wherein God is pleased to dwell among men.

Therefore to the designation and use of it, or (which is all one) to the intention and exercise of religion, the belief or persuasion is necessary of those two things, (the same which we find made necessary on the same account,) "That God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him;" Heb. xi. G. as will appear when the

manner and design of that his abode with men shall be considered.

These are the grounds upon which the sacred frame of a temple ought to stand, and without which it must be acknowledged an unsupported, airy fabric. And since it were vain to discourse what a temple is, or whereto the notion of it may be applied, unless it be well resolved that there is, or ought to be, any such thing; the strength and firmness of this its double ground should be tried and searched, and of its pretensions thereto.

II. And though it be not necessary in a matter that is so plain, and wherein so much is to be said otherwise; yet it will not be impertinent to consider, first, what prescription (which in clearing of titles is not wont to signify nothing) will signify in the present case. And,

| own eyes and ears deceive them, and who are maimed in their very soul, an irrational and steril sort, as monstrous creatures, as a lion without courage, an ox without horns, or a bird without wings; yet, out of those, you shall understand somewhat of God; for they know and confess him, whether they will or no.'

III. Yea, and the use of a temple, and the exercise of religion, (which suppose the second ground also, as well as the first,) have been so very common, (though not altogether equally common with the former,) that it is the observation of that famed moralist, "That if one travel the world, it is possible to find cities without walls, without letters, without kings, without wealth, without coin, without schools and theatres. But a city without a temple, or that useth no worship, prayers, &c. no one ever saw." And he believes a city may more easily be built without a foundation, or ground to set it on, than any community of men have or keep a consistency without religion.

First, For the existence of God, we need not labour much to show how constantly and generally it hath been acknowledged through the whole world; it being so difficult to produce an uncontroverted instance, of any that ever denied it in more ancient times. For as for them IV. And it is no mean argument of the commonness whose names have been infamous amongst men here- of religion, that there have been some in the world, and tofore upon that account, there hath been that said, that at those no idiots neither, that have accounted it the most least wants not probability for the clearing them of so foul constituent and distinguishing thing in human nature. So an imputation. That is, that they were maliciously re- that Platonic Jewa judgeth invocation "of God, with hope presented as having denied the existence of a Deity, be- towards him, to be, if we will speak the truth, the only cause they impugned and derided the vulgar conceits and genuine property of man, and saith that only he who is poetical fictions of those days, concerning the multitude acted by such a hope, is a man, and he that is destitute of and the ridiculous attributes of their imaginary deities. this hope, is no man;" preferring this account to the Of which sort Cicerob mentions not a few; their being common definition, (which he says is only of the concrete inflamed with anger, and mad with lust; their wars, fights, of man,) that he is a reasonable, and mortal, living creawounds; their hatreds, discords; their births and deaths, ture. And yet he extends not reason further, that is, to &c.: who though he speak less favourably of some of these the inferior creatures; for he had expressly said above, men, and mentions onec as doubting whether there were "That they who have no hope towards God, have no part any gods or no, (for which cause his book in the beginning or share in the rational nature." And a noble person of whereof he had intimated that doubt, (as Cotta is brought our own says, "That upon accurate search, religion and in, informing us,) was publicly burnt at Athens, and him- faith appear the only ultimate differences of man; whereof self banished his country,) and two othersd as expressly neither divine perfection is capable, nor brutal imperfecdenying them; yet the more generally decried patrone of tion;" reason, in his account, descending low among the atheism (as he has been accounted) he makes Velleius inferior creatures. But these agreeing more peculiarly to highly vindicate from this imputation, and say of him, man, and so universally, that he affirms, "There is no man that he was the first that took notice that even nature itself well and entirely in his wits, that doth not worship some had impressed the notion of God upon the minds of all deity." Who therefore accounted it a less absurdity to men who also gives us these as his words; "What admit such a thing as a rational beast, than an irreligious nation is there or sort of men that hath not, without teach- man. Now if these have taken notice of any instances ing, a certain anticipation of the gods, which he calls a that seemed to claim an exemption from this notion of prolepsis, a certain preventive, or fore-conceived informa- man, they have rather thought fit to let them pass as an tion of a thing in the mind, without which nothing can be anomalous sort of creatures, reducible to no certain rank understood, or sought, or disputed of?" Unto which pur- or order in the creation, than that any should be admitted pose the same authorf (as is commonly observed) else- into the account, or be acknowledged of the society of where speaks; that there is no nation so barbarous, no one men, that were found destitute of an inclination to worship of all men so savage, as that some apprehension of the the common Author of our beings. And according to gods hath not tinctured his mind; that many do think in- this opinion, by whatsoever steps any should advance deed corruptly of them, which is (saith he) the effect of in the denial of a Deity, they should proceed by the vicious custom; but all do believe there is a divine power same, to the abandoning their own humanity; and by and nature. Nor (as he there proceeds) hath men's talk-saying there is no God, should proclaim themselves no ing and agreeing together effected this. It is not an opinion settled in men's minds by public constitutions and sanctions; but in every matter the consent of all nations is to be reckoned a law of nature.

men.

However, it discovers (which is all that is at present intended by it) the commonness, not to say absolute universality, of religion, in the observation of these persons, whom we must suppose no strangers to the world, in their own and former times. And if it afford any less ground for such an observation in our present time, we only see that as the world grows older it grows worse, and sinks into a deeper oblivion of its original, as it recedes further from it.

And whatever the apprehensions of those few (and some others that are wont to be mentioned under the same vile character) were in this matter, yet so inconsiderable hath the dissent been, that as another most ingenious pagan authors writes, "In so great a contention and variety of opinions, (that is, concerning what God is,) herein you shall see the law and reason of every country to be And (notwithstanding) this so common a consent is yet harmonious and one; that there is one God, the King and not without its weight and significancy to our present purFather of all; that the many are but the servants andi pose; if we consider how impossible it is to give or ima-co-rulers unto God; that herein the Greek and the bar-gine any tolerable account of its original, if we do not barian say the same thing, the islander and the inhabitant of the continent, the wise and the foolish: go to the utmost bounds of the ocean, and you find God there. But if (says he) in all times, there have been two or three, an atheistical, vile, senseless sort of persons, whose

confess it natural, and refer it to that common Author of all nature whom we are inquiring about: of which so much is said by divers others," that nothing more needs here to be said about it.

V. And at least so much is gained by it to a temple,