Book II. G 0 D A H A B I T A T i: 0 N. ME T A PH 0 R. D I S P A R I T Y. and is compofed of perilhing Maxxi. 33· If our earthl:y Houfe of this 'I'abemacle terials. were diffolved, we have aBuilding of God, an Houfe not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens, 2 Cor. Ii. Habitations here below ferve only to accommodate the Body; the rich Man in the Gofpel that fared fump tuoufly every Day, Luke xvi. 9· had no Habitation for his Soul but Hell, Verfe 23. v. 1.· 11. But God is a JPiritua! Habitation, and ac– commodates the Soul, or inward Man, with what– foever conduces to l1is eternal Happinefs: he pro– vided a Seat in Abraham's llofom for poor Lazarus, &c. Luke xvi; 22. and will receive his Saints into himfelf, where they fhall dwell for ever. Ill. A Habitation may be overIll. But God the heavenly Habitation is fubjeCl: thrown by an Earthquake, blown to none of thefe Accidents, can receive no hurt, down by a Storm, demolifhed by and is everlafting-Yglerday, 'I'o-day, and for ever an Enemy, confumed by Fire, or the fame, never to be antiquated, and needs no Repathe Decays of Time, &c. ration, &c. IV. A Houfe may fecure from IV. But God is a Shelter from all Kind of fpiJome, but not all Dangers; for ritual Danger; he dwells fafely that d\vells in Thieves may rob us of our Treahim: Thou jhalt >zot be afraid for the Terror by fure, or an Enemy (if ftronger) Night, nor for the Arrow that flieth by Day, nor may d1fpoJfefs us, and ftnp us of f or the Pglilence that walketh in Darknejs, nor for that, and all our Eftate. the Difrruflion, &c. becaufe thou haft made the Lord which is my Refuge, even the moft High, thy Habita– tion, there jhall no Evil befall thee, neither jhall any Plague come nigh thy Dwelling, &c. Pfal. xci. 5, 6, 9, 10. Here no Thief can break through, nor Moth corrupt, nor can the PoJfeflor be turned out by all the Enemies in the World, Matt. vi. 19, 20. V. A Habitation, in its CircumV. God cannot be circumfcribed by any Limits, ference and Dimenjions, is limited, but is infinitely capacious and receptive of all, that and may be eafily filled, neither is through Chrift come to him; and fo abfolutely any fo compleat, but may admit of pertect, as that he needs no Addition, Alteration, further Improvement or P erfeElion. or Diminution, C 0 R 0 L L A R E S. I. FROM the foregoing Particular~ wemay infer the Necejfzty of Self-examination, viz, wheth~r we have any Interglm thiS heavenly Hab1tat10n; 10 order t9 which, the Particulars following are prefented as the proper Notes arid Marks of a Dweller in God. ( >.) Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in tls, becaufe he bath given us of his Spirit, I John iv. 13. which makes Men andWomen heavenl:y, and .JPiritual, :md fo; fit Inhabitants to dwell there. · ( 2.) If we dwelt in Love to God, 1 John lv. I6. Deut. J<i. r. then we dwell in God; for to love him is ro keep his Commandments: This Love mull: be with all our Hearts, and to him above all others, for he will have no Competitor. . (3.) lfwe love one another, God dwelleth in us, I John iv. 12. and his Love is perfetl:ed in us; if brotherly Love continues among us each to other, it is a very cer• tain Mark that we dwell in this Habitation. (4.'1 Sincere Confellion, and found Belief that J efus is the Chrift, or the Anointed of God, argues a Child ofGod, 1 John v. 1. to fuch this Habitation is open-We mull: beleive that he is our Savior, and our Sovereign, a Prieft to atone, a Prince to rule, and a Prophet to teach us. I John iv. I 5· Whofoever jha!lconfefs that Jefus is the Son ofGod, dwelleth in God, &c. . (5.) A Life of Divine Communion and Contemplation is an evident Sign of dwelling m God; fuch are with him in the Mount, and partake of his Blellings, &c. (6.) A ferious Return from wandering, and a hearty Renunciation of all refting Places fhort of this, denotes an Intereft in this Habitation. II. From hence we may infer the abfolute Nectllity of a diligent Inquifition, how we may obtairt this etemal Ha~itation for our hheritance, confidering how many Beafts of Prey are watching to devour us, and the impending Storms that threaten us, in fuch a Day as this is. 3 p 3· We
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=