The Living Temple

Classic Christian work

The Living Temple

by John Howe

Exploring the magnificent truth that the human soul is God's temple (1 Corinthians 3:16–17), John Howe builds a sustained argument for God's existence, attributes, and indwelling presence. Against atheism and rationalist skepticism, Howe demonstrates that reason itself points to a necessary, eternal Being who made the soul for communion with himself. Moving from philosophical proofs to devotional application, he shows how sin desolates this living temple and how divine grace alone can restore it as a dwelling fit for the Holy Spirit — a masterwork of Puritan philosophy and piety.
Chapters
6
Word count
72,706
Type
Treatise
Start reading →

Table of contents

  1. 01 Part 1: Of the Living Temple in General 3,854 words
  2. 02 Chapter 2: The Existence of God and His Conversableness with Men 6,294 words
  3. 03 Chapter 3: The Wisdom of God Proven from Creation 23,624 words
  4. 04 Chapter 4: The Absolute Perfection and Infinity of God 11,202 words
  5. 05 Chapter 5: Objections Considered Regarding the Knowledge of God 11,902 words
  6. 06 Chapter 6: God's Conversableness with Men 15,615 words
Front matter (2 sections)

Title Page

The Living Temple, or, A Designed Improvement of that Notion, That a Good Man Is the Temple of God.

By John Howe, Master of Arts, Sometime Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford.

London: Printed for John Starkey at the Miter in Fleetstreet, near Temple-Bar, 1675.

Dedication

this Discourse; that being the Atheism most in fashion.

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

And surely the [illegible] inscribed of old, as Plutarch tells us, on the Delphic Temple; signifying (as, after diverse other conjectures, he concludes it to do) 'You do 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. Therefore 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, Your Lordship's most humbly Devoted Servant John Howe.

Take it with you.

Get the app for offline reading, bookmarks, and progress sync.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play