Part 1: Of the Living Temple in General

This notion common. 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. Of which 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) to this discourse.

It is so well known that this notion has long obtained in the world, that we need not quote sayings to vouch for it; with which not the sacred writings only, but others, even of pagans themselves, would plentifully furnish us.

But as authorities are, in a plain case, needless to unprejudiced minds; so will they be useless to the prejudiced, be the case never so plain. Nor is any prejudice deeper, or less vincible than that of profane minds against religion. With such, it would, in the present argument, signify little to tell them what has been said or thought before by any others. Not because it is their general course to be so very circumspect and wary, as never to approve or assent to anything, unless upon the clearest and most convincing demonstration: but from their peculiar dislike of those things only, that are of this special import and tendency. Discourse to them what you will of a temple, and it will be nauseous and unsavory: not as being cross to their reason (which they are as little curious to gratify as any other sort of men) but to their ill humor, and the disaffected temper of their mind; from where also (though they cannot soon or easily get that mastery over their understandings herein, yet because they would fain have it so) they do what they can to believe religion nothing else but the effect of timorous fancy, and a temple, consequently, one of the most idle impertinencies in the world.

To these, the discussion of the notion we have proposed to consider, will be thought a beating the air, an endeavor to give consistency to a shadow: and if their reason and power could as well serve their purpose as their anger and scorn, they would soon tear up the holy ground on which a temple is set, and wholly subvert the sacred frame.

I speak of such as deny the existence of the ever blessed Deity; or (if they are not arrived to that express and formed misbelief) whose hearts are inclined, and ready to determine, even against their misgiving and more suspicious minds, there is no God. Who, if they cannot as yet believe, do wish there were none: and so strongly as in a great degree to prepare them for that belief. That would fain banish him not only out of all their thoughts, but the world too. And to whom it is so far from being a grateful sound, that the tabernacle of God is with men on earth, that they grudge to allow him a place in heaven. At least if they are willing to admit the existence of any God at all, do say to him, Depart from us; and would have him so confined to heaven, that he and they may have nothing to do with one another. And do therefore rack their impious wits to serve their hypothesis either way; that under its protection they may securely indulge themselves in a course upon which they find the apprehension of a God interesting himself in human affairs, would have a very unfavorable and threatening aspect.

They are therefore constrained to take great pains with themselves, to discipline and chastise their minds and understandings to that tameness and patience, as contentedly to suffer the razing out of their most natural impressions and sentiments. And they reckon they have arrived to a very heroical perfection, when they can pass a scoff upon anything that carries the least signification with it of the fear of God; and can be able to laugh at the weak and squeamish folly of those softer and effeminate minds, that will trouble themselves with any thoughts or cares how to please and propitiate a Deity: and doubt not but they have made all safe, and effectually done their business when they have learned to put the ignominious titles of frenzy and folly upon devotion in whatever dress, or garb; to cry canting to any serious mention of the name of God, and break a bold adventurous jest upon any the most sacred mysteries, or decent and awful solemnities of religion.

These content not themselves to encounter this or that sect, but mankind; and reckon it too mean and inglorious an achievement to overturn one sort of temple or another; but would down with them all even to the ground.

And they are in reason and justice to pardon the emulation which they provoke of vying with them as to the universality of their design; and not regret it if they find there be any that think it their duty to wave a while serving the temple of this or that party, as less considerable, to defend that one wherein all men have a common interest and concern.

Since matters are brought to that exigency and hazard, that it seems less necessary to contend about this or that mode of Religion, as whether there ought to be any at all. What was said of a former age could never better agree to any than our own, that none was ever more fruitful of religions and barren of religion or true piety. It concerns us to consider whether the fertility of those many does not as well cause as accompany a barrenness in this one. And (since the iniquity of the world has made that too suitable, which were otherwise unseemly in itself, to speak of a temple as a fortified place, whose own sacredness ought ever to have been its sufficient fortification) it is time to be aware, lest our forgetful heat and zeal in the defense of this or that outwork, do expose (not to say betray) the main fortress to assault and danger. While it has long been by this means, a neglected forsaken thing; and is more decayed by vacancy and disuse, than it could ever have been by the most forcible battery; so as even to promise the rude assailant an easy victory. Who fears to insult over an empty dispirited dead religion! which alive and shining in its native glory (as that temple does which is compacted of lively stones united to the living corner stone) bears with it a magnificence and state that would check a profane look, and dazzle the presumptuous eye that dared venture to glance at it obliquely, or with disrespect. The temple of the living God, manifestly animated by his vital presence, would not only dismay opposition, but command veneration also: and be its own both ornament and defense. Nor can it be destitute of that presence, if we ourselves render it not inhospitable, and make not its proper inhabitant become a stranger at home. If we preserve in ourselves a 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 weak spirited atheist become as bold now as he was willing, before, to make rude attempts upon the temple of God, when He has been provoked to leave it, who is its life, strength, and glory.

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 endeavor of restoring the life and honor of religion. So will the case itself be sound to point out to us the proper course in order hereto. That is, that it must rather be endeavored 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 creature to say, on behalf of a cause so equally desperate 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 has 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 whatever 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.

And who sees not this to be the case with the modern atheist, who has been pursued with that strength and vigor 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 has 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 does, by the next debauch presently to lay it fast again. So that the very principle fails in this sort of men, to which in reasoning we should appeal and apply ourselves. And it were almost the same thing to offer arguments to the senseless images or forsaken carcasses of men. It belongs to the grandeur of religion to neglect the impotent assaults of these men: as it is a piece of glory, and bespeaks a worthy person's right understanding and just value of himself, to disdain the combat with an incompetent or a foiled enemy. It is becoming and seemly that the grand ancient and received truth which tends to, and is the reason of the godly life, do sometimes keep state; and no more descend to perpetual repeated janglings with every scurrilous and impertinent trifler, than a great and redoubted prince would think it fit to dispute the rights of his crown with a drunken distracted fool or a madman.

Men of atheistical persuasions having abandoned their reason, need what will more powerfully strike their sense: storms 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 make 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.

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 honor of religion, one would rather it should march on, with a 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 as 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 deplorable 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 often 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 has undergone already a severe inquisition, and been searched to the bottom; principles have been examined, the strength and firmness has been tried of its deepest and most fundamental grounds, and an approving judgment been passed 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 of which must be every day torn up anew, upon pretense 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 where he came) by causeless anxieties about his way; and whether he ever began a right course yes 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 endeavor of repairing the ruins of his temple in their own breasts. That they may from there 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 has 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.

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 neither its use nor pleasure, to the most composed minds, 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. 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, on which 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 be content with the easier course of taking every thing upon trust, and imitating the example of others; or they have been unhappily mis-informed that it consists not with the reverence due to religion to search into the grounds of it. Indeed they may have laid this for one of its main grounds 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, etc. 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 whatever means, not to understand what he has revealed? It is most true indeed, that when we once come clearly to be informed that God has 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 from where 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 foreknown 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 a while, 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.