Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 3.pdf/139

 covetousness, which is idolatry. , craft and Herodianism. In place, hatred and malice, and all uncharitableness, covered with a seeming robe of sanctity! In, a temporizing, double-dealing spirit, which aims to circumvent even the Supreme Himself! It is a horrible picture, this, of the human heart! of that heart, we repeat, which should be the temple of the Lord Jesus Christ. But why not clean it? Have we attempted it? We may answer, We have: but we find the work too great for our strength. That is the truth! It remains, then, only that we cheerfully suffer our Lord to purge His temple. We must pray for His aid; suffer Him to exercise the small cords of His Divine dispensations, and draw nearer to Him because He scourges us; and cooperating with Him, hating and removing sin. He will make our hearts His living temple, and bless us continually with His presence.

HE Lord is essential goodness and mercy; and if, in the letter of Scripture, he is sometimes described as angry, and inflicting punishment upon the wicked, this is written in such accommodated language as shall reach us in our low state and condition. He desires nothing so much as our happiness, and the dispensations of His providence are so exer-