Page:The Christian Witness - Vol. 1 - 1834.pdf/28

20 God, and are συνεργοι Θεου. Thus whatever they ask is done, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. But the very foundation on which these promises rest, is broken up, and ifs consistency destroyed, by bonds of communion, not formed on the scope of the purposes of God in Christ. I say not indeed, that they may not find a feeble measure of spiritual food, which, though generally partial to its character, may be suited to strengthen their personal hope of eternal life. But the glory of the Lord is very near the believing soul, and in proportion as we seek it, will personal blessing be found. It puts me in mind indeed, (as all doubtless have some separate portion of the form of the Church) of those who parted the Saviour’s garments among them; while that inner vest, which could not be rended, which was inseparably one with its nature, was cast lots for whose it should be; but in the meanwhile, the name of Him, the presence of the power of whose life would unite them all in appropriate order, is left exposed and dishonoured. Indeed, I fear that these have fallen too much into the hands of those who care not for him, and that the Lord will never clothe Himself with them again, viewed in their present state. Indeed, it could not be when He appears in His glory. I say it not in presumption or dislike, for the reproach of it is a grievious burden, it is an humbling—most afflicting thought: but that second temple, which had been raised by the mercy of God after the long Babylonish captivity, we have learned to trust in too much as “the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these;” we have been haughty because of the Lord’s holy mountain; we have looked at it as adorned with goodly stones and gifts; and have ceased to look to the Lord of the temple, have ceased almost to walk by faith, or to have communion in the hope of the return of the messenger of the covenant, to be the glory of this latter house. The unclean spirit of idolatry may have been purged out, but the great question still remains, is there the effectual presence of the Spirit of the Lord, or is it merely empty, swept, and garnished? If we have been at all blessed, we are not disregarding Him from whom it came, by pride, and self-complacency, and seeking to turn it to our own, instead of going on to His glory. Let us then pass brethren beloved of the Lord—ye who love Him in sincerity, and would rejoice in His voice—to the practical exigency of our present