An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

Secondly, No man ought to look upon himself as his own; So the Apostle argues (1 Cor: 6.19.) Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own; No man is his own, he is Gods, who hath made him. Saints and believers especially are not their own in that respect; as also because their bodies are the temple of the holy Ghost; that is, the holy Ghost hath sanctified them for himself, for his peculiar service, and for his habitation. Now as the bodies of Saints are the temple of the holy Ghost, because he doth sanctify them; so they are the temple of the holy Ghost, because he hath reared them up, and built them. That consideration should urge us to duty; our bodies are temples built, as well as temples sanctified by the holy Ghost; And therefore we are not our own at all, nor in any respect; and if we are not our own at all, but the Lords, then we ought to be always for the Lord.

Secondly, No man ought to looke upon himselfe as his owne; So the Apostle argues (1 Cor: 6.19.) Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your owne; No man is his owne, he is Gods, who hath made him. Saints and believers especially are not their own in that repsect; as also because their bodies are the temple of the holy Ghost; that is, the holy Ghost hath sanctified them for himselfe, for his peculiar service, and for his habitation. Now as the bodyes of Saints are the temple of the holy Ghost, because he doth sanctifie them; so they are the temple of the holy Ghost, because he hath reared them up, and built them. That consideration should urge us to duty; our bodies are temples built, as well as temples sanctified by the holy Ghost; And therefore we are not our owne at all, nor in any respect; and if we are not our owne at all, but the Lords, then we ought to be alwayes for the Lord.

Hence, Thirdly, Hath the Spirit of God made us? (as Elihu saith) then let the Spirit use us; how sad is it, that when the Spirit of God hath made our bodies and souls, we should let the wicked spirit use either (as he doth both the bodies and souls of carnal men) to his base services. The evil spirit did neither make your bodies nor your souls, why should he have the command of either? Therefore as your members have been weapons of unrighteousness to sin, so let them be instruments of righteousness unto God. Seeing the holy Spirit hath made us, let not the evil spirit use so much as a little finger of us; for, he hath not made not only so much as a little finger of our hand, but so much as the least hair of our heads (as Christ saith we our selves cannot, Math: 5.36.) white or black. And therefore let not the evil spirit make use of one hair of our heads white or black, as a flag of pride and vanity, or to be an occasion of sin to others. He that maketh the house ought to have the possession and service of it, either to dwell in it himself, or to receive rent and profit from him that dwells in it. The spirit having made us, should not only have the rent and revenue, but the full possession of us for ever. That which is of God should be for God, for him always, and only for him.