his love is worth no more than his hatred; his zeal for this, or against that form of religion, has only the nature of any other worldly contention in it. And thus it is, and must be with every mere natural man, whatever appearances he may put on, he may, if he pleases, know himself to be the slave, and machine of his own corrupt tempers and inclinations; to be enlightened, inspired, quickened and animated by self-love, self-esteem, and self-seeking, which is the only life, and spirit of the mere natural man, whether he be Heathen, Jew or Christian. On the other hand, wherever this seed is suffered to take root in the soul, there the man is justly said to be inspired, enlightened and moved by the Spirit of God, and all that is in him hath the nature, spirit, and tempers of heaven in it. As this life grows up in any man, so there grows up a true knowledge of the whole mystery of godliness. All that the gospel teaches of sin and grace, of the new and old man, of the light and Spirit of God, are things not got by hearsay, but inwardly known, felt and experienced. He has then an unction from above which teacheth him all things, a spirit that _knoweth what it ought to pray for_, a spirit that _prays without ceasing_, that is risen with Christ from the dead, and has all its conversation in heaven, a spirit that hath _groans and sighs that cannot be uttered_, that travaileth and groaneth with the whole creation, to be delivered from vanity, and have its glorious liberty in that God, from whom it came forth. Again, _Thirdly_, this _pearl_ of eternity, is the _church_, or _temple_ of God _within thee_, where alone thou canst worship God in _spirit and in truth_. In _spirit_, because thy spirit is that alone which can unite to God, and receive the workings of his Spirit upon thee: in truth, because this adoration in spirit, is that truth and reality, of which all outward forms and rites, tho’ instituted by God, are only the figure for a time; but this worship is eternal. Accustom thyself to the holy service of this inward temple. In the midst of it is the fountain of living water, of which thou mayst drink and live for ever. There the birth, the life, the sufferings, the death, the resurrection and ascension of Christ, are not merely remembered, but inwardly found and enjoyed as the real states of thy soul, which has followed Christ in the regeneration. When once thou art well grounded in this inward worship; when God has all that he should have of thy heart, when renouncing thy natural will, judgment, tempers and inclinations, thou art wholly given up to the obedience of the light and Spirit of God, to will only in his will, to love only in his love, to be wise only in his wisdom, then it is, that every thing thou dost, is as a song of praise, and the common business of thy life is a conforming to God’s will on earth, as angels do in heaven.