all I, who am born of the Spirit; shall I, who am of God in
Christ, abase myself to such unworthy and base things? Shall I dishonour
my Father, and disgrace myself?

Then Christianity's chief residence, its royal seat, is in the spirit of a
man, and so he is one after the Spirit. Be ye "renewed in the spirit of
your mind," Eph. iv. 23. As it is of a high descent, so it must have the
highest and most honourable lodging in all the creation, that is, the
spirit of a man. Without this there is no room else fit for it, and
suitable to it, in this lower world. "My son, give me thine heart," saith
Wisdom, Prov. xxiii. 26. It cares for nothing besides, if it get not the
heart, the inmost cabinet of the imperial city of this isle of man, for
"out of it are the issues of life, that flow into all the members." Do not
think that grace will lodge one night in your outward man, that you can
put on Christianity upon your countenance or conversation without. Except
you admit it into your souls, it can have no suitable entertainment there
alone. It is of a spiritual nature, and it must have a spirit to abide in.
Every thing is best preserved and entertained by things suitable to its
nature, such do incorporate together, and imbosom one with another,
whereas things keep a greater distance with things different in nature. A
flame will die out among cold stones, without oily matter. This heavenly
fire that is descended into the world, can have nothing earthly to feed
upon. It must die out, except it get into the immortal spirit, and then
furnish, so to speak, perpetual nourishment to it, till at length all the
spirit be set on flame, and changed, as it were, into that heavenly
substance, to mount up above, from whence it came. Do not think, my
beloved, to superinduce true religion upon your outside, and within to be
as rotten sepulchres. You must either open your hearts to Christ, or else
he will not abide with you. Such a noble guest will not stay in the
suburbs of the city, if you take him not into the palace; and truly the
palace of our hearts is too unworthy for such a worthy guest, it hath been
so defiled by sin. How vile is it? But if you would let him enter, he
would wash it and cleanse it for himself.

Will you know then the character of a Christian? He is one much within. He
hath retired into his own spirit, to know how it goes with it; and he
finds all so disordered and confused, all so unsettled, that, he gets so
much business t