The Twentieth Lord’s Day

20 The Twentieth Lord’s Day
1 Corinthians 6:19
What, do you not know that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God, and you are not your own?
In the words of the Text are contained a most powerful argument against Fornication and similar sins. It is taken from the contrary end, because the end of Christians’ bodies is quite opposite to this sin. And that end is declared from the subject that is possessed, and the possessor and indweller of that subject: the Holy Spirit. The subject is again explained by a Metaphor of a Temple, because our bodies are, as it were, houses consecrated to him. And that this argument may be made clearer and stronger, the Apostle adds that as the Holy Spirit is the possessor of this Temple or house, so he himself is also the indweller of it. And both these relations that we have to the Holy Spirit are illustrated from their efficient cause, namely, that they are of God; and from their consequent effect and adjunct, namely, faith and certain knowledge of these relations that exist between our bodies and the Holy Spirit, given in these words:
 Do you not know, etc.
Doctrine 1. The Holy Spirit is true and coeternal God with the Father, and eternal Son. The Text gives many reasons for this Doctrine.
Reason 1. Because to have one and the same spirit with God is the same as to be glued or joined to God, 1 Corinthians 6:17.1
Reason 2 . Because a Temple is not lawfully consecrated to anyone but to God; much less could it be lawful for a man, who stands in place of or as a Temple, to be consecrated to that which is not God. But here such a Temple which is most sacred, is said to be consecrated to the Holy Spirit.
Reason 3 . Because the Holy Spirit is said to be in us in such a way that we become his by right, and by duty; that is, we become God’s rightful possession, as the scope of the words clearly demonstrate.
Use 1. Of Information: for directing our faith rightly, not only to the Father and Son, but also to the Holy Spirit, as the same one and true God.
Use 2 . Of Admonition: that we diligently take heed to ourselves, so that we neither contemn nor neglect any holy thing that comes from or is breathed by the Holy Spirit — as the whole Scripture is said to have come from the inbreathing or inspiration of the Holy Spirit;2 and all the motions of godliness are only attributed to the Holy Spirit as their Author.3 Likewise, all the gifts of grace are bred in us from and by this Spirit of grace.4 We must therefore take heed in all these, so that we in no way resist the Holy Spirit, or knowingly and willingly sin against him.
Doctrine 2. The Holy Spirit himself is given to the faithful. This is apparent in the Text.
1 1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 
2 2 Timothy 3:16. 
3 Romans 8:10; Ephesians 5:9; Titus 3:5-6.
4 1 Corinthians 12:8-9; Hebrews 2:4.
Reason 1 . In that our bodies are called the Temple of the Holy Spirit. 
Reason 2. In that he is said to be in us.
Reason 3 . In that we are said to have him, or to get him from God. Now the Holy Spirit is said to be given to us when he has a singular relation to us, and that is for our good; that is, it is for our sanctification and the salvation of our souls. And moreover, it is because he powerfully works these things in us that are agreeable to his most holy nature, and which cannot in any way be derived to us from flesh and blood. And it is from this that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are called the Holy Spirit also, by that trope or borrowed kind of speech by which the cause is put for the effect, which Scholars call a Metonymy.1
Use 1 . Of Exhortation: to thanksgiving to God who gives so divine a gift; and also to religious prayers and calling upon God’s name, so that he would keep unto us, and more and more communicate to us this divine gift, Luke 11:13.2
Use 2 . Of Admonition: to take heed of all such things whereby the Holy Spirit is said either to be grieved, or extinguished; that is, from the grievousness of all such sin that fights against the holiness of this divine Spirit, so that he cannot delight to dwell in us, but wholly or in great measure withdraws himself from us.
Doctrine 3. The Holy Spirit is not communicated to our souls only, but to our bodies also. It is in the Text, when our bodies are also called the Temples of the Spirit. 
Reason 1. Because as Christ did not redeem our souls only, but the whole man, so also the Holy Spirit ought to bring into subjection and possession the whole man to God, and to Christ.
Reason 2 . Because many duties of a spiritual life must be performed by the body also; and therefore the body ought to be subject to the Holy Spirit, and as a vessel or instrument, be wholly in his power.
Reason 3. Because our bodies are made liable to sin, and by sin to death, from which we must be freed by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, Romans 8:11.3
Use 1 . Of Admonition: that we do not allow sin to reign in our natural bodies; that we do not offer our members as weapons of unrighteousness to sin, but as weapons of righteousness to God, Romans 6:12-23, Romans 7:1-25, Romans 8:1-39, Romans 9:1-33, Romans 10:1-21, Romans 11:1-36, Romans 12:1-21, Romans 13:1-4.
Use 2 . Of Exhortation: that we glorify God in our body, as it follows from the Text, 1 Corinthians 6:20.5 For we ought to have that care of our body which prepares it for spiritual things that are due to the Temple of God, as in the Text; and for an offering to be offered up in the Temple of God, Romans 12:1.1
1 Substituting the name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing itself (as in ‘they counted heads’) 2 Luke 11:13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! (that is, the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit). 3 Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
4 Romans 6:12-13 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
5 1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. 
Doctrine 4. The indwelling of this Spirit is a flat2 enemy to the reigning of sin in us. This is the consequence of the argument in the Text, namely, that the Temple of God cannot be prostituted to whoredom and other such sins, without Sacrilege.3
Reason 1 . Because there should be an agreement between the Temple, and the one whose temple it is, or to whom it is dedicated, as in 2 Corinthians 6:16 : what agreement does the Temple of God have with Idols? For by similar reasoning we may ask, what agreement does the temple of God have with reigning sin?
Reason 2 . Because the Holy Spirit dwells in believers, that he might impart holiness to them; and as his nature and name are, so also are his indwelling and operation as an enemy to all ungodliness.
Reason 3 . Because if the Kingdom of sin were to prevail in the Temple and dwelling of the Holy Spirit, this would turn to the disgrace and dishonour of the Holy Spirit himself. And this is indeed the thing that is done when some profane men blaspheme and mock the name of God and of the Holy Spirit, because of the unworthy carriage of those who profess to be led by this Holy Spirit.
Use 1. Of Reproof: against those who turn the Temple of the Holy Spirit into a Den of Thieves, or into a Cage of unclean birds.4
Use 2 . Of Admonition: that we give no place to sin either in our souls or bodies, but as far as possible, that we imitate Christ who, as written in Matthew 21:12, cast out of the Temple of God even buyers and sellers, and the tables of money changers; and in John 2:15, drove sheep and oxen out of the Temple with a whip.
Doctrine 5. All the faithful ought to have both faith and experience about this indwelling of the Holy Spirit in them. 
This is intimated in the these words: Do you not know brethren — that is, you should not be ignorant of this, but believe this, and know it from your own proper experience or feeling. Reason 1. Because this is among the greatest benefits that belong to our salvation.
Reason 2 . Because from this benefit depends the knowledge of all the rest that God has freely given to us, 1 Corinthians 2:12.5 So that the same may be said here, that is said about Christ in 2 Corinthians 13:5; Test yourselves. Do you not know that Christ is in you? etc. So it is here, Do you not know that the Holy Spirit is in you? etc.
Use 1. Of Direction: that we test ourselves in this point, and never rest — as if all were well with us — until to our comfort, we can perceive that the Holy Spirit dwells in us.
1 Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 Not modified or restricted by reservations.
3 Blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character. 
4 Leviticus 20:25.
5 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
Use 2 . Of Exhortation: that we study to have this knowledge lively and powerful in us, according to the intent of the Apostle here, who intimates to us that this knowledge, if it is such as it should be, is not consistent with whoredom or any such similar impurity of life.