VeR. 24.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 221
minded his own disciples of the danger of apostasy, and the dreadful wrath following upon it, to make them afraid of defection ? For this is one means which God useth to contain and keep the elect within the bounds of their duty ; and therefore they must not be smoothed up with persuasions of their immutable standing, but be warned of the inseparable connection between apostasy from the known truth and way of godliness, and the dreadful wrath and displeasure of God on supposition they do so. Suppositiones nihil ponunt in esse. Such suppositions do not shake the foundation of God, but confirm our con- stant adherence to him.
4. It is an eximious and excellent privilege ; for here it is not pro- pounded by Avay of exhortation, but motive ; not enforced as a duty, but asserted as the reward of a duty, that if we be tender of breaking God's laws, he abideth in us and we in him : and so it is in other ])laces : John xiv. 23, ' If any one keep my commandments, my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him.' It is our great work to love God, and our great happiness to be beloved of him ; therefore the greatest expression of his love is to dwell in us, and fix his residence in our hearts. This Christ pro- miseth to his disciples, as knowing they will prize it, how contemptibly soever the world thinketh of it ; and we should also prize and value this above other favours. Take either part for our dwelling in God, to have a lodging in the heart of God, and then God in us ; he will dwell in us in these houses of clay before we come to dwell with him in his palace of glory. It is surely the greatest happiness that can befall man in this world, and accordingly it should be valued.
5. This strict union and conjunction is begun by the Spirit, but con- tinued by faith, love, and obedience. It is begun in us by his Spirit ; for Christ maketh his first entry into believers wholly by the Spirit : 1 Cor. vi. 17, ' He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.' As in the matrimonial bond, they who are joined together are one flesh, so in this mystical union one spirit ; not only to show its spiritual nature, ])ut its author. It is done by the Spirit uniting us to Christ, and by Christ to God : 1 Cor. xii. 13, ' We are by one spirit baptized into one body, and we are made to drink into one spirit.' Our first insition or implantation into Christ is represented by baptism, as our nutrition and growth by the Lord's supper ; and there it is said to be done by the Spirit; as bees first build their cells, and then dwell in them. But then it is continued by faith, love, and obedience : Eph. iii. 17, ' That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.' It is by his dwelling in us by his Spirit that we receive his influence and assistance ; and then it is manifest to us by love : 1 John iv. 16, ' We have known and believed the love which God hath to us. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in lym.' When the heart is moulded and framed to love God, upon the apprehension of his great and wonderful love in our redemption, God dwelleth in us and we in God. And John xv. 9, 10, 'As the Father hath loved me, so I have loved you ; continue ye in my love : if ye keep my commandments, ye shall al)i(le in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.' If they would maintain the exercise of their love to God^ and the sense of his love to them, they should obey liim.
222 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XXXI.
And then, for obedience, it is plainly asserted in the text; and again, 1 John i, 7, ' If ye walk in the light, as he is in the light, we liave fellowship one with another.' Surely the more we fulfil his will, the more God delighteth in us, and to communicate his grace to us ; our state of sin was a state of enmity to God, but the state of holiness and obedience to him is our state of conjunction and agreement with him, which is perfect when our holiness is perfect.
6. Tiie effect of this strict union, conjunction, and presence is spiri- tual influence, or the assistance of his Spirit, on Christ's part ; on our part, holiness and fruitful obedience. Hence we have his Spirit to guide us : Kora. viii. 14, ' As many as are led by the Spirit.' To quicken us, ' For the Spirit that dwelleth in us is life,' Kom. viii. 10. To strengthen us to perform duties': Eph. iii. 16, ' To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man ; ' Heb. xiii. 21, ' Working in us what is pleasing in his sight,' and helping us to fulfil his will. For bearing of burdens : Phil. iv. 16, ' I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me.' So that they are continually acted, excited, and strengthened by God. On our part tlie effect is holiness and fruitful obedience ; before we made it a means of this conjunction, now we make it the fruit and effect of it, for it is both. It is enforced by two arguments : John xv. 4, 5, ' Abide in me and I in you : as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can you except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches : he that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing.' Where there are two things asserted — First, That without his dwelling in us, and we in him, we can be no more fruitful than a branch which is broken off from the vine ; no communion, no fruitfulness : he cannot do anything acceptable to God ; not only nihil magnum, no great thing, but nihil prorsum, nothing at all. As we cannot do the greatest and most difficult things, so not the least thing, if broken off from Christ. Secondly, That if we still dwell and abide in him, we shall abound in fruit ; he is able and willing to supply all our wants, and make us ready for every good woik.