7. Though Christ do familiarly communicate himself to all believers, so as to dwell in them by his gracious presence, yet not to all alike, but to some in a'larger measure and proportion than to others, as he worketh more or more effectually on them than he doth on others. We all receive of his fulness, John i. 16, but all according to our capa- city and degree of receptivity : Eph.- iv. 7, ' To every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ' All have the same saving graces for substance : 2 Peter i. 1, ' To them that have obtained like precious faith with us.' But for the degree, every one hath his peculiar measures, some are babes, some young men, and some fathers, 1 John ii. 13. Visible professors have common gifts, and there is variety ; but all real members have saving gifts in such a measure as Christ judgeth sufficient and most convenient. In the degrees there is much of his sovereignty seen, yea, and also of his justice sometimes, when, being provoked by sin and our unkind dealing, he doth withhold a great measure of that gracious influence which at other times he vouchsafeth more plentifully. There is an influence necessary to the
VeR. 24.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 223
well-being, and to the being of grace. First, Necessary to the well- being, flourishing, and vigorous acting of grace in the heart. So the spouse complainetli that her beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone, after she had been lazy and negligent, Cant. v. 6 ; yet some influ- ence of his grace still remained, for she opened to him, and he was gone. Secondly, There is an influence Avhicli is necessary to the being of grace, and without which grace would utterly die and perish. David telletli US that his feet were almost gone, and his steps had well-nigh slipped, Ps. Ixxiii. 2. But what kept him ? He telleth us that,ver. 23, ' Never- theless I am continually with thee ; thou hast holden me by thy right hand.' He was upon the brink of a precipice, ready to cast off or question a main article of faith or point of religion ; but God kept him, and powerfully sustained and supported him from being overcome with that temptation. He doth not forsake us when many times we are ready to forsake him, but by his power doth secretly withhold us and keep us fast to himself. Nay, necessary vital grace may be greatly wounded and weakened, and heinous sins may make such fearful havoc in the soul, and God manifest his displeasure by withdrawing the Spirit in such a degi'ee, that they cannot tell whether they have any- thing of it or no : Ps. li. 11, 'Cast me not away from thy presence, neither take thy Holy Spirit from me.' They are not utterly cast off from God, nor bereft of saving grace, yet they have lost the sensible communion of the Spirit, both in a way of comfort and grace ; they see this is their desert, and that God is provoked ; and it is terrible to them to be excluded from the actual sense of God's favour, and therefore deprecate this as their saddest loss.
8. The general rule is, that the strictly obedient have a gi'eater degree of his indwelling presence than others have. In scripture sometimes God is said to dwell with the contrite : Isa. Ivii. 15, ' I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also tliat is of a contrite and humble spirit.' He dwelleth in the highest heaven, and he dwelleth in the humblest heart ; they most need him ; and he hath work there to do, to comfort them in their serious remorse for sin. Sometimes with the trusting soul : Ps. xci. 1, ' He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' He that dwells in God shall dwell in God ; i.e., he that adhereth to God, and expecteth his safety from God's protection, shall not miss of what he seeketh : God will be with him, as he is always with God. But these are but branches of holiness and obedience ; generally the privilege is restrained to the pure and holy : ' With the pure thou wilt show thy- self pure.' He that keepeth himself pure from sin, God will not leave any degi'ee of godliness in him unrewarded ; and this is one of his rewards, to vouchsafe them his gracious presence and influence ; they have not only his sanctifying, but his comforting presence. His sanc- tifying presence, for as he doth punish sin with sin, so he doth reward grace with grace, with a further increase of what they seek after. His comforting presence: John xv. 11, ' These things have I spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and your joy may be full.' What things were those ? concerning abiding in him, in faith and love, and fruitfulness in obedience ; he speaketh of his joy and their joy ; he causeth it, they felt it, or the comfort they had in his bodily
224 ' SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XXXL