rv1 S E R M 0 N on I. An Explication ofChris1's dwelling in 111, and of hn Vnion with ,., : whether b hn Perfon firft and umnedtately, o>· only by his Spirit, and Graces eff/- lJively. ' Iili~l explain this great Point, by way ofAnfwhs to fevefal Queries. 9gery. 1. How is it fo pwdi<lriy'attributed to Chrijl: that he dwells in 111, feeiug we jinatn Script11rcthat the other two Perjons dwell in us alfo? r. TheFatherdwc/lshz111: }ofm4. 12, 13. Ifwelove one another, Goddwel– /cth in m: And ~crebyJ~!lOW we, tbat we dwell in him, and he in 111, becaufe he hath gzven 111 of hu Spzrzt. \And, v. I 5· Whofoever foal/ confifs, that JeJ111 is the Son of God, God dwellet/J in bim, and he in God. Now it is evident, that it is God the Father fpoken of, for he !peaks of Him in the next words, v. 14. Who fent his -£on fob~ the Saviour of the World ; and he fpeaks of God, as dil1inC!: from Chrit1: Whofoever JbaU confifs, that Jefm is the Son of God, there is Chri11: God dwelleth in him; who ? the Father. My Brethren; Ly the way Tobferve, this feems to have been a Phrafe to ex– prcfs a Man to be a Chril1ian by, that God dwelt in him, and Chrift dw,/t ;,. him: Thus in the Primitive Language ; for you fee he brings S~~ns of it: Hereby we /,zzow that. !VC dwell in hint, and he itJ '"'; and fo again, in I 'john 3· 24. He tbat kgeps his Comma11dmcnts chvells in him, and be in hi11z: And hereby we k_now th,,t he abideth in tu, by the Spirit which he hathgiven tlif: So that he makes this to be the CharaCter of a Chril1ian, rhat he is one in whom God dwells, and Chrift dwells; and this to be the Sign of it, that he keepeth his Commandments, and hath hisSpirit in .him. The like L~nguage you have in 2 Cor. IJ. Know ye not that Chrift is in yo11, &c. This of the Father, that he dwells in us. But, 2. The Spirit dwells in us: Rom.8. I I. Hethat raifed up Jefm from the Dead, fba/1 alfo quickg11 your mortal 'Bodies [by his Spirit that dwelleth in pu. J Here is the Holy Ghol1 dwelling in us too. 3· You fee Jefus Cbril1 dwells in us too. That you have here in this place. s~ he prays, That Chrijl: may dwell ill your Hearts by Faith. So that all the three Per– fans dwell in you, that is the firl1 Animadverfion, which is introduCtory to others. that follow. f<!!ery 2. But then you will fay to me, (and it is the fecond ~ery for the ex– plication of the Text) Ho.v are theft diflintJ ? How is it that God the Father dwells in'"? And how is it that God the Soil dwe//J in 111? A11d how is it that God the Holy-Ghoft d.vclls in us ? Truly, Brethren, it is a very hard thing to dil1inguin1 it: Yet often you find tome eminent CharaCter, or other attributed to one Perfon by an Eminence which is proper to him, and not to another; whereby, there is Come diO:in– chon which arifeth unto us : Now take thiS of d.vellitrg in 111, and you fhall find that dil1ina:ion thus: I. God the Father is (aid to dwell in '" by Love: God the Fatlll!r cloth more eminently dwell in us by our apprehenfions of him in Love; both in his Love to tlS, and our loving ofhim: fo you will find it,in I John 4.I6. .A11dwe have !,z1orvn and have believed t1e Love that God bath to m : God is Love: aMd he that drvelleth in Love, d1vclletbin God, a11d God in hilil. Brethren, a Man that bath great appre– heni'iQlls, or any true apprehenfions ofthe Love ofGod to him, and his Heart is kept dwelling, and abiding on them, he cloth thereby dwell in God the Father. If you look w the whole Scripture, the eminent Property that is afcribed to the Father is Love : the Grace ofour Lord Jefm Chrift, and theLove ofGod the Father : though Chril1 Loves us too, yet 'tis the Father, his Love is the Original of all: the more you apprehend the Love ofthe Father, whether you do it in aifurance, ·or whether you do it in adoring that Love, and cleaving to that Love, and fol– lowing after that Love you apprehend in the Father : the more you do this, the more .4oth God the Father dwell in you: therefore the Apo(\\e prayeth, that Chrift
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