Question But you will say How shall a Soul know whether it have been sufficiently convinced of Sin and humbled for it as it ought to be Because now here is the stumbling stone that some weak and tender hearts are ready to lay before their own faces I have not been so convinced and so humbled as others have been and therefore I question whether I have been truly convinced or humbled for Sin or no how shall I know whether I have been truly convinced of sin Answer The Truth is It is not possible to determine a particular degree of convincing of Sin for every particular person and therefore I shall give you this as a Rule to know when your convincing of Sin is sufficient namely then convincing of sin is sufficient when as a Soul is so convinced of sin as that now it is wholly taken off from all hopes of being saved by any thing in its self and it is made now to look towards Christ and the Righteousness of Christ though possibly in a weak manner yet notwithstanding it is taken off from looking to any thing in it self or hoping in any thing it self to help forward its own salvation it is cut off from that by being convinced of Sin now I cannot help my self I cannot save my self by all that ever I can do What shall I do as they in the Acts Chap. 2. Sirs What shall we do to be saved They were at their wits end they saw nothing that they could do could save their Souls And so the Jaylor Sirs what must I do to be saved This now is the first thing you see what we are to understand by this Conviction of sin When he is come he shall convince the World of sin 2. But to come to the second thing namely to shew you That convincing of Sin is a thing that is necessary in order to Conversion and Salvation That it is necessary doth plainly appear thus namely Why else is it made to be the work of the Spirit if convincing of sin be not necessary would the Spirit convince of sin Can we think or say that the Spirit would work or do any thing that is not necessary Again If so be that generally all that are converted and saved have found a work of conviction upon their hearts then certainly it is necessary in order to conversion and Salvation And again not to multiply things of this nature If this work of convincing of sin be not necessary To what end else serves the Law Saith the Apostle Rom. 7.7 What shall we say then Is the Law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the Law I had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet And at the 9th Verse I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good The Law saith he is good the Law is just and holy it is not in vain But Wherefore serves the Law It is to convince of sin Then conviction of sin is necessary and so the Apostle to the Galatians Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serves the Law There 's the Question It was added because of Transgressions till the Seed should come And then at the 24th Verse Wherefore the Law was a School-master to bring us to Christ to prepare us as it were to come to Christ Now therefore if the Law be necessary to discover sin then the discovery and convincing of sin is necessary But not to stand upon this Question The great Question is Vpon what account or in what regard is Convincing of sin necessary in order to Salvation This is a great Question Vpon what account is the conviction of sin necessary in order to the conversion and salvation of a sinner Answer I Answer briefly Vpon manifold accounts and regards I shall name some 1. Convincing of sin is necessary in order to salvation Because except a soul be convinced of sin it will hardly ever come to Christ And that is necessary for a Soul to come to Christ that is necessary for salvation Now a Soul that is not convinced of sin will hardly ever come to Christ he will make any shift in the world before he will come to Christ Luke 8.43.44 It is said of the Woman that had the Issue of Blood At last she came to Christ but mark she made all the shift she could before she would come she had it twelve years and she spent every penny she had she spent all her Living on Physitians to cure her distemper and when all was gone and there was no other way to help her then she came to Christ So till a Soul be convinced of sin it will never come to Christ this is the course of sinners until they be convinced of the necessity they will not come John 5.40 Saith Christ Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life No the soul will look to find the Life in its own hands by its own works and endeavours by its Prayers and Duties He will not come to Christ that he might have Life And therefore when Christ doth tender grace and mercy to sinners Alas they slight it and despise it because they have not been convinced You shall see there John 8.32 and so on Christ is directing of the Jews how they might be freed from sin how they might have their freedom Saith Christ If the Son therefore make you free you shall be free indeed Now mark What do they account of Christ's freedom or directions to come to him to be made free Verse 33. Say they We are Abrahams Seed and were never in Bondage to any man we are free enough they were never convinced of the bondage of sin therefore now the offer of Christ to free them is of no account with them The soul that is not convinced of sin cares not for Christs tenders and offers of Grace John 9.39 40. Christ is there directing the Jews to come to him to have their blind eyes opened they were spiritually blind and saith Christ For Judgment am I come into the World that they which see not might see and they which see might be made blind Well those Jews they were not convinced of their spiritual blindness and therefore they make a tush at it What Dost thou come to cure our blindness to make us see Are we blind also say they they scorned his words because they were not convinced of sin they cared not for coming to Christ for any grace or any mercy and therefore when Christ would have a Soul to come to him for any grace or mercy he takes this course with them namely first to convince them of their sinful estate Rev. 3.17 18 19 20. Christ doth counsel them there to come to him for Eye-salve that they might See and for Gold that they might be rich and for white Raiment that they might be clothed but now before Christ doth make
the Lord of Life and when they heard this then by the power of the Spirit that went along with Peter's Sermon 't is said they were pricked at the heart and cryed out Men and brethren what shall we do They saw now a need of Christ and were glad now to receive Christ and to believe in Christ Well for the prosecution of this point I shall desire briefly to speak to three things 1. Shew you That not Believing on Christ is a sin 2. That it is not only a sin not to believe in Christ but a great sin one of the greatest sins that a soul can be guilty of 3 That it is the work of the Spirit to convince a Soul of the sin of Unbelief 1. Then that Unbelief is a sin It is that which very few are sensible of they scarce look upon unbelief to be a sin they look upon believing rather as their presumption and for their not believing they look upon it rather as their duty as their humility Now I say Unbelief is a sin Such as do not believe on Christ they are guilty of sin But mark I do not say that every one that doth not believe on Christ is guilty of the sin of Unbelief No but Unbelief is a sin only to them that have the Gospel preached to them and Christ offered to them it is a sin to them not to believe on Christ 't is not a sin to others and though Heathens and Pagans shall be condemned and damned in their unbelief yet not for their not believing on Christ Saith Christ John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin that is they had not had the sin of Unbelief they had not been guilty of that sin but now they have no Cloak no excuse for their sin Look now as it is with those that have not the Law written as the Apostle speaks Rom. 2.12 14 15. They that sin without Law shall be judged without the Law They shall not be judged and condemned by the written Law but they shall be judged and condemned by the Law that is written in their hearts and consciences So now here those that never had the Gospel preached to them as a great many Nations in the World Pagans Heathens and Infidels and Indians they never had the Gospel preached to them Christ was never revealed to them the Name of Christ never sounded in their ears now they shall not be condemned for their not believing on Christ 't is not a sin to them And therefore some tell us there is a twofold Unbelief There is a Negative or Privative Unbelief that is the Unbelief of those that never had the means of Faith offered them and it is not a sin for them not to believe on Christ because they never heard of him But when there is a Positive Unbelief as they call it that is the Unbelief of such as live under the sound of the Gospel under the hearing of Christ Christ is preached to them and held forth to them and they are called upon to believe on Christ and yet they believe not this is a Positive unbelief and this unbelief is a sin And that it is a sin let me give you two or three Demonstrations 1. It appears to be a sin because it is the transgression of the Moral Law or the Law of the Ten Commandments Where there is no Law saith the Apostle there is no Transgression Sin is not imputed where there is no Law Rom. 5.13 But sin is a transgression of the Law and this sin of unbelief a transgression of the Moral Law of the first Commandment Objection How so you will say Was believing on Christ then commanded to Adam in the first Commandment Answer I Answer Yes Virtually The first Commandment you know was thus Thou shalt have no other gods before me That is thou shalt own the true God for thy God and no other Now how do we own God When we give him that worship that he requires of us now the first Commandment requires that we should worship God with a natural worship which is due to God from us as we are his Creatures that is comprized in the first Commandment You shall worship God as God worship him How Obey him fear him love him reverence him believe in him put trust and confidence in him The first Commandment requires that we should yield obedience to God in whatsoever is required of us Then this is virtually required in the first Commandment 'T is our duty by virtue of the first Commandment to believe in Christ Now if it be commanded in the Law then our unbelief is a sin because it is a transgression of the Law Objection But you will say a little for the clearing of this but this was inconsistent with the state of Innocency for Adam to believe on Christ as a Mediator as a Saviour to save him from sin because Adam was in a sinless condition he had no guilt upon him in his Innocency it was then inconsistent with Adams state to believe on Christ as a Mediator and Saviour then it seems Adam had no power to believe on Christ and if so then certainly not believing on Christ is not a transgression of the first Commandment Answer For Answer to it let me briefly clear this in two things 1. It is granted it is true that it was inconsistent with Adams state of Innocency to rely upon Christ and to believe on Christ as a Saviour to save him from sin for he had no sin he was Innocent therefore it was inconsistent with his state to believe on Christ as a Saviour yea it was inconsistent with the wisdom of God to require Adam to believe on Christ to command such a duty of Adam yet notwithstanding mark I pray Adam had a principle and a virtual power for to have believed on Christ if God had required it of him Though its true it was inconsistent with his state that God should require it of him yet Adam had this principle this virtual power put into him with his first Creation in the image of God He had this power put into him that he had a virtual power to obey God in every thing that he should require of him whatever God should reveal to be his will he had power to believe it and yield obedience to it Though it is true it was inconsistent with his State actually to believe yet he had a power to have believed on Christ if God had required it of him For Adam had a power to do that which was inconsistent with his state of innocency as for example Adam had a Principle and virtual Power to shew Mercy and Compassion to any that were in misery but that was inconsistent with his state for there was none in misery then There was no need of the Compassion of Adam yet Adam had a principle a virtual power to have done this so in this case though 't is true believing on Christ
greater concernment If I were immediately to go out of the World and were to preach my last Farewel Sermon I know not what Truth to commend to you of more concernment than this of the Righteousness which the Spirit doth convince the world of in order to their Salvation Now that I may open it to you if the Lord please and the Lord open our hearts that we may understand it I shall only speak to these three things 1. To shew you in the general what we are to understand by Righteousness 2. To shew you more particularly what this Righteousness is which is the work of the Spirit to convince us of And 3. Shew you How or in what way usually the Spirit doth convince a Soul of Righteousness or what work the Spirit doth in a Soul in order to the convincing it of Righteousness I shall bound my discourse in speaking to these three particulars if the Lord please 1. Then What are we to understand by Righteousness in the general for that will make way for our understanding what this Righteousness is In the general then Righteousness is nothing else but a perfect exact conformity to the Law of God or to the revealed Will of God an exact conformity to it both in Heart and Life That is Righteousness in the general I say a perfect conformity to the whole Will of God revealed not only in the outward conversation but in the inward frame of the Heart and Soul You know when Adam was at first created when he came immediately out of the hands of God he was made perfectly righteous God made Man upright that is Righteous Well wherein did that Righteousness of Adam consist What was the Righteousness that Adam was created in It is said He was made in the Image of God Now wherein did the Image of God in Adam lye What only in the conformity of his outward actions to the Law and Will of God No alas that was the least part of the Image of God in Adam but Adam was made in the Image of God Upright and Righteous and Holy in his inward man especially in his Soul he was made exactly conformable to the Will of God in every thing that he required of him and therefore now when Adam did sin and fall he lost the Image of God he lost that Righteousness that was in his inward man and you see after his fall it is said That every imagination of the thought of mans heart were only evil and that continually Gen. 6.5 Not only every action that he did was evil no but the very thoughts of his heart the inward frame of his heart and spirit was only evil and that continually therefore on the contrary his Righteousness did consist in the conformity of his inward man to the Law and Will of God 1 John 3.7 8. saith the Apostle He that doth righteousness is righteous he that committeth sin is of the Devil but he that doth righteousness is righteous Every sin is a transgression of the Law so that now when a man or woman is exactly conformable to the whole Will of God not only in his outward conversation but also in his very thoughts and frame of his heart then he is said to be perfectly righteous this is perfect Righteousness For Brethren a man may possibly be outwardly conformable to the Letter of the Law and yet not be righteous in the account of the Holy Ghost as the Pharisees you know were very righteous in respect of the Letter of the Law Ay but saith Christ they are inwardly unrighteous and therefore he tells them They were like whited Sepulchres which appeare beautiful outwardly but inwardly are full of corruption and putrefaction therefore saith Christ Mat. 5.18 Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven They were very righteous and exact as to the Letter of the Law and therefore saith Paul when he was a Pharisee Touching the Righteousness of the Law blameless The Pharisees were exact as to the Letter of the Law but still they did not look to their inside to their heart there they were unrighteous so that by this you see what is meant by Righteousness in general It is to be perfectly and exactly conformable to the whole Will and Law of God revealed both in heart and life That in general 2. But Let us in the second place enquire a little more particularly What is this Righteousness here which Christ saith the Spirit shall convince the World of What Righteousness doth Christ here mean Brethren It cannot be meant of a man 's own Righteousness that the Spirit doth convince of for the Spirit doth rather convince men of their own Vnrighteousness therefore it cannot be a mans own Righteousness Therefore saith Paul I would not for all the world be found in mine own Righteousness Phil. 3.9 Neither is it that Righteousness which is called the Righteousness of the Law for that is still the same with a man 's own Righteousness which is when a man is obedient to the Letter of the Law as the Apostle speaks in that third of Philip. 9. And be found in him not having on my own Righteousness which is of the Law Well what Righteousness then is it which Christ here speaks of when he saith The Spirit shall convince the World of Righteousness What Righteousness is it In brief It is that Righteousness which is called the Righteousness of God in opposition to a mans own Righteousness The Righteousness of God as the Apostle speakes Rom. 10.3 And so in other places The Jews being ignorant of the Righteousness of God went about to establish their own Righteousness So that the one is set in opposition against the other A mans own Righteousness and God's Righteousness is contrary distinst and in opposition to one another The Righteousness of God is that Righteousness which God himself doth require in order to our salvation and it is that righteousness which God will accept of and no other righteousness for our salvation and this Righteousness is also called The Righteousness of Faith Rom. 10.16 So Rom. 9.30 He calleth it The Righteousness which is of Faith because it comes in in a way of faith and believing Question Now you will say Wherein lies the difference between the one Righteousness and the other That we may understand things as we go along Wherein lies the difference between that which is called our own Righteousness and the Righteousness of the Law and that which is called the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness of Faith What doth the Difference lye here namely that our own Righteousness or the Righteousness of the Law must be exactly conformable and agreeable to the whole Will and Law of God to a Tittle and the Righteousness of God not so No Brethren The Righteousness of Faith is an exact conformity to the Law of God to a tittle as well as the other What saith
as a Saviour was inconsistent with his state yet he had a principle and virtual power to have believed on Christ as a Saviour if God had required it of him Or else it were not our sin now not to believe on Christ if there were never a power given to Adam in the state of innocency to have believed if God had required it of him for we are now condemned for not believing on Christ the power being once given us Though we have lost the power yet that doth not excuse us for the sin of Unbelief That is one Answer But 2. Though it is true Believing on Christ was not expresly required in the first Commandment yet notwithstanding It was and is implicitly required namely thus It was and is required in the first Commandment that we should yield obedidience of faith to whatever God should require of us now then though Believing on Christ was not expresly required and commanded yet notwithstanding believing on Christ was implicitly required thus that when ever God should reveal and make Christ known to us when ever God should command us to believe on Christ this was required that we are bound by vertue of the first Commandment to believe on Christ though 't is true it was inconsistent with that state yet notwithstanding it is implicitly required in the first Commandment as to instance You know Gospel-Worship or the Worship that God requireth now in the Gospel it is inconsistent with that Worship that God required in the time of the Law yet notwithstanding Gospel-Worship was implicitly required in the second Commandment now 't is true Gospel-Worship is not expressed in the second Commandment yet notwithstanding it is virtually implyed because we are bound by virtue of that Commandment to worship God with that Worship which God should institute or appoint God hath now appointed Gospel-Worship under the new Testament and by vertue of the second Commandment we are bound to yield obedience to it now though it was inconsistent with the Worship in the time of the Law So the fourth Commandment requires that we should keep holy the Sabbath Day the express letter of the Commandment is to sanctify the seventh day from the Creation now that we should keep the first day of the Week for the Sabbath under the Gospel this is not expressed in the fourth Commandment yet it is implicitly required namely that we should keep holy that seventh day that God hath appointed or should appoint If God do change the seventh day to the first day of the Week still by vertue of the fourth Commandment we are bound to sanctify and celebrate the first day of the week for the Sabbath so now in this case though the first Commandment did not expresly require our faith in Christ yet implicity we are bound by vertue of that Commandment to yield obedience of faith to whatever God should reveal or make known to us or command us to believe any time afterward So that now if our believing on Christ be required in the first Commandment then unbelief is a transgression of the first Commandment and so a Sin This is the first Demonstration 2. It appears to be a sin namely because Not believing on Christ is a Transgression of the Commandment of the Gospel Not only a Transgression of the first Table of the Law but it is a Transgression of the great Commandment of the Gospel Brethren the Gospel is a Law it is called the law of faith Rom. 2.27 Where then is Boasting it is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of faith What is that that is the Gospel The Gospel is the Law of Faith wherein God requires our faith and believing on Christ and therefore faith is called the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 But now is it made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the Obedience of faith That is that the Nations should believe on Christ and so yield obedience to the Gospel by believing it is the Command of the Gospel therefore now not believing on Christ is a transgression of a Gospel Command Where doth the Gospel command our believing on Christ expresly why every where to name but a place or two John 6.29 saith Christ This is the Work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent This is the work of God not only the work that God worketh in us that is not the meaning of the place but this is the Work that God requires and commands the special work and duty that God requires that you should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ And you have a more express place 1 John 3.23 This is his Commandment that ye believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ This is the great Commandment of the Gospel that we should believe on the name of Jesus Christ therefore now not to believe on Christ being commanded in the Gospel is a transgression of the Commandment of the Gospel and the transgression of a Gospel Command is a sin as well as any transgression of the ten Commandments Now believing on Christ being expresly required in the Gospel unbelief is a transgression of the Command of the Gospel and therefore it is a sin That is the second Demonstration 3. Not believing on Christ appears to be a sin though we make nothing of it because God doth inflict punishments for not believing on Christ God doth punish men for not believing on Christ Now God doth never inflict punishment for that which is no sin punishment properly is the consequent and effect of sin where there is no sin there is no punishment therefore when God takes away the guilt of sin in Justification then God pardons a soul the soul is free from all punishment for sin There is therefore no condemnation no real punishment for sin to them that are in Christ Jesus Now then that God doth punish for unbelief though not total unbelief it is apparent You know Moses was punished for not believing and honouring of God by believing at the Waters Meriba Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believed me not to sanctify me in the Eyes of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them Moses pleaded hard with God that he might go over and see the good Land saith the Lord speak no more of it I will not hear you in this thing you shall see it indeed but you shall not enter into it because you did not honour me by believing God punishes unbelief and therefore unbelief must be a sin and so the Israelites for their unbelief God did punish them Psal 78.32 33. For all this they sinned still and believed not for his wondrous works and what follows therefore their days did he consume in vanity and their years in trouble Therefore God punished them for their
God and yet the justice of God not suffer here is the infinite wisdom of God set on work to find out this way Brethren there was a great deal of the Wisdom of God seen in the contrivance of the World and of the creatures framing of the Creation Saith the Psalmist speaking of the creatures In Wisdom hast thou made them all Psal 104.24 Ay there is much of the Wisdom of God seen in the creation of the World The Heavens declare the Glory of God Ay but Brethren in the work of the redemption of lost man shewing grace and favour and kindness to poor undone creatures as we are herein appears the manifold Wisdom of God Eph. 3.10 To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be made known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God Here was Wisdom and manifold Wisdom Wisdom upon Wisdom to find out a way for God to shew kindness and favour to poor condemned creatures as we are And then 3. Consider further that you may see the kindness of God about the salvation of man Consider that God should make it known that he is freely and fully willing to save undone creatures that he is willing to save any poor sinner that is willing to venture on Christ to lay hold on him by Faith it was the great intendment of God in sending his Son from Heaven to be made a man and to be made under the Law and to suffer the wrath and Curse of God for the transgression of the Law to make peace and attonement for sinners here is now the manifold Wisdom of God the wonderful Wisdom of God and that God should reveal this and make this known unto poor sinners that God is freely willing and fully willing that poor sinners find grace in his sight that they might have pardon and reconciliation whosoever they be that will believe on Christ and accept of him And not only so But 4. Consider that God should send his Servants and Messengers about up and down the World for that end that he might shew favour and kindness to poor sinners he sends them in his name to publish and proclaim his Grace to make known his everlasting Gospel unto poor sinners Go saith Christ Mark 16.16 Preach the Gospel and tell them He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned There will be his punishment Now Brethren put all these together here is kindness and grace indeed that God should have favour for poor undone sinful creatures as we are that are sentenced to eternal death and that he should come and offer it and tender it as he doth Now consider what a sin it is not to receive it not to embrace it and accept of it but to slight it and refuse and despise it as every unbeliever doth God comes and offers eternal life and salvation in the Gospel if you will receive it you shall be saved if you do venture your souls upon it you shall be eternally saved now for poor creatures as it were to kick this away with the foot to spurn at this grace and kindness of God to cast it behind your back as not worthy the regarding you will say certainly this cannot be but a very great and high provocation As now suppose the King should send a pardon to a poor condemned Malefactor and he should take the pardon and cast it behind his back you will say this mans case is very sad This is the case of every unbelieving soul the pardon that God offers in the Gospel he makes a very wisp of it and casts it behind his back Now consider if this be not a sin doth not this deserve condemnation with a witness This is the condemnation That is the third 4. Let me name one more that if the Lord please to open our Eyes we may see a little more into the evil of this sin of unbelief Our not believing on Christ is the highest Contempt put upon the eternal Son of God that can be In refusing and slighting of Christ we trample upon the Blood of the infinite and eternal and beloved Son of God You will say that is a sin with a witness indeed if a man should have taken the Blood of Christ that ran out of his side and stampt it under his feet in disdain and contempt you will say that mans sin is a very great sin Brethren those that have Jesus Christ offered and tendered to them as Jesus Christ is tendered and offered to every sinner that sits under the Gospel there is his Blood offered and tendered to us now if we refuse it we do as it were trample upon the very Blood of the Son of God 'T is the expression of the Apostle Heb. 10.29 Who have trodden under foot the Son of God They trample the very Blood of the Son of God under their feet Brethren Jesus Christ in the Gospel comes and tenders himself he tenders his Blood the price and merit of his Blood here is peace here is pardon and reconciliation with God here is eternal life and salvation the very price of my Blood Now for us to make nothing of all this to make no more of the Blood of Christ than we would do of the Blood of a Beast certainly this cannot but be a very high Provocation I remember the Parable Mat. 21. of a Vineyard that was let out to Tenants so the Master of the Vineyard sent in season for the fruit of his Vineyard well 't is said v. 31. The husbandmen took his Servants and beat one and killed another and stoned another at last saith the Master of the Vineyard I will send my Son they will reverence my Son and at v. 38. When they saw the Son they used him as despitefully and shamefully as the other What shall become of those husbandmen that instead of reverencing his Son they cast him out of the Vineyard and slew him 'T is said v. 40. When the Lord of the Vineyard comes he will miserably destroy those husbandmen Why Brethren this is the case of every unbelieving soul the Son of God comes and tenders his Blood here is my hearts blood the price of my Blood which I have shed he tenders it to us to accept of it to accept of peace and pardon and salvation which is the price of my Blood and we make no account of it is not this a high provocation and do we not deserve to be miserably destroyed So now you have seen the second thing opened That unbelief is not only a sin but it is a great sin one of the greatest sins of all others And O! that we had eyes to see it But then 3. Thirdly To shew you that it is the work of the Spirit in order to Conversion to convince a Soul as of other sins so especially of this great sin of unbelief I shall briefly name two or three things to shew you what the Spirit doth in order to the