in an estate of grace if the Holy Ghost doe not convince us wee shall be in darkenesse and call all into question therefore we must not bee convinced onely at the first but in a continued course of Christianity unlesse the Holy Ghost doth this we shall fall into a dungeon of darkenesse therefore the convincing of the Holy Ghost is necessary Beloved this should make us take heed how wee heare and how we reade even to beg this convincing of the Spirit in every Ordinance O Lord vouch safe the Spirit of revelation and take the scales off mine eyes that as these are truths of themselves so they may bee truths to me Sway my soule that I may cast my selfe upon thy mercy in Christ c. I must answer some Cases that many a poore soule is troubled withall Alas I am not convinced by the Spirit that Christ is my righteousnes therfore what case am I in I answer some are more strongly convinced and some lesse Let a man be carelesse of holy duties and he is lesse convinced but let him be constant therein and hee shall finde the Holy Ghost convincing him more strongly that the righteousnesse of Christ is his there are many presumptuous persons that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse who because through the Enthusiasmes of Satan they never question their estate but conceit themselves to bee good men and in the estate of grace think this to bee the convincing of the Holy Ghost whereas this is a generall rule Spirituall convincing is not totall but alwaies leaves in the heart some drugs of doubting as a ship that rides at anchor though it may reele too and fro yet is it safe for the maine So it is with the soule that is truly convinced it is safe for the maine yet it is tumbled and tossed with many doubts and feares but their Anchor is in Heaven Take this for a ground of comfort subscribed unto in the experience of all beleevers that the Spirit of God so farre convinces them of Christs righteousnesse as preserves in them such a power of grace as to cast themselves upon the mercy of God in Christ and God will not quench that sparke though there be little or no light yet there will bee heate God will send his Spirit into the heart so farre as it shall not betray it selfe to despaire and let such a beame into the soule as all the power in hell shall not be able to keepe out but it is our owne neglect that we are not more strongly convinced so as to break through all This is the priviledge of a constant carefull Christian to be strongly convinced of the righteousnesse of Christ. Thus we see how the Holy Ghost convinceth us of righteousnesse other things I must omit If this be so I beseech you let us not loose our priviledges prerogatives doth God give grace and give Christ with all his righteousnesse and shal not we improove them Let us use this righteousnesse in all temptations Let us pleade it to God himselfe when hee seemes to be our enemy Lord thou hast ordained a righteousnesse the righteousnesse of Christ that hath given full satisfaction to thy justice and he hath given me a title to Heaven howsoever my soule be in darknesse yet Lord I come unto thee in the name of my Saviour that thou wouldest perswade my soule of that righteousnesse I would glorifie thy Name Wherein wilt thou be glorified In mercy or justice O in mercy above all I cannot glorifie thee in thy mercy unlesse thou perswade me of the righteousnesse of Christ. Can I love thee except thou love me first Canst thou have any free and voluntary obedience from me unlesse I be convinced that Christ is mine Now Lord I beseech thee let me be such as thou maist take delight in Beloved since we have meanes of such a gift let us never rest till we have it If Satan set upon us hold this out if hee tell thee thou art a sinner tell him I have a greater righteousnesse then my owne even the righteousnesse of God-Man I have a righteousnesse above all my unrighteousnesse Satan saith God is displeased with me I but he is more pleased with me in Christ then displeased with me in my selfe Satan saith I have sinned against God I but not against the remedy send Satan to Christ. O but thou hast a corrupt nature that makes thee run into this sin and that sin but there is a spring of mercy in God and an over-running fountaine of righteousnesse in Christ an overflowing sea of the blood of Christ. Therfore let us labour to improove this righteousnesse of Christ to God and Satan and against all temptations yea against our own consciences I am thus and thus yet God is thus and thus all his Attributes are conveyed to me in Christ. Let us exalt God and Christ and set up Christ above our sinnes above any thing in the world as S. Paul who counted all things dung and drosse for the excellent knowledge of Christ. You will aske me How shall wee know whether we be convinced of this righteousnesse or no I answer we may know by the Method Christ uses in convincing First he convinces of sinne and then of righteousnesse for a man to catch at righteousnesse before he be convinced of sinne it is but an usurpation for the Holy Ghost first convinces of sin Therefore you have many perish because they never were abased enough Beloved people are not lost enough and not miserable enough for Christ and not broken enough for him and therefore they go without him But how shall I know that the Holy Ghost hath convinced me enough of sinne so that I may without presumption apply the righteousnesse of Christ unto my selfe Onely thus if the Holy Ghost have discovered my sinfull condition of nature and life so as to worke in me an hatred of sinne and to alter my bent another way and so make Christ sweet unto me then I am sufficiently convinced of sinne This in answer to that Question by the way To returne in the next place I may know I am convinced throughly of the righteousnesse of Christ by the witnesse and worke of the Spirit The Spirit brings light and faith the worke of the Spirit hath a light of its owne as I know I beleeve when I beleeve but sometimes we have not the reflect act of faith whereby to evidence our owne graces to our selves but ever he that is convinced of the Spirit of God his heart will be wrought to beare marveilous love to God upon this apprehension that God is mine and Christ is mine the soule is constrained to love whereupon ensues an enlargement of heart a prevalency of comfort above all discomfort for love casteth out feare This one comfort that our sinnes are forgiven and that we have right and title to Heaven when the soule is convinced of this it is in a blessed condition
with this light I do but plainely unfold this This Conviction of the Holy Ghost is not in generall onely that all men are sinners but particular and strong thou art a sinner and thou art in danger of damnation And it is universall taking in sinnes of nature sinnes of life sinnes of the understanding will and affections and it is not of sinne onely but of the misery by sinne of the danger folly and madnesse of sinne and of the aggravations that greaten sinne as of stifling so many good motions withstanding so many meanes abusing so many mercies The Holy Ghost Convinces us throughly that wee can have nothing to reply Because I have spoken of this before I am short Beloved unlesse the Holy Ghost Convince there will be no Convincing our deceitfull hearts have so many windings and turnings proud nature armes it selfe with defences as a hedge-hogg winds himselfe round and defends himselfe by his prickes So you have many cloath themselves with strong words ill translations upon others frivolous mitigations the way of the multitude as with a coate of male to keepe out this Conviction that did not the Holy Ghost strike in hard with their consciences Thou art the man this worke would never bee done But you will aske me this Question how shall we know common Conviction of conscience from this of the Spirit for carnall men that goe to Hell are Convinced by a common conviction what is this saving Conviction I answer Common Conviction by the light of Nature is a weake Conviction a little sparke will shew a little light but it will not inlighten a roome it must be the worke of some greater light as the Sun the Spirit is a strong light stronger then naturall conscience Naturall conscience and common light is of some breaches of the second Table Naturall conscience never Convinces of corrupt nature but the Spirit doth most of all as you may see in David Psal. 51. He resolves all into this as if hee should say what should I tell you of my murther and Adultery in sin did my mother conceive me so a true Christian doth not look to the branches so much as to the root Then againe a naturall conscience when it Convinceth a man it is against his will it makes him not the better man he mends not upon it but hee is tortured and tormented But a man that is convinced by the Holy Ghost he takes Gods part against himselfe he is willing to be laid open that hee may find the greater mercy So that there is a grand difference betweene common conviction of nature and the Conviction of the Spirit The Conviction of the Spirit is the light of the Spirit which is of a higher nature then that of naturall conscience I will send the Comforter when hee comes hee will greatly inlighten and over-power the soule Againe the Conviction of the Spirit sticks by a man it never leaves the soule But that of an ordinary conscience it is but for a flash and after they are worse then they were before I must cut off these these things because the time is alwaies past upon these occasions before we begin Come we therfore to make some Use. The Spirit doth Convince of sin But how by the Ministery ordinarily though not alone by the Ministery Therefore we must labour willingly to submit to the Ministery Convincing of sin Conscience will Convince first or last Is it not better to have a saving Conviction now to purpose then to have a bare desperate Conviction in Hell O beloved all the admonitions we heare if wee regard them not now we shall hereafter therefore labour to make good use of this Sword of the Spirit of God and it is an argument of a good heart to wish O that the Ministery might meet with my corruption that it may be discovered to me to the full A true heart thinkes sinne the greatest enemy and of all other miseries it desires to be freed from the thraldome thereof For that defiles Heaven and Earth and separates God from his creature It s that that threw Angels out of Heaven Adam out of Paradice What imbitters blessings and puts a sting into all afflictions but sinne if it were not for sinne wee would take up any crosse and beare any affliction more quietly then we doe Therefore as we desire to be saved and to stand with comfort before God at the day of judgement let us desire and endeavour to bee throughly Convinced of sin Take heed of resisting the Spirit of God in the Ministery why are so many led captive of their lusts but because they hate the Ministery of the Word they looke upon it as Ahab did upon Elias Hast thou found me O my Enemy They naturally are in love with their sinnes and there is none so much hated as those that present themselves to themselves A man take him in his pure naturalls is a foolish creature his heart rises against Conviction You see the Pharisees Wise men Learned men being convinced they hated Christ to the death why because he did untombe them and discover the dead mens bones within So many now a daies that are convinced hate any that by life or speech discover their sinne unto them if it were possible and in their power to the death Thus the Holy Ghost convinces of sin But before I leave this point let me add this from the reason or ground of this Conviction because they beleeve not in me That unbeleefe makes all other sinnes damnable no sinne is damnable if we could beleeve and repent Therefore we are convinced of sin because we doe not beleeve as we say of a man that is condemned because hee cannot reade therefore hee is condemned he should escape if he could reade being for no great fault so it is here it is not beleeving in Christ and repenting makes all other sinnes deadly The differing of one man from another is their faith and repentance some there bee whose sinnes are greater then others yet by the Spirit of God and faith they worke them out every day It is faith in the brazen Serpent that takes away the sting of the fiery Serpents I have done with the conviction of sinne Let us now come to speake of the conviction of Righteousnesse Of righteousnesse because I goe to my Father and you shall see mee no more It is a fit time for the Holy Ghost to convince Gods people of righteousnesse when they are convinced of sinne before then they can relish Christ Balme is balme indeed when the wound is discovered and felt O then a pardon is welcome when the party is condemned The reason of this conviction of righteousnesse is because I goe to my Father and you shall see me no more The Holy Ghost as he sets on sin upon the conscience so he takes off sinne by applying to the conscience the righteousnesse of Christ this is his office first to convince the world of
The reverend faithfull and profitable Minister of Gods word Richard Sibbes D D master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge preacher of Grayes Inne London Wil Marshallsâ—â— THE SAINTS PRIVILEDGE OR A Christians constant Advocate Containing a short but most sweet direction for every true Christian to walke comfortably through this valley of teares By the faithfull and Reverend Divine R. SIBS D. D. and sometime Preacher to the Honourable Society of Grayes-Inne LONDON Printed by G M for George Edwards dwelling in Green-Arbour at the signe of the Angell 1638 A Table of the severall Heads contained in this Treatise 1. COnviction of sinne how necessarie it is to salvation Page 4. 2. What this Convincing of sinne is Page 5 6. 3. A particular Convincing of sinne Page 7. How wee shall know the common Conviction of conscience from this of the Spirit P. 8 9 10. The use of all this how the Spirit Convinces Page 11 12 c. Secondly Conviction of Righteousnesse P. 15. What the Conviction of Righteousnesse is P. 16. First ther 's a fourefold Gradation of Conviction 1. There must be a Righteousnesse P. 17. 2. That it is not in any creature P. 18. 3. That this Righteousnes is to be had in Christ. P. 19 4. The Spirit Convinces that this belongs to all beleevers P. 20. 1. Question How the Holy Ghost doth convince me of the righteousnesse of Christ. P. 21 22. 2. Question Why is the sending of the Spirit necessary for the convincing of this righteousnesse P. 23. For these reasons 1. Because it is above the conceit of man P. 23. 2. Reason why the Holy Ghost is necessary for this conviction P. 24. 3. Reason because flesh and bloud is full of pride P. 26 27 Objection Alas I am not convinced of the Spirit that Christ is my righteousnesse therefore what case am I in The full answer of this very comfortable P. 28. The use of all this P. 30. In which is shewen the priviledges and prerogatives of a man that is convinced in all temptations P. 30. 1. When God himselfe seemes to bee our enemie P. 31 2. Against Satan P. 32. 3. Against our owne consciences P. 33 How we may know whether we bee convinced of this righteousnesse The answer to this P. 33 Secondly but how shall I know that the Holy Ghost hath convinced me enough of sinne so that I may without presumption apply the righteousnesse of Christ. 1. If the Holy Ghost have discovered my sinnefull condition P 34 2. By the worke of the Spirit P 35 3. By inward peace and great joy P 36 37 4. Where this is it answers all objections P 37 38 The use How we should live by faith P 38 2 How every day to make use of the righteousnesse of Christ P 39 Wherefore did Christ goe to the Father 1. To make application of what hee had wrought P 41 2. To send the Spirit P 41 3. To stop Satans mouth P 41 42 4. To make the Father our Father P 42 5. Sweet comforts at the hower of death P 42 43 The use Great comfort in the hower of death P 45 46 April 10. 1638. Imprimatur THO WYKES THE SAINTS Priviledge JOHN 16.8 9 10. When he is come he shall reproove the world of sin righteousnesse and Iudgement Of sin because they beleeve not in me Of righteousnesse because I goe to my Father Of Iudgement because the Prince of this world is judged Especially the 10. verse Of righteousnesse because I goe to my Father and you shall see me no more OVR blessed Saviour descending from Heaven to Earth for the Redemption of man after hee had accomplished that great worke he ascended thither againe And knowing his Disciples would take his departure very heavily he labours to arme them against the assaults of all griefe and sorrow that might otherwise oppresse them and that by many arguments Among the rest this is not the least that when he is gone away he will send the Comforter unto them God never takes away any thing from his children but hee sends them a better And this Comforter whom hee promised to send shall beare them through in all their Ministery all function and in effect he thus bespeakes them You my Disciples are to encounter with the world Be of good comfort my Spirit shall goe along with you and hee shall reproove the world of sinne righteousnesse and judgement Of your selves you are too weake but the Spirit shall strengthen you and make way into the hearts of those that shall be saved by convincing them of sinne righteousnesse and judgement So that be not discouraged the Spirit shall breath courage into you and make way for your doctrine When the Comforter is came he shall reproove the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and judgement Of sinne because they beleeve not in me Of righteousnesse because I goe to the Father Of judgement because the Prince of this world is judged There are three maine parts of salvation Knowledge of our misery knowledge of our deliverance and a life answerable The Holy Ghost shall worke all these hee shall Convince the world of their owne sinne of righteousnesse by a Mediator and of a reformation of life So that the Holy Ghost shall goe along with you in the carriage of the whole businesse of mans salvation Where hee begins hee makes an end Where he Convinces of sin hee Convinces of righteousnesse and then of a necessity of a reformation hee beares all afore him and he doth it in a spirituall order First hee Convinces the world of sinne then of righteousnesse then of judgement because it were in vaine to Convince of the righteousnesse of Christ unlesse he hath before Convinced of sinne For who cares for balme that is not wounded who cares for a pardon that is not condemned therefore hee Convinces of sinne first I have spoken heretofore of Convincing of sinne Here is a threefold Convincing of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement and every one of these hath a reason added thereto Of sinne because they beleeve not in me Of righteousnesse because I goe to my Father Of judgement because the Prince of this world is judged The Holy Ghost begins with Convincing of sinne What is this Convincing It is a cleare and infallible demonstration of our condition It brings a commanding light into the soule It sets downe the soule and takes away all cavills all turnings and windings To Convince is to make a man as the Psalmists phrase is lay his hand upon his mouth Light is a convincing thing now wee see the Sun we see it is day though ten thousand men should say it is not day wee would not beleeve them because the convincing hereof is undeniable that he must bee an unreasonable man that gainesayes it So then the Spirit of God brings a commanding light into the soule undeniable thou art thus and thus here no shifting no winding and turning will serve the turne when the Holy Ghost comes
sin and then to convince of righteousnesse whereby we stand righteous before God And this righteousnesse here is not our owne inherent but the righteousnesse of Christ a Mediator God and man The Holy Ghost convinces of righteousnesse in this order of a fourefold gradation First that there must be a righteousnesse and a full righteousnesse The second is this that there is no such righteousnesse in the creature Thirdly that this is to bee had in Christ the Mediator Fourthly that this righteousnesse is our righteousnesse First there must be a righteousnesse for we have to deale with a God who is righteousnesse it selfe and no uncleane thing shall come into Heaven unlesse we have a righteousnesse how shall wee looke God in the face or how can we escape hell Now for the second that it is not in any creature men or Angels we have not a righteousnesse of our owne for there are divers things to bee satisfied God himselfe and the Law and our owne consciences and the world Perhaps we may have a righteousnesse to satisfie the world because we live civilly O but that will not satisfie conscience And then there must be a satisfaction to the Law which is a large thing that condemnes our thoughts desires but God is the most perfect of all Put case wee have a righteousnesse of a good carriage among men this will not satisfie God and the Law it will not satisfie conscience men they are our fellow-prisoners conscience will not be contented but with that which will content God when conscience sees there is such a righteousnesse found out by the wisedome of God that contents him else conscience will be alwaies in doubts and feares Thirdly this righteousnesse is to be had in Christ. What is the righteousnesse of Christ The righteousnesse of Christ is that righteousnesse that is founded upon his obedience active fulfilling the Law and passive discharging all our debts satisfying Gods Justice the meritoriousnesse of both of them is founded upon the purity of his Nature all his sufferings and doings had their excellency from the personall Union of God and Man in reference to which Union we may without blasphemy averre that God performed the Law God died for us Fourthly and lastly this righteousnesse is our righteousnesse the Spirit convinces that this belongs to all beleevers for it is better then Adam had his righteousnesse was the righteousnesse of a man This righteousnesse is the righteousnesse of a Mediator And it is such a righteousnesse that when we are cloathed with it we may goe through the Justice of God We may have accesse with boldnesse to the throne of grace and say Lord I come in the righteousnesse of Christ that hath appeased thy wrath and satisfied thy justice this the Holy Ghost convinces of But you will aske me how doth the Holy Ghost convince me of the righteousnesse of Christ I answer First the Holy Ghost presents to the soule the knowledge of this excellent righteousnesse and then creates a hand of faith to imbrace it being proposed you that are humble and broken-hearted sinners here is Christ for you The Spirit of God doth not onely reveale the excellency of Christ but that this belongs to me that Christ is given for me and that revelation of the Spirit doth sway the soule when the Spirit doth not tell in generall only that Christ is an excellent Saviour but shall relate to a Christian soule God gave Christ for thee this swayes the heart to rest upon Christ whereupon the marriage is made up betweene the soule and Christ the soule saies I am Christs and I give my selfe to Christ and to whatsoever accompanies Christ and then as it is in marriage the persons by vertue of that relation have interest into each others substance estate So when this mystical marriage is made up betweene Christ and us we have a right unto Christ by all rights by titles of purchase and redemption He hath purchased Heaven for us and us for Heaven all that Christ hath is ours all his good is ours our sinnes his and his righteousnesse ours So when the Holy Ghost convinces mee of Christs righteousnesse and gives me faith to imbrace it then Christ is mine with all he hath By this I have spoken you may see how the Spirit convinces doe but imagine what a blessed condition the soule is in when this match is made But you will aske me why is the sending of the Spirit necessary for the convincing of this righteousnesse I answer for divers reasons First because it is above the conceit of man that there should bee such a righteousnesse of God-Man therefore it is discovered by the Spirit and when it is discovered the Spirit must open the eyes of the soule to see els we shall have a naturall knowledge of supernaturall things for a man by a naturall knowledge may understand them so as to be able to discourse of them therefore to change the soule there must be a supernaturall sight to see supernaturall things A divell incarnate may know all things and yet want to see onely the Holy Ghost gives inward fight inward eyes and workes faith to see Christ as mine Againe the sending of the Holy Ghost is necessary for this conviction because hee alone must set downe the soule and make the conscience quiet who is greater then the conscience Conscience will clamour thou art a sinner the Holy Ghost convinces in Christ thou art righteous The Holy Ghost onely knowes what is in the heart of God the Father and in the heart of every man Hee onely knowes the intent of the Father to every Christian and can answer all inward Objections and Cavils of flesh and blood raised up against the soule therfore the convincing of the Holy Ghost is necessary Howsoever Christ hath purchased our peace yet the Holy Ghost must apply it For the conscience is so full of clamours that unlesse the Holy Ghost apply what Christ hath done conscience will not be satisfied God the Father hath appointed Christ and Christ hath wrought it but the third person must apply it to the soule to assure us that this belongs to us The application of all good things to the soule that Christ the Sonne hath wrought is the proper office of the third person In civill Contracts here there must not only be a purchase but a Seale though Christ hath wrought righteousnesse for us the Spirit must Seale it to every soule this righteousnesse belongs to you Christ is yours with all that is his Againe it must needs bee a worke of the Spirit because flesh and blood is full of pride and would faine have some righteousnesse of their owne the Jewes were of this temper and it hath beene the greatest question from the beginning of the world till this day what is that righteousnesse whereby we must stand before God but Gods Spirit answers all obiections Beloved the best of us though