go along with our Ministry Our Sermons had need to be watered and soaked in earnest prayer for the Spirit 2. Here is now a mighty Word of Encouragement unto poor Souls to be ready to entertain and receive the Gospel and the Ministration of it to be ready so to receive it into your hearts as it may be a good Word of Conversion and Salvation to your Souls Ay this would be matter of Joy and Rejoycing to the Servants of Christ more than all that ever you can do for them if they may be but instrumental for the Conversion and Salvation of your Souls it will be more Comfort and joy to them than all the World besides Joy to them Ay it will be Joy to the very Angels in Heaven Luk. 15.10 11. There shall be Joy in Heaven over one Einâ—â—â— that repents The Angels of Heaven observe how you come into the Congregation they observe your Carriage and how you take the Word and what impression it makes upon your hearts to Coâ—vâ—ction and Conversion and Salvation it is the Joy and Rejoycing of the Angels in Heaven to 〈◊〉 a poor Soul brought in by the Ministry of the Gospelâ— and do not you think you your selves will have as much cause of Joy and Rejoycing Whereas on the other side if so be the poor Servants of Christ do come and take pains they study and labour and hold forth the Word of the Gospel to you and people come and receive it into their ears and not into their hearts no good done upon them but they remain as carnal as worldly and unbelieving as before and they see no fruit of their Ministry this is the grief of their hearts and Souls they labour and labour and question whether the Lord doth own their Ministry or no they have cause to complain as the Prophet Isa 49.6 I have laboured in vain I have spent my Strength for naught and in vain So the poor Servants of Christ go with a dead heart into their Studies and come to preach with a sad heart when they see no good done no saving Work wrought this is a very Cut to their hearts and Souls and they would rather if they might have their wills cease mentioning of the Name of Christ to people Therefore let it be the desire and endeavour and care of people so to hear and receive the Word into their hearts that it may become effectual and an Instrument in the Lords hand for the Conversion and Salvation of their Souls Objection But you will say Is it in our power I know you think so in your hearts to make the Word convincing and converting and saving Answer I do not say 't is in your power but thus much I may say you may oppose and resist the saving Work of the Gospel upon your hearts and therefore to be found waiting upon the Lord in his way you cannot tell but the Lord may make the Gospel effectual to you for your Conversion and Salvation And therefore let me commend three or four Words by way of Direction in this case and so I shall leave all to the blessing of God Do you desire to have the Word of God made effectual for the convincing and converting and saving of your Souls Then 1. Be much and earnest in praying for the Spirit to go along with the Preaching of the Word into your hearts and Souls Ay pray much for that O! before you come you should be careful to wrestle with God for the presence of the Spirit to go along I fear Brethren that people are careless in this Point they come reeking out of the World and from their business and never wrestle with the Lord for the presence of his Spirit to assist the Preaching of the Word that it may become effectual and profitable to your Souls and so you go away as you come Therefore I say as the Apostle Jude v. 24. Be building up your selves in your most holy Faith But how shall we build up our selves in our most holy Faith how shall we do it why saith he Praying in the Holy Ghost that is the way Beg earnestly for the Spirit for the Holy Ghost to accompany the Word and make the Word profitable and effectual to you That is one Direction I do but name it I pray remember it 2. As we do desire to have the Word made effectual for Conviction Conversion and Salvation to our Souls Then attend upon the Preaching of the Gospel as the Lords Ordinance for that very End that he hath appointed it namely for Conversion and Salvation This is the very End for which God hath appointed the Preaching of the Gospel to be a saving Word a Word of Salvation to poor Souls that is the very End of the Gospel it is appointed for that End Eph. 4.11 12. saith the Apostle Christ when he ascended up on high he gave Gifts to men Ministerial Gifts he gave Pastors and Teachers for the edifying of the Body for the bringing home of Souls to the Body for the perfecting of the Saints So that those that are Saints should still attend upon the Gospel for more edifying for the saving work to be carried on This is the very Intendment of the Preaching of the Gospel God hath ordained it for this end and purpose therefore wait upon it for that end attend upon it as the Word of God which he hath appointed for that end 1 Thess 2.13 We are always bound to give thanks to God for you beloved Brethren because when you heard the Word you received it not as the Word of man but as it is indeed the Word of God which worketh effectually in them that believe Ay receive it as the Word and the Word of God for that End that God hath appointed it and through the presence of the Spirit it will become effectual Mark how it wrought in Cornelius and his Family Acts 10. Cornelius was directed to send for Peter to preach to him and Cornelius in the mean time had gathered together the Congregation his Friends and Relations he had got them together that they might hear the Gospel as well as himself when Peter came he preached Christ to them Now saith Cornelius we are all here before the Lord to hear whatever God hath directed thee to speak to us we are here to attend upon it as the very Word of God and Peter opened his mouth and preached the Gospel to them and it is said The Holy Ghost fell upon them all that heard it v. 44. and then saith Peter verse 47. Can any man forbid Water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we Attending upon the Preaching of the Gospel as Gods Ordinance and Institution for saving ends and purposes for Conversion and Edification and Salvation this is the way whereby we may have the Gospel made effectual to us we shall be brought to receive it and receiving of it we shall be brought into a state of
Salvation and further built up in our most holy Faith That is the second Direction 3. Receive the Ministration of the Gospel with humility of Spirit and meekness I say receive it with all humility and meekness of Spirit that is the way whereby it may be made effectual to Salvation When people come and say they can tell as much as the Minister can tell them and they had as good stay at home and read a good Book and not câ—ming to it as Gods Ordinance with a teachable frame of Spirit being willing to hear what the Lord will say how can the Word become effectual but now when a Soul comes with meekness of Spirit to hear what the Lord will say and then as Psal 25.9 The Lord will teach the meek and saith the Apostle James 1.21 Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word which is able to save your Souls receive it with meekness with an humble Spirit to receive whatsoeever the Lord shall please to direct his Servants to speak And let me add but one thing more and I will have done and that is this 4. Be careful to receive the Word and Truth in the Love of it and to mixe it with Faith Receive it in the Love of it Truly if so be we have no Love to the Truth and the Word when we come to attend upon it it may be just with God to give us up to believe Lies as that hath been the very Judgment of God upon the Antichristian World for these 1200 years together for this very Sin for not receiving the Truth in the love of it 2 Thess 2.11 12 13. Because they received not the Truth in the Love of it therefore God gave them up to strong delusions to believe Lies And Antichrist hath prevailed to this Day upon that very account Therefore remember that we be ready to receive the Truth in the Love of it as to say This is a Truth of God and though I have heard it before yet it is a Truth and the Lord would have this Truth spoken to me and I must receive it in the Love of it and then mix it with Faith Hâ—b 4.2 They had the Gospel preached to them as well as we and The Word preached did not profit them that heard it why because they did not mixe it with Faith in their hearts What is this mixing the Word with Faith Truly when the Lord perswades the Heart to receive whatever is spoken as spoken from the Lord to me this Word the Lord doth intend for me and makes a particular application of it this is the proper work of Faith to apply the word spoken to our selves as spoken from the Lord to us And thus the word cometh to be effectual through the Spirit either in a way of Conviction or Conversion or for the Furtherance of the Salvation of the Souls of any But thus much shall suffice at this time The Holy Ghost convinceth of Sin SERMON IV. JOHN 16.9 Of Sin because they believe not on me YOU have heard the scope of these words already which in short is this Christ would here comfort his Disciples against their sorrow which they had for his going away from them Because I said these things unto you saith he Sorrow hath filled your hearts Now Christ is speaking here in a way of Comfort to sustain and support the hearts of his Disciples against that grief and sorrow that did possess them And how doth he comfort them He tells them that his spiritual presence shall be more advantagious to them than his bodily presence could be The presence of the Spirit which he would send to them saith he he shall be a Comforter to you If I go away I will send the Comforter to you and that shall be more than my bodily presence to you whereas If I go not away the Comforter will not come Ay but how shall the presence of the Spirit be in stead of Christ's bodily presence to them and make up that loss to them Christ tells them for that wherein the presence of the Spirit with them after his going away would be equivalent and correspondent to his own bodily personal being with them But wherein He tells them namely because when the Spirit comes he shall co work with them in their Ministry so as their Ministry shall be made efficacious and effectual to the furtherance of the Salvation of many Souls The Spirit shall go along with their Ministry and this Christ gives in by way of Comfort to his Disciples Hence we Observed the last time That it is matter of exceeding great Joy and Consolation to the faithful Servants of Christ that through the operation and co-working of the Spirit their Ministry is made effectual for the good of Souls This is a great matter of joy and rejoycing for observe it Christ doth lay this down as a comfort to preponderate and out-weigh their sorrow that they had in their hearts in respect of his going away from them But I shall not speak to any thing that was then spoken to But still it may be said But how shall the Spirit concur with our Ministry to make it effectual for the Conversion and Salvation of Souls Saith Christ When he is come he shall convince the World The presence of the Spirit with your Ministry shall convince the Men of the world Convince them Of what Now here he tells them You heard in the general from the 8th Verse He shall convince the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgement But now in these 9 10 and 11 Verses he comes to shew particularly the work of the Spirit in convincing the World and he gives the reason of every particular that the Spirit shall convince the World of Of Sin Because they believe not in me And again He shall convince the world of Righteousness Why Because I go to the Father and ye see me no more And again He shall convince the world of Judgment Why Because the Prince of this World is judged I shall speak only to the first of these at the present through the Lords assistance He shall convince the world of Sin Of Sin and this in order to their Conversion and Salvation Why Because Christ speaks this by way of Consolation to the hearts of the Disciples now this would be matter of Comfort indeed that their Ministry should be made efficacious for the Conversion and Salvation of Souls Therefore this convincing the world of Sin is in order to Salvation There are two Points to be spoken to from the Verse But I shall only take up one to speak to at present through the Lords assistance and that is this Doctrine That it is the first work of the Spirit of God in order to the Conversion and Salvation of any Soul to convince the Soul of Sin I say the first work of the Spirit of God in order to Conversion and Salvation of Souls is to convince of Sin For here Christ speakes of the work
have sunk into the bottomless pit But I pray consider was this Conviction from the holy Spirit of God you have heard there may be a trouble for sin that may come from the evil spirit What was it any other but the Conviction that may come from the evil spirit yes you will say I hope it is from the holy Spirit of God For that you may consider those seven things that were laid down to discover when sin is set home by the holy Spirit of God you may consider of them at your leisure when you are in private between the Lord and your own Souls But let me only propound this one thing to you from them all you say you have been convinc'd of sin by the Spirit of God I pray mind it for it is that that doth concern our everlasting state our eternal Salvation for if the first step be not set toward our conversion then we cannot expect that the other steps are set therefore I say you that say you hope you have been convinced of sin by the Spirit I pray consider how was your Conviction healed how was your trouble taken off Consider of it between the Lord and your own Souls you were troubled for your sins once but how is it taken off did it wither away by degrees like a land-flood that makes a great noise for a time but wears away by degrees insensibly Was it so with you or was your trouble taken off by making restitution giving of satisfaction where you have wronged or was it by reformation and performance of duties and so obtained the life by your own hands as the Prophets expression is or was it by making application of the Righteousness of Jesus Christ to your Souls in a way of faith and believing Were you brought to that Truly if not I cannot say but that your Conviction of sin might be from the evil spirit Therefore consider seriously of it hereby we may come in some measure to discern about our spiritual Estate whether the work of Conversion be effectually wrought or no Consider whether this first step be set namely Convincing of sin by the Spirit of God and truly if so be the holy Spirit have convinced you of Sin I am apt to think that the Spirit will never leave till it hath made thorow Work saith the Apostle Philip. 1.6 We are confident of this very thing that he that hath begun a good Work in you will certainly finish it to the Day of Christ And if the holy Spirit hath begun to convince you of sin the Spirit will go on to convince you of Righteousness too That is the first Word of Application I have another and so have done 2. It is to exhort and perswade you that if ever the Work of Conviction should come upon your hearts and spirits to take heed that you do not hinder it but further it what you can I confess it is irksome to flesh and blood our carnal hearts cannot away with this Work of Conviction but will avoid it and escape it if possible But take heed you do not hinder it but further it what you can because else if it be from the holy Spirit of God you do resist the Spirit and go about to quench the Spirit Therefore you should do even as old Eli advised young Samuel when the Lord began to call him saith Eli When you hear the Voice again say speak Lord for thy Servant desireth to hear So I say to you doth any word come to your Hearts and speak to your Consciences in a way of Conviction of sin do not drive it away do not quench it but say Speak Lord for thy Servant desireth to hear And now plead with the Lord do not now rise up in your Spirits against the Instruments that are means to convince you take heed of that but rather ly low before the Lord and bless the Lord that any Word is spoken to you by way of Conviction and never leave till such time as you come to rest upon Christ and his Righteousness and upon the vertue of his death whereby he hath made satisfaction to the Justice of God on the behalf of poor sinners I say do not neglect do not slight or despise or quench or check this Work of Conviction And so now I have done with this Point The next Point is concerning the Spirits convincing of the sin of unbelief He shall convince the World of sin because they believe not on me But thus much shall suffice for this time The Holy Ghost convinceth of Sin SERMON VI. JOHN 16.9 Of Sin because they believe not on me WE have already handled one point from these words which was this That the first work of the Spirit of God upon the heart in order to Conversion is to convince the Soul of Sin Christ saith here that he would send the Spirit after his departure from them saith he I will send the Comforter and this he spake to support and comfort the hearts of his Disciples against his absence and therefore the end of his Spirit was to cooperate with their Ministry it was in order to the Conversion of Souls this is the matter of their comfort Now this I have spoken to at large before but now to come to the second Note or Point which doth plainly lye before us which I shall desire to speak something to at present and that is this Doctrine That the great and special Sin that the Spirit of God doth usually convince People of in order to their Conversion is their Vnbelief not believing on Christ For so saith Christ here He shall convince the World of Sin Of what Sin He tells them of their Unbelief Of Sin because they believe not on me That is the great and special Sin that the Spirit of God is wont to convince people of in order to their Salvation namely their Vnbelief It is indeed the work of the Spirit to convince of other sins as you heard before but yet in a special manner 't is the work of the Spirit to convince of this sin of Unbelief He is said so to convince of this Sin as if there were no other sins to be convinced off he mentions no other sins But he shall convince the World of sin because they believe not on me And this you shall find in part verified presently after Christs Ascension into Heaven In a few dayes after Christs Ascension into Heaven he sent the Holy Ghost Acts 2. The Holy Ghost was poured down abundantly upon the Disciples when they were met together thereupon Peter preached a sermon to the People that came wondring about him and now Peter had experience of what Christ here promised saith Christ I will send the Spirit and he shall convince the World of sin by your Ministry And at Peters Sermon there was three thou-convinced at one clap they were convinced of sin not only of their not believing on Christ but of their murdering of Christ that they had Crucified
personal righteousness of Jesus Christ Brethren this is the work of the Spirit of God to discover and reveal this to the Soul that God will accept of the righteousness of Christ on the behalf of poor sinners He was made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Well this the Spirit of God doth discover and reveal to the Soul when he comes to convince it of righteousness Nay and let me add further concerning this righteousness namely the Spirit doth discover to the Soul the way whereby he may come to have an interest in this righteousness the Spirit doth discover that to the Soul namely that it is in a way of faith and believing and leaning and resting upon the righteousness of Christ that Whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life and Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 This is the work of the Spirit to discover this to the soul when he comes to deal with the soul to convince it of righteousness in order to salvation This is the second thing that the Spirit doth first it takes us off from our own righteousness and then it reveals and discovers to the Soul this righteousness of Christ what it is and which way it is to be attained But then 3. A third Work that the Spirit doth which is the upshot of all and that is this when the Spirit comes to convince a Soul of righteousness in order to salvation then The Spirit doth convince powerfully and effectually that is the Spirit comes powerfully and perswades the Soul to close with this righteousness This is to convince of righteousness in order to salvation so to convince as to perswade and prevail with the soul to venture to close with it this is the way whereby a Soul comes to have an interest in Christs righteousness by faith and believing on Christ and it is the work of the Spirit so to convince so powerfully so as to prevail with the Soul to give the venture Well I will venture my Soul upon it if I perish I perish I will venture my Soul upon this righteousness of Christ the Spirit secretly perswades the heart so as now the Soul is made to say with the Psalmist Psal 71.16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine only When the Spirit comes thus to convince effectually so as to perswade the Soul to venture to lean upon Christs righteousness only to be accepted of God to salvation then the soul doth make mention of Christs righteousness and that only well I will venture to rest upon that alone and then surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength then the soul shall be made to say there 's all my righteousness I have none of my own that I dare venture on but I do now venture to lean the weight of my Soul upon this righteousness of Christ and if I perish I perish This is now the convincing work of the Spirit to convince of righteousness So now you have heard the point briefly opened namely That it is the Work of the Spirit in order to Salvation to convince the Soul of righteousness Now then briefly for the Application of it in a Word Application Here then we may come to understand whether or no the Spirit hath been at work upon our souls in order to salvation It is a great Question I suppose you will think it so when you come to ly upon your death-beds whether or no the Spirit of God hath been at work upon my heart in order to my salvation Well you see it is the work of the Spirit in order to Salvation to convince of sin and to convince of righteousness then consider I pray consider seriously between the Lord and your own souls and let us not willingly deceive our own souls Hath the Spirit of the Lord ever been thus at work upon my heart hath the Spirit ever come and convinced me of sin and of righteousness For if the Spirit of the Lord hath ever convinced you of sin in order to your Salvation it will go on also in the Work of Conviction to convince also of Righteousness Therefore I say I pray consider of it seriously Objection You will say Well I hope the Spirit of the Lord hath been at work upon my heart I hope I can say my heart hath been deeply troubled about my sin and I have gone and confessed my sin unto God and I have begged earnestly in prayer for the pardon of my sins Answer Well a man or a woman may do all this and yet come short of this convincing work of the Spirit which is in order to Salvation Therefore consider further I pray for as you heard the last time usually when the Spirit doth convince of sin in order to Salvation it convinceth the soul especially of unbelief and indeed till a Soul come to be convinced by the Spirit of the sin of unbelief his conviction of sin may be no argument to him that the Spirit hath been at work upon his heart in order to salvation Indeed when a soul comes to that discovery that the soul is convinced of the evil of unbelief then there is the greatest hopes that such a Soul is not like to miscarry for I am perswaded that the Spirit of the Lord never convinces a Soul of the evil of unbelief but it is in order to his salvation you shall never have a carnal heart to understand the evil of unbelief that is the work of the Spirit of God Now consider I pray hath the Lord discovered to you and convinced you of sin especially of the sin of unbelief Objection You will say possibly I hope the Spirit hath been at work upon my heart in order to salvation for I know thus much I am perswaded that without the righteousness of Christ I can never be saved I can never be saved by mine own righteousness I know that and I know that I must have the righteousness of Christ imputed to me by faith or I cannot be saved Answer But Brethren I pray consider of it for here may be only a meer notional knowledge a meer conviction in the notion only you may be convinced that this is a truth that there is no salvation but by Christ A man or woman may be convinced of this notionally he may have this knowledge in his head that the only way whereby I must attain to salvation must be by the righteousness of Christ by believing on Christ but I pray consider whether the Spirit of the Lord hath throughly convinced you of the righteousness of Christ Question You will say How shall I know that Answer Briefly by these two things 1. When the Spirit of the Lord doth convince a Soul of righteousness in order to Salvation it doth as you heard take a Soul
whereof we all are witnesses Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost having received all Power and Authority and Dominion and Government over all Principalities and Powers c. By this means he convinced them of Judgment for the Prince of this World is judged Christ is exalted at the Right hand of God and they had nothing to say against what the Apostle spake but their hearts were pricked and now Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved Thus you see the intendment and scope of Christ in these Words is to comfort the Hearts of his Disciples against his going away and now saith Christ I will send the Comforter unto you and when he is come he shall so assist you in your Ministry that you shall be able to Convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment your Ministry shall be made effectual operative and saving and this he delivereth as an Antidote against their sorrow for his going away from them And here is the Point that I shall briefly take up to speak to at this present if the Lord please Doct. That it is a matter of unspeakable Joy and Consolation unto the faithful Servants of Christ that their Ministry is made effectual through the power of the Spirit of Christ for the saving of poor Souls Christ gives them this very thing as an Antidote as a Comfort and Cordial against their sorrow which their hearts are filled with for his going away from them saith he the Comforter shall come to you and be with your Ministry and make your Ministry effectual and powerful and saving to the Souls of many persons in the World and this he gives as an Antidote against their sorrow And truly I might have said it is a matter of the greatest Comfort that any thing in the World can afford to the faithful Servants of Christ that their Ministry is made effectual to the furtherance of the Salvation of Souls he speaks of it you see as a Comfort suitable to their sorrow that is able to weigh down their sorrow that though they were so filled with sorrow at Christs departure from them yet saith Christ you shall have that that is as comfortable to you as my bodily presence can be you shall have the co-working of the Spirit with you in your Ministry to make it effectual for the furtherance of the salvation of poor Souls For the opening of this Point I shall speak to these four things that are implyed and wrapt up in it 1. That the Ministry of the Gospel is the Means of the conversion and salvation of Souls This is implyed here They shall go out to preach and this should be for their Comfort that they should be instrumental for the conversion and salvation of Souls 2. That it is through the power of the Spirit that the Ministry of the Gospel comes to be effectual for the conversion and salvation of Souls Therefore saith Christ I will send the Comforter to you the Holy Ghost and he shall convince the World of Sin he shall make the Word that you preach efficacious to further the salvation of Souls 3. That as the Ministry of the Gospel alone of it self cannot so neither will the Holy Ghost work efficaciously and savingly to the conversion and salvation of Souls without the Ministry of the Gospel Christ doth not say the Spirit alone shall work effectually and convertingly and savingly no but with your Ministry It was therefore spoken for their Comfort the Spirit shall come along with your Ministry and shall work effectually and convincingly and savingly 4. It is matter of exceeding great and unspeakable Consolation and Joy to the faithful Servants of Christ that their Ministery through the Operation of the Spirit is made efficacious and effectual for the convincing and converting and saving of any Soul Briefly to run over these things 1. That the Ministration of the Gospel is the ordinary Means of the Conversion and Salvation of Souls And therefore hence it is that the Gospel is called sometimes the Word of Salvation Acts 13.26 To you is this Word of Salvation sent the Word of Salvation that is the Gospel and sometimes 't is called the Gospel of Salvation Ephes 1.13 The Gospel of your Salvation saith he and sometimes 't is called Salvation it self Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation If we neglect the Gospel we cannot escape damnation The Gospel is called Salvation beause 't is the Instrument and the means of conversion and salvation And hence it is that people are said to be begotten and born again unto God by the Gospel Saith Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.15 Though you have ten thousand Instructors in Christ yet you have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel I have begotten you saith he to be Children of God by the Gospel So Paul writing to Philemon concerning Onesimus at the 10th verse saith he Receive him for I have begotten him in my bonds Paul was then a prisoner and Onesimus ran away from his Master Philemon and came to Paul and he was an instrument to beget him again to God by the Gospel so saith the Apostle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.1 2. The Gospel by which you are saved And so the Apostle James calls it the Word of Truth whereby Souls are begotten to God Cap. 1.8 And so Peter also saith Ye are born again by the incorruptible seed the Word namely the Word of the Gospel So that the Holy Ghost doth testify to us that the Gospel is the Means of the Conversion and Salvation of Souls Question And why so I pray Whence is the Gospel the means of the Conversion and Salvation of Souls Answer In a word it is from hence namely Because God hath so ordained it and appointed it It pleased God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.21 by the foolishness of Preaching to save those that believe God hath appointed and ordained the Gospel and the preaching of it to be a means for the Conversion and Salvation of Souls It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching not that the Apostle calls it foolishness but he speaks after the manner of the World after the account and esteem that the World had of the preaching of the Gospel As now Cannot we as well read a Chapter at home and edify our selves at home by reading of a Chapter or reading some good Sermons better than we can Hear And thereforeâ— is it not a simple weak foolish thing for us to spend our time so But saith the Apostle count it foolishness if you will It pleased God to ordain by this way of foolishness as the World counts it It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe 'T is that that God ordains and appoints and institutes for that end and that 's the reason it is a means of
Conversion and Salvation though it be a foolish thing to carnal reason to come and hear a man speak a little time and think this to be a means of Conversion and Salvation but though it be so foolish a thing yet this is the way and means that God hath appointed whereby Souls should be converted and saved Question But I pray How is the Ministry of the Gospel a Means of Conversion and Salvation Answer Briefly for I must not inlarge The Gospel is a Means of Conversion and Salvation namely partly by discovering or convincing People where they are out of the way of Salvation as in the Text I will send the Comforter and he shall convince the World of Sin of their sinful Estate and how they are out of the Way of Salvation and doth discover and convince them and shew them the right way and also the Gospel is a means to open and enlighten the Understandings of People to open their blind Eyes as Christ told Paul when he sent him to preach the Gospel Acts 26.18 Go saith he I have sent thee to open the Eyes of them that are blind and to turn them from Darkness to Light that is by the Ministry of the Gospel The Gospel is a Means to open peoples Eyes to turn them from Darkness to Light to make them see that they are in a state of Darkness to make them see that there is a glorious Light held forth in the Gospel as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 2.9 Who hath called you out of Darkness into his marvelous Light This is that the Gospel is a Means of and so it brings to a state of Salvation And again the Gospel is a Means to deliver people from the power of the Devil every one naturally is in the power of Satan he rules and works in all the Children of Unbelief Now the Gospel is a means to bring Souls from under the power of Satan and so Christ told Paul in that 26th of Acts I have sent thee saith he to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God The Gospel is a Means of that therefore saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 10.4 The Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds to beat down the Batteries and Castles and Fortifications that Satan builds it is mighty to pull down the power of Satan and so by that means to bring a Soul into a State of Conversion and Salvation And also the Gospel is the Means to work faith in the heart to cause a Soul to believe on Christ 't is a means of that and so by that means the Soul comes to be justified and freed from the guilt of Sin Faith saith the Apostle cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing the Gospel preached God is pleased to make use of the preaching of the Gospel to work Faith in the Souls of poor Sinners and by working Faith in their Souls drawing them unto Christ Now by believing in Christ they come to have remission of Sins as Christ told Paul in that of the Acts To turn them from Darkness to Light from the power of Satan to God that they might receive Forgiveness of Sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified and all by Faith in Christ So that I say the Gospel is the means ordained and appointed of God for the Salvation of Souls and therefore let no body think that the Ministry of the Gospel is a needless thing as many are ready to think in their minds that of all the Callings in the World the Ministry of the Gospel may be best spared Truly if so be that the Salvation of Souls be not necessary then the Calling of Ministers to their Office and their preaching of the Gospel may be spared but you see Christ hath appointed it to be the means of Conversion and Salvation and therefore whatever people may think secretly in their minds that we may edifie our selves by reading a Chapter and meditating upon it by reading of good Books and what need we to trouble oâ—r selves to wait upon the Ministry of the Gospel Truly know this That the Foolishness of God is wiser than the Wisdom of Man God hath pleased to ordain and appoint the Ministry of the Gospel to be the means of Conversion and Salvation and therefore if the Conversion of Souls be necessary then the preaching of the Gospel is necessary therefore let us take heed we do not neglect attending upon the Gospel and the preaching of the Gospel as we would be loth to neglect our own Salvation That is the first That the Gospel is the Means of working a saving and converting Work upon the Souls of Men. 2. The second is That the Gospel alone of it self cannot work a saving and converting Work upon any Soul no there must be the Operation of the Spirit of Christ that must go along with the Gsopel or else the Gospel will never be able to work any saving converting Work upon any Soul 't is true indeed the Gospel is the Word of Salvation Ay saith the Apostle Rom. 1.16 It is the Power of God to Salvation Ay where the power of God goeth along with it it works Salvation by the power of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 13.4 The Weapons of our Warfare are mighty through God saith the Apostle not mighty in themselves The Weapons of our Warfare what is that The Ministry of the Gospel the Preaching of the Gospel is mighty but it is mighty through God to the pulling down of Strong Holds Alas of it self it cannot the Gospel of it self is but a weak Letter but where the Power of the Spirit goes along with it it is mighty mighty through God mighty to convince and mighty to convert and mighty to save therefore the Gospel is compared to a Sword and it is called the Sword of the Spirit Eph. 6.17 Take to you the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God It is a Sword that cannot do good except it be wielded by the hand of the Spirit of God It is not now as a natural cause to effect any thing as now our Food is a natural cause sanctified and ordained by God as a natural cause of nourishment Physick is ordained as a natural Cause of health but 't is not so with the Word the Ministry of the Word is but as a Tool or Instrument in a Workmans hand in a Carpenter or Joyners hand the Tool of it self cannot work the Word of it self cannot work but as it is in the Workmans hand so it works Truly so the Sword of the Spirit in the hand of the Spirit that will work to the convincing and converting and saving of a Soul otherwise it cannot do it no it is but weak in it self even as a Sword that cannot move or lift up it self but now in the hand of the Spirit the Spirit the Gospel is mighty to
open the understanding to open the heart We read the heart of Lydia was opened when she heard Paul preach but it was not Pauls preaching but the Spirits going along with it that did open her heart and she attended to what was spoken by Paul and so the Spirit with the Word is mighty to draw a Soul to Christ not the Word alone no saith Christ John 5.44 45. No man can come unto me except the Father draw him that is there must be the mighty Power of the Spirit of God concurring to work with the Word to draw and perswade and convince by the Word and then it works And so the Spirit with the Word will cause a Soul to grow and encrease in a Spiritual Estate Paul may plant and Apollos may water but it is the Lord must give the encrease to make the growth So it is one may preach and another may preach but still there must be the concurrance and work of the Spirit or else all our preaching will be but like the watering of a dead plant but the Spirit of the Lord must come and be present and then our preaching our planting and watering may be blessed for those ends for which God hath appointed it And the reason is this That without the Spirit of God the Word though it be ordained of God to be a Means of Conversion and Salvation yet the Word alone without the Spirit cannot do it because the Ministry of the Word is too weak to make an Impression upon our hard hearts Take a Seal and set it upon a Rock or Stone it makes no Impression Why Because there is no pliableness in the Rock or Stone to receive the Impression Thus it is with our hearts our hearts are naturally like so many Stones therefore see what the Lord promises To take away the heart of Stone and to give a heart of Flesh a soft heart the hardness of it shall be taken away that when the Word comes as a Seal to make an Impression upon the heart the Spirit doth change the heart and makes it pliable to receive the Impression which othewise it could not do You may as well make an Impression upon a Rock or Stone as upon any Heart till the Spirit come and soften the heart and make it pliable to receive the impression of the Word and therefore hence you may observe That sometimes when divers hear the same Word preached there are diversity of effects in the same hearers hearing the same Word some are converted and others not some believe and others not As Acts 17. When Paul had been preaching to them Verse 32 34. When they heard of the Resurrection of the dead some mocked and others said We will hear thee again of this matter Howbeit certain clave to him and believed Ay some received the Gospel and others not some believed and others not As I remember 't is said Acts 28.24 Some believed the things that were spoken and some believed not And What is the Reason The Spirit doth work effectually with the Gospel upon some hearts but not upon others that is the reason that some believed and some believed not And hence it is again that sometimes some are more hardned by the very word of the Gospel So far from being converted and brought into a state of Salvation that they are more hardned and set further off nearer to their damnation What is the reason Because there wants the presence of the Spirit and therefore you shall see Isa 6.9 saith the Lord to the Prophet he was an Evangelical Prophet Go saith the Lord make this peoples heart hard go and harden their hearts that they may hear and not understand that they may not be converted and saved Let their hearts be more hardned saith God by hearing the Gospel preached nay sometimes what is the reason that the most eminent ablest Preacher of the Gospel in the World that their Ministry is sometimes less efficacious than the Ministry of them that are far inferiour to them what is the reason Because the Concurrence of the Spirit goeth along with the one and not with the other You shall see Christ himself the most eminent Preacher that ever was under Heaven John 22.36 37. He preaches there and though he did Miracles before them yet they believed not on him that the saying of Isaiah the Prophet might be fulfilled Lord who hath believed our Report and to whom hath the Arm of the Lord been revealed And therefore they could not believe because Isaiah saith again He hath blinded their Eyes and hardned their hearts These things said Isaiah when he saw his glory and spake of him when he saw the glory of Christ when he was most Evangelical in his Ministry then he spake these Words whereas Peter now that was far inferiour to Christ having the presence of the Spirit mightily poured down upon him Acts 2. where the Holy Ghost fell down upon the Apostles like so many fiery cloven tongues Peter preached to them and he converted three thousand Souls at one Clap because of the powerful presence of the Spirit together with the Word Therefore Brethren still let us not satisfy our selves with hearing the Gospel preached though we had the most eminent preacher that ever was in the World though we should have heard Christ himself but look for the Concurrence of the Spirit the breathings of the Spirit wait upon God for the communicating and giving out of his Spirit that they may make the Gospel to be the Ministration not of the Letter but of the Spirit for it is the Spirits Work to make the Gospel effectual and operative for the Conversion and Salvation of Souls 3. In a Word that As the Preaching of the Gospel of it self cannot convert or save any Soul So neither will the Holy Ghost without the Concurrence and preaching of the Gospel You heard before that the Preaching of the Gospel cannot do it alone But cannot the Spirit will not the Spirit do it alone It can do it alone indeed But mark I pray the Spirit will not ordinarily convince and convert effectually and savingly any Soul without the Ministration of the Gospel To give you but a Scripture or two for this Acts 9. You see there Christ himself speaks to Paul you know how he met with him as he was going to Damascus to persecute the Saints and Christ spake immediately to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me well who art thou Lord saith he I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Well Verse 6. You shall see saith Paul Lord What wouldest thou have me to do Mark now Christ doth not preach the Gospel immediately himself but he sends him to one to preach to him Go into Damascus and there it shall be told thee what thou shalt do and there Christ sent Ananias to preach the Gospel to him Christ himself would not preach the Gospel from Heaven to him nor he would not convert nor save his Soul without the Ministration of the
Instrument to convert by his preaching now to see that their conversion was true and real by their continuing in the truth I have no greater Joy in this world saith he And why so I pray Why should this be such a matter of Joy and rejoycing to the hearts of the faithful Servants that their Ministry is made effectual for the Conversion of Souls 1. Upon this Account because Here is a Sign and Token that God hath blessed their Ministry that the Blessing of God from Heaven hath been upon their labours and I pray let me appeal to your selves is it not matter of Comfort Joy and Rejoycing to you that you find your labours and indeavours to have any Success to be blessed of God As now take a Nurse that brings up a Child and she sees the child begins to thrive by her suckling of it and it is the Joy and Rejoycing of her heart as on the other side if she see the Child pine away and doth not prosper 't is the grief of her heart when she takes all this pains and no good comes of it When you plant and sow seed if you take any pains in your Orchard or Garden in grafting and the like and you find that your labour is made fruitful is it not a Comfort to you to go into your Garden and see the seed that you have sown flourish and come up It is rejoycing to you and much more is it to the hearts of the faithful Servants of Christ that their labours in the Ministry are blessed and made fruitful and successful because now here is the more immediate presence of God upon their labours here is the blessing the blessing of God doth more immediately appear in their labours Now in sowing of Seed there is instrumental means and causes of its growing there is Dew and Showers and Rain from Heaven there is the influence of the Sun the fatness of the Soil that concur to cause it grow but now there is much against the Ministry of the Word to work upon the heart there is the corruption of the heart and the temptations of Satan and the World and all to hinder the Gospel from taking effect but now when the Lord makes the Gospel to take effect to become efficacious to the Conversion of Souls of poor Creatures here is now the blessing of Heauen upon his labours and now he hath cause to rejoyce greatly that God is with him and hath blessed his labours and now God doth own him as a Fellow-Labourer together with himself We are Workers together with God saith the Apostle We are Gods Husband men and we are planting for God and God goes along with us and cooperates with us what a mighty cause of rejoycing is this that we have the presence of God with us and the blessing of God upon us nay it is an argument and token that God owns their Ministry and labour and he seals their Ministry and Labour as the Apostle saith Ye are the Seal of our Ministry this is I say matter of great Joy and Consolation in regard it is a Sign and Token that God hath blessed the Labours of his Servants and owned their Ministry 2. 'T is a matter of great Joy and Consolation because now Here is a Testimony that Jesus Christ in Heaven and in his Glory is mindful of his poor Servants here below in the World he doth mind and remember such a poor Servant of his that labours in his Name and doth send down the Spirit to accompany him in his Labours as Christ said here to his Disciples I will send the Comforter and he shall assist you and I will remember you when I am in Heaven I will not forget you Thus Christ now sends down the Comforter the Spirit from Heaven to assist such a poor Minister in his labours and endeavours what matter of Consolation is this to think that Christ from Heaven sends down his Spirit to co-operate with him in his indeavours What matter of Joy and Consolation is this Take but one more 3. It must needs be matter of great Joy and Consolation to the faithful Servants of Christ to think that the Lord should please to make use of such as they are to be Instruments in his hands to pull down the Kingdome of the Devil and to inlarge the Kingdom of Christ That the Devils Kingdom and power should go down and that Souls should be drawn out of his Kingdom by the Labours of his poor Servants what Joy is this When Christ sent his Disciples to preach Luke 10.17 18 it is said They returned again rejoycing saying The Devils are subject to us Ay saith Christ I beheld Satan fall down from Heaven like Lightning Where the Gospel comes there goes such a Presence of the Spirit with the preaching thereof that Sathan goes down and poor Souls are brought out from under his power and Dominion as you know Christ told Paul that he should be instrumental to turn people from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God though they be under the Kingdom and Power of the Devil yet by the preaching of the Gospel when the Spirit concurs and goes along with it poor Souls are translated from the Kingdom of Satan into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.15 Now what Joy and Comfort must this needs be to the hearts of the faithful Servants of Christ that the Lord should please to make them Instruments in his own hands to pull down the Kingdom of the Devil and to inlarge his own Kingdom that such shall be added to the Lord as shall be saved I say it must needs be matter of Joy and Rejoycing But I would hasten to an end Briefly therefore by way of Application Application And here I might in the first place take occasion to speak a Word of Direction to the Ministers of Christ if it were a fit place and season namely to direct us how we may so preach that we may have most Joy and Consolation The faithfull Servants of Christ have more Joy and Consolation by being instrumental for the Conversion and Salvation of Souls than by all that ever the People of their Congregation can do for them If they may be instrumental in the Lords hand for their Conversion and Salvation this is more Joy and Consolation to them than any thing in the World can be Christ tells his Disciples that this would be matter of Joy and Rejoycing to their Hearts when he was gone from them therefore we should seek to convert and save Souls we should do as the Apostle saith I seek not yours but you we should seek the Conversion and Salvation of Souls and therefore we should be preaching of Faith and of Repentance as the Apostle Paul saith of himself Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and Repentance towards God whereby poor Souls may be converted and saved And we had need be much in pleading with God for the Spirit that the Spirit of the Lord may
Idols more Thus the Soul will be taken off from all sin will not venture upon any thing that is sin That is the sixth 7. Let me add one more and that is this A soul that is under trouble for sin from the evil spirit the trouble will in time wear off and will be removed and healed by some way or other that is not the right way of Cure I pray mind it I say such a soul though it may be under a great stroak a great wound for sin if Satan do not prevail upon the soul to drive it to dispair the wound will be healed by some means or other that is not the right way and means possibly sometimes it wears away by length of time it vanisheth and wears off by length of time by degrees Just as it is with a Land-Flood it comes sometimes with great showres and storms but it wastes away by degrees insensibly So in this case you shall have some souls sometimes so afflicted and oppressed and troubled for sin that they cannot rest themselves nor let others rest with them they complain of the burthen of their sins what burthens they are under and the burthen wears off by degrees their trouble of Conscience wears off by degrees But how they themselves know not nor their friends neither but had it been from the Spirit of God it would not have worn off so Ahab was convinced of the danger he was in by the Prophet 1 Kings 21. The Prophet comes to him and threatens him from the Lord that the Judgments of God should fall upon him and his posterity Verse 21. That he would cut off all the Posterity of Ahab every one that pisseth against the wall Ahab was now convinced and troubled in his mind and he would fain avoid the judgment and therefore he humbleth himself in sack-cloth he was very penitent insomuch as the Lord took notice of it and told the Prophet of it verse 29. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself So that Ahab was under a restraint for a time for about two or three years that he durst not go to Battel But look into the beginning of the next Chapter and it is said in the third year he would venture to go out when the troubles were a little worn off his spirit then he would venture to go out and then he was slain So many a man or woman is under very sore trouble of Spirit and Conscience for sin and yet notwithstanding the trouble may wear off again and that 's an argument it was not from the Spirit of God sometimes trouble about sin may wear away it may be diverted by the multiplicity of worldly business he may thrust himself over head and years in the business of the world and so possibly may calm and quiet his Conscience for the present and if it be not from the Spirit of God possibly it will never return again You read of Cain Gen. 4.17 He was troubled in his spirit about his sin and he went about the matters of the world about marrying of Wives and building of a City and by that means wore away his trouble you hear no more of him Sometimes trouble is worn off by merry Company chearly Company and by Musick and the like and so drive away their sad and melancholy humours just as it was with Saul We read of Saul when the evil Spirit was upon him he would call for one to play upon an Instrument of Musick to drive away the evil spirit Ay the trouble was from an evil spirit indeed and now therefore it must be driven away by a fit of Musick Sometimes again you may be free from this trouble of spirit about sin by making restitution and satisfaction Oh they have wronged such and such and this bears them down and oppresses them the very thoughts of it and they know not what to do Well they will go and make restitution and satisfaction and so lick themselves whole the trouble is over And so sometimes they will ease themselves of their trouble by performance of Duties and by the reformation of their Lives We read of Herod he was convinced of his sin of Incest in marrying of his Brothers Wife John Baptist convinced him of it and told him it was not lawful for him to have his Brothers Wife and thereupon he goes to hear John preach and 't is said he reformed many things he set upon a work of reformation Mark 6.12 He heard John Baptist gladly and did many things c. And there was an end of his trouble Now I say this is that I bring it for to shew you that trouble about sin that comes from the evil spirit commonly it is healed and cured by such means as are not the right means for the cure whereas now a Soul that is convinced by the Spirit of God will never be cured but by the same hand that wounded it it will never be cured but by the right plaister the right â—alve without the blood of Christ and the righteousness of Christ applyed by Faith the Soul will never be cured I remember a Story of Mr. Bilney that was burnt here at Lollards Pit without Bishops Gate he tells a story of himself and Mr. Latimer this Mr. Latimer was a young man a man of very pregnant parts but he was a Papist Now Mr. Bilney thought to circumvent Mr. Latimer and to gain him by a wile and so he goes to Mr. Latimer pretending himself a Papist he would make Mr. Latimer his Confessor so he goes and confesses himself to him and there he tells him how he had been troubled in mind about his sin and so troubled saith he that I could find no rest nor peace till I came to the right cure I was set saith he to go a Pilgrimage to such a place but my trouble continued and I was set to do such a Pennance and my trouble still continued till such time as I read in the new Testament 1 Tim. 1.15 That Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners whereof I am chief and saith he when that was set home upon me then I was quiet and free from my trouble Truly so it will be a soul will never come to a right cure till such time as it comes to the righteousness of Christ and the vertue of the Blood of Jesus Christ applyed to the soul by Faith the soul will never come to any true peace or comfort And thus now you have seen some differences between the trouble of a soul about sin that comes from the evil spirit and the convincing of a soul by the holy Spirit of God So now I have done with the third thing namely That it is the proper Work of the Spirit to convince a Soul of sin in order to Conversion There is one thing more remaining and I shall briefly draw to an end 4. And that is to shew you That as Convincing of sin is the work of the Spirit so also It is the
first work of the Spirit in order to Conversion and Salvation for so the Point was laid down That it is the first work of the Spirit in order to Conversion and Salvation to convince a Soul of sin Now how doth that appear Briefly in two or three Words 1. Thus because The Lord in the Work of the new Creation doth ordinarily use the same Method that he did in the old Creation You know in the first Creation of the World the first particular Work that God wrought was Light saith God Let there be Light and there was Light Light is that whereby things are discovered light makes things manifest So now God comes in the new Creation when he is about the great Work of the new Creation upon the Soul the first thing God works in the soul is to create Light Light whereby the soul may come to see and discern what is in himself he comes to see and discern sin saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.6 God that commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined into our hearts In the new Creation he doth cause a soul to see and discern its own unrighteousness and there where true righteousness is to be had the righteousness of Jesus Christ of which we may speak afterwards if the Lord please He shall first convince the World of sin and then of righteousness but the first Work is to create Light in the soul and such Light as to discover sin as Christ told Paul when he called him to preach the Gospel Acts 26.18 saith he I have sent thee to turn people from Darkness to Light That is the first Work commonly the Spirit doth in order to Conversion and Salvation to bring in a light into the soul to discover sin the soul was in darkness before and saw no great evil in sin but now there is a light brought in whereby the soul is made to see and discern sin and so is convinced of sin 2. It is the first Work of the Spirit in order to Conversion to convince the soul of sin because Till a Soul be convinced of sin it will never much heed the Gospel of Grace Alas the Gospel and the glorious Grace that is held forth in the Gospel is a very slighty thing to a carnal heart they make a light matter of it they do even mock at it as a very simple foolish thing as in Acts 17. When Paul was Preaching to the Athenians say they What will this Babler say v. 18. It is but a kind of babling So sometimes some of your learned Doctors have counted the preaching of the Gospel but prating and babling so v. 22. When they heard 〈…〉 the resurrection of the dead some mocked They made a slight matter of it and disregarded it but now when a soul comes to be convinced of sin then it will be ready to attend the Gospel the soul will then be ready to hear what God speaks in the Gospel See that example again Acts 2. You read there those that were converted by Peters Sermon at first they did not regard what the Apostles said say they These men are drunken with new wine and they talk they know not what but afterward they came to be of another mind when Peter had preached to them and the Spirit had gone along with him to convince them of sin then Men and Brethren what shall we do now we will hearken to you and hear any thing you will say to us I say upon this account it is the first work of the Spirit to convince the soul of sin because the soul makes but a slight matter of the grace of God in the Gospel till it be convinced of sin it will make but a mocking matter of it But when a soul comes to be convinced of sin by the holy Spirit of God then the Word of the Lord will be precious to him and then we will hear thy Words for they are sweet 3. And lastly The Spirit doth first convince the soul of sin in order to Conversion and Salvation Because till such time as a Soul be convinced of sin the Soul is not fit to be married to Christ There must be first a Divorce before there can be another marriage if a woman be to be married the second time she must not marry whilest her Husband lives without a Divorce so 't is in this case a Soul cannot truly be married to Christ till such time as it be dead to the law of sin The Apostle speaks very elegantly to this purpose Rom. 7.1 2. Know you not Brethren I speak to them that know the Law how the Law hath Dominion over a man so long as he liveth And so on And at the 4 v. he comes to make Application Wherefore my Brethren ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him that was raised from the dead You cannot be marryed to Christ till such time as you be clear from your first Husband and how come we to be divorced from the Law of sin but by conviction of sin when the Spirit of the Lord comes to convince of sin then there is a Divorce then the heart is taken off from sin Indeed as I told you before if the soul be not convinced by the Spirit he is not convinced of sin as sin but when the Spirit of the Lord comes and convinces a Soul of sin here is a Divorce and now the Soul is made fit to marry with Christ And so you have seen the Point opened Application Now one word or two by way of Application and I have done 1. Then Hereby we may come to discern or have a near scantling about our spiritual Estate whether we have had the Work of Conversion wrought in us or no. I shall speak but a Word to it and leave it to your further Consideration Consider whether the first step towards Conversion hath ever been set that is the Work of Conviction by the Spirit Hath the Lord by his Spirit ever convinced you of sin hath the Spirit come and brought sin unto you and set it home upon you hath the Spirit of the Lord so set home sin upon you that you have not been able to make any evasion for that as you heard is the nature of true Conviction and hath the Spirit so set home sin upon you that your heart came to be affected with it and afflicted for it that you are made to humble your selves before the Lord under the sense of sin Well have your souls ever been thus convinced of sin or no if not then you have not set the first step towards Conversion I pray mind it You will say yes I hope I have been convinced of sin I have had some sins so set home upon me that I could not deny it nor avoid it but my heart hath been greatly afflicted under it that I could not rest day nor night and I have been afraid I should
convincing of the soul of this great sin of unbelief you shall find usually that the Spirit in convincing a soul of unbelief in order to conversion and eternal salvation it usually doth these three things 1. The Spirit doth come and reveal to the Soul the great evil of the sin of unbelief sets it before the soul and makes it to see it therefore the Spirit is called the Spirit of Revelation because it doth reveal the Gospel and the great sin that is against the Gospel Eph. 1.17 That God would give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Brethren it is not natural Conscience that can convince a man of the sin of unbelief A natural Conscience may possibly help to convince a soul of other sins it may check the soul for other sins as Murder or Blasphemy For indeed a natural Conscience is ready to accuse of sin Rom. 2.15 Their Consciences in the mean while excusing or accusing one another Natural Conscience may accuse for some sins but not for this sin of unbelief The Law may help a soul to be convinced of some sins that are expresly against the Law but the law cannot convince any man or woman of unbelief no though 't is true as I said before That believing on Christ is virtually required in the first Commandment yet it is not expresly commanded but only implicitly and virtually therefore it is not in the power of the law of the Commandments to help to convince a soul of the sin of unbelief no more than the second Commandment is a means and instrument to convince us of our neglect of Gospel worship because it is not expresly commanded there but implicitly and consequentially Therefore I say it must be the work of the Spirit alone to convince of the sin of unbelief The Law and Conscience may help to convince the Soul of other sins but none but the Spirit of God can convince the soul of the evil of the sin of unbelief This is the first thing that the Spirit doth in the soul in order to the convincing of it of the sin of unbelief namely to open the eyes of the understanding and to reveal and discover to the soul the evil that is in the sin of unbelief 2. Another work of the Spirit in order to it is this namely to cause the Soul to understand and know plainly that all his best duties and services that he can perform in this World cannot be acceptable unto God nor make his person acceptable without faith in Christ Truly this now is the work of the Spirit to convince a Soul of this to discover this that it is not all my duties and services and performances that can procure my acceptance with God without faith in Christ Brethren this the Holy Ghost speaks in Scripture and this the Holy Ghost makes a soul sensible of That without faith it is impossible to please God The soul it may be is ready to think that he can please God with the performance of duties and services But when the Spirit of God comes to convince the soul of the sin of unbelief it shews him that all these things are not pleasing to God but are displeasing to him without faith in Christ neither our persons nor any thing we can do can be accepted of God without faith Eph. 1.6 saith the Apostle Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Our persons are accepted in the Beloved and our services are accepted in the Beloved in Christ and through Christ otherwise nothing can be accepted and pleasing to God that we can do and hereby now by the operations of the Spirit the Soul comes to see the sad and miserable Estate of unbelief That is the second 3. Another Work that the Spirit doth in order to convince a Soul of the Sin of Vnbelief is this namely to cause the Soul to see plainly that it hath been out of the Way of Salvation all this time The Soul hath gone on it may be in a course of duties and services and performances it hath been careful and strict to walk exactly to wrong no body to be diligent in its calling to be careful in all its dealings to be abundant in duties and services giving attendance to the Word waiting upon God in every Ordinance The Soul goes on in this way and thinks now it is in a way of salvation I would not discourage and dishearten any from going on in such a way but still without faith this is not the way we are out of the way of salvation and we are all of us naturally enclined to seek for salvation in this way in walking exactly and being conscientious in the performance of duties and being diligent in our vocations and callings this was the way wherein the poor Israelites did miscarry and perish Saith the Apostle Rom. 9.30.31 What shall we say that the Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness have attained to Righteousness but Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the Works of the Law Ay they went about saith the Apostle to establish their own righteousness and so would not submit to the Righteousness of God They went about to establish their own Righteousness truly this is natural to every one to walk on in the way of the Covenant of Works to look for life in that way that Adam should have found life in if he had continued in his obedience I say 't is natural for every one to walk on in such a course to expect eternal life and salvation in that way whereas when the Spirit of God comes to convince a Soul of the sin of unbelief it makes the soul to see it hath been out of the way of life and salvation all this time I have taken a wrong course all this time and now the Soul begins to be amazed to think he hath lost all his time and all his labour and now the Soul sees that this is not the way to life and salvation but the way of salvation is in the way of believing on Christ and now the soul is set in that way and course of believing on Christ and this is the Word behind us which the Prophet Isaiah speaks of Isa 30.21 Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk in it The Spirit of the Lord comes and whispers in our ear and tells us this is the way of life and salvation you will never find life by your own doings but this is the way walk in it if you would find life Thus the Holy Ghost doth ordinarily those three things in order to the convincing a Soul of the sin of unbelief So now you have heard the Point opened and cleared Now to make a little Application in a word or two and so I have done Application 1. Hence we may see the reason why so many Professors do see so
little evil in the sin of unbelief why and whence is it that so many Professors are so little sensible of the sin of unbelief though unbelief be such a great sin the greatest of all sins as you have heard though it be such a sin as to make God a liar and it doth kick and spurn away the loving kindness of God and by our not believing we put the greatest contempt upon the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God that can be yet I fear there are very few Christians do really and truly see the greatness of this sin they can be humbled for other sins and confess how they have provoked God by slighting and despising his Word by being formal and careless and wanton and prophaning Sabbaths and Ordinances but this sin of unbelief is little laid to heart there is little real humiliation for that and what is the reason because it is the work of the Spirit of Christ only to convince of this sin And therefore as we do desire more and more to see the evil of this sin of unbelief truly we had need to look up for the Spirit to discover it to us that all that we can do can never please God unless we do believe on Christ whatever prayers we make whatever duties we perform yet all doth not please God but we must be accepted only by faith in Christ and it is the work of the Spirit to shew us how we have been out of the way of salvation all this time I have gone on in a course of duties and performances in a way of moral Righteousness but I have been out of the way of life and salvation all this time If the Spirit do not convince us we shall never be convinced of this sin of unbelief it is not all that I have spoken nor all that all the Saints in the World can speak in laying open this sin of unbelief that can convince us of it except the Spirit of the Lord come and convince of this sin of unbelief Therefore look up for the Spirit and wait for the Spirit to be given out to convince us of this sin of unbelief That is the first 2. To end all hereby we may come in some measure to discern our spiritual estate and condition whether we be in a way of salvation or no Brethren you may see it plainly in the Text saith Christ I will send the Spirit and he shall convince the World of sin of this sin of unbelief in order to salvation Well then Consider I pray seriously between the Lord and your own souls whether or no you have been convinced of sin and especially of this sin of unbelief hath the Holy Ghost discovered the evil of this sin to you I pray consider seriously of it for this is the work of the Spirit in order to salvation to convince of this sin of unbelief Objection You will say Well I hope the Lord hath been at work upon my soul I hope the Spirit hath been convincing me of sin I think I have been convinced of many sins I hope the Spirit hath made me to see my original sin and hath convinced me of the sins of my youth the Lord hath written bitter things against me and made me to possess the iniquities of my youth he hath brought to my remembrance how I have been disobedient to my Parents and Superiors the Spirit I suppose hath convinced me that I have been given to lying to purloining defrauding and stealing from Parents and Masters and I have been convinced of Sabbath-breaking c. Answer But I pray consider have you ever been convinced of this sin of unbelief I pray consider it seriously what of the evil of unbelief hath the Spirit discovered to you I tell you Brethren if so be you have not been convinced and seen something of the evil of unbelief truly you have cause to question whether ever the Spirit of God hath been at work upon you in order to salvation Let me tell you plainly and I pray bear with me you may have been convinced of sin and yet the Spirit hath never been at work upon you in order to salvation No when the Spirit doth work in order to salvation it doth sooner or later convince of this sin of unbelief Therefore if you be perswaded that the Spirit hath been at work upon your hearts in convincing you of sin in order to salvation then wait for it and look that the Spirit shall discover this sin of unbelief to you wait for it for the Spirit will go on if he have begun a convincing Work in order to salvation and eternal life he wil convince you of the evil of unbelief sooner or later you will be brought in some measure to see the real evil and sinfulness of it therefore look and wait for it and then also wait for the work of the Spirit to convince you of Righteousness for so it follows in the next words I will send the Spirit and when he is come he shall convince the World of Sin because they believe not on me And of Righteousness because I go to the Father and ye see me no more But thus much shall suffice for this time The Holy Ghost revealeth Christ's Righteousness SERMON VII JOHN 16.10 Of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more YOU have heard before That the first work of the Spirit of God upon the Soul in order to Conversion and Salvation is to convince it of Sin and in a special manner of the sin of Unbelief And when he is come he shall convince the World saith Christ in the former Verse of Sin Because they believe not on me Now then where the Spirit begins to work in order to Salvation by convincing of sin he goes on also to convince of Righteousness And so I shall fall immediately upon the Point before us which is this Doctrine That when the Spirit of God doth begin to work upon a Soul in order to Salvation by convincing it of Sin he goes on also to convince it of Righteousness When he is come he shall convince the World of Sin saith Christ Ay but he doth not stop there but goes on also to convince of Righteousness Brethren it is the first work of the Spirit of Christ to convince us of our own Unrighteousness and his next work is to convince us of the Righteousness of Jesus Christ I confess I had it in my thoughts to have spoken to some other subject at this time but casting about and considering with my self what might be of most and greatest concernment the Lord was pleased to turn my thoughts again upon this Subject for verily if it were the last Sermon that ever I should preach to you in this world as the Lord knows whether it be or no if so be that any of you were going out of the World and I should be called to speak to you I do not know what I should say that is of more or
trusting and leaning upon its own righteousness from looking to be accepted of God to salvation upon the account of its own righteousness This the Spirit of God doth take a soul from in order to convincing it of righteousness Truly Brethren this is the rock that we are all of us naturally prone to dash upon and to split upon we are all of us naturally prone to seek after acceptance with God upon the account of our own righteousness to run on in the way of the Covenant of Works to seek for salvation in that way that Adam should have been saved in if he had stood Doe and Live be obedient to the Will of God be exactly righteous and you shall have life this is the way that Adam should have had life in if he had continued in his obedience but now this way of the Covenant of Works is null'd and we cannot look for salvation in that way but we are all of us naturally prone to run on in that way to look for the life of our souls meerly by our own righteousness This was the stumbling stone that the Jews stumbled at this was the great rock of offence Rom. 9.31 32 33. saith he The Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained righteousness but the Jews which followed after righteousness have not attained righteousness why so because the Jews stumbled at that stumbling stone they sought after righteousness by the works of the law they sought to be righteous with their own righteousness and therefore mark what he saith Chap. 10.3 They being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God This is natural to us to look to be accepted of God for our own righteousness and truly it is a very hard thing for a soul to be taken off from that and therefore hence it is that the people that are morally righteous and not so notoriously wicked and prophane as others are are ordinarily harder to be convinced and converted than others are so that as Christ saith Mat. 21. Publicans and Harlots shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before you speaking to the Scribes and Pharisees that were exact to the letter of the law I say we are all apt naturally to stick there to run upon the rock of our own righteousness just as the Apostle speaks of himself when he was a Pharisee Philip. 3. I was saith he concerning the Righteousness of the Law blameless but afterwards when the Spirit of the Lord had convinced him of his own unrighteousness and the righteousness of Christ at the 8 and 9 Verses Now saith he I would be found in him not having on my own righteousness which is of the Law that righteousness that I had when I was a Pharisee I would not be found saith he having on my own righteousness but that righteousness which is by faith in Christ Jesus Now I say we are very hardly brought off from our own righteousness to close with this righteousness of Jesus Christ but now it is the work of the Spirit in convincing a soul of righteousness to take the soul off from its own righteousness and therefore the Spirit is fain to take pains with the Soul to shew it that all its own righteousness will come to nothing And therefore do but observe the way and method of the Spirit of God what the Spirit of God doth ordinarily when it taketh a Soul off from its own righteousness The Spirit of God comes therefore and causeth the Soul to see not only its own sinfulness by notorious open wickedness and prophaness that it hath lived in it doth not only convince the Soul of its profaning of Sabbaths and its disobedience to Parents and lying and stealing and pilfering and dishonesty when a Soul sees that then it cannot be accepted of God for its own righteousness And not only so but the Spirit of the Lord doth discover to the Soul the secret evils of his heart inward sins that never saw the light of the Sun that the World never knew of The Spirit of the Lord comes and convinces of those wickednessâ—s that there is such and such wickedness in the heart secret pride and secret malice and secret envy and secret hypocrisy and secret unbelief and the like and now how can the Soul expect to be saved of God for its own righteousness What is this the righteousness saith the Soul that I look to be accepted for And not only so but the Spirit also doth dâ—scover to the Soul the unrighteousness of its best duties and services those things that men are apt to think that God should accept them for now the Spirit comes and opens the understanding and makes the Soul to see the imperfection and weakness of the best duties and services as the Church saith All our very righteousnesses are as filthy rags and O! can I expect to be accepted for these prayers and these duties and services that are so filthy and so defective and so impure When the soul comes to be made sensible of these things how can it expect to be accepted for its own righteousness Nay Brethren the holy Spirit doth usually discover to a Soul not only the sinful faâ—â—ings that are in his best duties and services but also the sinful frame of the heart and spirit that there is a sinful frame of wickedness within a law of rebellion and enmity against the will of God within though possibly it hath never broken out but there is a sinful frame of heart within that every thought and imagination of the heart is only evil continually and out of the heart proceeds all manner of abominations evil thoughts murder and theft and blasphemy and all manner of wickedness Now Brethren when the Spirit of the Lord comes and opens a mans heart to himself that he sees the very frame and disposition of his heart is set against God and the will of God in every thing then the Soul must needs be convinced that it can never be accepted of God for its own righteousness the Soul sees that it hath no righteousness at all in it self to rest upon And not only so but the Spirit of the Lord in this convincing a Soul of righteousness discovers to a Soul that this is not the way where by it can look for acceptance with God by all that ever he can do it is true indeed this was the way that Adam in his innocency should have found life and salvation in but since the Fall that Covenant is broken and null'd and now God hath no where promised to give life and salvation in the way of that Covenant no God hath nulled that way of Salvation by our own works and doings that if so be now it were possible a man or a woman to be perfectly obedient to the whole law yet he may go to hell and be damned for all that because now God is not bound nor engaged to
bestow eternal life and salvation upon man in that way God is not bound to that Covenant nor will ever save a Soul in the way of that Covenant Now it is the work of the Spirit to discover this to a Soul that this is not the way for me ever to attain salvation it must be in another way and by another righteousness and hereby a soul is taken off from leaning and resting upon its own righteousness and from ever looking for salvation by any thing it hath done or can do though it should do never so much nay and let me add this further that when the Spirit of God doth thus take a soul off from leaning and resting upon its own righteousness yet notwithstanding the Spirit of the Lord doth put the Soul upon seeking and following hard after righteousness and its own righteousness too Ay Brethren this is now a Gospel-Mystery that flesh and blood can never attain to for our carnal hearts are ready to argue thus if we cannot be saved by our own righteousness then we need not to follow after it and so grow loose and carnal and careless and slighty neglecting duties or else being formal in them But now the Spirit of God doth teach the Soul and lead it in this middle way in this strait and narrow way every soul that the Spirit of God doth convince of righteousness in order to salvation he doth teach him and instruct him in this that though he shall never be saved by all that ever he can do yet the Spirit leads him on in a way of holiness and righteousness very exactly to be careful to walk with God in obedience to the Lords will and command And the Holy Ghost doth write a Law of obedience upon the heart and therefore those that draw such conclusions from this doctrine of the Gospel they do not understand the Gospel nor this convincing work of the Spirit which is to convince us that we are not to look for salvation by all our own righteousness and yet convinces us of the necessity of following hard after righteousness This now is the first thing that the Holy Ghost doth in convincing a soul of righteousness to take the soul off from resting and leaning upon its own righteousness 2. But Secondly Another thing that the Spirit doth in order to the convincing a soul of righteousness is this namely The Spirit doth usually discover to the Soul what this righteousness of Christ is by which it must look for acceptance with God to Salvation The Spirit doth usually reveal this righteousness to the soul therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 1.17 The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith It is the work of the Spirit of God to reveal this righteousness to open it and cause the Soul to understand it and therefore the Spirit is called the Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1.17 The Apostle prays there That God would give them the Spirit of Revelation in the knowledge of Christ because it is the work of the Spirit to reveal the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the Soul and cause the soul to understand it in some measure but still the soul is sensible of its own ignorance and blindness and possibly more afterwards than before But in some measure there is a discovery made of this righteousness of Jesus Christ to the soul and in order to this there are several things that the holy Spirit doth discover to the Soul concerning this righteousness of Christ namely It is the Spirit that discovers to the Soul the Perfection of this Righteousness that Christs righteousness is a most perfect and compleat righteousness without any blemish without any defect or imperfection The Spirit shews to the Soul that Christ hath fulfilled all righteousness he was obedient to every tittle of the Law there was no defect no blemish at all in Christs life all along neither in his outward nor inward man from his very conception all along throughout his life to his very death the Spirit of the Lord doth make a soul to understand this in some measure it discovers the righteousness of Christ to be a perfect and compleat righteousness that though my own righteousness be full of defects and imperfections yet the righteousness of Jesus Christ is a perfect righteousness That is one thing that the Spirit usally doth in this convincing of righteousness it discovers to the Soul that this righteousness of Christ is a perfect and compleat righteousness And not only so but further the Spirit discovers to the soul that it is not only a perfect but an all-sufficient righteousness the righteousness of Jesus Christ is not only a perfect righteousness exactly perfect to every tittle of the Law but an all-sufficient righteousness that the righteousness of Christ is able to save a World of sinners he was able by his righteousness to be a propitiation for the sins of the whole World 1 John 2.1 2. He is the Propitiation not for our sins only but for the sins of the whole World that is for the sins of all the Elect throughout the whole World for all that were Christs seed Christs posterity that now as all Adams posterity were made sinners by the imputation of Adam's unrighteousness so now Christs righteousness is sufficient to make all his posterity all his seed to make them all righteous in the sight of God because now this righteousness it is the righteousness of the Son of God of that person that is the eternal Son of God of that person that is very God equal with the Father the same Essence with God Now this is the righteousness of God as the Apostle calls the Blood that Christ shed the Blood of God Acts 20.28 So now this righteousness of Christ is the righteousness of God as it is usually called in the New Testament because it is the righteousness of that person which is God Now this makes his righteousness to be an all-sufficient righteousness Now then I may venture my Soul upon this righteousness if it be an all-sufficient righteouness and the righteousness of God then it is such a righteousness as is sufficient to save to the utmost all that come to God by him and it is an everlasting righteousness it will serve from the very beginning to the end of the World to make poor unrighteous Creatures to become righteous in the sight of God and to be accepted of God to eternal life and salvation nay and then further the Spirit of God goes on to discover and reveal this namely that God is ready to accept of this righteousness in the behalf of poor sinners here is now the mystery of the Gospel for truly this is a hard thing for flesh and blood to be perswaded of that I can be made righteous with the righteousness of another that I can be fed with the meat that another eats that I can be made warm by the cloaths that another wears that I should be made righteous with the
joy that they never had before and so John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter and so verse 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name So Chap. 15.26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father Still when Christ speaks of sending the Spirit he speaks of sending him under the Notion of a Comforter which is to imply that they shall have more true matter of Comfort of joy and rejoycing than ever they had before by his bodily presence and therefore saith the Apostle Paul As our Tribulations abound for Christ so our Consolations also do super-abound and saith the Apostle again Rom. 5.3 We glory in Tribulations which is an high expression Before upon every occasion they were afraid when they came into danger but now saith the Apostle We glory in Tribulations we joy and rejoyce in the highest degree of rejoycing The Apostles whilest Christ lived never had that fulness of Spiritual joy and consolation as they had after Christ was gone and the Spirit was sent down from Heaven and therefore that is one Respect why it is better to enjoy the presence of the Spirit than the personal Presence of Christ 2. By having the Spirit the Comforter sent down to them thereby they come to have more Boldness and spiritual Courage than they had before Alas before how ready were they to be affrighted and scared at every turn whilest they had the presence of Christ you see how they were affrighted when Christ was apprehended they all forsook him and fled and when Peter would needs peep into the Judgment Hall you see how he was dismayed and afraid when a Maid spoke to him and told him Thou art one of his Companions and he denyed it and swore he never knew him so timorous and fearful he was but afterwards he grew bold and couragious when the Spirit did descend upon him see the Courage of Peter and the Apostles Acts 4. when they came before the Judgment Seat Verse 8. And when they had set them in the midst they asked By what power or by what Name have you done this then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost said unto them Verse 10. Be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him doth this man stand here before you whole This was a Spirit of Boldness And Verse 13. When they saw the Boldness of Peter and John Now they had more Spiritual Boldness Courage and Audacity than they had before now the Spirit was poured down upon them And Verse 19. when they commanded them to speak no more in the Name of Jesus Then Peter and John said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God judge ye for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Thus by the plentiful effusion of the Spirit they grew more spiritually bold 3. When they were deprived of Christs personal presence then being indued with the Spirit They had more Christian strength and power given to them than they had before to act and do for Christ Therefore then they were said to be endued with power from on high Luke 24.49 When Christ was about to ascend up to Heaven he told them they should be endued with Power from on high Ay the Spirit is a Spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 God hath given to us not the Spirit of Fear but of power of love and of a sound mind The Spirit of Power When the Spirit falls down upon a person 't is a Spirit of Power that they shall be able to do and suffer for the Name of Christ very great things they are now endued with power from above Now Christ was gone and the Spirit come therefore you see how they did act They went up and down and could preach every day from place to place they travelled up and down to preach the Gospel and you shall see what great works they did as great works as Christ himself did do when he was upon Earth they raised up Tabitha from the dead Acts 9. And it is said Acts 19. that the very shadow of Peter and the Apostles passing by cured them that were sick We do not read of such miracles when Christ was upon Earth great power they had then see what power Paul had to go through Sufferings 2. Cor. 11.23 24 25. How he suffered abundantly and saith he I know that tribulations and sufferings abide for me in every place but none of these things move me he was indued with power from on high now saith he I am able to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Philip. 4.13 4. By having the Presence of the Spirit with them after they were deprived of the bodily presence of Christ Then they had a more powerful gift and Spirit of prayer Never such a Spirit of Prayer all the time that Christ lived with them then the Spirit of Prayer was poured down upon them as it was prophesied Zech. 12.10 I will pour out upon the house of Judah the Spirit of Grace and Supplication now they were able to pray to pour out their Souls abundantly to God in prayer before all the time that Christ was amongst them they were poor shallow weak Creatures not able to pray and therefore they came to Christ Luke 11.2 Lord teach us to pray as John taught his Disciples they had not the Spirit of prayer then in comparison with what they had afterwards therefore Christ was fain to dictate words to them as you do to your little Children to say word after word after you thus they came to Christ Lord teach us to pray but afterward when Christ was ascended and left them and the Spirit poured out upon them then they were able to pour out their prayers upon every occasion although 't is true as Paul saith Rom. 8. We know not how to pray as we ought that is we our selves left to our selves but the Spirit within us helps our infirmities with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered The Apostles prayed so strongly that they shook the very room where they were praying Acts 4 23. And being let go they went to their own Company and reported all that the Chief Priests and Elders said unto them and when they heard that they lift their voice to God with one accord and mark Verse 31. And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together So Paul and Silas Acts 16. 't is said They prayed at Midnight and praised God and the very foundation of the Prison was shaken by their very Prayers There was a mighty powerfull Spirit of Prayer that fell down upon them when Christ was gone from them therefore in that respect also the presence of the Spirit is
more expedient for them than to enjoy the bodily presence of Christ And let me add one thing more 5. It was more expedient for them to have the presence of the Spirit than to have the bodily presence of Christ because by Enjoying the presence of the Comforter hereby they had more assistance and more powerfull success in their work and labour in their Ministry than ever they had before all the time they had the presence of Christ I say Their Ministry was more powerful and effectual than ever it was before 'T is true they went up and down and preached some particular times but we do not read of any great matter was done that many were converted by their Ministry all the time they lived with Christ but now when Christ was gone and the Spirit fell down upon them Immediately you shall see Acts 2. When Peter preached one Sermon more were converted at that Sermon than there was by all the Apostles preaching that we read of all the time they lived with Christ upon Earth there were Three thousand brought in at one Sermon And afterwards Chap. 20.21 'T is said There were many thousand Believers brought in by the Ministry of the Apostles because the Spirit did assist them There was a mighty effusion of the Spirit and a great success upon their Labours and Endeavours And so Christ here in the Text to comfort his Disciples about his departure saith he Nevertheless I tell you the Truth it is expedient for you that I go away What then Saith he I will send the Comforter and you shall find marvellous success by the presence of the Spirit in your Ministry When he is come He shall convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment By enjoying the presence of the Spirit with them they had mighty success in their Ministry in their Labours and Endeavours in the Work that Christ had called them to Therefore I say in these respects it was more expedient for them to have the presence of the Spirit than Christ's Bodily presence amongst them And thus now I have finished this Point as to the Explication Proof and clearing of it Now briefly to speak something by way of Application and so to wind up all in three or four words Application 1. Then hence we are to be admonished and warned to take heed That our Hearts and Affections be not inordinately set upon any Creature-Comfort though never so near and dear unto us Because they must be taken away from us or we from them If we had the Bodily presence of Christ amongst us we are not to set our hearts inordinately upon him meerly for his Bodily presence so as to have our Hearts as it were rent or torn asunder for the want of his bodily presence So whatever Creature-Comfort we enjoy in this World take heed that our Hearts and Affections be not inordinately set upon them because there will come a time when we must part they must go from us or we must go from them as Christ told his Disciples here it is expedient for you that I go away and this was that that did fill their hearts so with Sorrow because they were so inordinately set upon his bodily presence There are no Creature-Comforts that we can enjoy in this World but we must be taken from them therefore it should be our Wisdom to have our hearts and affections set loose from them because the closer we are glued to any Creature-Comfort the greater rending and tearing there will be when we come to be deprived of it Truth is our hearts and affections are apt to cleave too close to creature-comforts as outward Relations Husbands or Wives Parents or Children our hearts are apt to be glued too close to them to be inordinately set upon them and therefore hence it comes to passe that it is so grievous to us to part with them and that we are so inordinate in our sorrow and grief when the Lord saith it is expedient for you that I take this or that Comfort from you and therefore we should do well to follow the Apostles Counsel and Admonition which he gives us 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. To use the World as if we used it not to enjoy as if we enjoyed not to possesse as if we possessed not for the fashion of this World passeth away It passeth away from us and therefore let us take heed that our hearts and affections be not inordinately set upon any creature-comfort Brethren if we set our hearts upon any thing let us set them upon those things that shall never go away from us and look after these things that shall abide with us as to look after Union with Christ by faith which shall never go away from us To look after the pardon of sin and peace with God reconciliation to God through the blood of Christ which shall never go away from us neither shall we go from them therefore now let it be our care and business to chuse the better part that shall never be taken away from us chuse Maries part endeavour after the Communications of the Spirit the Comforter the Holy Ghost which shall abide with you for ever but I say take heed that your hearts and affections be not inordinately set upon any creature-comfort for then your sorrow and grief will be the greater upon your parting with them and it is expedient for you to part either you from them or they from you and you know not how soon That is the first 2. Then Hence we may see our great folly in mourning and grieving immoderately for the parting from or losing and being deprived of any Creature-Comfort or Outward-Enjoyment Here is our folly Because possibly we mourn and grieve for that which is most expedient for us And Is not that folly Though we do not know so much yet the parting with this or that Relation with this or that Child or with all our Children with this Husband or that Wife it may be most expedient for us I say therefore Take heed of grieving immoderately or inordinately for it because it may be our great folly it may be more expedient for us that they go away than that they stay with us And truly now it may be we grieve inordinately for the loss of our Children or such a Child We do not know what they might have proved if the Lord had lengthened out their lives to us they might have proved the greatest vexations that ever we met with in the World though now it may be we cannot think so We do not know how expedient it is it may be more expedient for us that they go away Therefore mourn not inordinately but submit to the holy Will of God that knows what is more expedient for us than we do our selves And so for our Estates the Lord takes away our Estates from us our Livelihood in the World and brings us into a poor and low Estate and Condition Well do not mourn inordinately
in the Text. Though I think that is not the proper signification or intendment of it in this place For observe it It is not so proper to say That the Spirit when he comes shall Reprove the World of Righteousness he may reprove them of Sin and rebuke them for Sin but not of Righteousness nor for Righteousness nor of Judgement That is one signification of the word to Reprove or Rebuke 2. Sometimes the word signifies to make manifest or to make evident to make apparent so you shall find it John 3.20 21. Every one that doth evil hateth the Light Neither cometh to the Light lest his deeds should be reproved or made manifest and it is expounded in the next verse made manifest But he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God it is the same Word here in the Text. But this cannot be the meaning of this Word in the Text that he shall make manifest Sin and make manifest Righteousness and make manifest Judgment though there be a Truth in that yet this cannot be the full intendment of this word in this place 3. There is another signification of it and that is to convince and so 't is in the Margin He shall convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment and so I remember it is John 8.46 saith Christ there Which of you doth convince me of Sin It is the same Word he doth not say which of you charges me with Sin for they did charge him with Sin enough and they did reprove and rebuke him for Sin they said he was a Blasphemer therefore that cannot be the meaning of the Word to charge or reprove him of Sin but which of you can convince me of Sin to make it apparent without gain-saying that I am guilty of any Sin And so I think that place Tit. 1.9 holding fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the Gain-sayers And so I shall take it in this sense all along when the Comforter is come he shall assist you in your Ministry so as he shall thereby convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment II. What doth he mean by the World Not the whole Universe the Fabrick of Heaven and Earth no that cannot be the meaning of it but it is to be understood of Men the World of Men of sinful Men Men that are guilty of Sin and more particularly by the World we may understand the unbelieving World a company of unbelievers Now unbelievers they may some of them be elected and are elected and shall be brought to believe in Christ in time through the Gospel and some of them are not elected and shall never be brought to believe in Christ Now which of these doth Christ here mean when he speaks of the World whether he means only those Unbelievers that are elected and shall be brought on to believe so some think or whether he means the Unbelievers of the World that were never elected and shall never be brought to believe in Christ so others Truly I see nothing to the contrary but we may include both namely Unbelievers that are not elected the Holy Ghost shall come and convince them of Sin though they shall go no further there may be convictions where no conversion follows and this is the work of the Spirit to convince of Sin and he shall also convince Unbelievers that are elected convince them effectually so as they shall be brought on to conversion and I think especially and chiefly our Saviour here meaneth those Unbelievers in the World that are elected though I would not exclude the other but those especially that are elected and shall be brought on through conviction and conversion to salvation for Christ doth speak these Words by way of Comfort to the Disciples that the Spirit shall come and assist them in their Ministry it is some comfort indeed if any be convinced but that is not so much comfort as to be convinced and effectually wrought upon to salvation and this comfort Christ doth hold forth as an Antidote against their sadness and sorrow upon his going away And then he shall convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment I shall not now come to speak particularly to open these in particular to you but only thus much in short to shew you how the World was convinced by the Apostles Ministry immediately after Christs Ascension into Heaven the World was then convinced the World of the unbelieving Jews was convinced of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Look but into that Sermon Acts 2. which was preached upon the occasion of the falling down of the Holy Ghost the coming of the Comforter which Christ promiseth here you shall see there how the Jews were convinced both of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment by the coming of the Holy Ghost upon them in that very Sermon verse 23. There he convinces them of Sin In murdering and crucifying the Lord of Glory they were so far from believing on Christ as their Saviour that they did murder him whereas saith the Apostle in another place If so be they had known and so believed in Christ they would not have crucifyed the Lord of Glory but saith he Him being delivered by the determinate Counsel of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucifyed and slain He tells them plainly that they were guilty of murdering the Son of God and they were so convinced at this Word that they did not gainsay it but were pricked in their hearts thus they were convinced of Sin that they did not believe in Christ but instead of believing they murdered him and then they were convinced also of Righteousness namely of Christs Righteousness that Christ was a Righteous Person whom they crucifyed and slew verse 22. Ye Men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God by Signs and Wonders and Miracles which God did by him in the midst of you as your selves know the Apostle here holds forth that he was a Righteous Person and they crucifyed a Righteous Person and what had they to say against this No they were silent they laid their hands upon their mouth and afterwards their hands come upon their heart and they were pricked at the heart and now they were convinced of the Righteousness of Christ and also of Judgment that now God had given all power to execute Judgment into the hand of Christ unto this Son of man whom they crucified and slew So verse 24. Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it he overcame Death and overcame the Devil that had the power of Death and at Verse 31. he seeing this before spake of the Resurrection of Christ that his Soul was not left in Hell This Jesus hath God raised up
it did before as possibly through some dread or terror anguish or fear possibly the Soul hath been amazed through some eminent danger which he hath been in possibly he hath been sick to death nigh to the grave and hath seen the door of Eternity to stand open to receive him he hath been amazed and now if the Lord please he may have his life he will turn a new man and forsake those evil ways and courses he formerly lived in or if he be in some sudden danger or accident that he is amazed and affrighted O now he will never do as he hath done but now when the danger is over and the fear is vanished he is the same man he was before I could give you a sad story of this but that I would not take up time that way now you know how it was with Balaam when Balak sent to him to curse Israel Balaam met with a message from God to the contrary Do not go with him saith he for it will cost you your life when the Messenger came saith Balaam If Balak would give me his house full of gold and silver I cannot go beyond the Commandment of my God yet Balaam had an eye to the wages of unrighteousness and he would try to go and at last ventures to go he might be restrained a while but he was not really convinced of Sin and on he would go he would venture at last Just as it is with two Lovers two young people fall in love and their Parents are against their proceedings and their Parents threaten them and charge them to come no more at one another but so long as their affections hold they will find some way or other to come together and though they may for a time be restrained yet they will take some occasion or other to come together again Thus it is with a sinner so long as his affections are not taken off from sin and till a Soul be convinced of sin his affections remain to it and though it may be affrighted and restrained for a time yet it will return again Just as it is with a Bowl it will run on so long as the force of the hand remains but it will return again to its natural Bias so it is with a sinner possibly he may be under some restraint through some fright and amazement by some eminent danger it is in but when that fear or fright is over as long as the affections hold and were never disingaged and broken off from sin the sinner will return and be as eager and as violent upon his sins as before but when a Soul comes to be really convinced of his sin and hath it set home upon him as suppose it be the prophanation of the Sabbath or suppose it be disobedience to Parents or suppose this or that sin if a Soul come to be really convinced of it its affections towards it are broken off and then it will be ready to say with Ephraim Hos 4. ult What have I to do any more with Idols he had been convinced of it and now What have I to do any more with Idols This is the fourth Argument whereby it doth appear that this work of Convincing of sin is necessary in order to Conversion and Salvation 5. Convincing of Sin is necessary in order to Salvation Because unless a Soul be really convinced of sin that Soul can never love Jesus Christ never prize Jesus Christ Vnto them that believe saith the Apostle he is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 That is to you who have been convinced of Sin and brought off from Sin by the power of the Spirit convinced of Sin and drawn to Christ by faith and be ieving through the Spirit now to you Jesus Christ is precious O when a Soul comes to be sensible what a lost creature it is how undone it is in it self it will think how much it is engaged and beholden to Christ O this is he that I am bound to love for ever this is he that hath done so much for me if it had not been for Christ I had perished for ever The Soul when it hath been convinced of Sin and brought off from the love of Sin and brought to lean upon Christ by Faith now Jesus Christ is lovely and precious to him and hence you may see what is the reason that many Professors that have made a great shew in the world and a great noise in the Churches and yet they have little love to Christ and Jesus Christ is not very precious to them And possibly many complain of it O that I could love Jesus Christ more and it is a good complaint I confess O that he were more precious to me and what is the reason that Jesus Christ is more precious to our Souls and that the Soul can love the Lord Jesus Christ no more O! here is one great reason possibly the Soul was never really and truly convinced of Sin the more really the Soul hath been convinced of Sin the more dear and precious will Jesus Christ be to that Soul 6. And lastly The last Ground and Respect for which it is so necessâ—ry that a Soul should be convincâ—d of sin in order to Salvation Because else if a Soul be n t really convinced of sin that Soul notwithstanding all his Profession will be very unstable in its Faith and Comforts It will be tottering and wavering that Soul will never be rooted and grounded but its Comforts will be up and down it will be like a house that is built upon a sandy foundation a light foundation that hath no depth and you see the danger of that house that is built upon the Sands that hath a shallow slight foundation it is in danger to tumble especially when storms come and great Winds blow as Christ speaks Mat. 7. to our present purpose saith he He that heareth my Words and doth them not I will liken him to a Builder that built his house upon the Sands And saith he When the Wind blew and the Rain beat upon the house it fell because it wanted a good Foundation Truly so a Soul that hath no sure Foundation that is that was never really convinced of sin of his need of Christ that Soul will be like a house without a Foundation it will meet with temptations storms and tempests to try what ground it stands on and hence it is that it comes to be so often tottering and shaking I remember a speech of a holy eminent Servant of Christ to set out the necessity of Conviction of sin saith he The less Fine a man pays for his house when he enters the more Rent he must pay afterward He meant thus the less Conviction a man hath of sin at first that is the Fine the less his Fine is the more Rent he must pay afterward his meaning was this the more he will be subject to Troubles and Doubts and Scruples afterwards A Soul that hath not a real conviction of sin upon
him that Soul will be unstable its Comforts will be unstable and though he may hold up his head so long as all is calm and clear above him but when the assaults of the Devil come and the powers of Hell are let loose upon it to try its Foundation if the foundation be not deep rooted all the building will come to nothing it is like a Plant or Tree that is planted but shallow in the Ground and will be apt to wither so Christ compares it Mat. 13.21 The Seed that fell upon the stony ground sprang up for a while but when the Sun did rise when temptations came scorching temptations and tribulations and tryals came they withered away because they wanted depth of earth for the root they had no rooting they were not humbled and convinced of sin they took up a Profession and confessed Christ and professed Christ but never were truly convinced of sin and this is the great reason why Professors are subject to so many doubts and scruples about their condition when they come into sickness and dangers then they are ready to question their condition What is the reason why possibly this may be one Because they were never convinced truly of sin by the Spirit of God And therefore you see now upon all these accounts That Conviction of sin is very necessary for sinners in order to their Conversion and Salvation So now I have finished the second Thing propounded I should now have come to the third Thing to shew you That convincing of sin is the Work of the Spirit of God But that and some other things I must leave till another opportunity The Holy Ghost convinceth of Sin SERMON V. JOHN 16.9 Of Sin because they believe not on me YOU have heard the coherence of these words before and therefore I shall not trouble you with that and the Point you may remember what it was that was last propounded from these words Namely That it is the very first work of the Spirit of God in order to Salvation to convince the Soul of Sin For so Christ here is comforting of his Disciples against their sorrow upon his departure from them and he tels them That he would send the Comforter to them and he tells them what the Comforter should do he should assist them in their Ministry towards the conversion and salvation of Souls and the first thing he shall do he shall convince the World of Sin and then of Righteousness and then of Judgement but this is his first work to convince the world of Sin There were four things propounded to be spoken to for the clearing of this Point 1. To shew you what we are to understand by this Conviction of Sin which is the first work of the Spirit and wherein it lay and that you heard in three things 2. You heard the necessity of it why this work of convincing of Sin is so necessary in order to conversion and Salvation You heard the necessity of it in five or six things upon which account it was necessary in order to salvation to be convinced of Sin Well there are two things yet remain to be spoken to for the opening of this Point 3. The third thing is to shew that this work of convincing of Sin is the proper work of the Spirit Nothing short of the Spirit of God can really and truly convince the soul of Sin in order to salvation And then 4. That it is not only the work of the Spirit but the first work of the Spirit in order to Salvation These two things I shall now proceed to through the Lords assistance 3. Well then we are to fall upon the third to make it evident to you that the work of convincing of Sin is the proper work of the Spirit of God And how doth that appear Briefly I shall give you two or three Demonstrations of it 1. It appears from the opposition that is in every carnal heart to be convinced of Sin There is a desperate opposition in our hearts naturally we are utterly averse and unwilling to be convinced of Sin We are loth to come to the Light as Christ tells us John 3.20 Every one that doth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light least his deeds should be reproved lest he should be convinced It is the same word with this in the Text He is loath to be convinced of sin it is the natural frame of our hearts to be averse and opposite to conviction of sin therefore there must come a stronger power the power of the Spirit to this work of convincing of sin else we shall never be convinced for I pray mark what this convincing of sin is For a soul to yield to the convictions of sin is to yield to its own sentence of condemnation and do you think that any one is ready to yield to the sentence of its own condemnation Now if a soul yield to the conviction of sin he yields to the sentence of condemnation For the soul that sinneth shall dye And if a soul yield that he is guilty of this or that sin now he yields to the sentence of Death and Damnation And do you think the soul will yield to the sentence of Condemnation passed against it self You see sometimes a Malefactor at the Bar Is he willing think you to be convinced of his crime which he is accused of No he will stand out against it and deny it as long as he can and if he cannot deny it he will mince it and will not yield to the conviction so long as he can possibly hold out against it and this is the guise of our hearts naturally not to yield to conviction but we will hold out against it as long as ever we can let any man come to us to convince us and reprove us we will hold against it and shift it off and mince it and avoid it all that ever we can this is natural to us as it was with our first Parents when God called them to an account for their first sin they shifted it off Adam to his Wife his Wife to the Serpent and would not willingly be convinced Just as I told you before it was with Saul 1 Sam. 15. When Saul had disobeyed the Commandment of the Lord in going against Amalek God gave him a severe charge to cut off all Men Women Children and Cattel Well he cuts off the generality of the People but he spared Agag and he spared the best of the Cattel Well Samuel comes to him afterward and Saul he comes boasting saith he Come thou blessed of the Lord I have fulfilled the Commandment of the Lord hast thou fulfilled the Commandment of the Lord saith Samuel What meaneth then the bleating of the Sheep in mine ears and the lowing of the Oxen well he would not be convinced saith he 'T is true some of them are saved alive for sacrifice for the Lord he would not yield to the Conviction until such time as Samuel was
Righteousness of Christ for there is no other can serve our turn to make us accepted of God to eternal life no other Righteousness doth fulfill the Law of God in our nature but only the Righteousness of Jesus Christ therefore I say it must needs be that it is the righteousness of Jesus Christ in our humane nature for which we must be accepted of God And this is the righteousness which the Spirit of God is said to convince the World off Objection But you will say If so be that every believer be made perfectly righteous by the righteousness of Jesus Christ then how comes it to pass that believers cannot be Mediators for others and make others righteous for if so be we have the very righteousness of Christ upon us or we cannot be saved then as the righteousness of Christ makes others righteous why may not the righteousness of godly Parents make their Children to become righteous by their righteousness it being the righteousness of Christ why should it not be imputed to their very Children What is the reason that believers being made righteous by the very righteousness of Christ that they should not also by that righteousness make others righteous Answer For Answer plainly in a word the reason is because Believers though they be made righteous by the very righteousness of Christ yet notwithstanding they are not made righteous with that righteousness in that manner that Christ was righteous Christ was righteous inherently in his own person but now the righteousness that we are made righteous withall it is ours only by imputation That look now as it was with Christ Christ was made sin for us saith the Apostle that is he had the sins of all believers imputed to him he was made a sinner by Imputation Now the reason why Christ did not make others sinners by the sin that he had as Adam made his posterity sinners the reason is because Christ was not a sinner as Adam was that is not Inherently in himself but by way of imputation So now we are righteous by Christs righteousness only in a way of imputation and therefore we cannot derive and communicate this righteousness to another I say here is the reason of it That though we be made righteous with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ yet we are not thereby made Mediators and able to impute righteousness unto others to make them righteous with our righteousnes Objection But then there is another Objection for the clearing of this You will say if so be that a believer be made righteous with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Câ—â—ist then I pray why should a believer be called upon to seek and follow after righteousness is not the righteousness of Christ enough is not that perfect enough shall we add any thing to the righteousness of Christ that will make the righteousness of Christ to be imperfect Now if so be that you or I or any believer be made righteous with the very righteousness of Christ which is a most perfect and compleat righteousness then why should we need to seek after any further righteousness You know the Holy Ghost in Scripture calls upon Believers to follow after righteousness as the Apostle calleth upâ—n Timothy 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after Righteousness What had not he righteousness enough if he had the righteousness of Christ on him what shall a man or woman need any further righteousness than the Righteousness of Christ Answer For Answer briefly It is true we shall not need any further righteousness than the righteousness of Christ for that end that Chaists righteousness is for I pray mind it and understand it I say No believer doth need any further righteousness than the righteousness of Christ for that end Christs righteousness is imputed to us and what is that namely To make us accepted of God and to procure and obtain forgiveness of all our sins and eternal life and salvation for us This is the end of Christs Righteousness and why it is imputed to us Now 't is true we need not to follow after any other righteousness for those ends for then we derogate from the Righteousness of Christ Question But why then you will say are we called upon to follow after Righteousness Answer Why in short for I must not enlarge we are to follow after righteousness to be exactly righteous in our lives and dealings and conversations and to be obedient in duty and diligent in waiting upon God in his Ordinances we are thus to follow after righteousness not that we may be accepted of God for any thing that we can do in this world not that we may be saved for any thing we can do or suffer here we may do and suffer very much and yet be damned for all that but We are to follow after righteousness and holiness partly by a way of thanksgiving unto God for his grace and goodness to us partly in a way of obedience to the Will of God and also that we may maintain our peace that we have with God by walking closely and uprightly with him He that walketh according to this rule peace be upon him Now by walking sinfully and unrighteously we lose the sence of our peace with God but now by walking uprightly and closely with God we come to maintain the sense of our peace and I might further add By this means we come to enjoy more communion with God by waiting upon God in holy duties and ordinances this is the means whereby God comes to meet with us and manifest himself to us but this is not to obtain salvation for us or forgiveness of sins no that is the work and power of Christs righteousness alone therefore I say though a Believer be made righteous with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ yet it is the duty of Believers to follow hard after righteousness So now you have heard the second thing opened namely what that righteousness in particuiar is which Christ speaks of when he saith the Spirit shall convince the World of righteousness that is of this righteousness of God this righteousness which is by faith the righteousness of Jesus Christ in our nature this is the righteousness which the Spirit convinceth the World of in order to salvation 3. But then you will say in the third place to come to that But how doth the Spirit convince of righteousness in order to salvation You have heard what Bighteousness in general is and what this righteousness in particular is Now to shew you that it is the work of the Spirit to convince of righteousness Now what doth the Spirit do in order to the convincing a soul of this righteousness in order to its salvation Briefly this I shall desire to open to you in two or three particulars 1. The Spirit in convincing a Soul of righteousness takes the Soul off from resting upon or closing with his own righteousness not from seeking and following after its own righteousness but from resting and
clear off from its own righteousness and not only so but it leads the Soul to follow after Righteousness still after our own righteousness too This is the work of the Spirit the Evangelical work of the Spirit to take a Soul off from its own righteousness and cause it to lean only upon Christs righteousness and yet to follow hard after its own righteousness it is a mystery to the World ay but the Spirit of the Lord doth lead a Soul in this way whereas now one that hath but a notional conviction of the righteousness of Christ and that his own righteousness cannot save him alas he will be ready to be formal and slighty in looking after his own righteousness he will be formal and careless in duties and ordinances or else he will be ready to neglect them he thinks under a notion of Christs righteousness that he shall be saved by the righteousness of Christ and so he neglects following hard after his own righteousness Brethren this is that the Spirit of the Lord doth when he convinces a Soul of the righteousness of Christ in order to Salvation it still causes the Soul to follow hard after its own righteousness though not to be accepted of God for it not to be saved by it but for such ends as I told you of before This is the way now that the Spirit of the Lord doth work upon the Soul in in order to its salvation And then 2. Again this also the Spirit is wont to do when he convinces of righteousness he doth convince effectually and powerfully as I told you he doth so convince the soul of the Righteousness of Christ as to perswade the soul to venture to lean its everlasting condition upon it to lean there to rest there I say this is the work of the Spirit And let us consider with our selves I pray whether the Spirit hath been thus at work upon our hearts in order to salvation Well to conclude and take my Farewel of you As we desire to obtain life and salvation through the righteousness of Jesus Christ take but only these three words which I shall leave with you and so have done 'T is a matter of everlasting concernment closing with this Righteousness of Christ fall short of the Righteousness of Christ but a hairs breadth and you fall short of eternal life and salvation for There is no Name under Heaven whereby you can be saved but by Christ and his Righteousness this is the new way of the Covenant of Grace to be saved for righteousness indeed and a perfect Righteousness too as perfect as ever Adams was but not for our own but for the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ therefore I say let me commend but three Words to you and so I have done First Study earnestly and diligently to understand this Righteousness of Christ though possibly you may think you do understand it in some measure yet there is a great deal more of it to be understood it is a great Deep a great Mystery therefore still let us be much in the study of this Righteousness of Christ Secondly Beg and pray earnestly for the Spirit to be given out unto you to convince you of this Righteousness more and more to convince you effectually and powerfully so as to enable your souls to venture to lean upon it Thirdly And then indeavour every day frequently to be exercising your selves in leaning and resting the weight of your Souls upon this Righteousness of Jesus Christ do not only beg for the Spirit to convince us of this but let us be indeavouring to exercise our selves frequently in leaning the weight of our Souls upon the Righteousness of Jesus Christ to be accepted of God to eternal life I will repeat them agaiâ— and then have done First Be very diligent in studâ—ing to understand what the Righteousness of Christ is Our eternal life is in it as Moses said Set your heart to this Word for it is your Life So I say this is your life this Righteousness of Christ therefore set your heart to study it make it your work and business to study to understand still more and more of this Righteousness of Christ Secondly Beg earnestly for the Spirit of Conviction that Christ would send down his Spirit to convince us of this Righteousness to convince us effectually and powerfully of it so as to be enabled to rest upon it Thirdly Let us be exercising our selves frequently in leaning and resting the weight of our Souls upon this Righteousness giving up our selves frequently day by day to lean and rest the weight of our Souls upon the Righteousness of Christ for acceptance with God to eternal life and salvation Well I have done only this Word I shall add in a Word He that hath ears to hear let him hear Thirsty Sinners invited to Christ SERMON VIII JOHN 7.37 In the last day that great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink YOU have heard before the Words that Christ spake when the Pharisees and Rulers sent Officers to take him at the 30 Verse At the 33 and 34 Verses he told them that whatever their design should be to take him Yet notwithstanding saith he yet a little while I am with you and whereas you are now desirous to be rid of me Ere long I shall go away and you shall see me no more and though you may desire it You shall seek me saith Christ and shall not find me and where I am thither you cannot come Now mark what an effect these words had upon them what use did the Jews make of that word of Admonition that Christ gave and that gracious Counsel he gave instead of making a good improvement See v. 35.36 they made use of his words to scoff at and mock him say they Yet a little while and he will go away will he go to the dispersed among the Gentiles speaking in derision and scorn will he go among the dispersed Gentiles Christ spake plain enough if they had not been maliciously blind Yet a little while saith he and I go to him that sent me and so they made a meer mock So that here we may take notice that Malicious minded men in stead of receiving any Word of Counsel and advice will be ready rather to rail mock and scoff at them who give it And so here to the Jews it was a word of Admonition that Christ gave but they fell a mocking and scoffing at him And so it was of old 2 Chron. 14.20 you read there how King Jehoshaphat sent about Priests and Levites throughout the Cities out of Compassion to their Souls to teach the Word among them and to put them in mind of their duty and it is said they mocked those that came they mocked the messengers of the Lord for the words which they brought were for the welfare of their Souls And so you read concerning the Lords Prophets that he
we are to understand by this same thirst If any man be a thirst let him come and drink What manner of thirst is it 1. We are not here to understand it to be a bodily thirst but we are to understand it of spiritual thirst a thirsting of the Soul as David saith My Soul thirsteth for thee O God for the Living God Psal 42.2 There 's a thirst of the Soul as well as a thirst of the Body and the thirst of the Soul is set forth by the similitude or resemblance of the Body and so by what this thirst of the body is we may the better understand the resemblance of the thirst of the Soul There are three things in a bodily thirst 1. There is a sense that the body feels of want there is not only a want of moisture but the body is sensible of it it is such a want as is an afflictive want in the want of it the body stands in need of a supply and so you may read concerning Hagar the water being out she did not know what to do for water and away she goes crying for her child and her child cries too and so even ready to perish for want of water And so Sampson after he had made a great slaughter of the Philistims saith he What shall this victory do me good if I want water so that it is the sense of the want of something that is needful and as there is a sense of something so an ardent and vehement desire and longing after the fulfilling of that desire as you read of Sisera Judg. 4. That great General begged a draught of water being very thirsty 2. In the thirst of the body there are not only longing desires vehement earnest desires for a supply but it is altogether unsatisfied till it hath some thing of water or moisture to supply it's thirst As the Israelites they must have water whatever comes of it they must have water and Moses smites the rock and fetcht water out of it for them Why 1. First of all In the thirst of the soul the soul is sensible of the want of some spiritual good thing he is not only wanting it and without it but he is sensible of it In this thirst of the soul there is a deep sense of the want of some spiritual good thing Psal 63.1.2.3 David being banished from the Tabernacle from the publick worship O! saith he My Soul thirsteth for God He wanted the Ordinances as he used to have had them that I may see thy glory in thy Sanctuary In Isa 41.17 When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst a gracious promise see what want there is when the Soul is in such a case being so sensible that it is even faint and failing I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them And then again 3. As with the body when it 's athirst it doth vehemently and strongly desire so now in this same thirst of the soul there is an ardent an earnest and strong desire after that which it finds it stands in need of Psal 42.1.2 David doth express the thirst of his soul as the Hart that is wearied and tyred and just spent in hunting O it longs and thirsts after the water brooks for its refreshment so doth my Soul after thee O God O when shall I come and appear before God! So Psal 63.8 My Soul followeth hard after God it was when his soul was thirsty in the beginning of the Psalm his soul was thirsty for God and v. 8. My Soul followeth hard after God more than a man that is athirst follows hard for the satisfying his desire of thirst So when the Soul that hath wanted some spiritual good thing being athirst hath longed vehemently and strongly and been very earnest for it And then again 3. When the soul is spiritually thirsty it is not satisfied with any thing short of that which it finds it stands in need of of that spiritual good thing of that spiritual mercy As Abraham he was athirst his soul was athirst for the accomplishment of the Promise well Abraham goes a long while before the accomplishment of the promise twenty years or better and in the mean while God gives Abraham other Promises but yet he is not satisfied saith God to Abraham Behold Abraham I am thy shield and thine exceeding great reward what could Abraham desire more than God to be his great reward even all and yet saith Abraham Lord what wilt thou give me and I go childless nothing else but what God promised him will satisfy him When the soul is athirst nothing will satisfy but what it is a thirsting after One thing have I desired and that will I seek it is that which I have thirsted after and longed for and nothing shall satisfy me till I have my longing I have made it the main of my desires and I will still desire it even as the Woman of Canaan she desired mercy for her Daughter that was possessed of a Devil she had other mercies yet she would not be satisfied without she had that mercy And this is the nature of a thirst Why now saith Christ If any be a thirst let him come to me Objection But you shill say What is the Object of this thirst that he thirsts after or for what is it for the thirst of the body water or some moisture for the body But now what is the Object of this thirst must Christ supply a man with whatsoever he thirsts for suppose he thirsts for a great deal of the world or suppose he thirsts for health and strength or the life of a friend or relation or suppose it may be for some spiritual mercy the performance of spiritual duties and the like whatsoever a man thirsts for must it be given him Answer It is true indeed it 's not here exprest for whatsoever a man doth thirst I suppose Christ doth not mean whosoever thirsts for the World or worldly Comforts or for spiritual gifts c. for carnal ends but Christ means such mercies and blessings as do accompany and necessarily tend to the salvation of the soul if any man thirst for such a mercy for that which he calls in the next verse the Water of Life Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water who thirsts so and he doth more plainly express it Verse 39. This he spake of the Spirit Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living Water that is whosoever is athirst for spiritual mercies whosoever is athirst for saving sanctifying grace he that is athirst for the Comforts of the Spirit for the saving graces thereof as faith meekness humility and patience as the Apostle reckons divers fruits of the Spirit Galat. 5.22 23. Whosoever doth long and is sensible of the want of these saving blessings and mercies pardon of sin and assurance c. whosoever is sensible of these wants and longs
for a supply of them and is unsatisfied without them Whosoever he is that is thus Let him come to me Now I say this same spiritual thirst of the Soul is very necessary else the Soul will hardly ever come to Christ for to be supplyed Like as it is with a man that hath no ailment at all at lest no sence of it tell him of a Physician he will not stir a step after him for cure Those that are truly thirsty and have not wherewithal to supply themselves they are they that will come to Christ And hence it is that when Christ would stir up those of Laodicea to come unto him he doth it by shewing them their spiritual wants Thou saist saith he that thou standest in need of nothing that thou art full and standest in need of nothing But I say saith Christ that thou art blind miserable and naked First Christ doth convince them as it were of their need of a thirst and then holds forth the Water of Life Here 's the first thing opened What we are to understand by this thirst They who are truly thirsty let them come to Christ But 2. What is this coming to Christ or how may the Soul come unto Christ to drink of the water of life As I said before concerning thirst 't is not a thirst of the body but a thirst of the soul In what way may the Soul be said to come unto Christ Briefly three ways the Soul that is athirst may be said to come to Christ 1. First We are to come to Christ in the way of his Ordinances attending upon his Word to hearken to Christ there Let him come to me in the way of mine Ordinances As in Scripture phrase in that place before mentioned Isa 55.2 3. Coming is an hearkening diligently enclining the ear Come unto me by enclining of your ear Jesus Christ is usually to be found in his own way in his ordinances Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway even to the end of the World yea in his Ordinances in the administration of the Gospel I am with you Then come to the place where Christ is or where he may meet with you Received you the Spirit by the hearing of the Law or by the preaching of Faith that is the Gospel Ye received the Spirit saith the Apostle Paul by having the Gospel preached he compares the preaching of the Law and the preaching of the Gospel and calls the preaching of the Law the Letter and the preaching of the Gospel the Spirit To come to Christ to wait upon Christ in his own way where he gives out this water of life he that receives of this water of life must be found in the way where Christ comes as Zaccheus was when Christ said to him this day is Salvation come to thy house This was beyond his desire and beyond his thirst Would you come to Christ come into his Galleries come into my sister my Spouse Would you come to Christ come where he is and see he walks in the midst of his golden Candlesticks there wait upon him in the way of his Ordinances and here what he will say unto you for a supply of your wants 2. Secondly Come unto Christ in a way of Asking by asking of him the waters of life So we are to come and this is called a coming to the Lord in the Hebrews He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Chap. 11.6 He that comes to God how in a way of prayer and so to seek grace to help in a time of need come in a way of prayer And see how he directed the Woman of Samaria Christ asked her a little water and she denyed him well saith Christ If thou hadst asked of me I would have given thee living water how would he have given her living water why in a way of asking 3. Thirldy We are to come in a way of Faith And so saith Christ here in this Text If any man thirst let him come and drink that is he that believeth in me and so this coming to Christ is expounded to be believing John 6.35 He that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst Look now as unbelieving is a departing from the Lord Heb. 10.38.39 Take heed if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him But we are not of those that draw back but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul O! an evil heart of unbelief is a departing from God and so then by believing the soul is said to come to God to draw neer to God But what is that coming unto Christ or believing in Christ whereby the Soul shall be fully satisfied is it a believing that Jesus Christ is the Messias the Saviour of the World the very Devils do believe this No but briefly This Believing is namely The Souls rest and relying and trusting upon Christ for acceptance in the sight of God for remission of sins for Salvation and eternal life Trusting and relying upon Christ and his merits for Salvation a putting confidence in the Lord. Now when the Soul doth rely and venture through a Word of invitation in the Gospel through Christs invitation doth adventure to rely upon his merits to be wholly accepted in the sight of God This now is a coming to Christ And now saith Christ If any man thirst Let him câ—me unto me and he shall drink Let not any here move contention and say what do you bid us come to Christ why this holds forth free Will Why know that such exhortations usually and frequently are in all the duties that the Holy Ghost requires of us which he knows we have no strength to do the Lord calls us to pray and 't is our duty so to do and to believe but we have no strength and power of our selves but we must not stand upon cavelling and say 't is but a folly for us to be striving seeing we can do nothing but it is our duty to be doing what lies in us to the performance and wait upon the Lord for his coming in with power to enable us to perform as Lazarus when he was in the grave Christ called and with his word power was given forth and he came out So now we should indeavour to rely and trust upon Christ in his grace and in his promise to have a supply of this same Water of life and not to give over and cavil That is a third to shew what way the Soul that is truly a thirst should come to Christ Then 3. Thirdly Such as being athirst and do come to Christ they shall certainly be supplyed They shall certainly have a full supply and it freely given them for so saith Christ If any man thirst let him come and he shall drink freely He doth not expect any thing or hold forth any price but they whoever come shall drink freely
of life without price I counsel thee to come and buy of me Rev. 3.18 to buy is to receive of him to come and buy wine and milk without money and without price Isa 55.1 Again 3. Because of his free invitation to all comers to drink He comes among thousands to proclaim this his readiness and freeness to give out of this water of life Suppose you should be at a dinner or supper at a Friends house and being there should offer for your dinner or supper would not he take it as a disparagement unto him why so I say if Jesus Christ should require any thing for what he gives out as a price and should not give it out freely might not these many thousands that heard of his kind proffer cry out against him why all those Texts that you read of wherein he invites poor sinners to come unto him and that freely if he were not now free to communicate would not these words and scriptures witness against him O my people testify against me saith the Lord in Micah Jesus Christ doth challenge any man to testify against him for his unfaithfulness towards him or them and therefore hence it appears that Jesus Christ is ready and free to give out a full and free supply unto all that come unto him he will give out freely without money or without price One thing more I should have spoken to by way of Answer to an Objection What are all comers unto Christ to be supplied why then what 's the reason that so many real believers make so many complaints and are under such great wants they want this and that and the other and scarce any but want some measure or other sensible of their own wants of this grace or the other and I have such a hard heart and such a dead heart and such a carnal heart how then is it that if all that do come unto Christ shall be supplyed what mean these complaints This I should have spoken to and the Application but the time is spent Thirsty Sinners invited to Christ SERMON X. JOHN 7.37 In the last day that great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink AS You have heard you have here a gracious invitation that Jesus Christ doth give unto poor sinners that stand in need of the Water of Life that stand in need of Eternal Life He makes a loud Proclamation If any be a thirst let him come unto him And you have also a gracious Promise that is annexed unto this Invitation sc That they shall drink If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink You have heard the Point opened That any one whosoever he be that comes in a thirst to Christ shall be made to drink abundantly he shall have a full and a free supply of the Waters of Life First You have heard what we are to understand by this same thirst If any man be a thirst Secondly We have opened and shewn what is this same coming unto Christ And the last day we came to speak of a Third and that was to shew what Christ here means in this Promise when he saith They shall drink If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Ay drink drink of the Water of Life drink of whatsoever is necessary and good or desirable for their everlasting salvation That is meant by this same drinking of the Water of Life Drink in of the Spirit and eternal blessedness as you may see in the following words He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This he spake of the Spirit Now in this Promise here wherein Christ saith they shall drink It implies and holds forth two things 1. It holds forth a full supply they shall have a full supply not only a taste or a sip but they shall drink and have a full draught they shall have their bellys full 2. It holds forth and implies That he will let them have of the Water of Life and not only so but they shall have it freely they shall have a full draught of the Water of Life a full supply without any price or money He requires nothing but only coming if they come they shall have it Reasons 1. Christ is a full Fountain he hath all fulness in him and fullness as a Fountain hath and therefore can supply all Comers There may be fullness of water in a Pail but that will not supply all comers but as he is the Fountain of the Springs he can supply all comers he is the fountain of all fulness for all fulness is in him and as he hath all fulness given unto him so God the Father hath put all fulness into Christ the Mediator to give out and communicate unto those that come unto him foâ— a supply and he will do it for he came from heaven to do his Fathers will as Mediator he is filled with all fulness not for himself to keep it to himself but it is put into him to that end to communicate derive and give out As the light of the Sun is not put into it meerly that it should keep it to it self but to communicate thereof unto all that shall come into the World And so the Sea is the fulness of water and that gives out of it self freely and the cause why the water is put into the Sea is that it may fill the Rivers and Springs And so it is with Christ It pleased the Father that in him we should have all fulness that so through his fulness we might receive grace for grace There is fulness of Wisdom in Jesus Christ and fulness of Righteousness Holiness and Sanctification in him God hath filled him with this fulness and why so as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 1.30 to this end to communicate He is made unto us of God or Who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption And so he hath made him to be thus unto us that from his grace he might fill those that come unto him He is the fountain of life and wherefore hath God put the fountain of life in Christ what to keep it to himself no but to communicate John 10.10 I am come saith Jesus Christ that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly more abundantly than ever you had in all the time of the Law the Son hath life in himself for this end and purpose that he might give out life not to have it to himself and keep it to himself but to give out as a fountain and so John 9.39 It is said he is come for this end To give light to those who are blind and that they that see not might be made to see And then a Reason 2. Why it must needs be so that they shall have a full supply is Because that those that come to Christ are very near unto
accepting of this his gracious promise I say it thy sins are forgiven thee relying upon him in the Faithfulness of his Word and Promise I say the Lord Jesus Christ hath forgiven thy sins and you may go home and record it for a Memorial that this day at such a time the Lord hath drawn out my soul to make a close with himself and now eternal life is come unto thee the Lord hath forgiven thy sins and now thou art passed from death to life Let me make the offer again unto such poor sinners as have held out all this time and have not laid hold upon this gracious invitation made by Jesus Christ that will yet venture the Lord perswading your hearts though possibly you have been enemies and opposers and possibly might come to oppose and catch and though never so far off and lost in your selves yet notwithstanding hearken to this invitation that if the Lord doth perswade your hearts to say solemnly and seriously Lord upon this Word of thy gracious Promise and Invitation I do now desire to trust and to venture upon thy Word and do expect the performance and accomplishment of thy Word that now it may be given out to thee that so you also might be brought in unto Christ to partake of this water of life Vse 1. A Word of Exhortation to you who are come to Christ Go away now even as the Virgin Mary and say My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the low Estate of his poor creature It is said that the Eunuch went away rejoycing after that Philip was caught away by the Spirit and so hath every Believer cause to do Use 2. Another Word is That you would go unto God with a holy boldness as to your God and Father for such special mercies as you desire to have at the Lords hand Now as the Holy Ghost saith Seek the Lord while he may be found and draw nigh unto him while he is near The Lord is near to you do do you draw neer to him with a humble and holy boldness as to your God and Father and you may ask what you will and now beg that the Lord would establish his Work of Grace in your hearts and now ask for this and that mercy and for your relations even what you will In Gen. 17. Abraham falls down in a begging posture God having made a Covenant with him O Lord now that Ismael might live in thy sight so say I Go to God and desire some special mercy this day now while the Lord is nigh Use 3. You who are brought near unto God hath the Lord spoken to you Take heed that you do not stop your ear unto what God speaks and return again to folly Look that you do not walk as the Gentiles did in the vanity of your minds Eph. 4.17 Now you must take heed that you do not walk in the same vanities in your foolish pastimes in your vain conversations take heed you do not walk after the course of the World If the Lord hath taken you out of the World called you unto Christ you are now to walk in a diligent performance of all duties unto the Lord walk close with God in your particular Callings from the heart take heed that you walk exactly and inoffensively keeping a good Conscience Use 4. And lastly That still upon all occasions you would be coming to Christ We are not to content our selves with once coming unto Christ and there is an end but we must come daily even every day When you find your hearts out of frame when you are straitned and dead-hearted come to Christ even every day by vertue of this Promise through this Word leaning and resting upon Christ and O remember this blessed Word this blessed Word of the Lord Jesus Christ wherein he hath said If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink FINIS