hath given him authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of man As the Father hath life in himself so there is fulness of power and authority given out unto Jesus Christ to give out to whom he will and he gives and communicates as being full of the Spirit 1. He communicates of the Spirit and Holy Ghost to whom he will He gives the Spirit and therefore promises it to his Disciples John 16.7 When they heard of his departure from them that night he should be betrayed Christ having given them a hint of it they were troubled and saith Christ Because I tell you the truth you are grieved yet nevertheless it is expedient for you that I go away and that you be deprived of my presence for when I go away I will send the Holy Ghost the Comforter unto you And so the Apostle Peter Acts 2. When the Holy Ghost fell upon the twelve with fiery tongues the people marvelled at it and thought they were drunk with new wine no saith Peter These are not drunken with new wine as you suppose this is an effect of the Promise as to the latter days according to Joels Prophecy And 2. Again He communicates of the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit The Graces of the Spirit are given out by Jesus Christ Eph. 4.8 When he ascended on high he led Captivity Captive and gave Gifts unto men And so the Apostle saith Grace and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ He giveth Gifts and Graces 3. And so again Christ doth communicate and give out Forgiveness and Remission of Sin He hath power and authority to give out that as Mat. 9. When they brought the Palsey man and Christ saw their faith saith he Son be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee and certain of them thought he had blasphemed well saith he That I may shew unto you that I have power on earth to forgive sins I say unto thee Son take up thy bed and walk And so Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his own right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give unto Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins And 4. Again Jesus Christ doth communicate Peace and Consolation Peace with God and true Comfort Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ And so in another place If there be any consolation in Christ Jesus taking it for granted there is consolation in Jesus Christ and all true consolation comes from him And so as our sufferings abound so do our consolations abound much more through Jesus Christ our Lord. Again 5. It is Jesus Christ also that doth communicate and give out eternal life to whom he will Saith he My sheep hear my voice and they follow me and I give them eternal life Brethren Christ hath power and authority to give out all spiritual blessings a fountain having all fulness so they that come to Christ for a supply come to a full fountain Brethren if so be that Jesus Christ were full of the Spirit and full of grace yet if he were not full as a fountain he could not communicate look now as it is with a bucket though it may be full of water yet notwithstanding it hath not the fulness of a fountain as it doth supply any it hath so much the less but Christ now being a fountain-fulness though he communicate never so much yet still there is the same fulness as now go to the sea all the rivers in the World are filled with the sea and yet the sea hath never a whit the less and so the Sun hath given out its light day by day four thousand years together and yet the Sun hath never the less light in it because it is the fountain of light So Christ now being a fountain hath never the less in communicating still as much grace as much holiness as much righteousness as before And so the Saints some of them have been full of the Holy Ghost as Stephen though yet notwithstanding their fulness is not the fulness of a fountain and so they cannot supply the want of others As the wise Virgins when the foolish Virgins wanted Oyl and their lamps were out they would have had oyl of the wise but say they we have none to spare none to communicate why because they have not a fountain But still now in Jesus Christ there is a fulness as a fountain of all grace whatsoever That is the first Demonstration 2. Secondly Take another withall and that is this to shew that there is a full supply in him because All that come to Jesus Christ are neer to him nay they are united to him They are made neer unto God being united unto Christ and thereupon they have a communication of his fulness from Union for Union is the cause of communication as now if the Branches of a Tree be united to the tree they communicate and partake of the trees root sap and nature of it Saith Christ I am the Vine ye are the Branches why now the branches of the Vine partake of the Vine look now as it is with the members of the natural body being joyned they do communicate and participate with all the members as the Head it is the seat of all the sensitive or animal Spirits and the head being united to the body there is a communication of all the senses from the head to every member according to its capacity why now Jesus Christ he is the head we are his members flesh of his flesh bone of his bone we are members of him being joyned to him and they that are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit we are by faith joyned to the Lord and Jesus Christ is said to dwell in us by faith there is a nearer union that the believing soul hath with Jesus Christ than any member hath to the natural body than any branch hath to a natural tree yea than our souls and bodies have to each other John 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Now the nearer we be to a fountain the nearer a suply suppose one were in a fountain of water he must needs have enough suppose a man were in the body of the Sun he must needs be supplied with light Now the Soul that comes unto Christ and is in Christ it is in the fountain of living water and being in the fountain it must needs receive a full supply unto all its wants I say a very full supply That is a second Demonstration 3. Thirdly To take up one more I say we shall have a full supply because This same Fulness is communicated and given to Christ by the Father as Mediator for this end and purpose to give out and communicate to us For Brethren this fulness that is in Christ is communicated unto Christ as the fulness of the God-head for it seems to be an improper speech to say that
Hands and he gave him the Donation or Giving out of the Spirit the giving out of the gifts of the Spirit For saith the Psalmist Psal 68.18 When he ascended up on high then he received the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit to be given out to his people This is the Reward that God the Father gave to Christ after his great labour and suffering in the World assoon as ever he came into Heaven God exalted him with this Exaltation and then he gave him the fulness of the Spirit to give out when he would therefore assoon as Christ ascended up to Heaven presently after there was an abundant pouring out of the Spirit Acts 2. You know the Holy Ghost fell down upon the Disciples like fiery cloven tongues and then they spake with tongues they were able to speak in every mans Language and then you see the Apostle Peter made a Speech to them that heard it and wondred at it Verse 33. and saith he This is the Fruit and Effect of Christs Ascension into Heaven Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and hear Christ leaving the World and being exalted in Heaven he had this power to give out the Spirit and saith he this is the Fruit of it He hath shed forth this which you now see and hear Therefore if Christ had not left the Discipies then the Disciples and Servants and Apostles of Jesus Christ had been destitute of the pourings out of the Spirit upon them It is true indeed it cannot be denyed but the enjoyment of Christs bodily presence was a most desirable thing very desirable to enjoy the bodily presence of Jesus Christ to see God in our flesh I remember Job did rejoyce in it in the hopes of it many hundreds and some thousands of yeares beforehand in the midst of his great Troubles and Afflictions Chap. 19.25 26 27. saith he I know that my Redeemer liveth and with these eyes I shall see him And this was matter of Comfort to him many hundreds of years before hand in the midst of those Sufferings and Troubles he met withall that he should see his Redeemer with his Eyes in the flesh And Brethren the sight of Christ in the flesh it is a sight that is matter of Admiration to the very Angels in Heaven God manifest in the flesh seen of Angels it was to the Admiration of Angels worth their looking upon 1 Timothy 3.16 Great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels it was a great sight to the glorious Angels they desired to pry into that great Mystery and it was one of holy Austines wishes he wished the sight of three things in this World and this was the chiefest of all he did desire to see Rome in its glory Paul in the Pulpit and Christ in the flesh And Brethren the sight and enjoyment of the Presence of Christ in our Nature will be one of the happy sights in Heaven it will be a great part of the glory and happiness of the Saints in Heaven to see Jesus Christ therefore saith Christ Father I will that those whom thou hast given mee may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory John 17.24 So the Apostle John 1. Epist 3.2 When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is I tell you it is a desirable thing to see Jesus Christ in the Flesh and yet this I may say that it is possible for men and women to see Christ in the flesh and yet be never the better for it You know when Jesus Christ was in the World the Jewes saw him and were near unto him and yet were never the better for him We read that when Christ was sent by Pilate to Herod Herod rejoyced to see him but he was never the better for that sight for he derided him and mocked him and sent him away You know Judas had a full Sight of Christ he lived many years in the family with Christ yet Judas was never the better for seeing and beholding the bodily presence of Christ The Reprobates the wicked of the World at the last day shall see Christ in his highest glory but shall be never a whit the better I remember 't is said Mat. 14.30 That all the Tribes of the Earth shall see him and mourn they shall behold him in his glory and yet mourn What shall we say then You see we may behold Jesus Christ in the Flesh and yet be never the better but now to enjoy the presence of the Spirit here in this life a Soul cannot enjoy that but he shall be the better for it It is true indeed in Heaven there the Saints shall enjoy the presence of Christ and the fulness of the Spirit too but here in this life for the Saints to enjoy the presence of the Spirit it is more expedient for them more profitable more advantagious for them than to enjoy the very personal presence of Christ Now to give you a few Reasons for it to shew you wherein it is more profitable more expedient to have the presence of the Spirit than to enjoy the very bodily presence of Christ 1. In regard that By enjoying the presence of the Spirit they may have more reall Comfort than they could have by the enjoyment of the personal presence of Christ You shall see the Disciples themselves all the time that they did enjoy the personal presence of Christ in the World they had not that measure of joy and rejoycing as they had afterward they had not that measure of Comfort and Consolation all the time that Christ lived in the Earth and conversed with them as they had after Christ was taken away from them then they had more real joy Alas before they were subject to griefs and troubles at every turn when they came into danger then they were affrighted and troubled when they were in a storm at Sea and were ready to sink they cryed out and were afraid but now after Christ was gone and ascended and the Spirit fell down upon them you shall see then how full of joy and comfort and consolation they were and so Christ tells them before in this very Chapter verse 21. A Woman when she is in travel hath sorrow because her Hour is come but assoon as she is delivered she rejoyceth So it shall be with you saith Christ whilest I am with you you cannot have such joy and when you hear of my departure sorrow filleth your hearts but when I am taken from you and the Comforter is come then you shall rejoyce and therefore observe when Christ speaks of sending the Spirit instead of his own bodily presence he expresseth it under the Notion of the Comforter When the Comforter shall come O then they shall have such comforts and consolation and
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
yet if we have not really come to Christ we fall short of what we might have expected to have met with I thought to have prest the invitation on poor souls that they might come and drink of the water of life but the time is past Thirsty Sinners invited to Christ SERMON IX 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 THE Point or Truth that was before us from these words was this namely That such as being thirsty and come unto Jesus Christ shall certainly have a full and free supply Or as you may take it in the words of Christ If any man be a thirst let him come to Jesus Christ and drink This Jesus Christ did speak and cryed it in the hearing of many thousands saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink You have heard what it is to thirst and what this thirst is it is a thirst of the soul which Jesus Christ here speaks of If any man thirst it implyes these three things 1. There is a sence even an afflictive sence of something that it sees a necessity of As it is with the thirst of the Body if one be truly thirsty he doth not only want water or want drink or moisture but is sensible of it and is afflicted with the sense of it So now this same thirsty soul it hath a sence of spiritual want and is afflicted with the sense of it You may see David cryes out saying I am in a place where no water is And Psal 63. My soul thirsteth for God And the Prophet Isaiah saith The needy seek water and their tongue fails for thirst There is an afflictive sense upon the soul from the want of some spiritual good 2. There is not only a sense of want but there is also an ardent and vehement desire of a supply And 3. The Soul is not only lodging and desiring but is unsatisfied with any thing short of that it desires Several other particulars were insisted upon and I came to a third which now I shall desire to speak to through the Lords assistance Viz. That such as do come to Christ shall have a full supply Every soul that doth come to Christ shall be filled He that comes to me shall not only have a taste but shall have a full supply Let him come unto me and drink He shall not only have a full suyply but a free supply Christ doth not require any thing at all Whosoever he be that comes unto me he shall drink he shall be freely supplyed Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come And whosoever will let him come and take of the waters of Life freely And Isa 55.1 Ho every one that is a thirst come ye to the Waters He shall be made to drink and be supplied with all spiritual heavenly and eternall Blessings Jesus Christ he is a full supply and though we may have a Notion that in Jesus Christ there is a full supply yet we have a Principle and Notion in us that we have some supply in our selves A Popish Principle Christ may supply us in part but some from our selves and therefore we have a Notion as if we should go unto Christ with money in our hands to buy it of him Therefore a little to clear these things viz. To demonstrate 1. That Jesus Christ will certainly give a full supply 2. That there is a full supply that Christ will give out not a part only but a full supply to all that come to him First That Jesus Christ will give out a full supply of all spiritual Blessings Whatsoever good things the soul can stand in need of or can possibly desire Jesus Christ will give out a full supply unto all them even every of them that comes to him 1. The first Demonstration is taken from The Incomprehensible Fullness that is in Jesus Christ He is a full Fountain not as a Pail or a Bucket drawn from a Well but he is a full Fountain now from out of a fountain â—here is a full supply to be had a man may drink as much as ever he will as much as ever he can hold Now Christ is a full Fountain see what is said concerning Christ Zech. 13.1 In that day there shall be a Fountain set open to the house of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness And so Coloss 1. It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell even all fulness Now if Christ be a fountain a full fountain there is fulness of supply to be had in him Now all fulness of blessings are in Jesus Christ he is a fountain of all spiritual things that are needful for the salvation of a poor soul and there is a fulness of Spirit in Christ John 3.34 For God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him And so Coloss 2.9 't is said It pleased the Father that the fulness of the God-head dwelt in him as Mediator the fulness of the Deity the fulness of the Spirit 2. And then as there is a fulness of the God-head dwelling in him as Mediator and a fulness of the Spirit so there is also a Fulness of all gifts and of all graces in Jesus Christ John 1.14 He is the only begotten Son of the Father full of Grace and Truth And so in him are hid the treasures of wisdom and knowledge they are all hid in Christ he is the fountain of them and the Apostle hath another full expression Ephes 3.8 Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Unsearchable riches that can never be drawn dry The fulness of the Spirit the fulness of all Grace dwelleth in him 3. Thirdly There is a Fulness of Righteousness and Satisfaction in Jesus Christ so as to make a poor sinner to be accepted as righteous before God and discharge it of all sins as the Angel told Daniel Chap. 9.24 To make an end of Sins and to bring in an everlasting Righteousness a righteousness that will serve to all eternity for all from the beginning to the end of the World and though the Saints are striving after a measure and fulness daily yet notwithstanding there is a fulness in Jesus Christ the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin there is merit enough and vertue enough 1 John 2.5 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole World There 's righteousness and satisfaction and merit enough for all And 4 Then there is a Fulness of power to give out and to communicate unto others See John 5.26 27. For as the Father hath Life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have Life in himself and
sometimes to a Child to train him up in a way of Submission to his Fathers will So the Lord deals with his own Children when he sees we have this or that Comfort which is near or dear to us Now that God may train us up to his own Will and that we may learn subjection to his Will the Lord calls for this Comfort and that mercy that is so dear to us that Yoke-fellow and that Child or whoever it be that is near and dear to us the Lord doth sometimes call it from us and take it away that we may learn to be submissive to his Will as it is said concerning Christ Heb. 5.8 That Christ learned Obedience by his Sufferings and truly so when Christ came to drink the Cup that his Father put into his hand saith he The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it He learned Obedience by his Sufferings and so the Lord may teach his Children Obedience by training them up in this way to take away their nearest and dearest Comforts from them that they may come to be at the Lords will and word in every thing And thus the Lord trained up Abraham saith God to Abraham I must have you to go out of your own Country to leave your Friends and Relations behind to go into a strange place and Abraham did so And then when the Lord had given him an only and a beloved Son saith God to him Come I must take that Son from you go and Sacrifice him your self to me thus God trained up Abraham to his foot as it were which is the expression of the Holy Ghost Isa 41.2 Abraham was brought to the foot of God to the beck of God Thus God deals with his Children he trains them up to be submissive to his own will to his ordering for every thing therefore God will sometimes take away this Comfort and that Comfort though never so near and dear to us That is the fourth Reason 5. The Lord doth sometimes deprive his Children of their nearest and dearest Comforts That they may learn to fear before him that they may stand in awe of him as it is said Psal 55.19 Because they are in no change therefore they fear not God they meet with no changes they have their wills and they enjoy their Comforts here in the World and because they have no changes therefore they fear not God And truly the Lords own people are apt to grow secure in time of Prosperity when they meet with few changes they are apt to grow secure It was Davids case Psal 30.5 6 I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved And so I remember Job hath such an expression Chap. 29.18 I said I shall dye in my Nest His nest was feathered round about him he was comfortably supplyed with all manner of Necessaries and comforts in this Life and saith he I began to grow secure I said I should dye in my Nest And therefore the Lord is pleased to bring Changes upon his People to awake them out of their security to cause them more to fear God and to acknowledge their dependance upon God to fear that God that is able to bring great Changes upon them to fear him that is able to take away their nearest and dearest Comforts Thus the Lord deals with his Children to train and nurture them up in his fear 6. And Lastly The Lord does sometimes deal thus with his own Children to deprive them of their nearest and dearest Comforts that they have in this Life That so he may make them to look more after a Heavenly Inheritance that shall never be taken from them where there shall be no Changes where they shall be past all fear of ever being deprived of any comfort they shall enjoy Therefore 't is said of the Patriarchs Heb. 11.14 16. 'T is said in the 13th Verse They confessed That they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth for they that say such things declare plainly That they seek a Country but now they desire a better Country which is an Heavenly They are Strangers and Pilgrims in the World they meet with great Changes in the World and therefore say they We are Strangers and Pilgrims we are going to a Country where there shall be no change So Heb. 10.34 The Apostle speaks of those that were exercised with changes that they had their Estates taken away and were plundred of all that they had they made nothing of that because they had an eye to the recompence of reward the inheritance of Heaven and that made them look for a heavenly Country because then they should be past all changes there should be no plundering there no deprivation of any Comfort that they there shall enjoy that is an Inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away there shall be no changes throughout all Eternity And thus now you have seen the Reasons and Grounds of the Point That it is expedient sometimes for the Saints and Disciples of Christ to be deprived of their nearest and dearest Comforts that they do enjoy in this World III. 1. But to come to the Third thing propounded and that is to shew That the Enjoyment of the Comforter the presence of the Spirit is more expedient for the Saints and Disciples of Christ than to enjoy the bodily Presence of Christ himself For so Christ intimates here to his Disciples saith he It is expedient for you that I go away that you be deprived of my bodily Presence for then you shall have the Comforter the Spirit if I go not away the Comforter will not come therefore it is more expedient for them to have the Presence of the Spirit than to enjoy the bodily Presence of Christ Truly Brethren as long as Christ was with them in the flesh they could not expect to have such a communication of the Spirit as they should have when Christ was taken from them When Christ was taken from them when he ascended up to Heaven then the Spirit was to be given down And that is given by the Holy Ghost John 7.37 38 39. as a Reason why the Spirit was not yet given to them They had some drops of the Spirit They had not the pouring out of the Spirit because saith he Verse 39. Jesus was not yet glorified he had said verse 38. That he that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living Water but this he spake of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified No they could not expect the pourings out of the Spirit till Jesus Christ had left the World and was gone into Heaven For Brethren when Jesus Christ ascended up to Heaven then the Father made him welcome and sat him down at his own right hand in glory he gave him the highest place of Dignity in Heaven all power in Heaven and Earth was put into his
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
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
upon the Soul it is to drive the Soul further off from God Take an Instance or two as in the Example of our first Parents Gen. 3. The Devil had been busie with our first Parents to bring them into sin to make them eat of the forbidden fruit Well when they had committed the sin though before he had told them it was for their profit and advantage Their Eyes should be opened and they should be as gods Yet when once they had committed the sin he sets it so home upon them that they fled from the presence of God and hid themselves they durst not appear before God they went and hid themselves amongst the Trees of the Garden that God was fain to call after them And so you shall find in the example of Cain Gen. 4. Cain when he had committed the sin of murder and had killed his brother Abel Verse 16. it is said there That Cain went out from the presence of the Lord he departed from God then he went away from God But how could that be Is not God present every where how could Cain go out from the presence of the Lord Why he did not go from the essential presence of God but from the presence of God that is from the spiritual presence of God in his Ordinances he did not now draw near to God in his worship but he went away from God from the Church from the Ordinances from the Means of Communion with God for the Ordinances of God the Church of God was in the house of his Father Adam and so they worshipped God in that family but he went out from the presence of the Lord when he had committed that sin this is the design of Satan when he can overwhelm the soul with sin his great end is as to bring it to despair so also to drive it further from the presence of God But now you may observe when the Spirit of God doth convince a soul of sin the Conviction doth cause a soul to draw near to God in holy duties in holy Ordinances and to draw near to God for mercy and grace through Christ so saith the Psalmist Psal 7.6.7 He was under a great trouble in his Conscience and Mind about sin and he falls a pleading with God Will the Lord cast off for ever saith he Will he be gracious no more and thus he falls on arguing and pleading I will remember saith he the years of the right hand of the Most High and so Psal 88. there you have a sad Psalm A soul that was mightily oppressed under the burthen of sin and there he pleads Verse 10. saith he Lord what good will my Life do thee if thou shouldst cut off my days shall the dead praise thee And so he goes on pleading and arguing strongly with God and so in the example of Jona Chap. 2.4 7 I said I was cast out of thy Sight yet will I look towards thy holy Temple When my soul fainted within me I remembred the the Lord and my prayer came in unto thee towards thy holy Temple He was so far from running away from God when his sin was set home upon him that now he draws near to God and humbled himself and sought the Lord And my prayer came in unto thee into thy holy Temple That is a third differenee between the trouble that arises for sin from the evil Spirit and the trouble that arises in a soul that is convinced by the Spirit of God 4. Commonly When Sin is set home by the evil Spirit and a Soul comes to be troubled for sin by the means of the Devil commonly you will find that that Soul will be ready to rise up against the very Instruments that are the means of his conviction The Soul will rise up with indignation against the very Instruments that are the means to convince it of sin I might give you many Instances for this Acts 5.33 at the 30th verse Peter is endeavouring to convince the Jews of their sin in murdering of Christ The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree and mark verse 33. What was the event of it How did this work upon their hearts Their hearts did rise up with indignation against Peter and the rest of the Disciples that went about to convince them of their sin When they heard that they were cut to the heart and took counsel to slay them They could not bear it if it had been from the Spirit of God they could not have took it so They were cut to the heart and took counsel to slay them So Acts 7.51 52 54. It is said there When Stephen went about to convince the Jews of that horrible sin of slaying the Prophets Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eare ye do always resist the Holy Ghost Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted He set home their sin upon them and how did they take it verse 54. When they heard these things they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth So far were they from falling down and yielding to the Conviction that their Spirits do rise up with indignation against the instrument that went about to convince them of their sin You may remember the story concerning Ahab he had diverse Prophets that would not let him alone but would be telling him of his sin and convincing him of his sin The Prophet Elijah would be reproving him of his sin and how did his heart rise up in indignation against Elijah and when he met with him he gave him such a gratulation as this Hast thou found me O mine enemy and Art thou he that troublest Israel He could not endure to bear the Prophet Elijah because he troubled his Spirit by convincing him of sin he called him The troubler of the Land And 1 Kings 22. You read of Micaiah a Prophet of the Lord and he had been very bold and plain with Ahab and told him of his sins well when they there were in an exigency and strait King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat was to go together to Battel to Ramoth Gilead ver 4. and 5. and Jehoshaphat would have the Prophets called together that they might advise and consult with them whether they should go to Ramoth-Gilead or no At the 6th verse You read there that Ahab would call four hundred Prophets together before he would call Micaiah but saith Jehoshaphat verse 7. Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord besides that we might enquire of him Yes saith Ahab there is one Micaiah but I hate him why saith he He never spake concerning me He was always grating upon his Sins to convince him of his sins and now his heart rises against him this is the guise of the Soul that is not convinced by the Spirit of God the heart will rise up against the Instrument and Means that endeavor to convince them of sin Whereas now on the other side where the holy
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