as a Saviour was inconsistent with his state yet he had a principle and virtual power to have believed on Christ as a Saviour if God had required it of him Or else it were not our sin now not to believe on Christ if there were never a power given to Adam in the state of innocency to have believed if God had required it of him for we are now condemned for not believing on Christ the power being once given us Though we have lost the power yet that doth not excuse us for the sin of Unbelief That is one Answer But 2. Though it is true Believing on Christ was not expresly required in the first Commandment yet notwithstanding It was and is implicitly required namely thus It was and is required in the first Commandment that we should yield obedidience of faith to whatever God should require of us now then though Believing on Christ was not expresly required and commanded yet notwithstanding believing on Christ was implicitly required thus that when ever God should reveal and make Christ known to us when ever God should command us to believe on Christ this was required that we are bound by vertue of the first Commandment to believe on Christ though 't is true it was inconsistent with that state yet notwithstanding it is implicitly required in the first Commandment as to instance You know Gospel-Worship or the Worship that God requireth now in the Gospel it is inconsistent with that Worship that God required in the time of the Law yet notwithstanding Gospel-Worship was implicitly required in the second Commandment now 't is true Gospel-Worship is not expressed in the second Commandment yet notwithstanding it is virtually implyed because we are bound by virtue of that Commandment to worship God with that Worship which God should institute or appoint God hath now appointed Gospel-Worship under the new Testament and by vertue of the second Commandment we are bound to yield obedience to it now though it was inconsistent with the Worship in the time of the Law So the fourth Commandment requires that we should keep holy the Sabbath Day the express letter of the Commandment is to sanctify the seventh day from the Creation now that we should keep the first day of the Week for the Sabbath under the Gospel this is not expressed in the fourth Commandment yet it is implicitly required namely that we should keep holy that seventh day that God hath appointed or should appoint If God do change the seventh day to the first day of the Week still by vertue of the fourth Commandment we are bound to sanctify and celebrate the first day of the week for the Sabbath so now in this case though the first Commandment did not expresly require our faith in Christ yet implicity we are bound by vertue of that Commandment to yield obedience of faith to whatever God should reveal or make known to us or command us to believe any time afterward So that now if our believing on Christ be required in the first Commandment then unbelief is a transgression of the first Commandment and so a Sin This is the first Demonstration 2. It appears to be a sin namely because Not believing on Christ is a Transgression of the Commandment of the Gospel Not only a Transgression of the first Table of the Law but it is a Transgression of the great Commandment of the Gospel Brethren the Gospel is a Law it is called the law of faith Rom. 2.27 Where then is Boasting it is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of faith What is that that is the Gospel The Gospel is the Law of Faith wherein God requires our faith and believing on Christ and therefore faith is called the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 But now is it made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the Obedience of faith That is that the Nations should believe on Christ and so yield obedience to the Gospel by believing it is the Command of the Gospel therefore now not believing on Christ is a transgression of a Gospel Command Where doth the Gospel command our believing on Christ expresly why every where to name but a place or two John 6.29 saith Christ This is the Work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent This is the work of God not only the work that God worketh in us that is not the meaning of the place but this is the Work that God requires and commands the special work and duty that God requires that you should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ And you have a more express place 1 John 3.23 This is his Commandment that ye believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ This is the great Commandment of the Gospel that we should believe on the name of Jesus Christ therefore now not to believe on Christ being commanded in the Gospel is a transgression of the Commandment of the Gospel and the transgression of a Gospel Command is a sin as well as any transgression of the ten Commandments Now believing on Christ being expresly required in the Gospel unbelief is a transgression of the Command of the Gospel and therefore it is a sin That is the second Demonstration 3. Not believing on Christ appears to be a sin though we make nothing of it because God doth inflict punishments for not believing on Christ God doth punish men for not believing on Christ Now God doth never inflict punishment for that which is no sin punishment properly is the consequent and effect of sin where there is no sin there is no punishment therefore when God takes away the guilt of sin in Justification then God pardons a soul the soul is free from all punishment for sin There is therefore no condemnation no real punishment for sin to them that are in Christ Jesus Now then that God doth punish for unbelief though not total unbelief it is apparent You know Moses was punished for not believing and honouring of God by believing at the Waters Meriba Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believed me not to sanctify me in the Eyes of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them Moses pleaded hard with God that he might go over and see the good Land saith the Lord speak no more of it I will not hear you in this thing you shall see it indeed but you shall not enter into it because you did not honour me by believing God punishes unbelief and therefore unbelief must be a sin and so the Israelites for their unbelief God did punish them Psal 78.32 33. For all this they sinned still and believed not for his wondrous works and what follows therefore their days did he consume in vanity and their years in trouble Therefore God punished them for their
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
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
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
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
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