The Returning Backslider, Treatise
THE SAINTS Priviledge.
IOHN 16.8, 9, 10.
When he is come, he ſhall reproove the world of ſinne, righteouſneſſe and judgement. Of ſin, becauſe they beleeve not in me; Of righteouſneſſe, becauſe I goe to my Father: Of judgement, becauſe the Prince of this world is judged.
Eſpecially the 10. verſe. Of righteouſneſſe, becauſe I go to my Father and you ſhall ſee me no more.
OVR bleſſed Saviour deſcending from Heaven to Earth for the Redemption of man: after he had accompliſhed that great worke, he aſcended thither againe. And knowing his Diſciples would take his departure very heavily, hee labours to arme them againſt the aſſaults of all griefe and ſorrow that might otherwiſe oppreſſe them, and that by many arguments. Among the reſt, this is not the leaſt, that when he is gone away, he will ſend the Comforter unto them. God never takes away any thing from his children but he ſends them a better. And this Comforter whom he promiſed to ſend ſhall beare them through in all their Miniſtery, all function, and in effect hee thus beſpeakes them. You my Diſciples are to encounter with the world, Be of good comfort, my Spirit ſhall goe along with you, and he ſhall reproove the world of ſinne, righteouſneſſe, and judgement. Of your ſelves you are too weake, but the Spirit ſhall ſtrengthen you, and make way into the hearts of thoſe that ſhall be ſaved, by convincing them of ſinne, righteouſneſſe, and judgement; So that bee not diſcouraged, the Spirit ſhall breath courage into you and make way for your doctrine. When the Comforter is come, he ſhall reproove the world of ſinne, and of righteouſneſſe, and judgement: Of ſinne, becauſe they beleeve not in me, Of righteouſneſſe, becauſe I goe to the Father; Of judgement, becauſe the Prince of this world is judged.
There are three maine parts of ſalvation.
Knowledge of our miſery, knowledge of our deliverance, and a life anſwerable. The Holy Ghoſt ſhall worke all theſe, he ſhall Convince the world of their owne ſinne, of righteouſneſſe by a Mediator, and of a reformation of life: So that the Holy Ghoſt ſhall goe along with you in the carriage of the whole buſineſſe of mans ſalvation. Where he begins, he makes an end. Where he Convinces of ſinne, he Convinces of righteouſneſſe, and then of a neceſſity of a reformation, he beares all afore him, and he doth it in a ſpirituall order.
Firſt, he Convinces the world of ſinne,1. Convincing of ſin. then of righteouſneſſe, then of judgement, becauſe it were in vaine to Convince of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, unleſſe he hath before Convinced of ſin; For who cares for balme that is not wounded? Who cares for a pardon that is not condemned? therefore he Convinces of ſin firſt. I have ſpoken heretofore of Convincing of ſinne.
Here is a threefold Convincing, of ſinne, of righteouſneſſe, and of judgement, and every one of theſe hath a reaſon added thereto. Of ſin, becauſe they beleeve not in me; Of righteouſneſſe, becauſe I goe to my Father; Of judgement, becauſe the Prince of this world is judged.
The Holy Ghoſt begins with Convincing of ſin; What is this Convincing? It is a cleare and infallible demonſtration of our condition,What is this Convincing. It brings a commanding light into the ſoule, It ſets downe the ſoule and takes away all cavills, all turnings and windings. To convince is to make a man as the Pſalmiſts phraſe is, lay his hand upon his mouth. Light is a convincing thing, now we ſee the Sun, we ſee it is day, though ten thouſand men ſhould ſay it is not day, we would not beleeve them, becauſe the convincing herof is undeniable, that he muſt be an unreaſonable man that gaineſayes it.
So then, the Spirit of God brings a commanding light into the ſoule undeniable; thou art thus and thus, here no ſhifting, no winding and turning will ſerve the turne, when the Holy Ghoſt comes with this light. I doe but plainely unfold this.
This Conviction of the Holy Ghoſt is not in generall onelyonly, that all men are ſinners, but particular and ſtrong, thou art a ſinner, and thou art in danger of damnation; And it is univerſall, taking in ſins of nature, ſins of life, ſins of the underſtanding, will, and affections, and it is not of ſinne onelyonly, but of the miſery by ſinne, of the danger, folly, and madneſſe of ſinne, and of the aggravations that greaten ſinne: as of ſtifling ſo many good motions, withſtanding ſo many meanes, abuſing ſo many mercies. The Holy Ghoſt Convinces us throughly, that wee can have nothing to reply. Becauſe I have ſpoken of this before, I am ſhort. Beloved, unleſſe the Holy Ghoſt Convince, there will be no Convincing, our deceitfull hearts have ſo many windings and turnings; proud nature armes it ſelfe with defences, as a hedge-hogg winds himſelfe round and defends himſelf by his pricks. So you have many cloath themſelves with ſtrong words, ill tranſlations upon others, frivolous mitigations, the way of the multitude, as with a coate of male to keep out this Conviction, that did not the Holy Ghoſt ſtrike in hard with their conſciences, Thou art the man; this worke would never bee done.
Queſt. But you will aske me this Queſtion,how ſhall we know common Conviction of conſcience from this of the Spirit? for carnall men that goe to Hell are Convinced by a common Conviction, what is this ſaving Conviction?
Anſw. I anſwer,1. Difference. Common Conviction by the light of Nature is a weake Conviction, a little ſparke will ſhew a little light, but it will not inlighten a roome, it muſt be the worke of ſome greater light, as the Sun; the Spirit is a ſtrong light, ſtronger then naturall conſcience. Naturall conſcience and common light is of ſome breaches of the ſecond Table. Naturall conſcience never convinces of corrupt nature, but the Spirit doth moſt of all, as you may ſee in David, Pſal. 51.Pſal. 51. He reſolves all into this, as if he ſhould ſay, what ſhould I tell you of my murther and Adultery, in ſin did my mother conceive me, ſo a true Chriſtian doth not look to the branches ſo much as to the root.
Then againe,2. Difference. a naturall conſcience when it convinceth a man, it is againſt his will, it makes him not the better man, he mends not upon it, but he is tortured and tormented; But a man that is convinced by the Holy Ghoſt, he takes Gods part againſt himſelfe, he is willing to be laid open that he may find the greater mercy; So that there is a grand difference betweene common conviction of nature, and the Conviction of the Spirit. The Conviction of the Spirit is the light of the Spirit, which is of a higher nature then that of naturall conſcience, I will ſend the Comforter, when he comes he will greatly inlighten and over-power the ſoule.
3. Difference.Againe, the Conviction of the Spirit ſticks by a man, it never leaves the ſoule: But that of an ordinary conſcience it is but for a fleſh, and after they are worſe then they were before. I muſt cut off theſe things, becauſe the time is alwaies paſt upon theſe occaſions before we begin.
Vſe. Come we therefore to make ſome Uſe. The Spirit doth Convince of ſinne. But how? by the Miniſtery ordinarily, though not alone by the Miniſtery. Therefore we muſt labour willingly to ſubmit to the Miniſtery Convincing of ſinne. Conſcience will Convince firſt or laſt. Is it not better to have a ſaving Conviction now to purpoſe, then to have a bare deſperate Conviction in Hell. O beloved all the admonitions wee heare, if we regard them not now, we ſhall hereafter, therefore labour to make good uſe of this Sword of the Spirit of God, and it is an argument of a good heart to wiſh, O that the Miniſtery might meet with my corruption, that it may be diſcovered to me to the full. A true heart thinkes ſin the greateſt enemy, and of all other miſeries it deſires to bee freed from the thraldome thereof; For that defiles Heaven and Earth and ſeparates God from his creature. Its that that threw Angels out of Heaven, Adam out of Paradice. What imbitters bleſſings and puts a ſting into all afflictions but ſin? if it were not for ſin we would take up any croſſe, and beare any affliction more quietly then we doe.
Therefore as we deſire to be ſaved, and to ſtand with comfort before God at the day of judgement, let us deſire and indeavour to bee throughly Convinced of ſinne. Take heed of reſiſting the Spirit of God in the Miniſtery: why are ſo many led captive of their luſts, but becauſe they hate the Miniſtery of the Word, they looke upon it as Ahab did upon Elias, Haſt thou found me, O my Enemy. They naturally are in love with their ſinnes, and there is none ſo much hated as thoſe that preſent themſelves to themſelves. A man take him in his pure naturalls is a fooliſh creature, his heart riſes againſt Conviction. You ſee the Phariſees, Wiſe men, Learned men, being convinced they hated Chriſt to the death; why?Mat. 23.27. becauſe he did untombe them and diſcover the dead mens bones within. So many now a daies that are convinced, hate any that by life or ſpeech diſcover their ſinne unto them, if it were poſſible and in their power to the death. Thus the Holy Ghoſt convinces of ſin. But before I leave this point, let me adde this from the reaſon or ground of this Conviction [becauſe they beleeve not in me] That unbeleefe makes all other ſinnes damnable, no ſinne is damnable if we could beleeve and repent. Therefore we are convinced of ſin, becauſe we doe not beleeve: as we ſay of a man that is condemned, becauſe he cannot reade, therefore he is condemned, he ſhould eſcape if he could reade being for no great fault; ſo it is here, it is not beleeving in Chriſt and repenting makes all other ſins deadly.
The differing of one man from another is their faith and repentance, ſome there be whoſe ſinnes are greater then others, yet by the Spirit of God and Faith, they worke them out every day. It is faith in the brazen Serpent that takes away the ſting of the fiery Serpents.
J have done with the conviction of ſinne. Let us now come to ſpeake of the conviction of Righteouſneſſe.
2. Conviction of Righteouſnes.Of righteouſneſſe, becauſe I goe to my Father and you ſhall ſee me no more; It is a fit time for the Holy Ghoſt to convince Gods people of righteouſneſſe when they are convinced of ſinne before, then they can reliſh Chriſt: Balme is balme indeed when the wound is diſcovered and felt, O then a pardon is welcome when the party is condemned. The reaſon of this conviction of righteouſneſſe is, becauſe I goe to my Father and you ſhall ſee me no more. The Holy Ghoſt as he ſets on ſinne upon the conſcience, ſo he takes off ſinne by applying to the conſcience the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, this is his office, firſt, to convince the world of ſinne, and then to convince of righteouſneſſe, wherby we ſtand righteous before God.
And this righteouſneſſe here is not our owne inherent, but the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt a Mediator, God and man.
A fourefold gradation of convinction of righteouſneſſeThe Holy Ghoſt convinces of righteouſneſſe in this order of a fourefold gradation.
Firſt that there muſt be a righteouſneſſe, and a full righteouſneſſe.
The ſecond is this, that there is no ſuch righteouſneſſe in the creature.
Thirdly, that this is to be had in Chriſt the Mediator.
Fourthly, that this righteouſneſſe is our righteouſneſſe.
Gradation. 1 Firſt there muſt be a righteouſneſſe, for wee have to deale with a God who is righteouſneſſe it ſelfe; and no uncleane thing ſhall come into Heaven, unleſſe we have a righteouſneſſe, how ſhall we looke God in the face, or how can we eſcape hell.
Gradation. 2 Now for the ſecond, that it is not in any creature, men or Angels; we have not a righteouſneſſe of our owne; for there are divers things to be ſatisfied, God himſelfe, and the Law, and our owne conſciences, and the world. Perhaps we may have a righteouſneſſe to ſatisfie the world, becauſe we live civilly; O but that will not ſatisfie conſcience; And then there muſt be a ſatisfaction to the Law, which is a large thing that condemnes our thoughts, deſires, but God is the moſt perfect of all. Put caſe we have a righteouſneſſe of a good carriage among men, this will not ſatisfie God, and the Law, it will not ſatisfie conſcience; men they are our fellow-priſoners, conſcience will not be contented but with that which will content God, when conſcience ſees there is ſuch a righteouſneſſe found out by the wiſedome of God that contents him, elſe conſcience will be alwaies in doubts and feares.
Gradation. 3 Thirdly, this righteouſneſſe is to be had in Chriſt. What is the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt? The righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is that righteouſneſſe that is founded upon his obedience, active fullfilling the Law, and paſſive diſcharging all our debts, ſatisfying Gods Juſtice; the meritoriouſneſſe of both of them is founded upon the purity of his Nature, all his ſufferings and doings had their excellency from the perſonall Union of God and Man, in reference to which Union wee may without blaſphemy averre that God performed the Law, God died for us.
Gradation. 4 Fourthly and laſtly, this righteouſneſſe is our righteouſneſſe, the Spirit convinces that this belongs to all beleevers, for it is better then Adam had, his righteouſneſſe was the righteouſneſſe of a man; This righteouſneſſe is the righteouſneſſe of a mediator; And it is ſuch a righteouſneſſe, that when wee are cloathed with it, we may goe through the Juſtice of God, wee may have acceſſe with boldneſſe to the throne of grace, and ſay, Lord I come in the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt that hath appeaſed thy wrath and ſatisfied thy juſtice: this the Holy Ghoſt convinces of.
Quest. But you will aske me, how doth the Holy Ghoſt convince me of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt?
Anſw. I anſwer, Firſt the Holy Ghoſt preſents to the ſoule the knowledge of this excellent righteouſneſſe, and then creates a hand of faith to imbrace it being propoſed; you that are humble and broken-hearted ſinners, here is Chriſt for you. The Spirit of God doth not onelyonly reveale the excellency of Chriſt, but that this belongs to me, that Chriſt is given for me, and that revelation of the Spirit doth ſway the ſoule, when the Spirit doth not tell in generall onelyonly, that Chriſt is an excellent Saviour, but ſhall relate to a Chriſtian ſoule God gave Chriſt for thee: this ſwayes the heart to reſt upon Chriſt, whereupon the marriage is made up betweene the ſoule and Chriſt, the ſoule ſaies I am Chriſts, and I give my ſelfe to Chriſt, and to whatſoever accompanies Chriſt: and then as it is in marriage, the perſons by vertue of that relation have intereſt into each others ſubſtance and eſtate. So when this myſticall marriage is made up betweene Chriſt and us, wee have a right unto Chriſt by all rights, by titles of purchaſe and redemption; He hath purchaſed Heaven for us, and us for Heaven; all that Chriſt hath is ours, all his good is ours, our ſinnes his, and his righteouſneſſe ours; So when the Holy Ghoſt convinces me of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, and gives me faith to imbrace it, then Chriſt is mine with all he hath. By this I have ſpoken you may ſee how the Spirit convinces, doe but imagine what a bleſſed condition the ſoule is in when this match is made.
But you will aske me why is the ſending of the Spirit neceſſary for the convincing of this righteouſneſſe?
I anſwer for divers reaſons.
Reaſon. 1 Firſt, becauſe it is above the conceit of man, that there ſhould be ſuch a righteouſneſſe of God-man; therefore it is diſcovered by the Spirit, and when it is diſcovered, the Spirit muſt open the eyes of the ſoule to ſee, els wee ſhall have a naturall knowledge of ſupernaturall things; for a man by a naturall knowledge may underſtand them, ſo as to be able to diſcourſe of them, therefore to change the ſoule, there muſt be a ſupernaturall ſight to ſee ſupernaturall things. A divell incarnate may know all things and yet want to ſee, onelyonly the Holy Ghoſt gives inward ſight, inward eyes, and works faith to ſee Chriſt as mine.
Reaſon. 2 Againe, the ſending of the Holy Ghoſt is neceſſary for this conviction, becauſe hee alone muſt ſet downe the ſoule and make the conſcience quiet, who is greater then the conſcience. Conſcience will clamour thou art a ſinner, the Holy Ghoſt convinces, in Chriſt thou art righteous. The Holy Ghoſt onelyonly knowes what is in the heart of God the Father, and in the heart of every man: He onelyonly knowes the intent of the Father to every Chriſtian, and can anſwer all inward Objections and Cavils of fleſh and blood raiſed up againſt the ſoule; therefore the convincing of the Holy Ghoſt is neceſſary. Howſoever Chriſt hath purchaſed our peace, yet the Holy Ghoſt muſt apply it: For the conſcience is ſo full of clamours, that unleſſe the Holy Ghoſt apply what Chriſt hath done, conſcience will not be ſatisfied: God the Father hath appointed Chriſt, and Chriſt hath wrought it, but the third perſon muſt apply it to the ſoule, to aſſure us, that this belongs to us. The application of all good things to the ſoule that Chriſt the Sonne hath wrought, is the proper office of the third perſon. In civill Contracts here there muſt not onelyonly be a purchaſe but a Seale, though Chriſt hath wrought righteouſneſſe for us, the Spirit muſt Seale it to every ſoule, this righteouſneſſe belongs to you, Chriſt is yours with all that is his.
Reaſon. 3 Againe it muſt needs be a worke of the Spirit, becauſe fleſh and blood is full of pride and would faine have ſome righteouſneſſe of their owne, the Jewes were of this temper, and it hath beene the greateſt queſtion from the beginning of the world till this day, what is that righteouſneſſe whereby we muſt ſtand before God, but Gods Spirit anſwers all objections. Beloved, the beſt of us though in an eſtate of grace, if the Holy Ghoſt doe not convince us, we ſhall be in darkeneſſe and call all into queſtion, therfore we muſt not bee convinced onelyonly at the firſt, but in a continued courſe of Chriſtianity: unleſſe the Holy Ghoſt doth this, we ſhall fall into a dungeon of darkeneſſe, therefore the convincing of the Holy Ghoſt is neceſſary.
Beloved this ſhould make us take heed how we heare, and how we reade, even to beg this convincing of the Spirit in every Ordinance. O Lord vouchſafe the Spirit of revelation, and take the ſcales off mine eyes, that as theſe are truths of themſelves, ſo they may be truths to me. Sway my ſoule that I may caſt my ſelfe upon thy mercy in Chriſt, &c.
Object. I muſt anſwer ſome Caſes that many a poore ſoule is troubled withall. Alas I am not convinced by the Spirit that Chriſt is my righteouſneſſe, therefore what caſe am I in?
Anſw. I anſwer, ſome are more ſtrongly convinced, and ſome leſſe. Let a man be careleſſe of holy duties, and he is leſſe convinced, but let him be conſtant therein and he ſhall finde the Holy Ghoſt convincing him more ſtrongly, that the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is his; there are many preſumptuous perſons that turne the grace of God into wantonneſſe, who becauſe through the Enthuſiaſmes of Satan they never queſtion their eſtate, but conceit themſelves to be good men and in the eſtate of grace, think this to be the convincing of the Holy Ghoſt: whereas this is a generall rule, Spirituall convincing is not totall but alwaies leaves in the heart ſome drugs of doubting, as a ſhip that rides at anchor, though it may reele too and fro, yet is it ſafe for the maine. So it is with the ſoule that is truely convinced, it is ſafe for the maine, yet it is tumbled and toſſed with many doubts and feares, but their Anchor is in Heaven.
Take this for a ground of comfort ſubſcribed unto in the experience of all beleevers, that the Spirit of God ſo farre convinces them of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, as preſerves in them ſuch a power of grace as to caſt themſelves upon the mercy of God in Chriſt; and God will not quench that ſparke, though there be little or no light, yet there will be heate; God will ſend his Spirit into the heart, ſo farre as it ſhall not betray it ſelfe to deſpaire, and let ſuch a beame into the ſoule, as all the power in hell ſhall not be able to keepe out; but it is our owne neglect that we are not more ſtrongly convinced, ſo as to breake through all. This is the priviledge of a conſtant carefull Chriſtian, to bee ſtrongly convinced of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt.
Vſe. Thus we ſee how the Holy Ghoſt convinceth us of righteouſneſſe, other things I muſt omit. If this be ſo, I beſeech you let us not looſe our priviledges and prerogatives, doth God give grace, and give Chriſt with all his righteouſneſſe, and ſhall not we improove them? Let us uſe this righteouſneſſe in all temptations. Let us pleade it to God himſelfe, when hee ſeemes to be our enemy. Lord thou haſt ordained a righteouſneſſe, the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, that hath given full ſatisfaction to thy juſtice, and he hath given me a title to Heaven: howſoever my ſoule be in darkeneſſe, yet Lord I come unto thee in the name of my Saviour, that thou wouldeſt perſwade my ſoule of that righteouſneſſe. I would glorifie thy Name. Wherein wilt thou be glorified? In mercy or juſtice? O in mercy above all. I cannot glorifie thee in thy mercy, unleſſe thou perſwade me of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt. Can I love thee except thou love mee firſt? Canſt thou have any free and voluntary obedience from me, unleſſe J be convinced that Chriſt is mine? Now Lord I beſeech thee, let me be ſuch as thou maiſt take delight in. Beloved, ſince we have meanes of ſuch a gift, let us never reſt till wee have it. If Satan ſet upon us, hold this out, if he tell thee thou art a ſinner, tell him I have a greater righteouſneſſe then my owne, even the righteouſneſſe of God-Man, I have a righteouſneſſe above all my unrighteouſneſſe. Satan ſaith God is diſpleaſed with me, J but he is more pleaſed with me in Chriſt then diſpleaſed with me in my ſelfe. Satan ſaith J have ſinned againſt God, I but not againſt the remedy, ſend Satan to Chriſt. O but thou haſt a corrupt nature that makes thee runne into this ſinne and that ſinne; but there is a ſpring of mercy in God, and an over-running fountaine of righteouſneſſe in Chriſt, an over-flowing ſea of the blood of Chriſt. Therefore let us labour to improove this righteouſneſſe of Chriſt to God and Satan, and againſt al temptations, yea againſt our own conſciences; I am thus & thus; yet God is thus and thus, all his Attributes are conveyed to me in Chriſt. Let us exalt God and Chriſt, and ſet up Chriſt above our ſins, above any thing in the world, as S. Paul, who counted all things dung and droſſe for the excellent knowledge of Chriſt. Quest. You will aske me, How ſhall wee know whether we be convinced of this righteouſneſſe or no?
Anſw. I anſwer, we may know by the Method Chriſt uſes in convincing; Firſt, he convinces of ſinne and then of righteouſneſſe; for a man to catch at righteouſneſſe before hee bee convinced of ſinne, it is but an uſurpation; for the Holy Ghoſt firſt convinces of ſinne.
Therfore you have many periſh becauſe they never were abaſed enough. Beloved, people are not loſt enough, and not miſerable enough for Chriſt, and not broken enough for him, and therfore they go without him. Queſt. But how ſhall I know that the Holy Ghoſt hath convinced me enough of ſin, ſo that I may without preſumption apply the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt unto my ſelfe? OnelyOnly thus, if the Holy Ghoſt have diſcovered my ſinfull condition of nature and life, Anſw. ſo as to worke in me an hatred of ſin, and to alter my bent another way, and ſo make Chriſt ſweet unto me, then I am ſufficiently convinced of ſinne.
This in anſwer to that Queſtion by the way. To returne in the next place, I may know I am convinced throughly of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt by the witneſſe and worke of the Spirit. The Spirit brings light, and faith, the work of the Spirit hath a light of its owne, as I know I beleeve, when I beleeve, but ſometimes wee have not the reflect act of faith whereby to evidence our owne graces to our ſelves, but ever he that is convinced of the Spirit of God, his heart will be wrought to beare marveilous love to God; upon this apprehenſion, that God is mine, and Chriſt is mine, the ſoule is conſtrained to love, whereupon enſues an enlargement of heart and a prevalency of comfort above all diſcomfort, for love caſteth out feare. This one comfort that our ſins are forgiven and that we have right and title to Heaven, when the ſoule is convinced of this it is in a bleſſed condition, then what is poverty and what is impriſonment? not worthy to bee reckoned in reſpect of the glory that ſhall be revealed.
Againe, where the Holy Ghoſt convinces enough, there is inward peace and great joy ſutable to the righteouſneſſe. As the righteouſneſſe is an excellent righteouſneſſe of God-Man, ſo that peace and joy that comes from it is unſpeakable peace and joy: So that when the heart ſees it ſelfe inſtated in peace and joy, as you have it, Rom. 5. Being juſtified by faith wee have peace towards God, not only inward peace and joy, but a peace that will ſhew it ſelfe abroad, a glorious peace, a peace that will make us glory, verſe 3. We glory in tribulation. A hard matter to glory in abaſement: not only ſo, but we glory in God, God is ours, and Chriſts righteouſneſſe ours; when Chriſt hath ſatisfied Gods wrath, then we may make our boaſt of God.
Againe, where this conviction of righteouſnes is, it anſwers all objections, the doubting heart will object this and that, but the Spirit of God ſhewes an All-ſufficiency in Chriſts obedience, and that ſets the ſoule downe quietly in all croſſes, and calmes it in all ſtormes in ſome degree. Where the ſoule is convinced of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, there the conſcience demands boldly: It is God that juſtifies, who ſhal condemne? It is Chriſt that is dead and riſen againe and ſits at the right hand of God; Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods choſen. So that a convinced conſcience dares all creatures in Heaven and Earth, it works ſtrongly and boldly. I ſhall not need to inlarge this, you know whether you are convinced. Vſe. To end the point, I beſeech you labour to live by this faith, heere is an evidence if we can live by it? How is that? Every day to make uſe of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, as every day we run into ſinne. Be ſure we have our conſciences ſprinkled with the blood of Chriſt, that as we increaſe new guilt, ſo we may have a new pardon, therefore every day labour to ſee God as reconciled, and Chriſt as our Advocate with the Father. Chriſt is now in Heaven, if we ſinne, make uſe of him, this ſhould be the life of a Chriſtian, to make uſe of Chriſts righteouſneſſe; when you finde nature polluted, goe to God, and ſay, Lord my nature though foule in it ſelfe, yet is holy and pure in Chriſt, He tooke the weakneſſe of the humane nature unto him that hee might communicate the worth and efficacy of his divine nature unto me, and for my actions I am a ſinner, but Chriſt hath fully diſcharged all my debts, and is now in Heaven, he hath performed all righteouſneſſe for me. Looke not upon mee as in my ſelfe, but looke upon me in Chriſt, He and I am one. This ſhould bee every daies exerciſe to ſee our ſelves in Chriſt, and ſo ſee him and our ſelves one. I ſhould inlarge the point further, but I will ſpeake a word of the reaſon.
What is the reaſon why the Comforter may and ſhall convince of righteouſneſſe? Becauſe I go to the Father; what ſtrength is there in that reaſon? why this, Chriſt took upon him to be our ſurety, and he muſt acquit us of all our ſins ere he can go to his Father? If one ſinne had beene unſatisfied for he could not have gone to his Father, but now he is gone to his Father, therfore all our ſins are ſatisfied for, ſo that now the Aſcention of Chriſt is a ſufficient pledge to me that my perſon is accepted, and my ſins pardoned, becauſe he is gone to his Father to appeare before the Father for us, which he could not have done, had he not fulfilled all righteouſneſſe.
But wherefore did he go to the Father? why, to make application of what he had wrought. If Chriſt ſhould not have gone to the Father, he could not have ſent the Holy Ghoſt to us. Therfore there is great uſe of this going to his Father. Satan pleads before God we are ſuch and ſuch, I but ſaith Chriſt I have ſhed my blood for them, and there he perfumes all our weake prayers; if we were not imperfect what need we a Mediator in Heaven. Therefore he is gone to Heaven to diſanull all Satans accuſations, and to provide a place for us; die when wee will, our place is ready.
Then againe he is gone to the Father to cloath us with a ſweet relation, to make the Father our Father. For he ſaith, Iohn 12.17. I goe to my Father and to your Father; So that he is not aſhamed to call us Brethren, by vertue of this wee may goe to God and call him Father, and when wee die wee may without preſumption ſay; Father into thy hands I commend my ſpirit, for the Father loves us as hee loved Chriſt, with one and the ſame love, though in a farre different degree. What a comfort is this, that when we die, we goe to our Father that is better then any earthly Father; Therfore it ſhould joy us when the time of our departure comes: We ſee old Iacob when he ſaw the Chariots come out of Aegypt, how his heart leaped becauſe he ſhould go to ſee his Sonne Ioſeph: So when death is ſent to tranſport us to Chriſt, to Heaven, had we a ſtrong faith we ſhould be exceeding glad.
And let us learne here the art of faith from Chriſt, I go to the Father, ſaith he, there was a great deale of time yet to paſſe, no leſſe then forty daies after his Reſurrection before hee went to the Father, yet he ſaith, I goe to the Father, to ſhew that faith preſents things future as preſent; Faith ſees Heaven as preſent, and the day of judgement as preſent, and doth affect the ſoule as if they were now exiſtent. If we had a Spirit of faith it would thus preſent things farre off as nigh at hand. Therfore when we meet with any thing that may make our way to Heaven ſeeme long or troubleſome, exerciſe your faith, and make your terme preſent to your ſpirit though remote from ſence, ſay I goe to the Father, what though I goe through blood and a ſhamefull death, yea perhaps a tormentfull death: yet I goe to the Father; when a man is once perſwaded that God is his Father in Chriſt, it will make him walke to Heaven before his time.
Let us make Uſe of this point of Chriſts going to the Father. Beloved, there is not a point of Religion but hath a wonderfull ſpring of comfort, and it is want of faith that wee doe not draw more comfort from them. When therefore wee part with our friends by death, thinke they are gone to their Father. If yee loved me ſaith Chriſt, ye would rejoyce, becauſe I ſaid I goe to the Father. If we love our friends, we ſhould rejoyce when they die; Beloved, this ſhould comfort us, Chriſt is gone to his Father, O what welcome was there of Chriſt when he came into Heaven, the ſame welcome will there be when we goe to the Father? How joyfull intertainement ſhall we have of the Father and the Sonne? Therefore death ſhould not bee troubleſome to us, ſay Chriſts righteouſneſſe is mine, therefore I know I ſhall go to the Father, what care I then what kind of paines I goe through. If a man be going to a deſired place, howſoever the way be troubleſome, the ſweetneſſe of the end will make him forget the diſcouragements of his paſſage. Perhaps wee muſt wade to Heaven through a Sea of blood, it matters not, the end will recompence all, though we loſe our limbes by the way: It is better to limpe to Heaven, then dance to Hell.
FINIS.