The Way of the Spirit in Bringing Souls to Christ, Sermons 3 · Sermon 4
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 of the Spirit, in order to Converſion and Salvation, and, what ſhall he do in order to it? Saith he, He ſhall convince the world of Sin; and this ſhall be the firſt work that the Spirit ſhall do. He ſpeaks of convincing of Righteouſneſs, and of Judgement; but the firſt work that the Spirit ſhall do, ſhall be to convince of Sin.
There are four things that are neceſſary to be ſpoken to for the opening and clearing of this great Truth and Point.
1. To ſhew what the convincing work of the Spirit is, what it is for the Spirit to convince a Soul of Sin, that we may underſtand it, and be clear in it; for it is that which is in order to our Converſion and Salvation.
2. Shew you, That the convincing of a Soul of Sin, is a neceſſary work in order to Salvation; for here Chriſt ſpeaks of the Spirits convincing the Soul of Sin in order to Salvation.
3. That the Convincing of a Soul of Sin, is the work of the Spirit; no leſs than the work of the Spirit. For, ſaith Chriſt, The Comforter ſhall come, and when he is come, he ſhall convince the world of ſin.
4. Shew you, That convincing a Soul of Sin, is the firſt work of the Spirit, in order to the Converſion and Salvation of any Soul.
I ſuppoſe I ſhall not be able to go through all theſe things at preſent, but to begin and go as far as we can. Well,
Firſt then, Let us enquire what is the convincing of Sin, and wherein it lies? You ſhall find in Scripture, that this convincing of Sin, is ſet forth by various expreſſions, ſometimes 'tis expreſſed by Pricking the heart, ſo Acts 2.37. When they heard this, they were pricked at the heart. Sometimes it is called the wounding of the Spirit, ſo Prov. 18.14. Sometimes it is expreſſed by the ſticking of an Arrow in a mans Spirit, Pſal. 38.2. Thy Arrows ſtick faſt in me, ſaith David; which is nothing elſe but the ſenſe of ſin, the guilt of ſin; Sometimes it is expreſſed by the breaking of Bones, Pſal. 51.18. That the Bones which thou haſt broken may rejoyce; It was upon the Conviction of his ſin of Murder and Adultery. And ſometimes 'tis expreſſed by the ſmiting of the heart; as 'tis ſaid of David, 1 Sam. 24.5. when he had cut off the Skirt of Saul's garment. His heart ſmote him, he was convinced of his ſin.
But more particularly, Wherein doth the Conviction of Sin lye? Now you ſhall find that it lies eſpecially in three things, or there are three things in a real convincing of ſin.
1. The firſt is a ſetting of ſin before the Soul; the ſetting of it home upon the heart, or the bringing of Sin to remembrance: ſetting of it before the Soul, as David d th expreſs it, Pſal. 51.3. ſaith he, My ſin is ever before me, 'tis before my face; he was convinced of his guilt, and then he had ſin ſet before him. So when Nathan the Prophet came to David to convince him of his ſin, when he was impenitent, 2 Sam. 12.7. ſee there how Nathan the Prophet ſets his Sin in order before him, that he might well ſay, My Sin is always before me. And Acts 2.36, 37. Peter, to convince the Jews of their ſin, ſets their ſin before them, and tells them what they had done, They had killed Jeſus Chriſt, the Son of God, the Lord of glory; and when they heard that, they were pricked at the heart: So, that it is one thing in Conviction of Sin, when the Spirit doth convince of ſin, he ſets the ſin before the Soul, or upon the heart; for if ſo be ſin be not ſet home, and brought before the Soul, there can be no conviction of ſin.
2. Secondly, There is this further in Conviction of Sin, namely, Sin is ſo ſet home upon the heart, as that the heart is not able to avoid the Conviction: The heart is not able to ſhift away from under the power of it, all the ſhifts and endeavours of the Soul cannot get it off; when the Spirit ſets home Sin upon the heart, 'tis ſo ſet home, as that the Soul cannot now put it off, it cannot ſhake it off: the Arrow is ſo ſhot, that the Soul cannot wriggle from it. 'Tis true indeed, a guilty Conſcience doth not love to be convinced of Sin, and therefore obſerve it, whenever the Lord goes about to convince of Sin, the Soul doth endeavour all it can to put off the blow, as you ſhall ſee now when the Lord came to convince Adam, our firſt Parents of their Sin, Gen. 3.12, 13. They had tranſgreſſed and thereupon hid themſelves: well, the Lord called for them, Adam▪ where art thou? at laſt Adam appears, and there the Lord to convince him of his Sin, ſets his Sin before him; What haſt thou done (ſaith God)? haſt thou eaten of the Tree that I forbad thee? He could not deny it: But, pray, obſerve what evaſions they had, if it were poſſible they would avoid the dint of the Conviction; ſaith Adam, 'Tis true, I have eaten of the Tree, but it was by inſtigation of my Wife, The Woman which thou gaveſt me, ſhe gave me of the …ree, and I did eat; and thus he avoided the power of the Conviction; Well, he goeth to the Woman, and ſaid, What is this that thou haſt done? and ſhe put it off too; The Serpent beguiled me, and I did eat; Thus a guilty Conſcience will ſhift off Convictions as long as it can. You ſhall ſee Aaron, when Moſes was abſent forty days and from the people, Exod. 32.23, 24. Aaron and the people made a Golden Calf to worſhip; when Moſes came down from the Mount, he fell to expoſtulating with Aaron about his Sin; he would convince Aaron of his great Sin; ſaith Moſes, What did the people unto thee that thou haſt brought ſo great a Sin upon them? Now mark, how Aaron would avoid the dint of this Conviction: It is true, ſaith he, he could not deny the thing, but let not the anger of my Lord wax hot; thou knoweſt the people, that they are ſet upon miſchief; it is the peoples fault, ſaith he, for they ſaid, make us Gods that they may go before us, for as for this Moſes we know not what is become of him. And I ſaid unto them▪ whoſoever hath any Gold, let them break it off: ſo they gave it me: then I caſt it into the Fire, and there came out this Calf. What a pitiful excuſe was here? he did bur throw it into the fire and there came out a Calf; See what ſhifts Good men will have ſometimes (for Aaron wa a good man) to put off the power and force of Conviction.
You ſhall ſee another Inſtance in Saul, 1 Sam. 15.9. There God had ſent Saul to cut off all the Amalekites, Men, Women, and Children, and Cattel and all, Spare none, ſaith God: Well, God give him victory over the Amalekites and he made a great ſlaughter indeed, but Saul ſpared Agag the King, and ſome of the beſt of the Cattel, at the 13th Verſe, And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul ſaid unto him, Bleſſed be thou of the Lord I have performed the Commandment of the Lord: The Lord knows, ſaith he, I have done the will and Commandment of the Lord, he would not be convinced at firſt; well, ſaith Samuel, to convince him, Verſe 14. What meaneth then the bleating of the Sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the Oxen, which I hear? Well, Saul could not deny but there was ſome of the Oxen ſpared, and the beſt of the Cattel ſpared, but he had his excuſe for that, verſe 15. The People (ſaid he) ſpared the beſt of the Sheep, and of the Oxen, to ſacrifice unto the Lord: Thus he would not be convinced: At laſt Samuel was fain to fall upon him with down right blows, and thunder againſt him to ſtrike him down. I tell you, ſaith he v. 22, 23. here is rebellion againſt God, and rebellion is as the Sin of witchcraft, and ſtubborneſs is as iniquity and idolatry: And at the laſt he was brought down, and fell under the Conviction, v. 24. And Saul ſaid to Samuel, I have ſinned, and tranſgreſſed the Commandment of the Lord, and thy Words; becauſe I feared the people: But you ſee what a deal of Do there was to bring Saul under the power of the Conviction; he ſtood upon his Juſtification. Juſt thus it is with a poor Sinner, as long as he can ſtand out againſt Conviction, he will put it off; as it is with a Malefactor at the Bar, as long as he can, he will not be convinced; he will plead, Not guilty; and juſtify himſelf, either by denying or mincing of it, or one thing or other, till the Evidence come clear againſt him; then his mouth is ſtopt; then he is convinced: Thus it is with a poor Sinner, the Lord brings his ſin before him, if he can he will deny it, and excuſe himſelf: But now when the Holy Ghoſt comes to convince of ſin, he ſtops the mouth, that he ſhall have nothing to plead to excuſe himſelf: As, I remember, 'tis the Apoſtles expreſſion, Rom. 3.19. That every mouth may be ſtopped, and all the World may become guilty before God; ſo convinced, that the Sinner may have nothing to ſay, to juſtify him before God. This is another thing in Conviction; when Sin is not only ſet before the Soul, but ſo ſet home, that the Soul hath nothing to ſay to clear it ſelf.
3. Thirdly, There is a third Thing in a true Conviction of ſin; namely, When the Soul is really convinced by the Spirit of ſin, it hath not only ſin ſet before it, and ſo ſet before it, as the mouth is ſtopped, and ſilenced, that it cannot plead Not guilty: But, where there is a true Conviction of Sin, the heart is affected with it, and afflicted for it. And this is intimated by thoſe expreſſions you heard before, whereby the Holy Ghoſt doth ſet out Conviction of Sin, as it is ſet out by the ſhooting of an Arrow. Now, if an Arrow ſtick in the fleſh, it will put it to pain, it will make the fleſh ake; if there be a Prick at the heart, you will certainly be ſenſible of it, if a Bone be broken, there will be grief, and trouble, and affliction: Truly, thus it is in this work of Conviction of Sin, when the Spirit doth convince a Soul of Sin, it doth not only ſet ſin before him, and alſo ſet ſin ſo home, as the Soul cannot juſtify it ſelf, but now the Soul falls down under it, and is affected and afflicted with it; and therefore hence it is, that ſometimes when a Soul is convinced of Sin, it is affected with trembling and aſtoniſhment. He even trembles to think he ſhould be guilty of ſuch a ſin; as I remember, 'tis ſaid concerning the Jaylor, Acts 16.26. He came in trembling before Paul and Silas; it is ſaid, he ſprang in, and came trembling; there was an Earth-quake, and that Earth-quake was an Heart-quake to him, it made his heart ſhake, and he ſaw himſelf in a damned condition, and now, ſaith he, Sirs, What ſhall I do to be ſaved? he came in trembling before Paul and Silas, ſaying, What ſhall I do? And ſometimes 'tis expreſſed by ſhame and bluſhing; the Soul is even aſhamed and confounded, when ſin is ſet home, as you know it was the ſpeech of Ephraim, Jer. 31.18, 19. He was aſhamed and confounded for his rebellion, he was ſo like a Heifer, unaccuſtomed to the Yoke: he could not bear the Lords Yoke, and when the Lord came to tame him, then he was aſhamed, as Ezra ſaid, I am aſhamed and bluſh before thee, Ezra, 9.6. And ſometimes with grief, and ſorrow, and mourning; as when Paul had convinced the Corinthians of their ſin in ſuffering the inceſtuous perſon amongſt them, without bearing teſtimony againſt him, 2 Cor. 7.11. What Carefulneſs, ſaith he, it wrought in you? What Sorrow? what godly Sorrow ye had amongſt you? Ay, they were convinced, and then they mourned and ſorrowed. And ſo, ſometimes the heart is as it were all a-mort, when the Soul is convinced of Sin, the heart is even dead, and knows not what to do: ſaith Paul, When the Commandment came, Sin revived, and I died, Rom 7. I ſaw my ſelf a dead man, his heart was even dead. Well, thus you ſee what Conviction of Sin is, and wherein it lies, it conſiſts in theſe three, or theſe three things do concur to a real Conviction of Sin, namely, A ſetting of ſin before the Soul, and ſo ſetting it home that the Soul cannot deny it, but muſt fall down under it, and be affected and afflicted with it. Now, leaſt any poor Soul may have a ſtumbling Block laid before it, let me only intimate this: That there are degrees of convincing of ſin, all are not in a like meaſure convinced of Sin, ſome are convinced more, and others leſs; as now, ſome that have had civil Education, that have not lived in notorious and groſs ſins, and wickedneſs; their Convictions poſſibly may be more ſilent, and not make ſo great a noiſe as the Convictions of others do; as Lydia, ſhe lived without breaking into notorious and groſs wickedneſſes, and you ſee there was no great noiſe of her Conviction of Sin, though convinced of Sin ſhe was; and there is a neceſſity of that, as you wil… hear by and by, now others that have lived in ſcandalous ſins, notorious groſs ſins, in lewdneſs and wickedneſs, in oppoſing and perſ…cuting the Saints, and the people of God, and the like, their Convictions ordinarily are more great, as in the caſe of Paul, Paul that was a Perſecutor, his Convictions were ſuch, that it made the Country to ring: it was heard off far and near; as Paul ſaith himſelf to King Agrippa, Theſe things were not done in a corner: When God came to convert Paul, he firſt convinced him of his ſin, Saul, Saul, Why perſecuteſt thou me? ſaith he, Who art thou Lord? he anſwered, I am Jeſus, whom thou perſecuteſt; it was ſet home with power upon him.
Queſtion.
But you will ſay, How ſhall a Soul know whether it have been ſufficiently convinced of Sin, and humbled for it as it ought to be? Becauſe now here is the ſtumbling ſtone that ſome weak and tender hearts are ready to lay before their own faces; I have not been ſo convinced, and ſo humbled as others have been, and therefore I queſtion whether I have been truly convinced or humbled for Sin or no, how ſhall I know whether I have been truly convinced of ſin?
Anſwer.
The Truth is, It is not poſſible to determine a particular degree of convincing of Sin for every particular perſon, and therefore I ſhall give you this as a Rule to know when your convincing of Sin is ſufficient; namely, then convincing of ſin is ſufficient when as a Soul is ſo convinced of ſin, as that now it is wholly taken off from all hopes of being ſaved by any thing in its ſelf, and it is made now to look towards Chriſt, and the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; though poſſibly in a weak manner, yet notwithſtanding, it is taken off from looking to any thing in it ſelf, or hoping in any thing it ſelf, to help forward its own ſalvation: it is cut off from that by being convinced of Sin; now I cannot help my ſelf, I cannot ſave my ſelf, by all that ever I can do, What ſhall I do? as they in the Acts, Chap. 2. Sirs, What ſhall we do to be ſaved? They were at their wits end, they ſaw nothing that they could do, could ſave their Souls. And ſo the Jaylor, Sirs, what muſt I do to be ſaved? This now is the firſt thing, you ſee what we are to underſtand by this Conviction of ſin. When he is come he ſhall convince the World of ſin.
2. But to come to the ſecond thing, namely, to ſhew you, That convincing of Sin, is a thing that is neceſſary in order to Converſion and Salvation. That it is neceſſary, doth plainly appear thus, namely, Why elſe is it made to be the work of the Spirit, if convincing of ſin be not neceſſary, would the Spirit convince of ſin? Can we think, or ſay, that the Spirit would work or do any thing that is not neceſſary.
Again, If ſo be that generally all that are converted and ſaved, have found a work of conviction upon their hearts, then certainly it is neceſſary in order to converſion and Salvation.
And again, (not to multiply things of this nature) If this work of convincing of ſin be not neceſſary, To what end elſe ſerves the Law? Saith the Apoſtle, Rom. 7.7. What ſhall we ſay then? Is the Law ſin? God forbid: Nay, I had not known ſin, but by the Law; I had not known Luſt, except the Law had ſaid, Thou ſhalt not covet. And at the 9th Verſe, I was alive without the Law once, but when the Commandment came, ſin revived, and I died: Wherefore the Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, juſt and good. The Law (ſaith he) is good, the Law is juſt and holy, it is not in vain; But, Wherefore ſerves the Law? It is to convince of ſin: Then conviction of ſin is neceſſary: and ſo the Apoſtle to the Galatians, Gal. 3.19. Wherefore then ſerves the Law? There's the Queſtion; It was added becauſe of Tranſgreſſions, till the Seed ſhould come. And then at the 24th Verſe, Wherefore the Law was a School-maſter to bring us to Chriſt; to prepare us as it were to come to Chriſt. Now therefore, if the Law be neceſſary to diſcover ſin, then the diſcovery and convincing of ſin is neceſſary. But not to ſtand upon this.
Queſtion.
The great Queſtion is, Ʋpon what account, or in what regard is Convincing of ſin neceſſary in order to Salvation? This is a great Queſtion, Ʋpon what account is the conviction of ſin neceſſary, in order to the converſion and ſalvation of a ſinner?
Anſwer.
I Anſwer briefly, Ʋpon manifold accounts and regards. I ſhall name ſome,
1. Convincing of ſin is neceſſary in order to ſalvation, Becauſe except a ſoul be convinced of ſin, it will hardly ever come to Chriſt. And, that is neceſſary, for a Soul to come to Chriſt, that is neceſſary for ſalvation. Now a Soul that is not convinced of ſin, will hardly ever come to Chriſt, he will make any ſhift in the world before he will come to Chriſt, Luke 8.43.44. It is ſaid of the Woman that had the Iſſue of Blood, At laſt ſhe came to Chriſt; but mark, ſhe made all the ſhift ſhe could, before ſhe would come; ſhe had it twelve years, and ſhe ſpent every penny ſhe had, ſhe ſpent all her Living on Phyſitians, to cure her diſtemper, and when all was gone, and there was no other way to help her, then ſhe came to Chriſt: So, till a Soul be convinced of ſin, it will never come to Chriſt; this is the courſe of ſinners, until they be convinced of the neceſſity they will not come, John 5.40. Saith Chriſt, Ye will not come to me, that ye might have Life. No, the ſoul will look to find the Life in its own hands, by its own works and endeavours, by its Prayers and Duties —: He will not come to Chriſt that he might have Life; And therefore when Chriſt doth tender grace and mercy to ſinners, Alas! they ſlight it and deſpiſe it, becauſe they have not been convinced. You ſhall ſee there, John 8.32, and ſo on, Chriſt is directing of the Jews how they might be freed from ſin, how they might have their freedom, Saith Chriſt, If the Son therefore make you free, you ſhall be free indeed. Now mark, What do they account of Chriſt's freedom, or directions to come to him, to be made free? Verſe 33. Say they, We are Abrahams Seed, and were never in Bondage to any man, we are free enough; they were never convinced of the bondage of ſin, therefore now the offer of Chriſt to free them, is of no account with them. The ſoul that is not convinced of ſin, cares not for Chriſts tenders and offers of Grace, John 9.39, 40. Chriſt is there directing the Jews to come to him to have their blind eyes opened, they were ſpiritually blind, and ſaith Chriſt, For Judgment am I come into the World, that they which ſee not might ſee, and they which ſee might be made blind. Well, thoſe Jews they were not convinced of their ſpiritual blindneſs, and therefore they make a tuſh at it, What? Doſt thou come to cure our blindneſs? to make us ſee? Are we blind alſo (ſay they), they ſcorned his words; becauſe they were not convinced of ſin, they cared not for coming to Chriſt for any grace or any mercy, and therefore when Chriſt would have a Soul to come to him for any grace or mercy, he takes this courſe with them, namely, firſt to convince them of their ſinful eſtate, Rev. 3.17, 18, 19, 20. Chriſt doth counſel them there to come to him for Eye-ſalve, that they might See, and for Gold, that they might be rich, and for white Raiment, that they might be clothed; but now before Chriſt doth make this tender to them, he doth firſt take a courſe to convince them of their ſin; Thou ſaiſt, (ſaith he to the Church of Laodiced) that thou art rich, and wanteſt nothing; but I tell thee, ſaith Chriſt, that thou art poor, and miſerable, and wretched, and blind, and naked; and therefore now I counſel thee, to come and buy Eye-ſalve of me, and Gold, and white Rayment. So that this is the way that Chriſt takes when he would have a ſoul to come to him, he convinces him firſt of ſin. Therefore this is one ground or reſpect why conviction of ſin is ſo neceſſary in order to ſalvation, becauſe elſe a Soul will never be willing to come to Chriſt.
2. Becauſe, Ʋnleſs a Soul be convinced of ſin, Chriſt is not willing to come to that Soul, to ſave that Soul. I ſay, Chriſt is not willing to ſave a ſoul that is not convinced of Sin, and therefore ſaith Chriſt (mark I pray) The Whole need not the Phyſitian, but thoſe that are ſick. Mat. 9.12. I came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance: Chriſt came not to call them that are no ſinners to repentance, And who are theſe? Are not all ſinners? Is not every one a ſinner? There is not a Juſt man upon the Earth, that liveth and ſinneth not; But who are theſe that are Righteous here? I came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners. Who are Sinners? By ſinners here, he meanes thoſe that are convinced of their ſinful eſtate; and thoſe Righteous, that are not convinced; they look upon themſelves as Righteous, though they are as ſinful as any others; yet notwithſtanding they not being convinced, they look upon themſelves as juſt and righteous; Now, ſaith Chriſt, I come not to call the Righteous, but I come to call Sinners to repentance: Sinners, thoſe that are convinced of ſin, that are ſinners indeed, and know themſelves to be ſinners; I come to call them to repentance, to life and ſalvation; and mark, ſaith Chriſt again, Luke 19.10. I am come to ſeek and to ſave that which is loſt; I am come to them that are loſt, I come not to ſeek and to ſave them that are not loſt; loſt, you will ſay, Is not every ſinner loſt? ſaith the Apoſtle, If our Goſpel be hid, 'tis hid to them that are loſt. Is not every ſinner a loſt Creature? a dead Creature? What, doth Chriſt come to ſeek and to ſave every ſinner in the World? No, ſaith he, I am come to ſeek and to ſave them that are loſt, who are they that are loſt? 'tis true, all ſinners are loſt in reſpect of their ſtate and Condition, but every Sinner is not loſt in reſpect of their ſenſe of their loſt condition. I pray when do you look upon a Man or Woman to be loſt? When may one be ſaid to be loſt? I pray, mark, you may obſerve theſe three things in it.
1. When he is gone out of his way, when he hath miſſed his way whither he intends to go, then he is loſt, but not only ſo, But
2. When he hath not only miſſed his way, and he is out of his way, but alſo when he doth not know the way, how to return into the right way, he doth not know the way back again; you will ſay, now the man is loſt. But
3. Further, when a man comes to be ſenſible of this, that he is gone out of his way, and he doth not know which way to return home again, and he is ready to ſit down becauſe he doth not know which way to take, only ſaith he, if I go this way or that way, I may go further out of my way, therefore he is fain to ſit down, and knows not what to do, nor which way to take, ſuch a man is loſt; but if a man be out of the way, and know the way back again, he is not loſt; he may find the way, or if ſo be he be not ſenſible he is out of his way, he is not loſt; but when theſe things concur together, then he is loſt. Thus it is wi h a ſinner, when he comes to be convinced that he is out of the way of Salvation, and he knows not how to come into the way, and he knows he is like to periſh in this ſtate he is now in, now the ſinner is loſt; Now ſaith Chriſt, This is the poor Creature that I am come to ſeek and to ſave; when a poor ſinner is convinced of his ſinful Eſtate and is ſo loſt, now Chriſt comes to ſeek and to ſave him. Now if a man or woman be not loſt, Chriſt will not come to ſeek & to ſave them That are loſt, that is, thoſe that are convinced of their being in a loſt Eſtate. And that is the ſecond Reaſon or Ground why convincing of ſin is neceſſary in order to Salvation, Chriſt elſe will hardly come to ſeek and to ſave ſuch.
3. Convincing of Sin is neceſſary in order to Salvation, Becauſe unleſs a Soul be convinced of ſin, if Chriſt ſhould come to ſave it, it will not be willing to accept of Chriſt, and receive Chriſt and Salvation by Chriſt, he will not be willing withall; no, Chriſt came to his own, and his own received him not; He came to the Jews that were (as it were) his own Country Men, but they would not receive him: Why? they were not convinced; One that is not ſick, will not care for receiving the Phyſician, or for having the Phyſician to come at him, he hath no need of him: The Whole need not the Phyſician (ſaith Chriſt) but they that are ſick. Truly, untill a Soul be convinced of Sin, it is whole and ſound in its own Apprehenſion, and that Soul doth not need the Phyſician: Let Chriſt come and offer himſelf, and tender Life and Salvation, he doth not accept of it, he hath no need of it; and hence it is that Chriſt tenders and offers himſelf in the Goſpel, and offers Salvation therein to poor ſinners; and People, becauſe they are not convinced of their need of Chriſt, receive him not: Chriſt comes near to them, and offers himſelf, and Life, and Salvation to them, through himſelf, and by believing on himſelf; Ay, but they will not accept him, nor receive him, they will not cloſe with him; they will not own him though Chriſt come ſo near to them: 'Tis true, Chriſt doth not come ſo immediately to ſave thoſe that are not convinced, but he will firſt convince them, and then ſave them. That is the third Argument upon which account Conviction of Sin is neceſſary in order to Converſion and Salvation.
4. If a Soul be not convinced of ſin, that Soul will be hardly taken off from its ſins; it will not part with its ſins, and if it do not part with ſin, it cannot be ſaved; no man can be ſaved with his ſins. I ſay, a Soul that is not convinced of ſin, will not really part with his ſins; 'tis true, a Soul may poſſibly be reſtrained ſometimes, that it dares not venture upon thoſe ſins that it did before, as poſſibly through ſome dread, or terror, anguiſh, or fear: poſſibly the Soul hath been amazed, through ſome eminent danger which he hath been in; poſſibly he hath been ſick to death, nigh to the grave, and hath ſeen the door of Eternity to ſtand open to receive him, he hath been amazed, and now, if the Lord pleaſe he may have his life, he will turn a new man, and forſake thoſe evil ways and courſes he formerly lived in; or if he be in ſome ſudden danger, or accident, that he is amazed and affrighted: O now, he will never do as he hath done, but now, when the danger is over, and the fear is vaniſhed, he is the ſame man he was before. I could give you a ſad ſtory of this, but that I would not take up time that way now, you know how it was with Balaam, when Balak ſent to him to curſe Iſrael; Balaam met with a meſſage from God to the contrary, Do not go with him, ſaith he, for it will coſt you your life, when the Meſſenger came; ſaith Balaam, If Balak would give me his houſe full of gold and ſilver, I cannot go beyond the Commandment of my God; yet Balaam had an eye to the wages of unrighteouſneſs, and he would try to go, and at laſt ventures to go, he might be reſtrained a while, but he was not really convinced of Sin, and on he would go, he would venture at laſt. Juſt as it is with two Lovers, two young people fall in love, and their Parents are againſt their proceedings, and their Parents threaten them, and charge them to come no more at one another; but ſo long as their affections hold, they will find ſome way or other to come together, and though they may for a time be reſtrained, yet they will take ſome occaſion or other to come together again. Thus it is with a ſinner, ſo long as his affections are not taken off from ſin, and till a Soul be convinced of ſin, his affections remain to it, and though it may be affrighted, and reſtrained for a time, yet it will return again: Juſt as it is with a Bowl, it will run on ſo long as the force of the hand remains, but it will return again to its natural Bias; ſo it is with a ſinner, poſſibly he may be under ſome reſtraint through ſome fright and amazement, by ſome eminent danger it is in: but when that fear or fright is over, as long as the affections hold, and were never diſingaged and broken off from ſin, the ſinner will return and be as eager and as violent upon his ſins as before; but when a Soul comes to be really convinced of his ſin, and hath it ſet home upon him, as ſuppoſe it be the prophanation of the Sabbath, or ſuppoſe it be diſobedience to Parents, or ſuppoſe this or that ſin, if a Soul come to be really convinced of it, its affections towards it are broken off, and then it will be ready to ſay with Ephraim, Hoſ. 4. ult. What have I to do any more with Idols, he had been convinced of it, and now, What have I to do any more with Idols? This is the fourth Argument, whereby it doth appear, that this work of Convincing of ſin is neceſſary in order to Converſion, and Salvation.
5. Convincing of Sin is neceſſary in order to Salvation, Becauſe unleſs a Soul be really convinced of ſin that Soul can never love Jeſus Chriſt, never prize Jeſus Chriſt: Ʋnto them that believe, ſaith the Apoſtle, he is precious, 1 Pet. 2.7. That is to you who have been convinced of Sin, and brought off from Sin by the power of the Spirit, convinced of Sin, and drawn to Chriſt, by faith and be ieving through the Spirit; now to you Jeſus Chriſt is precious. O, when a Soul comes to be ſenſible what a loſt creature it is, how undone it is in it ſelf, it will think how much it is engaged, and beholden to Chriſt! O, this is he that I am bound to love for ever; this is he that hath done ſo much for me; if it had not been for Chriſt, I had periſhed for ever! The Soul when it hath been convinced of Sin, and brought off from the love of Sin, and brought to lean upon Chriſt by Faith, now Jeſus Chriſt is lovely and precious to him; and hence you may ſee, what is the reaſon that many Profeſſors that have made a great ſhew in the world, and a great noiſe in the Churches, and yet they have little love to Chriſt, and Jeſus Chriſt is not very precious to them. And poſſibly many complain of it, O that I could love Jeſus Chriſt more (and it is a good complaint I confeſs)! O that he were more precious to me! and what is the reaſon that Jeſus Chriſt is more precious to our Souls? and that the Soul can love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt no more? O! here is one great reaſon, poſſibly the Soul was never really and truly convinced of Sin, the more really the Soul hath been convinced of Sin, the more dear and precious will Jeſus Chriſt be to that Soul.
6. And laſtly. The laſt Ground and Reſpect, for which it is ſo neceſſ…ry, that a Soul ſhould be convinc…d of ſin in order to Salvation; Becauſe, elſe if a Soul be n t really convinced of ſin, that Soul notwithſtanding all his Profeſſion, will be very unſtable in its Faith and Comforts: It will be tottering and wavering, that Soul will never be rooted and grounded, but its Comforts will be up and down: it will be like a houſe that is built upon a ſandy foundation, a light foundation, that hath no depth, and you ſee the danger of that houſe that is built upon the Sands, that hath a ſhallow ſlight foundation, it is in danger to tumble, eſpecially when ſtorms come, and great Winds blow, as Chriſt ſpeaks, Mat. 7. to our preſent purpoſe, ſaith he, He that heareth my Words and doth them not, I will liken him to a Builder that built his houſe upon the Sands: And, ſaith he, When the Wind blew, and the Rain beat upon the houſe, it fell, becauſe it wanted a good Foundation. Truly, ſo a Soul that hath no ſure Foundation, that is, that was never really convinced of ſin, of his need of Chriſt, that Soul will be like a houſe without a Foundation, it will meet with temptations, ſtorms and tempeſts to try what ground it ſtands on; and hence it is, that it comes to be ſo often tottering and ſhaking. I remember a ſpeech of a holy eminent Servant of Chriſt, to ſet out the neceſſity of Conviction of ſin, ſaith he, The leſs Fine a man pays for his houſe, when he enters, the more Rent he muſt pay afterward. He meant thus, the leſs Conviction a man hath of ſin at firſt, that is the Fine, the leſs his Fine is, the more Rent he muſt pay afterward, his meaning was this; the more he will be ſubject to Troubles, and Doubts, and Scruples afterwards. A Soul that hath not a real conviction of ſin upon him, that Soul will be unſtable, its Comforts will be unſtable, and though he may hold up his head, ſo long as all is calm, and clear above him, but when the aſſaults of the Devil come, and the powers of Hell are let looſe upon it, to try its Foundation; if the foundation be not deep rooted, all the building will come to nothing; it is like a Plant or Tree that is planted but ſhallow in the Ground, and will be apt to wither, ſo Chriſt compares it, Mat. 13.21. The Seed that fell upon the ſtony ground, ſprang up for a while, but when the Sun did riſe, when temptations came, ſcorching temptations, and tribulations, and tryals came, they withered away, becauſe they wanted depth of earth for the root; they had no rooting, they were not humbled and convinced of ſin, they took up a Profeſſion, and confeſſed Chriſt, and profeſſed Chriſt, but never were truly convinced of ſin; and this is the great reaſon why Profeſſors are ſubject to ſo many doubts and ſcruples about their condition, when they come into ſickneſs and dangers, then they are ready to queſtion their condition; What is the reaſon? why poſſibly this may be one, Becauſe they were never convinced truly of ſin by the Spirit of God. And therefore you ſee now, upon all theſe accounts, That Conviction of ſin is very neceſſary for ſinners, in order to their Converſion and Salvation.
So now, I have finiſhed the ſecond Thing propounded, I ſhould now have come to the third Thing, to ſhew you, That convincing of ſin, is the Work of the Spirit of God. But that and ſome other things, I muſt leave till another opportunity.