The Way of the Spirit in Bringing Souls to Christ, Sermons 3 · Sermon 5

The Way of the Spirit in Bringing Souls to Christ · Sermons 3 · Sermon 5

p. 129The Holy Ghoſt convinceth of Sin.

SERMON V.

JOHN 16.9.

Of Sin, becauſe they believe not on me.

YOU have heard the coherence of theſe words before, and therefore I ſhall not trouble you with that; and the Point you may remember what it was, that was laſt propounded from theſe words, Namely, That it is the very firſt work of the Spirit of God, in order to Salvation, to convince the Soul of Sin.

For ſo Chriſt here is comforting of his Diſciples againſt their ſorrow upon his departure from them; and he tels them, That he would ſend the Comforter to them, and he tells them what the Comforter ſhould do, he ſhould aſſiſt them in their Miniſtry, towards the converſion and ſalvation of Souls; and the firſt thing he ſhall do, he ſhall convince the World of Sin, and then of Righteouſneſs, and then of Judgement; but this is his firſt work, to convince the world of Sin.

p. 130There were four things propounded to be ſpoken to for the clearing of this Point.

1. To ſhew you what we are to underſtand by this Conviction of Sin, which is the firſt work of the Spirit, and wherein it lay, and that you heard in three things.

2. You heard the neceſſity of it; why this work of convincing of Sin is ſo neceſſary in order to converſion and Salvation. You heard the neceſſity of it in five or ſix things, upon which account it was neceſſary in order to ſalvation, to be convinced of Sin. Well, there are two things yet remain to be ſpoken to for the opening of this Point.

3. The third thing is to ſhew, that this work of convincing of Sin, is the proper work of the Spirit. Nothing ſhort of the Spirit of God, can really and truly convince the ſoul of Sin, in order to ſalvation. And then,

4. That it is not only the work of the Spirit, but the firſt work of the Spirit, in order to Salvation.

Theſe two things, I ſhall now proceed to, through the Lords aſſiſtance.

3. Well then, we are to fall upon the third to make it evident to you, that the work of convincing of Sin, is the proper work of the Spirit of God. And how doth that appear? Briefly I ſhall give you two or three Demonſtrations of it.

1. It appears from the oppoſition that is in every carnal heart to be convinced of Sin. There is a deſperate oppoſition in our hearts naturally, we are utterly averſe and unwilling to be convinced of Sin: We are loth to come to the Light as Chriſt p. 131tells us, John 3.20. Every one that doth evil hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light leaſt his deeds ſhould be reproved, leſt he ſhould be convinced; It is the ſame word with this in the Text: He is loath to be convinced of ſin, it is the natural frame of our hearts to be averſe and oppoſite to conviction of ſin; therefore there muſt come a ſtronger power, the power of the Spirit, to this work of convincing of ſin, elſe we ſhall never be convinced; for, I pray mark, what this convincing of ſin is; For a ſoul to yield to the convictions of ſin, is to yield to its own ſentence of condemnation; and do you think that any one is ready to yield to the ſentence of its own condemnation? Now if a ſoul yield to the conviction of ſin, he yields to the ſentence of condemnation, For the ſoul that ſinneth, ſhall dye: And if a ſoul yield that he is guilty of this or that ſin, now he yields to the ſentence of Death and Damnation; And do you think the ſoul will yield to the ſentence of Condemnation paſſed againſt it ſelf? You ſee ſometimes a Malefactor at the Bar, Is he willing, think you, to be convinced of his crime which he is accuſed of? No, he will ſtand out againſt it and deny it as long as he can, and if he cannot deny it, he will mince it, and will not yield to the conviction ſo long as he can poſſibly hold out againſt it, and this is the guiſe of our hearts naturally, not to yield to conviction, but we will hold out againſt it as long as ever we can, let any man come to us to convince us, and reprove us, we will hold againſt it, and ſhift it off, and mince it, and avoid it all that ever we can; this is natural to us, as it was with our firſt Parents, when God called them to p. 132an account for their firſt ſin, they ſhifted it off; Adam to his Wife, his Wife to the Serpent, and would not willingly be convinced; Juſt, as (I told you, before) it was with Saul, 1 Sam. 15. When Saul had diſobeyed the Commandment of the Lord in going againſt Amalek, God gave him a ſevere charge to cut off all, Men, Women, Children and Cattel; Well, he cuts off the generality of the People, but he ſpared Agag, and he ſpared the beſt of the Cattel; Well, Samuel comes to him afterward, and Saul he comes boaſting, ſaith he, Come thou bleſſed of the Lord, I have fulfilled the Commandment of the Lord: haſt thou fulfilled the Commandment of the Lord, ſaith Samuel? What meaneth then the bleating of the Sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the Oxen? well, he would not be convinced, ſaith he, 'Tis true, ſome of them are ſaved alive for ſacrifice for the Lord; he would not yield to the Conviction, until ſuch time as Samuel was fain to fall downright upon him, and then he fell down under the Conviction, and confeſſed and acknowledged his Sin; Thus it is, we are naturally averſe to yield to the convictions of Sin. I pray, mind what I ſay, take a notorious Sinner, one that is commonly known to be guilty of groſs ſins, ſuppoſe drunkenneſs, or uncleanneſs. Come to this man and tell him, The Word of the Lord ſaith expreſly, That no unrighteous perſon, that no unclean perſon, no drunkard ſhall enter into the Kingdom of God. Can he deny the Scripture? No, he cannot deny it; well, but then come and tell him, you are guilty of drunkenneſs, you are guilty of uncleanneſs; and therefore the concluſion is this, it will naturally follow from theſe two p. 133premiſes, That you ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Will he yield to the Conviction? No, unleſs the Spirit of God come and make him yield to it, he will never yield. Therefore I ſay, from that natural oppoſition that is in all our hearts againſt this work of Conviction, it is therefore required that the power of the Spirit be put forth upon the Soul, ſo Chriſt promiſeth here; I will ſend the Comforter, and he ſhall convince the World of Sin.

2. There is not only a natural averſeneſs and oppoſition againſt it, in our carnal hearts, but Satan alſo, the Devil, he will help the Soul to hold out againſt the Conviction of ſin as long as he can, he will keep the Soul from yielding to it, for the Devil knows this, that when once a Soul is convinced of ſin by the Spirit of God, he is in danger to loſe that Soul, he is in danger that that Soul will make an eſcape; therefore he lays about him, and doth all that ever he can, to keep the Soul from yielding to be convinced of ſin; juſt like a Jaylor, if he hath a priſoner, whom he perceives hath a mind to make an eſcape, he will lay the more Irons upon him, and have the greater watch and guard about him; ſo in this caſe, if the Devil ſee a Soul in danger to make an eſcape he will clap on all the power he can, to keep the Soul from being convinced of Sin; or like a Governor of a Town, if the Town be beſieged, and he perceive where the Enemy is like to make an Inroad, a Breach, to be ſure he will fortify that place; thus the Devil doth when he diſcerns a Soul is in danger to make an eſcape, to be delivered from his power, then his deſign is to fortify and ſtrengthen p. 134all that ever he can the Soul, againſt yielding to any work of Conviction, and therefore we read, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. of ſtrong holds, fortifications, ſtrong reaſonings; ſaith the Apoſtle, The Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of ſtrong holds. There are ſtrong holds, and fortifications, that the Devil doth make round about the Soul, that the Soul ſhould not be able to make an eſcape, except there come a ſtronger than he; for the Devil is compared to a ſtrong man armed, and except a ſtronger than he come, he will keep poſſeſſion; Now then there muſt come a ſtronger than the Devil, and this is nothing leſs than the Spirit of God. The power of the Spirit comes, and makes conviction to take place on the heart, for the Devil will fortify and ſtrengthen all that ever he can, with reaſons; as for your ſins, when the Soul comes to be troubled at ſin, Why? you are none of the greateſt ſinners, there are hundreds, and thouſands, greater ſinners than you are, and God is merciful, and gracious to ſinners, and God will pardon ſinners that do repent, and, at what time ſoever a ſinner doth repent — And ſuch kind of things as theſe are, whereby he ſtrengthens the Soul againſt yielding to Convictions of ſin; and now the power and policy of the Devil is beyond any ordinary created power, therefore there muſt be a ſtronger power than is in the World that muſt be able really and truly to convince the Soul, of Sin, and that can be no leſs than the power of the Spirit of God, and this is the ſecond Demonſtration of it, why it muſt be the Work of the Spirit to convince the Soul of ſin▪

p. 135Objection.

But you will ſay to me, But cannot the evil Spirit? may not the Devil ſometimes trouble a Soul about Sin, and ſet ſin home upon the Conſcience? and if ſo, then it is not in the power of the holy Spirit only, but the evil Spirit alſo may convince the Soul of Sin.

Anſwer.

Truly Brethren, that the evil Spirit, that the Devil may trouble a Soul about Sin, and for Sin, I think it is out of queſtion, by the example of Judas, that had his Sin ſo ſet home upon him, that he could not live under it; nay, Brethren, the evil Spirit may ſet home ſin upon the hearts of Gods people, and endeavour to overwhelm them: I remember what Job ſpeaks, Cap. 6.4. The Arrows of the Almighty are within me, and the poyſon thereof drinketh up my Spirit, the Terrors of God ſet themſelves in array againſt me.— So Job 13.26. Thou writeſt bitter things againſt me, the terrors of the Almighty are upon me. Brethren, Do you think now, that this was from the Spirit of God? the Spirit of God, when once it comes to be a Spirit of Adoption, it never comes to be the Spirit of Bondage again. So the Apoſtle ſaith expreſly, Rom. 8.15. You have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of Adoption. — Now 'tis true, Job doth aſcribe it to God, yet it may be from Satan, becauſe Job did aſcribe all that ever he met withall, to God. Satan was an Inſtrument to raiſe a ſtorm, to blow down the p. 136houſe where his Children were, yet ſaith Job: The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away; he takes notice of the hand of God in it, ſo in this caſe; The Terrors of the Almighty ſet themſelves in Array againſt me: This may be from the evil Spirit which did become a Spirit of Bondage to him.

Queſtion.

But you will ſay then, How ſhall we know when Sin is ſet home upon the Soul, whether it be from the evil Spirit, or from the holy Spirit of God? This is a Queſtion of very great concernment, I ſhall therefore deſire (through the Lords aſſiſtance) to ſpeak ſomething that way, and to offer ſome things to your conſideration about it, How you ſhall know when Sin is ſet home upon the heart, Whether it be from the evil Spirit, or from the holy Spirit of God; for indeed if it be from the Spirit of God, it is in order to Converſion and Salvation, but if by the evil Spirit, it is in order to damnation.

Anſwer.

There are ſeveral things that I ſhall offer to your conſideration about this.

1. The evil Spirit, when he comes and brings ſin, and ſets it before the ſoul, commonly, he doth it in a tumultuous way, he doth it in a confuſed manner, to put the ſoul into a hurry, that poſſibly the ſoul ſhall be mightily troubled about ſin, and cry out, O, I am a damned Creature, and I ſhall be damned in Hell for my ſins, and the wrath of God will abide upon me for ever for my ſins, and yet poſſibly, the ſoul doth not know what particular ſin it is; if you come to particulars, and ask how you are guilty of this or that particular p. 137ſin? O yes, they are ſinners, and they are guilty before God, but come to any particular ſin the ſoul will not fix there, but go from one to another, and ſtill the Devil keeps the Soul in a hurry and confuſion, that one that hears him ſpeak ſometimes, cannot tell what to make of his condition. O I ſhall be damned for ever for my ſins, and the wrath of God will abide upon me for ever, and yet not convinced by the Spirit of God. The Devil doth what he can to overwhelm the Soul, as it was the caſe of Saul, 1 Sam. 28.5. Sauls heart did tremble, he was put into an amazing frame, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled, and afterward, at the 15th Verſe, ſaith he, I am ſorely diſtreſſed, the Philiſtims make war againſt me, and God is departed from me. I am ſorely diſtreſſed. Why? what was the matter? he could not tell very well what the matter was, but the Devil had troubled his ſpirit, had afflicted him, he was put into a ſore affright, an amaze, and trembling, and he knew not what the matter was, but God had caſt him off, and forſaken him, and now he muſt lie under the wrath of God for ever. Now the Devil to help him forward in his deſpair, at the 18th and 19th Verſes, he claps one ſin upon him, Becauſe thou obeyedſt not the voice of the Lord, nor executedſt his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee. And ſaith the Devil to him, The Lord ſhall deliver you into the hands of the Philiſtims, and to morrow ſhall thou and thy Sons be with me. And thus the Devil claps upon him to confound him, and 'tis ſaid Verſe 2. Then Saul fell ſtraightway all along upon the earth and was ſore afraid; his heart died in him like a p. 138ſtone, thus the trouble upon his Spirit, being from Satan, it was in a kind of hurry and Confuſion, that one could not tell what to make of his condition, but now on the other ſide, when the Spirit of God comes to convince a Soul of ſin, it ſets ſin in order before the Soul, firſt one thing and then another, Pſal. 50.11. I will reprove thee and ſet thy ſins in order before thy face; in an orderly way, not in a hurry to confound and diſtract a ſoul, but I will ſet them in order before thee, and ſo you may obſerve thoſe that have been convinced of their ſins, their ſins have been ſet in an orderly way before them, in the 2 Sam. 12.9, 10. When Nathan came to convince David of his ſins, he ſet his ſins in order before him, firſt one ſin, and then another ſin, and ſo you may obſerve in the Goſpel that thoſe that have been convinced of ſin, the Spirit hath been an orderly Spirit, and hath ſet ſin in order before them. So that, that is one thing, whereby you may know the difference between the trouble for ſin that comes from the evil ſpirit, and the convincing of ſin that comes from the holy Spirit of God.

2. Take another thing whereby you may ſee the difference, and that is in the End or Deſign that Satan aims at in his troubling a Soul about Sin; What is the Deſign? The great deſign of the Devil is to bring the Soul into deſpair, into a deſperate caſe, and ſo at laſt to make away it ſelf, to diſpatch it ſelf, that is the great end that Satan drives at in his troubling a ſoul about ſin, and with ſin, to drive the ſoul into deſpair, to overwhelm the Soul, and cauſe the Soul, if it be poſſible, to make an end of it ſelf; that is the deſign of Satan, p. 139he will ſo ſet Sin before the Soul, that it is ſo great that there is no hope it ſhould be pardoned; when he tempts a Soul to ſin, he makes but a litte matter of it, it is but a ſmall matt…r, and it is but once, but when the ſoul hath once committed it, then his great deſign is to overwhelm the Soul, and to ſet the ſin before the ſoul, in ſuch a manner, that it looks like the unpardonable Sin. Well, Your ſin is now unpardonable, and there is no hope for you; and many times he makes ſouls believe that they have ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and now there is no hope for them: Juſt as it was with Cain. Gen. 4.11. Oh, ſaith he, My ſin is greater than can be forgiven. This now is the deſign of Satan, to cauſe a Soul, if poſſible, to make a way it ſelf; you ſee how the Devil carried it towards Judas: Judas had committed a very great ſin in betraying the Son of God; Well, when he had ſinned, the Devils deſign was now ſo to ſet home his ſin upon him that he could find no reſt day nor night, till ſuch time as he had gone and hanged himſelf. It is the great end that Satan aims at in his troubling a Soul about ſin; his great deſign is to bring the ſoul into deſpair, and ſo to make away it ſelf.

Whereas now on the other hand, the great end of the Spirit of God is to make a ſoul ſenſible of ſin, ſo as to be humbled for it, ſo as to repent of it; 'Tis true indeed, ſometimes when ſin is ſet home by the Spirit of God upon a Soul, the Soul may be brought very low, may be much overwhelmed, and may poſſibly be brought into a deſpairing, deſponding condition, and may be ready ſometimes to make a way it ſelf, to deſtroy it ſelf, by the Devils ſetting in with it; yet ordinarily p. 140the Spirit of God comes and prevents ſuch things, where the conviction begins from the Spirit, the holy Spirit doth prevent ſuch things, the Soul is made to look up to God, as Jonah did, Chap. 2.4. I ſaid, I was caſt out of thy ſight, the Lord hath rejected me: Yet, ſaith he, will I look towards thy holy Temple. The Spirit of God had convinced him of his ſin, and though he did ſeem to be caſt out of God's ſight out of his favour, and was thrown into the belly of the Whale, yet the Spirit of the Lord would not ſuffer him to be deſpondent and give over all as deſperate; Yet will I look towards thy Holy Temple. That is the ſecond thing whereby we may diſcern the difference.

3. When the evil Spirit doth ſet home a ſin upon the Soul, it is to drive the Soul further from God. When the Holy Ghoſt comes to convince a Soul of ſin, it is to draw the Soul nearer to God. You may obſerve it, that when ever the Devil doth ſet home a ſin upon the Soul, it is to drive the Soul further off from God. Take an Inſtance or two; as in the Example of our firſt Parents, Gen. 3. The Devil had been buſie with our firſt Parents, to bring them into ſin, to make them eat of the forbidden fruit; Well, when they had committed the ſin, though before he had told them it was for their profit and advantage, Their Eyes ſhould be opened, and they ſhould be as gods,— Yet when once they had committed the ſin, he ſets it ſo home upon them, that they fled from the preſence of God, and hid themſelves; they durſt not appear before God, they went and hid themſelves amongſt the Trees of the Garden, that God was fain to call after them. And ſo you ſhall find in the example of p. 141Cain, Gen. 4. Cain, when he had committed the ſin of murder, and had killed his brother Abel, Verſe 16. it is ſaid there, That Cain went out from the preſence of the Lord; he departed from God, then he went away from God; But how could that be? Is not God preſent every where? how could Cain go out from the preſence of the Lord? Why, he did not go from the eſſential preſence of God, but from the preſence of God, that is, from the ſpiritual preſence of God in his Ordinances, he did not now draw near to God in his worſhip, but he went away from God, from the Church, from the Ordinances, from the Means of Communion with God, for the Ordinances of God: the Church of God, was in the houſe of his Father Adam, and ſo they worſhipped God in that family, but he went out from the preſence of the Lord when he had committed that ſin; this is the deſign of Satan, when he can overwhelm the ſoul with ſin, his great end is, as to bring it to deſpair, ſo alſo to drive it further from the preſence of God. But now you may obſerve, when the Spirit of God doth convince a ſoul of ſin, the Conviction doth cauſe a ſoul to draw near to God in holy duties, in holy Ordinances, and to draw near to God for mercy and grace through Chriſt: ſo ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 7.6.7 He was under a great trouble in his Conſcience and Mind about ſin, and he falls a pleading with God; Will the Lord caſt off for ever, ſaith he, Will he be gracious no more? and thus he falls on arguing and pleading, I will remember, ſaith he, the years of the right hand of the Moſt High, and ſo Pſal. 88. there you have a ſad Pſalm, A ſoul that was mightily p. 142oppreſſed under the burthen of ſin, and there he pleads Verſe 10. ſaith he, Lord, what good will my Life do thee, if thou ſhouldſt cut off my days? ſhall the dead praiſe thee? And ſo he goes on, pleading and arguing ſtrongly with God, and ſo in the example of Jona, Chap. 2.4, 7: I ſaid I was caſt out of thy Sight, yet will I look towards thy holy Temple. When my ſoul fainted within me, I remembred the the Lord, and my prayer came in unto thee towards thy holy Temple. He was ſo far from running away from God, when his ſin was ſet home upon him, that now he draws near to God, and humbled himſelf, and ſought the Lord, And my prayer came in unto thee into thy holy Temple. That is a third differenee between the trouble that ariſes for ſin from the evil Spirit, and the trouble that ariſes in a ſoul, that is convinced by the Spirit of God.

4. Commonly, When Sin is ſet home by the evil Spirit, and a Soul comes to be troubled for ſin by the means of the Devil, commonly you will find that that Soul will be ready to riſe up againſt the very Inſtruments that are the means of his conviction: The Soul will riſe up with indignation, againſt the very Inſtruments that are the means to convince it of ſin: I might give you many Inſtances for this, Acts 5.33. at the 30th verſe, Peter is endeavouring to convince the Jews of their ſin in murdering of Chriſt, The God of our Fathers raiſed up Jeſus, whom ye ſlew, and hanged on a Tree; and mark, verſe 33. What was the event of it? How did this work upon their hearts? Their hearts did riſe up with indignation againſt Peter, and the reſt of the Diſciples, that went about to p. 143convince them of their ſin. When they heard that they were cut to the heart, and took counſel to ſlay them. They could not bear it, if it had been from the Spirit of God they could not have took it ſo. They were cut to the heart, and took counſel to ſlay them. So Acts 7.51, 52, 54. It is ſaid there, When Stephen went about to convince the Jews of that horrible ſin of ſlaying the Prophets; Ye ſtiff-necked and uncircumciſed in heart and eare, ye do always reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt. Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers perſecuted? — He ſet home their ſin upon them, and how did they take it? verſe 54. When they heard theſe things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnaſhed on him with their teeth. So far were they from falling down, and yielding to the Conviction, that their Spirits do riſe up with indignation againſt the inſtrument that went about to convince them of their ſin. You may remember the ſtory concerning Ahab; he had diverſe Prophets that would not let him alone, but would be telling him of his ſin, and convincing him of his ſin; The Prophet Elijah, would be reproving him of his ſin; and how did his heart riſe up in indignation againſt Elijah; and when he met with him, he gave him ſuch a gratulation as this, Haſt thou found me, O mine enemy? and, Art thou he that troubleſt Iſrael? He could not endure to bear the Prophet Elijah, becauſe he troubled his Spirit by convincing him of ſin; he called him, The troubler of the Land; And, 1 Kings 22. You read of Micaiah, a Prophet of the Lord, and he had been very bold and plain with Ahab, and told him of his ſins; well, when they there were in an exigency and ſtrait, King Ahab, and King p. 144Jehoſhaphat was to go together to Battel to Ramoth Gilead, ver. 4. and 5. and Jehoſhaphat would have the Prophets called together, that they might adviſe and conſult with them, whether they ſhould go to Ramoth-Gilead, or no; At the 6th verſe, You read there, that Ahab would call four hundred Prophets together, before he would call Micaiah, but ſaith Jehoſhaphat, verſe 7. Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord beſides; that we might enquire of him? Yes, ſaith Ahab, there is one Micaiah, but I hate him, why? ſaith he, He never ſpake concerning me▪ He was always grating upon his Sins, to convince him of his ſins, and now his heart riſes againſt him; this is the guiſe of the Soul, that is not convinced by the Spirit of God, the heart will riſe up againſt the Inſtrument and Means that endeavor to convince them of ſin. Whereas now on the other ſide, where the holy Spirit of God cometh to convince a Soul of ſin, you will find the contrary; the Soul will be ready to cloſe with the very Inſtrument and Means that doth convince him of ſin, it will embrace and love the inſtrument, you may ſee it, Acts 2. When Peter and John and the Apoſtles dealt plainly with the people, at the 22 verſe, ſay they, Ye men of Iſrael hear theſe Words. v. 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate Counſel and Foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and ſlain. Say they, Ye have killed the Son of God; There was plain dealing, and ſo afterwards, and ſo afterwards, he tells them again, verſe 36. Therefore let all the houſe of Iſrael know aſſuredly, that God hath made that ſame Jeſus, whom ye have crucified both Lord and Chriſt. Well, how did they bear p. 145this at their hands? v. 37. Now, when they heard this they were pri…ked at their hearts, and they ſaid unto Peter, and to the reſt of the Apoſtles, Men and Brethren, What ſhall we do? Men and Brethren, not Enemies, no, but Brethren now; Ay, when the Spirit of God convinces a ſoul of ſin, by any Inſtruments, it will look at the inſtruments rather as Brethren, than as haters of them; they will look upon them in another manner, and give them other manner of Appellations and Greetings, Men and Brethren. And truly Brethren, this is a good ſign that the Holy Ghoſt hath been at work upon the heart, in a way of conviction, when as the ſoul is ready to cloſe with thoſe that are the Means and Inſtruments of convincing them of ſin.

That is the fourth thing whereby we may come to diſcern the difference between the trouble for ſin, that comes from the evil Spirit, and that trouble that comes from the holy Spirit, in a way of convincing of ſin.

5. When Trouble for ſin doth come from the evil Spirit, ordinarily the heart will be ready to murmur againſt God himſelf, ſecretly murmur againſt God himſelf, and think that God dealeth very hardly with ſinners, and very rigidly to lay ſuch heavy puniſhments upon ſinners for ſmall matters. (as they are ready to think): What? afflict us here? lay ſuch heavy puniſhments upon us here, for a ſmall ſin? and then inflict eternal death too, and let the wrath of God ly upon the ſoul for ever for ſin; God deals very hardly for ſin, the heart ſecretly riſes againſt God, and murmurs againſt God for it; as if God were unrighteous and dealt p. 146very rigidly and ſeverely, as Cain, Gen. 4. ſaith he, My Puniſhment is greater than I can bear, 'tis too great a puniſhment. And, I remember, Ezek. 18.25. The Lord complains of the people, that they were ready to murmur againſt him, as if his ways were not equal. The Fathers have eaten ſowre grapes, and the Childrens teeth we ſet on edge; We are puniſhed, ſay they, for our Fathers ſins; God deals unrighteouſly with us, and unequally with us; that God is fain to clear himſelf; I tell you, ſaith God, the Soul that ſinneth, it ſhall dy. And, the Child ſhall not bear the puniſhment of his Fathers: So they were ready to judge hardly of God, as if God were unrighteous. And ſo I remember, Revel. 16.10, 11. And the fifth Angel powred out his Vial upon the ſeat of the Beaſt, and his Kingdom was full of Darkneſs, and they gnawed their tongues for pain. And what then? v. 11. And they blaſphemed the God of Heaven becauſe of their pain, and their ſoares, and repented not of their Deeds. When God comes to lay afflictions upon a ſoul, and ſin is ſet home by the Devil, they will be ready to blaſpheme God, at leaſt ſecretly in their hearts, that God is a hard God, and deals very rigidly and ſeverely; what, for a ſmall mat…er, to lay ſuch heavy puniſhments upon us here, and eternal wrath for ever? the Lord dealeth unrighteouſly. Whereas now on the other ſide, when a ſoul is convinced of ſin, by the holy Spirit of God, the Soul is ready to juſtify God, though he do afflict: As I remember, Ezra 9.14. ſaith Ezra there, And whatever is come upon us for our evil Deeds, our God hath puniſhed us leſs than our iniquities have deſerved. God might have laid p. 147much more upon us. So Nehem. 9.33. Nehemiah, and the reſt there do acknowledge that the Lord was righteous in all that was come upon them. Howbeit thou art juſt in all that is brought upon us, for thou haſt done right —. So I remember David, when God had convinced him of his ſin of Murder and Adultery, Pſal. 51. he makes that as his penitential Pſalm, and ſaith he, Verſe 4. That thou mighteſt be juſtified when thou ſpeakeſt, and clear when thou judgeſt. Lord, ſaith he, I will clear thee whatever cometh of me; this is the guiſe and frame of a ſoul, that is convinced of ſin by the Spirit of God; ſuch a Soul will juſtify God, and acknowledge that God is holy and righteous in all his dealings. So Pſal. 22.2, 3. There David complains, that God had ſhut out his prayer; I cry night and day, ſaith he, but thou regardeſt not, but yet, ſaith he; thou art holy, thou art righteous ſtill. Thus it is with a ſoul that is convinced by the holy Spirit of God.

6. You ſhall find another difference, When the evil ſpirit convinces a Soul of Sin, and troubles the Soul about ſin, you may obſerve there, the Soul is not troubled for ſin as 'tis ſin; nor is it taken off from ſin as ſin, but only troubled about the effects of it, but is not taken off from ſin, no not from any ſin as 'tis ſin; poſſibly ſuch a Soul may be under reſtraint for a time from his ſin, or poſſibly he will never venture upon that ſin again that his Soul hath been troubled about, and his Conſcience ſo tattered and terrified about, yet is not taken off from all ſin. You know Judas was troubled for his ſin, the Devil had drawn him into ſin to betray Chriſt, when he had drawn him into the ſin, p. 148then the Devil falls upon his Conſcience, and drives him into deſpair, even to hang himſelf. But it is likely, if he had lived an hundred years after, he would never have done the like crime again, he would never have betrayed his Maſter again; but yet he was not taken off from ſin as ſin; (if a Soul be taken off from ſin a… ſin, he will be cut off from all ſin) for you ſee he fell upon ſelf murder for all that, and upon the ſin of deſpair for all that, ſo that I ſay, ſuch a ſoul is not taken off from all ſin.

Whereas now a ſoul that is convinced by the Spirit of God, it doth cut him off from all ſin, that now a Soul doth loath and hate every ſin that he knows to be ſin, he will not meddle with it; Pſal. 119. ſaith David, I hate every falſe way, And, as Ephraim ſaith, Hoſ. 14.8. What have I to do any more with Idols? Never meddle with Idols more. Thus the Soul will be taken off from all ſin, will not venture upon any thing that is ſin. That is the ſixth.

7. Let me add one more, and that is this; A ſoul that is under trouble for ſin, from the evil ſpirit, the trouble will in time wear off, and will be removed and healed, by ſome way or other that is not the right way of Cure. I pray mind it; I ſay ſuch a ſoul, though it may be under a great ſtroak, a great wound for ſin, if Satan do not prevail upon the ſoul to drive it to diſpair, the wound will be healed by ſome means or other that is not the right way and means, poſſibly ſometimes it wears away by length of time, it vaniſheth and wears off by length of time, by degrees; Juſt as it is with a Land-Flood, it comes ſometimes with great p. 149ſhowres and ſtorms, but it waſtes away by degrees inſenſibly; So in this caſe, you ſhall have ſome ſouls ſometimes ſo afflicted, and oppreſſed, and troubled for ſin, that they cannot reſt themſelves, nor let others reſt with them, they complain of the burthen of their ſins, what burthens they are under, and the burthen wears off by degrees, their trouble of Conſcience wears off by degrees: But how? they themſelves know not, nor their friends neither; but had it been from the Spirit of God, it would not have worn off ſo. Ahab was convinced of the danger he was in by the Prophet, 1 Kings 21. The Prophet comes to him and threatens him from the Lord, that the Judgments of God ſhould fall upon him and his poſterity Verſe 21. That he would cut off all the Poſterity of Ahab, every one that piſſeth againſt the wall. Ahab was now convinced and troubled in his mind, and he would fain avoid the judgment, and therefore he humbleth himſelf in ſack-cloth, he was very penitent, inſomuch as the Lord took notice of it, and told the Prophet of it, verſe 29. Seeſt thou how Ahab humbleth himſelf? So that Ahab was under a reſtraint for a time, for about two or three years, that he durſt not go to Battel; But look into the beginning of the next Chapter; and it is ſaid, in the third year, he would venture to go out, when the troubles were a little worn off his ſpirit, then he would venture to go out, and then he was ſlain; So, many a man or woman is under very ſore trouble of Spirit and Conſcience for ſin, and yet notwithſtanding the trouble may wear off again, and that's an argument it was not from the Spirit of God; ſometimes trouble about ſin may wear p. 150away, it may be diverted by the multiplicity of worldly buſineſs, he may thruſt himſelf over head and years in the buſineſs of the world, and ſo poſſibly may calm and quiet his Conſcience for the preſent, and if it be not from the Spirit of God poſſibly it will never return again. You read of Cain, Gen. 4.17. He was troubled in his ſpirit about his ſin, and he went about the matters of the world, about marrying of Wives, and building of a City, and by that means wore away his trouble, you hear no more of him. Sometimes trouble is worn off by merry Company, chearly Company, and by Muſick, and the like, and ſo drive away their ſad and melancholy humours; juſt as it was with Saul: We read of Saul when the evil Spirit was upon him, he would call for one to play upon an Inſtrument of Muſick to drive away the evil ſpirit; Ay, the trouble was from an evil ſpirit indeed, and now therefore it muſt be driven away by a fit of Muſick. Sometimes again you may be free from this trouble of ſpirit about ſin, by making reſtitution and ſatisfaction. Oh they have wronged ſuch and ſuch, and this bears them down and oppreſſes them, the very thoughts of it, and they know not what to do. Well, they will go and make reſtitution and ſatisfaction, and ſo lick themſelves whole, the trouble is over. And ſo ſometimes they will eaſe themſelves of their trouble by performance of Duties, and by the reformation of their Lives. We read of Herod, he was convinced of his ſin of Inceſt in marrying of his Brothers Wife. John Baptiſt convinced him of it, and told him it was not lawful for him to have his Brothers Wife; and p. 151thereupon he goes to hear John preach, and 'tis ſaid, he reformed many things; he ſet upon a work of reformation, Mark 6.12. He heard John Baptiſt gladly, and did many things, &c. And there was an end of his trouble. Now I ſay, this is that I bring it for, to ſhew you that trouble about ſin, that comes from the evil ſpirit, commonly it is healed and cured by ſuch means, as are not the right means for the cure; whereas now, a Soul that is convinced by the Spirit of God, will never be cured but by the ſame hand that wounded it; it will never be cured but by the right plaiſter, the right …alve; without the blood of Chriſt, and the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, applyed by Faith, the Soul will never be cured.

I remember a Story of Mr. Bilney, that was burnt here at Lollards Pit, without Biſhops Gate, he tells a ſtory of himſelf, and Mr. Latimer; this Mr. Latimer was a young man, a man of very pregnant parts, but he was a Papiſt. Now Mr. Bilney thought to circumvent Mr. Latimer, and to gain him by a wile, and ſo he goes to Mr. Latimer, pretending himſelf a Papiſt, he would make Mr. Latimer his Confeſſor, ſo he goes and confeſſes himſelf to him, and there he tells him how he had been troubled in mind about his ſin, and ſo troubled, ſaith he, that I could find no reſt nor peace, till I came to the right cure: I was ſet ſaith he, to go a Pilgrimage to ſuch a place, but my trouble continued, and I was ſet to do ſuch a Pennance, and my trouble ſtill continued, till ſuch time as I read in the new Teſtament, 1 Tim. 1.15. That Jeſus Chriſt came into the World to ſave ſinners▪ whereof I am chief; and ſaith he, when that was p. 152ſet home upon me, then I was quiet and free from my trouble; Truly ſo it will be, a ſoul will never come to a right cure, till ſuch time as it comes to the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and the vertue of the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, applyed to the ſoul by Faith, the ſoul will never come to any true peace or comfort. And thus now you have ſeen ſome differences between the trouble of a ſoul about ſin, that comes from the evil ſpirit, and the convincing of a ſoul by the holy Spirit of God.

So now I have done with the third thing, namely, That it is the proper Work of the Spirit to convince a Soul of ſin, in order to Converſion. There is one thing more remaining, and I ſhall briefly draw to an end.

4. And that is to ſhew you, That as Convincing of ſin is the work of the Spirit, ſo alſo▪ It is the firſt work of the Spirit, in order to Converſion and Salvation: for ſo the Point was laid down, That it is the firſt work of the Spirit, in order to Converſion and Salvation, to convince a Soul of ſin. Now how doth that appear? Briefly in two or three Words.

1. Thus, becauſe, The Lord in the Work of the new Creation, doth ordinarily uſe the ſame Method that he did in the old Creation. You know in the firſt Creation of the World, the firſt particular Work that God wrought was Light, ſaith God, Let there be Light and there was Light. Light is that whereby things are diſcovered, light makes things manifeſt; So now God comes in the new Creation, when he is about the great Work of the new Creation upon the Soul, the firſt thing God works in the ſoul is to create Light, Light whereby the ſoul p. 153may come to ſee and diſcern what is in himſelf, he comes to ſee and diſcern ſin, ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 4.6. God, that commanded Light to ſhine out of Darkneſs, hath ſhined into our hearts; In the new Creation he doth cauſe a ſoul to ſee and diſcern its own unrighteouſneſs, and there where true righteouſneſs is to be had, the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt (of which we may ſpeak afterwards, if the Lord pleaſe). He ſhall firſt convince the World of ſin, and then of righteouſneſs; but the firſt Work is to create Light in the ſoul, and ſuch Light as to diſcover ſin; as Chriſt told Paul, when he called him to preach the Goſpel, Acts 26.18. ſaith he, I have ſent thee to turn people from Darkneſs to Light. That is the firſt Work commonly the Spirit doth, in order to Converſion and Salvation, to bring in a light into the ſoul to diſcover ſin; the ſoul was in darkneſs before, and ſaw no great evil in ſin, but now there is a light brought in, whereby the ſoul is made to ſee and diſcern ſin, and ſo is convinced of ſin.

2. It is the firſt Work of the Spirit in order to Converſion, to convince the ſoul of ſin, becauſe, Till a Soul be convinced of ſin, it will never much heed the Goſpel of Grace. Alas! the Goſpel, and the glorious Grace that is held forth in the Goſpel, is a very ſlighty thing to a carnal heart, they make a light matter of it, they do even mock at it, as a very ſimple fooliſh thing; as in Acts 17. When Paul was Preaching to the Athenians, ſay they, What will this Babler ſay? v. 18. It is but a kind of babling. So ſometimes, ſome of your learned Doctors have counted the preaching of the Goſpel but prating and babling, ſo v. 22. When they heard … p. 154the reſurrection of the dead, ſome mocked —. They made a ſlight matter of it, and diſregarded it; but now, when a ſoul comes to be convinced of ſin, then it will be ready to attend the Goſpel, the ſoul will then be ready to hear what God ſpeaks in the Goſpel. See that example again, Acts 2. You read there, thoſe that were converted by Peters Sermon, at firſt they did not regard what the Apoſtles ſaid; ſay they, Theſe men are drunken with new wine, and they talk they know not what; but afterward, they came to be of another mind, when Peter had preached to them, and the Spirit had gone along with him to convince them of ſin, then, Men and Brethren, what ſhall we do? now we will hearken to you, and hear any thing you will ſay to us: I ſay, upon this account, it is the firſt work of the Spirit to convince the ſoul of ſin, becauſe the ſoul makes but a ſlight matter of the grace of God in the Goſpel, till it be convinced of ſin, it will make but a mocking matter of it: But when a ſoul comes to be convinced of ſin, by the holy Spirit of God, then the Word of the Lord will be precious to him, and then we will hear thy Words for they are ſweet.

3. And laſtly, The Spirit doth firſt convince the ſoul of ſin, in order to Converſion and Salvation, Becauſe till ſuch time as a Soul be convinced of ſin, the Soul is not fit to be married to Chriſt; There muſt be firſt a Divorce, before there can be another marriage; if a woman be to be married the ſecond time, ſhe muſt not marry whileſt her Husband lives without a Divorce, ſo 'tis in this caſe, a Soul cannot truly be married to Chriſt till ſuch time as it be dead to the law of ſin. The p. 155Apoſtle ſpeaks very elegantly to this purpoſe, Rom. 7.1, 2. Know you not Brethren: I ſpeak to them that know the Law; how the Law hath Dominion over a man ſo long as he liveth; And ſo on. And at the 4 v. he comes to make Application, Wherefore, my Brethren, ye alſo are become dead to the Law by the body of Chriſt, that ye ſhould be married to another, even to him that was raiſed from the dead. You cannot be marryed to Chriſt, till ſuch time as you be clear from your firſt Husband, and how come we to be divorced from the Law of ſin, but by conviction of ſin; when the Spirit of the Lord comes to convince of ſin, then there is a Divorce, then the heart is taken off from ſin. Indeed (as I told you before) if the ſoul be not convinced by the Spirit, he is not convinced of ſin as ſin, but when the Spirit of the Lord comes and convinces a Soul of ſin, here is a Divorce, and now the Soul is made fit to marry with Chriſt. And ſo you have ſeen the Point opened.

Application.

Now one word or two by way of Application, and I have done.

1. Then, Hereby we may come to diſcern, or have a near ſcantling about our ſpiritual Eſtate, whether we have had the Work of Converſion wrought in us or no.

I ſhall ſpeak but a Word to it, and leave it to your further Conſideration. Conſider whether the firſt ſtep towards Converſion hath ever been ſet; that is, the Work of Conviction by the Spirit. Hath the Lord by his Spirit ever convinced you of ſin? hath the Spirit come and brought ſin unto p. 156you, and ſet it home upon you? hath the Spirit of the Lord ſo ſet home ſin upon you, that you have not been able to make any evaſion? for that (as you heard) is the nature of true Conviction; and hath the Spirit ſo ſet home ſin upon you that your heart came to be affected with it, and afflicted for it, that you are made to humble your ſelves before the Lord under the ſenſe of ſin? Well, have your ſouls ever been thus convinced of ſin or no? if not, then you have not ſet the firſt ſtep towards Converſion. I pray mind it.

You will ſay, yes, I hope I have been convinced of ſin, I have had ſome ſins ſo ſet home upon me, that I could not deny it, nor avoid it, but my heart hath been greatly afflicted under it, that I could not reſt day nor night, and I have been afraid I ſhould 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, p. 157then 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 p. 158convince 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 p. 159not 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.