The way of the Spirit in bringing souls to Christ set forth in X sermons on John 16:7, 8, 9, 10 and chap 7:37 / by Mr. Thomas Allen, late pastor of a church in ... Norwich.

SERMON IV.

JOHN 16.9.

Of Sin, because they believe not on me.

YOU have heard the scope of these words al∣ready, 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) Sor∣row hath filled your hearts. Now Christ is speak∣ing here in a way of Comfort, to sustain and sup∣port 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 spiritu∣al 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, af∣ter his going away, would be equivalent and cor∣respondent to his own bodily personal being with them. But wherein? He tells them, namely, be∣cause 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 fur∣therance 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 Disci∣ples.

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 operati∣on 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 Spi∣rit 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 con∣vince 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 be∣lieve 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 pre∣sent 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 Con∣solation to the hearts of the Disciples; now this would be matter of Comfort indeed, that their Ministry should be made efficacious for the Con∣version and Salvation of Souls; Therefore this convincing the world of Sin, is in order to Salva∣tion.

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 Con∣version 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; Some∣times 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 ex∣pressed 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 Con∣viction 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 be∣fore 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 be∣fore 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 Convicti∣on of Sin, namely, Sin is so set home upon the heart, as that the heart is not able to avoid the Con∣viction: 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 Con∣science doth not love to be convinced of Sin, and therefore observe it, whenever the Lord goes a∣bout 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 con∣vince 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 instigati∣on 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 some∣times (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 per∣formed the Commandment of the Lord: The Lord

knows, saith he, I have done the will and Com∣mandment 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 Cat∣tel 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 stub∣borness is as iniquity and idolatry: And at the last he was brought down, and fell under the Convicti∣on, 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 un∣der the power of the Conviction; he stood upon his Justification. Just thus it is with a poor Sin∣ner, as long as he can stand out against Convicti∣on, he will put it off; as it is with a Malefactor at the Bar, as long as he can, he will not be con∣vinced; 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 convin∣ced: 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 Con∣viction; 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 on∣ly 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 trem∣bling 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 trem∣bling before Paul and Silas, saying, What shall I do? And sometimes 'tis expressed by shame and blush∣ing; 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 a∣shamed and blush before thee, Ezra, 9.6. And some∣times 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 af∣flicted 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 convin∣cing 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 Con∣victions of others do; as Lydia, she lived without breaking into notorious and gross wickednesses, and you see there was no great noise of her Con∣viction 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 wick∣edness, in opposing and pers••cuting the Saints, and the people of God, and the like, their Con∣victions ordinarily are more great, as in the case of Paul, Paul that was a Persecutor, his Convicti∣ons were such, that it made the Country to ring: it was heard off far and near; as Paul saith him∣self 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 whe∣ther 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 fa∣ces; I have not been so convinced, and so humbled as others have been, and therefore I question whe∣ther 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 par∣ticular degree of convincing of Sin for every particu∣lar 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 suffici∣ent when as a Soul is so convinced of sin, as that now it is wholly taken off from all hopes of being sa∣ved 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 notwith∣standing, it is taken off from looking to any thing in it self, or hoping in any thing it self, to help for∣ward 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 con∣verted and saved, have found a work of convicti∣on upon their hearts, then certainly it is necessary in order to conversion and Salvation.

And again, (not to multiply things of this na∣ture) If this work of convincing of sin be not ne∣cessary, 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 9^th 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 Com∣mandment 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. Where∣fore then serves the Law? There's the Question; It was added because of Transgressions, till the Seed should come. And then at the 24^th Verse, Where∣fore 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 neces∣sary. 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 Judg∣ment 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 convin∣ced 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 con∣vince 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 Ray∣ment. 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 ne∣cessary 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 Phy∣sitian, 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 sin∣ners? 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 Righ∣teous, that are not convinced; they look upon

themselves as Righteous, though they are as sinful as any others; yet notwithstanding they not be∣ing 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 re∣pentance: 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 Crea∣ture? 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 Con∣dition, 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 con∣cur 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 Crea∣ture 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 Sal∣vation, 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 Salvati∣on 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 Physici∣an, or for having the Physician to come at him, he hath no need of him: The Whole need not the Phy∣sician (saith Christ) but they that are sick. Tru∣ly, 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 convin∣ced 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 im∣mediately 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 Conver∣sion 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; pos∣sibly 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 convin∣ced 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 Con∣vincing 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 pe∣rished for ever! The Soul when it hath been con∣vinced 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 con∣vinced 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 unsta∣ble 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 foun∣dation, 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 wan∣ted a good Foundation. Truly, so a Soul that hath no sure Foundation, that is, that was never real∣ly 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 build∣ing 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 ne∣ver 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 Spi∣rit of God. And therefore you see now, upon all these accounts, That Conviction of sin is very ne∣cessary for sinners, in order to their Conversion and Salvation.

So now, I have finished the second Thing pro∣pounded, 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 oppor∣tunity.