5 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.? 
 
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 { UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. { 
 

DE. SEWALI/S LECTURES. 
 
(Ja^vcLcC^ 
 
THE 
 
 HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 CONVINCING THE WORLD 
 
 OF SIN, OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND 
 OF JUDGMENT : 
 
 CONSIDERED IN FOUR LECTURES ; THE TWO FORMER DELIVERED AT 
 
 THE TUESDAY EVENING LECTURE IN BRATTLE STREET, JAN. 
 
 20 y AND MARCH 3; THE OTHER TWO AT THtf OLD SOUTH 
 
 CHURCH, IN BOSTON, APRIL 17 AND 26. 1741. 
 
 I$2 io0£pf) Snuali, ©. ft, 
 
 -.tor... 
 
 / 
 
 WITH AN INTRODUCTION, BY REV. R. K. SEWALL, 
 
 REVISED BY THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY, 
 Depository No. 13 Cornhill. 
 
 1846. 
 
33/7 £33 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846, 
 
 By CHRISTOPHER 0. DEAN, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 
 
 m> 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 On introducing to the public a new and unaltered 
 edition of this little but important work, many 
 considerations present themselves. The relation 
 of the subject of the work to man's spiritual 
 welfare, is one. But there are others connect- 
 ed with the history of the work itself, and the 
 progress of evangelical sentiments, which ought not 
 to be overlooked. The reputation of the dead is in- 
 volved, as well as the interests of the living. Truth 
 and righteousness — the faith and memory of our an- 
 cestors — are also concerned. 
 
 These lectures were preached during one of the 
 most extensive and interesting revivals ever witnessed 
 in this country. It is known as the " great awaken- 
 ing." It began about A. D. 1734, # under the preach- 
 ing of Edwards, Whitefield and Tennent, and con- 
 tinued nine or ten years. 
 
 * Great Awakening, p. 1. 
 1# 
 
VI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In consequence of this religious interest, a Tuesday 
 evening lecture was established in Boston, of which 
 Dr. Sewall in his private journal speaks thus : 
 
 " Oct. 21st. An evening lecture was begun at Dr. 
 Column's. He preached from Isa. 60: 8 ; great as- 
 sembly. 28th. I preached from Ezek. 11: 19,20; 
 another great assembly. I hope God helped me under 
 my infirmities. It is said many were affected. 
 Lord, touch the hearts of thy people — put a new heart 
 in them. let not our sinfulness hinder the success 
 of thy word ! The Thursday lecture seems to be 
 better attended." 
 
 " Jan. 20, A. D. 1740-1, I preached the evening 
 lecture from John 16: 8. ' Reprove the world of sin, 
 &c.' There were notes for about fifty -four (54) un- 
 der conviction of sin, sensual hard heart, temptations 
 Satan ; besides, several young children concerned for 
 their souls. I hope God helped me. Lord, I thank 
 thee. Revive thy work more and more."* 
 
 Their author, Rev. Joseph Sewall, D. D., was born 
 in Boston, August 15th, 1688. His father was the 
 Hon. Samuel Sewall, descended from a long line of 
 noble ancestors. He graduated at Harvard College 
 in 1707; and continued his residence in Cambridge to 
 study divinity. From his earliest days, Dr. Sewall 
 was the subject of religious impressions. While but 
 a youth, there was such an uncommon seriousness 
 and strict regularity in his whole walk, as to attract 
 the notice of all his acquaintance, and command the 
 respect of his superiors in age. His baptism is thus 
 noticed in his father's journal : 
 
 * Dr. SewalPs Journal. 
 
INTRODUCTION. VU 
 
 "Aug. 19, 1688. In the afternoon, Mr. Willard, 
 after sermon, baptized my young son ; whom I 
 named Joseph, in hopes of the accomplishment of the 
 prophecy, Ezek. 37, and such like, — and not out of 
 respect to any relation, or other person, except the 
 first Joseph." 
 
 In 1706, while yet an under-graduate, he united 
 himself with the church at Cambridge ; and about the 
 same time, he became a member of a society there 
 formed for the first time, among the students of Col- 
 lege, which met weekly for prayer, religious confer- 
 ence, and the promotion of personal piety and virtue. 
 At nineteen years of age he began a private journal, 
 in which he constantly refers to God as the author of 
 his life, the dispenser of good and evil, and the wise 
 disposer of himself and all the events and circum- 
 stances of his life. His mind was deeply imbued 
 with religious sentiment ; though we cannot discover 
 the precise time of his conversion. But his life, 
 views, and religious character, afford abundant proof 
 of such a change. 
 
 Says a late writer, " His disposition was naturally 
 mild and affectionate, and began to be sanctified in 
 early childhood ; and evidences are preserved of his 
 diligent and faithful use of the means of promoting 
 growth in grace from early youth."* The testimony 
 concerning him, transmitted to us from the most au- 
 thentic sources, is, that, through life, "his chief glory 
 was the love of God and zeal to do good." 
 
 * Wisner's History of O. S. Church. 
 
Vlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 He was early devoted to the service of the sanctu- 
 ary hy his venerable father ; and to it he freely de- 
 voted himself. Divinity was his favorite study. Its 
 themes were suited to his taste, because they led him 
 to form a more intimate acquaintance with God, and 
 tended to improve his piety. 
 
 August 20th, 1710, he preached his first sermon, 
 in the Old South Church, Boston, in the presence of 
 his father and its Pastor, Rev. Ebenezer Pemberton, 
 from Psalm 73: 28, " But it is good for me to draw 
 near unto God." It was received with favor ; and 
 from that time, the people seem to have had him in 
 their minds as their minister. In April, 1712, their 
 wishes were made known, in the choice of him by the 
 church, as colleague Pastor with Mr. Pemberton. 
 He was not settled immediately, nor did he return at 
 once his answer. He first sought divine direction, 
 and often asked of God the way of duty — appropri- 
 ating special seasons for this purpose by himself, and 
 once at least in union with his pious father. Having 
 maturely considered the question of his settlement 
 over this church, and sought divine guidance, he gave 
 his consent to become colleague Pastor, and was pub- 
 licly and solemnly separated to the work of the min- 
 istry by fasting, prayer and the laying on of the hands 
 of the presbytery, September 16, 1713. A descrip- 
 tion of his ordination is given below, as an example 
 of the custom of Congregationalism, in these early 
 times. 
 
 Dr. Sewall's ordination is thus described in his 
 father's journal. " 1713, Sept. 16, was a very com- 
 
INTRODUCTION. IX 
 
 fortahle day for the ordination. Begun a little after 
 ten, M. Dr. Cotton Mather begun with prayer, ex- 
 cellently ; concluded about the bell-ringing for eleven. 
 My son preached from 1 Cor. 3: 7, " So then neither 
 is he thatplanteth any thing," &c. Was a very great 
 assembly. Were elders and messengers from nine 
 churches, North, Old, Column's, Cambridge, Charles- 
 town, Roxbury, Dorchester, Milton, Weymouth. 
 Twelve ministers sat by the table at the pulpit. Mr. 
 Pemberton made an august speech, showing the 
 validity and authenticity of New English ordinations. 
 Then, having made his way, went on ; asked, as 
 customary, if any had to say aught against ordaining 
 the person. Took the church's hand vote ; church 
 sat in the gallery. These declared, the elders and 
 messengers had desired the ministers of Boston to 
 lay on hands. Dr. Increase Mather, Dr. Cotton 
 Mather, Mr. Benjamin Wards worth, Mr. Ebenezer 
 Pemberton, and Mr. Benjamin Colman,laid on hands. 
 Then Mr. Pemberton prayed, ordained, and gave the 
 charge, excellently. Then Dr, Increase Mather made 
 a notable speech, gave the right hand of fellowship, 
 and prayed. Mr. Pemberton directed the three and 
 twentieth psalm to be sung. The person now ordain- 
 ed dismissed the congregation with blessing." 
 
 For more than half a century, he continued to fill 
 the office and discharge the duties of a Pastor, in the 
 Old South Church, Boston. " In humble, ardent and 
 consistent piety, and devoted ness to the work of the 
 ministry, he has seldom been equalled," says Rev. 
 Dr. Wisner. He delighted in it ; and when he grew 
 
X INTRODUCTION. 
 
 venerable for his age as well as his piety, he was re- 
 garded as the father of the clergy. His pulpit dis- 
 courses were chiefly devoted to the illustration of the 
 distinguishing and important points of Christianity, 
 relative both to faith and practice. They were the 
 result of study, — the composition discovering not only 
 judgment, but an intimate acquaintance with the holy 
 Scriptures. His sermons, of which many were pub- 
 lished and are preserved, were always instructive and 
 practical. His preaching was solid and scriptural — 
 practical and pathetic. He dwelt much on the great 
 doctrines of religion, but never entered into any curi- 
 ous speculations. His aim was, to impress upon 
 people what they should believe, and how they must 
 live, to be eternally happy. He had a clear appre- 
 hension of the truths of religion. He did not enter- 
 tain his hearers with the subtilties of the schools. He 
 furnished to his people sound doctrine, derived from 
 the treasury of the gospel, — administered reproof, and 
 gave them instruction in righteousness. Dr. Sewall 
 was distinguished among his brethren in the ministry 
 for his wisdom : not the wisdom of this world, but for 
 that which is from above, which is pure, peaceable, 
 gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good 
 fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. " 1 
 know of no man," said Dr. Chauncy of him, "that 
 discovered more prudent caution through his whole 
 life." 
 
 His style was simple and plain. His delivery was 
 serious and solemn. "Sometimes he uttered himself 
 with a voice so elevated with zeal, and modulated 
 
INTRODUCTION. XI 
 
 under the influence of a deeply affected heart," as to 
 arrest attention and deeply impress his auditory with 
 a sense of the importance of the message he deliver- 
 ed. He stood before his people and addressed them 
 as a man of God. 
 
 " He conveyed his sentiments to the minds of 
 others," says a cotemporary,* " in easy, chaste lan- 
 guage, and delivered himself with such commanding 
 elocution, as almost necessarily engaged the attention 
 of the assembly, and greatly tended to impress their 
 minds and reach their hearts. The great secret of 
 his peculiar art, was a deep sense of the vital import- 
 ance of the truth he dispensed, which, setting his 
 own heart on fire, animated his discourses with the 
 same divine emotion he felt himself." His prayers 
 were remarkably devout and fervent. He seemed to 
 breathe the atmosphere of heaven. f 
 
 He discharged the other duties of his sacred office 
 with prudence and fidelity, diligence and impartiality, 
 warning every man, and teaching every man in all 
 wisdom, not only publicly, but from house to house, 
 that he might present every man perfect in Christ 
 Jesus. His very presence banished levity, and pro- 
 duced solemnity of mind in all who were with him, 
 " He was distinguished for affectionate attention to 
 children and youth ; and eminently happy and useful 
 in his pastoral visits." 
 
 His labors were not in vain in the Lord. Between 
 seven and eight hundred were received to his church 
 during his ministry, principally the fruit of his labor. 
 
 ■ ' ■ • < i 
 
 * Dr. Chauncy. f Wisner ; s History O, S. Church. 
 
Xll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 "In principle, Dr. Sewall was a Calvinist ; and 
 made the doctrines, usually called the doctrines of 
 grace, the foundation and chief subject of his preach- 
 ing. But he stood aloof from the doubtful and dan- 
 gerous extremes to which some have carried their 
 reasoning upon these doctrines."* 
 
 Prayer was his delight ; as the following extracts 
 from his journal evince : 1729. u 1 arose early in the 
 morning, prayed once and again for my honored fa- 
 ther — the college — our family — my kinswoman enter- 
 ing upon the married state," etc. "0 Lord, hear and 
 give an answer for thy Son's sake." Jan. 5, 1721. 
 " Mr. Prince and I prayed together as is usual before 
 the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.— Lord, hear our 
 prayers !" 1722, Nov. 2. " Mr. Prince and I met 
 together and prayed to God for direction and assist- 
 ance relating to the fast to be kept by the church we 
 stand related to." 1728, Jan. 13. " The church be- 
 ing to meet relating to the affairs of the new building, 
 Mr. Prince and I prayed together. — Lord, hear ; 
 guide and govern our affairs in mercy, "f 
 
 "A portion of Friday afternoon before every com- 
 munion, and a season preceding the transaction of 
 any important business in the church, was habitually 
 spent in this manner by these faithful servants of 
 Christ ; and, occasionally, they spent portions of a 
 
 * Extract from Boston Evening Post, containing biograph- 
 ical notice, 1769. 
 t Wisner's History O. S. Church. 
 
INTRODUCTION. Xlll 
 
 day mutually devoted to private humiliation, in united 
 prayer." 
 
 He accompanied his prayers with alms. It was a 
 fixed principle with him to devote a tenth of his in- 
 come to God, in pious and charitable uses. 
 
 " Having inherited a considerable fortune," says 
 Dr. Wisner, " he, for many years in succession, made 
 a liberal donation to the College (Harvard), to be ap- 
 propriated to pious indigent students ; when the Col- 
 lege Library was consumed by fire, he made a present 
 of many valuable books. He also gave liberally to the 
 poor and other charitable objects." 
 
 He was both a husband and a parent. October 29, 
 1713, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Walley, who 
 died before her husband. Only one son survived him, 
 whose name was Samuel. His learned cotemporary, 
 Dr. Chauncy, says of him, " The Father of spirits 
 was pleased to furnish him with valuable intellectual 
 powers. These, by the advantages of a good educa- 
 tion, were highly cultivated and improved." It is 
 further said of him, " that his solidity and exactness 
 of judgment, even in cases of difficulty, and a dis- 
 tinguishing prudence both in public and private life, 
 made him justly esteemed as one of the wisest men 
 of his day. " " His whole deportment was a proof of 
 the truth of religion." He came as near to the apostolic 
 requirement— that the Christian be a " living epistle, 
 read and known of all men" — as any other man. He 
 was of a quiet and peaceable disposition. " He 
 could sacrifice every thing, but duty, for peace ;" and 
 2 - 
 
XIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 esteemed nothing too dear, " but truth and holiness, 
 for the purchase of it. 55 
 
 "Dr. Sewall was a warm friend of literature ; * his 
 excellence as a man, his professional ability and class- 
 ical attainments were appreciated both in this country 
 and Europe. On the death of President Leverett, 
 1724, his eminent qualifications for the office recom- 
 mended him to the elective powers of Harvard Col- 
 lege, as a suitable candidate for the honors and duties 
 of that distinguished position. He was accordingly 
 chosen to succeed Mr. Leverett. When he received 
 intelligence of his election — which, in his own words, 
 " was surprising to him" — he thus notices it in his 
 journal, " O Lord, what am I, a sinful worm, that 
 there should be any thought of me for so considerable 
 a trust!" " I besought the Lord to give all needed 
 direction to the overseers, the flock I stand related to, 
 and to myself. I also endeavored to examine myself; 
 and if I know my own heart, my inclination is to 
 abide with my dear people, and spend and be spent in 
 the work of the ministry here, if this be the will of 
 God and most to his glory. I think T can truly say 
 that no prospect of greater worldly honor or gain 
 would prevail with me to leave this people ; and that 
 I do not account my life too dear to be spent in the 
 service of Christ among them." 
 
 This feeling of attachment to his people was 
 mutual. His charge refused to part with him. Upon 
 the action of the church in reference to his dismissal 
 to a more conspicuous, responsible and eligible field of 
 labor, having sought divine light and guidance, he 
 
INTRODUCTION. XV 
 
 writes as follows : " I suppose that now God makes 
 my way plain to give an answer in the negative (to 
 the call of the College), which I accordingly did. 
 Lord, provide a more suitable and sufficient person for 
 that important trust." 
 
 In 1728, Dr. Sewall was chosen a member of the 
 corporation of Harvard College; and in 1731 he re- 
 ceived the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity, 
 from the University of Glasgow.* 
 
 Dr. Sewall had great veneration for our pious and 
 excellent forefathers. He could not calmly hear them 
 reproached or vilified. He thought their self-denying 
 virtue and magnanimity, which led them to encounter 
 such multiplied dangers in preserving the rights of 
 conscience ; and their wisdom and piety, which ena- 
 bled them to lay the foundations of our civil and 
 religious prosperity — ought more than counterbalance 
 any little mistake they might have committed. He 
 was alarmed at any effort for the establishment of a 
 hierarchy in the colonies. Nor was he less solicitous 
 when any attempt was made to deprive the people of 
 their civil rights and liberties. 
 
 In fine, as a man, Dr. Chauncy remarks of him, — 
 " It is hard to say what virtues were most eminent in 
 him, he set such a shining example of all." This is 
 the testimony of a cotemporary — an eye-witness — a 
 fellow-laborer and townsman — who preached his 
 funeral sermon, from Heb. 12: 6, "Be followers of 
 them, who through faith and patience inherit the 
 
 * MS. copy Rev. 3. Sewall. 
 
XVI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 promises." After illustrating and enforcing the obvious 
 sentiment of the apostle, he concludes by saying — 
 the occasion of this discourse is the death of Dr. 
 Sewall, " who was justly held in high reputation 
 throughout the town and land, for those excellent 
 qualities in which he shone with exemplary bright- 
 ness, both as a Christian and a minister, from youth 
 to protracted old age." 
 
 The Lord long continued the usefulness of Dr. 
 Sewall. Few ministers ever prosecuted with less 
 interruption the labors of their profession ; and 
 few were ever blessed with more vigorous and un- 
 broken health. On the evening of the eightieth year 
 of his age, he preached to a serious and affected audi- 
 tory, and in this public manner, recounted with hum- 
 ble and thankful gratitude, the sparing mercy of God. 
 "He had for some time, on account of his infirmities, 
 been carried into the pulpit (in an arm chair, by the 
 sexton and another individual), from Sabbath to Sab- 
 bath ; where, like the beloved disciple of old in his 
 latter days, he sat, and with paternal and apostolic 
 affection and fidelity, instructed and exhorted his 
 children in the faith. The Sabbath following his 
 80th year, he was prostrated by an attack of paralysis, 
 which put an end to his public labors and confined 
 him to his house. But he was still engaged in his Mas- 
 ter's service. As opportunity occurred, he gave 
 pious counsel and instruction to many who visited 
 him ; which, it is believed, was of lasting benefit. 
 By repeated attacks upon his naturally firm, but now 
 breaking constitution, occasion was given for exem- 
 
INTRODUCTION. XVII 
 
 plary exercise of faith and patience, and those other 
 virtues which adorned his character as a Christian 
 and a minister. Death was disarmed of his sting. 
 He waited the approach of the king of terrors "with 
 a peaceful and resigned frame of mind." As he was 
 visited by great numbers, who were desirous of hear- 
 ing the last words of the ascending prophet, so he 
 was incessant in his counsels and prayers. With 
 solemn and engaging pathos, he was wont to say — 
 "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." To those who 
 were disposed to eulogize his labors, and commend 
 him for his service, and point him to his works as a 
 ground of confidence that he should be accepted with 
 his Maker, he expressed his sense of his defects — ac- 
 knowledged himself to be an unprofitable servant — 
 bewailed the remains of indwelling sin — and assured 
 them that he looked to Jesus Christ for pardon, and 
 confided in his atoning sacrifice for acceptance with 
 God. His great fear was, lest he might not wait 
 with due Christian submission till his change should 
 come. He had glimpses of unseen and eternal things, 
 and spoke of them with great interest. He enjoyed 
 sweet foretastes of heaven — such foretastes as if his 
 soul was on the wing in the heavenly atmosphere. He 
 undoubtedly stood, where Payson stood, in pros- 
 pect of the land of Beulah, and heard the sweet 
 music and felt the refreshing breezes of that heavenly 
 clime, ere his foot pressed its soil, or his soul basked 
 in its uncreated glory. He beheld the distant, but 
 "wonderful, wonderful, wonderful glory," upon which 
 the dying Evarts gazed with rapture. Like " a mote 
 2* 
 
XV1U INTRODUCTION. 
 
 floating in the sun-beams,' ' his soul swam in the 
 dawning.light of heaven, as did the spirit of the dying 
 Walton, when it mounted to meet its God. 
 
 To the last, he seemed to have the full exercise of 
 reason, and calmly and serenely sunk into that sleep 
 from which the body shall know no waking, till the 
 trumpet shall sound, and " all who are in their graves 
 shall hear the voice of the Son of man, and come 
 forth, they that have done good to the resurrection of 
 life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection 
 of damnation." Thus, ''the venerable and excellent 
 Sewall entered into his rest," 26th of June, 1769, 
 having attained nearly the eighty-first year of his life. 
 
 Rufus K. Sewall. 
 
 Boston, Dec, 1845. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 It hath pleased the sovereign and gracious 
 God, in whose hand our times are, to ordain 
 that we should live under some peculiar ad- 
 vantages for our precious souls ; for to the 
 ordinary means, we have superadded the mani- 
 festation of the Spirit, in extraordinary works 
 of grace. We have lately heard glad tidings 
 from one place and another, that many are in- 
 quiring the way to Zion, with their faces 
 thitherward; and some are declaring what God 
 hath done for their souls. Yea, God hath 
 brought this work home to our own doors, and 
 we hear many crying out, What must we do to 
 be saved? And there are a number hopefully 
 rejoicing in God's salvation. Of such a season 
 as this it may well be said, I have heard thee 
 in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation 
 have I succored thee: behold, now is the ac 
 
XX PREFACE. 
 
 cepted time; behold, now is the day of salva- 
 tion. I hope God's people are reaping the 
 fruit of their prayers, particularly on extraordi- 
 nary days of fasting observed with an especial 
 view to this great blessing, the plentiful effu- 
 sion of the Holy Spirit. And shall we not 
 prize and improve this rich gift ? Shall we not 
 redeem this precious time in working out our 
 own salvation? considering that God who alone 
 can work in us to will and to do, says to us, 
 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call 
 upon him while he is near. To day, if ye will 
 hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Cer- 
 tainly we must be very criminal if we sleep or 
 loiter away such a day of grace. They who 
 are guilty of such a presumptuous sin, run a 
 dreadful hazard of swift destruction, double 
 damnation. O there's great reason to fear that 
 another like season will never, never return 
 upon you. O sleeper ! awake, and hearken, 
 there's a noise, and a shaking among the dry 
 bones. Some it may be of your own acquaint- 
 ance, secure like you a little while ago, are 
 now in deep concern, and can no longer 
 relish those carnal pleasures in which you were 
 companions. Now, destruction from God is a 
 terror to them, and they are fleeing from the 
 wrath to come. What a reproof doth God 
 
PREFACE. XXI 
 
 give to your stupidity in the awakenings of 
 others? Now then hear God's voice, Turn ye 
 at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my Spirit 
 unto you. Or, if ye are still deaf to God's 
 calls, let the thunder of those amazing words 
 make your ears to tingle; Because I have call- 
 ed, and ye have refused, — I also will laugh at 
 your calamity, and mock when your fear 
 cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation, 
 and your destruction as a whirlwind. And 
 tremble lest you should be suddenly destroy- 
 ed, and that without remedy. But then, let 
 awakened sinners be encouraged to press into 
 the kingdom of heaven. Strive to enter in at 
 the strait gate; for many will seek to enter 
 in, and shall not be able. Improve the five 
 talents now put into your hands, remembering 
 what our Lord hath said, Unto whom much is 
 given, of him shall much be required. O look 
 diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of 
 God! Continue seeking till Christ be revealed 
 to you as the Lord your righteousness, and as 
 the God of judgment : that you may glory in 
 this, that you understand and know the Lord, 
 who exerciseth loving-kindness, judgment and 
 righteousness in the earth. And here, among 
 you with whom the Spirit is striving at this 
 day, we behold many of our young people. O 
 
XX11 PREFACE. 
 
 our children! God is drawing nigh to you in a 
 distinguishing manner, and will not you from 
 this time cry unto him, My Father, thou art 
 the guide of my youth? Shall any of you be 
 profane as Esau, who for one morsel of meat 
 sold his birth-right; and then, when he would 
 have inherited the blessing, was rejected ? 
 God forbid. May you all thirst for God, and 
 seek him early, till that promise shall be more 
 abundantly fulfilled in you — I will pour my 
 Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing on thine 
 offspring. And is it possible for parents and 
 eider persons to behold these things, and not 
 be moved? Can you see your children in pain, 
 and travailing till Christ be formed in them, 
 and you be unconcerned about the new birth? 
 Are they taken, and can you bear to be left 
 behind; left to perish in your sins, as far dis- 
 tant as heaven and hell? Is the eleventh hour 
 running, and you not effectually called? What 
 a sad token is this! The Lord have mercy 
 upon you! 
 
 But there are considerable numbers of elder 
 as well as younger persons, of whom I am 
 persuaded better things, and things that ac- 
 company salvation. And to you our ascended 
 Saviour speaks, Hold fast till I come. Be not 
 ashamed or afraid to confess Christ before 
 
PREFACE. XX111 
 
 men, and to stand up for him. And here the 
 providence of God gives me advantage to press 
 upon you that exhortation — If ye are risen 
 with Christ, seek those things which are 
 above; set your affection on things above, 
 not on things on the earth. For as it was 
 with God's ancient people, a day of dark- 
 ness and gloominess, and then God comforted 
 his people with that gracious promise — I will 
 pour out my Spirit upon all flesh*, so it 
 pleaseth God to send down the Comforter from 
 heaven into the hearts of his people, while it 
 is a dark day with us upon temporal accounts. 
 May the Spirit of judgment sanctify the frowns 
 of God upon us to rebuke our pride, our covet- 
 ousness, our luxury; and all those foolish and 
 hurtful lusts, whereby we have been conform- 
 ed to this world. And now we behold the 
 curse devouring the earth, may we all unite in 
 seeking the blessings of the heavenly paradise, 
 where Satan and the curse can never enter. 
 That we may even now say with the prophet,— 
 Although the fig-tree shall not blossom — and 
 the fields shall yield no meat; the flocks 
 shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall 
 be no herd in the stall: yet, I will rejoice in 
 the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 
 
 * Joel 2. 
 
XXIV PREFACE. 
 
 But I forbear, and would only further say, 
 that the remarkable work of grace begun and 
 going on among us, gave encouragement to 
 me to study and preach the following sermons. 
 At first, I designed to publish only upon the 
 head of Conviction of Sin, the discourses upon 
 which subject it pleased God to own and bless 
 much beyond my expectation. May the praise 
 be given to that God who hath chosen the 
 weak things of the world, that no flesh should 
 glory in his presence. Since that, I have been 
 prevailed upon to go on with the subject, and 
 also to publish the other discourses; that we 
 may see in some measure how the Spirit of 
 God carrieth on his good work in the hearts of 
 his people from legal conviction to saving con- 
 version, and then sends forth judgment to 
 victory, notwithstanding all opposition from the 
 enemies of our salvation. Sensible of the de- 
 fects which attend this performance, I humbly 
 commend it to God for his blessing, beseeching 
 him to teach us to profit by all the means of 
 race which he gives us richly to enjoy. 
 
 JOSEPH SEW ALL. 
 Boston, April, 1741. 
 
LECTTJUE I. 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVINCETH OF SIN. 
 
 JOHN 16: 8. 
 
 And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin, 
 and of righteousness, and of judgment. 
 
 In my last turn at this lecture, I considered 
 our Lord Jesus Christ as exalted to be a 
 Prince, and a Saviour, to give repentance to 
 Israel and forgiveness of sins ; from Acts 5 : 
 31. I now proceed to show you the great 
 and comprehensive gift which our Lord re- 
 ceived of the Father, when he ascended on 
 high, the gift of the Holy Spirit, by whom 
 he works faith and repentance in the hearts 
 of his people, and so prepareth them for all 
 the blessings of the gospel. And here our 
 Lord assureth us that his disciples, and so 
 3 
 
26 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 his churches would be great gainers by his 
 withdraw from them on earth, to his exalted 
 state in heaven ; for then, and not till then, 
 should the Spirit be given in a more plentiful 
 and extensive manner, in virtue of Christ's 
 intercession at the Father's right hand; and 
 that to make application of the redemption 
 purchased by him, and to communicate all 
 spiritual blessings to bis people, v. 7. Nev- 
 ertheless, I tell you the truth ; it is expedient 
 for you that I go away : for if I go not away, 
 the Comforter will not come unto you ; but 
 if I depart, I will send him unto you. Ac- 
 cordingly we also read, that the Holy Ghost 
 was not yet given, because that Jesus was 
 not yet glorified. And we have the fulfil- 
 ment of our Saviour's promise, Acts 2 : 4. 
 They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, in 
 miraculous gifts, particularly the gift of 
 tongues, whereby the apostles were qualified 
 to preach the gospel to other nations. And 
 the Spirit of God was also poured out in an 
 extraordinary manner as a spirit of grace and 
 consolation, vs. 41, 42. Then they th^t 
 gladly received the word were baptized ; and 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 27 
 
 the same day there were added unto them 
 about three thousand souls. And they con- 
 tinued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and 
 fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in 
 prayers. But I return to the text, in which 
 we have the errand on which the Holy Ghost 
 is sent, and the work he should perform in 
 virtue of his mission, described. For though 
 the three persons in the adorable trinity are 
 one in the essential perfections of the divine 
 nature, yet in the covenant of redemption, 
 the Son voluntarily agreeth to fulfil the Fath- 
 er's will by taking our nature in the fullness 
 of time, and purchasing eternal salvation for 
 his people ; and the Holy Spirit engageth 
 that the saving benefits of this redemption 
 shall be applied to all whom the God and 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath chosen 
 in him before the foundation of the world, 
 that they should be holy, and without blame 
 before him in love. Agreeably it is here 
 said, And when he is come, he will reprove, 
 etc. When he is come, i. e., in the peculiar 
 manifestations of his gracious presence ; for 
 in his divine essence, the Spirit is immense 
 
28 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 and omnipresent. Whither shall I go from 
 thy Spirit? Ps. 139 : 7. He will reprove the 
 word of sin, — not only Jews but Gentiles. 
 Possibly some may be stumbled that the 
 Spirit is called the Comforter, and then it is 
 said that he should reprove. But now, the 
 word is of larger signification, it signifieth 
 advocate, and is thus translated by Beza. 
 We have the same word applied to Christ, 
 1 John 2: 1. And accordingly, the Spirit is 
 called another Comforter or Advocate, John 
 14: 16. When our Lord ascended to ap- 
 pear in the presence of God for his people, 
 and transact their affairs in the court of 
 heaven as their advocate with the Father, 
 he sent his Holy Spirit to manage the affairs 
 of the kingdom of grace here upon earth. 
 And this work of convincing, men of sin well 
 suits with this character of an advocate. As 
 such the Spirit of God shows sinners that the 
 charge laid against them in God's word is 
 just, that the world may become guilty before 
 God ; and that sinners, self-condemned, may 
 seek justification by the righteousness of Jesus 
 Christ, and so be prepared for the joy of 
 God's salvation. And this agreeth also with 
 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 29 
 
 the word here translated, reprove, which 
 signifieth to convince by evident arguments 
 and solid reason. " I will convince them of 
 their sins, and after reprove, admonish and 
 check them for the same." And there is 
 then a particular sin mentioned, v. 9, 
 Of sin because they believe not in me. The 
 heinous sin of the Jews in that day was, that 
 they rejected Jesus Christ the Messiah prom- 
 ised to their fathers, and sent to them as the 
 only name whereby they could be saved. He 
 came unto his own, and his own received him 
 not. John 1:11. Saving a remnant accord- 
 ing to the election of grace. Because of 
 unbelief, they were broken off. Rom. 11 : 20. 
 Accordingly when the Spirit of God was 
 poured out, and Peter preached to them, 
 Acts 2, he charged them home with the 
 great sin of rejecting and crucifying the Lord 
 of glory ; upon which many are pricked to 
 the heart, and say in deep concern, Men and 
 brethren, what shall we do ? v. 37. And 
 doth not this sin of unbelief much prevail in 
 this age ? Many seem to be insensible how 
 great the evil of this sin is, though the word 
 3* 
 
30 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 of God declareth, that, he who believeth not 
 God, hath made him a liar, because he be- 
 lieveth not the record that God gave of his 
 Son. 1 John 5 : 10. It is to be feared that 
 there are many under the gospel, who satisfy 
 themselves with an outward attendance on 
 religious duties, while they refuse to submit 
 to Christ, and neglect his great salvation. 
 But now, when the Spirit of God convinceth 
 men of sin, he will show them the great evil 
 of an heart of unbelief, and make them sen- 
 sible of this, that he who believeth not the 
 Son, shall not see life ; but the wrath of God 
 abideth on him. 
 
 Again, The Spirit reproveth of righteousness. 
 He will convince men that Jesus who suffered 
 an accursed death as if he had been the 
 vilest malefactor, being crucified between two 
 thieves, is indeed the just one ; and suffered 
 the just for the unjust, that he is the Lord 
 our righteousness. He will convince sinners 
 that they cannot be justified but by the right- 
 eousness of Christ received by faith. Now 
 his going to the Father was a demonstration 
 of this, that he was Jesus Christ the righteous, 
 and had fulfilled all righteousness. — And of 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 31 
 
 judgment. That all judgment is committed 
 to the Son as Lord and Christ, and that he 
 hath power, as Mediator and in virtue of his 
 vobedience unto death, to cast down Satan 
 from his usurped throne, and deliver poor 
 sinners from his destroying power. Agreeably 
 where our Saviour speaks of his being lifted 
 up upon the cross, he says, Now is the 
 judgment of this world; now shall the prince 
 of this world be cast out. John 12: 31. 
 
 Having thus explained the words of my 
 text, I return to consider that part which I 
 purpose more particularly to speak to ; the 
 work of the Spirit in reproving men of sin. 
 
 DOCTRINE. 
 
 It is the work of the Holy Spirit to con- 
 vince and reprove men of sin. 
 
 The Spirit of God is the great dispenser 
 of common and saving grace. There is a 
 saving conviction of sin, which the Spirit of 
 God works in the hearts of men when he 
 enlightens them to discern spiritual things 
 after a spiritual manner. When God gives 
 them the light of the knowledge of his glory, 
 
32 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 they see that evil in sin as it is contrary to 
 hinx, his nature and revealed will, which 
 causes them to mourn for it with that godly 
 sorrow which worketh repentance to salva- 
 tion. Now mine eye seeth thee. Where- 
 fore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and 
 ashes. Job 42 : 5, 6. They look unto Jesus 
 as pierced by their sins and mourn. Zech. 
 12 : 10. Thus it is when the Spirit of grace 
 converts men, and turns them from sin to 
 God, by working a saving change in their 
 hearts. And there is a legal conviction 
 which the Spirit of God works in the hearts 
 of men before conversion, whereby they are 
 awakened out of their carnal security in sin, 
 and brought under deep concern about deliv- 
 erance from it as a destroying evil. Now it 
 is a matter of the greatest importance to such 
 as are under this work that it be carried on 
 till it issue in a saving conversion to God. 
 For the divine Spirit, who acts with sove- 
 reign liberty, may be provoked to depart, 
 and leave men to perish in their sins. Thus 
 the Spirit of God strove with the sinners of 
 the old world, whose departed spirits are 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 33 
 
 called spirits in prison. 1 Pet. 3: 19. Their 
 bodies were destroyed by the flood, and their 
 souls are now shut up in hell, where they are 
 kept in durance to the judgment of the great 
 day. And indeed it is plain from Scripture 
 that these lower workings of the Spirit, if I 
 may so call them, have been in some prepar- 
 atory to saving conversion, while others have 
 stifled them. I shall give you an instance of 
 each from the word of God, to awaken your 
 hopes and fears, the great springs of human 
 endeavors. The rough and hardy jailer came 
 trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 
 saying, Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? 
 They answer, Believe on the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and thou shalt be saved. And it 
 seems the Spirit soon converted him, even 
 that same night ; yea, gave him the joy of 
 God's salvation. He rejoiced, believing in 
 God, with all his house. Acts 16 : 29 — 34. O, 
 that this may be the happy case of the many 
 now under convictions ! Felix also trembled, 
 as Paul reasoned of righteousness, temper- 
 ance, and judgment to come. Acts 24 : 25. 
 Behold the judge quaking for fear before his 
 prisoner ! We may well suppose a greater 
 
34 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 than Paul was there, even the Judge of all 
 the. earth, reproving this man for the crimes 
 by the Spirit accompanying Paul's faithful 
 ministry; but then he unhappily endeavored 
 to put off his convictions by saying to Paul, 
 Go thy way for this time; when I have a 
 convenient season, I will call for thee. And 
 for aught any thing that appears, the Spirit 
 ceased striving with him. We read indeed that 
 Felix sent for Paul again ; but not to hear 
 the word of God, and inquire how he should 
 improve his convictions ; but because he 
 hoped that money should have been given 
 him of Paul, that he might loose him, v. 26. 
 A base thing indeed ! And after two years, to 
 show the Jews a pleasure, he left Paul bound, 
 v. 27. Upon the whole, it is highly prob- 
 able, that the convenient season he pretended 
 to wait for, never came. O it is a danger- 
 ous thing to resist the Spirit of God striving 
 with us, and as it were bid him depart from us ! 
 I would now speak particularly to the doc- 
 trine under these following heads ; 
 
 I. The Holy Spirit is the author of the 
 work of conviction. 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 35 
 
 II. We may consider the means he useth to 
 convince men of sin. 
 
 III. Offer some description of this work of 
 conviction. 
 
 I. The Holy Spirit is the author of this 
 work of conviction. 
 
 That there is such a work going before 
 and preparatory to saving conversion in God's 
 chosen people, is evident from Scripture and 
 experience. The Son of man is come to 
 seek and save that which was lost ; and the 
 prodigal son is represented as sensible of his 
 perishing condition, before he resolveth to 
 arise and go to his father. Luke 15: 17, 18. 
 And our compassionate Redeemer inviteth 
 them that labor and are heavy laden to come 
 to him for rest. Matt. 11: 28. And we find 
 from examples upon record in Scripture, as 
 well as of later date down to our own times, 
 that God takes this course with men, con- 
 vincing them of sin and bringing them under 
 a deep concern about their souls before he 
 grants them the joy of his salvation. Now 
 
6 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 whatever instruments may be used in this 
 work, we must acknowledge that the Spirit 
 of God is the great efficient. He striveth 
 with men. Gen. 6 : 3. And accordingly 
 Stephen charged his hearers with the great 
 sin of resisting the Holy Ghost. Acts 7 : 51. 
 How sharp were his arrows in their hearts 
 who heard Peter's sermon upon occasion of 
 the wonderful effusion of the Holy Ghost in 
 the day of Pentecost. Acts 2. They were 
 pricked in their heart, v. 37, and in a little 
 time seem to have been subdued to the obe- 
 dience of faith. Agreeably, the Spirit of 
 God is called a spirit of bondage. Rom. 8 : 15. 
 Ye have not received the spirit of bondage 
 again to fear. Indeed the Holy Spirit cannot 
 be the author of sin whereby men are brought 
 into bondage ; but then he makes sinners sensi- 
 ble of this cruel bondage, and brings them to 
 groan after deliverance. 
 
 II. We proceed to consider the means 
 which the Spirit of God useth to convince 
 men of sin. 
 
 1. The great instrument is the word of 
 God. 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 37 
 
 And accordingly the word is called the 
 sword of the Spirit. Eph. 6 : 17. All Scrip- 
 ture is given by inspiration of God, and is 
 profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc- 
 tion. 2 Tim. 3 : 16. But then the same 
 Spirit that moved those holy men who wrote 
 the Scriptures, must accompany them with 
 his divine influence ; or there will be sad 
 occasion to take up that lamentation, Who 
 hath believed our report ? and to whom is the 
 arm of the Lord revealed ? Isa. 53 : 1. 
 When the Spirit is withdrawn, we find that 
 the ministry of the word has little or no 
 good effect upon the hearts of sinners. They 
 are unmoved as the seats they sit upon ; 
 Their ears are heavy and their eyes shut, Isa. 
 6: 10. But when this Almighty Spirit is 
 pleased to take his word into his own hand, 
 and wound the sinner's conscience with it, 
 he can no longer make light of the com- 
 mands or threatenings ; they come home to 
 him, and reach his very heart ; he is convinced 
 of all, he is judged of all ; he is con- 
 vinced of the sins whereby he hath trans- 
 gressed God's holy law, and his heart con- 
 4 
 
38 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 demneth him for them. Now the word of 
 God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than 
 any two edged sword, piercing even to the 
 dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of 
 the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of 
 the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb. 
 4: 12. The law of God is called a fiery 
 law. Deut. 33 : 2. And it may well be so 
 called, not only as it was delivered out of 
 the midst of the fire, from the burning moun- 
 tain ; but also, as in it we have God's burning 
 wrath, and fiery indignation against sinners 
 revealed from heaven. Accordingly when 
 the word of God is accompanied with the 
 Spirit, and so comes with power upon the 
 hearts of sinners, they feel pain and anguish, 
 and are sensible of the deadly wounds sin 
 hath given them, Is not my word like as a 
 fire, saith the Lord ; and like a hammer that 
 breaketh the rock in pieces ? Jer. 23 : 29. 
 When the Spirit takes it into his hand, he 
 breaks the sinner's carnal confidences. By 
 the law is the knowledge of sin, and by it 
 the Spirit reproves men for their sins, and 
 convinceth them of their lost perishing condi- 
 tion as transgressors of God's law. So sharp 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 39 
 
 and cutting were God's reproofs of his an- 
 cient people by his word in the mouth of his 
 holy prophets, that he says, Therefore have I 
 hewed them by the prophets : I have slain 
 them by the words of my mouth. Hos. 6 : 5. 
 
 2. The Holy Spirit convinceth and re- 
 pro veth men of sin by God's providential 
 dispensations, particularly by afflictive provi- 
 dences. 
 
 Sometimes the Holy Spirit makes use of 
 the divine goodness to lead sinners to repen- 
 tance. Rom. 2 : 4. And draweth them as 
 with the cords of a man, and bands of love. 
 Agreeably it is promised that the children of 
 Israel should fear the Lord, and his goodness 
 in the latter days. Hos. 3 : 5. But I am 
 now considering the reproof given by afflic- 
 tions. When sinners resist the Spirit speak- 
 ing to them in and by his word, he sometimes 
 takes the rod, and teacheth them as Gideon 
 taught the men of Succoth with briers and 
 thorns of the wilderness. And when they 
 are thus torn and wounded, they are brought 
 to consider what an evil thing sin is, and 
 their need of a Saviour to deliver them from 
 
40 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 it. Thus God said to his ancient people by 
 the prophet Jeremiah, Thine own wicked- 
 ness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings 
 shall reprove thee : know therefore and see, 
 that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou 
 hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my 
 fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of 
 hosts, chap. 2 : 9. Outward prosperity is 
 apt to make men careless and secure ; to say 
 with the church of the Laodiceans, I am rich 
 and increased with goods, and have need of 
 nothing. But now, when God brings men 
 into straits and under difficulties, he some- 
 times awakeneth them to a serious reflection 
 upon their spiritual poverty, misery and 
 wretchedness. I spake unto thee in thy pros- 
 perity, but thou saidst, I will not hear ; this 
 hath been thy manner from thy youth, that 
 thou obeyedst not my voice. The wind shall 
 eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go 
 into captivity. Surely then shalt thou be 
 ashamed and confounded for thy wickedness. 
 Jer. 22: 21, 22. And thus it was with 
 Ephraim when he bore the reproach of the 
 sins of his youth under God's chastisements. 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 41 
 
 Jer. 31 : 18. I have surely heard Ephraim 
 bemoaning himself thus, thou hast chastised 
 me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unac- 
 customed to the yoke : turn thou me and I 
 shall be turned ; for thou art the Lord my 
 God. Though these words nextly refer to 
 God's people, they may be fitly applied to 
 particular persons. When God corrects men, 
 and by his Spirit opens their ears to disci- 
 pline, he shows them the necessity of their 
 turning to God, and maketh them concerned 
 to obtain converting grace. Turn thou me ! 
 O, that this may be the happy case of many 
 young people who are under convictions at 
 this time ! Dear children ! Ask the Spirit 
 of grace as a spirit of regeneration and adop- 
 tion, that you may have your weary souls 
 revived with that good word which followeth, 
 v. 20, Is Ephraim a dear son ? is he a pleas- 
 ant child ? for since I spake against him, I 
 do earnestly remember him still ; therefore 
 my bowels are troubled for him ; I will surely 
 have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. But 
 to return. When persons are secure, God 
 
 cometh upon them, takes away their health, 
 4* 
 
42 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 and brings them seriously to consider their 
 latter end. God shaketh me over the grave, 
 says the awakened sinner, and what will be- 
 come of me, if I die in my sins, if I die out 
 of Christ? Again, God comes and taketh 
 away their earthly goods, and so convinceth 
 them of the evil of trusting in uncertain 
 riches, and awakens them to seek that good 
 part which cannot be taken away. Again, 
 God bereaveth men of their near and dear 
 friends, and so quickens them to seek the 
 favor and friendship of the eternal God, 
 making them taste the bitterness of sin as it 
 hath brought death into the world, and show- 
 ing them the vanity of creatures. We read 
 of those sinners, Ps. 78 : 34, 35. When he 
 slew them, they sought him ; and they re- 
 turned and inquired early after God. And 
 was it not thus with this people in the time 
 of the earthquake, when God threatened to 
 send us down quick into the pit ? Did not 
 multitudes tremble as the jailer, and inquire 
 with great concern, What must we do to be 
 saved ? How did people flock to God's 
 house, and with what awe did they attend to 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 43 
 
 his word while the foundations of the earth 
 were shaken under us ? Yea, I humbly ap- 
 prehend that there is reason to believe that 
 the mighty voice uttered from the deep places 
 of the earth, together with the still voice of 
 God's word, was sanctified not only for the 
 conviction, but also for the conversion of 
 numbers of people, by the Spirit of God. 
 So far as we can judge, there were a number, 
 whom the terrors of that dreadful night 
 awakened, whom the Spirit effectually called ; 
 while it is to be feared that the impressions 
 made on a far greater number wore off, and 
 died away. I the rather mention this re- 
 markable providence, because I apprehend 
 that the time of it was a season in which God 
 was pleased in a general and extraordinary 
 manner to strive with this people. Since that 
 we have been visited with a very mortal sick- 
 ness, in which God hath cut off many of our 
 children ; but I cannot learn that people have 
 been awakened in any proportion to the ex- 
 ceeding awfulness of the judgment. 
 
 3. The Holy Spirit makes use of his works 
 of grace to convince and awaken sinners. 
 
44 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 At sometimes the Spirit is awfully restrained, 
 and. then conversions are rare and doubtful. 
 At other seasons, God is pleased to pour out 
 his Spirit upon his people, and then his 
 works of grace are as the light which goeth 
 forth. Many ask the way to Zion, with their 
 faces thitherward, and not a few declare God's 
 works of grace towards them with rejoicing. 
 Convictions and conversions become more 
 frequent and apparent, so far as our judgment 
 reacheth. It is true, the saving conversion 
 of others cannot be certainly known by us 
 in the ordinary way, because we are not able 
 to look directly into the heart, but must judge 
 by outward appearances. And therefore we 
 ought to exercise judgment with charity. 
 But then there are sometimes fruits of the 
 Spirit so evident, that they cannot be con- 
 cealed or denied. There is the manifestation 
 of the Spirit in his divine operations. 1 Cor. 
 12 : 7. Persons that were before quiet in 
 their sins and unconcerned, are so awakened 
 that they cannot stifle their convictions, nor 
 conceal their distress ; but are made to cry 
 out, What shall we do ? how shall we escape 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 45 
 
 the wrath to come ? And when a son or a 
 daughter, or any other in a family are thus 
 wrought upon, the house is alarmed with it, 
 and thus their friends and acquaintances are 
 happily impressed with concern about their 
 own souls by the convictions of others, when 
 the Spirit of God is pleased to use them as 
 means for this end. And when such a work 
 of grace spreads and increaseth through the 
 good hand of God upon his people, it will be 
 still more observable, and such as are consid- 
 erate, will be ready to say, admiring, What 
 hath God wrought ! Yea, all that behold it 
 must now see, if they will open their eyes, 
 that there is more in religion than a lifeless 
 formality, and outward attendance on ordi- 
 nances. When the work of God is thus re- 
 vived among a people, the form of godliness 
 will be animated with the inward life and 
 power of it. God's own children will be 
 quickened to arise and trim their lamps, that 
 their light may shine before others. And 
 such as were strangers to religion before, will 
 now press into the kingdom of heaven. That 
 description well agreeth to such a season., 
 
46 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, 
 and the violent take it by force. Matt. 11: 12. 
 The ministers of Christ will be encouraged 
 and enlightened in their work, and such as 
 are under convictions will be awakened to a 
 more diligent attendance on the word and 
 ordinances. Now such things as these, under 
 the influence of the blessed Spirit, must have 
 a happy tendency to rouse the sleepy secure 
 sinner, and reprove him for his criminal indif- 
 ference in the great concerns of his soul. 
 And thus the Holy Spirit maketh use of the 
 works of his grace to convince men of their sin 
 and danger, while they behold a great altera- 
 tion in others for the better ; but have not 
 felt the like in themselves. That God who 
 formeth the spirit of man within him, hath 
 fashioned their hearts alike ; so that as in 
 water face answereth to face, so the heart 
 of man toman. Ps. 33 : 15. Pro v. 27 : 29. 
 Whence ariseth a kind of sympathy and af- 
 fection respecting each other; so that, what 
 toucheth the one, affecteth the other. And 
 this is in an especial manner observable in 
 such as are near and dear to each other. 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 47 
 
 When the child is in distress, the tender pa- 
 rent is presently touched with the feeling of 
 its sorrow. When the brother crieth out in 
 anguish of soul, the kind sister cannot forbear 
 to condole with him. Accordingly when it 
 pleaseth the Holy Spirit to use these inclina- 
 tions and affections in men as means, good 
 impressions by the divine blessing, wonderful- 
 ly propagate and multiply. This I find ob- 
 served by a reverend and dear brother, in his 
 narrative of the surprising work of God in 
 the conversion of many hundred souls in 
 Northampton, and the neighboring towns, 
 etc. " There is no one thing that I know of 
 that God has made such a means of promot- 
 ing his work among us, as the news of others' 
 conversion ; in the awakening sinners, and 
 engaging them earnestly to seek the same 
 blessing, and in the quickening of saints."* 
 And as more lately, we have received good 
 news of this kind from more distant places 
 upon this continent, so I cannot but hope 
 that God's sending one and another of his 
 servants among us who had been personally 
 
 * See Mr. Edwards's Narrative, p. 39. 
 
48 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 acquainted with these later wonderful works 
 of grace, together with their very laborious 
 and fervent preaching, and the ministry of 
 others his servants, has been blessed to con- 
 vince many of their sins, and awaken them 
 to a serious concern about their souls. Yea, 
 it is hopeful that there are a number converted, 
 and brought home to Christ. Let us give 
 the praise to the God of all grace ; and let 
 pastors and parents, and other Christians in 
 their several places use their best endeavors 
 to forward this good work ; for though the 
 work is the Lord's, and he alone can carry it 
 on with victorious success, yet he delights 
 to use his people as instruments, and expects 
 that in the way of duty they ask his blessing 
 in the more plentiful and extensive effusions 
 of his Spirit. Thus when God had promised 
 to give his people a new heart ; to put his 
 Spirit within them, and cause them to walk 
 in his statutes, he adds, I will yet for this be 
 inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it 
 for them. Ezek. 36 : 37. 
 
 III. Some description of this work of the 
 Spirit in conviction. 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 49 
 
 I shall at present, only observe a few- 
 things in general relating to it. 
 
 This work of the Spirit is by divines com- 
 monly called preparatory, as it goeth before 
 saving conversion, and is wrought in order to 
 it, respecting such as are afterwards effectual- 
 ly called by the Spirit. By this work, says 
 the excellent Mr. Norton, " We understand 
 certain inherent qualifications, coming between 
 the carnal rest of the soul in the state of sin, 
 and conversion wrought in the ministry both 
 of the law and gospel, by the common work 
 of the Spirit concurring ; whereby the soul 
 is put into a ministerial capacity of believing 
 immediately, i. e., of immediate receiving the 
 Lord Jesus Christ." This is the order in 
 which God proceeds in the work of his grace 
 on the souls of such as are grown to years of 
 understanding : he maketh them sensible of 
 their sin and misery and so brings them to 
 seek Jesus who saveth his people from their 
 sins, and to submit to him. Indeed, this 
 work is neither the efficient nor meritorious 
 cause of their saving conversion ; however, 
 in this way God awakeneth his people to a 
 5 
 
50 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 diligent attendance on the means of grace, 
 till he shall work in them to will and to do, 
 and make them his willing people, in the day 
 of his power. And here we may observe 
 that we must not presume to limit and restrain 
 the infinite Spirit of God in this matter, who 
 is called the free Spirit. Ps. ■ 51 : 12. No 
 doubt there may be great variety as to de- 
 grees of terror, as to the time persons are 
 kept under it, and the like. And we must 
 take heed that in this respect, we do not 
 make our particular experiences general rules 
 to judge of the state of men. God opened 
 the heart of Lydia, and the jailer came trem- 
 bling with the utmost consternation. And it 
 hath been observed that some have been kept 
 under a spirit of bondage for a considerable 
 time, while other convinced sinners have been 
 in a short time surprised with a visit from the 
 Holy Spirit of God as a spirit of adoption, 
 which supposeth the new birth. Again, as 
 to outward expressions of deep concern in 
 tears, wringing the hands, etc., persons un- 
 der like inward deep concern of mind may 
 considerably differ according to different con- 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 51 
 
 stitutions and tempers. Again, Some may 
 have been more heinous transgressors than 
 others, and God may impress their minds 
 with terrible fears, in some proportion. Again, 
 It is no improbable supposition, that some 
 have been converted in early childhood before 
 they were capable of giving a distinct account 
 of this work. Nor need it seem strange, if 
 such as have been favored with a pious edu- 
 cation and good impressions from their child- 
 hood, should be more at a loss in this matter, 
 than such as have been suddenly surprised, as 
 Saul, while going on in open rebellion against 
 God, and so knocked down under the fearful 
 apprehensions of his wrath, and then raised 
 with the wonderful manifestations of the free 
 grace of God in Jesus Christ super-abounding 
 where sin had abounded. Therefore, such as 
 find upon strict and impartial examination, 
 that they abhor themselves for sin as it is con- 
 trary to the declarative glory and revealed 
 will of God, and so turn from all sin unto 
 God, as their chief good and highest end ; 
 that they are willing to submit to Christ as 
 their Prince and Saviour, trusting only to his 
 
52 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 righteousness for their justification before God, 
 and taking his yoke upon them : I say, these 
 persons ought not to distress themselves, be- 
 cause they cannot give such a distinct account 
 of the time and manner of this work of convic- 
 tion, as some others can ; nor yet have expe- 
 rienced so great terrors as others have felt 
 before they were born of the Spirit. Such 
 as have been made sensible of their lost and 
 perishing condition by the fall, and then made 
 willing to receive Jesus Christ in all his of- 
 fices as their only Saviour, have the things 
 found in them which go before, and accom- 
 pany salvation, and should be encouraged to 
 trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon 
 their God. However, it is happy for such 
 as are able to give a more clear and distinct 
 account of the peculiar season and manner 
 of this work of the Spirit ; for this has a ten- 
 dency to bring their minds to a better settle- 
 ment as to their assurance of the saving work 
 of grace wrought after it. On the other 
 hand, persons who have been under great 
 terrors, and now receive the word with 
 joy, must rejoice with holy fear, and look to 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 53 
 
 it that they have that contrite and humble 
 spirit with which the high and lofty One 
 dwells, to revive the spirit of the humble, and 
 the heart of the contrite one ; for there is a 
 joy which is no true sign of saving conver- 
 sion. The stony-ground hearers we have 
 described by our Lord, who searcheth the 
 heart. Matt. 13 : 20. He that received the 
 seed into stony places, the same is he that 
 heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth 
 it. The stony heart was not taken away, 
 nor was there any root of saving grace ; and 
 accordingly in time of trial they withered. 
 And then there is no saving virtue in legal 
 terrors to convert men ; this change is wrought 
 according to the exceeding greatness of God's 
 power. However, neither do I speak these 
 things to damp their joy who upon their con- 
 version may have received the Spirit of God 
 to witness with their spirits that they are the 
 children of God. And I make no doubt but 
 this is the happy case of many, when the 
 Spirit is poured out plentifully. When there 
 were three thousand souls added, we read 
 
 that they gladly received the word. Acts 
 5 # 
 
54 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 2: 41. But then, I am concerned that we may 
 all obey that word, and obtain the benefit of 
 it. Let every man prove his own work, 
 and then shall he have rejoicing in himself 
 alone, and not in another. Gal. 6 : 4. 
 
 I would only further say at present, that 
 when the Spirit of God convinceth men of 
 sin, he shows them the guilt and destroying 
 power of their sins ; maketh them sensible of 
 their misery and danger as they lie exposed 
 to the curses of the law, and brings them to 
 seek deliverance with earnestness and deep 
 concern. And thus the Spirit prepareth them 
 to hearken to the gracious invitations and 
 offers of the gospel, while he also shows 
 them their utter inability to come up to the 
 terms of the gospel in their own strength, 
 and their great unworthiness that God should 
 work in them to will and to do ; and there- 
 fore, that if they are saved, it must be from 
 the free sovereign grace of God, who has 
 mercy on whom he will have mercy. And 
 as to such whom the Spirit of God converts, 
 he changeth their hearts, renews them in the 
 spirit of their minds respecting every power 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 55 
 
 of their soul ; and so persuadeth and enableth 
 them to trust in Jesus Christ as the only name 
 given among men, whereby we must be 
 saved ; taking their encouragement from the 
 grace of God, the merits of Christ, and free 
 offers of the gospel. When Christ is thus 
 formed in the heart, the poor creature so 
 highly favored, is ready to cry out, Lord, this 
 salvation is too great and good for me ; but 
 thou art worthy to be believed and obeyed, 
 and nothing is too great or wonderful for thee. 
 Be it unto me according to thy word. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 Use I. Let us pay divine honor to the 
 Holy Spirit, and give him the glory of his 
 works of grace. 
 
 His presence with God's people is better 
 to them, even than the bodily presence of 
 Christ upon earth ; for our Saviour assured 
 his disciples that it was expedient for them 
 that he should go away, that the Comforter 
 might come unto them. And he is the dis- 
 penser of all grace. The love of God is 
 shed abroad in the heart, and the grace of 
 
56 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 our Lord Jesus Christ brought home to the 
 soul, by the communion of the Holy Ghost. 
 We are blessed in his name ; common and 
 saving grace is communicated by him to 
 perishing sinners ; and therefore we ought to 
 ascribe blessing and glory and honor to him, 
 who is called God. Acts 5 : 3, 4. There are 
 three that bear record in heaven, the Father, 
 the Word, and the Holy Ghost : and these 
 three are one. 1 John 5 : 7. Let us then fall 
 down and worship that God w T ho is the Father 
 and the Son and the Holy Ghost. And let us 
 be sensible that the application of the redemp- 
 tion purchased by Christ is from the Holy 
 Spirit. When we behold many convinced of 
 sin, and some in a judgment of charity con- 
 verted, let us look above men and means, 
 and say, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, 
 but unto thy name be the glory. We have 
 in a public and solemn manner sought the 
 Lord for this great gift, and now we should 
 bless God for it, and beseech him to give his 
 Spirit more abundantly. 
 
 II. Is it the Spirit of God who reproveth 
 men of sin ? Learn the dangerous state of 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 57 
 
 such as are secure in sin, or stifle their con- 
 victions. 
 
 It is a dreadful thing for men to be suffered 
 to have an accursed quiet and false peace in 
 the ways of sin. Luke 11: 21. When a 
 strong man armed keepeth his palace, his 
 goods are in peace. Alas ! Satan ruleth in 
 the hearts of these miserable creatures without 
 control, and they are led captive by him at 
 his will. They hug their chains, and are un- 
 concerned about deliverance, while they are 
 permitted to enjoy the pleasures of sin with- 
 out remorse of conscience. They sport 
 themselves with their own deceivings. 2 Pet. 
 2: 13. And God threatens to bring sudden 
 and irrecoverable ruin upon them. When 
 they shall say, peace and safety ; then sud- 
 den destruction cometh upon them, as travail 
 upon a woman with child, and they shall not 
 escape. 1 Thess. 5 : 3. And it is a very 
 dangerous sign when persons are continued 
 under the means of grace, and yet are sleep- 
 ing in carnal security ; they sleep as on the 
 top of a mast, and are in danger every mo- 
 ment of falling, and of being drowned in 
 
58 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 eternal perdition. O, hear God's voice then 
 without delay, lest you lift up your eyes in 
 torments, and in utter despair behold a vast 
 gulf fixed between you and the seat of the 
 blessed ! Awake, thou that sleepest, and 
 arise from the dead, and Christ shall give 
 thee life. Eph. 5 : 14. O, cry to God for his 
 Spirit to convince and convert you ! For 
 surely, it is better to endure some present 
 pain and distress, while yet there is hope, 
 than to be shut out in outer darkness, where 
 is weeping and gnashing of teeth for ever. O, 
 let me not seem to you, while thus warning 
 you to flee from the wrath to come, as Lot to 
 his sons-in-law, as one that mocketh ! Lot 
 went out, and spake unto his sons-in-law, 
 which married his daughters, and said, Up, 
 get ye out of this place ; for the Lord will 
 destroy this city ; but he seemed as one that 
 mocked unto his sons-in-law. Gen. 19: 14. 
 Thus we may suppose they slept securely 
 that night ; but what came in the morning ? 
 The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon 
 Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord 
 out of heaven, v. 24. And when the fire 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 59 
 
 from heaven had destroyed their bodies, 
 their miserable souls were cast into hell. 
 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities 
 about them, in like manner giving them- 
 selves over to fornication, and going after 
 strange flesh, are set forth for an example, 
 suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 
 v. 7. O, escape for your lives then this 
 night, lest by to-morrow you be consumed ! 
 Or have you been favored with convictions, 
 but have stifled and lost them ? Can you 
 remember when the Spirit of God moved on 
 your hearts, exciting you to pray, and attend 
 to the preaching of the word ; to put away 
 sin, and to reform your lives ? But now 
 these good motions cease, and the Spirit is 
 departed from you. Is this your unhappy 
 state ? Know it, your case is very hazardous, 
 yet not desperate. Fear then, lest God 
 should punish you with the men that are set- 
 tled on their lees. Justify God in this mat- 
 ter, and confess that you have greatly sinned 
 by vexing his good Spirit. At the same time, 
 take heed and beware of going on desper- 
 ately in your sins, as if there were no hope. 
 
60 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 Even such as you, have found mercy. Seek 
 to God then the more earnestly to revive his 
 work in your souls. Be the more sensible 
 from this of the deep corruption of your 
 hearts, and of the enmity of your carnal 
 minds against God; and deprecate that 
 dreadful judgment of judicial blindness and 
 hardness of heart. Bemoan yourselves, and 
 say, O that it was with me, as in months 
 past ! And let that be your earnest and con- 
 tinued prayer,Cast me not away from thy pres- 
 ence ; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. 
 
 III. Let such as are under the convictions 
 of the Spirit, bless God for them ; and in the 
 use of all proper means seek the Lord that 
 these may end in a saving conversion. 
 
 Hath God sent his Spirit to convince you 
 of sin, and show to you your need of a Sa- 
 viour ? Be encouraged to ask the Holy 
 Spirit to reveal Christ unto you, as the Lord 
 your righteousness ; that you may embrace 
 him as he is freely offered in the gospel. 
 Are you brought to attend God's word with 
 fear and concern? O, seek the inward and 
 effectual call of the Spirit ! that you may 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN, 
 
 61 
 
 now say, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth. 
 Hear the words of our Saviour, and let them 
 strengthen the hands which hang down, and 
 confirm the feeble knees, when you may be 
 ready to faint and wax weary in your minds. 
 Luke 11 : 9. Ask, and it shall be given you ; 
 seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be 
 opened unto you. V. 11, If a son shall ask 
 bread of any of you that is a father, will he 
 give him a stone ? or if he ask a fish, will he 
 for a fish give him a serpent? V. 13, If ye 
 then being evil, know how to give good gifts 
 to your children, how much more shall your 
 heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them 
 that ask him ? Now your conversion is hope- 
 ful. You are not far from the kingdom of 
 God. O, strive to enter then, looking to 
 God to work in you both to will and to do 
 of his good pleasure ! And take heed you 
 do not quench the Spirit by returning to your 
 sins, or to your sinful companions. Now fol- 
 low hard after God by a constant and dili- 
 gent attendance to the means of grace. Be 
 frequent and fervent in secret prayer, confes- 
 sing your sins, and crying for mercy in the 
 6 
 
62 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 name of Jesus Christ. Get alone, think upon 
 your ways, and meditate upon divine things. 
 Study the word of God, which is perfect, 
 converting the soul ; and take heed how you 
 hear it. For faith cometh by hearing, and 
 hearing by the word of God. Rom. 10 : 17. 
 Wait at the posts of wisdom's doors, and 
 labor to be found in those ways in which 
 Christ walks. And yet take heed and be- 
 ware of depending on your religious duties 
 and outward reformations. Say with your- 
 self, An interest in Christ I must have ; and 
 accordingly while you use the means, seek 
 rest to your souls in him. Be willing to 
 bear the Spirit's reproofs, though sharp and 
 pungent ; but if terrors be overbearing, be- 
 seech the Lord that he would not lay more 
 upon you than he shall enable you to bear. 
 Indeed there may be some few ready to com- 
 plain with Hem an, While I suffer thy terrors, 
 I am distracted. But blessed be God ! this 
 is not the ordinary case. And where the 
 regular use of reason has been disturbed, I 
 am satisfied it was not so much from any di- 
 rect impressions of the good Spirit of God, 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 63 
 
 as from natural disorders of body, or moral 
 distempers of mind. Our gracious God 
 would not have, no, not the incestuous Corin- 
 thians, swallowed up with over-much sorrow. 
 2 Co. 2 : 7. However, pray God to show 
 you the plague of your own heart, and be 
 sensible that the wound sin hath given you 
 is incurable, unless it will please the great 
 God our Saviour to be the physician. Ac- 
 cordingly, despairing in yourself, look to 
 Jesus, and say, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst 
 make me whole. Thy blood cleanseth from 
 all sin, and thy divine Spirit is able to apply 
 it. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against 
 thee. If Satan tempt you to return to your 
 carnal security, or to despair, as if your sins 
 were so great that God would not pardon 
 them, resist him, and cry to God to bruise 
 him under your feet. And labor to be fur- 
 nished with pertinent texts of Scripture where- 
 by you may answer and confute such evil 
 suggestions. Thus if you are tempted by 
 Satan or your own lusts, to return to your 
 evil courses, answer, it is written, If any 
 man draw back, my soul shall have no pleas- 
 
64 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 ure in him. Heb. 10 : 38. Or if tempted to 
 say, mine iniquity is greater than that it may 
 be forgiven ; answer, it is written, Come 
 now and let us reason together, saith the 
 Lord ; though your sins be as scarlet, they 
 shall be as white as snow ; though they be 
 red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isa. 
 1 : 18. And instead of yielding to the 
 temptation, plead with God, in the words of 
 David, For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon 
 mine iniquity ; for it is great. Ps. 25 : 12. 
 And do not perplex yourself as if you had 
 committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, 
 which is unto death. The good impressions 
 you now receive from the Spirit striving with 
 you, make it evident that this is not your 
 case. Again, if you seem to grow worse and 
 worse after considerable labor and striving, be 
 not discouraged as if it was in vain for you 
 to strive any longer. The Spirit of God 
 rather discovereth to you more and more 
 the deep corruption of your hearts, which is 
 an hopeful symptom, and should be improved 
 to convince you more thoroughly of your 
 need of the infinite power and grace of God 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 65 
 
 to save you. And then, if you are continued 
 for a considerable time under this work, and 
 cannot find rest, do not grow impatient, and 
 say, it is in vain to wait for the Lord any 
 longer. But rather resolve that by his help 
 you will hope and wait for the salvation of 
 God. I pray consider, how long God hath 
 waited upon you, it may be ten, twenty or 
 thirty years; and will you think it hard to 
 wait upon God a few months or years ? O, 
 be not so unreasonable and undutiful ! It is 
 of the Lord's mercies you are not consumed, 
 and it must be of his free, undeserved mercy, 
 if you are saved. Certainly then you are 
 well treated, and have a rich reward of all 
 your pains, if God shall come at the last and 
 save you, even when this frail short life is 
 just expiring. Or, if others awakened after 
 you, obtain grace and comfort before you, let 
 not your eye be evil, because God is good. 
 Is it not lawful for him to do what he will 
 with his own ? O, take heed then and be- 
 ware of entertaining hard thoughts of God ! 
 Lie down at the foot of sovereign grace, and 
 wait God's time without murmuring and com- 
 6* 
 
66 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 plaint. Again, are blasphemous thoughts 
 injected ? Cast them out with abhorrence, 
 and be not dismayed. The evil one who 
 casts these fiery darts, must bear the blame 
 and punishment. In a word, do not perplex 
 yourselves with anxious inquiries about your 
 election. This is absurd and preposterous at 
 this time. Hear that word then, The secret 
 things belong unto the Lord our God ; but 
 those things which are revealed belong unto 
 us, and to our children for ever, that we may 
 do all the words of this law. Deut. 29 : 29. 
 Your duty is plainly revealed. Give dili- 
 gence to make your calling and election sure ; 
 for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. 
 2 Pet. 1 : 10. Make sure of the effectual 
 call of the Spirit, and then you may safely 
 conclude that God has loved you with an ev- 
 erlasting love, and so drawn you to himself. 
 Let this great work then be regarded as the 
 one thing needful: however, let not your 
 particular calling be neglected in the season 
 for it. Wherein you are called, abide with 
 God, attending this business also in obedience 
 to him. The work of your salvation will be 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 67 
 
 most likely to prosper, when every duty is 
 attended in its place and time. Upon the 
 whole, do not conceal the distress of your 
 souls ; but be willing to ask and receive ad- 
 vice in a matter of such great importance. 
 Seek the help of your pastors, and other ex- 
 perienced Christians. But then, in the dili- 
 gent use of means, let your eye and cry be 
 to the God of all grace from whom your help 
 must come. And encourage yourselves in 
 this, that you are in the hands of a God infi- 
 nitely good and gracious, who has sent the 
 Lord Jesus to bind up the broken-hearted. 
 Behold the Son of God stands at the door 
 and knocks, saying, If any man hear my 
 voice, and open the door, I will come in to 
 him, and sup with him, and he with me. Rev. 
 3 : 20. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and 
 be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the 
 King of glory shall come in. " O, glorious 
 Lord, do thou speak to them by the inward 
 call of thy Spirit, and they will hear and 
 obey thy voice ! Do thou who hast the key 
 of David, who openeth, and no man shutteth ; 
 open their hearts, and make them thy willing 
 
68 THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVINCETH OF SIN. 
 
 people in the day of thy power. Thy words 
 are works. Speak the word, and their souls 
 shall live. Say to one and another that trem- 
 ble at thy word, Son, daughter, be of good 
 comfort, your sins are forgiven, go in peace." 
 And may you now hear that word of your 
 compassionate Redeemer, Come unto me all 
 ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I 
 will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, 
 and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in 
 heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 
 Matt. 11: 28, 29. And dutifully answer, 
 We come unto thee ; for thou art the Lord 
 our God. 
 
LECTURE II. 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT CONYINCETH OF SIN. 
 
 JOHN 16: 8. 
 
 And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin, 
 and of righteousness, and of judgment. 
 
 DOCTRINE. 
 
 It is the work of the Holy Spirit to con- 
 vince and reprove men of sin. 
 
 I. The Holy Spirit is the author of this 
 work of conviction. 
 
 II. We considered the means which the 
 Spirit of God useth to convince men of sin. 
 
 I proceed, 
 
 III. To give some brief description of the 
 work of the Spirit in convincing and reproving 
 men of sin. Wherein I shall also consider 
 some of the fruits of these convictions. 
 
 Before I speak particularly to this head, I 
 would observe to you, that the infinite Spirit 
 
70 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 of God has the nearest access to our spirits, 
 which are his creatures, and can make im- 
 pressions upon them as he pleaseth ; and he 
 convinceth sinners by an inward application 
 to the powers of the soul, the understanding, 
 conscience, &c, before a saving change is 
 wrought in the heart. 
 
 1. In this work of conviction, the Spirit of 
 God brings home the sense of sin and guilt 
 to the heart and conscience of the sinner. 
 And then his Spirit is wounded, and his heart 
 moved with fear. Though men will gener- 
 ally acknowledge that they are sinners, yet, 
 alas, there are many unconverted persons, 
 who flatter themselves in their evil ways as 
 if sin had not dominion over them, and they 
 were not walking in the path of the destroyer. 
 Many are in a lamentable manner ignorant 
 of the strictness and purity of God's law, and 
 at the same time very much strangers to their 
 own deceitful hearts. It seems that Paul, 
 while a Pharisee, was not sensible that the 
 first motions of evil concupiscence were sin. 
 Rom. 7 : 7. And Ephraim says, " In all 
 my labors they shall find none iniquity in me 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 71 
 
 that is sin ; " though the balances of deceit 
 were in his hand, and he loved to oppress. 
 Hosea 12 : 7, 8. How many false pleas 
 and vain excuses do men frame to blind and 
 bribe their consciences, whereby they are 
 laid asleep in carnal security. There is a 
 way which seemeth right unto a man ; but 
 the end thereof are the ways of death. Prov. 
 14: 12. So deceitful and desperately wick- 
 ed are the hearts of men. But when the 
 Spirit of God comes with the word to show 
 men their iniquity, he detects and lays open 
 this deceit, and maketh the sinner know that 
 he has offended the holy, heart-searching 
 God, and stands condemned by his righteous 
 law. Conscience is awakened to do its office, 
 and, as it were, says to the sinner, Thou art 
 the man ! And now he beholdeth his sin in 
 its heinous nature and aggravations ; and, 
 self-judged, maketh that confession before the 
 Lord, Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, 
 and done this evil in thy sight. Ps. 51: 4. 
 When the Spirit of God reproveth men of 
 sin, they dare not deny the fact, nor excuse 
 the fault or crime cleaving to it ; but rather 
 
72 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 deprecate God's entering into judgment with 
 them, saying, with the psalmist, If thou, Lord, 
 shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall 
 stand? Ps. 130: 3. Surely none can stand 
 in the judgment, says the convinced sinner ; 
 and as for me, I am now sensible that I must 
 fall under the condemning sentence of the 
 law, vile wretch that I am. And though this 
 may be at first from conviction of some par- 
 ticular sin, as here of the sin of unbelief, yet 
 the Spirit of God leads men up to the consid- 
 eration of their guiltiness and vileness as 
 children of apostate Adam ; showeth them 
 that they sinned in him and fell with him, 
 and that as they proceed from him, they 
 bring a corrupt nature into the world with 
 them, empty of grace and bent unto sin. 
 And now they are ready to subscribe that 
 confession, Behold I was shapen in iniquity, 
 and in sin did my mother conceive me. Ps. 
 51: 5. Now God's word is set home upon 
 their hearts, in which it is declared, that all 
 are under sin ; there is none righteous, no, 
 not one. Their mouths are stopped, and 
 they become guilty before God. Rom. 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 73 
 
 3:19. And they are ready to acknowledge 
 that they were exposed to the wrath and 
 curse of God, as a generation of vipers, even 
 from their early childhood. And whatever 
 have been their outward attendance on reli- 
 gious duties, and blameless behaviour before 
 men, they now find that they are children of 
 wrath, even as others. This was the case 
 with Saul, afterwards called Paul, though he 
 had lived, as a strict Pharisee, a blameless 
 life, according to his understanding of the 
 law. I was alive without the law once ; but 
 when the commandment came, sin revived 
 and I died. Rom. 7: 9. While a Pharisee, 
 though he had the law in the letter of it, yet 
 be was without the law, being dreadfully 
 ignorant of the spiritual meaning and use of 
 it, as also of its purity and extensive obliga- 
 tion ; and so he thought himself alive, in a 
 good condition, and that he was in a fair way 
 to obtain life by the deeds of the law. But 
 when the commandment was set home upon 
 his conscience, and the Spirit of God con- 
 vinced him of his sin, by the law, his vain 
 hopes died away, and he found himself in a 
 
 7 
 
74 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 state of spiritual death, — dead in trespasses 
 and .sins. And this is the case of the closest 
 hypocrites and most specious formalists, when 
 the Spirit of God is pleased to convince and 
 reprove them of sin. When he thus, by his 
 word or providence, showeth them their 
 work, and their transgressions, that they have 
 exceeded, they can no longer cover their 
 sins, nor flatter themselves in their evil ways. 
 Their own hearts condemn them, and they 
 see themselves exposed to the judgment of 
 that God who is greater than their hearts, 
 and knoweth all things. And accordingly 
 they are ready to fall down before God and 
 confess with them, We are all as an unclean 
 thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy 
 rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our 
 iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 
 Is. 64: 6. Whence followeth deep concern, 
 and sometimes almost overwhelming anguish 
 and distress of soul. Which leads me to say, 
 2. In this work the spirit of God maketh 
 men sensible of the deadly evil of sin, and of 
 their miserable state, while under the guilt 
 and dominion of it. As the Spirit of God 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 75 
 
 shows sinners the guilt and power of their 
 sins, so he declareth to them the dreadful 
 punishment which they lie exposed to as 
 transgressors of the law ; that the wages of 
 sin is death, not only temporal but eternal 
 death. Is not destruction to the wicked ? 
 and a strange punishment to the workers of 
 iniquity ? Job 31:3. Yes, surely, and when 
 the Spirit of God pleaseth, he can make the 
 stoutest sinner sensible of it. Such is the 
 folly and madness bound up in the hearts of 
 men, that they are ready to make a mock of 
 sin. While asleep in carnal security, they 
 dream of enjoying the pleasures of sin, with- 
 out enduring the punishment. He flattereth 
 himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be 
 found to be hateful. Ps. 36 : 2. Thus it 
 is said of the young man, void of understand- 
 ing, when enticed by the adulteress, He 
 goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth 
 to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction 
 of the flocks, till a dart strike through his 
 liver, as a bird hasteth to the snare, and 
 knoweth not that it is for his life. Pro v. 7: 
 22, 23. Men do not know, they will not 
 
76 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 consider the end of sin, though faithfully- 
 warned in God's word ; and so they often go 
 on in the ways which lead to death, till they 
 are suddenly destroyed. The simple pass 
 on, and are punished. Prov. 22: 3. And 
 the old serpent, the devil, is still ready to 
 tempt us as he did Eve, Ye shall not surely 
 die. This subtle tempter seeks to allure 
 men, by setting before them the carnal pleas- 
 ures and profits of sin ; and at the same time 
 laboreth to divert their minds from all serious 
 consideration of the punishment. Alas, how 
 successfully ! It is supposed that there might 
 be found among God's people, man or woman 
 that would say, I shall have peace, though I 
 walk in the imagination of my heart, to add 
 drunkenness to thirst. But the Lord threat- 
 ens, That he will not spare him, but the 
 anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall 
 smoke against that man, and all the curses 
 written in this book shall lie upon him. Deut. 
 29: 18, 20. And accordingly when the 
 Spirit of God shoots the arrows of conviction 
 into the sinner's heart, he showeth him the 
 daring presumption of this, and maketh him 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 77 
 
 know that sin is an evil thing, and will be 
 bitterness in the end. The Spirit makes 
 men feel the plague of their own hearts, and 
 the deadly wounds sin hath given them. 
 Now they find that description agreeth to 
 them: The whole head is sick and the whole 
 heart is faint ; from the sole of the foot even 
 unto the head, there is no soundness in it ; 
 but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores. 
 Is. 1: 5, 6. 
 
 When the word of God is thus impressed 
 upon the sinner's heart, it is like fire, respect- 
 ing the light it gives to discern the evil of 
 sin, and the pain and misery inflicted on the 
 soul consequent upon this. Thus the Spirit 
 of God shows men the great evil of an heart 
 of unbelief, whereby they depart from the 
 living God, and reject the only Saviour, by 
 such a word as that, He that believeth not, 
 shall be damned. Mark 16: 16. The great 
 evil of a hard and impenitent heart, whereby 
 men treasure up wrath against the day of 
 wrath, by such a word as that, Except ye 
 repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 
 13 : 3. And their consciences are inflamed 
 7* 
 
78 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 with painful apprehensions of the burning 
 wrath of God due to them for their sins. 
 Now that word cometh home to them, Thou 
 hast destroyed thyself. Hos. 13 : 9. And 
 sensible of their miserable state, they cry out, 
 with the prodigal, I perish. Luke 15: 17. 
 They no longer dream that the pleasures of 
 sin can be separated from the punishment ; 
 but now find they have to do with an holy, 
 heart-searching, jealous God, that will by no 
 means clear the guilty. God speaks to them 
 by his word, together with the inward impres- 
 sions of his Spirit, as, These things hast thou 
 done, and I kept silence ; thou thoughtest 
 that I was altogether such a one as thyself; 
 but I will reprove thee, and set them in order 
 before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye 
 that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, 
 and there be none to deliver. Ps.50: 21, 
 22. And while the Spirit of God is thus a 
 spirit of bondage, the sinner trembleth for 
 fear of God, and is afraid of his judgments. 
 Thus we read, The sinners in Zion are afraid, 
 fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites ; who 
 among us shall dwell with the devouring fire ? 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 79 
 
 Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting 
 burnings ? Is. 33 : 14. They now know the 
 terrors of the Lord, and find that he is of 
 purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot 
 look on iniquity without abhorrence. They 
 are in anguish while their sins lie heavy upon 
 them, and the iron yoke galls their con- 
 sciences ; and are ready to complain that 
 their iniquities are gone over their heads, as 
 a heavy burden, too heavy for them to bear. 
 Yea, now the sinner is sometimes almost 
 dismayed with fear, lest God should take him 
 away with a stroke, and cast him into hell. 
 
 3. When the Spirit of God reproveth of 
 sin, he brings the sinner to humble himself 
 before God. When the arrows of conviction 
 are sharp in the hearts of the king's enemies, 
 the people fall down under him. Ps. 45 : 5. 
 Thus it is when our Lord rides forth on the 
 word of truth, accompanied with the Holy 
 Spirit, the sinner lieth prostrate at his feet, 
 sensible that it is a dreadful thing to fall into 
 the hands of the living God, as an avenger 
 of sin. Now there is a work of humiliation 
 wrought, in which the haughtiness of the 
 
80 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 sinner's spirit is quelled, and he is cast down, 
 convinced that he cannot resist God and 
 prosper. He is made sensible that God can 
 break him in pieces, and that none is able to 
 deliver out of his hand. Such a word as that 
 is set home upon his conscience, See now 
 that I, even I am he, and there is no god 
 with me ; I kill, and I make alive ; I wound, 
 and I heal; neither is there any that can 
 deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my 
 hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. If 
 I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand 
 take hold on judgment, I will render ven- 
 geance to mine enemies, and will reward 
 them that hate me. And when the convinced 
 sinner finds himself thus in the hands of that 
 God, who is able to save or destroy for ever, 
 he lieth down in the dust before him. Now 
 the lofty looks of men are humbled, and God 
 is exalted. Thus when God denounced 
 dreadful threatenings against Ahab, by the 
 prophet Elijah, it is said, And it came to 
 pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he 
 rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his 
 flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 81 
 
 went softly. 1 Kings 21: 27. Yea, such 
 was his humiliation, though here was no true 
 saving repentance, that God was pleased to 
 take a gracious notice of it, and mitigate the 
 judgment threatened. Seest thou how Ahab 
 humbleth himself before me ? Because he 
 humbleth himself before me, I will not bring 
 the evil in his days. v. 29. In like manner, the 
 cruel, hardy jailer fell down before Paul and 
 Silas, as the servants of the most high God, 
 humbly to intreat them to show him the way 
 of salvation. Acts 16: 29, 30. Had he 
 done this to worship them, they would have 
 rejected it with abhorrence. He did it, as a 
 judicious expositor supposeth, " being moved 
 by the fear of God's judgments thus to humble 
 himself." * When men are thus convinced, 
 their haughty and stubborn spirits are brought 
 down, they are forced to quit their carnal 
 confidences as refuges of lies, and are brought 
 before God, as the servants of Benhadad 
 came in his name, before the king of Israel, 
 with ropes upon their heads, and with that 
 submissive request, I pray thee let me live* 
 
 * Calvin. 
 
82 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 To allude to those words, 1 Kings 20: 31, 
 32.. For they now find that they lie at 
 God's mercy, and have a dread of his fiery 
 indignation, lest it should consume them. 
 We read that the wicked, through the pride 
 of his countenance, will not seek after God. 
 Ps. 10: 4. But when God cometh upon 
 the sinner by his Spirit, to show hirn his sin 
 and misery, and the danger he is in of being 
 broken to pieces in the day of his wrath, 
 then you shall hear him cry, Mercy, Lord, 
 mercy for a miserable sinner, or I perish ! 
 
 4. When the Spirit doth thus convince 
 of sin, he maketh the sinner confess his sin, 
 and exciteth him to reform his life. Though 
 in this work there is not a principle of saving 
 grace infused in opposition to sin, yet sin is 
 made bitter from the fruits of it ; so that 
 while the Spirit of God doth in this manner 
 strive with the sinner, and impresseth on his 
 mind a dread of God's wrath, he dare not go 
 on in his evil courses, and cannot relish the 
 pleasures of sin, as when he lived in carnal 
 security, fearing lest that threatening should 
 be fulfilled upon him, How much she hath 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 83 
 
 glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so 
 much torment and sorrow give her. Rev. 
 18 : 7. His case is like that expressed in 
 Job 20: 12 — 14. Though wickedness be 
 sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under 
 his tongue ; though he spare it, and forsake 
 it not, but keep it still within his mouth ; yet 
 his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall 
 of asps within him. And now the burden of 
 sin lieth so heavy upon the consciences of 
 men, that they are compelled, as it were, to 
 seek relief by confessing their sins before 
 God ; and they find themselves constrained 
 to crv out of their sad and wretched state 
 before men. When Samuel reproved Saul 
 for not utterly destroying Amalek, though at 
 first he endeavored to excuse himself, yet 
 when the prophet declared to him that 
 because he had rejected the word of the 
 Lord, God had also rejected him from being 
 king; being convicted in his conscience, he 
 said, I have sinned. 2 Sam. 15 : 24. And 
 now the sinner is sick of his sin, and casts it 
 up. He cannot now drink down iniquity 
 like water, with greediness and delight, as he 
 
84 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 did before; but rather abstains from the 
 outward commission of it, and formeth reso- 
 lutions against it. If tempted, while the 
 Spirit is thus striving with him, it is as if you 
 should offer pleasant drink to a man, and at 
 the same time assure him that there is poison 
 in the cup. He, for the present, at least, 
 puts aw T ay sin for fear of wrath, and turns 
 from his wicked companions. You may ob- 
 serve a visible alteration in him. While these 
 strong convictions of the Spirit are upon him, 
 he is restrained from the commission of sin ; 
 but then if he is left to quench these good 
 motions, and the Spirit is provoked to depart 
 from him, and cease striving ; we have his 
 dismal case described in 2 Pe. 2 : 20 — 22. 
 If after they have escaped the pollutions of 
 the world, through the knowledge of the Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again 
 entangled therein, and overcome ; the latter 
 end is worse with them than the beginning. 
 For it had been better for them not to have 
 known the way of righteousness, than after 
 they have known it to turn from the holy 
 commandment delivered unto them. But it 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 85 
 
 is happened unto them according to the true 
 proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit 
 again ; and the sow that was washed to her 
 wallowing in the mire. O it is a dreadful 
 thing to sin against such light, and stifle such 
 convictions of the Spirit ! Let such as are 
 favored with them take heed therefore, and 
 beware of this most dangerous and provoking 
 evil. 
 
 5. In this work the Spirit of God showeth 
 men the utter insufficiency of creature com- 
 forts to afford relief to their troubled minds. 
 While men are secure in sin, they are very 
 prone to promise themselves satisfaction in 
 their outward enjoyments, and so to be un- 
 concerned about obtaining the favor of God. 
 They spend their days in wealth, and in a 
 moment go down to the grave. Therefore 
 they say unto God, Depart from us, for we 
 desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Job 
 21: 13, 14. The riches and pleasures of 
 this life often divert men's minds from a seri- 
 ous attention to the calls of the gospel. 
 When invited to partake of the rich provision 
 God hath made for perishing sinners, They 
 8 
 
86 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 make light of it, and go their ways, one to 
 his farm, another to his merchandize. Matt. 
 22: 5. They are ready to say with the 
 rich man, Soul, thou hast much goods laid 
 up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, 
 drink and be merry. Luke 12: 19. But 
 now when the Spirit of God convinceth the 
 sinner of the perishing condition of his soul, 
 he says to him, Thou fool, this night thy soul 
 may be required of thee ; you hang over the 
 bottomless pit by the slender thread of a frail 
 life, and may before to-morrow lift up your 
 eyes in torments. And when thus reproved 
 of their sin and folly, their carnal confidence 
 and satisfaction in creatures are blasted, and 
 their mirth is turned into heaviness. None 
 of their worldly enjoyments appear to them 
 as they did before ; they have lost their relish 
 for them. For now they are convinced that 
 these things cannot profit in the day of wrath, 
 nor redeem them from destruction. Yea, if 
 they have gotten their earthly possessions by 
 unrighteous practices, the Spirit of God show- 
 eth them that they have been treasuring up 
 wrath against the day of wrath. And now 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 87 
 
 they are ready to say, What shall it profit 
 us, though we gain the whole world, and lose 
 our souls ? What good will these things do 
 us, if we must sink down under the weight of 
 God's wrath, and perish for ever in hell ? 
 Alas ! we shall be the more miserable upon 
 the account of them, in the terrible day of 
 the Lord. And thus are they brought to 
 realize it, that if they would find rest for their 
 souls, they must seek better things, and are 
 convinced of the great evil of seeking their 
 happiness in creatures, in opposition to God. 
 Which leads me to say, 
 
 6. When the Spirit of God convinceth 
 men of sin, he exciteth them to seek deliver- 
 ance in the diligent use of the means of grace 
 and salvation. Now they find that nothing 
 can give them ease, while the burden of sin 
 lieth heavy upon them, and accordingly they 
 are concerned to seek the Lord in the ways 
 of his own appointment, if haply they may 
 find him who alone is able to save them from 
 sin and death. Before, they might cast off 
 fear, and restrain prayer, but now they cry 
 for mercy. Indeed, the force of education 
 
88 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 and custom may prevail with men to attend 
 religious duties ; but then this is done in 
 formality, and with little concern about their 
 souls. Whereas, when the Holy Spirit Com- 
 eth upon men, to convince them of their sin 
 and danger, his voice is like that in Jonah 1: 
 6. What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, 
 call upon thy God, if so be that God will 
 think upon us, that we perish not. And 
 when these convictions are strong upon them, 
 they are ready to make that inquiry, with 
 great seriousness, What must I do to be 
 saved ? Acts 16 : 30. And to say with them 
 who were pricked in their heart, Men and 
 brethren, what shall we do? And now it 
 may be said of them, as of Saul, Behold, he 
 prayeth. Acts 9:11. No doubt Saul, having 
 been a Pharisee, had made many prayers 
 before this ; but now, in anguish of spirit, we 
 may suppose he was ready to say, with the 
 publican, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner. 
 The whole need not the physician. But 
 when sinners are made to feel the smart of 
 those deadly wounds which sin hath given 
 them, and at the same time hear of a Saviour, 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 89 
 
 they are pressed in spirit to seek to him, 
 saying, Lord, save me, or I perish. Now 
 they also attend to the preaching of the word 
 after another manner than before, finding that 
 the threatenings and reproofs of God's word 
 belong to them. And being concerned to 
 flee from the wrath to come, their fears urge 
 them to mind the duties of religion, and to 
 strive to enter in at the strait gate, lest 
 their day of grace should end before they 
 have obtained an interest in Jesus Christ ; 
 for now they dread the damnation of hell. 
 
 7. The Spirit of God beats men off from 
 a carnal dependence on their religious duties, 
 and showeth them that their salvation must 
 come from God alone. 
 
 It is to be feared that many who have been 
 under convictions, and so turned from open 
 impiety to some outward reformation and at- 
 tendance on religious duties, stop here, and 
 never go out to Christ for salvation. Our 
 Lord assureth us that there are foolish virgins 
 in the visible church, that content themselves 
 with an outward profession, without being 
 concerned to obtain the oil of saving grace in 
 8* 
 
90 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 their hearts ; and then fall asleep in carnal 
 security, until they are awaked by the mid- 
 night cry, Go ye out to meet him. And 
 then they are wholly at a loss, finding the 
 door of mercy shut against them. They cry, 
 Lord, Lord, open to us ; but he answereth, I 
 know you not. Matt. 25. And, therefore, 
 when the Spirit of God is pleased to carry on 
 his work, he convinceth men of the great evil 
 and danger of their resting here, without a 
 saving conversion to God, and union with 
 Christ by faith. He showeth them more and 
 more, the vileness of their own hearts, and 
 the absolute necessity of their being renewed 
 in the spirit of their minds, after the image of 
 God ; that, except they are born again, they 
 cannot see the kingdom of God. And con- 
 vinceth them that if they are saved after all, 
 it must not be according to works which they 
 have done, but according to the free grace 
 and mercy of God, through the merits of 
 Jesus Christ. The promise is not made to 
 them that labor and are heavy laden ; but to 
 them, who, being heavy laden with the bur- 
 den of their sins, go to Christ upon his most 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 91 
 
 gracious call and invitation, Come unto me, 
 all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I 
 will give you rest. Matt. 1 1 : 28. And our 
 Lord declareth, Him that cometh unto me, I 
 will in no wise cast out. John 6: 31. Now 
 we go to Christ in the exercise of faith. He 
 that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he 
 that believeth on me, shall never thirst, v. 35. 
 Nor is the promise made to them that attend 
 religious duties merely from a slavish fear and 
 dread of wrath, and without any sincere re- 
 gard to the glory of God. Indeed, it is not sin 
 for persons while unconverted, to pray to 
 God, hear his word, &c. No : such duties as 
 these God requireth of them, and they are to 
 be exhorted and encouraged to seek the Lord 
 in these ways of his appointment, forasmuch 
 as God has often been found of men, while in 
 the diligent use of means ; but, then, they 
 must be made sensible that they fail in the 
 manner of their attending upon these religious 
 duties. Without faith it is impossible to 
 please God. Heb. 11 : 6. And, therefore, if 
 men depend on the discharge of these religious 
 duties, instead of using them as means to lead 
 
92 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 them to Christ, that they may be justified and 
 saved by faith in him, they rest on a sandy 
 foundation which will certainly fail them. 
 Accordingly when the Spirit of God carrieth 
 on his work, he reproveth this Pharisaic pride, 
 and convinceth men of the great evil of it : 
 so that they dare not stand before God, as 
 the Pharisee did, saying, God, I thank thee 
 that I am not as other men are, extortioners, 
 unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican 
 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all 
 I possess. Luke 18: 12. No, but rather 
 with the publican, cry for merc}^, after all the 
 pains they have taken to seek the Lord in 
 the way of duty. The Spirit of God showeth 
 men that except their righteousness shall ex- 
 ceed the righteousness of the Scribes and 
 Pharisees, they shall in no case enter into 
 the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 5: 20. And 
 maketh them sensible that, notwithstanding 
 all their labors in duty and outward reforma- 
 tion, God might damn them should he deal 
 with them in a way of strict justice ; and that 
 if they are saved, their salvation must come 
 from the Lord. And thus is the way of the 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 93 
 
 Lord prepared by the Spirit, that the Son of 
 God may come into the hearts of his chosen 
 people, and give rest to their weary souls. 
 Indeed, this work hath not a causal virtue to 
 produce saving grace, as has been hinted. 
 After all, there must be a saving change 
 wrought in all the powers of the soul by the 
 Spirit of God, that we may receive Jesus 
 Christ upon the gracious offer and command 
 of the gospel. We must have Jesus Christ 
 revealed to us, and have that faith wrought in 
 us by the Spirit, whereby we may close with 
 him on gospel terms ; and that repentance 
 whereby we may turn from all sin unto God. 
 There must be such a conviction of our need 
 of righteousness, and of the perfection of 
 Christ's righteousness, as that we may depend 
 on him entirely for justification before God. 
 And there must be such a conviction of judg- 
 ment, as that we may submit to the Son of 
 God as our Lord and Judge, saying, O Lord, 
 our God, other lords beside thee have had 
 dominion over us ; but by thee only will we 
 make mention of thy name. Isa. 26 : 13. 
 O that this may be the happy issue of the 
 
94 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 Spirit's striving with elder and younger per- 
 sons ! And may none be left to resist and 
 quench his good motions ! Come, O Breath, 
 and breathe upon these slain, that they may 
 live ! 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 Use 1. Let us inquire into the state of 
 our souls ; particularly, whether we have had 
 the experience of this work of the Spirit. 
 Has the Holy Spirit convinced us of our sin 
 and misery by the fall, so that we have been 
 made sensible of our lost, perishing state, as 
 we are the children of the first Adam, in 
 whom all die ? It is true, there may be con- 
 siderable variety as to the degree of the 
 Spirit's operation. Some may have greater 
 terror, and of longer continuance than others, 
 as we before observed. But, then, we have 
 reason to conclude that the Spirit of God is a 
 spirit of bondage unto fear, to every uncon- 
 verted person grown to years of understand- 
 ing and judgment, before he is a spirit of 
 regeneration and adoption. And, therefore, 
 such as are confident of their being in a state 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 95 
 
 of salvation, without a conviction of sin, and 
 painful sense of the defiling and destroying 
 evil of it, have just reason to fear that they 
 deceive themselves. 
 
 Our Saviour declareth to the Laodiceans, 
 who were puffed up with a proud and false 
 conceit of themselves, that they were wretched, 
 and miserable, and poor, and blind, and 
 naked, before he counsels them to come to 
 him for gold tried in the fire, that they might 
 be enriched with saving grace more precious 
 than gold, &c. Rev. 3 : 17, 18. Let us then, 
 examine and try ourselves, whether we have 
 ever felt the burden of our sins too heavy for 
 us to bear, and been made sensible of the vile 
 corruption of our hearts ; so as to cry to God 
 for deliverance, being convinced that nothing 
 short of his almighty power and grace can 
 save us. And here, supposing the case, that 
 some of you were converted while very 
 young ; yet it is incumbent on you to inquire, 
 whether you have such a spiritual sight of the 
 evil of sin, as to be in bitterness upon the 
 account of it, and to be excited to work out 
 your own salvation with fear and trembling. 
 
96 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 This is plain, that the best of men, in this 
 imperfect state, have reason to cry out, Lord, 
 help our unbelief! And to groan out that 
 complaint, O, wretched man that I am, who 
 shall deliver me from the body of this death ! 
 Rom. 7 : 24. And when they have indulged 
 themselves for any time in carnal security, or 
 fallen into scandalous sins, the Spirit of God 
 has so withdrawn from them, that they have 
 been brought into great perplexity, and could 
 have no solid peace till renewed to repentance. 
 This was David's case. Ps. 51. And Peter's. 
 Luke 22 : 61, 62. Agreeably, our Saviour 
 said to him, When thou art converted, 
 strengthen thy brethren. Luke 22 : 32. In- 
 deed, that God who hath begun a good work 
 in true converts, will perform it until the day 
 of Jesus Christ. However, even these may 
 need a further and more thorough conversion 
 from particular ways of sinning, that they may 
 be in a meet disposition to attend the duties and 
 enjoy the blessings of Christ's kingdom, after 
 a comfortable manner. Matt. 18:3. Surely, 
 then, there is weighty reason why we should 
 all of us look into the state of our souls, and 
 
CONTINCETH OF SIN. 97 
 
 inquire what convictions we have experienced? 
 and what hath been the issue of them. And 
 after all, we should make use of that prayer, 
 Search me, O God, and know my heart : try 
 me, and know my thoughts ; and see if there 
 be any wicked way in me, and lead me in 
 the way everlasting. Ps. 139 : 23, 24. 
 
 Use 2. Are the convictions of the Spirit 
 so sharp and pungent sometimes ? How 
 dreadful must it be to fall under the vindictive 
 wrath of God in hell for ever. 
 
 Do sinners, now, while there is hope, fear 
 and tremble before the Lord, when he thus 
 reproveth them for sin ? Are they pricked to 
 the heart, and sometimes ready to cry out, 
 under the heavy load of sin, A wounded 
 spirit who can bear ! Certainly, then the 
 torments of hell will be altogether intolerable ; 
 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not 
 quenched. Hell is a bottomless pit, in which 
 the damned sink down in everlasting despair 
 without the least gleam of hope, while the 
 wrath of God is poured out upon them to the 
 uttermost. The children of the kingdom 
 shall be cast out into outer darkness : there 
 9 
 
98 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matt. 
 8: 12. Can you not bear the Spirit's con- 
 victions, when he sets home the threatenings 
 of God's word upon your consciences? How 
 will you then be able to hear that sentence 
 pronounced by your Lord and Judge, Depart 
 from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, pre- 
 pared for the devil and his angels ; and then 
 to have it executed upon you. O, you will be 
 utterly consumed with terrors ! 
 
 Use 3. Let such as have their hearts 
 hardened from the fear of God, ask the Holy 
 Spirit to convince them of their sin and dan- 
 ger, before it be too late. 
 
 O, let the terrors of the Lord rouse you ! 
 Open your eyes, consider your heinous iniqui- 
 ty in hardening your hearts against God at 
 such a time as this, and behold your extreme 
 danger of perishing in your sins. For who 
 hath hardened himself against God and hath 
 prospered ? O let that awful word sink down 
 into your ears, and into your hearts, He, 
 that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, 
 shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without 
 remedy. Prov. 29: 1. Amazing stupidity! 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 99 
 
 You cannot but hear others complaining of 
 a hard heart, and desiring prayers that God 
 would take away the stony heart and give a 
 heart of flesh, tender and quick to receive im- 
 pressions of God's word and Spirit. And are 
 you still unconcerned? How dangerous a symp- 
 tom is this ! What a deadly lethargy has seized 
 your souls ! And how great is the danger 
 that you will never awake, till you lift up 
 your eyes in torments ! Are you not nigh to 
 that dreadful curse, He which is filthy, let 
 him be filthy still ? Do not conclude that 
 God will, but be greatly afraid lest he should 
 utterly forsake you. Deprecate that fearful 
 judgment, and cry to God to deliver you from 
 it ; acknowledging that God would be justi- 
 fied should he thus speak against you, and be 
 clear should he thus judge you. God hath 
 given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that 
 they should not see, and ears that they should 
 not hear. Rom. 11:8. 
 
 And let your sad experience teach you 
 that it is not in men nor outward means, to 
 convince you of sin and awaken you out of 
 your carnal security, unless the Spirit accom- 
 
100 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 pany these means, and apply them to your 
 souls. And accordingly, mourn bitterly be- 
 cause you have resisted and vexed the good 
 Spirit of God, and take heed you proceed no 
 further to do despite to the Spirit of grace; 
 and so live only to fill up the measure of your 
 sins, and to ripen for a much sorer punish- 
 ment, than many others who perish, shall 
 endure. O thou infinitely powerful and gra- 
 cious God, with whom all things are possible, 
 do thou awaken them, and pluck them as 
 brands out of the fire ! 
 
 Use 4. Let such as have received the 
 Spirit of God as a spirit of conviction, cherish 
 his motions, and cry to God more earnestly 
 for his Spirit as a spirit of regeneration and 
 adoption. 
 
 Though I have spoken to you more largely 
 in the former discourse, yet I cannot forbear fur- 
 ther to advise and direct you. Do not rest here, 
 but be encouraged the more earnestly to seek 
 the things which accompany salvation. It is 
 hopeful that this work is brought nigh to the 
 birth ; cry to God for strength, that it may be 
 brought forth with the shouting of grace unto 
 it. And if your distress should now increase, 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 101 
 
 do not faint ; but rather cry, with the Psalm- 
 ist, The troubles of my heart are enlarged : 
 O bring me out of my distresses. Ps. 25 : 17. 
 It may be the new birth will quickly follow, 
 to your unspeakable joy. But then you 
 must be sensible that this cannot be by any 
 might or power of your own ; but only by 
 the Spirit of the Lord of hosts. Look above 
 yourself then, and all creatures, unto the 
 Lord, that you may be saved. And let it 
 encourage you, that this work is in the hands 
 of the good Spirit of God, who delighteth in 
 holiness ; and may be called the Holy Spirit 
 in Scripture, partly because it is his work to 
 renew God's people in the spirit of their 
 minds, after the image of God, which consists 
 in knowledge, righteousness and holiness ; 
 that it is in the hands of the almighty Spirit 
 of God, who can convert you more easy than 
 you can speak a word. Surely nothing is to 
 be despaired of, while this divine Spirit is 
 working upon your hearts. 
 
 O seek the more earnestly then to that 
 God who is able to do for you above all you 
 
 can ask or think ! And now strive, even as 
 9# 
 
102 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 in agony, that you may enter in at the strait 
 gate, of a saving conversion. Why may it 
 not be this night ? Why may there not be a 
 saving union between Christ and your souls 
 even now ? Come, all things are ready. O 
 God ! Do thou draw them ! for there is no 
 man can come to the Son, except the Father 
 draw him. We wait for thee, more than they 
 that watch for the morning. May the power 
 of the Lord be present, to heal the broken 
 in heart and bind up their wounds ! May 
 there be joy in heaven over many repenting 
 sinners ! And may the mourners in Zion 
 have the oil of joy given them for mourning, 
 and the garment of praise for the spirit of 
 heaviness. 
 
 Use 5. Let such as have received the 
 Holy Spirit, as a spirit of adoption, praise the 
 God of all grace, and walk humbly with him. 
 
 Hath God revealed his Son in and to you, 
 by giving you his Spirit to convince you of 
 his righteousness, and to enable you to believe 
 in him to the saving of your souls? Is 
 the love of God thus shed abroad in your 
 hearts by the Holy Ghost ? Is Christ thus 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 103 
 
 formed in you ? Hail, you are highly fa- 
 vored, the Lord is with you, and you are 
 blessed. Flesh and blood have not revealed 
 the Son of God unto you, but the Father 
 which is in heaven. Let your souls, then, 
 magnify the Lord, and your spirits rejoice in 
 your Saviour. Give glory to God, and say, 
 each one of you, after Christ, I thank thee, 
 O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because 
 thou hast hid these things from the wise and 
 prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes ; 
 even so Father, for so it seemeth good in thy 
 sight. Matt. 11: 25,26. And then look to 
 the foundation of your joy, that it be laid in 
 deep repentance. Blessed are they that 
 mourn, for they shall be comforted. Look to 
 it that your joy be a humble, holy joy, and 
 such as shall be your strength in running the 
 way of God's commandments. Of true joy 
 it is said, The joy of the Lord is your strength. 
 Neh. 8 : 10. Let it be as oil to the wheels 
 of your obedience, and let your hearts be lift 
 up in the ways of God, while you happily 
 find that the ways of wisdom are ways of 
 pleasantness, and all her paths peace. Say, 
 
104 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 with the apostle Paul, Our rejoicing is this, 
 the testimony of our conscience, that in sim- 
 plicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly 
 wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have 
 had our conversation in the world. 2 Cor. 1: 
 12. O, take heed, beware of pride and car- 
 nal security. Serve the Lord with fear, and 
 rejoice with trembling. And when God hath 
 spoken peace, turn not again to folly. 
 
 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, where- 
 by ye are sealed to the day of redemption ; 
 but walk in him, and you shall not fulfil the 
 lusts of the flesh. Do not boast as if your 
 work was done, and your warfare accom- 
 plished ; but rather expect to meet with 
 temptations, and put on the whole armor of 
 God, that you may be able to stand against 
 the wiles of the devil. Think it not strange, 
 if God should hide his face, after you have 
 had the light of his countenance lifted up 
 upon you. This is no other trial than what 
 many of God's children have endured. Be 
 encouraged, then, to hear and obey that 
 word, Isa. 50 : 10, Who is among you that 
 feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 105 
 
 his servant, that walketh in darkness, and 
 hath no light ? Let him trust in the name of 
 the Lord and stay upon his God. Hope in 
 God, and wait patiently for him, till he shall 
 cause light to arise again unto you. And let 
 none of these things move you, neither count 
 your lives dear, that you may finish your 
 course with joy. 
 
 To conclude, let us, with humble thankful- 
 ness, behold that remarkable work of grace 
 which I trust God is carrying on in this town 
 and other places ; and be encouraged to seek 
 the Lord more earnestly, that his kingdom 
 may come with power, by the more plentiful 
 effusions of his Holy Spirit; and that the 
 Lord would rebuke Satan in all his attempts 
 to hinder or reproach this work, and bruise 
 him under our feet. Let us bless God for 
 his Spirit and grace manifested in and with 
 his servants that have preached the gospel 
 among us, and for the great success which has 
 attended their painful labors. However, let 
 us not have men's persons in admiration 
 because of advantage ; but remember that 
 word, So, then, neither is he that planteth 
 
106 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 any thing, neither he that watereth : but 
 God that giveth the increase. 1 Cor. 3 : 7. 
 And, accordingly, let the glory be given to 
 the God of all grace. And my brethren, I 
 apprehend we should reflect upon it as a fault 
 and infirmity, that though you had such re- 
 peated opportunities of hearing those worthy 
 persons, that yet one and another assembly 
 hath been crowded in such a manner, as even 
 to make disturbance on the Lord's day, while 
 others have been, in a considerable degree, 
 left destitute. 
 
 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the 
 word of the Lord may have free course and 
 be glorified. And let the stated provision of 
 God's house be duly valued by you. Let 
 your zeal for the ordinances continue, and be 
 manifested in your constant and diligent at- 
 tendance on the public worship, in an especial 
 manner on the Lord's day. And when you 
 wait upon God, in the use of the means of 
 grace, always bear in mind, those words, I 
 am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee 
 to profit. Isa. 58: 17. And let that apostol- 
 ical exhortation be duly regarded by you, We 
 
CONVINCETH OF SIN. 107 
 
 beseech you, brethren, to know them that 
 labor among you, and are over you in the 
 Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them 
 very highly, in love, for their work's sake. 
 And be at peace among yourselves. 1 Thes. 
 5: 12, 13. The more there is of mutual 
 esteem and love between ministers and their 
 people, the fairer prospect is there of the suc- 
 cess of their ministry. And the more con- 
 cerned we are to study the things which make 
 for peace, the more likely shall we be to edify 
 one another. When brethren dwell together 
 in unity, God commandeth the blessing on 
 Zion. Ps. 133. Let us, then, avoid all un- 
 christian heats and animosities, all rash judging 
 and censuring one another. And in opposi- 
 tion to this, let all unite their best endeavors, 
 in their several places, to promote the great 
 interest of pure and undefiled religion ; that 
 Christ may increase, and his kingdom flourish 
 among us. And may it please the God and 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to bless you 
 and all his people, by fulfilling that good 
 word, Ezek. 39: 29, Neither will I hide 
 my face any more from them : for I have 
 
108 THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVINCETH OF SIN. 
 
 poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel' 
 saith the Lord God. And blessed be his 
 glorious name for ever and ever, and let the 
 earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and 
 amen ! 
 
LECTURE III. 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUS- 
 NESS. 
 
 JOHN 16: 8. 
 
 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and 
 of righteousness, and of judgment. 
 
 DOCTRINE I. 
 
 It is the work of the Holy Spirit to con- 
 vince and reprove men of sin. 
 
 This doctrine hath been spoken to at the 
 Tuesday Evening Lecture, in Brattle Street, 
 where I am persuaded God has blessed the 
 labors of his servants for spiritual good to 
 many. May it please our glorious Lord to 
 grant his gracious presence with us also at 
 this Lecture, and to command his blessing on 
 the ministry of the word and prayer, that 
 
 * Preached at the opening of a Friday Evening Lec- 
 ture, in the Old South Meeting-House, Boston, April 
 17, 1741. 
 
 10 
 
110 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 sinners may be convinced and converted, and 
 the children of God grow in grace, and in 
 the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ ! 
 Lord, we wait upon thee for the more abun- 
 dant effusions of thy Spirit, humbly acknowl- 
 edging that neither is he that planteth any 
 thing, neither he that watereth : but God that 
 giveth the increase. 
 
 Having considered the work of the Holy 
 Spirit in convincing and reproving men of 
 sin, by which they are brought to despair in 
 themselves, and made sensible of their need 
 of a Saviour to deliver them from sin and 
 wrath, we now proceed to show that by the 
 same Spirit the humbled sinner is convinced 
 that Jesus is the just one, who hath brought 
 in an everlasting righteousness for the justifi- 
 cation of sinners before God. Now the me- 
 dium or argument which the Spirit is said to 
 use for this end, we have in v. 10, Of 
 righteousness, because I go to my Father, 
 and ye see me no more. An undeniable 
 evidence that he came forth from God, and 
 had finished the work which the Father gave 
 him to do upon earth. Behold our Saviour 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Ill 
 
 appearing in heaven for his people as a lamb 
 that had been slain, and ever living to make 
 intercession for them ; and let awakened sin- 
 ners be encouraged to look off from them- 
 selves and all mere creatures, and to look up 
 unto Jesus as able to save even to the utter- 
 most. Hear his voice from the excellent 
 glory, Look unto me and be ye saved all 
 the ends of the earth. Isa. 45: 22. May the 
 God of salvation look down in his tender 
 mercy upon us, and cause his words to come 
 into our hearts in demonstration of the Spirit, 
 and of power ! 
 
 DOCTRINE II. 
 
 It is the work of the Holy Spirit to con- 
 vince men of righteousness. 
 
 Under this doctrine and for the confirma- 
 tion of it, we may consider the following 
 particulars. 
 
 I. What is here intended by righteousness. 
 
 II. Show that it is the Spirit who convin- 
 ceth of righteousness. 
 
 III. Consider the means which the Spirit 
 useth to convince men of righteousness. 
 
 ^v. 
 
112 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 IV. Offer some description of this work 
 of the Spirit. 
 
 I. What is here intended by righteousness. 
 
 I answer, the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 
 In this I think expositors are generally agreed, 
 and v. 10 applieth it to Christ. 
 
 More particularly, 
 
 1. The Spirit of God convinceth men that 
 Jesus of Nazareth is Christ the righteous ; 
 the true Messiah, and no impostor. 
 
 Thus the words are understood by some 
 as especially intending Christ's own personal 
 righteousness. Jesus is the Son of God, and 
 one with the Father in the essential perfec- 
 tions and rectitude of the divine nature. I 
 and my Father are one. John 10: 30. And 
 to him those words, Ps. 45 : 6, 7, are applied, 
 Heb. 1 : 8, 9. But unto the Son he saith, 
 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever ; a 
 sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy 
 kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and 
 hated iniquity. And in his human nature 
 taken into personal union with his divine, he 
 was perfectly free from all even the least sin 
 from his conception and birth, and throughout 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 113 
 
 his whole life. Thus it was said to the 
 blessed virgin. The Holy Ghost shall come 
 upon thee, and the power of the Highest 
 shall overshadow thee ; therefore also that 
 holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall 
 be called the Son of God. Luke 1 : 35. 
 And as to his life, none could ever convince 
 him of evil ; for he did none, nor was guile 
 found in his mouth. Yea, his holy Father 
 who seeth in secret, saw no defect or blemish 
 in him. This is my beloved Son, in whom I 
 am well pleased. Matt. 3:17. Such an 
 high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, 
 undefiled, separate from sinners. Heb. 7 : 26. 
 Indeed he was accused as a deceiver, a blas- 
 phemer, a friend of publicans and sinners. 
 But even then, wisdom was justified of her 
 children, and there were some who beheld his 
 glory, the glory as of the only begotten of 
 the Father. The characters given of the 
 Messiah unite in him, and the apostlej Peter 
 declareth concerning him, Ye men of Israel, 
 hear these words ; Jesus of Nazareth, a man 
 approved of God among you, by miracles, 
 and wonders, and signs, which God did by 
 10* 
 
114 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 him in the midst of you. Acts 2 : 22. And 
 though he was numbered with the transgres- 
 sors, yet we must remember that he suffered 
 the just for the unjust. The Messiah was 
 cut off, but not for himself. Accordingly we 
 find in the sacred history, that Pilate his 
 judge pronounced him innocent ; and Judas 
 who had the greatest advantages to know his 
 Master's life and conversation, in great horror 
 confessed that he had betrayed the innocent 
 blood. And when Peter charged the Jews 
 with this horrible crime, of denying the holy 
 one and the just, and desiring a murderer to 
 be granted unto them, great numbers were 
 convinced of their heinous sin in crucifying 
 the Lord of glory, and brought to trust in 
 him as the true Messiah and only Saviour. 
 Acts 2 : 3. 
 
 2. That there is in Christ a mediatorial 
 righteousness to be imputed to his people for 
 their justification before God. 
 
 And this is supposed, by worthy expositors, 
 to be principally intended in the words. One 
 of the glorious titles given to our Lord Jesus 
 is, that, The Lord our Righteousness. Jer. 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. .115 
 
 23 : 6. It was prophesied of the Messiah, 
 that he should finish the transgression, make 
 an end of sins, make reconciliation for ini- 
 quity, and bring in everlasting righteousness. 
 Dan. 9 : 24. And it is no small part of the 
 glory of the gospel, that in it the righteousness 
 of God is revealed from faith to faith. Rom. 1 : 
 16, 17. Here it is declared that the Son of 
 God in our nature was made sin for his peo- 
 ple, the iniquities of God's people being laid 
 upon him ; that they might be made the 
 righteousness of God in him, having his per- 
 fect righteousness imputed to them for their 
 justification, when they receive him by faith. 
 Indeed this great doctrine was to the carnal 
 Jews a stumbling-block. For they being 
 ignorant of God's righteousness, and going 
 about to establish their own righteousness, 
 have not submitted themselves unto the right- 
 eousness of God. Rom. 10: 3. And it was 
 to the Greeks foolishness. They imagined it 
 was an absurd thing to trust in Christ for 
 righteousness, who was crucified 7 as if he had 
 been the vilest malefactor. But now, when 
 the Spirit of God has convinced his people of 
 
116 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 their sin, and made them sensible that they 
 must go out of themselves for righteousness, 
 he revealeth the Son to them, in whom God 
 is reconciling the world to himself, not impu- 
 ting their iniquities ; and maketh manifest the 
 righteousness of God, which is by faith of 
 Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that 
 believe. Rom. 3 : 21, 22. This divine 
 Spirit showeth them the fullness, the suffi- 
 ciency of this righteousness for their justifica- 
 tion, and enableth them, even when they 
 have the deepest sense of the greatness of 
 their sins, to rely upon Christ, that they may 
 be accepted as righteous with God. 
 
 Thus it was with the apostle Paul after 
 Christ was revealed unto him. Though he 
 had some of the strongest temptations to in- 
 dulge confidence in the flesh, yet he counted 
 all loss for Christ. But what things were 
 gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 
 Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, 
 for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ 
 Jesus my Lord ; for whom I have suffered 
 the loss of all things, and do count them but 
 dung that I may win Christ, and be found in 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 117 
 
 him, not having mine own righteousness, 
 which is of the law, but that which is through 
 the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is 
 of God by faith. Phil. 3 : 7—9. 
 
 3. This righteousness may intend the 
 grace of our Lord Jesus Christ communicated 
 to his people for their sanctification, and to 
 make them meet for the inheritance of the 
 saints in light. 
 
 Christ is of God made unto his people, 
 righteousness, also sanctification. 1 Cor. 1 : 
 30. As they have his perfect righteousness 
 imputed to them for their justification before 
 God, so they derive inherent righteousness 
 from him when they are renewed after the 
 image of God. Our Lord Jesus is the head 
 of all gracious influences, and with him is 
 the spring of our spiritual life. It pleased 
 the Father, that in him should all fullness 
 dwell. Col. 1 : 19. And of his fullness we 
 receive, and grace for grace. John 1 : 16. 
 Now when the Spirit of God hath convinced 
 men that they are by nature empty of grace, 
 and utterly impotent of spiritual good, he 
 showeth them also that Christ has purchased 
 abundance of grace and of the gift of right- 
 
118 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 eousness to communicate to his people ; and 
 that there is a fountain opened in him to 
 cleanse, not only from the guilt, but also 
 from the defilements of sin, till believers 
 shall be presented faultless before him. 
 The Holy Spirit convinceth men that Christ 
 must be the author and finisher of faith, and 
 other graces in them ; and that though of 
 themselves they can do nothing, yet that 
 through Christ strengthening them, they may 
 do all things necessary to salvation. 
 
 II. We proceed to show, that it is the 
 work of the Spirit to convince men of this 
 righteousness. 
 
 Here I may say, that it is the Holy Spirit 
 who maketh the effectual application of the 
 redemption purchased by Christ to the souls 
 of men. We are saved by the washing of 
 regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy 
 Ghost, shed on us abundantly through Jesus 
 Christ our Saviour. Tit. 3: 5, 6. The 
 grace of our Lord Jesus, and the love of God 
 are brought home to his chosen people, by 
 the communion of the Holy Ghost. And in 
 particular, the saving evidence and con- 
 viction of the great doctrines of the gospel 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 119 
 
 respecting Christ's person as God-man, and 
 respecting his mediation, are from the same 
 Spirit. Agreeably, our Saviour declared to 
 his disciples, v. 13, When he the Spirit of 
 truth is come, he will guide you into all 
 truth. The word is emphatical, and signifieth 
 not only that the Spirit would discover these 
 truths in the notion of them, but also that he 
 would lead his disciples into an experimental 
 acquaintance with them, so that they should 
 live and act under the governing influence of 
 them. It follows, v. 14, He shall glorify me : 
 for he shall receive of mine, and shall show 
 it unto you. And therefore the apostle Paul 
 prayeth to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 the Father of glory, to give to the Christian 
 Ephesians the spirit of wisdom and revela- 
 tion, in the knowledge of him, the eyes of 
 their understanding being enlightened, that 
 they might know what is the exceeding great- 
 ness of his power to them that believe, ac- 
 cording to the working of his mighty power, 
 which he wrought in Christ, when he raised 
 him from the dead. Eph. 1 : 16 — 20. And 
 the same apostle, speaking of Christ and him 
 
120 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 crucified, declareth that these things are re- 
 vealed by the Spirit ; for the Spirit searcheth 
 all things, yea, the deep things of God. 1 Cor. 
 2: 10. As the Spirit moved on the face of 
 the waters, when darkness was on the face of 
 the deep, and created the light, so in the new 
 creation, he moveth on the hearts of his peo- 
 ple, and gives them the light of the knowl- 
 edge of Christ and his righteousness. The 
 Spirit of God then is the author of this con- 
 viction. It is he that reneweth his people in 
 knowledge, when he forms the new man in 
 them. Agreeably we read of the demonstra- 
 tion of the Spirit. 1 Cor. 2 ; 4. And when 
 the apostle John had said that Christ cams 
 by water and blood, that he might save us 
 both from the guilt and defilement of sin, he 
 further observeth in the same verse, It is the 
 Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit 
 is truth. 1 John 5 : 6. It is the divine Spirit 
 then who declareth to men that we have re- 
 demption through the blood of Jesus, the for- 
 giveness of sins. 
 
 III. We may consider the means which 
 the Spirit of God useth to convince men of 
 Christ's righteousness. 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 121 
 
 1. The Spirit of God naaketh use of his 
 word to convince men of the righteousness of 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 Our Saviour declareth that the Scriptures 
 testify of him. John 5 : 39. And if we dili- 
 gently consult the prophecies, types and 
 promises of the Old Testament relating to 
 the Messiah, and then compare them with 
 the revelation and history of the New Testa- 
 ment, we shall find a wonderful harmony and 
 agreement between them, and be obliged to 
 acknowledge that in sending Jesus to save his 
 people from their sins, God has performed 
 the mercy promised to the fathers, and re- 
 membered his holy covenant. Now prophecy 
 came not in old time by the will of man ; but 
 holy men of God spake as they were moved 
 by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet. 1 : 21. Accord- 
 ingly it is said of them who prophesied of 
 the grace which should come unto us, that 
 they searched diligently what manner of time 
 the Spirit of Christ, which was in them did 
 signify, when it testified beforehand the suf- 
 ferings of Christ, and the glory that should 
 follow. 1 Pet. 1 : 10, 11. If we read Ps. 
 11 
 
122 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 22, Isa. 7: 14, 52, Dan. 9, and many 
 other prophecies and promises of the Old 
 Testament, we shall see that the Spirit of 
 God in and by his inspired word did testify 
 of Christ, and particularly of the perfect 
 righteousness which he was to bring in for 
 the justification of sinners. By his knowl- 
 edge, by the knowledge of himself, shall my 
 righteous servant justify many ; for he shall 
 bear their iniquities, Isa. 53 : 11. Dan. 9: 24. 
 Our Saviour while in the exercise of his min- 
 istry upon earth, applied to himself the 
 famous prophecy we have recorded, Isa. 61 : 
 1 — 3, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, 
 because he hath anointed me to preach the 
 gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal 
 the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to 
 the captives, and recovering of sight to the 
 blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 
 to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 
 Luke 4: 18, 19, vs. 21, 22. This day is 
 this Scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all 
 bear him witness, and wondered at the gra- 
 cious words which proceeded out of his 
 mouth. And after his resurrection, when he 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 123 
 
 had rebuked two of his disciples for being so 
 slow of heart to believe all that the prophets 
 had spoken, it is said, Beginning at Moses and 
 all the prophets, he expounded to them in 
 all the Scriptures, the things concerning him- 
 self. Luke 24 : 27. And it is plain our Lord 
 accompanied his word with the light and 
 heat of his divine Spirit ; for they said one 
 to another, Did not our heart burn within us, 
 while he talked with us by the way, and 
 while he opened to us the Scriptures ? v. 32. 
 And after Christ's ascension into heaven, 
 when the Spirit of God was poured out from 
 on high, the apostles and other ministers of 
 Christ did evidently prove from Scriptures 
 that Jesus was the Christ, to the saving con- 
 version of great numbers, and the confusion 
 of his implacable enemies. 
 
 Thus it was when the preaching of the 
 word was attended with the power of the 
 Holy Ghost, many believed, and turned to 
 the Lord. The full evidence of Scripture, 
 when thus impressed on the mind, cannot be 
 gainsayed. We read of Apollos who was 
 mighty in the Scriptures, and fervent in the 
 
124 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 Spirit, that he mightily convinced the Jews, 
 and that publicly, showing by the Scriptures, 
 that Jesus was Christ. Acts 18 : 28. The 
 apostle Paul tells us that there was a veil 
 over the hearts of the Jews in reading of the 
 Old Testament, which is done away in Christ. 
 2 Cor. 3: 14. He then adds, v. 18. We 
 all with open face, beholding as in a glass the 
 glory of the Lord, are changed into the same 
 image from glory to glory, even as by the 
 Spirit of the Lord. So clear and powerful 
 is the reflection of the glory of Christ from 
 the word of God, when the Spirit removeth 
 the veil of spiritual blindness. Now the light 
 of the glorious gospel of Christ shineth into 
 the heart, to give the light of the knowledge 
 of the glory of God in the face of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 2. The Spirit of God convinceth men of 
 the righteousness of Christ, by his resurrec- 
 tion from the dead. 
 
 We read of Christ, that he was delivered 
 for our offences, and was raised again for our 
 justification. Rom. 4: 25. "By the merit 
 of his death, he paid our debt : in his resur- 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 125 
 
 rection he took out our acquittance." When 
 he suffered on the cross, the sins of his peo- 
 ple were laid upon him as their surety, and 
 had he not given full satisfaction to divine 
 justice for them, he must have been held in 
 the prison of the grave, he could never have 
 risen from the dead. But Jesus is risen ac- 
 cording to his word and promise, Destroy this 
 temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 
 John 2:19. We have incontestable proof 
 of this important fact in the holy Scriptures, 
 particularly from many faithful witnesses who 
 sealed their testimony with their blood. Now 
 this great work of Christ's resurrection is 
 ascribed to the Father, to the Son himself; 
 and he is also said to be quickened by the 
 Spirit. 1 Pet. 3 : 18. And he is said to be 
 declared to be the Son of God with power, 
 according to the Spirit of holiness, by the 
 resurrection from the dead. Rom. 1: 4. And 
 indeed this is a strong proof that our Saviour 
 was the person he professed himself to be, 
 the Son of God by eternal generation. Thus 
 an expositor observeth on the place, " The 
 sign of the prophet Jonas, i. e., Christ's re- 
 11* 
 
126 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 surrection, was intended for the last convic- 
 tion. Matt. 12: 39, 40. Those that would 
 not be convinced by that, would be convinced 
 by nothing." # Accordingly when the apos- 
 tle Peter would convince the Jews that Jesus 
 whom they crucified, was the Christ, he de- 
 clareth his resurrection from the dead. He 
 seeing this before, spake of the resurrection 
 of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, 
 neither his flesh did see corruption. This 
 Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are 
 witnesses. Acts 2: 31, 32. And the Spirit 
 of God being then given to set home the 
 word on their hearts, many were convinced, 
 and brought to repent and believe in Christ 
 unto salvation, vs. 37 — 41. Yea, of such 
 great moment is the doctrine of the resurrec- 
 tion of Christ, that the evidence of the truth 
 of the Christian religion very much depends 
 upon it. If Christ be not risen, then is our 
 preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 
 1 Cor. 15 : 14. And he repeateth it, v. 17, 
 If Christ be not raised, then is your faith 
 vain ; ye are yet in your sins. And there- 
 
 * Cont. Mr. Henry. 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 127 
 
 fore the apostle sets himself to prove this 
 doctrine in this chapter. And in Rom. 8, he 
 lays the greatest stress upon it. Who is he 
 that condemneth ? It is Christ that died, yea 
 rather, that is risen again ? v. 34. Here we 
 see then that the Spirit of God in his in- 
 spired word, maketh great use of Christ's 
 resurrection as an evidence of his being the 
 true Messiah, and the only name given under 
 heaven among men, whereby we must be 
 saved ; and when he pleasetb to set home 
 this argument on the hearts of men, they 
 conclude that in Christ, and him only there is 
 a perfect righteousness for their justification 
 before God. 
 
 3. The Spirit convinceth men of the 
 righteousness of Christ, by his ascension into 
 heaven, and session at the right hand of God. 
 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, 
 and ye see me no more. 
 
 When our Lord had through the Holy 
 Ghost given commandments unto the apos- 
 tles, and showed himself alive unto them 
 after his passion, by many infallible proofs, 
 being seen of them forty days, he was 
 
128 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 taken up, and a cloud received him out of 
 their sight. Acts 1: 9. And the word of 
 God declareth that he is set down at the right 
 hand of the majesty on high, and must reign 
 till all enemies are put under his feet. Thus 
 we see Jesus, for the suffering of death 
 crowned with glory and honor, and exalted 
 to be a Prince and a Saviour. Now he 
 could never have been received to the glo- 
 rious rest of heaven, had he not finished his 
 work on earth. Accordingly we read, By 
 his own blood he entered in once into the 
 holy place, having obtained eternal redemp- 
 tion for us. Heb. 9: 12. Had not his pre- 
 cious blood been of value to make atonement 
 for sin, and purchase the justification of life 
 for his people, the man Christ Jesus could 
 never have gone to heaven, powerfully to 
 intercede for his people, and prepare a place 
 for them. He asks for nothing in the behalf 
 of his people but what he has purchased, 
 and bought by a valuable price. Agreeably, 
 we have those two parts of his priestly office, 
 his obedience to death, and the prevailing 
 power of his intercession put together, as 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 129 
 
 indeed they are dependent on each other. If 
 any man sin, we have an advocate with the 
 Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ; and he 
 is the propitiation for our sins ; and not for 
 ours only, but also for the sins of the whole 
 world. 1 John 2: 1, 2. And thus while the 
 Father heareth the Son, and distributeth par- 
 don and grace to his people, righteousness 
 and peace kiss each other. This is then an 
 undeniable evidence that Christ is approved 
 and accepted of God in the great work of 
 our redemption. Our Lord addeth, And ye 
 see me no more ; upon which a learned divine 
 observeth, "If he had ascended without 
 fulfilling all righteousness for the church, he 
 should have been sent down, and seen again ; 
 but now, saith he, you see me no more, for 
 by once dying, and by once appearing in the 
 end of the world, I have put away sin by the 
 sacrifice of myself." # And this is farther 
 evident, in that the great promise of the Holy 
 Ghost was received by him, and the Spirit 
 came down after his departure, as sent from 
 the Father in his name. John 14 : 26. Yea, 
 
 * Dr. Edward Reynolds, 110 Ps. 
 
130 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 as sent by our ascended Saviour. If I de- 
 part, I will send him unto you. v. 7. And 
 this brings me to the last particular under this 
 head. 
 
 4. The Spirit of God convinceth men of 
 the righteousness of Christ by his descent on 
 the apostles ; by the miraculous gifts he be- 
 stowed on them, and the wonderful works he 
 wrought by them. 
 
 God giveth not the Spirit by measure to his 
 Son. John 3 : 34. After his baptism the 
 heavens were opened unto him, and he saw 
 the Spirit of God descending like a dove, 
 and lighting upon him. By the Spirit of 
 God he cast out devils, Matt. 12 : 28, and 
 did other wonderful works. However there 
 was an extraordinary dispensation of the 
 Holy Ghost which was not given till Jesus 
 was glorified ; and it is this which seems to 
 be here especially intended as that which 
 should give the highest evidence and strong- 
 est conviction concerning our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and his righteousness. And here 
 it may be observed, that though the Holy 
 Spirit, being God, is in his nature invisible, 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 131 
 
 yet there were given sensible tokens of his 
 presence in this wonderful descent. And 
 suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as 
 of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the 
 house where they were sitting. And there 
 appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of 
 fire, and it sat upon each of them ; and they 
 were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and be- 
 gan to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit 
 gave them utterance. Acts 2 : 2 — 4. And 
 while many of different languages were 
 amazed to hear the apostles speak the won- 
 derful works of God in their own tongues, 
 and others mocked, the apostle Peter de- 
 clared that this was the work of the Holy 
 Ghost given by our ascended Saviour. There- 
 fore being by the right hand of God exalted, 
 and having received of the Father the prom- 
 ise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth 
 this, which ye now see and hear. v. 33. 
 Thus they received power from on high to 
 publish the gospel to nations whose languages 
 they knew not, till they were thus miracu- 
 lously taught of God by his Spirit. And no 
 doubt, with extraordinary gifts, there was 
 
132 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 also given to the apostles by the same Spirit, 
 a great increase of spiritual knowledge and 
 faith, zeal and courage, humility and patience, 
 love to God and man, and other graces, to 
 carry them well through their services and 
 sufferings for the name of Jesus. Our Sa- 
 viour promised his disciples, that he would 
 give them a mouth and wisdom which all 
 their adversaries should not be able to gain- 
 say, or resist, Luke 21: 15; and required 
 them not to be anxiously concerned how or 
 what they should speak when brought before 
 governors and kings for his sake ; for, says 
 our Lord, It is not ye that speak, but the 
 Spirit of your Father which is in you. Matt. 
 10 : 20. Accordingly, when Peter and John 
 had wrought a wonderful miracle in restoring 
 a man, lame from his mother's womb, and 
 Peter rilled with the Holy Ghost, had de- 
 clared that it was by the name of Jesus that 
 the man stood before them whole, and then 
 that there was no other name under heaven 
 given among men, whereby we must be saved, 
 it is observed, Acts 4 : 13, Now when they 
 saw the boldness of Peter and John, and 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 133 
 
 t- 
 
 perceived that they were unlearned and igno- 
 rant men, they marvelled, and they took 
 knowledge of them, that they had been with 
 Jesus. Yea, these enemies of Christ were 
 convicted by their own consciences that a 
 notable miracle had been done. v. 16. And 
 no less wonderful was the success of their 
 ministry, while the apostles went about thus 
 miraculously furnished, and preached a cru- 
 cified Saviour. Behold a number of poor 
 fishermen subduing the people of every 
 tongue and language w T here they came ; I 
 say, subduing them to the obedience of faith ! 
 What prejudices of education were over- 
 come ! What violent lusts and passions con- 
 quered ! How did great numbers forsake all, 
 yea life itself, that they might win Christ, and 
 enjoy the blessedness of the invisible world 
 where he is ! Such was the wonderful suc- 
 cess of the gospel when preached with the 
 Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. Ac- 
 cordingly, the apostle Paul observeth, That 
 God hath chosen the foolish things of this 
 world to confound the wise ; and God hath 
 chosen the weak things of the world to con- 
 12 
 
134 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 found the mighty • and base things of the 
 world, and things which are despised, hath 
 God chosen, yea, and things which are not, 
 to bring to nought things which are. 1 Cor. 
 1: 27, 28. Here those words may be well 
 applied, Not by might, nor by power, but by 
 my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Zech. 
 4 : 6. Now surely the Spirit of truth and 
 holiness would never have wrought such 
 works of grace by the preaching of the name 
 of Jesus, had not he been Christ the right- 
 eous. 1 Tim. 3 : 16. Without controversy, 
 great is the mystery of godliness ; God was 
 manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit. 
 
 IV. I would offer some brief description 
 of this work of the Spirit, in convincing men 
 of righteousness. 
 
 Now in this work the Spirit of God doth 
 not only give external evidence in the reve- 
 lation of God's word ; but also applieth him- 
 self inwardly to the heart, and opens the 
 understanding to discern these spiritual things 
 concerning Christ and his righteousness, after 
 a spiritual manner. So that such as are thus 
 favored, see the Son, and believe on him as 
 the true Messiah and only Saviour, with that 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 135 
 
 faith which is the evidence of things not 
 seen. Heb. 11 : 1. The Spirit of God en- 
 lightens the minds of his people with the 
 saving knowledge of Christ and his righteous- 
 ness. Agreeably the apostle John declareth, 
 1 John 2 : 20, Ye have an unction from the 
 Holy One, and ye know all things, i. e., all 
 things concerning Christ and the Christian 
 religion necessary to salvation. The Spirit 
 of God may be compared to oil, as this was 
 used for light, and in medicine. The Spirit 
 heals the visive faculty of the soul, and 
 removeth spiritual blindness. He reneweth 
 his people in knowledge, Col. 3 : 10. There- 
 fore when our Lord had declared to the 
 Laodiceans that they were blind, he counsels 
 them to anoint their eyes with eye-salve, that 
 they might see. Rev. 3 : 18. And when 
 this work is wrought by the illumination of the 
 Spirit, the gospel revelation concerning Christ 
 and his righteousness appeareth in a new 
 light. The Sun of righteousness ariseth upon 
 the convinced sinner, with healing in his 
 wings, "or in his beams." The doctrine of 
 God our Saviour appeareth in its reality, im- 
 portance and excellency. 
 
136 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 And accordingly, 
 
 1.- The work of the Spirit, in this convic- 
 tion, is a saving work. 
 
 Indeed there may be some persuasion of 
 these things from education, there may be a 
 notional knowledge and historical faith ; yea, 
 we may have the common illumination of the 
 Spirit, and receive the revelations of the gos- 
 pel with a transient joy ; and yet not see the 
 glorious beauty and divine glory of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, so as to count all things but loss 
 for the excellency of the knowledge of him. 
 But when the Spirit convinceth men of right- 
 eousness, in the sense in which I now consider 
 the words, there is a renovation of the soul 
 in all its powers by vital principles and habits 
 of grace infused ; so that men are called out 
 of darkness into God's marvellous light. 
 However, I do not suppose by this, that in 
 passive conversion the Spirit of God first giveth 
 the light of this saving conviction of Christ, 
 and then this light worketh an habitual change 
 in the will and affections. No, I humbly 
 conceive that in passive conversion there is 
 the habitual change of all the faculties of the 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 137 
 
 soul wrought at once, by the divine operation 
 of the Holy Spirit ; and then the understand- 
 ing, now savingly enlightened, beholds Jesus 
 Christ, in order of nature, before the will and 
 affections are drawn to close with him and 
 cleave unto him ; yea, so as to incline them 
 to act agreeably to the discovery made of this 
 glorious object. This is then a saving work 
 of the Spirit of God. When Peter therefore 
 had made that confession of his faith, Thou 
 art Christ, the Son of the living God, our 
 Lord pronounced him happy : Blessed art 
 thou, Simon Barjona : for flesh and blood hath 
 not revealed it unto thee, but my Father 
 which is in heaven. Matt. 16 : 16, 17. Thus 
 to know Christ is the beginning of eternal 
 life. John 17: 3. 
 
 2. In this work the Spirit of God giveth 
 the convinced sinner satisfying evidence of 
 Christ's ability and readiness to justify and 
 save all that come to God by him. 
 
 He convinceth them that how many and 
 
 great soever their sins have been, yet in 
 
 Christ they may have a righteousness every 
 
 way sufficient for their justification before 
 
 12* 
 
138 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 God, and to give them a sure title to eternal 
 life, according to the new and everlasting 
 covenant. While men entertain slight thoughts 
 of the evil of sin, and of the punishment 
 due to them for it, they may also enter- 
 tain low, unworthy apprehensions of Christ, 
 and yet nourish a carnal confidence that 
 he is both able and ready to save them ; 
 but when men are convinced of the heinous 
 evil of sin as it is an offence against the infi- 
 nitely glorious God, and so deserveth eternal 
 punishment, now they may be ready to say, 
 Can this man save us ? Who is able to de- 
 liver us ? Surely none but Almighty God 
 can redeem us. Unless the arm of the Lord 
 be revealed, all our hope of deliverance is 
 perished. But now, in this article of ex- 
 tremity, the Spirit of God revealeth Christ as 
 Jehovah our righteousness, as the God of sal- 
 vation, to whom belong the issues from death ; 
 and then the convinced sinner is able to say, 
 In the Lord have I righteousness and strength. 
 Now he seeth that he who is God hath pur- 
 chased the church with his own blood, and 
 given his life a ransom for many. And this 
 maketh it manifest that God ay be just and 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 139 
 
 yet justify the sinner that believeth in Jesus ; 
 yea, that through faith in his blood God de- 
 clareth his righteousness for the remission of 
 sins. Rom. 3 : 25. And we have the virtue 
 of the blood of Christ further declared by a 
 comparison from the legal sacrifices. For if 
 the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes 
 of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth 
 to the purifying of the flesh, how much 
 more shall the blood of Christ, who through 
 the eternal Spirit, offered himself without 
 spot to God, purge your conscience from dead 
 works to serve the living God. Heb. 9: 13, 
 14. If we understand the eternal Spirit 
 here, of the godhead of our Lord, this gave 
 the highest virtue and value to his offering. 
 And then the Holy Ghost sanctified the man 
 Christ Jesus in an extraordinary manner to 
 this great work, and strengthened him to the 
 most perfect exercise of grace in the discharge 
 of it. Accordingly such as are convinced of 
 righteousness, behold a fountain of merit and 
 grace opened in Christ to wash away their 
 sins. They see that this divine person is 
 worthy to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, 
 
140 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 in virtue of his obedience unto death, that all 
 th& glorious ends of his mediation may be 
 accomplished. Yea, the Spirit of God show- 
 eth these things in such an agreeable as well 
 as convincing light, that the enlightened mind 
 is satisfied in this way of obtaining the justi- 
 fication of life. This light is sweet to the 
 soul, and the believer determineth with the 
 apostle to know nothing save Jesus Christ 
 and him crucified. See 1 Cor. 2 : 2. And 
 then the Spirit of God convinceth men of 
 Christ's readiness to save all that go to God 
 by him. And now, they receive the calls of 
 the gospel, not as the word of men, but of 
 God, though men may be the instruments. 
 Now they know Christ's voice when he says, 
 Come unto me all ye that labor, and are 
 heavy laden, and I will give you rest. All 
 that the Father giveth me, shall come to me ; 
 and him that cometh unto me, I will in no 
 
 wise cast out. John 6: 31. Thev are con- 
 
 •i 
 
 vinced that they have a divine warrant to 
 bear them out in this important act of trusting 
 in Christ for righteousness, and a divine 
 promise of eternal life, upon their obeying 
 the gospel call. 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 141 
 
 Which leads me to say, 
 
 3. Thus the Spirit of God maketh men 
 freely willing to receive and submit to Christ 
 upon the call and offer of the gospel. 
 
 Now the call is effectual. God's people 
 are willing in the day of his power. They 
 have the great truths of the gospel concern- 
 ing Christ and his righteousness demonstrated, 
 and their objections drawn from their own 
 great sinfulness, answered. And thus our 
 Saviour taketh possession of the hearts of 
 men, not by violence, but by a sweet, 
 and yet powerful divine influence whereby 
 they are persuaded to embrace him as the 
 Lord their righteousness. Being thus drawn 
 by the Spirit, they freely go out to Christ 
 renouncing their own righteousness as filthy 
 rags, and putting on this best robe of Christ's 
 righteousness as every way sufficient to cover 
 their nakedness. It is written in the proph- 
 ets, And they shall be all taught of God. 
 Every man therefore that hath heard and 
 learned of the Father cometh unto me. John 
 6 : 45. The enlightened mind beholds our 
 Lord Jesus as a most suitable and sufficient 
 
42 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 Saviour, the renewed will makes choice of 
 him, and the uniting affections cleave to him. 
 
 APPLICATION 
 
 Use 1. From what hath been said, we 
 may learn the divinity of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 The Old and New Testament agree in 
 bearing witness to Jesus Christ as the Son 
 of God, the great God our Saviour. And 
 when our Lord ascended on high, he received 
 of the Father the gift of the Holy Ghost, 
 and sent him to convince men of their great 
 sin in rejecting him by unbelief, and then to 
 show them the perfect righteousness which 
 he had wrought out for the justification of 
 sinners before God. which must be the right- 
 eousness of one who is God-man ; for had 
 he been a mere creature though the most ex- 
 cellent, his obedience had been due to God 
 by the law of creation, and it would have 
 been impossible for him to purchase eternal 
 salvation for us. But the word of God de- 
 clareth, that being in the form of God, he 
 thought it not robbery to be equal with God ; 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 143 
 
 but made himself of no reputation, and took 
 upon him the form of a servant, and was 
 made in the likeness of men ; and being 
 found in fashion as a man, he humbled him- 
 self, and became obedient unto death, even 
 the death of the cross. Phil. 2 : 6 — 8. And 
 this being the case, his obedience is strictly 
 and properly meritorious ; yea there, is infi- 
 nite merit in it to purchase eternal redemption 
 for us. And this is one of the deep things 
 of God revealed in the gospel, and by the 
 Holy Spirit. Our Lord was put to death in 
 the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, and 
 declared to be the Son of God, the Lord our 
 righteousness, by wonderful operations of this 
 divine Spirit sent in his name after his ascen- 
 sion into heaven. Let us then obey that 
 command of God, He is thy Lord, and wor- 
 ship thou him. Ps. 45: 11. And let us 
 join the heavenly host, saying, Worthy is the 
 Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and 
 riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, 
 and glory, and blessing. Rev. 5:12. 
 
 Use 2. Learn the heinous sin and most 
 dangerous evil of rejecting Jesus Christ, and 
 
144 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 neglecting his great salvation under the gospel 
 revelation. 
 
 We have the strongest evidence that Jesus 
 is the Christ, the only Saviour, in the word of 
 God. The doctrines therein delivered con- 
 cerning Christ, the history of wonderful 
 miracles and works of grace wrought by the 
 Spirit in the name of Jesus, put this beyond 
 all reasonable doubt. How great then is the 
 evil of rejecting Christ ! Surely such as put 
 the gospel from them, judge themselves un- 
 worthy of everlasting life. How shall we 
 escape if we neglect so great salvation, which 
 at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and 
 was confirmed unto us by them that heard 
 him ; God also bearing them witness, both 
 with signs and wonders, and with divers 
 miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, accord- 
 ing to his own will. Heb. 2 : 3, 4. And 
 still the sin and danger of this is greater, 
 when we have had the Spirit of God striving 
 with us. When this is done against the 
 light and conviction of our consciences, it is 
 highly provoking unto God ; and when there 
 is added over and above a malicious opposi- 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 145 
 
 tion to the Holy Ghost in his divine opera- 
 tions ; this seems to contain in it the malignity 
 of that sin which is unto death, and shall not 
 be forgiven. When our Lord therefore had 
 cast out a devil by the Spirit of God, and the 
 Pharisees blasphemed, saying, This fellow 
 doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub 
 the prince of devils, he declareth to them, 
 that the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost 
 shall not be forgiven unto men. Matt. 12: 
 31. And we have that awful word for our 
 warning, It is impossible for them who were 
 once enlightened, and have tasted of the 
 heavenly gift, and were made partakers of 
 the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good 
 word of God, and the powers of the world to 
 come ; if they shall fall away, to renew them 
 again unto repentance : seeing they crucify to 
 themselves the Son of God afresh, and put 
 him to an open shame. Heb. 6 : 4 — 6. This 
 falling away seems to refer to a total and 
 wilful apostacy joined with a malicious oppo- 
 sition to the Christian religion after we have 
 been convinced that it is of God, and have 
 made a profession of it. And therefore, 
 13 
 
146 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 Peter's fall in denying his Lord, and other 
 heinous transgressions of God's children, do 
 not come under this head. How dreadful 
 then must be the condition of such apostates ! 
 How aggravated their sin and punishment ! 
 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, 
 shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden 
 under foot the Son of God, and hath counted 
 the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was 
 sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done 
 despite to the Spirit of grace. Heb. 10: 29. 
 O let us then take heed and beware of all 
 approaches towards this great sin ! Let us 
 not indulge an evil heart of unbelief, nor re- 
 sist the Spirit of God striving with us. But 
 let not any that are seeking the Lord with 
 trembling, imagine that this is their case, and 
 so discourage themselves, as if there was no 
 hope for them : but rather, 
 
 Use 3. Let such as are sensible of their 
 sin and guilt, cry to God for his Spirit to give 
 them the saving knowledge of Christ, and his 
 righteousness, and to enable them to receive 
 him as their only Saviour. 
 
 Hath the Spirit of God convinced you of 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 147 
 
 your lost and perishing condition ? Pray to 
 the Father then to open your eyes to behold 
 his Son, who is come to seek and save that 
 which was lost : he who is mighty to save 
 inviteth you to come unto him, and promiseth 
 he will in no wise cast out them that come 
 unto him. Do not say then, that your hope 
 is lost, and that you are utterly cut off; but 
 rather resolve that you will look and wait for 
 God's salvation. Do not attempt to patch 
 up a righteousness of your own ; but cast 
 away your filthy rags, and go out unto Christ 
 for white raiment, that you may be clothed, 
 and that the shame of your nakedness may not 
 appear. Seek of God that fine linen, clean 
 and white, which is the righteousness of 
 saints, whereby they stand and are accepted 
 as righteous before God, even the righteous- 
 ness of Christ imputed and received by faith. 
 Put on Christ, and the holy God, looking on 
 you as united to him by a true and living 
 faith, will behold no iniquity in you so as 
 to enter into judgment, and condemn you for 
 it. There is no condemnation to them that 
 are in Christ Jesus ; who walk not after the 
 
148 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 flesh, but after the Spirit. Rom. 8: 1. Go 
 to Christ then, and say, Lord, I am guilty, I 
 cannot conceal it. My own heart condemn- 
 eth me, and thou art greater than my heart, 
 and knowest all things. But now I humbly 
 and thankfully accept thine offer to be my 
 surety and advocate with the Father. I put 
 my cause into thine hand. O plead it, and 
 answer for me ! Let the hand-writing which 
 is against me be found cancelled in virtue of 
 thy precious blood, and let me be found justi- 
 fied through the redemption which is in Christ 
 Jesus. Lord, I believe that there is virtue 
 enough in thy precious blood to wash away 
 all my sins, though they have been as scarlet, 
 and red like crimson ; help thou mine unbe- 
 lief! Thus do by God's grace, and you may 
 have confidence towards God now, and shall 
 not be ashamed before him at his coming. No, 
 if you appear clothed with the righteousness 
 of Jesus Christ, you shall be openly acquitted 
 in the day of judgment. But then remember 
 that to whom Christ is made of God righteous- 
 ness, he is also made sanctification ; and look 
 to it that your faith be that living faith which 
 
CONVINCETH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 149 
 
 purifieth the heart, and worketh by love. 
 
 For that faith which hath not works is dead, 
 
 being alone: James 2: 17; and will leave 
 
 you in a state of death, and damnation. 
 
 That faith by which God's children depend 
 
 entirely upon the meritorious righteousness of 
 
 Christ for justification before God, is also a 
 
 vital principle of new obedience. Look unto 
 
 Jesus then, not only as to the Lord your 
 
 righteousness ; but also as to your head of 
 
 influence, of whose fullness his people receive 
 
 and grace for grace. When you go forth to 
 
 meet the bridegroom, look to it that you have 
 
 the oil of saving grace in your hearts. Thus 
 
 stand with your lights burning, like unto men 
 
 that wait for their Lord ; so shall you be 
 
 found of your Judge in peace, without spot, 
 
 and blameless. 
 
 13* 
 
LECTUEE IV. 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 
 
 JOHN 16: 8. 
 
 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and 
 of righteousness, and of judgment. 
 
 DOCTRINE I. 
 
 It is the work of the Holy Spirit, to con- 
 vince and reprove men of sin. 
 
 DOCTRINE II. 
 
 It is the work of the Holy Spirit, to con- 
 vince men of righteousness. 
 
 I have considered these two doctrines, and 
 shall now speak briefly to the third and last. 
 
 * Preached at the Old South Meeting-House, in Boston, 
 Lord's Day, April 26, 1741. 
 
THE SPIRIT CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 151 
 DOCTRINE III. 
 
 It is the work of the Holy Spirit, to con- 
 vince men of judgment. 
 
 Under this doctrine we may consider, 
 
 I. What are we to understand by judg- 
 ment. 
 
 II. The means which the Spirit useth to 
 convince men of this judgment. 
 
 III. I shall give some brief description of 
 this work of the Spirit in convincing men of 
 judgment. 
 
 I. What are we to understand by judg- 
 ment. 
 
 Ans. 1. We may understand it of that 
 unjust judgment which men passed on Jesus 
 Christ, as if he suffered for his own crimes, 
 and his disciples ought to suffer for confessing 
 his name before men. 
 
 We read of Jesus, that in his humiliation, 
 his judgment was taken away. Acts 8 : 
 33. Though Pilate declared, having ex- 
 amined him before his accusers, that he 
 found no fault in him touching those things 
 
152 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 whereof they accused him, yet the voices of 
 the multitude, and of the high priests pre- 
 vailed ; so that Pilate gave sentence it should 
 be as they requested. Luke 23 : 34. Many 
 were ignorant of the gospel revelation con- 
 cerning Jesus Christ. Which none of the 
 princes of this world knew : for had they 
 known it, they would not have crucified the 
 Lord of glory. 1 Cor. 2: 8. And the 
 Christian religion is mentioned as a sect or 
 heresy everywhere spoken against. Acts 28 : 
 22. Thus was the holy Jesus set for a sign 
 which should be spoken against. Luke 2 : 34. 
 But when the Spirit of God came to dis- 
 charge his office as an advocate in behalf of 
 our ascended Saviour, he convinced many of 
 the great wrong they had done in this matter, 
 and rebuked them sharply ; so that they were 
 brought to judge and condemn themselves. 
 Thus after our Lord had appeared to Saul, 
 saying by a voice from heaven, I am Jesus 
 whom thou persecutest, and the Spirit of God 
 had wrought a thorough change in him, he 
 freely acknowledged that he had been a blas- 
 phemer, and a persecutor, and injurious. 
 1 Tim. 1: 13. 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 153 
 
 2. By judgment we may understand the 
 power given to our Lord Jesus Christ to 
 govern the world, and to execute judgment 
 upon Satan, that grand usurper, and all that 
 adhere to him, in opposition to the kingdom 
 of God. Agreeably, it is said, v. 11, Of 
 judgment, because the prince of this world 
 is judged. After our Lord's resurrection he 
 said to his disciples, All power is given unto 
 me in heaven and in earth. Matt. 28: 18. 
 When he ascended on high, he led captivity 
 captive, and broke the power of the enemies 
 of our salvation ; so that they shall not be 
 able to destroy so much as one of those little 
 ones who put their trust in him. Here then 
 it may be proper to observe, that the apostate 
 spirits who left their first habitation are rep- 
 resented in Scripture as united under one 
 head against Christ and his kingdom. The 
 devil, that old serpent, beguiled Eve, and 
 prevailed upon her to eat of the forbidden 
 fruit, and then by her enticed her husband. 
 We read, She took of the fruit thereof, and 
 and did eat, and gave also unto her husband, 
 with her, and he did eat. Gen. 3 : 6. And 
 
154 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 thus were our first parents drawn into a rebel- 
 lion, against the Lord their maker and great 
 benefactor, which must have been destructive 
 to them and their sinful progeny, had not God 
 sent his Son to destrov the works of the 
 devil. The first promise of this was given 
 to Adam and Eve before they were cast out 
 of the earthly paradise. And I will put enmi- 
 ty between thee and the woman, and between 
 thy seed and her seed ; it shall bruise thy 
 head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Gen. 3: 
 15. Here is a sentence of condemnation 
 denounced against the devil, and in the same 
 words a precious promise of deliverance made 
 to God's people. " This seed is the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, 
 who was to be born of a woman being a 
 virgin, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, 
 to dispossess the devil, through the merit of 
 his death, and the power of his Spirit, of all 
 his force. " # Accordingly, when the full- 
 ness of time was come, God sent forth his 
 Son made of a woman, made under the law, 
 to redeem them that were under the law. 
 
 * Dutch Annotations. 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 155 
 
 Gal. 4 : 4, 5. And as our Lord was sent to 
 save the lost sons and daughters of Adam, so 
 to confound the accursed plots and devices of 
 Satan, whereby he sought to ensnare and 
 ruin them for ever. Forasmuch then as the 
 children are partakers of flesh and blood, he 
 also himself likewise took part of the same : 
 that through death he might destroy him that 
 had the power of death, that is, the devil. 
 Heb. 2 : 14. Satan, by the divine permis- 
 sion, has the power of death as an execu- 
 tioner. He is a murderer, and destroyer. 
 But now, the Son of God, having taken on 
 him, not the nature of angels, but the seed 
 of Abraham, he died on the cross that he 
 might condemn sin in the flesh, which is the 
 sting of death, bear the curse of that law 
 which is the strength of sin ; and so purchase 
 reconciliation with God for his people, and 
 the gift of the Holy Ghost, to turn sinners 
 from the power of Satan unto God. And 
 thus Satan's kingdom, which is founded on 
 sin, falls to the ground, and his destroying 
 power over man is taken away. And there- 
 fore when the time of our Lord's death drew 
 
156 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 nigh, he said. Now is the judgment of this 
 world ; now shall the prince of this world be 
 cast out. John 12: 31. That is, "My death 
 will be the devil's overthrow ; will bring 
 down sin, and deliver the world from the 
 tyranny and dominion of Satan." * Our 
 mighty Redeemer spoiled principalities and 
 powers, and triumphed over them on the 
 cross. Col. 2: 15. He has purchased a 
 glorious victory over Satan, and all our spir- 
 itual enemies, sin, this present evil world as 
 under the power of the devil and death. 
 Agreeably, our Lord said to his disciples, In 
 the world ye shall have tribulation : but be 
 of good cheer, I have overcome the world. 
 John 16 : 33. We read, I will ransom them 
 from the power of the grave, I will redeem 
 them from death; O death, I will be thy 
 plagues ; O grave, I will be thy destruction. 
 Hos. 13: 14. And then the word of God 
 declareth, that our Lord must reign till all 
 enemies are put under his feet. Ps. 110 : 1. 
 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my 
 right hand, until I make thine enemies thy 
 
 *Mr. Burkitt. 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 157 
 
 footstool. And now the Father hath com- 
 mitted all judgment to the Son. He is the 
 judge, lawgiver, and king of his people ; and 
 as the Lord strong and mighty will he go on 
 conquering and to conquer his and his peo- 
 ple's enemies, till they shall all be put 
 under him; and his people also shall have 
 dominion over them, in the great day of judg- 
 ment. 
 
 Which leads me to say, 
 
 3. We may understand it of the last 
 and general judgment, when our Lord Jesus 
 Christ shall appear in the glory of his Father, 
 to judge the world in righteousness. 
 
 We read, He hath appointed a day, in the 
 which he will judge the world in righteous^ 
 ness, by that man whom he hath ordained ; 
 whereof he hath given assurance unto all 
 men, in that he hath raised him from the 
 dead. Acts 17: 31. While our Lord was 
 upon earth, he spake of this judgment. When 
 the Son of man shall come in his glory, and 
 all the holy angels with him, then shall he 
 sit upon the throne of his glory. And before 
 him shall be gathered all nations. Matt. 25 : 
 14 
 
158 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 31 j 32. And now he is risen and ascended, 
 the heaven must contain him until the time 
 of restitution of all things, when there shall 
 be an end put to the disorder and confusion 
 brought into the world by sin, and all shall 
 be obliged to say, Verily, there is a reward 
 for the righteous ; verily, he is a God that 
 judgeth in the earth. And we have an earn- 
 est of this in our Lord's power to cast out 
 Satan, and in the wonderful reformation 
 wrought, when after his ascension, he sent the 
 rod of his strength out of Zion, his word ac- 
 companied with his Spirit, and so ruled in the 
 midst of his enemies. See Ps. 110. But 
 we do not as yet see all things put under 
 him, as they shall be in the great day. Satan 
 is still obeyed as the god of this world, and 
 works in the hearts of the children of diso- 
 bedience. Antichrist's reign has not a period 
 put unto it ; and to this day, the dark places 
 of the earth are full of the habitations of 
 cruelty. So that even in the last days, there 
 are scoffers who say in derision, Where is 
 the promise of his coming ? But God by 
 his word and Spirit says to us, Behold, the 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 159 
 
 Lord cometh ! Jude vs. 14, 15. And Enoch 
 also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of 
 these, saying, Behold the Lord cometh with 
 ten thousands of his saints, to execute judg- 
 ment upon all, and to convince all that are 
 ungodly among them, of all their ungodly 
 deeds which they have ungodly committed, 
 and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly 
 sinners have spoken against him. And in 
 that great and terrible day of the Lord, the 
 devil must be cast into the lake of fire and 
 brimstone, to be tormented for ever and ever. 
 This the devils believe and tremble. And 
 then shall wicked men have that dreadful 
 sentence pronounced and executed upon 
 them, Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever- 
 lasting fire, prepared for the devil and his 
 angels. Matt. 25: 41. Sinners have some- 
 times such a conviction of this judgment as 
 makes them also tremble. As Paul reasoned 
 of judgment to come, Felix trembled. Acts 
 24 : 25. And then shall the saints have their 
 judgment brought forth as the light, and their 
 righteousness as the noon-day, when the king 
 shall say unto them on his right hand, Come ye 
 
160 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom 
 prepared for you from the foundation of the 
 world. Matt. 25 : 34. God's people shall 
 have a complete victory over Satan, this pres- 
 ent evil world, and the last enemy, death. 
 And all the fruits of sin and the curse re- 
 specting them shall be fully taken away, 
 when Christ shall appear a second time with- 
 out sin unto salvation. And the Spirit of 
 God now giveth them such a conviction of 
 this judgment, that they look for that blessed 
 hope, and the glorious appearing of the great 
 God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 II. I would consider some of the means 
 which the Holy Spirit useth to convince men 
 of judgment. 
 
 1. The Spirit of God convinceth men of 
 judgment by the miraculous power given to 
 the apostles to cast out devils in the name of 
 Jesus. 
 
 While our Lord was on earth, he exercised 
 this power. He went about doing good, and 
 healing all that were oppressed of the devil. 
 Acts 10: 38. He cast down Satan, and 
 healed many that were under a bodily pos- 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 161 
 
 session. Thus our Lord cast many devils 
 out of a miserable man in the country of the 
 Gadarenes. Luke 8 : 30. Jesus asked him, 
 saying, What is thy name ? And he said 
 Legion ; because many devils were entered 
 into him. But at Christ's command they 
 were dispossessed, v. 33. Then went the 
 devils out of the man. And when the sev- 
 enty returned, they said, Lord, even the devils 
 are subject to us through thy name. Upon 
 which our Lord says, I beheld Satan as light- 
 ning fall from heaven. Luke 10: 18. And 
 after our Saviour Christ was exalted, this 
 power was wonderfully manifested by the 
 hands of the apostles in the name of Jesus. 
 They brought them which were vexed with 
 unclean spirits, and they were healed every 
 one. Acts 5 : 16. Paul said to the evil spirit 
 that had possessed a person as a spirit of 
 divination, I command thee in tbs name of 
 Jesus to come out of her ; and he came out 
 the same hour. Acts 16 : 18. Now the great 
 agent in this miraculous work was the Spirit 
 of God. Matt. 12 : 28. And by it he con- 
 14* 
 
162 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 vinced men of the dominion of our Lord 
 Jesus over the powers of darkness. 
 
 2. The Spirit of God convinceth men of 
 judgment by the light of the glorious gospel, 
 and the works of grace wrought by it. 
 
 The evil spirits are called the rulers of the 
 darkness of this world. Eph. 6 : 12. Satan's 
 kingdom is founded on the darkness of sin, 
 and supported by ignorance and error. Ac- 
 cordingly, the Holy Spirit useth the light of 
 his word to subdue him. Thus our Lord 
 said to Paul, I have appeared unto thee for 
 this purpose, to make thee a minister and a 
 witness both of these things which thou hast 
 seen, and of those things in the which I will 
 appear unto thee ; delivering thee from the 
 people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom 
 now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to 
 turn them from darkness to light, and from 
 the power of Satan unto God. Acts 26 : 
 16 — 18. Now it is the Spirit of God who 
 furnisheth and sends forth these ministers of 
 Christ to show men the miserable bondage 
 they are under to Satan, and to invite them 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 163 
 
 to come over to Christ, whom God hath set 
 for an ensign of the people. Isa. 11 : 10, 
 Our Lord while on earth was anointed by the 
 Spirit to preach deliverance to the captives. 
 And after his ascension he sent forth his apos- 
 tles, and others to publish the glad tidings of 
 the gospel. And by his word accompanied 
 with his Spirit, he broke in pieces the power 
 of the enemy. The weapons of our warfare 
 are not carnal, but mighty through God to 
 the pulling down of strong holds ; casting 
 down imaginations, and every high thing that 
 exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, 
 and bringing into captivity every thought to 
 the obedience of Christ. The instruments 
 indeed were the weak things of the world, 
 that the glory of the victory might be given 
 to Christ. We have this treasure in earthen 
 vessels, that the excellency of the power may 
 be of God, and not of us. 2 Cor. 4 : 7. 
 Some suppose that here is an illusion to 
 Gideon's little army that marched against the 
 mighty host of Midian, with trumpets, lamps 
 and pitchers ; they blew the trumpets, brake 
 the pitchers, and held up the lamps, crying, 
 
164 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. 
 And the God of armies routed their formida- 
 ble enemies. Judges 7. Thus Christ's min- 
 isters who are as their brethren, formed out 
 of the clay, hold up the light of the gospel, 
 and cry aloud as they are directed ; and 
 when the almighty Spirit is pleased to work 
 with and by them, the powers of darkness 
 flee before them, as the shades of night are 
 chased away before the springing day, and 
 rising sun. Thus was Satan cast out of the 
 Gentile world. His oracles were struck dumb, 
 his temples and altars were deserted, and 
 many turned to God from idols, to serve the 
 living and true God, and to wait for his Son 
 from heaven. We read that many who used 
 curious arts, " the study of magic and divina- 
 tion," burned their books, when the word of 
 God prevailed ; though the price of them was 
 counted, and found to be fifty thousand pieces 
 of silver. Acts 19: 19, 26. And by the 
 way, when the word of God prevaileth among 
 you, the Spirit will convince you of the evil 
 of reading romances, plays and other lewd 
 books. To return, when Satan was cast out 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 165 
 
 of Rome-Pagan, he gave his power to the 
 beast, to Antichrist ; and so set himself again 
 in opposition to Christ and his kingdom. But 
 our Lord has in a good measure consumed 
 him with the spirit of his mouth, the sword 
 of the Spirit going out of his mouth, in his 
 preached gospel. The apostle John saw in 
 vision an angel fly in the midst of heaven^ 
 having the everlasting gospel to preach unto 
 them that dwell on the earth. Rev. 14 : 6. 
 By which we may understand " the faithful 
 witnesses of Christ and teachers of the gos- 
 pel " who publish the pure doctrines of God's 
 word in opposition to the errors and heresies 
 of Rome, the angels of the churches, and 
 messengers of Christ. And after this, another 
 angel crieth, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, v. 8. 
 Thus doth the Spirit of God by his word 
 plead the cause of Christ against his enemies, 
 and convince the obstinate to their confusion, 
 that our Lord is above them, even in those 
 things wherein they deal most proudly. And 
 thus doth he give his people an evident 
 demonstration of the authority of Christ to 
 execute judgment against the great enemy of 
 
166 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 their souls. Now it appears that Christ is 
 stronger than the strong one, while the devil 
 is thus cast down from his usurped throne in 
 the hearts of men. When a strong man 
 armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in 
 peace. But when a stronger than he shall 
 come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh 
 from him all his armor wherein he trusted, 
 and divideth his spoils. Luke 11: 21, 22. 
 The words may be fitly applied to the de- 
 struction of Satan's power both respecting 
 the bodies and souls of men. 
 
 3. The Spirit of God convinceth men of 
 this judgment by judicial dispensations of 
 providence. 
 
 God is known by the judgments which he 
 executeth. And it hath pleased the Father 
 to commit this judgment to the Son, the 
 power of punishing his and his people's 
 implacable enemies, and of correcting his 
 covenant people. The apostle Paul says, 
 respecting God's own people, When we are 
 judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that 
 we should not be condemned with the world. 
 1 Cor. 11 : 32. Now by these providential 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 167 
 
 dispensations the Spirit of God pleads the 
 cause of Christ, as the judge of the world, 
 and as the lord and lawgiver of his church ; 
 and convinceth men of the necessity of sub- 
 mitting to his golden sceptre, lest they be 
 broken to pieces with his iron rod. When 
 judgment begins at the house of God, there 
 is a loud call to the wicked to consider, what 
 shall be the end of them that obey not the 
 gospel of God. Where shall the ungodly 
 and the sinner appear ? See 1 Pet. 4 : 17, 18. 
 And thus are sinners sometimes brought to 
 make supplication to their judge, sensible that 
 it must be a fearful thing to fall into his hand 
 as an avenger of sin. And when the chil- 
 dren of God behold how the Lord puts away 
 the wicked like dross, they cry out with the 
 Psalmist, My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, 
 and I am afraid of thy judgments. Now 
 they are quickened to serve the Lord with 
 reverence, and concerned to make it evident 
 to themselves that they are not of those who 
 must be led forth with the workers of iniquity 
 in the great day of judgment. 
 
168 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 III. I proceed in the last place to give 
 some brief description of this work of the 
 Spirit in convincing men of judgment. 
 
 The Holy Spirit, the divine author of this 
 work, is called the Spirit of judgment. Isa. 
 4 : 4. And he may be so called in part as 
 he convinceth of judgment. And in this 
 work the Holy Spirit brings home the evi- 
 dence of this judgment of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ by an inward application to the heart 
 and conscience, in legal or saving conviction. 
 
 1. In this work the Spirit of God showeth 
 the sinner that while he refuseth to submit to 
 Christ as his Lord and Redeemer, he is under 
 the power of Satan who is leading him cap- 
 tive to hell. 
 
 The devil is called the prince of the power 
 of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the 
 children of disobedience. Eph. 2:2. He is 
 here described as one having others under him, 
 the prince of devils, as having been, we may 
 suppose, the arch-traitor and leader of rebel- 
 lion to the apostate spirits. His power is 
 confined to this lower world, and is exercised 
 over such as continue in disobedience towards 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 169 
 
 their rightful Lord. He may tempt God's 
 children ; but he reigns only in the hearts of 
 rebellious sinners. These he leads captive at 
 his will. But alas ! they are very insensi- 
 ble of it. The most do not know, will not 
 consider, that this old serpent seeks to beguile 
 and cheat them of their precious souls by his 
 temptations from the pleasures, riches and 
 honors of this world ; and that while he grat- 
 ifieth the lust of the flesh, the lust of the 
 eye, and the pride of life, he holds them fast 
 by these vile lusts, as in chains of darkness. 
 But when the Holy Spirit cometh on men to 
 deliver them from the destroying power of 
 this unclean spirit, he opens their eyes, and 
 showeth them this evil one in his own colors. 
 And now they are made sensible that as a 
 roaring lion, he seeks to devour them ; and 
 that none can deliver them but the Lord 
 Jesus, who is called the Lion of the tribe of 
 Judah. Now they feel that this fiery serpent 
 hath injected his deadly poison into their souls, 
 and that with the stung Israelites they must 
 perish, unless they look to the Son of God, 
 who was lifted up on the cross. 
 15 
 
170 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 Which leads me to say, 
 
 2. The Holy Spirit revealeth Jesus Christ 
 to sinners as their only and almighty Redeem- 
 er. The Spirit of God convinceth them of 
 the truth of that word, Forasmuch then as 
 the children are partakers of flesh and blood, 
 he also himself likewise took part of the 
 same : that through death he might destroy 
 him that had the power of death, that is, the 
 devil ; and deliver them who through fear of 
 death were all their life-time subject to bond- 
 age. Heb. 2: 14, 15. And that Christ is 
 able to bring forth judgment to victory, by 
 rescuing miserable sinners, and so taking the 
 prey out of the hand of the mighty. 
 
 3. The Spirit of God enableth his people 
 to submit to Christ as their prince and Sa- 
 viour, renouncing the devil and all his works. 
 They can say, Though this cruel lord has 
 had the dominion over us, yet now will we 
 make mention of the name of Christ, as our 
 only rightful Lord and Master. And they 
 are willing that those lusts whereby Satan 
 held them, should all be slain before the 
 Lord ; because these also are enemies to 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 171 
 
 Christ. Thus they go over to Christ, to list 
 under his banner, whom God hath given to 
 be a leader and commander to the people, to 
 bring many sons to glory, as the captain of 
 their salvation. They are willing in the day 
 of God's power. Ps. 110 : 3. In this re- 
 spect, they are not as pressed men ; but as 
 volunteers, freely offer themselves, and so 
 come to the help of the Lord against the 
 mighty. By the evidence of the Spirit they 
 discern clearly that the service of Satan is 
 vile slavery, and the wages death ; and ac- 
 cordingly they desert him with a holy indig- 
 nation, and a desire of taking a holy revenge 
 of him. They also see that the service of 
 Christ is glorious liberty, and the gracious 
 reward, eternal life ; and accordingly they 
 willingly subscribe their hand to the Lord, 
 and enter into an oath that they will be for 
 him and no other. And thus are they deliv- 
 ered from the power of darkness, and trans- 
 lated into the kingdom of God's dear Son. 
 Col. 1: 13. Satan is cast down, and cast 
 out of their hearts ; so that though he may 
 tempt, he shall never again usurp dominion 
 
172 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 over them. The Son of God in opposition 
 to this usurper, cometh into their souls, and 
 taketh possession of them as his own. And 
 they are enabled to open the everlasting doors 
 of their hearts, that the King of glory may 
 come in. They say to the Son and Lord of 
 David, something as Amasa to king David, 
 when the Spirit came upon him, Thine are we, 
 David, and on thy side ; peace, peace be unto 
 thee, and peace be to thine helpers ; for thy 
 God helpeth thee. Nor doth the noise of war 
 discourage them ; for now the Spirit gives 
 them a view of Christ as the Lord, strong and 
 mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle. They 
 realize that there can be no true safety, no 
 victory, no triumph, but in abiding loyal to 
 Christ, and standing firm on his side. 
 
 4. The Spirit of God convinceth his peo- 
 ple of this judgment, by bruising Satan under 
 their feet more and more, and by giving them 
 the lively hope of a complete victory over him, 
 and all their enemies, at the day of judgment. 
 
 God's people under this conviction of the 
 Spirit, behold Satan as a conquered enemy, 
 and believe that God will fulfil his word by 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 173 
 
 bruising him under their feet. And they 
 happily find that he that has begun the good 
 work is carrying it on towards perfection 
 against all opposition from their spiritual ene- 
 mies. The Spirit of God inspireth them 
 with courage and skill to resist the devil stead- 
 fastly. He teacheththem to fight the battles 
 of our Lord, looking to Jesus Christ, that they 
 may be strong in the Lord, and in the power 
 of his might. He enableth them to use their 
 spiritual weapons with dexterity and success. 
 He enableth them to put on the whole armor 
 of God, that they may be able to stand 
 against the wiles of the devil ; to take the 
 shield of faith, wherewith they quench the 
 fiery darts of the wicked ; and the sword of 
 the Spirit, which is the word of God. The 
 Spirit of God also is in his people a spirit of 
 supplication, helping their infirmities, and ex- 
 citing them to cry to the Lord for grace and 
 strength to help them, while they are wrest- 
 ling against the rulers of the darkness of this 
 world. And thus do they receive fresh sup- 
 plies and succors from the Lord, in their 
 times of need. Agreeably, the apostle Paul 
 15* 
 
174 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 declareth, that God's people are more than 
 conquerors, through him that loved them. 
 For I am persuaded, says he, that neither 
 angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor 
 things present, nor things to come, shall be 
 able to separate us from the love of God 
 which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And the 
 same apostle gives thanks to God, who always 
 caused them to triumph in Christ. 2 Cor. 2 : 
 14. Our Jesus, our Joshua, even now caus- 
 eth his people to put their feet upon the necks 
 of their spiritual enemies, and giveth them 
 the assurance of a complete victory and tri- 
 umph, when they shall sit on thrones, judging 
 the world. 1 Cor. 6 : 2, 3. Do ye not 
 know that the saints shall judge the world ? 
 Know ye not that we shall judge angels ? 
 " They may first be acquitted," says an expos- 
 itor on the place, " and then advanced to the 
 bench, to approve and applaud the righteous 
 judgment of Christ, both on men and angels." 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 Use 1. Doth the Spirit of God convince 
 men of their unjust judgment concerning 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 175 
 
 Christ ? Let us then ask the Spirit to give us 
 a right and sound judgment concerning our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, his person, offices and 
 works. 
 
 Since the fall, men are alienated from the 
 life of God, through the ignorance that is in 
 them, because of the blindness of their heart. 
 Eph. 4:18. And in a particular manner, 
 they are prone to entertain strong prejudices 
 against Christ, and the way of salvation by 
 him. And Satan, if God permit, will be 
 active in tempting them to entertain false 
 opinions concerning the only Saviour, that if 
 possible he may hinder them from believing 
 in him to the salvation of their souls. In 
 whom the god of this world hath blinded the 
 minds of them which believe not, lest the 
 light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is 
 the image of God, should shine unto them. 
 2 Cor. 4:4. O let us then beseech the 
 Lord to grant us the light and influence of his 
 good Spirit, that we may have right appre- 
 hensions of the Son of God, and not have our 
 minds corrupted with any false doctrines 
 relating to the union of his divine and human 
 
176 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 nature in one person, or the great end of his 
 death, or his ability and readiness to save 
 even the chief of sinners. Lest that should 
 come upon us which is spoken of in the 
 prophets, and was fulfilled in many of God's 
 ancient people, Behold, ye despisers, and 
 wonder, and perish ; for I work a work in 
 your days, a work which you shall in no wise 
 believe, though a man declare it unto you. 
 
 Use 2. Let what has been said awaken 
 secure sinners, who are going on in acts of 
 rebellion against the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 How great is your sin and danger, while 
 you stand in opposition to the Lord Jesus, to 
 whom the Father hath committed all judg- 
 ment ! What is this, but to set briers and 
 thorns against consuming fire ? And who is it 
 you are confederate with, in this accursed 
 rebellion ? With Satan, the sworn enemy of 
 God and man ; who is also a conquered ene- 
 my, reserved in everlasting chains of dark- 
 ness, unto the judgment of the great day. O 
 awake then, and cry for mercy ! Agree with 
 your adversary quickly, while you are in the 
 way with him, and before he shall enter into 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 177 
 
 judgment with you. He will overcome when 
 he judgeth. There lieth no appeal from his 
 sentence, nor can any deliver out of his hand. 
 Now then, while he is seated on a throne of 
 grace, make peace with him, and accept of 
 pardon upon gospel terms ; lest you have 
 judgment without mercy in the terrible day of 
 the Lord, and with amazement say to the 
 mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us 
 from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, 
 and from the wrath of the Lamb ; for the 
 great day of his wrath is come ; and who 
 shall be able to stand ? Rev. 6 : 16, 17. 
 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish 
 from the way, when his wrath is kindled 
 but a little ; blessed are all they who put 
 their trust in him. 
 
 Use 3. Learn that the faithful people of 
 God have strong encouragement and consola- 
 tion in Christ Jesus, under all the trials and 
 temptations of this life. 
 
 You are engaged in a warfare with power- 
 ful enemies, sin, Satan, and this present evil 
 world ; and if you look no higher than your- 
 selves, you may be ready to say, I shall one 
 
178 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 day fall by the hands of these enemies. But 
 then, if you look to Jesus, the captain of your 
 salvation, you may encourage yourselves with 
 those words, Fear not : for they that be with 
 us are more than they be that be with them. 
 2 Kings 6 : 16. The Son of God, in our 
 nature, hath encountered and overcome the 
 tempter ; and it is declared of him, A bruised 
 reed shall he not break, and smoking flax 
 shall he not quench, till he send forth judg- 
 ment unto victory. Matt. 12: 20. He him- 
 self hath suffered being tempted, and there- 
 fore is able to succor you under your tempta- 
 tions. O child of God ! be not discouraged, 
 either at the number, or power and policy of 
 your spiritual enemies. Stronger is he that 
 is in you, than he that is in the world. Be 
 strong in the Lord then, and in the power of 
 his might. Go forth against these enemies in 
 the name of the Lord ; through him shall 
 you do valiantly, and tread them under that 
 rise up against you. Let this then animate 
 you to fight the good fight of faith, and endure 
 hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. 
 His arm, and the light of his countenance 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 179 
 
 will give you the victory. And let God's 
 people, under the present dark aspects of 
 divine Providence, behold all judgment com- 
 mitted to the Son, and realize it that he 
 governs all affairs even those which appear 
 most intricate and perplexed, with unerring 
 wisdom, irresistible power, and with a tender 
 concern for the salvation of his people ; so 
 that in the end, Zion shall arise and shine, 
 with the glory of the Lord risen upon her; 
 and her enemies shall lick the dust. Trust 
 in the Lord therefore at all times, ye people, 
 pour out your heart before him. And hear 
 that word, Ps. 27 : 14, Wait on the Lord, 
 be of good courage, and he shall strengthen 
 thine heart ; wait, I say, on the Lord. 
 
 Use 4. Let such as are under a preparatory 
 work of conviction, look unto Jesus to bruise 
 Satan under their feet. 
 
 Be not dismayed if you should find a vio- 
 lent struggle, when our Lord is coming by 
 his Spirit to deliver you from the destroying 
 power of Satan. But encourage yourselves 
 to seek the Lord more earnestly that he 
 would rebuke the tempter, and not suffer you 
 
180 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 to be tempted above what you are able to 
 bear. Do not listen to the suggestions of this 
 evil one ; but look to Jesus to execute judg- 
 ment upon him. If he tempt you to hurt 
 your bodies, hearken to that word, Do thyself 
 no harm. Or if he should tempt you to de- 
 stroy your souls by presumption or despair, 
 reject his evil motions with abhorrence, and 
 labor to cherish the motions of the good 
 Spirit of God in opposition to him. Be not 
 afraid to worship God in secret, lest he should 
 appear to you ; but consider, our Saviour 
 holds him as in a chain, and can control him 
 at his pleasure. Say to the Lord, Rule thou 
 over us, and let this usurper be cast out of 
 our hearts. And pray God to subdue every 
 lust, that there may be none retained where- 
 by the devil shall keep possession of your 
 souls. 
 
 Use 5 Let us all be exhorted to submit to 
 Christ as our rightful Lord, and to stand on 
 his side against the devil and his angels. 
 
 There are two kingdoms which divide the 
 whole world, the kingdom of God's dear Son, 
 and the kingdom of darkness. And we must 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 181 
 
 belong to the one, or the other. Here none 
 may presume that they can stand neuter. If 
 you refuse to stand on Christ's side, you must 
 expect to be treated as enemies to him. Here 
 then, I set before you life and death, blessing 
 and cursing. If you continue under the 
 power of Satan, you must finally perish with 
 him in hell. But if you now submit to 
 Christ, you shall obtain the blessings of the 
 kingdom of grace, and in due time be ad- 
 vanced to the kingdom of glory, where there 
 is neither adversary, nor evil occurrent. Be 
 persuaded then to stand on this side, and you 
 will have the best cause, the best leader, and 
 certain victory in God's time ; the reward 
 of which is not a fading laurel, but a crown 
 of glory which fadeth not away. 
 
 And here give me leave to direct the exhor- 
 tation, 
 
 To children. Submit to Christ, and list 
 under his banner. Dear children, your tender 
 years need not discourage you from engaging 
 in this war ; for our Lord ordains strength out 
 of the mouth of babes, that he may still the 
 enemy and the avenger. The power and 
 16 
 
182 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 grace of our Saviour are magnified, while he 
 perfecteth praise out of your mouths, and 
 makes you victorious over the sinful follies 
 and vanities of childhood. 
 
 To young men. Do you also submit to 
 Christ, and list under his banner. Obey that 
 word, Thou therefore, my son, be strong in 
 the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim. 2:1. 
 Flee youthful lusts which war against the 
 soul ; and while you strive for the mastery, 
 be temperate in all things. When Satan 
 tempts you to walk in the ways of your heart, 
 and after the sight of your eyes, realize 
 that for these things God will bring you into 
 judgment, and then say, How can I do this 
 wickedness, and sin against God ? How shall 
 I be able to lift up my head, when I must 
 appear before the judgment seat of Christ ? 
 Thus resist the devil, and he shall flee from 
 you. O, how lovely a sight is it, to behold 
 our youth denying the solicitations of Satan, 
 when he urgeth them to gratify their carnal 
 appetites, in this age of pleasure ! I have 
 written unto you, fathers, because ye have 
 known him that is from the beginning. I write 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 183 
 
 unto you, young men, because ye are strong, 
 and the word of God abideth in you, and ye 
 have overcome the wicked one. 1 John 2 : 14. 
 
 Again, Let the weaker sex willingly offer 
 themselves among the people, and engage in 
 this holy war. Arise with Deborah, a mother 
 in Israel, go forth against the enemy, and 
 you shall have occasion to sing with her, O my 
 soul, thou hast trodden down strength. You 
 need not fear, having such a leader to go be- 
 fore you. And for your further encourage- 
 ment, I may observe to you, that in the holy 
 army of martyrs who overcame by the blood 
 of the Lamb, we have some heroic examples 
 of courage and firmness of mind even among 
 women, and that when called to resist unto 
 blood, striving against sin. 
 
 Let our aged go forth against the enemy, 
 and fight the Lord's battles. There is no 
 discharge in this war. No, you must be 
 faithful to death. And if any, we may well 
 expect that old disciples, who have for a 
 long time followed Christ, should resist the 
 devil with holy courage and skill, as not being 
 ignorant of his devices. A few contests more, 
 
184 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 and you shall be able to say with Paul the 
 aged, I have fought a good fight, I have fin- 
 ished my course, I have kept the faith. Hence- 
 forth there is laid up for me a crown of right- 
 eousness, which the Lord the righteous judge 
 shall give me at that day. 2 Tim. 4 : 7, 8. 
 
 [A single paragraph, addressed to the Indians and 
 negroes in the author's congregation, is here omitted.] 
 
 Let parents, and masters of families, sub- 
 mit to Christ, and train up their children and 
 all under their care for his service. And 
 
 Let the pastors of the churches be exhorted 
 to lead forth their flocks in opposition to the 
 powers of darkness, and do your utmost by 
 purity of doctrine, by the exercise of an holy 
 discipline, and by your good conversation, that 
 Satan's kingdom may fall, and Christ's king- 
 dom may be more and more set up upon the 
 ruins of it. 
 
 In a word and to conclude : In this remark- 
 able season, let us be earnest with God for 
 the more plentiful effusions of his Spirit, that 
 there may stand up an exceeding great army 
 to fight the battles of the Lord, and take the 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 185 
 
 kingdom of heaven with an holy violence. 
 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most 
 Mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. 
 And in thy majesty ride prosperously, because 
 of truth, meekness, and righteousness. And 
 thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. 
 Let thine arrows be sharp in the heart of the 
 King's enemies, and the people fall under thee. 
 Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies, and 
 make thy people willing in the day of thy 
 power. And let us avoid every thing that 
 has a tendency to quench the Spirit, and so 
 to hinder the success of the gospel. Let us 
 remember that true godliness hath its influ- 
 ence on the whole conversation. And ac- 
 cordingly, let us seek first the kingdom of 
 God and his righteousness, and then look 
 well to the ways of our households, and take 
 care that we, our children and servants, be 
 well employed in the particular business to 
 which God calls us. Let children be well 
 governed. Let them duly attend the school, 
 and be in subjection to their parents, and all 
 over them in the Lord. Let every thing that 
 is good in them be cherished and encouraged, 
 17 
 
186 THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 and at the same time prudent methods be 
 used that the good be not evil spoken of, 
 through their weakness and infirmity. And 
 let us all watch and pray, lest we enter into 
 temptation. Let us try the spirits, and not 
 give place to the devil, though he should be 
 transformed into an angel of light. We may 
 well expect that this malicious and subtle ad- 
 versary will be busy at such a time as this ; 
 and should accordingly be upon our guard, 
 that we may not be caught in his snare. Let 
 none be lifted up with pride, lest they fall 
 into the condemnation of the devil. Do not 
 say in vain boasting, Stand by thyself, come 
 not near to me, for I am holier than thou. 
 Where God makes the difference, give him 
 the glory ; and behave with great modesty 
 and humility. Let not your zeal be furious 
 and disorderly, censorious and uncharitable ; 
 but according to knowledge, and a sound 
 judgment. Be zealous therefore, and repent, 
 remember the first love, and do the first 
 works. Consider, the fruit of the Spirit is 
 love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, 
 goodness, faith. And they that are Christ's 
 
CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 187 
 
 have crucified the flesh, with the affections 
 and lusts. Let the children of God quicken 
 their pace in the way towards heaven, saying 
 with the apostle, I count not myself to have 
 apprehended ; but this one thing I do, for- 
 getting those things which are behind, and 
 reaching forth unto those things which are 
 before, I press toward the mark, for the prize 
 of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
 Phil. 3 : 13, 14. And let such as are under 
 good impressions from the Spirit, take heed 
 to themselves, and beware of apostasy. O, 
 ponder those awful words, If any man draw 
 back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 
 Heb. 10 : 38. But if there should come a fall- 
 ing away respecting some that have promised 
 fair, let us not be shaken in mind as if the 
 main work was not of God, nor take up an 
 evil report against it. Scripture and experi- 
 ence warn us to fear and prepare for such a 
 trial. But, O thou God of all grace, keep 
 us from falling. Let thy work appear more 
 and more to thy servants, and thy glory unto 
 their children ; confirm, increase and perfect 
 it to the praise of thy glorious grace. 
 
188 THE SPIRIT CONVINCETH OF JUDGMENT. 
 
 And may our Lord utterly destroy Anti- 
 christ by the brightness of his coming. May 
 he bind Satan, and cast him into the bottom- 
 less pit. And may that voice be heard, 
 saying, The kingdoms of this world are be- 
 come the kingdom of our Lord, and of his 
 Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever. 
 Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 
 
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