But you will ask me why is the sending of the Spirit necessary for the ' convincing of this righteousness' ?
I answer, for divers reasons.
Fieasoii 1. First, Because it is above the conceit f of man that there should be such a righteousness of God-man. Therefore it is discovered by the Spirit; and when it is discovered, the Spirit must open the eyes of the soul to see, else we shall have a natural knowledge of supernatural things ; for a man, by a natural knowledge, may understand them, so as to be able to discourse of them; therefore, to change the soul, there must be a 'super- natural sight to see supernatural things. A devil incarnate may know all things, and yet want to see. Only the Holy Ghost gives inward sight, in- ward eyes, and works faith to see Christ as mine.
Beason 2. Again, the sending of the Holy Ghost is necessary for ihis conviction; because he alone must set down the soul and make the conscience * Qu. 'and'?— G. t That is, 'conception.' — G.
302 THE saint's privilege.
quiet, trJio is greater than the conscience. Conscience will clamour, ' Thou iirt a sinner;' the Holy Ghost convinces, 'In Christ thou art righteous,' The Holy Ghost only knows what is in the heart of God the Father, and in the heart of every man. He only knows the intent of the Father to every Christian, and can answer all inward objections and cavils of flesh and blood raised up against the soul ; therefore the convincing of the Holy Ghost is necessary. Howsoever Christ hath purchased our peace, yet the Holy Ghost must apply it; for the conscience is so full of clamours, that unless the Holy Ghost apply what Christ hath done, conscience will not be satisfied. God the Father hath appointed Christ, and Christ hath wrought it; but the third person must apply it to the soul, to assure us that this belongs to us. The application of all good things to the soul that Christ the Son hath wrought, is the proper oiilce of the Third Person. In civil contracts here, there must not only be a purchase, but a seal. Though Christ hath wrought righteousness for us, the Spirit must seal it to every soul : ' This righteousness belongs to you ;' ' Christ is yours, with all that is his.'
Reason 3. Again, it must needs be a work of the Spirit; because flesh and blood is full of jjride, and ivould fain have some righteousness of their own. The Jews were of this temper; and it hath been the greatest ques- tion from the beginning of the world till this day, what is that righteous- ness whereby we must stand before God ? But God's Spirit answers all objections. Beloved, the best of us, though in an estate of grace, if the Holy Ghost do not convince us, we shall be in darkness, and call all into question. Therefore we must not be convinced only at the first, but in a continued course of Christianity. Unless the Holy Ghost doth this, we shall fall into a dungeon of darkness ; therefore the convincing of the Holy Ghost is necessary.
Beloved, this should make us take heed how we hear and how we read, even to beg this convincing of the Spirit in every ordinance : 0 Lord ! vouchsafe 'the Spirit of revelation,' and take the scales off mine eyes, that as these are truths of themselves, so they may be truths to me ; sway my soul, that I may cast myself upon thy mercy in Christ, &c.
Ohj. I must answer some cases that many a poor soul is troubled withal : Alas ! I am not ' convinced by the Spirit that Christ is my righteousness,' therefore what case am I in ?
Ans. I answer, some are more strongly convinced, and some less. Let a man be careless of holy duties, and he is less convinced; but let him be constant therein, and he shall find the Holy Ghost convincing him more strongly that the righteousness of Christ is his. There are many pre- sumptuous persons that ' turn the grace of God ioto wantonness,' Jude 4 ; who because through the enthusiasm of Satan, they never question their estate, but conceit themselves to be good men and in the estate of grace, think this to be the convincing of the Holy Ghost ; whereas this is a general rule, spiritual convincing is not total, but always leaves in the heart some drugs* of doubting; as a ship that rides at anchor, though it may reel to and fro, yet is it safe for the main. So is it with the soul that is truly convinced. It is safe for the main, yet it is tumbled and tossed with many doubts and fears, but their anchor is in heaven.
Take this for a ground of comfort subscribed unto in the experience of all believers, that the Spirit of God so far convinces them of Christ's righteousness, as preserves in them such a power of grace as to cast them- *■ Qu. 'dregs'?— G.
THE saint's privilege. 8G3
selves upon the mercy of God in Christ; and God will not quench that spark. Though there be little or no light, yet there will be heat. God ■will send his Spirit into the heart, so far as it shall not betray itself to despair, and let such a beam into the soul as all the power in hell shall not be able to keep out. But it is our own neglect that we are not more strongly convinced, so as to break through all. This is the privilege of a constant, careful Christian, to be strongly convinced of the righteousness of Christ.