Use. Thus we see how the Holy Ghost convinceth us of righteousness. Other things I must omit. If this be so, I beseech you, let m not lose oiirjviri- Icges and preror/atives. Doth God give grace, and give Christ with all his righteousness, and shall not we improve them ? Let us use this righteous- ness in all temptations. Let us plead it to God himself, when he seems to be our enemy: Lord, thou hast ordained a righteousness, the righteousness of Christ, that hath given full satisfaction to thy justice, and he hath given me a title to heaven. Howsoever my soul be in darkness, yet. Lord, I come unto thee in the name of my Saviour, that thou wouldst persuade my soul of that righteousness. I would glorify thy name. AVherein wilt thou be glorified ? In mercy or justice ? Oh, in mercy above all. I cannot glorify thee in thy mercy, unless thou persuade me ' of the righteousness of Christ.' Can I love thee except thou love me first '? Canst thou have any free and voluntary obedience from me, unless I be convinced that Christ is mine ? Now, Lord, I beseech thee, let me be such as thou mayest take delight in. Beloved, since we have means of such a gift, let us never rest till we have it. If Satan set upon us, hold this out. If he tell thee thou art a sinner, tell him I have a greater righteousness than my own, even the righteousness of God-man ; I have a righteousness above all my unrighteousness. Satan saith God is displeased with me : ay, but he is more pleased with me in Christ, than displeased with me in myself. Satan saith I have sinned against God ; ay, but not against the remedy. Send Satan to Christ. Oh, but thou hast a corrupt nature that makes thee run into this sin and that sin ; but there is a spring of mercy in God, and an over-running fountain of righteousness in Christ, an overflowing sea of the blood of Christ. Therefore let us labour to improve this righteousness of Christ to God and Satan against all temptations, yea, against our own con- sciences. I am thus and thus, yet God is thus and thus ; all his attributes are conveyed to me in Christ, Let us exalt God and Christ, and set up Christ above our sins, above any thing in the world, as St Paul, who ' counted all things dung and dross for the excellent knowledge of Christ,' Philip, iii. 8.
Quest. You will ask me. How shall we know whether we be convinced of this righteousness or no ?
Ans. I answer, We may know by the method Christ uses in convincing. First, he convinces of sin, and then of righteousness. For a man to catch at righteousness before he be convinced of sin, it is but an usurpation ; for the Holy Ghost ^fint convinces of sin.
Therefore you have many perish because they never were abased enough. Beloved, people are not lost enough and not miserable enough for Christ ; and not broken enough for him ; and therefore they go without him.
Quest. But how shall I know that the Holy Ghost hath convinced me enough of sin, so that I may without presumption apply the righteousness of Christ unto myself ?
Ans. Only thus : if the Holy Ghost have discovered my sinful condition of nature and life, so as to work in me an hatred of sin, and to alter my
334 THE saint's privilege.
bent another way, and so make Christ sweet unto me, then I am suffi- ciently convinced of sin.
This in answer to that question by the way. To return ; in the next place, I may know I am convinced thoroughly of the righteousness of Christ hif the u-itiiess and Kork of the Spirit. The Spirit brings light and faith. The work of the Spirit hath a light of its own ; as I know I believe, when I believe. But sometimes we have not the reflect act of faith whereby to evidence our own graces to ourselves ; but ever he that is convinced of the Spirit of God, his heart will be wrought to bear marvellous love to God. Upon this apprehension that God is mine, and Christ is mine, the soul is constrained to love ; whereupon ensues an enlargement of heart, and a prevalency of comfort above all discomfort, for love casteth out fear. This one comfort that our sins are forgiven, and that we have a right and title to heaven, when the soul is convinced of this it is in a blessed condition. Then what is poverty and what is imprisonment ? Not worthy to be reckoned in respect of the glory that shall be revealed.
Again, where the Holy Ghost convinces enough, there is inward peace and great joy suitable to the righteousness. As the righteousness is an excel- lent righteousness of God-man, so, that peace and joy that comes from it is unspeakable peace and joy. So that then the heart sees itself instated in peace and joy, as you have it, Eom. v. 1, ' Being justified by faith, we have peace towards God ;' not only inward peace and jo}^ but a peace that will shew itself abroad ; a glorious peace, a peace that will make us glor^'- : ver. 3, ' We glory in tribulation.' A hard matter to glory in abasement. Not only so, but we glory in God. God is ours, and Christ's righteousness ours. When Christ hath satisfied God's wrath, then we may make our boast of God.