Conviction of Sin

when he the Comforter is come, he will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. — John xvi. 8.

When friends are about to part from one another, they are far kinder than ever they have been before. It was so with Jesus. He was going to part from his disciples, and never till now did his heart flow out toward them in so many streams of heavenly tenderness. Sorrow had filled their heart, and therefore divinest compassion filled his heart I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away.”

Surely it was expedient for himself that he should go iwaj. He had lived a life of weariness and painfolness, not having where to lay his head, and surely it was pleasant in his eyes that he was about to enter into his rest. He had lived in obscurity and poverty — he gave his back to the smiterSf and his cheeks to them that plucked off the bair; and now, surely, he might well look forward with joy to his return to that glory which he had with the Father before ever the world was, when all the angels of God worshipped him; and yet he does not say: It is expedient for me that I go away. Surely that would have been comfort enough to his disciples. But no; he says: ^’ It is expedient for you.” He forgets himself altogether, and thinks only of his little flock which he was leaving behind him: “It is expedient for you that I go away.” O most generous of Saviours! He looked not on his own things, but on the things of others also. He knew that it is far more blessed to give than it is to receive.

The gift of the Spirit is the great argument by which he here persuades them that his going away would be expedient for them. Now, it is curious to remark that he had pronoised them the Spirit before in the beginning of his discourse. In chap. xiv. 1 6-1 8, he says: “1 will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless t I will come to you.” And again: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” — Verse 26. In that passage he promises the Spirit for their own peculiar comfort and joy. He promises him as a treasure which they, and they only, could receive: “For the world cannot receive him, because it neither sees nor knows him;” and yet, saith he, ^’he dwelleth with you, uid shall be in you.” But in the passage before us the promise is quite different. He promises the Spirit here, not m themselves, but for the world — not as a peculiar trea-Rire to be locked up in their own bosoms, which they might brood over with a selfish joy, but as a blessed power to work, through their preaching, on the wicked world around them — not as a well springing up within their own bosoms onto evexlastiDg life, but as rivezs of living water floyim d04< SERMON XLIT.

through them to vraiex this dry and perishing world; for he does not say: When he is come he will fill your heart! with peace and joy to overflowing; but: “When he is come he will conyince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” But a little before he had told them that the world would hate and persecute them: “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” — John xt. 19« This was but poor comfort, when that very world was to be the fidd of their labours; but now he shows them what a blessed gift the Spirit would be; for he would work, through their preaching, upon the very hearts that hated and persecuted them: ‘^ He shall convince the world of sin.” This has always been the case. In Acts ii. we are told that when the Spirit came on the apostles the crowd mocked them, saying: “These men are full of new wine;” and yet, whca Peter preached, the Spirit wrought through his preaching on the hearts of these very scoffers. They were pricked in their hearts, and cried: “Men and brethren, what must we do?” and the same day three thousand souls were converted. Again, the jailer at Philippi was evidently a hard, end man toward the apostles; for he thrust them into the innei prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks; and yet the Spirit opens his hard heart, and he is brought to Christ by the very apostles whom he hated. Just so is it, brethren, to this day. The world do not loye the true ministers of Christ a whit better than they did. The world is the same world it was in Christ’s day. That word has nerer yet been scored out of the Bible: “Whosoever will live godly in the world, must suffer persecution.” We expect, as Pam did, to be hated by the most who listen to us. We are quite sure, as Paul was, that the more abundantly we love you, most of you will love us the less; and yet, brethren, none of these things move us. Though cast down, we are not in despair; for we know that the Spirit is sent to convince the world; and we do not fear but some of you who are counting us an enemy, because we tell you the tnith, may even this day, in the midst of all your hatred and cold indifference, be convinced of sin by the Spirit, and made to cry out: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

I. Thejirst work of the Spirit is to convince tfsin* 1. Who it is that convinces of sin: “He shall eonvinoe die world of sin, because they believe not in me.” It is curious to remark, that whererer the Holy Ghost is spoken of in the Bible, he is spoken of in terms of gentleness and loTe. We oflen read of the wrath of God the Father, as in Bom. i.: “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” And we often read of the wrath of God the Son: “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way;” or, ^’ Revealed from heaven taking vengeance;” but we nowhere tead of the wrath of God the Holy Ghost. (1.) He is compared to a dove, the gentlest of all creatures. (2.) He is warm and gentle as the breath: “Jesus breathed on them, and said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” (3.) He is gentle as the falling dew: ^’ I will be as the dew unto Israel.” (4.) He is soft and gentle as oil; for he is called “The oil of gladness.” The nne oil wherewith the high priest was anointed was a type of the Spirit. (5.) He is gentle and lefreshing as the springing well: ‘’ The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto evtflasting life. (6.) He is called “The Spirit of grace and sf supplications.” He is nowhere called the Spirit of wrath. (7.) He is called the “Holy Ghost, which is the Commter.” Nowhere is he called the Avenger. (8.) We are told that he groans within the heart of a believer, ^’ helping his infirmities;” so that he greatly hell the believer in wayer. We are told also of the love of the Spirit — ^nownere of the wrath of the Spirit We are told of his being grieved: “Grieve not the Holy Spirit;” of his being resisted: “Ye do always resist the Holy Gho&t;” of his being quenched: “Quench not the Spirit” But these are all marks of gentleness and love. Nowhere will you find one fliaik of anger or of vengeance attributed to him; and yet, Ixrethren, wnen this bles Spirit begins his work of love, marie how he begins — he convinces of sin. Even he, all-wise, almighty, all-gentle and loving though he be, Cannot persuade a poor smful heart to embrace the Saviour, without first opening up his wounds, and convincing him that he is lost

Now, brethren, I ask of you, Should not the faithfrd ministor of Christ just do the very same? Ah! brethren, if the Spirit, whose very breath is all gentleness and lov«-whom Jesus hath sent into the world to bring men to eternal Ufe -»if he begins his work in every soul that is to be saved by eoDvinciiig of m, why should you blame the ndmsjt/^ oii

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Christ if he begins in the rerj same way? Why should yoa say that we are harsh, and cruel, and serere, when we bqgin to deal with your souls by conTincing you of sin? “Am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” When the surgeon comes to cure a corrupted wound- — when he tears off the vile bandages which unskilful hands had wrapped around it — when he lays open the deepest recesses of your wound, and shows you all its venom and its Timlence — do you call him cruel? May not his hands be all the time the hands of gentleness and k>Ye? Or, when a house is all on fire — when the flames are bursting out firom every window — - when some courageous man ventures to alarm the sleeping inmates — bursts through the barred door — tears aside the dose-drawn curtains, and with eager hand shakes the sleeper — bids him awake and flee- — a moment longer and you may be lost — do you call him crud? or do you say this messenger of mercy spoke too loud — 4oo plain? Ah, no. ‘^ Skm for skin, all uiat a man hath wiS he give for his life.** Why, then, brethren, will you blame the minister of Christ when he bens by convincing you of sin? Think you that the wound of sin is less venonuyoi or deadly than a wound in the flesh? Think you the flamai of hell are less hard to bear than the flames of earth? Tba very Spirit of love begins by convincing you of sin; and an we less the messengers of love because we too begin hj convincing you of sin? Oh, then, do not say that we an become your enemy because we tell you the truth.

II. JVhat ii this convicHon of sin f I would begin ts show this by showing you what it is not

Iritis not the mere smiting of the natural conscienes* Although man be utterly fiedlen, yet God has left natonl conscience behind in every heart, to speak for hinu Some men, by continual sinning, sear even the consdenoe as widi a hot iron, so that it becomes dead and past feeling; bat most men have so much natural consdence remaining that they cannot commit open sin without their consdence smiting them. When a man commits murder or theft, no eye may have seen him, and yet consdence makes a oowaid of him. He trembles, and is afiraid — he feels that he hu sinned, and he fears that Qod will take vengeanoet Now, brethren, that is not the conviction of sin h mokHl of — - that is a natural work which takes place in eveiTiieart; fast conviotioii of sin is a siqeniatana woik of m Spiife flf

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If you have had nothing more than the ordinary Ing of conscience, then you have never been convinced a.

It is not any impression upon the imagination, etimes, when men hare committed great sin, they have i impressions of God’s vengeance made upon their [inations. In the night-time they abnost iaacy they he flames of hell burning beneath them; or they seem ear doleful cries in their ears telling of coming woe; ley fancy they see the face of Jesus all clouded with r; or they have terrible dreams, when they sleep, of ng vengeance. Now, this is not the conviction of sin h the Spirit gives. This is altogether a natural work I the natural Acuities, and not at all a supernatural: of the Spirit. If you have had nothing more than i imaginary terrors, you have had no work of the Spirit.

It is not a mere head knowledge of what the JBible against sin. Many unconverted men read their Bibles, have a clear knowledge that their case is laid down u They are sensible men. They know very well that are in sin, and they know just as well that the wages 1 is death. ( 1.) One man lives a swearer, and he reads frords, and understands them perfectly: ‘< Swear not at — “The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his e in vain.” (2.) Another man lives in the lusts of the, and he reads the Bible, and understands these words ictly: ‘^ No unclean person hath any inheritance in the dom of Christ and of God.” (3.) Another man lives Etbitual forgetfulness of €kpd — never thinks of God from ise to sunset, and yet he reads: ‘* The wicked shall be ed into hell, and all the people that forset God.” Now, lis way most unconverted men have a head knowledge leir sin, and of the wages of sin; yet, brethren, this is rom conviction of sin. This is a mere natural work in bead. Conviction of sin is a work of God upon the t. If you have had nothing more than this head irledge tnat you are sinners, then you have never been inced of sin.

Conviction of sin is not to feel the loathsomeness of

This is what a child of God feels. A child of God seen the beauty and excellency of God, and therefipres loathsome in his eyes. But no unconverted person has

the beauty and excellency of God; therefore, even the it cannot make him fed the loathsonxenesa o{ «n« loflft

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as Trben you leare a room that is brilliantlj lighted, and go out into the darkness of the open air, the night lodes very dark; so when a child of God has been within the veil — in the presence of his reconciled God — in hill ▼iew of the Father of lights, dwelling in light inaccessible and full of gloiy — then, when he turns his eye inwards upon his own sinful bosom, sin appears rery dark, Teiy Tile, and very loathsome. But an unconverted soul nevef has been in the presence of the reconciled God; and therefore sin cannot appear dark and loathsome in his eyes. Just as when you have tasted something very sweet and pleasant, when you come to taste other uings, they appear very insipid and disagreeable; so when a child of Gtpd 1ms tasted and seen that God is gracious, the taste of sin in his own heart becomes very nauseous and loathsome to him. But an unconverted soul never tasted the sweetness of God’s love; he cannot, therefore, feel the vileness and loathsomeness of sin. This, then, is not the conviction of sin here spoken of.

What, then, is this conviction of sin? Ans. It is a just sense of the dreadfulness of nn. It is not a mere knowledge that we have many sins, and that God’s anger is reveled against them all; but it is a heart-feeling that we are under sin. Again: it is not a feeling of the loathsomeness of sin — that is felt only by the children of God; but it is a feeling of the dreadfulness of sin — of the dishonour it does to God, and of the wrath to which it exposes the sooL Oh, brethren! conviction of sin is no slight natural work upon the heart. There is a great difference between knowing a thing and having a just sense of it. There is a great difference between knowing that vinegar is sour, and actually tasting and feeling that it is sour. There is a great difference between knowing that fire will bum us, ana actually feeling the pain of being burned. Justin the same way, there is all the difference in the world between knowing the dreadfulness of your sins and feeling the dreadfulness of your sins. It is all in vain that you read your BiUes and hear us preach, unless the Spirit use the words to give sense and feeling to your dead hearts. The plainest words will not awaken you as long as you are in a natural condition. If we could prove to you, with the plainness of arithmetic, that the wrath of God is abiding on you and your children, still you would sit uiunoved — you would go away and forget it before ^olx xebsi^Yii^QQs own do<M:. Ak, brethren! he that made jour heart caa alone impress your heart. It is the Spirit that conyinceth of sin.

1. Learn ike true power of the read and preached Word. It is but an instrument in the hand of God. It

has no power of itself, except to produce natural impressions. It is a hammer — but God must break your hearts with it. It is a fire — but God must kindle up your bosoms with it. “Without him we may give you a knowledge of the dreadfulness of your condition, but he only can give you a just sense and feeling of the dreadfulness of your condition. The most powel sermon in the world can make nothing more than a natural impression; but when €K)d works through it, the feeblest word makes a supernatural impression. Many a poor sermon has been the means by which God hath converted a soul. Children of God, O that you would pray night and day for the liftin? up of the arm of God!

2. Learn that conversion is not in your own power. It is the Spirit alone who convinces of sin, and he is a free agent. He is a sovereign Spirit, and has nowhere promised to work at the bidding of unconverted men. He hath many on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will he hardeneth. Perhaps you think you may take your fill of sin just now, and then come and repent, and be saved; but remember the Spirit is not at your bidding. He is not your servant. Many hope to be converted on their death-bed; and they come to their death-bed, and yet are not converted. U the Spirit be working with yo now, do not grieve him — do not resist him — do not quench him; for he may never oome back to you again.

III. / come to the argument which the Spirit uses. There are two arguments by which the Spirit usually gives men a sense of the dreadfulness of sin.

1. The Law: ^’ The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ “— “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God.” The sinner reads the law of the great God who made heaven and earth. The Spirit of God arouses his conscience to see that the law condemns every part of his life. The law bids him love God. His heart tells him he never loved God — never had a thought of regard toward God. The Spirit convinces him that God is a jeslom Q^cA

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—that his honour is concerned to uphold the law, and destroy the sinner. The Spirit conyinces him that God is a just God — that he can by no means dear the guilty. The Spirit conyinces him that he is a true (rod — that he must fulfil all his threatenings: ^’ Have I said it, and shall I not do it V The sinneis’mouth is stopped, and he stands guilty before God.

2* The second argument it the Gospel: Because they believe not on Jesus.** This is the strongest of all aigoments, and therefore is chosen by Christ here. The sinner reads in the Word that “he that believeth on the Son hs& everlasting life;” and now the Spirit conyinces him that he never believed on the Son of God — indeed he does not know what it means. For the first time the conviction comes upon his heart: “He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him,” The more glorious and divine that Saviour is, the more is the Christless soul convinced that he is lost; for he feels that he is out of that Saviour. He sees plabily that Christ is an almighty ark riding over the deluge of God’s wrath — he sees how safe and happy the little company are that are gathered vidthin; but this just makes him gnash his teeth in agony, for he is not within the ark, and the vyes and billows are coming over him. He hears that Christ hath been stretching out the hands all the day to the chief of sinners, not willing that any should perish; but then he never cast himself into these arms, and now he feels that Christ may be laughing at his calamity, and mocking when his fear cometh. O yes, my friends! how often on the death-bed, when the natural fears of conscience are aided by the Spirit of God — how often, when we speak of Christ — his love — his atoning blood — the refuge to be found in him — ^howsafe and happy all are that are in him — how oflen does the dying sinner turn it all away with the awful question: But am I in Christ? The more we tell of the Saviour, the more is their agony increased; for they feel that that is the Saviour they have refused. Ah! what a meaning does that give to these words: ‘^ The Spirit convinceth m sin, because they believe not on me.”

1. Now, my friends, there are many of you who know that you never believed on Jesus, and yet you are quite unmoved. You sit without any emotion — you eat your meals with appetite, and doubtless sleep sound at night Do you wish to know the reason? Ton have nerer been

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ocmvinced of sin. The Spirit hath never begun his work in ▼onr heart. Oh I if the Spirit of Jesus would come on your nearts like a mighty rushing wind, what a dreadful thought it would be to you this night that you are lying out of Christ! You would lose your appetite for this wond’s food — you would not be able to rest in your bed — you would not dare to live on in your sins. All your past sins would rise behind you like apparitions of evil. Wherever you went you would meet the word: ““Without Christ, without hope, and without God in the world;” and if your worldly friends should try to hush your fears, and tell you of your decencies, and that you were not so bad as your neighbours, and many might fear if you feared, ah! how you would thrust them away, and stop your ears, and cry: There is a city of refuge, to which I have never fled; therefore there must be a blood-avenger. There is an ark: therefore there must be a coming deluge. Thei« is a Christ; therefore there must be a hell for the Christless.

2. Some of you may be under conviction of sin — you feel the dreadfulness of being out of Christ, and you are very miserable. Now, (I.) Be thankful for this work of the Spirit: Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father.” God hath brought you into the wilderness just that he might allure you, and speak to your heart about Christ. This is the way he begins the work in every soul he saves. Nobody ever came to Christ hut they were first convinced of sin. All that are now in heaven began this way. Be thankful you are not dead like those around you. (2.) Do not lose these convictions. Remember they are easily lost. Involve yourself over head and ears in business, and work even on the Sabbath-day, and you will soon drive all away. Indulge a little in sensual pleasure — take a little diversion with companions, and you will soon be as happy and careless as they. If you love your soul, flee these things — do not stay — flee away from them. Read the books m&t keep up your anxiety — wait on the ministers that keep up that anxiety. Above alL, cry to the Spirit, who alone was the author of it, that he would keep it up. Cry night and day that he may never let you rest out of Christ. Oh! would you sleep over hell? (3.) Do not rest in these convictions. You are not saved yet. Many have come thus £eu:, and perished after all- — many have been convinced, not converted — many lose convictions, and wallow in sin again. ^^B/e;m<eixiX^t

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Lot’s wife.” You are nerer safe till you are within the fold. Christ is the door. Strive to enter in at die -strait gate; for many shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able,

Dundee, Feb. 4, 1837.