John 16:9

The particulars generally named in the former verse, are now more particularly insisted on, and cleared from the grounds upon which the world shall be convinced of them. And first, for sin, they shall be convinced thereof, because they beleeve not in him; Which, being taken more generally in reference to the conviction of the world, both Elect and reprobate, holds out, That the operations of the Spirit, communicate by and from Christ now ascended, shall prove him to be the Son of God, the great Prophet, and true Messiah, and so shall convince them of their great sin in rejecting, and not beleeving him and his testimony. Being taken more particularly in reference to the Elect, it holds out, That the Spirit shall begin at convincing them of sin, and shall withal convince, that the wretchednesse and desperatenesse of their condition lieth not so much in their other sins, as in their unbelief, and not closing with Christ. Whereof the world also may get a tast, in being convinced of their miserable condition by reason of sin, since they do not embrace him the remedy, though they do never amend it, whereas the Elect are convinced, till they make use of the remedy. Whence learn, 1. The world without Christ is lying in a miserable condition and state of sin; for, so is here imported. 2. The world is so blinde and stubborne in their course of sinning, that neither natural light, nor judgements and afflictions, yea, nor the doctrine of the Word, without the assistance of the Spirit will discover sin, nor let them see the sinfulnesse thereof; And that because men are blind by nature, that they see not their own case; and they have so many subter-fuges, of fathering their sins on others, (as Adam, Evah, and Aaron did, Gen. 3.12, 13. Exod. 32.22, 23, 24.) of pretence of custome, of giving fair names to foul sins, &c. that they see not the sinfulnesse of what they acknowledge: Therefore it must be the Spirit who convinceth of sinne. So that when men have the Word, it must be made searching by the Spirit of God, before it discover them to themselves, Rom. 7.9, 13, 14. Yea, and loving kindnesse, must be applyed and beleeved, before sin be abominable as it ought, Ezra 9.13, 14. 3. The Spirit is able to convince men, who otherwise will not be convinced of sin, and doth so to many whom he will never convert; for, he shall convince the world of sinne. 4. Conviction of sin is the first work that the Spirit works upon a soul, which he is to draw in to himselfe; for, this conviction in reference to the Elect, beginneth here. 5 Unbelief is the great sin, whereof men are to be convinced, and do need the Spirit for that end. This holds true in diverse respects. 1. If we look on this sin in it selfe, it is the great sin against the Gospel, and their great guilt who opposed and rejected him; A sin greater then any against the Law, and very injurious to Christ, and a sin, that (however men by natures light may see other sins,) we will never see the ill of it, but by the Spirit. 2. If we look on it in reference to other sins, it is the sin that defiles all our actions, how morally good soever they be; the sin that binds all our other sins upon us, seeing it is only by faith in Christ we draw vertue for subduing thereof; and, the sin which renders all our other sins incurable and unpardonable, as being a sin against the remedy, and holding us back from it; Therefore is this conviction of sin thus instructed, because they beleeve not on me, Not only as it is a prime and great sin in it selfe, but as it hath influence on other sins, and serveth to convince men of the woful ill of their sinful condition, so long as they continue to reject the remedy. Doct. 6. It is not enough men see a general view of their sinful state, unlesse they take it up distinctly, and the root and cause thereof; without which they will never know how to set about the cure of it: Therefore, in convincing of sin, he convinceth of unbelief as the root from whence the misery, or, at least, the desperatenesse of that condition, sloweth. 7. All conviction of sin is ineffectual, unlesse men also see their unbelief, and the sinfulnesse thereof, to be convinced of it, and humbled for it; for, so much doth this working of the Spirit import, he convinceth of sin, because they beleeve not on me. 8. Faith in Jesus Christ is a duty, so spiritual, and above the reach of nature, and a duty which souls convinced of sin are so averse from, that the neglect hereof, and the sin of unbelief, will not be seen without the working of the Spirit; for, this is a conviction of sin, requiring the operation of the Spirit, that men see themselves guilty of sin, because they beleeve not on him. 9. When selfe-condemned sinners, are led to finde faith, and the necessity thereof, pressed upon them, and are made to see the ill of unbelief, and to endeavour to be rid of it, and to essay faith; They ought not to look on this as a tentation, or presumption in them, but as the very work of the Spirit of God: for, he is sent forth for this end, to convince men of sinne, because they beleeve not on me.