THE

CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE.

VOL. II.

SERMON.

SEPTEMBER 1825.

JOHN, XVI, 8.-And when he is come, he will reprove the world of

sin.

That man is a free agent, is a self evident proposition, an intuitive truth. I am not more certain, that I exist, than that I will, that I act, and that I choose, according to my pleasure. But while man is free, he is influenced by a divine power. While he chooses, and acts according to his choice, he is dependent on God for every thought. While he works out his own salvation himself, God works in him to will and to do. While exerting the most astonishing powers of mind, he is only more effectually moved by

an unseen power.

Man acts and God acts, in the same operation of body and mind. In the most sublime flights of ge

nius and science, when man numbers the stars, and weighs the planets, he is borne on the strong wing of divine power. "By the inspiration of the Almighty," man displays all the wonderful energy

No. 9.

Were

of bis intellectual powers. the constant agency of God withdrawn, darkness and death, would close the light of the universe.— How this divine operation is consistent with human choice and human exertion, I do not know, how God constantly acts on the mind, and yet leaves man free and active, I do not know. Still I do know, that the facts are not the less certain. The Holy Spirit, saith the Savior, will reprove or rather convince* the world of sin that they are guilty, and exposed to the anger of God. This is his work. From the text and other passages, it is evident, that conviction of sin is one office of The maxims the Holy Spirit. of natural religion and the exercise of reason may teach a man that he has sinned.

The same

reasoning powers, which satisfy him respecting other facts, may instruct him here. But this su

perficial, indefinite impression of

See the translations of Thompson and Doddridge, and note of Wakefield.

evil will not effectually excite him to believe in the Savior, and lead a life of humility and repentance. A man who has enjoyed a life of perpetual health and gaiety of spirits, may believe that he is a frail, mortal, dying creature; but his convictions are slight, he will rarely submit to the cautious abits of his neighbor, who is pining under painful chronic disorders, and tortured with all the fears of a valetudinarian so great is the difference between the acknowledgements of reason, and the convictions of conscience, between human teaching, and that of the gospel, enforced by the Holy Spirit. Reason leaves the mind quiet and secure; the Spirit of God awakens the conscience to a deep sense of its sin, and guilt, and danger. The man sees his sin to be rebellion against God, an odious and abominable work, idolatry of self, putting self in the place of God. He discovers his danger; a dreadful sound is in his ears; Sinai thunders; his sentence is death; in the anguish of his spirit he cries, What shall I do ?""

But I ought to be more particular in enforcing the doctrine, that it is the office of the Holy Spirit to convince men of their

wickedness.

This he does, not by a miracle, not by a new revelation, not by dreams or visions; but by the preaching of the gospel. This is the great engine of conviction and even of conversion "Faith

cometh by hearing." But to proceed. Of what sins does the spirit of God convince men ?

1. He convinces them of the sinfulness of their immoral actions. Tho' all men allow, that immoral actions are wrong, and perhaps have some slight impressions, that they are themselves guilty; yet if gospel truth be not impressed on the conscience, if the Holy Spirit have not reproved or convinced the mind, its sense of guilt is inconstant, indefinite, and superficial. Tho' the man has trampled on the laws of society: tho' he has broken the law of God; tho' he has injured his neighbor, violated his promise, betrayed the confidence of his friend, and disturbed the peace of the community, he often feels, but little remorse, little self reproach, little sense of guilt, or shame. Notwithstanding his violations of law human and divine, he often congratulates himself for his virtues, boasts of his goodness, and thanks God that he is so much more religious than his neighbors.

But when the Spirit of God comes, when the Spirit reproves or convinces him of sin, he perceives that his guilt is great, bold, and daring. He is ashamed and confounded; the plague of his heart, the sins of his life, are an overflowing fountain of moral poison. The streams have pol luted the neighborhood; his example is abroad; he has encour aged others in their wickedness; he has grieved and afflicted oth

ers better than himself; he has made dangerous impressions, which he cannot efface, inflicted wounds in society, which he cannot heal, done a damage, which he cannot repair. His iniquities are as a pestilence, walking in darkness. He is ready to exclim, "I perish; father, I have sinned."

II. The Holy Spirit convinces the conscience of the guilt of those actions which are apparently moral and good.

With all his sins, the man had, probably, done many things apparently, right and good; the worst man performs a multitude of such actions. He had been industrious. He had not been an angel of discord, a nuisance in society, the share of his family; he had not blasphemed his God, nor slandered his friend. Temperate and sober, he had read his bible, and come to the house of God. In all these things, did he manifest any spiritual life, any love to God, any holy aspirations for the divine favor, any contrition of heart for sin? He came to the house of God, and so did the useful animal, which drew him in his carriage. But as neither of them had any pious motives, any faith in Christ, any principle of obedience, any regard to the glory of God, any holy desires for sanctifying mercy, they have no claim to the divine blessing, no title to the smallest reward. The morality and religion of the man had been his pride, his hope,

no

The

his confidence; but the Spirit of God has come and convinced him that these services rested on proper basis,that they were excited by no religious motives, that they were heartless, cold and dead. He had been moral; but this was constitutional indifference, or the habit of education, or the slavish fear of punishment. He had been, apparently, religious; but this was to be seen of men, or to purchase heaven at the price of his prayers and sacrifices. fear of God was not before bis eyes, nor the love of God in his heart. In coming to the place of public worship, his heart was not in the duties, contemplated. True; he brought his body; but his heart was not here. So he might have sent his coat or cloak; but would this have made his garments religions, or given them a claim to the divine favor? In all these plausible services, he was governed by his own interest, his The reputation, or his safety. Spirit of God comes and convinces He, therehim of this truth. fore, renounces his confidence in his own righteousness, his opinion of his own goodness, his flattering expectation of future reward. As he had no regard for God, he has no claim to his favor. He labored, not for God, but himself, and has received his reward. Instead of pride, he feels remorse instead of self complacency, he is smitten with terror; instead of delusive hope, his heart is sinking in despair. He is confounded

in view of his best services, that he so disregarded his Maker, his Law, and his Gospel. The wisdom of the flesh, the best services of the selfish heart, are enmity against God. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Design or intention is essential to every moral action. As the moral character of the intention is, such is the action. When the intention is worldly or selfish, nothing morally good can be predicated of the action. The stream may as well rise above the fountain, or a bad tree bear good fruit, as an action sustain a character superior to the motive. When the conscience is enlightened and convinced by the Spirit of God, this is clearly and impressively seen. How miserable is the man. He had thought himself wise and good; that he had kept his garden, and that the fruit was rich and abundant; but the shin. ing of truth has scorched every flower, and blasted every plant, His gold has become dross; he is poor indeed.

III. The Holy Spirit enlightens the conscience, to see the sin of unbelief, the guilt of rejecting the Savior. "He shall convince the world of sin, because they believe not on me." No man can give proof of love or obedience to Christ, unless he cheerfulty accept his favor. He, who disregards a proffered favor, grossly abuses the kindness of his benefactor. Not only the cheerful giver; but the cheerful receiver, is

beloved of God; " to enjoy is to ebey." Assistance in distress is precious in proportion to the distress ; the wickedness of rejecting such resistance is correspondingly great.

Finding ourselves guilty, and judged, and condemned, and ruined, the salvation of the gospel ought to be welcomed by us with joy, thanksgiving and praise; its abundant grace and goodness ought to swell the heart with love, and faith and admiration; to satisfy, delight, and ravish the soul.

Yet obstinate unbelief, unmoved yields the pardon and redemption offered, disregards the gift of eternal blessedness, hardens the heart against the terrors of everlasting punishment, adds sin to transgression, till she wearies herself in committing iniquity. Unbelief denies the fact of our sinful and lost state; denies that we are dependent on the sovereign grace of God; that we have no help in ourselves; that we are forever destroyed, without an interest in the blood of atonement.

Unbelief denies the necessity of the Savior's blood, with all the wonderful circumstances of redeeming love. She denies the insufficiency of her own righteousness, and the vanity of her worldly hopes. She refuses to make any preparation for a better world, for the departure of the soul from friends, from the means of salvation, for the day of judgment, or the unknown wonders of immortality. She sleeps away the summer of life, and in the winter of death awakes to misery and ruin

This is the prominent sin, which the Holy Spirit impresses on the conscience. He reproves men because they believe not on Jesus Christ; because they neglect a Savior, so excellent and meritorious. Is not this a sin of a crimson die! Does it not argue an entire want of gratitude, and of every christian grace ? Does it not show that the heart has no sense of divine goodness or mercy, no value for the redemption, which has been wrought, for the atonement, which has been made? Hard must be the heart, dark must be the mind, seared must be the conscience, which remains unmoved, unaffected, on hearing the gracious offers of redeeming love. This conviction the Holy Spirit fastens in the couscience, pierces the soul with the anguish of guilt. Unbelief is a sin of presumption -for soon it may be too late to believe; in a moment it may be too late to ask for mercy. Still, unbelief presumes to make light of heavenly glory, to trifle with immortal happiness, to treat God himself as false to his word, defy ing the thunders of his wrath, sporting with the torments of the damned. Is not unbelief a sin of desperation? It rejects the only remedy. There remaineth no other sacrifice for sin. Another foundation can no man lay. It is a refusal to perform the only act, which can save the soul; it is extinguishing the only light, which can guide us to glory; it is pouring on the ground the last drop

from the cup of life; it is shivering the only plank, which will waft us over the Jordan of death.-No wonder then, that when the Holy Spirit convinces the conscience of such desperate wickedness and danger, it should wing the heart, and the soul should cry, "What shall I do."

IV. The Holy Spirit convinces the man of his opposition to the divine law.

In his previous superficial manners of contemplating religious subjects, he might consent, that the law was boly just and good.Though he had sometimes, knowingly, violated its commands, still it was an object of his dread and veneration.

He now learns, that he had not known himself, that respect and affection are not the feelings of his heart. His heart resists, his heart recoils from the law, as too strict in its commands, too dreadful in its sanctions. The lamp of divine truth has enlightened his mind; his disobedience and rebellion are made manifest. His professions of respect for the law vanish. Like Cain he cries, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. Like Adam he wishes to hide himself from God. The harp and the viol are no longer pleasant; a merry song in such a solemn scene, only heightens his distress; his heart trembles; sometimes his limbs shake with terror while the Law thunders cursed be every one, who continues not in all things, written in the law to do them." He has learned that