CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Hence in the 4th place followeth a conviction and persuasion of mind, that there is no Creature in Heaven or Earth, no nor nothing that he can do, is able to justify him, or bring Reconciliation with God; The Spirit of God Joh. 14. that doth convince of sin in the first place, doth afterward of a Righteousness; That there is no Righteousness to be had but in Christ only; If so be a man be no further ⟨p. 546⟩convinced then of his sin and disease, thinking to make medicines and plasters of his own, thereby to heal himself. This man will always be kept in a wandering Wilderness, What was it that made so many run into Monasteries, undertake strict ways of Discipline and mortification? They had but an half Conviction, They felt woeful troubles and agonies in their Souls for sin, They could not tell what to do, as Luther professed of himself while a Papist, but not being convinced of true Righteousness, They ran to miserable Comforters, and so skinned the Soar, when the putrefying humour was still within, but that Soul which the grace of God will carry on to Justification, doth not only find sin manifested but the insufficiency of all Creature Righteousness, he seeth with Noah, that unless he get into an Ark, there is nothing but overflowing waters every where; While then this stone is squaring for an Heavenly building, he is instructed in his own lost and undone Condition; Being therefore thus fully persuaded that in himself he is a dead and a damned man.

Hence in the 4th place followeth a conviction and perswasion of minde, that there is no Creature in Heaven or Earth, no nor nothing that he can do, is able to justifie him, or bring Reconciliation with God; The Spirit of God Joh. 14. that doth convince of sinne in the first place, doth afterward of a Righteousnesse; That there is no Righteousnesse to be had but in Christ only; If so be a man be no further ⟨p. 546⟩convinced then of his sinne and disease, thinking to make medicines and plaisters of his own, thereby to heal himself. This man will alwaies be kept in a wandring Wildernesse, What was it that made so many run into Monasteries, undertake strict waies of Discipline and mortification? They had but an half Conviction, They felt wofull troubles and agonies in their Souls for sinne, They could not tell what to do, as Luther professed of himself while a Papist, but not being convinced of true Righteousnesse, They ran to miserable Comforters, and so skinned the Soar, when the putrifying humour was still within, but that Soul which the grace of God will carry on to Justification, doth not only finde sinne manifested but the insufficiency of all Creature Righteousnesse, he seeth with Noah, that unlesse he get into an Ark, there is nothing but overflowing waters every where; While then this stone is squaring for an Heavenly building, he is instructed in his own lost and undone Condition; Being therefore thus fully perswaded that in himself he is a dead and a damned man.