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It is a fit time for the Holy Ghost to convince God's people of righteousness when they are convinced of sin before. Then they can relish Christ.

I. THE HOLY GHOST CONVINCES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THIS ORDER

1. There must be a righteousness; for we have to deal with a God who is righteousness itself; and no unclean thing shall come into heaven (Revelation 21:7).

2. There is no such righteousness in any creature. Perhaps we may have a righteousness to satisfy the world, because we live civilly. But that will not satisfy conscience. And then there must be a satisfaction to the law, which condemns our thoughts, desires; but God is the most perfect of all.

3. This righteousness is to be had in Christ. The righteousness of Christ is that righteousness that is founded upon His obedience: active, fulfilling the law; and passive, discharging all our debts, satisfying God's justice. The meritoriousness of both of them is founded upon the personal union of God and man; in reference to which union we may without blasphemy aver that God performed the law, God died for us.

4. This righteousness is our righteousness. The Spirit convinces that this belongs to all believers, and it is better than Adam had. His righteousness was the righteousness of a man, this righteousness is the righteousness of a mediator; and it is such a righteousness, that when we are clothed with it, we may go to the justice of God.

II. HOW DOTH THE HOLY GHOST "CONVINCE" THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST? He presents to the soul the knowledge of this excellent righteousness, and then creates a hand of faith to embrace it. The Spirit doth not tell in general only that Christ is an excellent Saviour, but relates to a Christian soul, God gave Christ for thee. This sways the heart to rest upon Christ. And then as it is in marriage, the persons, by virtue of that relation, have interest in each other's substance and estate; so when this mystical marriage is made up between Christ and us, we have a right unto Christ by all rights, by titles of purchase and redemption. All that Christ hath is ours; our sins His, and His righteousness ours.

III. WHY IS THE SENDING OF THE SPIRIT NECESSARY FOR THIS? Because —

1. It is above the conception of man that there should be such a righteousness of God-man. A devil incarnate may know all things, and yet want to see. Only the Holy Ghost gives inward sight, and works faith to see Christ as mine.

2. He alone must make the conscience quiet, who is greater than the conscience. Conscience will clamour, "Thou art a sinner;" the Holy Ghost convinces, "In Christ thou art righteous."

3. Flesh and blood are full of pride, and would fain have some righteousness of their own. The Jews were of this temper; and it hath been the greatest question from the beginning of the world till this day, what is that righteousness whereby we must stand before God?

IV. HOW SHALL WE KNOW WHETHER WE BE CONVINCED OF THIS RIGHTEOUSNESS OR NO?

1. 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 is but an usurpation.

2. By our hatred of sin, and the alteration of our bent, and by so making Christ sweet to us.

3. By the witness of the Spirit. The work of the Spirit hath a light of its own; as I know I believe, when I believe. Upon this apprehension that 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.

4. By inward peace and great joy suitable to the righteousness. As the righteousness is an excellent righteousness of God-man, so, that peace and joy that comes from it is unspeakable peace and joy (Romans 5:1-3).

5. It answers all objections. The doubting heart will object this and that, but the Spirit of God shows an all-sufficiency in Christ's obedience; and that sets the soul down quietly in all crosses, and calms it in all storms in some degree (Romans 8:33).

V. THE REASON WHY THE COMFORTER CONVINCES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. "Because I go to the Father." Wherefore did He go to the Father?

1. To make application of what He had wrought. If Christ should not have gone to the Father, He could not have sent the Holy Ghost to us.

2. To clothe us with a sweet relation, to make the Father our Father (chap. John 20:17).

(R. Sibbes, D. D.)

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KJV: Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

WEB: about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won't see me any more;