were introduced to me as his boys.  They asked me if my father lived in Illinois.  I told them he did.  They then recounted their experience at my father’s home, and said to me:  “We would be glad when you return home if you will tell your father that you stopped at our house, and that you know we were what we claimed to be when we sought his aid.”  When I returned to my father’s home I convicted him of the righteousness of those boys in the claim which they set forth, and which he had hitherto doubted.  In a similar manner the Spirit of God came down to convict the world, that had rejected the claims of Jesus, of his righteousness in making those claims.

(3) He will convict the world of judgment, because the “prince of this world is judged.”  This passage does not say, as many preachers quote it, “of judgment to come,” but “of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”  This Scripture is often quoted to show that a judgment was pronounced upon Satan, who is often called the prince of this world.  The word for prince in the original is used thirty-seven times—­thirty-two times it clearly means an earthly ruler, and five times it may apply to Satan.  There is no reason why the expression, “the prince of this world,” may not mean an earthly ruler.  It evidently refers to Pontius Pilate, in John 14:30, when Jesus says:  “The prince of this world cometh, and he hath nothing in me.”  Pilate justifies that statement when he says:  “I find no fault in this man.”  Nevertheless, as prince of this world, he pronounced the death-sentence and delivered him up to be crucified.  This was the judgment of the prince of this world, but the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost reversed this judgment and pronounced a righteous judgment in its place, thus judging Pilate “the prince of this world.”  The above three things were accomplished on the day of Pentecost by the coming of the Spirit.  The Jews were convicted of sin in rejecting and crucifying Christ; they were also convicted of the righteousness of Christ in claiming to be the Son of God, and likewise convinced that God had raised up Jesus and made him both Lord and Christ.  In accomplishing this work the Spirit did it through the instrumentality of gospel preaching, and all subsequent convictions of sin, of righteousness and of judgment have been accomplished through the same agency, and will be till the end of time.

This Paraclete continued with the apostles till the end of their ministry, guiding, leading, and showing them “things to come,” bringing all things to their remembrance that Christ had spoken unto them.  Under this direct and supernatural control they preached the gospel to all the nations of the earth, and established the church with all its officers, ordinances, privileges and duties.  They wrote the epistles to the churches and gave to mankind the New Testament, “the perfect law of liberty.”  The work of the Paraclete being finished, and his mission ended, no man has been guided, shown and directed personally by him since.  God does no unnecessary work, and the work of the Paraclete is not necessary now.  His work remains in the teachings and lives of the apostles.  There are many things in the above-mentioned chapters that rightfully have a universal application, but the special promises concerning the Paraclete are not included in those things.