Book VIII
That there are three parts of our regeneration : 1. Humiliation for sin, and the
necessity thereof in order to faith ; 2. Faith in Christ for justification ;
3. Turning from sin unto God, or holiness of heart and life, proved, from the work which our Lord Jesus Christ ascribes to the Holy Ghost, John
xvi. 7--11, from the instances of conversion in the time when Job lived ; and
of the conversion of the apostle Paul. Of the subservience of humiliation unto faith. Objections answered. Of our turning from sin unto God, or
of holiness in heart and life.
CHAPTER I.
That conviction of sin, humiliation for it, faith on Jesus Christ, sanctification,
or amendment of heart and life, are the parts of our conversion to God, is
demonstrated from the work which our Lord Jesus Christ ascribes to the
Holy Spirit, John xvi. 7-11.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth ; It is expedient for you that I go away : for
if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you ; but if I depart, I
will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of
sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me : of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more :
ofjudgment, because the prince of this world is judged. JOHN XYI. 7-11.
These words contain a summary of the work of the Holy Ghost in regener ation and conversion (of which in the general so much hath been premised) throughout all the parts thereof. And the occasion of Christ s so distinct an enumeration of his several works, in all the parts thereof, was this. In
these his last sermons he had told them he was shortly to go away from
them, and they in his absence to bear witness of him, by preaching him
over all the world (as it is in the last verse of the former chapter), and
withal that for that their message they should find but hard entertainment
of it and of themselves at most of the world s hands (and this at the be
ginning of this chapter). And because they began to be sorrowful at this, and to repine to be employed in a business of so much danger and trouble,
therefore to comfort them he tells them it was expedient it should be so, both for theirs and his church s good. It is expedient (says he) for
you, that is, you my apostles, even you in particular, for I going away
* will send you my Spirit, who shall be a Comforter unto you in all those
troubles which you are to meet withal. Neither is it for you only that I
shall send my Spirit to you, but for my elect s sakes, who are now to be
called over all the world by your preaching ; and not only for those impaled
8(50 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK VIII.
within^the church of the Jews, to whom only I have hitherto sent you, for my Spirit, when he is come (on you namely),
< shall convince the" world, that is, savingly convert my elect in all nations. And this work of con version he sets out in all the parts of it. 1. By convincing the world is meant conversion, for so the word is used both in the Old and New Testament.
1. In the Old, when the prophet speaks of the conversion of the Gentiles, and establishing Christ s kingdom among them by his word and Spirit, you shall find the same word in the Hebrew that is used in the Greek here ; thus, Isa. ii. 4 and Micah iv. 3, it is said, that
< the word going forth from Jerusalem (as it did then, when the apostles went to preach), Christ should judge among many people ; that is, set up his kingdom among them, and rule them by the sceptre of his word. And how was it that this should come to pass? He should rebuke the nations. Rebuke, reprove, con vince, are^all one, as interpreters observe, and it implies the opposition that is in^nien s hearts to receive that his word, so as they need rebuking and convincing before they will effectually yield unto it. And whereas other conquerors obtain their crowns by force of arms, he acquires his only by the conviction of his word and Spirit.
2. It is thus also used in the New Testament, 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25, where the apostle, to shew the benefit of preaching above speaking with tongues, giveth this instance. Put the case, an unbeliever and ignorant person should come in ; by that means, says he, he might be convinced of all, that is, truly converted from his heathenism, ignorance, and unbelief, unto the profession and worship of the true God, as it is in the following words. In a word, Heb. xi. 1, 2, the apostle useth the very same word that is here to express saving faith by, which will appear, if you compare the original texts together, he there taking it in its common nature, as it hath all spiritual things for its object. The word there used is ete-y%os, evidences or conviction. And so here, sXs^st, he shall convince. The words therefore are all one as if Christ should have said, I send you into the world to preach, and I send you my Spirit ; and though the world be drowned in ignorance and unbelief, and set in opposition against your doctrine, yet my Spirit, which I will send, shall convince them, and make them know, believe, and yield unto it. And because the apostles might further desire to know what doctrine were best to preach to convert them by, as also in what manner and order the Spirit would convert men, that they might accordingly apply themselves in their preaching, our Saviour Christ therefore at once sets forth a universal platform, both of the sum of their ministry, and of the Spirit s working in men s hearts, as the stamp doth the image that made it. That whereas there are three things necessary to be known and be lieved particularly and savingly of all that shall be saved, so in the true conviction of them conversion doth consist.
1. There is man s sinfulness and misery in himself out of Christ. 2. The way and means appointed by God to come out of this misery, Christ s righteousness.
^ 3. What a man ought to do by way of thankfulness to Christ for that his delivery (unto which three heads our divines have reduced their cate chisms and systems of theology). Our Saviour doth at once inform them how the Spirit in converting them should convince them of these three, and that in their conviction of these three the work of conversion is absolved ; and withal instructs them what particulars to insist on in their preaching, as being those things which the Spirit would make most use of to convert. So
CHAP. II. J IN OUR SALVATION. 861
that he at once delivers both the particulars of the work of the Spirit in
conversion, as also the sum of Christian doctrine and the apostles preach
ing, and the order and method to be used in both.
1. The Spirit will convince of sin, that is, of that miserable and sinful
estate which men live in my nature, so long as they are out of Christ, and
which, without belief in him, will prove matter of condemnation to them,
so that the Spirit will humble them, Because they believe not on Christ.
- 2. He will convince them of righteousness, because I go to my Father, says Christ ; that is, the Spirit shall by faith reveal unto them the righteousness of me, who am to ascend up to heaven to be the only true means to be
justified and saved by. He names his ascension (which includes his resur
rection) because that declared his righteousness to be the true righteousness of God, else (had he been an impostor) God would never have suffered him
to come to heaven.
3. He will convince of judgment, because the prince of this world is
judged, the meaning of which phrase that which is in John xii. 31 evidently
explains : Christ there speaking of the fruit and efficacy of his death, as it were triumphing, says, Now is the judgment of this world ; and the prince of this world shall be cast out. He there speaks of the conversion of the
Gentiles : When I am lift up, says he, I will draw all men unto me,
ver. 32. Those whom Satan hath ruled and subjected to his kingdom, and who had lived according to his laws, now were to be reformed : Now is the
judgment of this world ; that is, there is now a great change and reforma
tion to be made in the hearts and lives of men, for so the word judgment
signifies, namely, a reformation made according to some law or statute. And so Satan s kingdom is to be destroyed, and he cast out, and Christ by his laws to bear sway. And thus Satan is judged ; so that to be convinced
of judgment is to be convinced of that sanctification and true change of
heart and life which believers ought to take up. And so in Mat. xii. 18
(out of Isa. xlii. 1) it is said of Christ, that he should shew forth judgment to the Gentiles by his ministers ; that is, teach them true holiness and
reformation of heart and life, and the right manner of serving and wor
shipping of God. And at the 20th verse it is said he should bring forth
judgment unto victory ; that is, carry on the work of grace and sanctification
(begun in the heart of any convert) unto victory and triumph, by upholding
it and causing it to prevail, by subverting Satan s laws and holds in the
* convincing men of judgment, as here, making them believe, submit, stoop to, embrace, and take up that strictness which he in his word requires. And so in Zeph.
hearts of men, and erecting his own. And this is all one with
ii. 3 the saints are said to be such as had wrought his judgment ; that is, had endeavoured to reform their hearts and lives.