Gods Effectual Calling, Treatise · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. The controuerſie concerning the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt.
THE aduerſaries ſay, there be 6. kindes of this ſinne: The firſt ſinne is preſumption, when a The Papiſts ſay, there be ſix kinds of the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt.man preſumeth ouermuch of the grace of God and of faith, in the meane while denying his faith by his works: This is the man whom Iames taxeth in his Epiſtle, Chap. 2. verſ. 14. and after. Theſecond is deſperation, contrary to preſumption: this was Cain and Iudas ſin. The third is to impugne the knowne truth: hereto belongs the blaſphemie againſt the holy 3Ghoſt; this was the ſinne of the Pharaſies, Matth. 12. The fourth is to enuy or to repine at the graces of God in our 4brethren: this was the ſin of the Iewes, which did repine and grieue at the grace of God giuen the Gentiles. The fift is obſtinacy, when as a man ſhal perſiſt in a known ſin with an obſtinate mind. This was Pharaohs ſinne, and 6the obſtinate Iewes. The ſixt is finall impenitency, when as any ſhall die in contempt of the ſacrament of penance, and of any ſatisfaction impoſed vponupon him by Eccleſiaſticall order. Of this they vnderſtand that place, 1. Ioh. 5. 16. There is a ſin vntounto death, I do not ſay, that ye ſhould pray for him. They ſay, a man ſins againſt the holy Ghoſt al theſe waies, and that all theſe ſins be inexpiable: and that theſe ſins are called irremiſſible, becauſe they bee ſeldome and hardly forgiuen; as men ſeldome and hardly repent them of theſe ſins. But the laſt which is finall impenitency, they thinke that onelyonly is properly ſayde to be impardonable, becauſe it is neither forgiuen in this life, nor after this life. And this is their iudgment of the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt.
But we auouch that the ſcripture doth teach vsus, there is but one ſinne only againſt the holy Ghoſt, Matth, 12. 32. Mark. 3. 29. Luke. 12. 10. called the blaſphemy againſt the holy Ghoſt. Ye hauehave a deſcription of this ſinne, Heb. 6. 4. and 10. 26. 27. the Apoſtle calling it an apoſtaſy or backſlyding from God. It is ſo alſo deſcribed, 2. Pet. 2. 20. And 1. Io 5. 16. It is called a ſinne vntounto death. As for the other kinds of this ſin before ſpecified, ſome of them are conſequently of this ſin, which we call a blaſphemie, and appertaine vntounto it: for deſperation and final impenitency are the puniſhments of this ſinne: Obſtinacie is in the very nature of this ſinne, for it caries with it an obſtinate maliciouſneſſe. And as for the other kinds I cannot ſee how they may be called ſins againſt the holy Ghoſt: for as for preſumption, what is it els but hypocriſie? To Preſumption.repine at the graces of God in our brethren, is a ſinne againſt our neighbour, and againſt the ſecond table of the law. Therefore let this reſt, that there is but one ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, ſo called, to wit, the blaſphemy againſt the holy Ghoſt, or an apoſtaſy from the grace of the ſpirit once receiued: for theſe are one and the ſame, to blaſpheme againſt the holy Ghoſt, and to fall from grace receiued. Notwithſtanding I deny not, but that this ſin, which is but one in ſubſtance may hauehave his increaſe or growth: for then it is come to a height, when as it fighteth againſt all the known truth which is according to godlineſſe. Next we ſay, that this one ſinne is impardonable, not for that it is ſeldome and hardly pardoned; but for that it is neuer pardoned, becauſe ſuch a one can neuer repent him of his ſinne, that he hath committed. For this mans heart groweth to ſuch a hardneſſe (and that by Gods iuſt iudgment) as can neuer after be mollified.
And that this ſin is ſimply impardonable, is manifeſt by ye very words of the lord in ye goſpel, before cited: for where it is ſayd in Matth. it ſhall not be forgiuen him neither in this world, nor in the world to come: and in Mark▪ This ſinne is neuer forgiuen, but is culpable of eternall damnation: Do not theſe words cut off all hope of pardon? So as I cannot but wonder at the Rhemiſts, ſo impudently to extenuate Rhemiſts impudency. foreign.the force of the words of the lord. To the Heb. 6. he ſaith, it is impoſſible that he which ſo ſinneth ſhould be renued by repentance: then he addeth a waighty cauſe and moſt neceſſarie, for (ſayth he) This man crucifieth againe to himſelfe the Sonne of God, that is, as much as in him lyeth.
Which point, the better to conceiue it, we muſt know there is a difference betweene all other ſinnes, and this ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, as touching the remiſſion and expiation of them. For to expiat all other ſinnes, the ſacrifice of Chriſt once offered, is ſufficient for them all, and the vertue thereof extendeth it ſelfe to purge all ſinnes for euer. But when a man hath once ſinned againſt the holy Ghoſt, and profaned that pretious bloud, the vertue thereof will neuer after be effectual for the expiation of his ſin. Wherefore he ſtands in neede of ſome new ſacrifice to purge his ſinne; which thing ſhal neuer be granted him: For if this were graunted, then muſt Chriſt be crucified againe, or ſome other ſacrifice muſt be offered: but neither can Chriſt be crucifyed againe, neither can any other ſacrifice bee offered for him, as it is written Heb. 10. 26. For there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſinnes. Therefore this ſin can neuer be expiat, becauſe a new ſacrifice can neuer be giuen for it: And this is the cauſe of the impoſſibility of the pardon of this ſinne.
The aduerſaries, namely, the Rhemiſts in their obſeruations on this place, do thus interpret this impoſſibilitie: they ſay, there is a double repentance, or renuing, or purging of ſinne: They ſay, the firſt is eaſie and light, in and by Baptiſme: where (ſay they) all the ſinnes before Baptiſme, are purged by that light waſhing of baptiſme. The ſecond they call penance, or the purging of ſinnes, Popiſh ſacrament of penanc.as they ſay, by the ſacrament of Penance: and in this Sacrament (as they ſpeake) ſuch ſinnes are purged which are committed after baptiſme; and this is hard and painfull, as conſiſting of faſtings, prayers, ſatisfactions, and other corporall afflictions. If you graunt them this diſtinction, then they ſay, this impoſſibilitie of being renewed, is in reſpect of that repentance, renewing, and purging of ſinne which is in baptiſme: For (they ſay) it is impoſſible that a ſinne committed after Baptiſme, ſome baptiſme being iterated, ſhould be purged: for we may not be rebaptized. As for the latter, penance and renewing, they ſay, there is a poſſibility in it: For the greateſt ſinne after baptiſme may be expiat by it. Therefore they affirme, the Apoſtle ſpeakes couertly to ſuch as ſinne after baptiſme, ſending them to the Sacrament of Penance, that by vertue of that Sacrament their ſinne may be expiat, and that they may be renewed: But by this their interpretation 2. Pet. 3. 16they peruert the holy Scripture to their owne deſtruction. For this is certaine, that the Apoſtle here takes away all poſſibilitie of being renewed, as the reaſon annexed manifeſtly proueth.
Finally, it is euident by that place of Iohn before cited, that this ſinne is impardonable, and that this is proper to that ſin, that it can by no meanes be pardoned. For Iohn ſaith, we may not pray for that ſinne: If we may not pray for it, there is no hope of repentance, or pardon for it. I know what the Rhemiſts heere would ſay, to wit, that by this ſinne vntounto death we muſt vnderſtand finall impenitencie: finall impenitencie is not remitted, becauſe here wants repentance, and therfore we may not pray for ſuch a one after his death: for he died in impenitency, contemning the Sacrament of Penance. But they affirme it to be lawfull to pray for other ſinnes after death.
This againe is to peruert Scripture, for the Apoſtle ſpeaketh not of prayer to be or not to be after his death which hath ſo ſinned, but that prayer muſt not bee conceiued for him whileſt he liueth, after that it hath manifeſtly appeared vntounto the church by infallible arguments, that ſuch a one hath ſinned vntounto death. As for Iulian the Apoſtata, for whom the Church prayed not while he liued, yea it prayed againſt him, in his life time, after it was clearely diſcerned, that hee had ſinned vntounto death, that is, had blaſphemed againſt the holy Ghoſt. I paſſe ouer that place of Peter before cited, where the Apoſtle ſpeakes of no difficultie, but of a meere impoſſibilitie of being renewed, of repentance, and of remiſſion of ſinnes, where it is ſaid, Their latter ſtate is worſe then the firſt: and as it followeth, but it hath happened vntounto him (as it is in the true prouerbe) the dog hath returned to his owne vomit, and the ſow to her wallowing in the mire. And thus farre of this ſecond controuerſie, and ſo much ſhal ſuffice concerning ſinne.