Eighty Sermons, Whitsunday · Sermon 35
SERM. XXXV. Preached upon Whitſunday.
MAT. 12.31.
Wherefore I ſay unto you, All manner of ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven unto men; But the blaſphemy againſt the holy Ghoſt ſhall not be forgiven unto men.
AS when a Merchant hath a faire and large, a deep and open Sea, into that Harbour to which hee is bound with his Merchandize, it were an impertinent thing for him, to ſound, and ſearch for lands, and rocks, and clifts, which threaten irreparable ſhipwrack; ſo we being bound to the heavenly City, the new Jeruſalem, by the ſpacious and bottomeleſſe Sea, the blood of Chriſt Jeſus, having that large Sea opened unto us, in the beginning of this Text, All manner of ſin, and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven unto men, It may ſeeme an impertinent diverſion, to turne into that little Creek, nay upon that deſperate, and irrecoverable rock, The blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt ſhall not be forgiven to men. But there muſt be Diſcoverers, as well as Merchants; for the ſecurity of Merchants, who by ſtorme and tempeſt, or other accidents, may be caſt upon thoſe ſands, and rocks, if they be not knowne, they muſt be knowne. So though we faile on, with a merry gale and full ſailes, with the breath of the holy Ghoſt in the firſt Part, All manner of ſin, and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven unto men, yet we ſhall not leave out the diſcovery of that fearfull and ruinating rock too, But the blaſphemy againſt the holy Ghoſt ſhall not be forgiven unto men.
I would divide the Text, and fewer Parts then two, we cannot make, and this Text hath ſcarce two Parts: The whole Text is a conveiance; it is true; but there is a little Proviſo at the end: The whole Text is a rule; it is true; but there is an exception at the end; The whole text is a Royall Palace; it is true; but there is a Sewar, a Vault behinde it; Chriſt had ſaid all, that of himſelfe he would have ſaid, when he ſaid the firſt part, All manner of ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven to men, But the iniquity of the Phariſees extorted thus much more, But the blaſphemy againſt the holy Ghoſt ſhall not be forgiven unto men: The firſt part is the ſentence, the propoſition, and the ſenſe is perfect in that, All manner of ſin, &c. The laſt part is but a Parentheſis, which Chriſt had rather might have been left out, but the Phariſees, and their perverſeneſſe inſerted, But the blaſphemy, &c. But ſince it deſerves, and requires our conſideration, as well, that the mercy of God can have any ſtop, any rub, determine any where, as that it can extend, and ſpread it ſelfe ſo farre, as it doth in this text, let us make them two parts: And in the firſt conſider with comfort, the largeneſſe, the expanſion of Gods mercy, that there is but one ſin, that it reacheth not to; And in the ſecond let us conſider with feare, and trembling, that there is one ſin, ſo ſwelling, ſo high, as that even the mercy of God does not reach to it. And in the firſt we ſhall proceed thus, in the magnifying Gods mercy, firſt, in the firſt terme, Sin, we ſhall ſee that ſin is even a wound, a violence upon God; and then Omne peccatum, Every ſin is ſo; and nothing is ſo various, ſo divers as ſin; and even that ſin, that amounts to Blaſphemy, a ſin not onelyonly conceived in the thought, but expreſſed in contumelious words; and thoſe contumelious and blaſphemous words uttered againſt the Son, (for ſo it is expreſſed in the very next verſe) All this ſhall be forgiven: But yet it is in futuro, They ſhall be: No mans ſins are forgiven him, then when he ſins them; but by repentance they ſhall be forgiven; forgiven unto men; that is, firſt, unto any man, and then, unto none but men; for the ſin of the Angels ſhall never be forgiven: And theſe will be the Branches of the firſt Part. And in the ſecond Part, we ſhall looke as farre as this text occaſions it, upon that debated ſin, the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, and the irremiſsibleneſſe of that; of which Part, we ſhall derive and raiſe the particular Branches anon, when we come to handle them.
Firſt then,1 Part. Peccatum. for the firſt terme, Sin, we uſe to ask in the Schoole, whether any action of mans can have rationem demeriti, whether it can be ſaid to offend God, or to deſerve ill of God: for whatſoever does ſo, muſt have ſome proportion with God. With things which are inanimate, things that have no will, and ſo no good nor bad purpoſe, as duſt, or the winde, or ſuch, a man cannot properly be ſo offended, as to ſay that they deſerve ill of him. With thoſe things which have no uſe, no command of their will, as children, and fooles, and mad men, it is ſo too; And then, there is no creature ſo poore, ſo childiſh, ſo impotent in reſpect of man, as the beſt man is in reſpect of God: How then can he ſin, that is, offend, that is, deſerve ill of him? The queſtion begun not in the Schoole;Iob 35.6. It was asked before of Iob: If thou ſinneſt, what doeſt thou againſt him? or if thy tranſgreſsions be multiplied, what doeſt thou unto him? Thy wickedneſſe may hurt a man as thou art; but what is it to God? for, as Gregory ſayes upon that place, Humana impietas ci nocet, quem pervertendo inquinat, Our ſins hurt them, whom our example leads into tentation; but our ſins cannot draw God to be acceſſory to our ſins, or to make him ſin with us. Our ſin cannot hurt him ſo; nor hurt him directly any way; not his perſon: But his Subjects, whom he hath taken into his protection, it may; His Law, which he hath given for direction, it may; His Honour, of which he is jealous, which Honour conſiſts much in our honouring of him, it may. Wherein is a Kings Perſon violated, by coyning a falſe peny, or counterfaiting a ſeale? and yet this is Treaſon. God cannot be robbed, he cannot be damnified; whatſoever is taken from him (and there is a ſacriledge in all unjuſt takings) whereſoever it be laid, he ſees it, and it is ſtill in his poſſeſſion, and in his houſe, and in his hands. God cannot be robbed, nor God cannot be violated, he cannot be wounded, for he hath no limmes. But God is Vltimis fin is, The end to which we all goe, and his Law is the way to that end; And tranſilire lineam, to tranſgreſſe that Law, to leave that way, is a neglecting of him: and even negligences, and pretermiſſions, and ſlightings, are as great offences, as actuall injuries. So God is communis Pater, the Father of all creatures; and ſo the abuſe of the creature reflects upon God, as the injuries done to the children, doe upon the Parents.
If then we can ſin ſo againſt God, as we can againſt the King, and againſt the Law, and againſt Propriety, and againſt Parents; wee have wayes enow of ſinning againſt God. Sin is not therefore ſo abſolutely nothing, as that it is (in no conſideration) other then a privation, onelyonly Abſentia recti, and nothing at all in it ſelfe: but, not to enter farther into that inextricable point, we reſt in this, that ſin is Actus inordinatus, It is not only an obliquity, a privation, but it is an action deprived of that rectitude, which it ſhould have; It does not onelyonly want that rectitude, but it ſhould have that rectitude, and therefore hath a ſinfull want. We ſhall not dare to call ſin meerly, abſolutely nothing, if we conſider either the puniſhment due to ſin, or the pardon of that puniſhment, or the price of that pardon. The puniſhment is everlaſting; why ſhould I beleeve it to be ſo? Os domini locutum, The mouth of the Lord hath ſaid it. But why ſhould it be ſo?Gregor. Iuſtum eſt ut qui in ſuo aeter no peccavit contra Deum, in Dei aeterno puniatur, It is but juſtice, that he that ſins in his eternity, ſhould be puniſhed in Gods eternity: Now to ſin in our eternity, is to ſin as long as we live, and if we could live eternally, to deſire to ſin eternally. God can cut off our eternity, he can ſhorten our life; If wee could cut off his eternity, and quench hell, our puniſhment were not eternall. We conſider ſin to be Quoddam infinitum; as it is an averſion from God, who is infinite goodneſſe, it is an infinite thing: and as it is a turning upon the Creature, it is finite, and determined; for all pleaſure taken in the creature, is ſo: and accordingly ſin hath a finite, and an infinite puniſhment: That which we call Poenam ſenſus, The torment which we feele, is not infinite; (otherwiſe, then by duration) for that torment is not equall in all the damned, and that which is infinite muſt neceſſarily be equall; but that which we call Poenam damni, The everlaſting loſſe of the ſight of the everliving God, that is infinite, and alike, and equall in all the damned. Sin is ſomething then, if we conſider the puniſhment; and ſo it is, if we conſider our deliverance from this puniſhment: That which God could not pardon in the way of juſtice without ſatisfaction, that for which nothing could be a ſatisfaction, but the life of all men, or of one man worth all, the Sonne of God, that that tore the Son out of the armes of his Father, in the Quid dereliquiſti, when he cryed out, why haſt thou forſaken me? That which imprinted in him, who was anointed with the Oyle of gladneſſe above his fellowes, a deadly heavineſſe, in his Triſtis anima, when his ſoule was heavy unto death, That which had power to open Heaven in his deſcent hither, and to open hell, in his deſcent thither, to open the wombe of the Virgin in his Incarnation, and the wombe of the Earth in his Reſurrection, that which could change the frame of Nature in Miracles, and the God of Nature in becomming Man, that that deſerved that puniſhment, that that needed that ranſome (ſay the Schoole men what they will of privations) cannot be meerely, abſolutely nothing, but the greateſt thing that can be conceived, and yet that ſhall be forgiven.
That, and all that; Sin, and all ſin: And there is not ſo much of any thing in the world,Omne. as of ſin. Every vertue hath two extreames, two vices oppoſed to it; there is two to one; But Abrahams taske was an eaſie taske to tell the ſtars of Heaven; ſo it were to tell the ſands, or haires, or atomes, in reſpect of telling but our owne ſins. And will God ſay to me, Confide Fili, My Son, be of good cheere, thy ſins are forgiven thee? Mat. 9.2.Does he meane all my ſins? He knowes what originall ſin is, and I doe not; and will he forgive me ſin in that roote, and ſin in the branches, originall ſin, and actuall ſin too? He knowes my ſecret ſins, and I doe not; will he forgive my manifeſt ſins, and thoſe ſins too? He knowes my relapſes into ſins repented; and will he forgive my faint repentances, and my rebellious relapſes after them? will his mercy dive into my heart, and forgive my ſinfull thoughts there, and ſhed upon my lips, and forgive my blaſphemous words there, and bathe the members of this body, and forgive mine uncleane actions there? will he contract himſelfe into himſelfe, and meet me there, and forgive my ſins againſt himſelfe, And ſcatter himſelfe upon the world, and forgive my ſins againſt my neighbour, and empriſon himſelfe in me, and forgive my ſins againſt my ſelfe? Will he forgive thoſe ſins, wherein my practiſe hath exceeded my Parents, and thoſe wherein my example hath miſ-led my children? Will he forgive that dim ſight which I have of ſin now, when ſins ſcarce appeare to be ſins unto me, and will he forgive that over-quick ſight, when I ſhall ſee my ſins through Satans multiplying glaſſe of deſperation, when I ſhall thinke them greater then his mercy, upon my death bed? In that he ſaid all, he left out nothing, Heb. 2.8.is the Apoſtles argument: and, he is not almighty, if he cannot; his mercy endures not for ever, if he doe not forgive all.
Sin, and all ſin, even blaſphemy: now blaſphemy is not reſtrained to God alone;Blaſphemia. other perſons beſides God, other things, beſides perſons, may be blaſphemed.1 Tim. 6.1. Iude 8, 10. The word of God, the Doctrine, Religion may be blaſphemed. Magiſtracy and Dignities may be blaſphemed. Nay, Omnia quae ignorant, ſaies that Apoſtle, They blaſpheme all things which they know not. And for perſons, the Apoſtle takes it to his owne perſon,1 Cor. 4.13. Being blaſphemed, yet we intreat; and he communicates it to all men, Neminem blaſphemate, Tit. 3.2.Blaſpheme no man. Blaſphemy, as it is a contumelious ſpeech, derogating from any man, that good that is in him, or attributing to any man, that ill that is not in him, may be faſtned upon any man. For the moſt part it is underſtood a ſin againſt God, and that directly; and here, by the manner of Chriſt expreſſing himſelfe, it is made the greateſt ſin; All ſin, even blaſphemy. And yet, a drunkard that cannot name God, will ſpue out a blaſphemy againſt God: A child that cannot ſpell God, will ſtammer out a blaſphemy againſt God: If we ſmart, we blaſpheme God, and we blaſpheme him if we be tickled; If I loſe at play, I blaſpheme, and if my fellow loſe, he blaſphemes, ſo that God is alwayes ſure to be a loſer. An Uſurer can ſhew me his bags, and an Extortioner his houſes, the fruits, the revenues of his ſinne; but where will the blaſphemer ſhew mee his blaſphemy, or what hee hath got by it? The licentious man hath had his love in his armes, and the envious man hath had his enemy in the duſt, but wherein hath the blaſphemer hurt God?
In the Schoole we put it for the conſummation of the torment of the damned,Aquin. 221. q. 13. ar. 4. that at the Reſurrection, they ſhall have bodies, and ſo be able, even verbally, to blaſpheme God; herein we exceed the Devill already, that we can ſpeake blaſpemouſly. There is a rebellious part of the body, that Adam covered with figge leaves, that hath damned many a wretched ſoule; but yet, I thinke, not more then the tongue; And therefore the whole torment that Dives ſuffered in hell,Luke 16.24. is expreſſed in that part, Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and ſend Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and coole my tongue. The Jews that crucified God, will not ſound the name of God, and we for whom he was Crucified, belch him out in our ſurfets, and foame him out in our fury: An Impertinent ſin, without occaſion before, and an unprofitable ſin, without recompence after, and an incorrigible ſin too; for, almoſt what Father dares chide his ſon for blaſphemy, that may not tell him, Sir I learnt it of you? or what Maſter his ſervant, that cannot lay the ſame recrimination upon him? How much then do we need this extent of Gods mercy, that he will forgive ſin, and all ſin, and even this ſin of blaſphemy, and (which is alſo another addition) blaſphemy againſt the Son.
This emphaticall addition ariſes out of the connexion in the next verſe,In filium. A word, (that is, a blaſphemous word) againſt the Son, ſhall be forgiven. And here wee carry not the word Son ſo high, as that the Son ſhould be the eternall Son of God, Though words ſpoken againſt the eternall Son of God by many bitter and blaſphemous Heretiques have beene forgiven: God forbid that all the Photinians who thought that Chriſt was not at all, till he was borne of the Virgin Mary, That all the Nativitarians, that thought he was from all eternity with God, but yet was not the Son of God, That all the Arians, that thought him the Son of God, but yet not eſſentially, not by nature, but by grace and adoption, God forbid that all theſe ſhould be damned, and becauſe they once ſpoke againſt the Son, therefore they never repented, or were not received upon repentance. We carry not the word, Son, ſo high, as to be the eternall Son of God, for it is in the text, Filius hominis, The Son of Man; And, in that acceptation, we doe not meane it, of all blaſphemies that have beene ſpoken of Chriſt, as the Son of man, that is, of Chriſt inveſted in the humane nature; though blaſphemies in that kind have beene forgiven too: God forbid that all the Arians, that thought Chriſt ſo much the Son of Man as that he tooke a humane body, but not ſo much, as that he tooke a humane ſoule, but that the Godhead it ſelfe (ſuch a Godhead as they allowed him) was his ſoule; God forbid that all the Anabaptiſts that confeſſe he tooke a body, but not a body of the ſubſtance of the Virgin; That all the Carpocratians, that thought onelyonly his ſoule, and not his body aſcended into Heaven, God forbid all theſe ſhould be damned, and never called to repentance, or not admitted upon it: There were fearfull blaſphemies againſt the Son, as the Son of God, and as the Son of Man, againſt his Divine, and againſt his Humane Nature, and thoſe, in ſome of them, by Gods grace forgiven too. But here we conſider him onelyonly as the Son of Man, meerely as Man; but as ſuch a Man, ſo good a Man, as to calumniate him, to blaſpheme him, was an inexcuſable ſin. To ſay of him, who had faſted forty dayes and forty nights,Mat. 11.19. Mar. 12.14. Ecce homo vorax, Behold a man gluttonous, and a wine-bibber, To ſay of him, of whom themſelves had ſaid elſewhere, Maſter, we know that thou art true, and careſt for no man, that he was a friend of Publicans and ſinners, That this man who was The Prince of Peace, Heb. 12.3.ſhould indure ſuch contradiction, This was an inexcuſable ſin. If any man therefore have had his good intentions miſ-conſtrued, his zeale to aſſiſt Gods bleeding and fainting cauſe, called Innovation, his proceeding by wayes good in themſelves, to ends good in themſelves, called Indiſcretion, let him be content to forgive them, any Calumniator, againſt himſelfe, who is but a worme and no man, ſince God himſelfe forgave them againſt Chriſt, who was ſo Filius hominis, The Son of Man, as that he was the Son of God too.
There is then forgiveneſſe for ſin, for all ſin, even for blaſphemy, Infuturo.for blaſphemy againſt the Son, but it is Infuturo remittetur, It ſhall be forgiven. It is not Remittebatur, It was forgiven; Let no man antidate his pardon, and ſay, His ſins were forgiven in an Eternall Decree, and that no man that hath his name in the book of life, hath the addition, ſinner; that if he were there from the beginning, from the beginning he was no ſinner. It is not, in ſuch a ſenſe, Remittebatur, It was forgiven; nor it is not Remittitur, that even then, when the ſin is committed, it is forgiven, whether the ſinner think of it or no, That God ſees not the ſins of his Children, That God was no more affected with Davids adultery, or his murder, then an indulgent Father is to ſee his child do ſome witty waggiſh thing, or ſome ſportfull ſhrewd turne. It is but Remittetur, Any ſin ſhall be, that is, may be forgiven, if the meanes required by God, and ordained by him, be entertained. If I take into my contemplation, the Majeſty of God, and the uglineſſe of ſin, If I deveſt my ſelfe of all that was ſinfully got, and inveſt my ſelf in the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt Jeſus, (for elſe I am ill ſuted, and if I clothe myſelf in Mammon, the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is no Cloke for that doublet) If I come to Gods Church for my abſolution, and the ſeale of that reconciliation, the bleſſed Sacrament, Remittetur, by thoſe meanes ordained by God any ſin ſhall be forgiven me. But if I relie upon the Remittebatur, That I had my Quietus eſt before hand, in the eternall Decree, or in the Remittuntur, and ſo ſhut mine eyes, in an opinion that God hath ſhut his, and ſees not the ſins of his children, I change Gods Grammer, and I induce a dangerous ſoleciſme, for, it is not They were forgiven before they were committed, nor They are forgiven in the committing, but, They ſhall be, by uſing the meanes ordained by God, they may be; And ſo, They ſhall be forgiven unto men, ſaies the Text, and that is, firſt, unto every man.
The Kings of the earth are faire and glorious reſemblances of the King of heaven;Omni homini they are beames of that Sun, Tapers of that Torch, they are like gods, they are gods: The Lord killeth and maketh alive, He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up: 1 Sam. 2.6.This is the Lord of heaven; The Lords anointed, Kings of the earth do ſo too; They have the diſpenſation of judgement, and of mercy, they execute, and they pardon: But yet, with this difference amongſt many other, that Kings of the earth (for the moſt part, and the beſt, moſt) binde themſelves with an oath, not to pardon ſome offences; The King of heaven ſweares, and ſweares by himſelfe, That there is no ſinner but he can, and would pardon. At firſt, Illuminat omnem hominem, He is the true light, John 1.9.which lightneth every man that commeth into the world; Let that light (becauſe many do interpret that place ſo) let that be but that naturall light, which only man, and every man hath; yet that light makes him capable of the ſuper-naturall light of grace; for if he had not that reaſonable ſoule, he could not have grace; and even by this naturall light, he is able to ſee the inviſible God, in the viſible creature, and is inexcuſable if he do not ſo. But becauſe this light is (though not put out) brought to a dimneſſe, by mans firſt fall, Therefore Iohn Baptiſt came to beare witneſſe of that light, that all men, through him, might beleeve: Ver. 7.God raiſes up a Iohn Baptiſt in every man; every man findes a teſtimony in himſelfe, that he draws curtaines between the light and him; that he runs into corners from that light; that he doth not make that uſe of thoſe helpes which God hath afforded him, as he might.
Thus God hath mercy upon all before, by way of prevention; thus he enlightneth every man that commeth into the world: but, becauſe for all this men do ſtumble, even at noon, God hath given Collyrium, an Eye-ſalve to all,Apoc. 3.18. by which they may mend their eye-ſight; He hath opened a poole of Betheſda to all, where not only he that comes at firſt, but he that comes even at laſt, he that comes waſhed with the water of Baptiſme in his infancy, and he that comes waſhed with the teares of Repentance in his age, may receive health and cleanneſſe; For, the Font at firſt, and the death-bed at laſt, are Ciſterns from this poole, and all men, and at all times, may waſh therein: And from this power, and this love of God, is derived both that Catholique promiſe, Quandocun que , At what time ſoever a ſinner repents, And that Catholique and extenſive Commiſſion, Quorum remiſeritis, Whoſe ſins ſoever you remit, ſhall be remitted. All men were in Adam; becauſe the whole nature, mankinde, was in him; and then, can any be without ſin? All men were in Chriſt too, becauſe the whole nature, mankinde, was in him; and then, can any man be excluded from a poſſibility of mercy? There were whole Sects, whole bodies of Heretiques, that denied the communication of Gods grace to others; The Cathari denied that any man had it but themſelves: The Novatians denied that any man could have it again, after he had once loſt it, by any deadly ſin committed after Baptiſme, But there was never any Sect that denied it to themſelves, no Sect of deſpairing men. We have ſome ſomewhere ſprinkled; One in the old Teſtament, Cain, and one in the new, Iudas, and one in the Eccleſiaſtique Story, Iulian; but no body, no Sect of deſpairing men. And therefore he that abandons himſelf to this ſin of deſperation, ſins with the leaſt reaſon of any, for he prefers his ſin above Gods mercy, and he ſins with the feweſt examples of any, for God hath diffuſed this light, with an evidence to all, That all ſins may be forgiven unto men, that is, unto all men; and then, herein alſo is Gods mercy to man magnified, that it is to man, that is, only to man.
Nothing can fall into this compariſon,Non Angelis but Angels; and Angels ſhall not be forgiven: We ſhall be like the Angels, we ſhall participate of their glory which ſtand; But the Angels ſhall never be like us; never return to mercy, after they are fallen. They were Primogeniti Dei, Gods firſt born, and yet diſinherited; and diſinherited without any power, at leaſt, without purpoſe of revocation, without annuities, without penſions, without any preſent ſupply, without any future hope. When the Angels were made, and when they fell, we diſpute; but when they ſhall return, falls not into queſtion. Howſoever Origen vary in himſelfe, or howſoever he fell under that jealouſie, or miſinterpretation, that he thought the devill ſhould be ſaved at laſt, I am ſure his books that are extant, have pregnant and abundant teſtimony of their everlaſting, and irreparable condemnation. To judge by our evidence, the evidence of Scriptures, for their ſin, and the evidence of our conſcience, for ours, there is none of us that hath not ſinned more then any of them at firſt; and yet Chriſt hath not taken the nature of Angels, but of man, and redeemed us,Iude 6. having reſerved them in everlaſting chaines, under darkneſſe: How long? VntoUnto the judgement of the great day, ſayes that Apoſtle; And is it but till then, then to have an end? Alas no; It is not untill that day, but unto that day; not that that day ſhall end or eaſe their torments which they have, but inflict accidentall torments, which they have not yet; That is, an utter evacuation of that power of ſeducing, which, till that day come, they ſhall have leave to exerciſe upon the ſons of men: To that are they reſerved, and we to that glory, which they have loſt, and loſt for ever; and upon us, is that prayer of the Apoſtle fallen effectually,Ver. 2. Mercy, and peace, and love is multiplied unto us; for, ſin, and all ſin, blaſphemy, and blaſphemy againſt the Son, ſhall be, that is, is not, nor was not, but may be forgiven to men, to all men, to none but men; And ſo we paſſe to our ſecond part.
In this ſecond part,2. Part. Diviſio. which ſeemes to preſent a banke even to this Sea, this infinite Sea of the blood of Chriſt Jeſus; And an Horizon even to this heaven of heavens, to the mercy of God, we ſhall proceed thus: Firſt, we ſhall inquire, but modeſtly, what that blaſphemy, which is commonly called The ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, is: And ſecondly, how, and wherein it is irremiſſible, that it ſhall never be forgiven: And then thirdly, upon what places of Scripture it is grounded; amongſt which, if this text do not conſtitute and eſtabliſh that ſin, The ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, yet we ſhall finde, that that ſin which is directly intended in this text, is a branch of that ſin, The ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt: And therefore we ſhall take juſt occaſion from thence, to arme you with ſome inſtructions againſt thoſe wayes which leade into that irrecoverable deſtruction, into that irremiſſible ſin: for though the ſin it ſelf be not ſo evident, yet the limmes of the ſin, and the wayes to the ſin, are plain enough.
S. Auguſtine ſayes,Quid. There is no queſtion in the Scripture harder then this, what this ſin is: And S. Ambroſe gives ſome reaſon of the difficulty in this, Sicut una divinitas, una offenſa: As there is but one Godhead, ſo there is no ſin againſt God (and all ſin is ſo) but it is againſt the whole Trinity: and that is true; but as there are certain attributes proper to every ſeverall perſon of the Trinity, ſo there are certaine ſins, more directly againſt the ſeverall attributes and properties of thoſe perſons, and in ſuch a conſideration, againſt the perſons themſelves. Of which there are divers ſins againſt power, and they are principally againſt the Father; for to the Father we attribute power; and divers ſins againſt wiſdome, and wiſdome we attribute to the Son; and divers againſt goodneſſe, and love, and theſe we attribute to the holy Ghoſt. Of thoſe againſt the holy Ghoſt, conſidered in that attribute of goodneſſe, and of love, the place to ſpeak, will be in our concluſion. But for this particular ſin, The ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, as hard as S. Auguſtine makes it, and juſtly, yet he ſayes too, Exercere nos voluit difficultate quaeſtionis, non decipere falſitate ſententiae, God would exerciſe us with a hard queſtion, but he would not deceive us with a falſe opinion: Quid ſit quaeri voluit, non negari; God would have us modeſtly inquire what it is, not peremptorily deny that there is any ſuch ſin.
It is (for the moſt part) agreed, that it is a totall falling away from the Goſpell of Chriſt Jeſus formerly acknowledged and profeſſed, into a verball calumniating, and a reall perſecuting of that Goſpel, with a deliberate purpoſe to continue ſo to the end, and actually to do ſo, to perſevere till then, and then to paſſe away in that diſpoſition. It fals only upon the profeſſors of the Goſpell, and it is totall, and it is practicall, and it is deliberate, and it is finall. Here we have that ſin, but, by Gods grace, that ſinner no where.
It is therefore ſomewhat early, ſomewhat forwardly pronounced, though by a reverend man, Certum reprobationis ſignum, in ſpiritum blaſphemia, That it is an infallible aſſurance,Calvin. that that man is a Reprobate that blaſphemes the holy Ghoſt. For, whatſoever is an infallible ſigne, muſt be notorious to us; If we muſt know another thing by that, as a ſigne, we muſt know that thing which is our ſigne, in it ſelfe: And can we know what this blaſpheming of the holy Ghoſt is? Did we ever heare any man ſay, or ſee any man doe any thing againſt the holy Ghoſt, of whom we might ſay upon that word, or upon that action, This man can never repent, never be received to mercy? And yet, ſayes he, Tenendum eſt, quod qui exciderint, nunquam reſurgent; We are bound to hold, that they who fall ſo, ſhall never riſe again. I preſume, he grounded himſelfe in that ſevere judgement of his, upon ſuch places, as that to the Romanes,Rom. 1.18. When they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate minde: That that is the ordinary way of Gods juſtice, to withdraw his Spirit from that man that blaſphemes his Spirit; but S. Paul blaſphemed, and S. Peter blaſphemed, and yet were not divorced from God.
S. Auguſtines rule is good; not to judge of this ſin, and this ſinner eſpecially, but à poſteriori, from his end, from his departing out of this world. Neither though I doe ſee an ill life, ſealed with an ill death, dare I be too forward in this judgement. He was not a Chriſtian in profeſſion, but worſe then he are called Chriſtians, that ſaid, Qui pius eſt, ſummè Philoſophatur; The charitable man is the great Philoſopher;Triſmeg. and it is charity not to ſuſpect the ſtate of a dead man. Conſider in how ſudden a minute the holy Ghoſt hath ſometimes wrought upon thee; and hope that he hath done ſo upon another. It is a moderation to be imbraced, that Peter Martyr leads us to: The Primitive Church had the ſpirit of diſcerning ſpirits; we have not; And therefore, though by way of definition, we may ſay, This is that ſin, yet by way of demonſtration, let us ſay of no man, This is that ſinner: I may ſay of no man, This ſin in thee is irremiſſible.
Now, in conſidering this word, Irremiſſible, That it cannot be forgiven, wee finde it to be a word, rather uſurped by the Schoole, then expreſſed in the Scriptures:Irremiſsibilitas. for in all thoſe three Euangeliſts, where this fearfull denunciation is interminated, ſtill it is in a phraſe, of ſomewhat more mildneſſe, then ſo; It is, It ſhall not be forgiven, It is not, it cannot be forgiven: It is an irremiſſion, it is not an irremiſſibleneſſe. Abſolutely there is not an impoſſibility, and irremiſſibleneſſe on Gods part: but yet ſome kinde of impoſſibility there is on his part, and on ours too. For, if he could forgive this ſin, he would; or elſe, his power were above his mercy; and his mercy is above all his works. But God can doe nothing that implies contradiction; and God having declared, by what meanes onelyonly his mercy and forgiveneſſe ſhall be conveyed to man, God ſhould contradict himſelfe, if he ſhould give forgiveneſſe to them, who will fully exclude thoſe meanes of mercy. And therefore it were not boldly, nor irreverently ſaid, That God could not give grace to a beaſt, nor mercy to the Devill, becauſe either they are naturally deſtitute, or have wilfully deſpoiled themſelves of the capacity of grace, and mercy. When we conſider, that God the Father, whom, as the roote of all, we conſider principally in the Creation, created man in a poſſibility, and ability, to perſiſt in that goodneſſe, in which he created him, And conſider that God the Son came, and wrought a reconciliation for man to God, and ſo brought in a treaſure, in the nature thereof, a ſufficient ranſome for all the world, but then a man knowes not this, or beleeves not this, otherwiſe then Hiſtorically, Morally, Civilly, and ſo evacuates, and ſhakes off God the Son, And then conſider that the holy Ghoſt comes, and preſents meanes of applying all this, and making the generall ſatisfaction of Chriſt, reach and ſpread it ſelfe upon my ſoule, in particular, in the preaching of the Word, in the ſeales of the Sacraments, in the abſolution of the Church, and I preclude the wayes, and ſhut up my ſelfe againſt the holy Ghoſt, and ſo evacuate him, and ſhake him off, when I have reſiſted Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt, is there a fourth perſon in the God-head to work upon me? If I blaſpheme, that is, deliberately pronounce againſt the holy Ghoſt, my ſin is irremiſſible therefore, becauſe there is no body left to forgive it, nor way left, wherein forgiveneſſe ſhould work upon me; So farre it is irremiſſible on Gods part, and on mine too.
And then, take it there, in that ſtate of irremiſſibleneſſe, and conſider ſeriouſly the fearefulneſſe of it.Mat. 5.22. I have been angry; and then, (as Chriſt tells me) I have been in danger of a judgement; but in judgement, I may have counſell, I may be heard; I have ſaid Racha, expreſſed my anger and ſo been in danger of a Councell; but a Councell does but conſult, what puniſhment is fit to be inflicted; and ſo long there is hope of mitigation, and commutation of penance; But I have ſaid fatue, I have called my brother foole, and ſo am in danger of hell fire. Auguſt. Chryſoſt.In the firſt, there is Ira, an inward commotion, an irregular diſtemper; In the ſecond, there is Ira & vox; In the firſt it is but Ira carnis, non animi, It is but my paſſion, it is not I that am angry, but in the ſecond I have ſuffered my paſſion to vent and utter it ſelfe; but in the third, there is Ira, vox & vituperatio, A diſtemper within, a declaration to evill example without, and an injury and defamation to a third perſon, and this exalts the offence to the height: But then when this third Perſon comes to be the third Perſon in the Trinity, the Holy Ghoſt, in all the other caſes, there is danger, danger of judgement, danger of a Councell, danger of hell, but here is irremiſſibleneſſe, hell it ſelfe, and no avoiding of hell, no cooling in hell, no deliverance from hell; Irremiſſible; Thoſe hands that reached to the ends of the world, in creating it, & ſpan the world in preſerving it, and ſtretched over all in redeeming it, thoſe hands have I manacled, that they cannot open unto me: That tenderneſſe that is affected to all, have I damped, retarded that proneneſſe, ſtupified that alacrity, confounded that voyce, diverted thoſe eyes, that are naturally diſpoſed to all: And all this, Irremiſſibly, for ever; not, though he would, but becauſe he will not ſhew mercy; not, though I would, but becauſe I cannot ask mercy: And therefore beware all approaches towards that ſin, from which there is no returning, no redemption.
We are come now,In quibus Script. in our order, to our third and laſt Branch of this laſt Part, That this Doctrine of a ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, is not a dreame of the Schoole-men, though they have ſpoken many things frivolouſly of it, but grounded in evident places of Scriptures: Amongſt which, we looke eſpecially, how farre this Text conduces to that Doctrine. There are two places ordinarily cited, which ſeeme directly to concerne this ſin; and two others, which to me ſeeme not to doe ſo. Thoſe of the firſt kinde, are both in the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes: Heb. 6.4.There the Apoſtle ſayes, For thoſe who were once inlightned, and have taſted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt, If they fall away, it is impoſsible to renew them by repentance. Now, if finall impenitence had been added, there could have been no queſtion, but that this muſt be The ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt; And becauſe the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſuch a totall falling away, as precludes all way of repentance, it includes finall impenitence, and ſo makes up that ſin. The other place from which it riſes moſt pregnantly,Heb. 10.29. is, Of how ſore a puniſhment ſhall they be thought worthy, who have trodden under foot the Son of God, and have done deſpite unto the Spirit of grace? Ver. 26.As he had ſaid before, If we ſin wilfully, after we have received the knowledge of truth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſins, but a certain fearfull looking for of judgement, and fiery indignation. But yet, though from theſe places, there ariſes evidence, that ſuch a ſin there is, as naturally ſhuts out repentance, and ſo is thereby irremiſſible, yet there ariſe no markes, by which I can ſay, This man is ſuch a ſinner; not though hee himſelfe would ſweare to me, that he were ſo now, and that he would continue ſo, till death.
The other places that doe not ſo directly concerne this ſin, and yet are ſometimes uſed in this affaire,1 Iohn 5.16. are, one in S. Iohn, and this text another. That in S. Iohn is, There is a ſin unto death, I doe not ſay, that he ſhall pray for it. It is true, that the Maſter of the Sentences, and from him, many of the Schoole, and many of our later Interpreters too, doe underſtand this, of the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, becauſe we are (almoſt) forbidden to pray for it; but yet we are not abſolutely forbidden, in that we are not bidden. And if we were forbidden, when God ſayes to Ieremy, Pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry, Ier. 7.16.nor prayer for them, neither make interceſsion to me, for I will not heare thee, And againe,Ier. 11.14. Pray not for them, for I will not heare them, Not them, though they ſhould come to pray for themſelves, God forbid that we ſhould therefore ſay, that all that people had committed the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt. And for this particular place of S. Iohn, that anſwer may ſuffice, which very good Divines have given, Pray not for them, is indeed pray not with them, admit them to no part in the publique prayers of the Congregation, but if they ſin a ſin unto death, a notorious, an inexcuſable ſin, let them be perſons excommunicated to thee.
For the words in this text, which ſeeme to many appliable to that great ſin, it is not cleare, it is not much probable, that they can be ſo applied. Take the words inveſted in their circumſtance, in the context and coherence, and it will appeare evident. Chriſt ſpeaks this to the Phariſees, upon occaſion of that which they had ſaid to him, and of him before, and he carries it, intends it no farther. That appeares by the firſt word of out text, Propterea, Therefore I ſay unto you; Therefore, that is, Becauſe you have uſed ſuch words unto me. And S. Marke makes it more cleare, He ſaid this to them, becauſe they ſaid, Marke 3.30.He had an uncleane ſpirit; becauſe they ſaid he did his Miracles by the power of the Devill. Now, this was certainely a ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, ſo far, as that it was diſtinguiſhed from the ſins againſt the Son of Man; But it was not the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt; for, Chriſt being a mixt perſon, God and Man, did ſome things, in which his Divinity had nothing to doe, but were onelyonly actions of a meere naturall man, and when they ſlandered him in theſe, they blaſphemed the Son of Man. Some things he did in the power of his God head, in which his humanity contributed nothing; as all his Miracles; and when they attributed theſe works to the Devill, they blaſphemed the Holy Ghoſt. And therefore S. Auguſtine ſayes, That Chriſt in this place, did not ſo much accuſe the Phariſees, that they had already incurred the ſin of the Holy Ghoſt, they might at laſt fall into The ſin, that impenitible, and therfore irremiſſible ſin. But that ſin, this could not be, becauſe the Phariſees had not embraced the Goſpel before, and ſo this could not be a falling from the Goſpel, in them: Neither does it appeare to have continued to a finall impenitence; ſo far from it, as that S. Chryſoſt. makes no doubt, but that ſome of theſe Phariſees did repent upon Chriſts admonition.
Now, beloved, ſince we ſee by this collation of places, that it is not ſafe to ſay of any man, he is this ſinner, nor very conſtantly agreed upon, what is this ſin, but yet we are ſure, that ſuch a ſin there is, that captivates even God himſelf, and takes from him the exerciſe of his mercy, and caſts a dumneſſe, a ſpeechleſneſſe upon the Church it ſelfe, that ſhe may not pray for ſuch a ſinner; and ſince we ſee, that Chriſt, with ſo much earneſtneſſe, rebukes the Phariſees for this ſin in the text, becauſe it was a limbe of that ſin, and conduced to it, let us uſe all religious diligence, to keep our ſelves in a ſafe diſtance from it. To which purpoſe, be pleaſed to caſt a particular, but ſhort and tranſitory glaunce, upon ſome ſuch ſins, as therefore, becauſe they conduce to that, are ſometimes called ſins againſt the holy Ghoſt. Sins againſt Power, (that is the Fathers Attribute) ſins of infirmity are eaſily forgiven; ſins againſt Wiſdome, (that is the Sons Attribute) ſins of Ignorance are eaſily forgiven; but ſins againſt Goodneſſe, (that is the Holy Ghoſts Attribute,) ſins of an hard and ill nature are hardly forgiven: Not at all, when it comes to be The ſin; not eaſily, when they are Thoſe ſins, thoſe that conduce to it, and are branches of it.
For branches, the Schoolemen have named three couples, which they have called ſins againſt the Holy Ghoſt, becauſe naturally they ſhut out thoſe meanes by which the Holy Ghoſt might work upon us. The firſt couple is, preſumption and deſperation; for preſumption takes away the feare of God, and deſperation the love of God. And then, they name Impenitence, and hardneſſe of heart; for Impenitence removes all ſorrow for ſins paſt, and hardneſſe of heart all tenderneſſe towards future tentations. And laſtly, they name The reſiſting of a truth acknowledged before, and the envying of other men, who have made better uſe of Gods grace then we have done; for this reſiſting of a Truth, is a ſhutting up of our ſelves againſt it, and this envying of others, is a ſorrow, that that Truth ſhould prevaile upon them. And truly (to reflect a very little upon theſe three couples again) To preſume upon God, that God cannot damne me eternally in the next world, for a few half-houres in this; what is a fornication, or what is an Idolatay to God? what is a jeſt, or a ballad, or a libel to a King? Or to deſpaire, that God will not ſave me, how well ſoever I live, after a ſin? what is a teare, what is a ſigh, what is a prayer to God? what is a petition to a King? To be impenitent, ſenſleſſe of ſins paſt; I paſt yeſterday in riot, and yeſternight in wantonneſſe, and yet I heare of ſome place, ſome office, ſome good fortune fallen to me to day; To be hardned againſt future ſins; ſhall I forbeare ſome company, becauſe that company leads me into tentation? Why, that very tentation wil lead me to preferment; To forſake the truth formerly profeſſed, becauſe the times are changed, and wiſer men then I change with them; To envy and hate another, another State, another Church, another man, becauſe they ſtand out in defence of the truth, (for, if they would change, I might have the better colour, the better excuſe of changing too) al theſe are ſhrewd and ſlippery approaches towards the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and therefore the Schoolemen have called all theſe ſix, (not without juſt reaſon, and good uſe) by that heavy name.
And ſome of the Fathers have extended it farther, then to theſe ſix. S. Bernard, in particular, ſayes, Nolle obedire, To reſiſt lawfull Authority; And another, Simulata poenitentia, To delude God with relapſes, & counterfait repentances; and another alſo, Omne ſchiſma, All ſchiſmaticall renting of the peace of the Church, All theſe they call in that ſenſe, Sins againſt the Holy Ghoſt. Now, all ſins againſt the Holy Ghoſt, are not irremiſſible. Stephen told his perſecutors,Acts 7.51.60. They reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt, and yet he prayed for them. But becauſe theſe ſins may, and ordinarily doe come to that ſin, ſtop betimes. David was far from the murder of Vriah, when he did but looke upon his Wife, as ſhe was bathing. A man is far from defying the holy Ghoſt, when he does but neglect him; and yet David did come, and he will come to the bottome quickly. It may make ſome impreſſion in you, to tell, and to apply a ſhort ſtory. In a great Schiſme at Rome, Ladiſlaus tooke that occaſion to debauch and corrupt ſome of the Nobility; It was diſcerned; and then, to thoſe ſeven Governors, whom they had before, whom they called Sapientes, Wiſe men, they added ſeven more, and called them Bonos, Good men, honeſt men, and relied, and confided in them. Goodneſſe is the Attribute of the Holy Ghoſt; If you have Greatneſs, you may ſeeme to have ſome of the Father, for Power is his: If you have Wiſdome, you may ſeeme to have ſome of the Son, for that is his: If you have Goodneſſe, you have the Holy Ghoſt, who ſhall lead you into all truth. And Goodneſſe is, To be good and eaſie in receiving his impreſſions, and good and conſtant in retaining them, and good and diffuſive in deriving them upon others: To embrace the Goſpel, to hold faſt the Goſpel, to propagate the Goſpel, this is the goodneſſe of the Holy Ghoſt. And to reſiſt the entrance of the Goſpel, to abandon it after we have profeſſed it, to forſake them, whom we ſhould aſſiſt and ſuccour in the maintenance of it, This is to depart from the goodneſſe of the Holy Ghoſt: and by theſe ſins againſt him, to come too neare the ſin, the irremiſſible ſin, in which the calamities of this world ſhall enwrap us, and deliver us over to the everlaſting condemnation of the next. This is as much as theſe words do juſtly occaſion us to ſay of that ſin; and into a more curious ſearch thereof, it is not holy ſobriety to pierce.