The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 3 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Sathans temptations perſwading the chriſtian that he hath ſinned againſt the holy Ghoſt, anſwered.
§. Sect. 1 ANd thus hauehave I anſwered Sathans temptations drawne from theſe ſinnes which the weake chriſtian hath fallen into;Of the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt. but if he cannot ſo preuaile, then he will falſely accuſe them of thoſe ſinnes which they neuer committed, and eſpecially of that vnpardonable ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, taking aduantage of their ignorance, that ſo he may plunge them into deſperation, and vtterly diſcourage them from going forward in the courſe of godlineſſe. The which his temptation is ſo vſuall and common, that there is ſcarce any who are exerciſed in this ſpirituall warfare, if they be conuerted vntounto God out of their ignorance, whom he doth not encounter with this weapon. For as much therefore as ignorance is the chiefe ground of this temptation, therefore the beſt meanes to ſtrengthen our ſelues againſt it, is to know what this ſinne is, which if we once vnderſtand, there is no daunger of being foyled in this aſſault.
What the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt is.The ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, is a generall deniall and oppugning of the truth and all religion, of which the vnderſtanding and conſcience by the illumination of the ſpirit are perſwaded and conuicted, proceeding from an obſtinate will and purpoſed malice againſt God and his truth. The which ſinne is committed of two ſortes of men; firſt, of thoſe who hauehave made profeſſion of the truth, and afterwards become Apoſtataes, not from ſome part onelyonly but from all religion, condemning, blaſpheming, and perſecuting as hereticall and impious, that truth which before they profeſſed, and of which they were perſwaded. And thus did Hymeneus and Alexander ſinne,1. Tim. 1.20. of whom Paul ſpeaketh 1. Tim. 1.20. Secondly, of thoſe who were neuer profeſſors thereof,Matth. 12.24.31. Steuen Gardner. See his ſtorie in the booke of Martyrs. whoſe conſciences notwithſtanding are conuicted of that truth which they doe oppugne: an example whereof we hauehave in the Scribes and Phariſes, Matth. 12.24.31. and in many of the learned Papiſts in theſe dayes, who maliciouſly deny and perſecute that truth which they know and are conuicted of.
§. Sect. 2 Hereby therefore it appeareth that not eueryevery grieuous ſinne againſt knowledge and conſcience is the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt,How to diſtinguiſh the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt from other ſinnes. for thus Dauid offended who was a man according to Gods owne heart; nor eueryevery denying of the knowne truth, if it proceede from feare and infirmitie, and not from malice and obſtinat rebellion, for thus Peter ſinned in denying his maiſter; nor all kinde of oppoſing and perſecuting of the truth, if it bee not againſt knowledge and conſcience, but vponupon blindneſſe and ignorance, for thus Paul offended before his conuerſion,1. Tim. 1.13. as appeareth 1. Tim. 1.13. and many of the Iewes who crucified Chriſt, as the Apoſtle Peter teſtifieth,Act. 3.17. Act. 3.17. nor all malicious oppoſing againſt eueryevery knowne truth, but of the truth in generall and all true religion, for this ſinne is an vniuerſall apoſtaſie from God and his truth, and not onelyonly a defection from ſome particular point thereof. So that though a man ſinne againſt knowledge and conſcience, through infirmitie and not of malice; though he deny the truth through feare and weakeneſſe, though he perſecute it through blindneſſe and ignorance; though he wittingly oppoſe againſt and willingly perſecute ſome particular point thereof, and yet hold and profeſſe the generall, howſoeuer he hath moſt hainouſly offended, yet he hath not committed this vnpardonable ſinne againſt the holy ſpirit, and therefore is not excluded from repentance, nor vponupon his repentance from pardon and forgiueneſſe. Whereby it manifeſtly appeareth that theſe poore chriſtians which labour vnderunder the burthen of ſinne, are meerely deluded by Sathans falſe ſuggeſtions, and groſely abuſed through their owne ignorance, when as he maketh them beleeue that they hauehave ſinned againſt the holy Ghoſt. But let ſuch know to their comfort that ſo long as they would not commit this ſinne, or feare leaſt they hauehave alreadie fallen into it, they are as yet moſt free from it, ſeeing it is not done of infirmitie or at vnawares, but vponupon a malitious will, cleare knowledge and ſetled reſolution.
§. Sect. 3 But here the poore chriſtian is readie to complaine, that he is continually troubled with impious thoughts,Of impious and blaſphemous ſuggeſtions. and horrible blaſphemies againſt God and his holy ſpirit, which he feareth to be the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt. I anſwere as before, that ſeeing theſe thoughts are a trouble vntounto him, and ſeeing he feareth to commit this ſinne, thereby it is manifeſt that he is not fallen into it, as appeareth by that which hath been ſaid. Secondly, he is to know that his ſtate is common with Gods faithfull children, who are thus vexed eſpecially in the conflict of temptations, and before they hauehave receiued a great meaſure of faith, and fulneſſe of perſwaſion of Gods louelove and fauour, whereby they are moued intirely to louelove him againe. Neither needes this to ſeeme ſtrange vntounto any who conſidereth of that maſſe of naturall corruption which remaineth in vsus, euen after regeneration, which continually boyleth and fometh vp the filthie ſcumine of wicked thoughts and blaſphemous imaginations; and of the malice of our ſpirituall enemie Sathan, who is ſtill readie to tempt vsus by his ſuggeſtions to the moſt horrible and outragious ſinnes; if not in hope to ouercome vsus, yet at leaſt to vexe and trouble vsus. As we may ſee in the example fo the holy man Iob, whom he ſpared not to tempt vntounto fearefull blaſphemie.
But though we cannot keepe the diuell from aſſaulting vsus, let not this diſcourage vsus, hay rather let vsus be moued hereby with more care and watchfulneſſe to withſtand him, for if we reſiſt him he will flee from vsus. Iam 4.7.Iam. 4.7. But in this our reſiſtance two things eſpecially muſt be obſerued: the firſt is the meanes whereby we muſt giuegive him the repulſe; which is partly by the ſword of the ſpirit, the word of God, whereby we beate backe the temptation by prouing the wickedneſſe thereof by ſome teſtimonie of ſcripture, according to our Sauiours example; and partly by lifting vp our mindes vntounto God in prayer, deſiring ſtrength to withſtand the temptation. Secondly, we muſt take heede that we doe not reuolue the temptation in our mindes, but preſently repell it, leaſt theſe helliſh ſparkes taking hold of the tindar of our corruptions, doe at length inflame vsus with horrible wickedneſſe, which at their firſt falling might eaſily hauehave been extinguiſhed. And if we thus ſpeedely repell theſe horrible blaſphemies ſuggeſted by Sathan, they ſhall neuer be imputed vntounto vsus, but vntounto him from whom they proceede, and that both in reſpect of the fault and puniſhment.