Sermons and Discourses Volume 2, Sermon 9
A SERMON Concerning the SIN Againſt the HOLY GHOST.
Matth XII.31, 32.
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:
And whoſoever ſpeaketh a word againſt the ſon of man, it ſhall be forgiven him: But whoſoever ſpeaketh againſt the Holy Ghoſt, it ſhall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
THE occaſion of theſe words of our bleſſed Saviour was the blaſphemy of the Phariſees againſt that divine power by which he wrought his miracles, and particularly did caſt out Devils. Which works of his, though they were wrought by the Spirit of God, yet they obſtinately and maliciouſly imputed them to the power of the Devil. Upon which our Saviour takes occaſion to declare the danger of this ſin, which he calls blaſpheming of the Holy Ghoſt: and tells them, that this was ſo great a ſin above all others, that it is in a peculiar manner unpardonable. Wherefore I ſay unto you, &c.
For the explaining of theſe words, and the nature and unpardonableneſs of this ſin, we will enquire into theſe four things:
Firſt, What is the difference between ſpeaking againſt the Son of Man, and ſpeaking againſt the Holy Ghoſt.
Secondly, Wherein the Nature of this ſin or blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt doth conſiſt.
Thirdly, In what ſenſe this ſin is here ſaid to be peculiarly unpardonable. And
Fourthly, Upon what account it is ſo.
1. What is the difference between ſpeaking againſt the ſon of man and ſpeaking againſt the Holy Ghoſt. The reaſon of this enquiry is, becauſe the Text plainly puts a great difference between them, though it be not obvious to diſcern where it lies. For our Saviour tells us, that whoſoever ſpeaks a word againſt the ſon of man, it ſhall be forgiven him, but whoſoever ſpeaketh againſt the Holy Ghoſt it ſhall never be forgiven him: And yet this blaſphemy of the Phariſees againſt the Holy Ghoſt was a ſpeaking againſt the Son of man. For to ſay that he caſt out Devils by the power of the Devil, though it was a blaſpheming of the Holy Ghoſt by whoſe power he wrought theſe miracles, yet it was likewiſe a blaſpheming of Chriſt himſelf; and was in effect to ſay, that he was no true Prophet, nor did come from God, but was a Magician and Impoſtor.
For the removing of this difficulty I ſhall not need to ſay, as ſome learned men have done, That by the ſon of man is here to be underſtood any man, and that our Saviour is not particularly deſigned by it. That ſeems very hard, when our Saviour is ſo frequently in the Goſpel called the ſon of man. And eſpecially when St. Luke reciting theſe words, does immediately before give him this very title, to put the matter out of all doubt, Luke 12.8, 9, 10, Alſo I ſay unto you, whoſoever ſhall confeſs me before men, him ſhall the Son of man alſo confeſs before the Angels of God: But he that denieth me before men, ſhall be denied before the Angels of God. Upon which it follows, And whoſoever ſhall ſpeak a word againſt the ſon of man it ſhall be forgiven him. So that in all reaſon the Son of man is the very ſame perſon that had this Title given him in the foregoing words, viz. our bleſſed Saviour. So that I take it for granted, that by ſpeaking againſt the ſon of man, is here meant ſpeaking againſt Chriſt: And by ſpeaking againſt him, as it is oppoſed to ſpeaking againſt the Holy Ghoſt, is meant all thoſe reproaches and contumelies which they caſt upon our Saviours perſon, without reflecting upon that divine power which he teſtified by his miracles. As, their reproaching him with the meanneſs of his birth, Is not this the Carpenters ſon? with the place of it (as they ſuppoſed) out of Galilee ariſeth no Prophet: Their reflecting upon his life, ſaying that he was a wine-bibber and a glutton, a friend of publicans and ſinners; with many other calumnies which they maliciouſly caſt upon him.
But by ſpeaking againſt the Holy Ghoſt is meant their blaſpheming and reproaching that divine power whereby he wrought his miracles: which though it did at laſt likewiſe reflect upon our Saviours perſon, yet it was an immediate reflection upon the Holy Ghoſt, and a blaſpheming of him; and therefore it is called ſpeaking againſt the Holy Ghoſt by way of diſtinction or oppoſition to the other calumnies which they uſed againſt our Saviour; which were proper blaſphemies and reproaches of his Perſon, but not of the Holy Ghoſt alſo, as this was. This ſeems to me to be the true difference here intended by our Saviour between ſpeaking againſt the Son of man, and ſpeaking againſt the Holy Ghoſt. Let us in the
II. Second place, enquire wherein the Nature of this ſin or blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt doth conſiſt. And the true Nature of this ſin, though it be ſo plainly to be gathered from our Saviours deſcription of it, yet I know not how a great many learned men have made a hard ſhift to miſtake it. Some have made it to be final Impenitency, becauſe that is unpardonable. But why that rather than any thing elſe that is bad ſhould be called a blaſpheming of the Holy Ghoſt, it is hard to give a reaſon. Others have placed the nature of it in a wilful and malicious oppoſition of the truth: which though it be a great ſin, and included in the ſin here ſpoken of, or a concomitant of it; yet is there great reaſon to believe that this is not all that is here meant by it. Others would have it to conſiſt in a malicious oppoſition of the Truth, when men know and are convinced that it is the Truth, which is a great ſin indeed, if ever any man were guilty of it; but it is a great Queſtion whether humane nature be capable of it. And to mention no more, others think it to conſiſt in a renouncing of the truth for fear of ſuffering; which made Francis Spira to think that he had committed this ſin.
But with all due reſpect to the judgment of others, I cannot think that any of theſe is the ſin our Saviour here deſcribes. As I ſhall endeavour plainly to ſhew, by conſidering the occaſion of our Saviours mentioning of it; the perſons upon whom our Saviour chargeth this ſin; and upon what account he chargeth them with it.
At the 22 ver. of this Chapter there was brought to our Saviour one poſſeſſed with a Devil blind and dumb, and he healed him. Upon this the people were amazed, and ſaid, is not this the ſon of David? that is, the Meſſias. The Phariſees hearing this, with great bitterneſs and contempt ſaid, This fellow doth not caſt out Devils but by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils. Upon on this our Saviour repreſents to them the unreaſonableneſs of this calumny: and that upon theſe two conſiderations: 1ſt. That it was very unlikely that the Devil ſhould lend him this power to uſe it againſt himſelf. Every kingdom divided againſt it ſelf is brought to deſolation: and every city or houſe divided againſt it ſelf ſhall not ſtand. And if Satan caſt out Satan, he is divided againſt himſelf, how ſhall then his kingdom ſtand? 2dly, Our Saviour tells them, they might with as much reaſon attribute all miracles to the Devil. There were thoſe among themſelves who caſt out Devils in the name of the God of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob (as Origen and Tertullian, and Juſtin Martyr tell us). Of theſe our Saviour ſpeaks, and asks the Phariſees, by what power they caſt them out. But they aknowledged that theſe did it by the power of God: and there was no cauſe but their malice, why they ſhould not have acknowledged that he did it likewiſe by the ſame power, ver. 27, If I by Beelzebub caſt out Devils, by whom do your children caſt them out? therefore they ſhall be your judges. That is, this may be ſufficient to convince you malice of to me: But if I caſt out Devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you; That is, the Meſſias is come: Becauſe he wrought theſe and other miracles to prove that he was the Meſſias. And then it follows, 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.
So that the Phariſees are the perſons charged with this ſin or blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt. And their blaſphemy was plainly this, that when he caſt out Devils by the Spirit of God, they ſaid he did it by the power of the Devil: they maliciouſly aſcribed theſe works of the Holy Ghoſt to the Devil.
And that this is the ground why our Saviour chargeth them with this ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt is yet more plain from St. Mark, Mark 3.28, 29, 30, Verily I ſay unto you, all ſins ſhall be forgiven unto the ſons of men, and blaſphemies wherewith ſoever they ſhall blaſpheme: but he that blaſphemeth againſt the Holy Ghoſt, hath never forgiveneſs, but is in danger of eternal damnation: becauſe they ſaid he hath an unclean Spirit. That is, becauſe the Phariſees charged him to be a Magician, and to have a familiar Spirit, by whoſe aſſiſtance he did thoſe works, when in truth he did them by the Spirit of God, therefore our Saviour declares them guilty of this ſin of blaſpheming the Holy Ghoſt, which ſhould never be forgiven.
So that the nature of this ſin did conſiſt in a moſt malicious oppoſition to the utmoſt evidence that could be given to the truth of any Religion. Our bleſſed Saviour to ſhew that he was ſent by God, and came from him, wrought miracles, ſuch as did plainly evidence a divine power and preſence accompanying of him. For in St. Luke he is ſaid to do them by the finger of God, Luke 11.20, By the finger of God, that is, to do ſuch things as were an undeniable evidence of the divine power and preſence. And this is the utmoſt teſtimony that God ever gave to any perſon that was ſent by him. And the Phariſees were eye-witneſſes of thoſe miracles which our Saviour wrought, ſo that they could not deny them: Yet ſuch was their oppoſition to him and his doctrine, that, though they ſaw theſe things done by him, and could not deny the reality of them, yet rather than they would own him to be the Meſſias, and his Doctrine to come from God, they moſt maliciouſly and unreaſonably aſcribed them to the power of the Devil. And this was the blaſphemy which they were guilty of againſt the Holy Ghoſt. And herein lay the greatneſs of their ſin, in reſiſting the evidence of thoſe miracles which were ſo plainly wrought by the Holy Ghoſt; and which though themſelves ſaw, yet they maliciouſly imputed them to the Devil, rather than they would be convinced by them. And this is ſo very plain, that hardly any man that conſiders our Saviours diſcourſe upon this occaſion can otherwiſe determine the nature of this ſin; eſpecially if he do but attend to thoſe remarkable words which I cited before (Mark 3.29,) but he that blaſphemeth againſt the Holy Ghoſt hath never forgiveneſs, but is in danger of eternal damnation; becauſe they ſaid he hath an unclean ſpirit. I come now to the
III. Third thing I propounded, namely, in what ſenſe this ſin is here ſaid to be peculiarly unpardonable? For this our Saviour poſitively affirms to be in this different from all other ſins, that it is capable of no pardon: 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: And to ſhew what he means by the not forgiving of it, he tells us, that eternal puniſhment ſhall follow it in the other World. Whoſoever ſpeaketh a word againſt the ſon of man it ſhall be forgiven him: but whoſoever ſpeaketh againſt the Holy Ghoſt it ſhall never be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. Which St. Mark expreſſeth more plainly; that it ſhall bring thoſe who are guilty of it to eternal damnation, Mark 3.29, He that blaſphemeth againſt the Holy Ghoſt hath never forgiveneſs, but is liable to eternal damnation. So that when our Saviour ſays, it ſhall never be forgiven, neither in this world nor in the world to come, he does not intend to inſinuate that ſome ſins which are not forgiven in this world, may be forgiven in the other: but in theſe words he either alludes to the opinion of the Jews concerning the effect of the higheſt excommunication, the ſentence whereof they held not to be reverſible, neither in this world nor the other; or elſe the reaſon of this expreſſion may probably be to meet with a common and falſe opinion amongſt the Jews, which was, that ſome ſins which are not pardoned to men in this life, may by ſacrifices be expiated in the other; and therefore he ſays it ſhall never be forgiven, neither in this world nor the other. And St. Mark more plainly, that thoſe who are guilty of it ſhall never have forgiveneſs, but be liable to eternal damnation. So that our Saviour's meaning ſeems plainly to be this, that this ſin is altogether incapable of forgiveneſs. I know ſome have endeavoured to mollifie this matter, but (I think) without ſufficient reaſon. Grotius underſtands the words comparatively, that any ſort of ſin ſhall ſooner be forgiven than this againſt the Holy Ghoſt; and that our Saviour only intended to expreſs the greatneſs and heinouſneſs of this ſin above others; in which reſpect the pardon of it would be more difficult than of any other ſin; but yet that the caſe of ſuch a perſon is not abſolutely deſperate: But if our Saviour had intended to ſay that this ſin was abſolutely unpardonable, I would fain know how could he have expreſſed the matter in higher fuller words? Dr. Hammond mollifies the words another way; that this ſin ſhall never be pardoned but upon a particular repentance for it: As if our Saviour's meaning was, that a general repentance, which was ſufficient for ſins of Ignorance, would not be ſufficient in this caſe, but there muſt be a particular repentance for it, without which it would never be pardoned. But this is by no means agreeable to the ſcope of our Saviour's diſcourſe: Becauſe he plainly intends to difference this from all other ſorts of ſins, I ſay unto you, all manner of ſin and blaſphemy, ſhall be forgiven unto men. But according to this interpretation our Saviour muſt mean, that all other ſins would be forgiven upon a general repentance; which is not true, for there are many other ſins beſides ſins of Ignorance; there are wilful and heinous ſins, ſuch as wilful murder and adultery and blaſphemy, (that only excepted which is againſt the Holy Ghoſt) and the like groſs ſins, which all Divines hold ſhall not be forgiven, but upon a particular repentance. So that this interpretation does not ſufficiently difference this ſin from all other ſorts of ſins, which yet it is very plain our Saviour intended to do. It remains then that theſe words muſt in all reaſon be underſtood abſolutely; that the perſons that are guilty of this great ſin ſhall never have it forgiven to them. And it may be this will not ſeem ſo harſh, when we have conſidered in the
IV. Fourth place, how it comes to paſs that this ſin is above all others incapable of pardon: And that, upon theſe two accounts.
Firſt, Becauſe by this ſin men reſiſt their laſt remedy, and oppoſe the beſt and utmoſt means of their conviction. What can God be imagined to do more to convince a man of a Divine Revelation, or of the truth of any Doctrine or meſſage that comes from him, than to work miracles to this purpoſe? And what greater aſſurance can men have that miracles are wrought, than to be eye-witneſſes of them themſelves? And if men will reſiſt ſuch evidence, what can God do more for their ſatisfaction? If when men ſee plain miracles wrought, they will ſay that it is not the power of God that does them, but the power of the Devil: And if when men ſee the Devils caſt out, they will ſay that the Devil conſpires againſt himſelf, this is to outface the Sun at Noon-day, and there is no way left to convince ſuch perverſe perſons of the truth of any Divine Revelation. So that there is no remedy, but ſuch perſons muſt continue in their oppoſition to the truth. For this is ſuch a ſin as does in its own nature ſhut out and prevent all remedy. And he that thus perverſely and maliciouſly oppoſeth the truth, muſt upon the ſame grounds unavoidably continue in his oppoſition to it; becauſe there is nothing left to be done for his conviction, more than is already done. If God ſhould ſend a perſon immediately from heaven to him, to convince him of his errour, he can give him no greater teſtimony that he comes from God than miracles: And if when God enables that perſon to work theſe by the power of his Spirit, this man will obſtinately impute them to the power of the Devil, he defeats all the imaginable means of his own conviction. So that it is no wonder if that ſin be unpardonable, which reſiſts the laſt and utmoſt means which God hath ever yet thought fit to uſe to bring men to repentance and ſalvation. And if God were willing to reveal himſelf, and the way to pardon and ſalvation to ſuch a one, he doth by this very temper and diſpoſition render himſelf incapable of being ſatisfied and convinced concerning any divine Revelation.
Secondly, Becauſe this ſin is of that high nature that God is therefore juſtly provoked to withdraw his grace from ſuch perſons; and, it is probable, reſolved ſo to do: without which grace they will continue impenitent. There is no doubt but God, if he will, can work ſo powerfully upon the minds of men by his Grace and Spirit, as to convince the moſt obſtinate: and ſuppoſing them to be convinced and repent, it cannot be denied but that they would be forgiven. And therefore, when our Saviour here ſays, they ſhall not be forgiven, it is reaſonable to ſuppoſe that he means, that when perſons are come to that degree of obſtinacy and malice, God will (as juſtly he may) withdraw his grace from them: His ſpirit will not ſtrive with them, to overcome their obſtinacy; but will leave them to the byaſs of their own perverſe and malicious minds; which will ſtill engage them in a further oppoſition to the truth, and finally ſink them in perdition. So that being deſerted by God, and for want of the neceſſary help and aid of his grace (juſtly withdrawn from them) continuing finally impenitent, they become incapable of forgiveneſs both in this world and that which is to come. And there is nothing that can ſeem harſh or unreaſonable in this, to thoſe who grant (as I think all men do) that God may be ſo provoked by men as juſtly to withdraw his grace from them in this life; that grace which is neceſſary to their repentance. And ſurely if any provocation be likely to do it, this cannot be denied to be of all others the greateſt, obſtinately and maliciouſly to oppoſe the utmoſt evidence that God ever gave to the truth of any Doctrine revealed by him. And of this the Phariſees, who are here charged with this ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, were notoriouſly guilty, in reſiſting the clear evidence of our Saviours miracles.
And thus I have done with the four things I propounded to enquire into from theſe words. Namely, The difference between ſpeaking againſt the Son of man, and ſpeaking againſt the Holy Ghoſt; wherein the Nature of this ſin or blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt doth conſiſt; and in what ſenſe this ſin is ſaid to be unpardonable; and upon what account it is ſo, Namely, becauſe men by this ſin reſiſt their laſt remedy, and oppoſe the beſt and utmoſt means of their conviction: And becauſe it may reaſonably be ſuppoſed, that upon a provocation of this high nature God may, and is reſolved to withdraw that grace from ſuch perſons which is neceſſary to their repentance, without which their ſin remains for ever unpardonable.
All that now remains is to make this diſcourſe ſome way or other uſeful to our ſelves. And it may very well ſerve to theſe two purpoſes. Firſt, to comfort ſome very good and pious perſons who are liable to deſpair out of an apprehenſion that they have committed this ſin. Secondly, To caution others againſt the approaches to it.
1. Firſt, To comfort ſome very good and pious perſons, who are liable to deſpair upon an apprehenſion that they have committed this great and unpardonable ſin; and conſequently, are utterly incapable of ever being reſtored to the mercy and favour of God. And nothing can be more for the comfort of ſuch perſons than to underſtand aright what the nature of this ſin was, and wherein the heinouſneſs of it doth conſiſt; which I have endeavoured to manifeſt. And if this be the Nature of it which I have declared, as it ſeems very plain that it is, then I cannot ſee how any perſon now is likely to be in thoſe circumſtances as to be capable of committing it. And being a ſin of ſo heinous a nature, and declared by our Saviour to be abſolutely unpardonable, there is no reaſon to extend it beyond the caſe to which our Saviour applies it; which was the reſiſting of the evidence of the miracles which were wrought for the truth of Chriſtianity, by thoſe who were eye-witneſſes of them, that is, by thoſe who had the utmoſt aſſurance of them that humane nature is capable of. And not only a bare reſiſtance of that evidence, but with a very malicious circumſtance, ſo as to impute thoſe works which were wrought by the Holy Ghoſt, to the power of the Devil. This was the caſe of the Phariſees, whom our Saviour chargeth with this ſin. And no body hath warrant to extend this ſin any further than this caſe: and without good warrant it would be the moſt uncharitable thing in the world to extend it any further.
That which comes neareſt to it, both in the heinouſneſs of the crime, and the unpardonableneſs of it, is total Apoſtaſie from Chriſtianity after the embracing of it, and full conviction of the truth of it. And this the Scripture ſeems to place, if not in the ſame rank, yet, very near to it. And of this the Apoſtle ſpeaks very often in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews under the name of unbelief, and ſin by way of eminence, as being the great ſin that Chriſtians were in danger of falling into, call'd in that Epiſtle (Heb. 12.1.) foreign, the ſin which Chriſtians, by reaſon of the circumſtances they were then in, were eſpecially ſubject to: And he parallels it with the caſe of the Jews in the wilderneſs, concerning whom God ſware that they ſhould not enter into his reſt, namely, the earthly Canaan, which was a type of Heaven. Chap. 3. ver. 18. And Chap. 6. ver. 4, 5, 6, more expreſly. For it is impoſſible that thoſe who were once enlightned, and have taſted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt, and have taſted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they ſhould fall away, to renew them again to repentance. Where by impoſſible, the leaſt that can be meant is, that it is extremely difficult for ſuch perſons to recover themſelves by repentance. And 'tis obſervable that thoſe perſons are ſaid to have been partakers of the Holy Ghoſt; by which is meant, that they were either endued with a power of miracles by the Holy Ghoſt, or were under the conviction of them as having ſeen them wrought by others. So that this Apoſtaſie may be ſaid in that reſpect to be a ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt. So likewiſe, Chap. 10. ver. 26, If we ſin wilfully after we have received the knowledg of the truth (that is, if we apoſtatize from Chriſtianity after we have embraced the profeſſion of it, as appears plainly from the ſcope of the Apoſtles diſcourſe) there remains no more ſacrifice for ſin: which expreſſion declares this ſin either to be unpardonable, or ſomething very like it. And at the 29. verſ. Thoſe perſons are ſaid to tread under foot the Son of God, and to do deſpite unto the Spirit of Grace. Which ſignifies that the ſin there ſpoken of is more immediately committed againſt the Holy Spirit of God. St. Peter likewiſe declares the great danger of this ſin, 2 Pet. 2.20, If after they have eſcaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worſe with them than the beginning. St. John likewiſe ſeems to ſpeak of this ſin of Apoſtacy, and to call it a ſin unto death: Diſcouraging Chriſtians rather, from praying for thoſe who were fallen into it; which gives great ſuſpicion that he looked upon it as hardly pardonable, 1 Joh. 5.16, If any man ſee his brother ſin a ſin not unto death, he ſhall ask, and he ſhall give him life for thoſe that ſin not unto death. There is a ſin unto death; I do not ſay that he ſhall pray for it. Now that by the ſin unto death, the Apoſtle here means Apoſtacy from the Chriſtian Religion to the Heathen Idolatry ſeems extremely probable from what follows, ver. 18, We know that whoſoever is born of God ſinneth not, but keepeth himſelf, and that wicked one toucheth him not; that is, he preſerveth himſelf from Idolatry, which the Devil had ſeduced the world into, ver. 19, And we know that we are of God; and the whole world lieth in wickedneſs, foreign, in the wicked one; that is, is under the power of the Devil: And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us underſtanding to know him that is true; that is, to diſtinguiſh between the true God and Idols. And then it follows, this is the true God, and eternal life: Little children keep your ſelves from Idols. Which laſt caution is a key to the underſtanding of all the reſt; and makes it very probable that the ſin unto death is Apoſtacy from Chriſtianity unto Idolatry: Otherwiſe it is hard to imagine how the laſt clauſe comes in; Little children keep your ſelves from Idols. And this is that ſin which of all other approacheth neareſt to this ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, which our Saviour ſpeaks of; and concerning the pardonableneſs of which the Scripture ſeems to ſpeak very doubtfully. But if it were of the ſame unpardonable nature, yet this can be no trouble to thoſe perſons I am ſpeaking of, who cannot but know themſelves to be far enough from the guilt of this ſin.
As for thoſe other ſins which by ſome are taken to be the ſins againſt the Holy Ghoſt, they are either ſuch as no man is capable of committing, as a malicious oppoſition to the truth when I am convinced and know it to be the truth: For this is a contradiction. Becauſe to know any thing to be the truth is to believe it to be ſo: and therefore no man can disbelieve it while he believes it to be truth. Or elſe, they are ſuch as no man can know he is guilty of in this life; as, final impenitency; which ſuppoſeth a man to live and die without repentance. Or elſe, ſuch as I think not good man is incident to; as, a malicious and perverſe oppoſing of the truth after ſufficient means of conviction. However, none of theſe are that which the Scripture deſcrihes to be the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, as I have already ſhewn.
But ſtill there are two things which uſually trouble honeſt and well-meaning perſons; but are rather the effects of Melancholy than any reaſonable ground of trouble. Some think that every deliberate ſin againſt knowledg, and after conviction, is the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt. This is aknowledged to be a very great aggravation of ſin, and ſuch as calls for a great and particular repentance; but does by no means render a man incapable of forgiveneſs. Others are troubled with blaſphemous thoughts, and thoſe they think to be the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt. But this is generally the meer effect of Melancholy. And the perſons that are troubled with theſe black thoughts are no ways conſenting to them; but they riſe in their minds perfectly againſt their wills, and without any approbation of theirs: And in this caſe they are ſo far from being the unpardonable ſin, that I hope, yea and verily believe they are no ſins at all, but the meer effects of a bodily diſtemper; and no more imputed to us, than the wild and idle ravings of a man in a frenzy or a fever: And God forbid that the natural effects of a bodily diſeaſe ſhould bring guilt upon our ſouls. So that theſe perſons have reaſon enough for comfort; but the miſery is, their preſent diſtemper renders them incapable of it.
2. Secondly, The other Uſe I would make of this diſcourſe is, to caution men againſt the degrees and approaches of this ſin. For if the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt be of ſuch a high nature and ſo unpardonable, then all approaches to it are very dreadful. Such as are, profane ſcoffing at Religion, and the Holy Spirit of God which dwells in good men: Abuſe of the holy Scriptures, which were indited by the Spirit of God: Perverſe Infidelity, notwithſtanding all the evidence which we have for the Truth of Chriſtianity, and ſufficient aſſurance of the Miracles wrought for the confirmation of it, brought down to us by credible Hiſtory, though we were not eye-witneſſes of them: Obſtinacy in a ſinful and vicious courſe, notwithſtanding all the motives and arguments of the Goſpel to perſwade men to repentance. Sinning againſt the clear conviction of our Conſciences, and the motions and ſuggeſtions of God's Holy Spirit to the contrary: Malicious oppoſing of the Truth, when the Arguments for it are very plain and evident to any impartial and unprejudiced mind; and when he that oppoſeth the Truth, hath no clear ſatisfaction in his own mind to the contrary, but ſuffers himſelf to be furiouſly and headily carried on in his oppoſition to it. Theſe are all ſins of a very high nature, and of the neareſt affinity with this great and unpardonable ſin, of any that can eaſily be inſtanced in. And though God, to encourage the repentance of men, have not declared them unpardonable, yet they are great provocations; and if they be long continued in, we know not how ſoon God may withdraw his grace from us, and ſuffer us to be hardned through the deceitfulneſs of ſin.
Be ready then to entertain the truth of God, whenever it is fairly propounded to thee; and with ſuch evidence, as thou art willing to accept in other matters, where thou haſt no prejudice nor intereſt to the contrary. Do nothing contrary to thy known duty, but be careful in all things to obey the convictions of thine own conſcience, and to yield to the good motions and ſuggeſtions of God's Holy Spirit, who works ſecretly upon the minds of men, and inſpires us many times gently with good thoughts and inclinations, and is griev'd when we do not comply with them; and after many repulſes will at laſt withdraw himſelf from us, and leave us to be aſſaulted by the temptations of the Devil, and to be hurried away by our own luſts into ruin and perdition.