A Discourse of the Sin Against the Holy Ghost, Part 3
The third part. Of the Nature of this Sinne.
HItherto of the Name of this Sinne. Now followeth the Sinne it ſelfe, which, duely weighed and ſcanned, will direct us …ndeed to the true knowledge of the Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt. For the Sinne here committed being …hat Sinne; the true deſcription of the Sinne here committed, will deſcribe the Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt.
The Sinne then here committed (as appeares by all the Circumſtan…es of this Hiſtory) is an open, con…dent, and deſperate oppoſition un…o the publique profeſſion of the …oſpell; wherein contrary to know…dge and conſcience, they freely, wilfully, ſpightfully, and malitiouſly raile againſt and revile th… ſame.
1 That this their Sin was a ſin of Oppoſition, appeares plainely. For in the committing of it, they directly oppoſed themſelves to theſe Iewes that profeſſed Chriſt, being touched with his miracles.
2 That it was an oppoſition to the Goſpell, it is apparent. For they oppoſed to this Article of the Goſpell, that Ieſus was the Meſſias.
3 That it was an oppoſition to the profeſſion of the Goſpell, appeares; in that it did ariſe upon the peoples profeſſion.
4 That it was an open oppoſition, appeares. For it was in the face, preſence, and hearing of the multitude.
5 That it was confident and deſperate, appeares by the tenor of all the words.
6 That it was contrary to conſcience & knowledge, appears both by our Saviour Chriſts conviction, and the monſtrous abſurdities that they were driven unto therein.
7 That they did it freely and wilfully, appeares by the tenor of the Text.
8 That ſpightfully and malitiouſly, is apparent: For they ſpit out their gall againſt Chriſt in the moſt odious manner that may bee.
And this may ſerve to ſhew the deteſtableneſſe of this Sin, and the …orrible impiety of them that commit the ſame.
Now it remaines that from hence we gather the deſcription in general of the Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, which muſt needs be the ſame with …his.
The Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt then is an open and malitious oppoſition made unto the profeſſors of the Goſpell for the Goſpels ſake, wherein, contrary to knowledge and conſcience, a man doth freely, wil…ly, deſperately, ſpightfully re…le the Author and Profeſſors …hereof.
This according to the judgement …f moſt Divines, is the nature and quality of this Sinne: For the better underſtanding whereof; we will,
1 Explaine the words;
2 Prove the Truth; and
3 Shew the horribleneſſe of the Sinne.
1 It is an Oppoſition: which is not a bare conceit, imagination, affirmation or aſſertion. For though theſe be where there is an oppoſition; yet theſe may be without oppoſition. But oppoſition is when a man of purpoſe ſetteth himſelfe againſt another. For Example; a man in armes on horſebacke with ſpeare in hand, though hee ride and runne, and ſhake his ſpeare never ſo much, yet except there bee a perſon, to whom he oppoſeth himſelfe, he cannot in ſo doing be ſaid to make oppoſition; and yet he that maketh oppoſition, uſeth no other kindes of motion. So that admit a man were ſo wicked as to revile and blaſpheme alone by himſelfe; yet ſuch a reviling and blaſpheming is no oppoſition. Againe, Oppoſition is a mutuall confronting of two Oppoſites, when the one ſetteth it ſelfe …gainſt the other. For hee cannot be ſaid to make oppoſition, that go…th or holdeth with another, or that purſueth one that flieth away. This Sinne therefore, being a ſinne of Oppoſition, is not committed with thoſe that are of the ſame wicked mind, or that do not hold any contrary part.
2 An open or publique Oppoſition, is that which is not only proclaimed, but acted before the faces of men. It is a ſolemne oppoſition in the preſence of others. So that it is as a ſolemne combate.
3 It is alſo confident, not a fearefull and timorous oppoſition, but with all reſolution and boldnes. Not ſuch an Oppoſition; as when a …an is afraid of himſelfe, or runnes …way from his owne ſhadow. So that the Foole that ſaith in his heart, …here is no God, Pſal. 14.1.but dares not ſay it … words, and that boldly too, even …o the faces of them that hold the contrary, is not guilty of this …inne.
4 It's againſt the profeſſors of the Goſpell, the holy and religious men of God, who in a ſpeciall manner repreſent God: theſe are the perſons that in this Sin they oppoſe themſelves againſt.
5 For the Goſpels ſake: this is the very cauſe of their Oppoſition, not for any other by reſpect.
6 Wherein they revile, not the perſons ſo much as the Goſpel, eſpecially profeſſed and embraced.
7 Freely; without force or conſtraint.
8 Againſt knowledge and conſcience; not in ſimplicity and Ignorance.
9 Wilfully; againſt all good means to the contrary.
10 Deſperately; contemning all the miſchiefes that may follow.
11 Malitiouſly; from an heart in a ſpeciall manner ſet on fire by Satan againſt God and all goodnes
Now that this Sinne is ſuch as i… here deſcribed.
1 This deſcription is agreeable to our precedent, and to other precedents; to wit, that of Iulian the Apoſtata, &c.
2 This is ſuch a Sinne, as is no… poſſible for any that hath the leaſt degree of grace and ſanctification in him to commit.
3 They that commit the Sinne here deſcribed, are as farre from all grace and goodneſſe, as a man can imagine; neither can the wit of man imagine an higher wickedneſſe.
The greatneſſe of it may thus appeare.
1 Not to love or reſpect the profeſſors of the Goſpell is a great Sinne, and an injury unto Chriſt, yea, a kind of enmity unto him.
For. 1 They that ſo doe breake the ſpeciall commandement of the Goſpell,Iohn 13.34, 35. a new Commandement that Chriſt gave unto his Diſciples, and in them to all that looke to bee ſaved by him, that they love one another, as Chriſt hath loved them.
2 There are no perſons more lovely than they if men had eyes to ſee the ſame. For they are not onelyonly ſacramentally, but really waſhed from the guilt of all their S…nes; they are new Creatures, born ag…ne of the Spirit of God; they are the living members of Ieſus Chriſt; they are quickned by the Spirit of God; they are heires of the Kingdome of Heaven, Temples of the Holy Ghoſt; the Sonnes and Children of God. What greater or more admirable matters can there be deſerving love and admiration than theſe? So that not to love the true profeſſors of the Goſpell, is to profeſſe a contempt, and a light regard of Regeneration, of the Spirit of God, of the bloud of Chriſt, of Chriſt, of Heaven.
3 No perſons deſerve more love than they, if men were not wonderfully beſotted. The Husband of the Wife,Semen ſanctum ſtatumen terrae. Iſa. 6.13. the Father of the Childe cannot deſerve ſo much.
For 1 VnderUnder God they are the very pillars and foundations of the Earth. It's for their ſake that the Earth endureth; when their number is fulfilled, the World ſhall have an end.
2 They are the cauſes of all the bleſſings that are in the places where they live: They are men that love all, hurt none, are ready to do good unto all. Their prayers pul downe from God many ſpeciall bleſſings upon the very wicked. They deſire earneſtly, and ſeeke after the converſion and ſalvation of all men. They rejoyce in the good of all, they ſorrow for the hurt of any; wherein can there be greater deſert?
But they that commit this Sinne, doe not onelyonly not affect them, but ſet themſelves againſt them; are oppoſites and adverſaries unto them. And this is a greater degree, to bee profeſſed enemies unto profeſſors of the Goſpell, than to be bare contemners of them; yea, this muſt needs argue much wickedneſſe in the heart.
For 1 All true profeſſors of the Goſpell are honeſt men, and good men. And for men to bee profeſſed enemies and oppoſites to honeſt and good men muſt needs argue a wicked heart.
2 A man cannot oppoſe himſelfe, and be an enemy unto a true pro…eſſor of the Goſpell, but hee muſt needs be an enemy, and oppoſe himſelfe ſome way or other to the Goſpell it ſelfe, and to Chriſt. For theſe are ſo neere united the one to the other, that one cannot touch the one, but hee muſt withall touch the other.
3 He that ſtands in oppoſition to the profeſſors of the Goſpell, cannot but be in league and amity with the enemies thereof.
2 For a man to hate the Children of God in regard of their perſonall infirmities, or in regard of ſome injuries received at their hands were a ſinne grievous and inexcuſable. For beſides that it is evill and unwarrantable upon ſuch grounds, to hate any whomſoever; there are thoſe lovely parts and graces in all good Chriſtians that may wel more than countervaile and weigh down any ſuch wants and imperfections, as may be in any of them, and ſuch wrongs and injuries as by occaſion thereof they may offer unto any.
But to hate them (as in this caſe) not in regard of any ſuch ſpeciall quarrell againſt them, or in reſpect of any private injury and wrong received from them, but to diſlike (yea to ſpite and maligne) them for their very profeſſion; it is not ſo much to hate Chriſt for them, as to hate Chriſt himſelfe, and Chriſtianity in them, and to hate them for Chriſt.
3 For a Turke or a Pagan that never knew better (out of a love unto, and zeale of that way and worſhip that he hath ever been trained up in) to oppoſe himſelf in ſuch ſort to the profeſſors of true piety, were a fearefull courſe, and likely to bring upon the head of ſuch a one, a farre greater than ordinary …eaſure of Gods wrath; the certainty wherof, by many dreadfull judgements inflicted upon heathen perſecutors of his people, God hath ſealed up in ſundry ages at ſeverall times.
But for one that himſelfe hath acknowledged Chriſt, been enlightened by the Spirit of Chriſt, convinced in Conſcience of the truth of the Goſpell, yea, and outwardly made prof…ſſion of obedience thereunto; for ſuch a one, I ſay, ſpightfully to oppoſe himſelfe againſt the profeſſors of that which hee hath formerly been inſtructed in, poſſeſſed with, convinced of, and profeſſed to imbrace; what is it but wittingly, and wilfully contrary to knowledge and conſcience to goe out of Chriſts camp, to turne head againſt him, and to wage warre againſt thoſe that adhere ſtill unto him? which is yet far more fearefull than the former.
4 For a traiterous wretch, having ſo gon out from his Sovereign, to goe on obſtinately in his rebellious courſes, without any thought of repenting or returning againe to him, neglecting all ſuch courſes whereby pardon might be procured and favour regained; and that when opportunity of atchieving it, were oft offered unto him, were a very damnable and deſperate courſe.
But in this kinde the caſe is yet farre worſe than ſo: For thoſe that commit this Sinne, not onelyonly refuſe to uſe any means of recovery, but even contumeliouſly reject Gods mercy tendred unto them in the Goſpell; tread the pardon it ſelfe as it were under their ſect; trample upon Chriſt the perſon that purchaſed it for them; deſpight the Spirit of God, that revea…ed, and that ſhould ſeale it up to them, and malitiouſly impugne and oppoſe thoſe that either have accepted, or make ſhew to accept of it. And what can there be imagined more hideous, or more helliſh than this is?