A Discourse of the Sin Against the Holy Ghost, Part 3
The third part. Of the Name of this Sinne.
HItherto of the Conception and Birth of this Sin. We are now to intreat of the kinde and quality of it, which wee are to gather partly out of the anſwer that the Scribes and Phariſees make to this people, and partly out of the Titles that Chriſt himſelfe gives unto it.
Where firſt of the Name, and then of the Nature.
You have here then this Monſter brought forth; you have it na… … it is ſaid to be a Sinne of Blaſ… … againſt the Holy Ghoſt.
Where, by Sinne againſt … … ly Ghoſt, you muſt not … a Sinne directly and pecu… … … mitted againſt the p… … Holy Ghoſt, being the third in Trinity: For,
1 In that ſenſe every Sinne, whatſoever is committed, is committed againſt the Holy Ghoſt; it being impoſſible for a man to ſinne againſt any one perſon, but he muſt ſinne againſt all; or to ſinne againſt God, but hee muſt ſinne againſt the Trinity, and by conſequent againſt the Holy Ghoſt.
2 This were to lift up the Holy Ghoſt above the two other perſons, that a Sinne committed againſt him only were unpardonable.
3 The Example that wee have here maketh it plaine: For the Sinne was directly committed againſt the perſon of Chriſt. So was Iulian the Apoſtates.
4 It's a queſtion whether theſe perſons did ſo much as know that there is an Holy Ghoſt; and this (as ſhall appeare afterward) is not a Sin of Ignorance: as if a man ſhould be ſo mad as to ſmite at the King, imagining him to be ſome begger.
By the Holy Ghoſt then, when we call this Sinne the Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt, by a Rhetoricall grace and ornament of ſpeech you are to underſtand the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghoſt: as wee ſay, a man ſits or walks in the Sunne, when he ſits or walks onelyonly in the light of the Sunne.Luke 2.25. In this ſenſe is the Holy Ghoſt ſaid to be upon Simeon, though eſſentially and really he were no more upon him, than upon any other ordinary man in Ieruſalem, but in reſpect of his gifts and graces only: And thus the Apoſtles are ſaid by impoſition of hands to give the Holy Ghoſt. What?Acts 8.17, 18. the perſon himſelfe? no; but his gifts. So that by Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt we are to underſtand a Sinne againſt the Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt; as a man may be ſaid to ſin againſt the King, not only when he ſmites or reviles his perſon; but when he offereth deſpite and disgrace unto any of his royall gifts and ſo in like manner againſt … other.
Hence ariſe theſe Concl… ons concerning this Sinne.
The first Concluſion.
This Sinne is not ones riſing againſt God or Chriſt, in regard of ſome judgement or puniſhment preſent upon him. For judgements and puniſhments are not called the Holy Ghoſt in the word; though they come from God, and by conſequent from the Holy Ghoſt. Beſides, this Sinne is a ſinne againſt the Grace of God; which puniſhments cannot bee but by accident. And therefore all ſuch Sinnes as ariſe from a deep ſence and apprehenſion of them, howſoever they may be great and grievous Sinnes, fearefull and horrible; yet this Sinne may bee of an higher nature than ſo, as ſhall appeare afterward, and of another kind.
Vſe. This ſhould teach us to uſe a temperate moderation in judging of thoſe that we ſee in any judgement of God upon their bodies or goods to breake forth into any extremities of paſſion in word or deed againſt God, or againſt any part of Gods Truth: as we ſee it uſuall with many ſo to do in extreame loſſes, hurts, agonies, pangs of ſickneſſe, and ſuch like.
Ob. Then belike Iulian the Apoſtata committed not this Sinne, when being deadly wounded, hee tooke of his bloud, and flung it up into the aire, crying withall, viciſti Galilaec, Thou haſt overcome yet, O Galilean, at laſt.
Anſw. If Iulian had not committed this Sinne before in many vile and ſpightfull ſpeeches againſt Chriſt & Chriſtians, it could not ſo cleerly be argued from that. And yet was that ſpeech ſo horribly ſpightfull, that the ſmiting of him may ſeem rather a bare occaſion than a cauſe of it; and he rather ſheweth in it an obſti…veneſſe in the Sin, as if he ſhould …aid, Now thou haſt done thy worſt, …et are thou ſtill but a Galilean.
But herein eſpecially warineſſe …f Cenſure is to be uſed concerning …uch as blaſpheme in time of affliction, wound and torment of Conſcience, when God, by reaſon of ſome ſinne, pincheth, and racketh, and tortureth the Conſcience in that manner, that the party breaketh forth into ſtrange, and direfull, and outragious blaſphemies: that which God ſuffereth many to fall into, partly by hiding the merit and deſert of Sinne, and partly by denying ſtrength to beare the puniſhment inflicted.Iob 9.17. & 10.16, 18. & 16, 14, 17 & 24.12. & 30.20, 26. Iob himſelfe was oft breaking forth into ſuch paſſions againſt God.
And yet this, though it bee not that unpardonable Sinne, it is notwithſtanding a moſt fearefull Sinne, and a kinde of renouncing of God, and an holding of him to bee unjuſt, which hee cannot be, but hee muſt be no God. It were an horrible Sinne in a Childe to revile and reproach his naturall Father for ſome over-extreme correction, though naturall parents may therein overreach themſelves. But for a Child… of God to revile and blaſpheme, when God ſhall lay any Iudgemen… upon him, and thereby to profeſſe him an unjuſt God, who can no more be unjuſt than not be, when one ſhould the rather ſtudy to pleaſe God the more, and argue the horribleneſſe of Sinne by the horriblenes of puniſhment, is much more fearefull.
The ſecond Concluſion.
This Sinne is committed againſt the love and favour of God, yea againſt the reall Love of God in the collation of a benefit and favour. And who cannot ſee that this is a Sinne of a farre higher nature, than to ſinne againſt the wrath and juſtice of God? When a Childe ſhall rebell againſt his Father, or a Subject againſt his Prince for extremity and rigour, it is a Sinne; much more for juſtice and equity: but for love and favour and grace to revile them, is moſt odious and vile. So to revile and blaſpheme God for his judgements & puniſhments, which are alwaies juſt and righteous, is horrible; but to revile him for his grace and favors is hideous and ghaſtly.
Ʋſe. 1 To ſhew us what damnable wretches we are by nature, that turn all into poiſon and Sinne, making all things matter to feed ſinne and rebellion againſt God. So that as a Woolfe, though he feed upon nothing but Lambe, yet ſtill remaines in the nature of the Woolfe, and is the more woolviſh rather than otherwiſe, and even turneth the fleſh of a Lambe into his owne nature; even ſo naturally would wee doe with Gods favours and benefits, were we followed even with them alone.
2 To admoniſh us to take heed how we abuſe any gift or grace of God to the diſhonour of God. For whenſoever wee ſo doe, wee are in the highway to this Sinne, and wee have our footſteps printed in the path that leadeth thereunto.
The third Concluſion.
The Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt is not onelyonly a Sinne againſt the Love and favour of God, or againſt God for his gifts and graces; but even a Sinne againſt the very gifts and graces themſelves: and not a Sinne whereby we abuſe thoſe graces and gifts to other ends and purpoſes; but a Sinne whereby we oppugne, and reſiſt, and diſgrace, and wilfully deface the ſaid graces directly and immediately. For Example; the Father gives his eldeſt Son money, the Prince his Subject a Iew…l this Sonne or this Subject ſpends this money or Iewell in gaming, gl…ttony, venery and ryot: this is an …buſe both of Father and King; and of the gifts themſelves alſo, to imploy them to ſuch baſe uſes. But this is a diſgrace in a farre higher degree, that toucheth both more directly and immediately, when they ſhall offer diſgrace to the gift it ſelfe, fling it away, deface it, trample it under their feet, or the like. All of us, when wee turne the graces of God into wantonneſſe and va…ity, into pride and vain-glory, doe ſinne both againſt God and his graces: But when we offer deſpight and indignity unto them of purpoſe and directly, this is a fearfull and horrible Sinne.
1 Note hence the vileneſſe of our natures, and the rebelliouſneſſ… of them, that doe not onelyonly h… God, but hate the very gifts and gr… ces alſo that come from God. M… many times may give a gift that i… not worthy of any account, ye… that deſerveth diſgrace: as if a Kin… ſhould give one of his Nobles i… way of reward for ſome piece o… ſervice, a piece of bread, or ſome ſuc… trifle. But there is not the baſe… gift that God beſtoweth, but it … worthy honour and eſteeme, and i… ſuch as ſhould make us love God the more.
2 When we feele our mindes riſe and lift up themſelves againſt any ordinance of God, which hee hath appointed for our good, it ſhould humble us, and wee ſhould feare the falling into this Sin. And how apt our natures are hereunto, may appeare by our often moiling and repining at the ſacred ordinances of God, as the preaching of the Word, &c. Which are grudgings and ſpices of this diſeaſe.
Secondly, out of this Name is to be enquired, whether the Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, be a Sinne againſt thoſe gifts that are in the perſon himſelfe that commits the Sinne, or in the perſon of ſome other.
The anſwer is, that it is a Sinne partly againſt the gifts in themſelves, and partly againſt the ſame in others: it's committed againſt both. A man would never in ſuch a manner deſpight the Holy Ghoſt in himſelfe, if he perceived it not in another; neither would he ever have deſpighted it in another, except it had been in himſelf. For there being in ſuch wicked perſons as theſe are, an inbred hatred unto all things that doe but ſavour of the Spirit of God; when being after ſome ſort poſſeſſed with it themſelves, they ſee others alſo to bee made partakers of it, this is it that makes their hearts to boile and broile within, and cauſeth them to breake forth into this blaſphemy. And this is confirmed by our Example in this place. Theſe Scribes and Phariſees had received the Holy Ghoſt, that is, the divine Illumination of the Holy Ghoſt: they ſaw with the very Eye of their Conſcience, that Ieſus the Sonne of the Virgin Mary was that Meſſias, that Chriſt, that ſonne of David; they ſaw it by that divine beame of light that ſtreamed from his divine works: this light was odious and loathſome unto them; they hated and deteſted it above all things: But when they perceived it to ſpread it ſelfe unto others, and to be entertained and embraced of others, that made them in this manner to blaſpheme the ſame.
Hence ariſe theſe Concluſions concerning this Sinne.
The firſt Concluſion.
That man committeth not the Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt, that hateth, revileth, and perſecuteth, though with the higheſt malice, any gift or grace of God in another, if that gift or grace be not in ſome meaſure in himſelfe. For the Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt, is a Sinne againſt a gift received by the perſon that commits the Sinne, and not only againſt one received by another; but both doe neceſſarily concurre, the one is not without the other.
Ʋſe. 1 In this reſpect Paul himſelfe before his converſion, though hee was a might perſecuter of all Chriſtians, and went from place to place, panting and breathing after Chriſtian bloud, and blaſpheming Chriſt; yet foraſmuch as hee was not illuminated by the Holy Ghoſt, but did it in meere and groſſe ignorance, he committed not this Sinne. Hencee alſo it followeth, that all the blaſphemies and revilings of thoſe that are not contrarily perſuaded in their Conſciences, are not this Sinne. Neither had this Blaſphemy of the Scribes and Phariſees, how vile and odious ſoever, been that unpardonable Sinne, if they had not been illuminated, and had ſpoken as they thought. Neither is it any queſtion, but that Paul, that had ſo deep an hand in perſecuting Chriſtians, had as deep a tongue in blaſpheming Chriſt,1. Tim. 1. 1 , 16. for they eve… uſe to goe together: and yet obtaining pardon, it is thereby apparen… that he ſinned not this unpardonable Sinne.
2 Further this ſheweth the difficulty of judging this Sinne. Thoſe that do commit it, of all other leaſt judge themſelves for it. And it is a wonderfull hard thing to judge of it in another. There muſt be a concurrence of many circumſtances to it, as ſhall after appeare. I may eaſily judge when a man is a blaſphemer and a perſecutor; but to judge whether he blaſphemeth and perſecuteth as Saul did, or as theſe Phariſees, is hard. And wee muſt take heed, not onelyonly how wee doe headily ſh…t Heaven-gates againſt our ſelves, but againſt others. It is a fleſhly and a carnall delight, not a ſpirituall, that is taken at the conſideration of perſecutors their future deſtruction.
The ſecond concluſion.
Thoſe that love, nouriſh, cheriſh, admire, extoll, or reward any Grace in another, that in reſpect of themſelves they hate, ſcorne and deride, doe not commit this Sinne. For this is a Sinne (as appeares, not by our former grounds onelyonly, but by our Example) that they which commit, commit not againſt the Holy Ghoſt in themſelves alone, but in others, and more againſt that in others than in themſelves. For their gall burſteth not indeed, untill they ſee that in another which they have in themſelves.
Ʋſe. By this wee may know what to judge of a number of vile, and prophane, and blaſphemous perſons in the World, given to drunkenneſſe, …ncleanneſſe, curſing, blaſpheming in their own perſons, that notwithſtanding in their children &c neigh…ours love and like the ontrary graces: whereas he that committe… this blaſphemy, would never endu… his Childe to bleſſe that which h… doth ſo di…c…ully curſe. Would the Scribes and P…ariſees have endur… their C…ildren to have profeſſed … bleſſed Chriſt, whom themſelv… thus blaſphemed?
The third Concluſion.
Hee that in word or deed ſinne… againſt that gift and grace of t… Holy Ghoſt in another, which … alſo in himſelfe, and yet hateth n… the gift in himſelf, commits not th… unpardonable Sinne.
Vſe. Our experience teacheth us, the many in envy and malice un… others, will diſgrace and revile m… ny excellent gifts and graces … God in others, and that even therefore becauſe they love them, an… adore them too much in themſelves and would have the onelyonly honou… of them. Now he that beares ſuc… an affection, as to envy a grace th… in another, and therefore to blaſpheme, becauſe he would have the …lory of ſuch a grace in himſelfe …one, doth not commit this Sinne; …cauſe in this Sinne, a man hates … Grace, as in others, ſo in him…fe.
The fourth Concluſion.
If a man doe therefore ſpite and …aſpheme a gift and grace of the …pirit in another, becauſe it is not in …mſelfe (as many doe) it is not this …inne. For this is a Signe that hee …oth not malice the gift, but the …erſon.
A third point to be enquired into …oncerning this Name, is againſt …hat kinde of gifts the Sin againſt …e Holy Ghoſt is committed. For …ery good thing may bee called a …ift of the Holy Ghoſt, becauſe very good thing is a gift of God, …ho is Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt; our health, our ſtrength, our …ctivity, beauty, &c. But yet theſe …e not thoſe gifts that are called the Holy Ghoſt in Gods Word. But the Word of God endited by the Ho… Ghoſt, hath appropriated this na… unto certaine ſpeciall gifts, not … the Body, but of the Minde. A m… that having bin ſick, hath recove… his health, is not ſaid to have recei… the Holy Ghoſt; though the he… hee hath received be a gift of … Holy Ghoſt. A man that hath … an hand or an eare, cannot in Di… nity bee ſaid to have loſt the H… Ghoſt, though both of them bee … gifts. So of Beauty; and of … Actions proceeding from theſe … dily gifts. Hee that hath the gift running, of wreſtling, of any ot… like exerciſe, ſhould abuſe the H… Ghoſt: if hee ſhould ſay that … overranne ſuch a man by the gift the Holy Ghoſt, where the Scri… ture hath curiouſly affected, appr… priated and encloſed a Name, … muſt not make it common. … Name Church is generall,foreign. Act. 19.32, 39, 40. ſign… ing any company gathered to … ther. But the Word of God havi… appropriated it to a company ſuch perſons, as are aſſembled for … …erformance of holy duties, it were …roſſe prophanenſſe to call a com…ny of Artificers or Tradeſmen …eting to conſult of common bu…neſſes, or to make merry together, Church. The gifts of the Holy …oſt therefore are to be underſtood …f the minde of man. And ſurely … the good gifts of mans minde, as …, reaſon, juſtice, mercy, know…dge, &c. are the gifts of the Ho… Ghoſt; but yet all of them are …t theſe gifts that are called the …oly Ghoſt. For Example; He that …ch learned Arithmeticke, Aſtro…my, the Tongues; hee that is a …eat Stateſman, and knowes all the …olicies of all Common-wealths …nnot in theſe be ſaid to have the …oly Ghoſt.
But to come to the point, the gift …t is here meant, is that ſupernatu… Illumination of the Holy …oſt, wherewith hee illightneth … minde with the knowledge of …e Goſpell, or any point or parcell …ereof: And the Sinne againſt it, …hen men are ſo mad and furious againſt the light that ſhineth … bring Salvation, that they doe w… lies in them to darken and ext… guiſh it, and to put out both th… owne eyes, and the eyes of oth… that they might not ſee it. The … cellency of the Gift argues the … neſſe of the Sinne. The bo… light, and bodily eye-ſight is … cellent gift, to travellours eſpec… that goe dangerous wayes for … and pits, &c. How much more … cellent is that ſpirituall Light, … directeth men here travelling … infinite dangers without it una… dable, to the place of their ere… abode? It were an horrible vill… for a man to put out both his o… and other mens bodily eyes; b… put out their ſpirituall eyes, where of neceſſity they muſt needs … nally miſcarry, is even a villany villanies, of all villanies the … villanous.
The Concluſion then hence … ſing is this, That they that ſco… deride, contemne, blaſpheme … bodily or naturall gift and grace God in man, though never ſo ſpight…lly and malitiouſly, commit not …herein this Sinne. This Sinne is a …ntempt of higher graces and …fts.
Laſtly, our Saviour calleth it a …aſphemy: Which appellation will …o give ſome further light and in…ght into this Sinne. To blaſpheme, …nerally, ſignifies to hurt one in …ord or Speech. But ſpecially it is …en for a ſpightfull and malitious …ling upon, reviling and diſgra…g one. To blaſpheme the Holy …oſt, then, is openly to raile upon, …d revile and give foule words of … Holy Ghoſt; that is, of the Truth … God reviled by the Holy Ghoſt.
Hence gather we theſe Concluſi…s concerning this Sinne.
The firſt Concluſion.
This Sinne is not committed in …ought alone, but in word alſo, or that which is proportionable un…it; to wit, writing, or other ſuch …gnes as may teſtifie and bring ones mind to another. For words are nothing but notes and ſignes of tho… things that are in our minds, wherb… we make known our notions, deſir… & affections to others; writing, …n other kinde of Signes, are the ſigne… of words. Now there are two ſo… of Signes, one ambiguous and co… jecturall, another certaine and evident. And there is ſome differen… betweene ambiguous or uncerta… ſignes, and words; for ſome will n… ſpeake in words that which they … ſhew by ſome ſignes and tokens no… withſtanding. Many will ſh… many ſignes and tokens, and du… ſhewes of diſcontent and of prophaneneſſe, which they will not ye… ſhew in words. But there are ſom… and certaine ſignes and tokens, and of ſuch it is here meant.
Hence it appeares that this is n… ſmothered and diſſembled Sinne that lies lurking in the ſecrets of th… heart or ſoule, or that dares not … ſhew his head. There are many groſſe and wicked imaginations i… mans minde, as alſo affections and deſires, which himſelfe alſo nouri…heth and feedeth within himſelfe, but he will not ſuffer to goe abroad; yea for the further hiding of them, many will in words deny, renounce, ſweare, forſweare and abjure them. But this is none of thoſe modeſt and ſhame faced Sins, that bluſh to looke a man in the face; but an impudent, …hameleſſe, brazen faced Sinne, who …then in her pride, when moſt gaze …pon her. This Sinne makes no dumbe ſhewes, clips not the Kings language, but ſpeaks plainely and …eadly.
The ſecond Concluſion.
To call in queſtion the bleſſed Truth (though againſt Conſcience) to wrangle and diſpute againſt it with ſome kinde of heate, is not to commit this Sinne, though it be a Sinne. For this is not properly to blaſpheme; which is more than ſimply to reaſon againſt, diſpute and oppoſe.
Yet ſuch as pride themſelves, and whoſe wits glory to maintaine e… rour, and to ſophiſticate the holy and divine Truth of God, had nee… to beware leſt they paſſe from th… one to the other.
The third Concluſion.
A ſimple deniall of any divi… Truth, even of the higheſt, ev… of the Trinity, of Chriſt, of God of the Goſpell, of Salvation by Chriſt, of the Reſurrection, of H… ven, of Hell, is not this Sinne. Fo… though theſe in a generall ſenſe be… Blaſphemies and horrible Sinnes; yet take Blaſphemy in the proper ſenſe, which is here meant, for a railing and reviling ſpeech, and it will not hold in a ſimple deniall; it being one thing to deny and reject, and another to revile and raile.
This is cleerely ſet before our eyes in this Example. They doe not barely and ſimply deny Chriſt to bee the Meſſias; but adjoyne unto the ſame odious, vile and contumelious Speeches. So that the Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt is a greater Sinne than the bare deniall …f God. If this had been the que…tion betweene the Iewes and the Phariſees, whether Ieſus were the Meſſias, and the Phariſees had either denied their Concluſion or Argument, and gone no further, they …d not had this Sinne. For thus …e in ſome caſes of tryall, and fur…her than this may even the children … God goe. Peter denied Chriſt, …d againſt his Conſcience he deni…d him; yet ſinned he not this Sin, out received mercy. Much leſſe do Pagans and Infidels, Turks and Barbarians, that ignorantly doe the …ame.
The fourth Concluſion.
A deniall of any, even the grea…ſt divine Truth, that is, though …ith proteſtation, ſwearing, for…earing, curſing and abjuration, is …ot this Sinne. For though every …aine Oath, even for the Truth, bee …ome kinde of Blaſphemy; yet to ratifie and confirme errour, yea th… groſſeſt errours, with oaths and a… jurations, are not Blaſphemies … ſtrict and proper ſenſe.
Mat. 26.74.Hence Peter, who did not onel… deny, but forſweare Chriſt, yea anathematiſed himſelfe if hee knew Chriſt, was notwithſtanding free from this Sinne, though hee ſinne… againſt both knowledge and Co… ſ…ience. So that hee that commi… blaſphemy againſt the Holy Gho… commits a greater Sinne than … doth, that denies and renounce… and forſweares Chriſt.
By this alſo it appeares, that the ſimple Sinne of Apoſtaſie is not th… Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt. Fo… he is an Apoſtata, that having profeſſed Chriſt and the Goſpell, doth after deny and renounce the ſame; but that a man may do, and yet not commit this Sinne.