Comfort and Counsel for Dejected Souls, Section 2 · Chapter 13
CHAP. 13.
Satisfaction to caſt downe ſoules troubled about the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt.
SAtan makes ſome ſoules dejected,Caſe. feare they have ſinned unto death, &c. the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt; and many ſoules caſt downe,Satisfaction. are perplexed with this feare: Now I ſhall ſeeke to remove this feare, and to ſatisfie dejected ſoules in this caſe by the propoſall of theſe particulars.
Definitio & deſcriptio differunt apud logicos.Firſt, Its very uncertaine what this ſinne is, I thinke none can exactly define it, and few can well deſcribe it; now its ſtrange that thou ſhouldeſt feare (more ſtrange that any ſhould conclude) themſelves guilty of ſuch a ſinne, the knowledge of which is ſo uncertaine.
Secondly, Tis very certaine many ſoules (eſpecially dejected ones) take that for this ſin which is not. Its true in a ſence, every ſinne is a ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt (for he is God even as the Father, and the Son;) but tis as true, every ſinne (which is ſo accounted) is not the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt, of which the Scriptures ſpeake, as unpardonable. Two ſins I finde eminently urged by dejected ſoules againſt themſelves, as the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt; that is to ſay:
1 Sinning againſt cleare light, and Conſcience.
2 Sinning againſt taſte of love, and experience.
But certainly, tis poſſible for a Saint to commit ſinne of both theſe kinds, and yet not to ſinne the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt. I doe make no doubt, but Davids ſinne (in the bed-buſineſſe of Bathſheba) had both theſe ingredients; It cannot be doubted but his light was cleare, (that Adultery was a ſinne) and not to bee committed; the expreſſe letter of the Commandements (which David was well ſtudied and skill'd in) forbids it; and for ſinning after ſweet experiences, who doubts it? David had ſweet experiences of God, when he was delivered from the Philiſtines, Pſal. 56. and from Soul, in the cave, Pſal. 57. yea, and he compoſed a ſpecial choyce Pſalme upon each occaſion, therefore he ſtiles them Michtams, i. e. golden Pſalmes, and yet it was after all this that he fell in that foule buſineſſe. I might inſtance in Peters Caſe (which ſeemed, and in a ſence did exceed Davids) and in the caſe of others, and yet none ever charged them with the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt; ſo that tis cleare many are miſtaken in this ſinne, and why mayeſt not thou be miſtaken (oh ſoule) who feareſt it?
Thirdly, There are ſome ſoules who are not at preſent capable of that ſinne; my meaning is, that cannot poſſibly (at preſent) be charged with it, as now; ſuch as are not very highly enlightened, ſuch as have not had any great or high income of joy and ſweetneſſe, ſuch as have not been eminent; and long profeſſors. All Divines conclude, that a perſon ſinning the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt, muſt be ſuppoſed to be;
1. One much enlightened
2. One who hath taſted of the heavenly gift, and the joyes of the Holy Ghoſt; yea and
3. One who hath been ſome famous and forward Profeſſor.
Now, alas poore ſoule! thou cryeſt out thou art but a babe, a novice; one who knowes little, and haſt taſted leſſe; one who hath ſmall light, and weake life, and no joy or comfort at all; one whoſe higheſt degree of knowledge, is, but as yet a beame, whoſe greateſt income of joy, is but a drop; who art a ſtranger to taſting of the heavenly powers, and the world to come; and who yet art no forwarder, then humbly to profeſſe to deſire to feare Jehovah, and to love Jeſus. Thou doſt often ſigh theſe ſayings, and ſeale to them as true; and this may ſecure thee, from being guilty of the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt, ſith at preſent thou art incapable of that ſinne. But,
Forthly, The ſoule guilty of this ſinne cannot be troubled for it, (at leaſt) ſo as to deſire to repent of it, and to have Chriſt to pardon it. Thy feare, thy trouble, thy diſquiets (O ſoule) argue thou art free from this ſinne, for wert thou guilty of it, thy heart it would be hardred, and could not deſire to repent; thy Conſcience, it would be ſeared, and no way diſquieted for it; yea and thy deſires would be dead, ſo as that thou wouldeſt not pant after Chriſt, nor the Spirit; thy very feares, and diſquiets, ſhould anſwer in this caſe themſelves, they could not, would not be in thee, if this ſinne were committed by thee; a ſenſleſſe and troubleleſſe ſoule ever goes along with this ſinne, and therefore know this.
Fifthly, None can be guilty of the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, but ſuch as
Firſt, totally fall away from both Practiſe and Profeſſion of all godlineſſe, and Religion, as tis, Heb. 6.6.
Secondly, Directly doe deſpite unto the ſpirit of grace, as tis, Heb. 10.29, and
Thirdly, Such as doe directly and plainly, and profeſſedly oppoſe, and ſpeake evill of the wayes of Chriſt, which ſometimes they profeſſed.
Now tell me (O ſoule) and beware of falſe witneſſe againſt thy ſelfe.
Queſt. Firſt, Art thou totally falne away from both the practiſe, and profeſſion of godlineſſe? Doſt hold no points of Faith? Doſt doe no acts of Religion? Doſt make no profeſſion of Jeſus Chriſt?
Anſw. Surely I heare the ſay, I deſire to beleeve, and the Lord help my unbeleefe; I deſire to walke exactly, to have a good Conſcience to God and man; and this profeſſion I make, that if I know my heart, I deſire to worſhip the God of my Fathers, according to that order of the Goſpell, which many count and call Hereſie; well then (O ſoule) thou art not totally falne away, which yet thou wouldeſt be, if thou wert guilty of the ſinne feared. But,
Queſt. Secondly, Say ſoule (and doe not eclipſe the truth of Gods grace in thee,) Dareſt thou doe deſpight to the Holy Ghoſt?
Anſ. Surely I heare thee anſwering, I tremble at the thought thereof, I would not for ten thouſand worlds, ſpeake the leaſt evill of that good Spirit; I am ſo farre from deſpiting him, that I doe earneſtly deſire him, and waite for him. Alas! this (O ſoule) would not, could not be, wert thou guilty of this ſinne. Then,
Thirdly, anſwer (O ſoule) Doſt thou oppoſe godlineſſe? Queſt. What doſt, or dareſt thou perſecute ſuch as deſire to walke with Chriſt, &c?
Anſw. Is not this thy reply to this; That thou rather pittyeſt thy ſelfe, for not being ſo forward as others, then perſecuteſt them for being before thee? Yea, thou art ſo farre from oppoſing thoſe that are godly, that thou wouldeſt (if Chriſt would help thee) ſuffer any perſecutions rather then leave off thy endeavour to be godly.
Now certainly (O poore dejected ſoule) thou art not guilty of the ſinne thou feareſt, for if thou wert, thou wouldeſt fall away wholly, and ſpeake evill of the Spirit directly, and oppoſe godlineſſe profeſſedly! ſith theſe things doe ever accompany that ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt. But,
Laſtly, there have been precious ſoules, who ſometime feared their ſinning againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and yet have afterward enjoyed the ſealing of the Holy Ghoſt;See the Bookes of them. Miſtris Drake, Miſtris Wight, and others of late have brought forth this experience fully to light; that ſoules who have ſometimes queſtioned their ſinning unto death, have yet found the Spirit ſealing them up to life; and Miſtris Drake breathed out (a little before her death) this comfortable counſel, Never let any deſpaire, how deſperately miſerable ſoever their caſe be. Wherefore then, rouze up thy ſelfe (O dejected ſoule!) thou who now feareſt the ſinne againſt the Spirit, mayeſt ere long boaſt of the ſeale of the Spirit. Truſt thou in Chriſt, for thou ſhalt yet praiſe him, for joy and aſſurance given in by that Holy Ghoſt, againſt whom at preſent thou feareſt that thou haſt ſinned.