Sinne grounded vpon malice These are parts of that sinne wee seeke for and Ergo I passe them over Now for the last couple viz. Desperation and Presumption These cannot be that sinne which we seeke for As for Desperation how many poore soules haue there beene heretofore who through the sense of GODS wrath and anger against sinne whereof their guiltie conscience did accuse them haue for a time cast off all hope of pardon fallen into despaire as if God had forgotten to be gracious and had shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure concluding plainely with Dauid This is my death and yet afterward remembring the yeeres of the right hand of the most high haue recollected themselues gathered strength and regained comfort But what neede I Scripture or experience or the consent of Orthodoxall Writers to proue this point if our Adversaries will stand to their words Thus then I set mine Argument The sinne against the holy Ghost is a sinne vnto death and irremissible this is in confesso amongst all and shall God willing be further confirmed when I come to the second maine point In the meane space I assume Praesumption is not to death but remissible wherefore I conclude that Presumption is not the sinne against the holy Ghost and consequently neitheir can Desperation bee because contraries are alwayes to be referred to the same head The assumption I prooue out of the words of their owne Authors He that shall vpon hope of a Iubilee to come willingly and purposely fall into a sinne reserued may notwithstanding be absolved Neither will their common Euasion serue the turne to say It is but one Doctors opinion and therefore they are not bound to receiue it For these are chiefe men Pillars of their Church Navarre the great Casâ—ist Cordâ—bensis and Bellarmine If they refuse the judgement of these men who hereafter will step forth to maintaine the Romane Church and Papall dignitie Thus is it plaine I hope and euident that hitherto we haue not found out that sinne which wee seeke for The schoole-men and their followers though learned wise graue judicious yet haue in this point fayled come short and are not to be maintained Marcus Caeâ—â—us hauing a better veine in obiecting then in answering in vrging then in defending is by Cicero said to haue Bonam dextram malam vero sinistram A good right hand but not so good a left one allâ—ding to this that the right hand holds the sword to strike the lefâ— the backler to defend The saying of Cicero may perhaps by some and that deseruedly be to mee applyed who hitherto haue spent the time rather in confutation then confirmation which least it be I now come to the vse of my left hand and will tye my selfe close to it in the Explanation and confirmation of that definition which as I take it doth most happily most properly most perfectly set forth what this sinne is which wee seeke for what the sinne against the holy Ghost is the which I describe to be A generall Apostasie and revolt of a man wilfully fallen from the truth knowne even to a malicious persecuting and blaspheming of the same In the which before I come to particulars I note in generall that it is a sinne not so much against the person of the spirit as against the worke of the spirit For which we haue a cloud of witnesses A whole day would not suffice to take their Examination Let Beza speake for the rest It is called the sinne against the holy Ghost not as the spirit is a person in the sacred and euer blessed Trinitie for neither is the dignity of the spirit greater then of the father or the sonne they being in glory coequall in maiestie coeternall which would follow were the sinne against the person Nor is it possible to offend any one person of this Tri-vnitie but the iniurie doth redound to them all but in respect of his proper and peculiar worke in vs. The which here is not so much the act of Faith and Repentance cast off by Obstinacie and Impenitencie nor of Hope and Feare reiected by Desperation Presumption as of the illumination of the minde and vnderstanding and the convincing of the Conscience and affections This is that worke of the spirit which this sinne opposeth and opposing is sealed vp to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sinne against the holy Ghost a sinne vnto death and irremissible Now for perticulars Where that we may let nothing of any moment passe from vs vn-examined I will ranke the wordes of the former definition vnto three heads This Apostasie is a Motion though a bad one in which as in all other Motions wee may obserue first The Terminus a quo from whence Secondly The Terminus ad quem whethor Thirdly The motion it selfe 1. Terminus a quo from whence id est Truth Knowne 2. Terminus ad quem whether Persecuting Blaspheming Malicious 3. The Motion Apostasie Generall Wilfull THe first word in the Terme from whence they fall is the Truth For this marke Beza speaking of this our subiect sayth that This Sinne doth directly and immediately respect the first Table not the second Bucanus seemeth to contradict this Hinc colligo Hence sayth he I gather that the sinne against the spirit is not any transgression of the morall Law neither vniuersall nor particular whether proceeding from ignorance or infirmitie or malice against the Law of God This difference is not so great but an easie reconciliation will suffice For either Beza meanes no more then this that it is directly and immediately against God as the breaches of the first Table not mediately as the breaches of the second Or else he enlargeth the bounds of the Law including vnder it the knowledge of the Mediatour which Bucan perhaps excludeth And this I am the rather induced to beleeue in that Beza a little afterwards reckoning vp particular lapses and sinnes against the first Table which sayth he cannot be this sinne mentioneth Dubitationam de Christo doubting of Christ. And certainely I fully beleeue that this sinne against the holy Ghost doth necessarily suppose the knowledge of the Mediatour for it seemeth impossible that the creature should vnrecoverably fall from the Creatour vntill he haue reiected also the helpe of the Mediatour offered to him So that by Truth in my definition I vnderstand not with the Novatians any naturall morall or civill truth wherof certain knowledge is obtained no nor any supernatural truth in Scripture reuealed but the supernaturall Truth of the Gospell that euerlasting Word of Truth to witnesse which Christ came into the world In which respect Christ calls himselfe the Truth viz. because he is the matter and argument of the Gospell This point besides that which Aquinas doth helpe vs with who maketh Apostasie to be Species a kind of Infidelitie which is contrary to faith faith I say required
is this our sinne in man because it is an Apostasie from the Gospell Secondly as against the Gospell so against the Spirit which worketh grace by the Gospell The Schoolemen said not nothing inascribing Power to the Father Knowledge to the Sonne and Grace to the holy Ghost Against the Father men sinne of infirmitie against the Sonne of Ignorance and these two are remissible But against the holy Ghost men sinne of malice and this is irremissible But I would rather haue said thus That in regard these men sinne against the spirit id est the proper effect and worke of the spirit in them their sinne must needs be irremissible because there is not another person in the Trinitie whereby they might receiue grace and arise to Repentance For God the Father bestowed Innocencie and righteousnesse vpon the creature at the first by which he might liue This being lost God the sonne came to repaire it and to restore vs to our former estate and he indeed paid the price of our redemption But man being in the state of nature could haue no benefit by it Then came the holy Ghost and regenerated and quickened man and taught him what Christ had done for him what is the vertue of his death and passion yea the spirit also applieth the bloud of Christ and by it washeth and purifieth the heart of man and so sanctifieth both body and soule Hitherto you see how still as man profiteth not by the former grace there is yet another person in the Trinitie who by a second worke can make the first effectuall But now when it is come to this that the worke of the spirit is resistell and impugned so that these three persons haue giuen him over there is none other meanes for him to recover For to whom should hee goe when these forsake him Where may he finde a Physitian if these conclude his wound is incurable Where are you all you grand Imposters of the world You strict defenders of the Intercession of Saints and Angels Now come forth and helpe Here here is place for the Indulgences of your Popes the merits of your Saints the intercession of your Angels Here is a man forsaken of God out of all hope of heauen can you now cure him If there be any Deity in your Saints any Divinitie in your Angels any hope any helpe any merit any mercy any vertue any power now let them shew it Let them recouer this forlorne man out of the gulfe of hell restore him to his former estate of grace reforme his will cure his affections renew his minde create a right spirit within him in a word vendicate him from everlasting perdition and destruction Oh! miserable comforters are you all here where there is need of helpe you doe forsake there where there is no need you promise it largely No no this mans estate is wretched though not lamentable miserable though not pittifull He hath forsaken God refused heaven to hell he must there to be tormented so long as God shall liue for ever for ever Thus much for the Reasons drawne from the Obiect The nature also of this sinne is such that it refuseth repugneth all pardon as which doth indeede 1. wittingly 2. wilfully 3. malitlously 4. totally fall from the profession of godlinesse God hauing created man ordained in his soule two principall faculties to be the guides of his life the conducters of his actions viz. the Vnderstanding and the Will The vnderstanding he furnisht with knowledge of the will of his creator in heauenly things This knowledge being lost in Adam was repaired againe by Christ who is the light that lighteth euery one that commeth into the world by the light of nature and the Sonne of Righteousnesse shining in our hearts by the light of grace by whose spirit we are ledde into all truth and thereby are inlightened in the vnderstanding to discerne both good and evill This is the grace which of God we haue receiued and receiued to this end questionlesse that the abundance of knowledge should worke effectually in vs in turning vs from all iniquity and should teach vs to deny all vngodlinesse worldly lusts Wherefore if wee doe wittingly put out this light extinguish this knowledge quench the spirit and hauing the key of knowledge doe yet shut vp heauen gate against our selues if we know our Masters will and doe it not if we know the lâ—ght and therefore hate it see the plague and runne into it What remedie can there be What hope of pardon or of remission Had we not seene we had had no sinne but now that wee see our sinne remaineth It had bin better not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after knowledge to turne from the holy Commandement Better saith Peter id est lesse punishable by farre Affected ignorance is very lyable to the curse of God but witting reiection of knowledge once receiued is abhominable If we sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the knowledge and acknowledging of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne As they are destitute of pardon because wittingly they sinne so also because wilfully The will of man the other principall facultie in mans soule was endued with freedome that so it might freely worke and following the direction and guidance of the vnderstanding might apply it selfe to embrace and choose the good and to eschew and refuse the evill The strength of this indeed was overthrowne by Adams fall but it being much renewed by Christ serveth to the same end still Wherefore when men doe wilfully and of set purpose turne aside and sinne not of infirmitie but of peevishnesse who can helpe them If the Patient bee willing to be cured the Phisitian may by his skill doe much But if he be froward perverse wilfull obstinate and will not be healed there may be balme in Gilead and Physitians there but yet the wound will not bee recouered Who can cure him that refuseth to be cured Certainely the Physitians that enterprise this must returne the complaint of the Prophet We would haue cured Babell and shee would not be cured forsake her c. for her iudgement is come vp to heaven and is lifted vp to the clouds It is worth the noting that in the Law there was no Sanctuary for wilfull murtherers Neither in the Gosspell is there any pardon for wilfull Apostataes It is the word of the Lord and it will be found true If yee walke stubbornely against me I will walke stubbornely against you And that of the Psalmist With the froward thou wilâ— deale frowardly You haue seene a stubborne sonne and a severe father as it were striving for the victory The father scourgeth him for his fault the sonne he striveth strugleth roareth sobbeth snubbeth and ready he is to burst for anger The father then groweth angry and to him againe and layeth on sorer fiercer yet will not the varlet yeeld stubborne still stomackfull
hereafter according to the saying of Daâ—asâ—ene which yet is somewhat too slack All mortall sinnes whether great or small he should haue excepted this our sinne are remissible before death but after death are irremissible and remaine for euer Secondly or Irremissible Ex parte contemptus because it contemneth the mercy of God and reiecteth that by which man might obtaine pardon Thirdly Or else because it deserueth to haue no pardon as being a sinne of certaine and wilfull malice for which cause it can haue none Whereas sinnes of infirmity and ignorance may seeme to deserue some hope of pardon Thus Aquinas very well if we bee fauorable in his censure he hath another reason why it is called Irremissible but indeed that hâ—lâ—eth viz. â— Because it is not easily remitted But here I pray you take notice of the mistery of Iniquity Whereas the other expositions of Irremissible might haue beene allowed the Iesuites eyther refuse them or stick not to them but to this the worst the weakest they adhaere they cleaue this they allow of approue it Why I know not but I heleâ—â— for some such reason as moued them among all the sixe aboâ—e mentioned species of this our sinne especially to choose out Impenitency viz. the same that the fawning Parasite in the Poet gaue for his good memory Offame monet his belly was his Register So certainely their belly their gaines was the chiefe cause For what thinke you is meant by Impaenitency Perhaps you would thinke the reâ—ecting of Gods grace that might bring him to Repentance No no It is a wâ—lfull contempt of the Sacrament of Paenance obstinately reâ—using absolution by the Churches Ministery as the Rhemists doe define it Now who seeth not that if this bee Impaenitency and Impaenitency the sinne against the holy Ghost and the sinne against the holy Ghost a sinne vnto death what a strong and inexpugnable ground here is for Popish Paenance The same is there here for Commutation of Paenance for if this sinne be remissible but not de sacile easily then must there come a good round portion to the Priest for a gentle Commutation Some such reason as this I guesse moued the holy Fathers of shrift to magnifie this exposition that Aquinas giueth of Irremissible or else this As one well obserueth in their handling of Mat. 12. they follow S. Augustine walking alone rather then Hillary Ierome Chrysostome and other for what reason he knoweth not vnlesse it be for that here Augustine went farthest from the words and sence of the Scripture So I may say here I see not why this should please them better than the other vnlesse it be for that it goeth farthest from the words and sence of the holy Scripture But to let these passe come we to those Reasons which more Orthodoxall writers will afford vs the which for my memories sake I will reduce to three heads Some are drawne from the Obiect Some from the Nature Some from the Punishment of this sinne The Obiect against which this sinne doth bend it selfe is externally the Gospell Internally the spirit of Grace that worketh by the Gospell First then it being a sinne against the Gospell it must needes be Irremissible For what is the Gospell but the word of Grace the ministration of Life declaring vnto man in himselfe lost a way by which he may returne to his former estate of Grace and Glory Now so long as there is not the knowledg of the Mediator and of this meanes of recouery the words of the Lord haue place q Shall they fall and not arise Shall they turne away and not turne againe But when once the meanes of recouery by the Gospell is neglected contemned and despised then is there no place for remission So long as there is not the knowledge of the Mediator it seemeth impossible that the creature should Irrecouerably fall from the Creator And herein certainly is there one maine difference betwixt the fall of Adam and the fall of the Angels Adam fell by misperswasion being deceiued by the lying suggestion of the spirit of error But the Angels being intellectuall spirits dwelling in heauenly places in the presence of God and light of his countenance could not sinne by error or misperswasion but of purposed malice which is the sinne against the holy Ghost and is Irremissible Adam falling from the knowledg of the Law fell recouerably They falling from the knowledge of the Gospell fell Irrecouerably For vnderstanding of this I praesuppose that God did signifie to the Angels these points at once First that their Righteousnesse consisted in their Obedience Secondly that the acceptance of their obedience should bee through Christ. Christ I say who in fulnesse of time was to be incarnate and to take not the nature of Angels but of man and by the personall vnion of the two natures in his one person lift vp the humanitie aboue the nature of Angels and so remayning one indiuiduall person to be the head of the Church Thirdly that from this person should be expected all good whatsoeuer so that what good soeuer the creature was to receiue they were to receiue it from God only in the name of this mediator this being the summe of the Gospell no doubt was deliuered to them and so in a manner the whole will and councell of God both of Law and Gospell and that by a shorter and neerer way than man is capable of they hauing the fulnesse of intellectuall light so that when they take view of any thing they see all that pertaineth to it whereas man findeth but one thing after another This doctrine of the Gospell being manifested to them the deuills reiected it partly puffed vp with pride in respect of the excellency of their owne nature scorning to be accepted in any but themselues partly enuying so great glory to the nature of man disdayning to bee subiect to Christ as man and to stand obliged to him for all benefits altogether refused to be obedient to this ordinance of God and so refused as that they chose rather to leaue their first estate and their heauenly habitation than to agree and subscribe and submit themselues to this aeternall and immutable decree of God And which is yet more plaine to manifest their sinne to be the sinne against the holy Ghost They fell hauing receiued the knowledg of the whole worke of the three persons for and vnto the Angels First of God the Father creating and giuing a Law and taking exception against their disobedience Secondly of God the Sonne in whom only stood reconciliation and acceptance through his obedience more worth and honorable to God the Father than that of all the creatures both Angels and men Thirdly of God the holy Ghost by whose power and grace only is possibility for any creature man or Angell to stand or recouer This in modesty may we beleeue to haue beene the fall of Angels whose sinne is Irremissible as