Math. 12. where with hee was possessed was by the Phurises enuiously accused to haue cast it out by the power of Belzebub the Prince of the Deuils Whereupon our Sauiour hauing conuicted them sheweth their dangerous estate and dreadfull Sinne which hee termeth Sinne against the Holy Ghost which consisted herein that they Blasphemed the Holy Ghost and Blaspemy importeth the intended derogation of ones good Name St. Mathew giueth some light hereunto and saith it is to speake against the Holy Ghost And St. Marke specifieth it for they said Hee hath an vncleane Spirit So that they did attribute to the Deuill those Actions Mark 3. which they knewe to bee proper vnto God as the Eiection of Deuils Neither did they this Ignorantly for Intelligentes Christum principem daemoniorum esse dicebant though they knew him to bee the Sonne of GOD yet they termed him Ierom. Belzebub and our Sauiour said They knew him whence hee was Yea graunt they had beene deceiued by the vayle Joh. 7. of his Flesh yet could they not haue beene Ignorant that the casting out of Deuils was the proper worke of God But they did it of Malice for though they knew him to bee the Heyre yet they conspired to slay him And thus they termed him a Samaritane notwithstanding they heard him Math. 22. Dispute of the Resurrection and the Iudgement to come Ioh. 8. both which the Samaritans deny So that they did euen against their knowledge and conscience impugne the grace of God and kingdome of Christ who came to the end hee might dissolue the workes of the Deuill and they beheld his effectuall performance thereof in many his Miracles all tending to the Glory of God to the good of Man and to the downfall of Sathan the Spirit also testifying to their Spirit that it was the power of God all which notwithstanding they blasphemed CHRIST Out of the premises I deduce this Definition of Sinne against the Holy Ghost Sinne against the Holy Ghost is a to all Apostacy from Christ and his Gospell A reiecting resisting suppressing blaspheming and persecuting in thought in word in Act causlesly wilfully malitiously of the true Christian Religion the which religion the party before embraced and professed and in which Christ hee verily beleeued and did farther know by plaine and infallible Euidence the same Christ and his Religion to be the whole true and sole meanes of Saluation The which Sinne is termed by our Sauiour Blasphemie against the Holy Ghost whether by the Holy Ghost as by an essentiall Name hee would designe vnto vs the whole Antoxin part 2. tit 8. Cap. 8. Trinity euery person whereof is a Spirit and is Holy and hee who offendeth one offendeth euery one or else which I take to bee more proper the Third person in the Trinity by his personall Name one of whose Attributes is to enlighten Ioh. 16. Ioh. 1. Epist 5. with the Truth and to testifie to the Truth So that I conclude this point That as no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but onely by the Holy Ghost So no 1. Cor. 12. man speaking by the Holy Ghost can say that Iesus is execrable But such a one resisteth the Holy Ghost and speaketh Rom. 8. a word against him because the Spirit testifieth to his Spirit that Iesus is the Lord and such make the Holy Ghost a Lyar which is Blasphemie in the highest degree 1. Ioh. 5. The Sequel or effect of this Sinne viz. Destitution of remedy In these wordes There remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sinne. THe whole Gospell is a Song either of Ioy and Melody or of Sorrow and Lamentation deliuering either the glad tydings of Saluation to inuite vs to seeke after it or the heauy Doome of euerlasting Damnation to deterre and affright vs from Sinne and Impiety In these wordes those who haue receiued the true Faith of Christ and know likewise Saluation to consist therein and yet wilfully renounce it and maliciously persecute it are presented with their fearefull estate which is to be destitute and depriued of that Benefit which Christ imparted to all constant Beleeuers viz. to bee a sacrifice for their sinnes Wee know that Sacrifices in the olde Law were ordained one for to bee a Propitiatory sacrifice for the sinnes of the people to pacifie the wrath of God against those sinnes and to wash them cleane from their Iniquity The other consisted in a kinde of Latreia or forme of Seruice done vnto God not that they in themselues were effectuall to reconcile man vnto Gods grace and fauour and to blot out his Sinne but that they might typically resemble that true Sacrifice which was after fully offered by Christ on the Altar of the Crosse In which one Oblation and most perfect Sacrifice wee haue perfectly whatsoeuer the law of Nature or Moses did either figure or vnperfectly represent For by this our Sinnes are blotted out for hee was deliuered for our Sinnes By this wee receiue that grace whereby Rom. 8. we are saued For Christ being consecrate was made the Author of Eternall Saluation for all that did obey him Heb. 5. By this wee obtaine the perfection of glory for by the Blood of Iesus wee may bee bolde to enter into the holy place Heb. 10. Oh saith a deuout man God hath giuen vs a liuely pure Gers Sup. Magnisicat Sacrifice full of goodnes full of those effects for which the Legall Sacrifice was wont to bee offered vp wilt thou haue thy sinnes blotted out Behold the Lambe of God which taketh Ioh. 1. away the Sinnes of the world wilt thou giue thankes vnto God Christ gaue it vnto his Father wilt thou auoyd euill Hee healeth thee and setteth thee free for he tooke our Infirmities on himselfe wilt thou obtaine a speedy Esay 53. good at his hand Aske the Theefe and hee will tell thee What Christ promised and confirmed vnto him in his Euening Sacrifice Verily I say vnto thee this day shalt thou bee Luc. 23. with me in Paradice In the Leuiticall Law hee was resembled by a Galfe a Ramme a Goate a Lambe which were to bee offered But neither the blood of Bulls and Goates nor the ashes of an Heyfer nor the Flesh of Lambes and Goates could pacific the Heb. 9. wrath of GOD against Sinne for hee tooke no pleasure therein But the Blood of Christ which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God to purge our Consciences from dead workes and hath obtained Eternall redemption for vs. A Lambe hee was called because of his Innocence a Ramme because of his power a Goate because of his likenes * Appearing in the similitude of sinfull Flesh to Sinne a Calfe because of the vertue of his Crosse Glos ord in 1. Cap. Leuit. Yea all these signified the Flesh of Christ which was a most perfect Sacrifice and that in foure respects First because the Flesh of mans
their Math. 27. heads at him in derision as he did hang on the Crosse and as St. Paul did who persecuted Christ ignorantly and through 1. Tim. 1. vnbeliefe Or thus may a man sinne of malice and wilfully of meere hate against Christ with a full purpose to sinne in this kinde without any outward cause mouing thereunto but ex industria as the Schoolemen speake with earnest desire to performe it and without all coaction for seeing that whatsoeuer is voluntary is caused either * Bonauent part 3. Breuil cap. 11. per violentiam or ignorantiam by violence or ignorance The first for want of power the second by defect of knowledge when the will is so corrupt that though it could resist and likewise did know the sinne being not drawne vnto it by any passion or infirmity in the appetite sensiâ—iue or error in reason or the vnderstanding but performe it Elicite a se immediatly from it selfe Ibi inest plenâ—ssima ratio peccati saith * Scotus super 2. Sent. dist 43. one It is the extremity of sinne this is peccare ex certa malitia say the Schoole-men To sinne of set malice To the farther vnderstanding whereof know that malice in the will hath it's degrees The first kinde is simple malice a taynt of originall corruption Bonauent super 2. Sent. dist 43. from which no man is wholy quit Sometime is ioyned hereunto an actuall peruersity of the will and this is termed certa malitia set malice A man may sinne of set malice two wayes * Aquin. secunda secundae q. 13. art First by the inclination of a vitious habite and this is a generall condition of sinne Secondly when a man runneth on to sinne sub ratione peccati saith * Jac. Almayn moral cap. 27. Aquine because it is sinne and that quia offensiuum Dei saith another because it offendeth God And this is the highest height of iniquity which if it be ioyned to Apostacie from Christ the sinner doth * Aug. praefat in Epist ad Rom. Pro. 2. sciens peccatum in Spiritum Sanctum committere wittingly commit that sinne against the Holy Ghost and such doe laetaeri cum malefecerint reioyce and take pleasure in doing it so that malice is in the spirit of such * Bonauent vbi supra Math. 12. secundum se subiectiuely which our Sauiour termeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blasphemie of the Spirit which words an ancient Diuine expounding saith it is Affectus desiderium vituperationis diuinae a strong Rich. de Sancts ' vict tract de Spi. blasp desire to diffame God And * Bucan another expoundeth it more familiarly Blasphemia spiritus in spiritum Actiuely and passiuely the blasphemy of the spirit of man against the Spirit of God and * Caietane accordeth Maligna machinatio aduersus Deum a malicious intention against God Ientac 8 q. 1. So that the malice of the will is the formall distinguishing it from all other sinnes A dreadfull case when a man is growne to that height of malice that he should take pleasure in disgracing God and this is true blasphemy I beleeue the iudgement of Richardus Quid est blasphemia nisi vituperatio diuina Blasphemy is nought else but Vbi supra a disprasing of God the word soundeth the same It may seeme strange and happily incredible to some that any should be so peruerse but let those who are so conceited heare what Christ speaketh of such persons New haue Ioh. 15. they hated me and my father Hence it came to passe that the blasphemous Pharisies who were such persons would haue falsly fastned on Christ this dishonour that hee had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vncleane Mar. 3. spirit I am of this opinion that no sinne be it neuer so haynous is that sinne against the Holy Ghost vnleast it proceede from the malice of the will as aforesaid And againe I suppose that in whomsoeuer this malice of the will doth remaine in him also is that euill and vnfaithfull Heb. 3. heart to depart away from the liuing God And therfore though one should baptize an Image adore the deuill scorne the blessed Sacrament turne Turke or commit other most horrible sinnes either for gaine or because he would know some secret from the diuel or through madnes or feare so that it be not done of wilfull malice against God it maketh not guilty of this sinne though otherwise it make him an haynous sinner So that wee may vsurpe the words of * Lib. 1. retract cap. 15. Augustine for a conclusion of this point That now the will is principall if not totall Actorheerein Vsque adeo peccatum est vt sinon esset voluntarium non esset peccatum It is so farre forth a sinne against the Holy Ghost that were it not maliciously wilfull it were not a sinne of this kinde for this malice directly impugneth the most appropriate effect of the Holy Ghost which is the loue of God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost without which loue no man can Rom. 5. 1. Cor. 12. Tract 74. super Joh. say that Iesus is the Lord Nemo fic dicit nisi qui diligit saith Augustine The Obiect of this Sinne the Euangelicall Truth THE holy Scriptures doe often vnder the name of truth expresse vnto vs Christ for he is * Aquin. 2. 2. quaest 1. art 1. veritas prima say the Schoolemen the first Truth and the obiect of our faith in as much as he is the word of his Father as he hath testified of himselfe and his Testimony is true I am the Truth and Ioh. 14. thus is he that Truth that maketh vs all true for he teacheth vs all Truth He is the most finall and formall obiect of our knowledge leading vs vnto knowledge neither can any Truth be possibly knowne but by the insplendencie of this eternall Truth whom the Spirit testifieth to be the Truth The Truth for that we haue all the promises of truth performed and exhibited in him In his body a Communion in his Blood the expiation of all our sins in his Soule the price of our Redemption in his Spirit August apud Albert. Ratisp Sup. 6. cap. Ioh. viuification and a perfect restauration of our spirituall life which was once lost in his Deity and Godhead the full perfection and complement of all grace But for as much as this Truth is made manifest vnto vs in the old and new Testaments Therefore the Scriptures are termed that Truth because Christ is reuealed vnto vs in them and so our Sauiour stileth them in his prayer to his Father Sermotuus veritas Ioh. 17. est thy word is thy Truth And St. Paul distinctly termeth them that Truth that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Tit. 1. Godlinesse consisting in vnderstanding the Law and the Prophets and beleeuing the Gospell for they expresse vnto vs that Truth whereby we must
Well then art thou Baptized art thou signed with the Idem de Cataclysmate c. 9. Kings Seale beginnest thou to feede at the Table of thy King * Idem Epla ad Arment et Paulin Noli esse Desertor become not a flincher Remember thy Couenant * Quia iam vouisti iam te astrinxisti the vowe hath bound thee wretched art thou if thou break thy vowe to God The Heathen neuer forsake their Gods but feare reuerence and mainly defend them lest by changing their rights they should be taxed with error Illi perseuerant in falso tiâ— non perseuâ—ras in vero Shall they persist in falshood and * Chrysost homil de Ierâ—m Prophet wilt not thou abide in the truth Socrates though a Pagan hauing denied sacrifice to Apollo which was death among the Athenians being aduised by Plato to saue his life by flight said * Bonauent in Luminar Ecclesiae Serm. 5. Absit vt veritatem negem quam asserui farre be it from me to denie that truth which before I professed and therefore Plato hauing pondered with himselfe the basenesse of his Counsaile was ashamed thereof and absented himselfe from his death Who but a mad man would cast away the Anchor of his ship in a tempest who but a desperate wretch would reiect his pardon being before condemned to death or will any pitty him who knowing himselfe vnrecouerably sicke yet would cast off that Physitian who with his owne life hauing purchased a soueraigne Alexetery proffereth him certaine recouery freely if he will vse it and trust vnto him whereas otherwise except he beleeue he must dye because he despiseth the sole meanes of his preseruation Saint * Homil. 25. in oper Imperf in Math. Chrysostome expresseth the state of such persons in a familiar similitude As the house saith he that hath a firme foundation suffereth no great ruine if part of the wall or roofe do fall because it may be repaired againe but if the foundation fall then the ruine is great because the whole tumbleth down So if a Christian commit fornication adultery or manslaughter his fall is not great and vnrecouerable because hee may rise againe by repentance as Dauid did But if the foundation of his faith faile that he turne Pagan and become vnbeleeuer then his ruine is great and vnrecouerable for the whole perisheth And such sinne more heinously then those who neuer knew him or beleeued in him and Christ is more offended at them Truly spake the * Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sophocles There can be no greater sore then a false friend whom a man can neither fugere neque fugare shunne nor banish So Christ complaineth that if an enemie had dishonourea him he Bern. Psalm 55. could haue bare it but his companion and familiar friend to betray him made it execrable He was grieued at the Infidels vnder the Law of Nature but more at the Iewes vnder the Law of Moses because his loue was greater vnto them But most against Iudas vnder the Law of Grace for betraying him it appeareth by the diuersity of their punishments The first he drowned which was an easie death The second Gen. 7. Num. 15. he stoned which was a more greeuous death But Iudas the Traytor hung himselfe which was a most shamefull death and accursed and the rather because hee Math. 27. was of the number of those to whom he had said yee are my Ioh. 15. friends We doe worthily detest Cains iniquity Lamech his cruelty Chams subsannation Ismaelsferity Esaw his pertinacie Absalon his malice the peruersity of Ioseph his brethren But all these are nothing to that incomparable villany of Iudas in betraying his Lord and Master whom he beleeued to be the sonne of the euer-liuing God and the Sauiour of mankind this impiety was aboue all other of an Apostle who should haue bin one of the 12. Iudges sitting in glory to iudge the 12. Tribes of Israell to become a Traytor against him who called him to this high dignity and therefore because of his monstrous ingratitude the diuell entred into his heart and carried him headlong to the acting of his Treason and from thence despairing of pardon to hang himselfe where he brast asunder and his bowels gushed out Surely Iudas committed that Sinne against the Holy Ghost for so great was his malice against Christ that if it had beene possible he would haue had not his flesh onely but his soule and Diuinity also to be destroyed hee betrayed him to death whom he beleeued to be the Lord of life yet such was his most indurate malice that nothing could withhold him from his purpose though Christ vsed many meanes and admonitions vnto him Loue in washing his feete Ioh. 13. Feare when he said woe vnto him by whom the Sonne Luc. 22. of man is betrayed Sorrow when he foretold his betraying Ioh. 13. Math. 26. Shame when he said vnto Iudas Thou hast said Yea so great that he seemed after a sort to doe wrong vnto his Iustice in vsing so great mercy toward him yet hee would not be saued and because he would not he was damned yea if a man may so speake against Christs will Their Sinne who hauing once giuen their names vnto Christ entertained the truth of his Gospell and resolued their consciences thereof yet shall after fall away from the same is like vnto that which Iudas the Traytor committed for such Crucifie to themselues againe the Sonne of God and make a mocke of him and are said to despite the Spirit of Grace which is the true sinne against the Holy Ghost By faith we are made the sonnes of God which faith is wrought in our hearts by the Holy Ghost and is called in this respect the Spirit of Adoption whereby we crie Abba Father bearing Rom. 8. witnesse with our Spirit that we are the Children of God by this Spirit wee are sealed vnto the day of Redemption Ephes 4. Some Translations haue it in the day of Redemption the Fathers expound it in the day of Baptisme and the reading and exposition is good for the Holy Ghost sealeth vs in Baptisme by faith and maketh vs to be de Regio grego nor suffereth Théophylact vs to stand among the guilty and damned and hath seperated vs to Redemption Noli ergo Signaculum illud dissoluere If thou fall away from thy faith thou doest despite the Holy Ghost who did worke this in thee thou haddest receiued a Benefit and reiectest it after thou despisest the giuer he made thee the Sonne of God thou wilt be the Seruant of the Diuell he came to saue thy Soule and thou doest thrust him out of dores and seeke to bring him to confusion thou doest herein resist plainely and persecute the Holy Ghost and like Iudas art a Traytor vnto him The Second Circumstance IT sufficeth not a Christian to haue Faith to Beleeue but hee must haue Vnderstanding and Knowledge ioyned to his