holy thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace*? Peter also describes the same characters: For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the miret. Lastly: It must be with reference to this sin that John writes in his first Epistle-If any man see his brother sin a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life-There is a sin unto death; I do not say that he shall pray for it-We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not‡. The above are the principal, if not the only passages, in which reference is made to the unpardonable sin. From these, taken altogether, I shall offer the following remarks : I. When the Scripture speaks of any sin as unpardonable, or of the impossibility of those who have committed it being renewed again unto repentance, we are not to understand it as expressing any natural limitation of either the power or the mercy of God, nor yet of the efficacy of the Saviour's blood; but. * Chap. vi. 4, 5, 6. x. 26. 29. † 2 Pet. ii. 20. 22. 12 merely of a limitation dictated by sovereign wisdom and righteousness. II. It is not any one particular act of sin that denominates it unpardonable, but the circumstances under which it is committed. The act, in the case of the Pharisees, was uttering blasphemous language against the miracles of Christ; in the supposed case of Saul, it was blasphemously persecuting, and otherwise injuriously treating, the Church of Christ; in the case of the Hebrews, it was apostasy from the truth; in the false teachers, described by Peter, it was not only perverting the truth, but returning to sensual abominations. These acts being various, the unpardonable sin could not consist in any one of them, in itself considered, but in their being committed under certain circumstances. III. The peculiar circumstance under which either of these acts becomes unpardonable, seems to be, the party being possessed of a certain degree of light; and that not merely objective, as exhibited in the gospel, but subjective, as possessed by the understanding. This light, which is attributed to the holy Spirit, seems to afford the specific reason of the unpardonable sin being represented as committed against him. The distinction which our Lord makes between blasphemy against the Son of Man, and that against the Holy Ghost, declaring the one pardonable, and the other unpardonable, seems to consist in this: The former, during his humiliation, might be the effect of ignorance and unbelief; but the latter, (imputing to satanic influence those benevolent miracles, which were not only wrought before their eyes by the Spirit of God, but approved themselves to their consciences to be of God,) could be no other than wilful malignity. And this would be the case, especially after the pouring out of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, when such a blaze of light shone forth in confirmation of the gospel: a blasphemous opposition to it at that period would, where the light was not only exhibited, but possessed in the understanding, be a black mark of reprobation. The blasphemy of Saul was accompanied with a great degree of objective light; but it did not so possess his understanding and conscience, but that he did it ignorantly, and in unbelief. Had he committed the same blasphemy knowingly, or in spite of a full persuasion in his conscience, that the cause he opposed was the cause of God; it is supposed, by his own manner of speaking, that it would have been unpardonable, and that he would not have obtained mercy. The case of the Hebrews turns entirely upon the same circumstance: they not only had the gospel objectively exhibited before them, but became the subjects of deep convictions, and powerful impressions. They were enlightened, and had tasted the heavenly gift; were made partakers of the Holy Ghost; tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come. None of these expressions, it is true, denote that divine change which accompanies salvation, being expressly distinguished from it; (and John also, in his first epistle intimates, that those who are born of God cannot be guilty of this sin,) yet they undoubtedly express powerful impressions, and deep convictions, together with some extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, which were common in those times. All this rendered a departure from the truth, what the apostle, in the tenth chapter of the same epistle, calls, sinning wilfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth; treading under foot the Son of God, and doing despite to the Spirit of grace. It is also upon this circumstance of light that the case of those apostates, mentioned by Peter, turns. After they have KNOWN the way of righteousness, to turn from the holy commandment, is that which seals their doom. IV. The impossibility of such characters being recovered and saved, arises from two causes: 1, The only way, or medium, of a sinner's salvation is by the sacrifice of Christ; but the nature of their sin is such, that they wilfully tread him under foot, and treat the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, as an unholy thing. Now, if the sacrifice of Christ be thus treated, there is no other way of escape: There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful looking for of judgment. Hence it becomes a hopeless undertaking for the servants of God to attempt any thing for their recovery. What can they do? Nothing but what they have done already in vain. The grounds which they have ordinarily to go over in saving sinners from the wrath to come, are, Repentance from dead works-faith towards God-baptism of water, and in the primitive times, of the holy Spirit, accompanied with the laying on of hands; exhibiting to them the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment : but these things having been known and rejected, have lost their force: why should they be repeated? No, saith the apostle, leaving these first principles, and those who have rejected them, in the hand of God, we will go on with our work, unto perfection-The plowman doth not plow ALL DAY to sow and bread-cornis bruised because he will not EVER be threshing it. 2. The only efficient cause of a sinner's being brought to repentance, and so to forgiveness, is the almighty and sovereign influence of the Holy Spirit; and the only hope that is left for such chracters, must < arise from the exertion of his power, with whom all things are naturally possible: But of him they are given up! They have done despite to the Spirit of grace, and he hath utterly abandoned them to their own delusions! See Heb. vi. 7, 8. V. The cases which in our times appear to approach the nearest to this sin, are, those of persons who apostatize from the truth, after having enjoyed great religious advantages, obtained much light, felt strong convictions, and made considerable progress in reforming their conduct. The apostasy of such characters, as of some amongst the Hebrews, is sometimes sentimental. Having long felt the gospel way of salvation to grate upon their feelings, they fall in with some flesh-pleasing scheme; either that of open infidelity, or some one of those which approach the nearest to it; and now their conduct becoming equally loose with their principles, when reproved by their friends, they keep themselves in countenance by professing to have changed their sentiments in religious matters. In them is fulfilled what was predicted of some by the apostle Paul: They received not the love of the truth, that they may be saved ; and for this cause, God shall send them strong delusions, that they may believe a lie, and be damned*. The apostasy of others, like those described in the second epistle of Peter, is of a more practical nature. Having long felt the yoke of religion galling to their inclinations, they burst the bonds, and let loose the reins of lust; and, to ward off reproof, and keep themselves in countenance, affect to treat all religion with contempt; raking together the faults of professing Christians, as an excuse for their own iniquities. Such characters are commonly the worst of all, and * 1 Thess. iü. 11, 12. |