[ 73 ]
only bring the people within sight of the promised inheritance, but that our Saviour Jesus was to bring us into it.
St. Michael, who was called Prince of the people of Israel. Dan. 10: 21. "And there is none that holdeth with me in these things but Michael your Prince;" not with divine honor, but with a religious veneration of an inferior kind, suitable to the dignity of his person; there are many I fear that commit the unpardonable sin mentioned in Matthew 12th chapter 32d verse, "but whosever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world nor the world to come." Now it is well for us to consider the first reproof by our Lord when he wept over Jerusalem and said "if thou had been wise to consider the things which made for thy peace, now they are hidden from thine eyes." In this expression we may plainly see that the Jews cut themselves off by denying the power of God; for Paul said, he that rejects the sacrifice for sin, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin. This sin has been a controversy to millions and has caused them wonder and great astonishment, and they are lost and do not know what it is, not that I, call myself competent to tell what it is, either by history or philosophy, but I am merely moved on by the Spirit of God. Now I tell you, every man that dies without repenting of his sin, let the sin be ever so small that is an unpardonable sin, in one sense. 2d. We are not to murder ourselves; according to scripture that is a soul damning sin, for no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Now the great apostle tells us that unbelief locks heaven against the sinner. However, my dear reader, I do not say that I have described the unpardonable sin that is mentioned by our Lord according to my weak judgment, and my opinion to be short, it has allusion to those who once had tasted the good word of God and felt the power of the world to come, and then turn back and deny that power with malice in his heart; I believe that that man is damned above ground. You may think as you please, and in addition to this, according to our Lord's word, for it is "impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the power of the world to come, if they shall fall
G
