xxiii. 34. saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Alas! they knew not what they were doing, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, i Cor. ii. 8. But if they had known, and yet have crucified him, Christ would not have spent his breath to pray for them; for it would have been utterly in vain: for when a man has committed this unpardonable sin, neither the praying in heaven nor earth can do him any good; for the text saith, There is a sin unto death.
I shall conclude with a few words of application; and I will be as short as possible, lest this discourse should be too large for so small a book: here is:
First, A word of comfort.
Secondly, A word of counsel.
First, A word of comfort. It may be that by hearing and reading of this terrible discourse, your hearts begin to ach for fear that you have committed this unpardonable sin: But I think I have sufficiently proved to you what it is; and I tell you again, that there are but few that can commit it; nay, there are millions that are tormented in hell, yet never committed this sin; nay, farther, an ignorant protestant may, through weakness, and out of a slavish fear, turn papist, and renounce his profession, and yet not commit this unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost: For doing it out of ignorance and infirmity, there may be matter left for the Holy Ghost to work upon, whereby he may yet be converted and saved. Consider this also, if you are afraid you have committed it, and wish that you had not committed it, and would not commit it if it were to do again, then that is a true sign you have not committed it.
Secondly, I must conclude all with a word of counsel.
I. Watch
