on unclean spirit: which plainly shews that these Scribes had spoken blasphemy against the Holy Ghost: as these Scribes were great learned men, they could know no other but that Christ was the Son of God, and must know that he cast out devils by the Spirit of God, and yet they out of spite to Christ, maliciously and blasphemously said, That he cast out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils. Thus the Scribes committed the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, and that in word.
3. This sin may he committed in action too; that is, when a man being once thoroughly enlightened, having entered upon a holy course of life. and tasted the comforts of God’s Spirit, and some foretaste of the joys of heaven, and not only makes profession of the gospel, but teaches it to others; yet at last takes a dislike to the holy courses, and through spite and malice utterly forsakes, opposes, and persecutes those good ways of God, which he before professed and taught. But to sum up this point, this unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost is fully described by the apostle to the Hebrews, chap. x. 26, 27, 29 For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith ⟨he⟩ was sancified, an unholy thing, and hath done ⟨despite⟩ to the Spirit of grace? Likewise, Heb. vi. 4. 5, 6 For it is impossible ⟨for⟩ those who were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ⟨if⟩ they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, ⟨seeing⟩ they crucify to themselves afresh the Son of God, and put him to open shame.
Now the sin against the Holy Ghost is briefly this: itit
