Page:Unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, or, The sin unto death (1).pdf/12

[ 12 ] this unpardonable ſin : But he muſt be ſo far enlightned as to ſee the evil that is in ſin, and the excellency of Chriſt; he muſt taſte of the heavenly gift, and be made partaker of the Holy Ghoſt, and taſte of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come and by the blood of the covenant, which he counts as an unholy thing, he is in part ſatiſfied and cleanſed from many ſins; he muſt have ſweet communion with God in his word and ſacraments; he muſt have ſome taſte of the love and favor of God, and comforts of his Spirit, and be refreſhed by it; and taſte of the joys of heaven, and have ſome foretaſte of the happineſs of the world to come.

4. He muſt oppoſe the known truth wilfully, he muſt wilfully fall away after he hath received the knowledge of the truth; other ſins are committed thro' infirmity, but this ſin is wilful, the will is chief actor in it. And to compleat and make up this unpardonable ſin, there is,

5. Malice in the heart: Without this, this ſin cannot be committed; it muſt be a malicious oppofing of the known truth.

Now, a man having gone this far, he comes in the laſt place to be an apoſtate : Now, for ſuch a one, willfully, ſpitefully and maliciouſly to fall away, he ſo falls as never to riſe more it is true, the children of God fall, and that often, and yet riſe again : But then they fall through weakneſs or infirmity, and not wilfully.