Page:Unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, or, The sin unto death (1).pdf/8

( 8 ) diſciples, and one of his beloved ones too, he was taught of Chriſt, and had experimental knowledge of his love and favour, and yet he wickedly with an oath denied him. Now if Peter had done this out of malice and ſpite, then he had committed that ſin unto death, for which there is no forgiveneſs; but Peter had no malice in his heart all this while, even when he denied Chriſt, as you may ſee, Matt xxvii. When Chriſt told him, Before the cock crow thou ſhalt deny me thrice; he anſwered. If I ſhould die with thee, I will not deny thee. And then denying him through infirmity and weakneſs of the fleſh, when he conſidered what he had done, He went out and wept bitterly, ver. 75. And Paul, he had great malice and ſpite againſt the ways and people of God,as you may ſee, Acts ix. I. Now, here was a great rage and malice in Paul againſt the ways and people of God, but doing it ignorantly, he at laſt heard a voice, ſaying, Soul, Soul, why perſecuteſt thou me? and receiving a light from heaven, that it was Jeſus that he perſecuted, he was pricked to the heart, and trembling aſtoniſhed, ſaid, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Now, by theſe two places of ſcripture you may plainly ſee, that Peter ſinnes againſt great light, and Paul out of great malice, yet none of them both committed the unpardonable ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt; but whenſoever light and malice meet together in one man there is a ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt. Now as all other ſins, ſo this ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt may be committed in thought, word and deed.