Page:Unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost (2).pdf/13

 his word, and yet not be capable of committing this unpardonable sin, but he must be so far enlightened 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 sanctified and cleansed from many sins; he must have sweet communion with God in his word and sacrament: he must have some taste of the love and be refreshed by it, and taste of the joys of heaven, and have some foretaste of the happiness of the world to come. This is that light and knowledge that lays a man open to the committing of that unpardonable sin. But yet a man may sin against all the light of experimental knowledge, and yet do it through the weakness of the flesh, or through some violent temptations as Peter did when he denied Christ. Therefore,

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 through infirmity, but this sin is wilful, the will is the chief actor in it, and to complete and make up this pardonable sin, there is

5. Malice in the house. Without this, this sin cannot be committed. It must be a malicious opposing of the known truth, that is when a man being once enlightened, and having tasted of the heavenly gift and the good word