had no Cloak for their Sins, Joh. XV. 22. If Men were ignorant of their Duty, their Tranfgreffions of it would not be fo heinous. But that fervant, which knew his Lord's will, and did not according to his will, fhall be beaten with many ftripes. For unto whomfoever much is given, of him shall be much required, Luk. xii. 47, 48.

V. A Sin against Confcience is, when a Man doth any thing which his Confcience judgeth to be evil. The Confcience is God's Vicegerent appointed to govern us. And if we do any thing contrary to the Dictates of it, we tranfgrefs, whether its Directions be right or wrong. When the Conscience directs us to do fuch things as are enjoyned by the Law of God, if then we go against its Direction, we fin both against Confcience and the Law, which highly aggravates the Sin. Nay, when the Confcience directs in fome things against the Rule of Scripture, if then we difobey it, we cannot be excufed from Sin. For if we do any thing that is good against Confcience, we fin in doing of it, because we believe it to be really Evil, and it is Evil to us by Reason of our falfe Perfwafion. Or if the Confcience doubteth of the Lawfulness of a thing, we fin against Confcience if we do it, though in it felf it be lawful. For he that doubteth, is condemned of himself, if he doth the thing he doubreth of, because he doth it not of Faith, or with a full Perfwafion that it is lawful. For whatsoever is not of faith,is fin,Rom. xiv. 23,

VI. A Sin of Malice, is a Tranfgreffion committed of fet purpose to displease God, and in contempt of his Law. Though there be fome Malice

L4

Malice in every wilful Sin, yet the more refolute and obftinate a Man is in finning, the more malicious is his Wickednefs. And when a Man is come to that degree of Impiety, that he tranfgreffeth in contempt of the Divine Law, and refufeth to be reformed, he finneth through Malice; for he that finneth thus boldly and refolutely, opposeth himself directly against God, and endeavours to vilifie his Majefty, and to render his Law contemptible. And if after a Man hath maliciously tranfgreffed, he alfo rejoiceth and glorieth in his Wickedness, hereby his Guilt is aggravated to the highest pitch. And until a Man hath accustomed himfelf to Sin, and hardened his Heart, he is not fo defperare as to fet himself against God, and to go purposely to offend him, and then to rejoice and glory in his evil Deeds.

A A NAN.

CHAP XV.

Of the Kinds of ACTUAL SIN in respect of the EVENT.

T

HE Kinds of Actual Sin, in respect of the Event following it, are two: I. Remiffible. II. Irremiffible.

I. A Remiffible Sin, is fuch a Sin, as by the the Mercy of God in Chrift, upon true Repentance is forgiven. Though every Sin in its own Nature be mortal; yet that which is repented of may be called Venial, or (as St. John faith) a fin not unto death: not that it deferves no Punishment,

but

but because to the Penitent for Chrift's fake it is freely forgiven. For God promifeth Pardon not only for Sins of Ignorance and daily Infirmity, but for all Sins whatsoever that are truly repented of. And if we turn from our Sins unto God, and walk in the light, as he is in the light, the blood of Jefus Chrift his Son cleanfeth us from all fin, 1 Joh. i. 7. Though our Sins be very heinous, yet there is fure ground to hope for Mercy upon true Repentance. For the wicked fhall not fall by his own wickedness in the day that he tyrneth from his wickednefs, Ezek. xxxi. 12.

II. AN Irremiffible Sin, is fuch a Sin as fhall never be forgiven. This is two-fold: 1. Any heinous Sin which is never repented of. 2. The Sin against the Holy Ghoft.

1. Any heinous Sin, which is never repented of, is irremiffible. For Remiffion of Sins is promifed only on condition of Repentance. And where Sin reigns, and no Repentance follows, there can be no hope of Mercy. But they that are wicked, and never forfake their Wickedness, fhall fuffer eternal Vengeance due to it. 'Tis not fo much the Commiffion of Sin, as the Continuance in it, that brings Damnation. The greateft Sins, upon true Repentance, are capable of Forgiveness. But without Repentance there can be no ground to hope for Pardon.

2. The Sin against the Holy Ghoft is fuch an inveterate Malice against the Truth, as makes a Man obftinately to refift the utmost Evidence that can be given to it. The greatest Evidence that can be given to confirm any Truth is, that of Miracles. And if fuch as are Eye-witneffes of Miracles, which are wrought to prove

the

the Truth of Christianity, do refift that Evidence, and maliciously impute thofe Miracles, which are wrought by the Holy Ghoft, to the Power of the Devil, they are guilty of the dreadful Sin against the Holy Ghoft. For the Pharifees, who are charged with this Sin, when they faw the Miracles which our Saviour wrought to confirm his Doctrine, and could not deny the Reality of them, yet rather than they would be convinced by them, maliciously afcribed them to the Power of the Devil, Mark iii. 28, 29, 30.

AND this Sin against the Holy Ghoft is fo heinous, that it is abfolutely unpardonable. For whofoever Speaketh against the Holy Ghost (faith St. Matthew) it shall never be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come, Mat. xii. 32. He that blafphemeth against the Holy Ghost (faith St. Mark) hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation, Mar. iii. 29.

AND this Sin is incapable of Pardon, because it is never repented of. And it is never repented of, because such as are guilty of it refift the utmoft Means of their Converfion, and are fo forfaken of God, that they cannot repent. There is no doubt but God can, if he will, work fo powerfully, as to convince the most obftinate, And if they were convinced, and truly repented, their Sins fhould be forgiven. But when Men maliciously oppofe the Truth against the utmost Means of their Conviction, there is nothing left to convince them, but they muft needs continue in their malicious Wickednefs. And God is fo provoked by their malicious Wickednefs, that he withdraws his Grace from them, and leaves them to themfelves as incorrigible Wretches. And being fo forfaken of God, they proceed far

ther

ther in their malicious Oppofition against the Truth, and continue impenitent in it. And their Continuance in this malicious Sin without Repentance, makes them abfolutely incapable of Forgiveness.

THERE is another fpecial Sin, which comes very near to this against the Holy Ghoft. And that is, Total Apoftacy from the Christian Religion. For if a Man renounceth the whole Chriftian Faith, after he hath believed and profeffed it, he doth in effect tread under foot the Son of God, and count the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was fanctified, an unholy thing, and doth defpite unto the Spirit of Grace, Heb. x. 29. And this Sin is fo heinous and dangerous, that the Scripture feems to declare it to be unpardonable. For if we fin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth (that is, if we wilfully renounce Chriftianity, after we have been fully convinced of the Truth of it) there remaineth no more facrifice for fins, Heb. x. 26. And 'tis moft probable this is that Sin which St. John calls a fin unto death, 1 Joh. v. 16. And fuch as are guilty of it, are hardly capable of recovering themselves by Repentance. For when a Man wholly reje&eth Christ and his Religion, which before he profeffed, there are no Means left for his Converfion, but fome extraordinary Degree of God's Grace. And 'tis most probable that God will fet himself against such an Adverfary, and deny him the Grace to repent. For it is impoffible (faith the Apostle) for those, who were once enlightned, and have tafted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Gheft, and have tafted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6.

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