I RECEIVED yours. The temptation about the unpardonable sin is common to almost all persons that are brought to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, wrath, and ruin sin has exposed them to: I laboured long under the same. No sin of the body' is this sin, no sort of uncleanness, theft, nor even murder is that sin; none more unclean than Mary Magdalen, and some of the Corinthians. Read 1. Cor. vi. 9-11. Onesimus was a thief, and Moses and Paul were both murderers, but all these were saved. It is neither excess, idolatry, nor witchcraft, as may be seen in Manasseh, king of Israel.
The unpardonable sin is a sin of the mind; the person that commits it must be a professor, and confessor of the gospel. He must be a man who has been illuminated, or enlightened in his understanding to know; the natural affections stirred up, which is called tasting the good word of God. He must be one who has been an eye and ear witness to the power and force of God's grace and spirit, in its operations and effects upon others, so as to be convinced of the reality and force of it. Nor is it a jealous envying of the happiness of others, when we ourselves seem to be neglected; the nine apostles were filled with indignation against James and John for wishing to sit at the left hand and right of Christ in his kingdom. But it is a falling finally away from Christ, after all this profession; not falling into sin, but falling away finally, apostatizing, so as to return no more.
There must be a hating both God and Christ, as our Lord charges the Jews; "They have no cloak for their sin, for they have seen and hated both me and my Father." This apostate must labour to hinder the work upon others, knowingly, out of spite, which is called doing despite to the Spirit of grace. There must be a speaking against Christ openly, and this against conviction, truth, and conscience, which is called crucifying Christ afresh, and putting him to open shame.
The malice of this apostate must go further, in ascribing the ministry of the gospel, and the power of it in the hearts of God's saints, to Satan, and that out of malice, knowing better; and speaking against all convictions knowingly, as the Jews, who saw our Lord's miracles, and envying him the honour, said, "This fellow casteth out devils by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." To which the Saviour replies, "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness;" because you say, I cast out devils by Beelzebub, &c. so that you see what this sin is. If this short epistle be of any use or encouragement to you, give God the praise; as for me I am a sinner.
W. H., S. S.
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