A commentary vpon the Epistles of Saint Paul to Philemon, and to the Hebrewes together with a compendious explication of the second and third Epistles of Saint Iohn. By VVilliam Iones of East Bergholt in Suffolke, Dr. in Divinity, and sometimes one of the fellowes of the foundation of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge.

VERSE 29.

THe interrogation is more forcible, then if it had beene a plaine affirmation: they dyed the death of the body: but these are worthy of the death, where soule and body shall dye for ever.

Be you Iudges in the matter. I dare appeale to your own selves.

Then he sets forth the greatnesse of their sin: which ariseth by three steps or degrees. 1. They in the Law despised Moses, which was but a man: these Christ, which is the Son of God: therfore they are worthy of a sharper punishment: they broke but one particular Law: these renounce the whole Gospell of CHRIST the Son of God.

They have not Christ actually to tread upon, he is in heaven at the right hand of God, but metonymically, in treading his truth under their feete, which they make no reckoning of, in conculcating the benefits

of CHRIST offered to them, they tread CHRIST Himselfe, or, they carry such a spitefull minde against him, as if possible, they would pull him out of heaven, and tread him under their feete. They did it not actu, but affectu. This is the vilest indignity, that can be of∣fered to any, to make him as dirt to tread on. The Souldiers crucified CHRIST, but they did not treade him under their feete. For Tray∣tors to tread the King under their feete, is a monstrous thing: yet these as arrant Traytors did tread Christ the King of Kings under their feete. Horrible wretches!

In this they opposed themselves to his kingdome.

In the next to his Priest-hood.

Christ by his last Will and Testament gave us a Legacie of the kingdome of heaven Luk. 22.29. the which Testament was con∣firmed by the bloud and death of the Testatour, Matth. 26.28. Now this holy, precious and pure bloud, wherewith we are washed from our sinnes, these impure wretches account an unholy, a common, a pollu∣ted thing, Mark. 7.2. Acts 10.15. They make no more account of the bloud of Christ, then of the bloud of a thiefe, nay of a dogge or swine, yet they had some benefit by this bloud.

Last of all, they opposed themselves to the prophesie of Christ.

It is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: they abuse him with some notable re∣proach and contumelie.

Which is the fountaine and bestower of all graces.

He had given them many graces, of knowledge, of some faith, hope, love and zeale: yet they contumeliously reproach this spirit, re∣vile him: terming him a spirit of errour, that had deluded them all this while: For this cause they have sinned against the Holy Ghost.

In these respects they are worthy of most severe punishment: no sacrifice for this sinne.

Is any pitty to bee shewed to them, that—In this world there is Mercy, but none to bee expected in the world to come. Then judgement mercilesse. Now CHRIST standeth with open armes, venite ad me omnes: but then he shall say, ite maledicti: no mercy to be found for the wicked at the day of judgment. God shew mercy to the house of Onesiphorus at that day: there is mercy for the godly that be in Christ: but none for the wicked that be out of Christ.

And who be they that shall be so severely punished?

From hence may be collected a true definition of the sin against the Holy Ghost. It is a malicious oppugning of the truth of the Gospell sea∣led up in their hearts by the HOLY GHOST: they were enlightned in the mysterie of redemption purchased by Christ: that he is the on∣ly Priest, which by the sacrifice of his own body hath made satisfacti∣on for our sins, and hath reconciled us to God the Father, that by his bloud alone wee have an entrance into the holy place: this truth was re∣vealed to them by the Holy Ghost: this they once acknowledged and professed before all men; but afterwards maliciously they oppugne this truth by blasphemous speeches, rayling and reviling books, and by all the force they can, go about to suppresse it by fire and fagot,

treading under foote the Sonne of GOD, and counting the bloud of the Testament as an unholy thing. Paul was a blasphemer, and a persecutor of the Lord Iesus: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou mee? yet hee sin∣ned not against the HOLY GHOST, because hee did it on igno∣rance. Peter sinned against his owne knowledge, when hee denyed and forswore CHRIST: yet he sinned not against the Holy Ghost; because he did it on weakenes, for the preservation of his life. Ma∣licious impugning of every truth of the Gospell, is of the essence of the sinne against the Holy Ghost. To malice a member of Christ, a Preacher, an Ambassadour of Christ, as Ahab did Mich••aiah, is a grievous sinne, a step to the sinne against the Holy Ghost: yet not the sinne against the Holy Ghost.

That is a malicious oppugning of the truth it selfe.* 1.1 As Saint Paul sayes of Alexander the Copper-smith, that he resisted, not his per∣son, but his preaching, and that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with all his might. Such a one was Iulian the Apostata, that had beene a Christian, baptised into the name of Christ, in outward shew a zealous professour of the Gospell, a publike reader in the Church of Nicomedia: he and his brother Gallus together built a Temple to Mammas the Martyr. This simulata Sanctitas proved duplex iniquitas. Afterward in con∣tempt of Christ and Christian religion he washed away his baptisme with bloud: he was a scoffer and derider of Christ, a cunning perse∣quutor of the Gospell; not by fire and sword, but by sleights and de∣vices: because he thought open persequution would make Christia∣nity more glorious. In despight of the true God revealed to him in Scripture, he worshipped the Gods of the heathen. To the last gaspe hee spewed out malice against our Saviour Christ. When the arrow was in his side, that gave him his deadly wound, he took some of his own bloud into his hand, threw it into the ayre, and said, Vicisti Ga∣lilaee, &c. and so dyed miserably. Bellarmine sayes, l. 2. de poen. c. 15. there bee some among us, that knowing the Scriptures and the Fa∣thers, yet sinne against their owne knowledge, and that of malice to the truth. But as for us, we will not judge them.

An horrible sin! Let us all take heed of it. The damned commit not this sin: for men may be damned for lesse sins. If thou continuest in adultery, unrepented, thou mayest be damned: nay, the least sinne without repentance may throw us into hell: but questionlesse they are damned that sin against the HOLY GHOST. A sore punishment is reserved for them. Therefore let us all beware of this sinne. Let us bee thankefull to GOD for the Truth of the Gospell revealed to us, let us make much of it. Let us not quench the light of the spirit, but nourish it in our hearts. Let not the least thought against the truth finde any entertainment in us: Let us never open our mouthes against it, but blesse God for it, and defend it by all possi∣ble meanes. Let us say with that worthy Apostle, we can doe nothing against the truth, but for the truth: yea, let us be content, if God shall see it good, even to lay down our lives for the Truth. Let us take heede, how upon pride, vaineglory, or singularity we maintaine

any opinion against the truth; how upon malice we set our selves against the truth. For by these degrees, the Devill at the length may carry us into this fearefull sinne against the HOLY GHOST. Let us not grieve the good Spirit of God any kinde of way, but let us suffer our selves to be guided by him all the dayes of our lives, that we never fall into this horrible sin, nor be partakers of the punish∣ment due to it, but that wee may be preserved from it and all other sinnes, and reigne with CHRIST our blessed SAVIOUR in the life to come.

There is an outward and an inward sanctification: hee is not a Iew which is one outward; but he is a Iew which is one within. Iudas see∣med to be a Saint: yet he was a Devill.

Let us entreat the Lord to sanctifie our hearts as well as our hands, our soules and consciences, as well as our tongues. That is true san∣ctification that beginneth at the heart, and from thence floweth to all the parts and members of the body.

What should we doe with a faire and beautifull Apple, if the core be rotten? A straw for an outward glorious profession, and if there be no truth in the inward parts. Therefore let us desire God to sanctifie us in soule, spirit and body throughout.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2 Tim. 4.15.