Chapter 20. Of the sinnes against the Holie Ghost

VVHat & how many be the sinnes against the Holie Ghost?

M They are sixe, to wit, despaire of our saluation: presumption to bee saued without merits: to impugne the knowen truth: enuie at an other mans grace: obstinacie in sinne: and finall impenitence.

S Wherefore are they called sinnes against the Holie Ghost?

M Because they are committed vpon meere malice, and speacially the third, which is of all other properly a sinne against the Holie Ghost: that is, when a man knoweth the truth, and yet will obstinatly hold, and proue that it is not true. To sin of malice is said to be against the Holie Ghost: because goodnes is attributed to the Holie Ghost, which is contrarie to malice: like as to sinne of ignorance, is said to be against the Son of God, to whome wisdome is atributed: and sinning of frailtie is said to be against the Father, to whom power is attributed.

S What haue these sinnes proper?

M They haue this, that they are not pardoned in this world, nor in the other, as our Lord admonisheth vs in the Gospel. Which yet is thus vnderstood: that they are hard to be pardoned: because seldom & hardly those that fal into these sinnes, come to true repentance: like as when wee say: a disease is incurable, we will not for all that say, it can not be cured by anie meanes: but that it is seldome cured, or that ordinarily it is not cured.