Skip to the text
Ember
PT

Of Sins against the Holy Ghost

1. What is a sinne against the Holy-Ghost?

1IT is malitiously, and contemptuously to reiecte the grace and liberality of God beeing offered, which grace certes, is peculiarly attributed to the holy-Ghost, as to the fountaine of all goodnesse. And this is to sinne without any remedy or redresse: insomuch that according to the speech of Christ, for such & so great a sinne, no forgiuenesse is obtained either2 in this worlde, or in the worlde to come. For after this maner Almighty God dealeth with vs, that he giueth neither grace vpon earth, nor glory in Heauen to anie other, but vnto those onelie which hauing once knowne sinne, doe detest it; & setting before their eies that which is good, doe make choise of a righteous course of life. But from these sinnes farre is banished both detestation of sinne, and the choise also of that good which were to bee followed; and that moreouer is cleane reiected, whereby the holy-Ghost doth vse of his singular grace to withdrawe a man from sinne. And for this reason, they which are fettered with such kind of sinnes, doe either neuer get the grace of God: or seldome and very hardly. For these sinnes are not committed of humane imbecillitie & frailtie; which were to sinne against the Father, and the might and power of the Father: as we see in S. PETER3 the Apostle who denied Christ: nor yet of ignorance; which were to sinne against the Sonne, & the wisdome of the Sonne: as was SAVL4 his case, when he persecuted the Church: but that which is farre worse without comparison, these sinnes are committed of malice and obstinacie of minde: as we see for example in those most peruerse and obstinate Pharisies.

2. How many sinnes are there against the holy Ghost?

THere are of that kinde accounted sixe, and their names commonly vsed, are these. Presumption of the mercie of God, or of the impunitie of sinne; Desperation; Oppugning of the knowne truth; Enuying of brotherly charitie; Obstinacie; and impenitencie. But more plainly and significantly they may be thus numbred.

1. Confidently to abuse the mercie of God.

2. Vtterly to despaire of the grace of God, or of his owne saluation.

3. Rebelliouslye, to oppugne the truth of religion against his owne conscience.

4. Vehemently to be moued with a setled Enuy, because of the encrease of saluation & vertue in his brother.

5. With an obstinate minde to persiste wittingly in a faulte.

6. Without purpose of amendment, neuer to make an end of a lewd and peruerse kinde of life.

3. What manner of presumption maketh a sinne against the holy Ghost?5

THat, which maketh a man to trust only in the mercie of God, and to be hardened and emboldened to sinne: all manner of respect, of Gods Iustice and feare being laid aside. And thus certes doe very many sinne at this day, who flattering themselues with an only faith6 in Christ, doe like beastes7 wallow and rotte in the middest of the filth of sinnes; and not to themselues only, but to others also dare promise8 securitie: if only they haue confidence in the merites of Christ, & in the grace of God apprehended by faith; although in the meane time the fruites9 of penance be nothing regarded. But to all these doth the doctor of the Gentiles cry out: Doest thou contemne, saith hee, the riches of the goodnes of God, and patience, 10 and longanimitie, not knowing that the benignitie of God bringeth thee to penance. And for that cause, he in an other place is so farre11 off from willing men to vaunt of only faith; that he biddeth euen the faithfull thenselues euery one, to worke their saluation with feare and12 trembling: commending vnto them a faith not deade and idle, as Sainte13 IAMES calleth it; but liuely & effectuall, which worketh duely by14 charitie. Against this abominable sinne thus exclameth the Ecclesiasticus: Of 15 the remission of sinne be thou not without feare, neither doe thou adde sinne, vpon sinne. And doe not say: the mercie of our Lorde is great he will haue compassion vpon the multitude of my sinnes. For mercie and anger doe soone approche from him, & his anger doth looke vpon sinners. rightly therfore saith the Prophet: I will sing mercie 16 & iudgement vnto thee, o Lord. then in an other place: The 17 honour of the King loueth iudgement.

4. How doth a man sinne against the holy Ghost by desperation?

VVHen the contrarie vice vnto presumption,18 whereof we spake before, doth so possesse the minde of a man, that he casteth off all hope, either of obtaining pardone before God, or of attaining vnto life euerlasting.

After this sort sinned CAIN, by despaire, as himselfe testifieth by his speeche, when he saith:19 Greater is my iniquity, than that I may deserue pardon. Thus sinned also IVDAS that Traitour20 vnto Christ, at what time he being moued with despaire of saluation, like an vnhappy wretch, hanged himselfe. But doubtlesse,21 there is no penance too late, as is manifest by the22 example of that thiefe, which vpon the Crosse, euen in those last momentes of his life, obtained great grace & heauenly glory at the handes of Christ.

5. When doth hee that oppugneth the trueth, sin against the holy-Ghost?

VVHen,23 that trueth which con cerneth the estate of Faith & Religion, not of ignorance but of malice, is purposely impugned, that thereby the sinceritie of Catholike veritie, may be blemished. Of this sinne were the Pharisies 24 guiltie, whose chiefest care we see to haue bene, as malitiously as falsly to blaspheme Christ, to persecute the doctrine of the Gospell, and to suppresse the testimonie25 of the Apostles, and that euen against their own consciences. Not vnlike vnto these are they, that are said by the Prophet to sitte in the 26 chaire of pestilence: and are called by S. PETER27 lying maisters that doe bring in Sects of perdition: Finally by S.28 PAVL, Heretickes, men corrupted 29 in mind, reprobate concerning the faith, attending 30 to spirites of errour, subuerted & condemned by their owne 31 iudgement. Among whom may be numbred that same seducer ELIMAS, whom S. PAVL publikelie reprehending, saide with great vehemencie: O full 32 of all guile and all deceipte, sonne of the deuill, enemie of all iustice, thou ceasest not to subuerte the right waies of our Lorde.

To this kind also is referred, Blasphemie33 of the Spirite: which sinne Christ doth greatly rebuke in the Iewes, and maketh it worse then other sinnes. And woulde to God that this sinne did not raigne in these our daies. For against the holy Ghost doe they also blaspheme, (as writeth DAMASVS)34 who against the holy Canons of the Fathers, endited by the instinct of the holy Ghost, doe any thing willingly or malepertly, or presume to speake, or wilfully giue their consent to then that haue a minde so to doe:. For it is manifest that such a presumption, is one kinde of the blasphemies against the holy Ghost: thus saith DAMASVS.

6. How is Enuie of brotherly grace a sinne against the holy Ghost?35

VVHen we are striken with a greate greife and sorowe because of the splendor & encrease of vertues, & Gods guiftes, in which our brother doth excell.

Which sinne seemeth to be rather proper vnto the Deuill than vnto man: whereas the Deuill doth most wrathfully take the encrease and continuance of36 the grace of God in man: and for that cause he is not only an accuser37 of our brethren, but also an implacable aduersarie38 of God & of all good men, who as a roring Lion goeth about seeking whom hee maye deuour. There were among the Iewes such sonnes of Satan, who did altogether enuie vnto the Gentiles the lately springing grace of the Gospell, as we read in the Acts39 of the Apostles.

7. What kind of obstinacie is that which is a sinne against the holy Ghost?

40THat certes which beareth an obstinate minde against him that giueth him good admonition, so that he will not suffer him selfe by any meanes to be withdrawne from his damnable course.

With this sinne was King PHARAO41 notably attainted, who although he were so often admonished by MOYSES, and sometimes afflicted with very sore scourges from God: yet notwithstanding in his tirannicall purpose, he42 obstinatly persisted, and perished. Famous also was that43 incorrigible obstinacie of the Iewes, whom S. STEVEN painting out as it were in their colours, saith: With a 44 hardnecke and with vncircumcised eares you haue all waies resisted the holy Ghost. And not vnlike vnto them, are those at this day, that being addicted vnto new sectes, may not abide so much as to heare or reade anye Catholike instructions: but, euen like to the serpent45 called the (Aspe) shutting their eares against the sweete melodie of the sounde doctrine of the Church; they seeme to say: Departe thou 46 from vs: and, we will not haue the knowledge of thy waies. which is nothing else then as S. PAVL speketh: According 47 to their hardnes and impenitent harte, to heape to themselues wrath, in the day of wrath, and of the reuelation of the iust iudgement of God. For as SALOMON also teacheth; To a man, 48 that with a hard necke contemneth him that correcteth him, a soddaine distruction shall come vpon him, and healthe shall not follow him.

8. When is a sinne of impenitency committed?

49VVHen a man without anie end or measure of his sins, which truely hee shoulde washe away by holesome Penance: resolueth moreouer that neuer hee will doe any Penance at al. Of this kind of persons, who are such desperate and pittifull sinners and so will remaine; both their life & their death is most50 abominable: for asmuch as, if not in wordes, yet in deed they seeme to say:51 We haue entered into league with death, and with hell wee haue made a pact. And of these also may that saying bee vnderstoode which S. IOHN auoucheth. There 52 is a sinne to death, for that I say not that anie man aske.

Thus much concerning the sins against the holy-Ghost: which are doubtlesse most grieuous, & which Almighty God either neuer, or verie hardly doth pardon. For which cause, we ought often to garde our selues, & to confirme others against the same: that we may obserue that saying:53 Contristate not, 54 extinguishe not the spirite of God; This 55 day if you heare his voice, harden not your hearts. Let 56 none of you be obdurate with the fallacie of sinne. For 57 an harde heart shall bee in euill case at the last. Nowe therefore let vs come to those sins which are also not a little hainous, and are wonte to be called sinnes that cry vnto Heauen.

Footnotes

  1. Vide S. Tho mam. in 2.2. quaest. 14. ↩

  2. Mat. 12, 31. Mar. 3, 28. Luc. 12, 10. ↩

  3. Mat. 26, 74. Vide Greg. lib. 25. Mor. cap. 16. ↩

    1. Tim. 1, 13. Act 9, 1.
    ↩

  5. Greg. in c. 3. lib. 1. reg. & l 33. mor. c. 15. & l. 6. ep. 22. Fulg. de fid. ad Pet. cap. 3. Bern. serm. 38. ex paruis. ↩

  6. Aug. de. fid. & op. c. 14. & 22. in Ench. ca. 67. & haer. 54. Hier. in c. 4. Osc. ↩

  7. Ioel. 1, 17 ↩

    1. Pet. 2, 18 Eccles. 8, 14. Conc. Trid. sess. 6. cap. 9. & can. 12.13.14. Hier. in cap. 4. Dan.
    ↩

  9. Luc. 3, 8.9. & 13, 3. Mat. 3, 8.10. Act. 26, 20. Eccli. 2, 22. ↩

  10. Ro. 2, 4. Eccles. 8, 11. Eccli. 15, 21. Aug. trac. 33 in Ioan. & ho. 50. ex 50. ca 4. Isid. de sum. bo. lib. 2. cap. 13. ↩

    1. Cor. 13, 1
    ↩

  12. Phil. 2, 12 Psal. 2, 11. Pro. 28, 14. Rom. 11, 20 1. Cor. 4, 4. & 10, 12. ↩

  13. Iac. 2, 14. ↩

  14. Gal. 5, 6. ↩

  15. Eccli. 5, 4.5. Eccle. 9, 1. vide Aug de perf. lust cap 15. & de corr. & gra. c. 13. & ho. 41. ex 50. & ser. 3. de Innoc. Greg. li. 16. mor. c. 3. ↩

  16. Ps. 100, 1. Bern. ser 52. ex paruis. & ser. 6. in Cant. Aug. de vtil. poenit. c. ult. ↩

  17. Ps. 98, 4 ↩

  18. Aug. ser. 58. de temp. & in Psal. 50. Greg. lib. 5. mor. c. 14. Isid. lib. 2. de sum. bo. c. 14 Chry. ho. 2. in Psal. 50. Ber. ser. 5. de nat. Dom. ↩

  19. Gen. 4, 13 Bern. ser. 11. in Cant. ↩

  20. Mat. 27, 3. Act. 1, 18. Ephes. 4, 19. 2. Reg. 2, 26. ↩

  21. Ezec. 18, 21.27. & 33, 11. 1. Io. 1, 7.9. & 2, 1. Hier. 3, 1. Esa. 1, 18. Ps. 144, 8. Eccli. 17, 20.27. ↩

  22. Luc. 23, 40. Aug. li. 1. retr. c. 19. & de cor. & gr. ca. 15. & ser. 181. de temp. c. 16. Leo. ep. 91. ad Theo. Conc. Trid. ses. 14. cap. 7. ↩

  23. Leo. ep. 10. ad Flau. c. 1. Aug. de Gen. ad lit. l. 7. c. 9 & tra. 18. in Euang. Ioa. & de vtil. cre ca. 1. & l. 18. ciu. ca. 51. & lib. 21. c. 25. ↩

  24. Mat. 12, 24. & 15, 2. & 21, 45. & 22, 15. Io. 7, 48. & 12, 10.19. ↩

  25. Act. 4, 16. & 5, 18. ↩

  26. Psal. 1, 1. ↩

    1. Pet. 2, 1
    ↩

  28. Tit. 3, 10. ↩

    1. Tim. 3, 8.
    ↩
    1. Tim. 4, 1.
    ↩

  31. Tit. 3, 11 ↩

  32. Act. 13, 10. ↩

  33. Mat. 12, 31 ↩

  34. Apud Gratianum. 25. quaest. 1. violatores. ↩

  35. Aug. li. 1. de ser. Dom. in monte. cap. 22. & 1. retr. cap 19. ↩

  36. Sap. 2, 24 ↩

  37. Apoc. 12, 10. ↩

    1. Pet. 5, 8.
    ↩

  39. Act. 11, 2. & 13, 45. Gen. 4, 5. ↩

  40. Aug. in Enc. cap. 83. & in Ps. 58. conc. 1. Greg. ho. 11. in Ezech. Bern. li. 1. de consid. ca. 2. & in ser. de conuers. ad Cler. cap. 4. ↩

  41. Exod. 7, & seq. Aug. quaest. 18. & 24. in Exod. & ser. 88. de temp. Gerg. 31. mor. c. 11 & l. 11. ca. 5. ↩

  42. Exod. 14. ↩

  43. Hier. 5, 3. & 8, 5. Esa. 48, 4. Zach. 7, 11. Gen. 49, 7. ↩

  44. Act. 7, 51. ↩

  45. Psal. 57, 5 ↩

  46. Iob. 21, 14. ↩

  47. Ro. 2, 4. ↩

  48. Pro. 29, 1. Bern. ser. 42. in Cant. ↩

  49. Aug. de verb Do. ser. 21. cap. 12. & 13. & ep. 50. ad Bonif. Gelas. in tomo. de anarhematis vinculo. ↩

  50. Psal. 33, 22. ↩

  51. Esa, 28, 15. & 3, 8.9. Psal. 51, 3.7. Pro. 2, 14. ↩

    1. Io. 5, 16 Aug. de corr & gra. c. 12. & 1. retract. cap. 19.
    ↩

  53. Ephes. 4, 30. ↩

    1. Thess. 5, 19.
    ↩

  55. Ps. 94, 8. ↩

  56. Heb. 3, 13. ↩

  57. Eccli. 3, 7.27. ↩

Chapter 21 of 36