Thirdly: As it doth not consist therein, so it is not necessary that every man that sins the Sin against the Holy Ghost, should be an Universal Apostate, back-sliding from the Profession of the Gospel, and the Power thereof: I know it is ordinarily thought so, but I say, it is not necessary that whosoever doth sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost, should be a Gospel Apostate, back-sliding from the Gospel, and the Power thereof, once profest: for these Pharisees who sinned against the Holy Ghost, never profest the Gospel, neither do we read of any back-sliding in them, from the Power of the Gospel once profest; and yet they sinned against the Holy Ghost. Surely therefore, such a Gospel-Apostasy, is not of the essence of the Sin against the Holy Ghost. Only here I must distinguish concerning the word Apostasy: A man may be said to be an Apostate two ways: either because he doth decline, and fall away from the Profession of the Truth, and Power of Godliness ⟨p. 357⟩once profest; or else because he doth rebel against Truth revealed, and the Will of God manifested, and will go no further. I will express it thus: Five or six men go a great Journey, suppose to Wales, or into the North, to Scotland; when they come about the middle of the way, two or three of them say, these ways are dirty, and longer than we intended, and therefore we will go no further; but say the other, Let the way be as dirty, and as long as it may be, we will go on, and on they go: Which of these men do depart one from the other? do those that go on depart from them that stay? No; those that will go no further depart, they are the forsakers. So in the way to Heaven, Professors let out together, and some find the way long, further than they thought of, we will go no further say they, and we will have no more Light; but say the other, God willing we will on, and on they go: Which of these two sorts are the Apostates? Those that will go no further: they think not so, but the Lord knows the truth, that those that will go no further, are they that leave and forsake the other. I will give you one Scripture for it, it is in Numbers, 14. there were certain Spies went into the Land of Canaan, and they brought an il report upon the good Land, And the Children of Israel murmured against Moses, verse 2. whereupon Moses speaks unto them, and saith at verse 9. Only rebel not against the Lord:
Thirdly: As it doth not consist therein, so it is not necessary that every man that sins the Sin against the Holy Ghost, should be an Universal Apostate, back-sliding from the Profession of the Gospel, and the Power thereof: I know it is ordinarily thought so, but I say, it is not necessary that whosoever doth sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost, should be a Gospel Apostate, back-sliding from the Gospel, and the Power thereof, once profest: for these Pharisees who sinned against the Holy Ghost, never profest the Gospel, neither do we read of any back-sliding in them, from the Power of the Gospel once profest; and yet they sinned against the Holy Ghost. Surely therefore, such a Gospel-Apostacy, is not of the essence of the Sin against the Holy Ghost. Only here I must distinguish concerning the word Apostacy: A man may be said to be an Apostate two waies: either because he doth decline, and fall away from the Profession of the Truth, and Power of Godliness ⟨p. 357⟩once profest; or else because he doth rebel against Truth revealed, and the Will of God manifested, and wil go no further. I wil express it thus: Five or six men go a great Journey, suppose to Wales, or into the North, to Scotland; when they come about the middle of the way, two or three of them say, these waies are dirty, and longer than we intended, and therefore we wil go no further; but say the other, Let the way be as dirty, and as long as it may be, we wil go on, and on they go: Which of these men do depart one from the other? do those that go on depart from them that stay? No; those that wil go no further depart, they are the forsakers. So in the way to Heaven, Professors let out together, and some find the way long, further than they thought of, we wil go no further say they, and we wil have no more Light; but say the other, God willing we wil on, and on they go: Which of these two sorts are the Apostates? Those that wil go no further: they think not so, but the Lord knows the truth, that those that wil go no further, are they that leave and forsake the other. I wil give you one Scripture for it, it is in Numbers, 14. there were certain Spies went into the Land of Canaan, and they brought an il report upon the good Land, And the Children of Israel murmured against Moses, verse 2. whereupon Moses speaks unto them, and saith at verse 9. Only rebel not against the Lord:
