Christian directions, showing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…Christian directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…

Ans. Though the Sin against the Holy Ghost be a Sin against knowledge and conscience, yet every Sin (yea every grievous Sin) against knowledge and conscience, is not the Sin against the Holy Ghost; for they may be without malice of heart, which this cannot be; and therefore though thou hast often sinned against knowledge and conscience. yet if thou hast not sinned with a malicious heart, i. e. thou hast not sinned merely because thou wouldest displease God, and grieve his Spirit, thou hast not committed the Sin against the Holy Ghost.

Ans. Though the Sin against the Holy Ghost bee a Sin against knowledge and conscience, yet every Sin (yea every grievous Sin) against knowledge and conscience, is not the Sin against the Holy Ghost; for they may be without malice of heart, which this cannot be; and therefore though thou hast often sinned against knowledge and conscience. yet if thou hast not sinned with a malicious heart, i. e. thou hast not sinned meerly because thou wouldest displease God, and grieve his Spirit, thou hast not committed the Sin against the Holy Ghost.

IV. Having made thy peace with God, then make thy peace with ⟨p. 70⟩men, by an hearty forgiving of all who have wronged thee. This is a duty to be performed by thee in the whole course of thy life, as any occasion thereof is given, without which the Lord will not accept of any Christian service, and sacrifice that thou offerest unto him; and therefore saith our Saviour,¹ When thou standest praying, forgive, if thou hast ought against any; for indeed, how canst thou ask God forgiveness of thy sins, when thou wilt not forgive man his offences against thee? How canst thou beg peace and reconciliation with thy heavenly Father, when thou wilt not be reconciled on earth to thy Brother? As therefore this Duty is to be performed by thee in the whole course of thy life, so especially in thy last Sickness, for thereby thou mayest gain some assurance in thine own Soul of the forgiveness of thy Sins committed against God; which our Saviour implieth in that expression of his, If ye forgive men their trespasses,