him. And the only persons to whom Christ declared that this should not be forgiven, were those who had the testimony of their own senses for the reality of these miracles and gifts; and, notwithstanding the fullest evidence of their coming from the Spirit of God, obstinately persisted in reviling them, and even ascribed them to the Devil. Now there is a plain reason why this sin, under these circumstances, must be unpardonable. The persons guilty of it, had stood out against all the means which heaven had provided for the conviction and conversion of mankind; none more powerful remained to bring them to repentance; and, as they could not be forgiven without repenting, there was plainly no way left for their recovery. But, then, it is equally plain, that persons who never were witnesses to any such miraculous powers, but live, as we do, many ages after they are ceased, cannot, in this respect, sin to the same degree of guilt, since it is not against the same degree of evidence; and that as they, who were guilty of it originally, were unbelievers in Christ, so, indeed, no believer in him, continuing such, can possibly design, whilst his thoughts and words are in his own command, to speak evil of the Holy Ghost, or his mighty works. Nor, therefore, can he come under the condemnation of those, whom the Epistle to the Hebrews describes, as "wilfully doing despite to the Spirit of Grace;" and of whom it pronounces, that "there remains for them "no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful expec"tation of judgment." Believers may, indeed, rashly and thoughtlessly use prophane words concerning the Holy Ghost; but these, though undoubtedly great offences, and too likely to make way for greater still, are very far from the unpardonable sin. And as for what some good per 66 5 (5) Heb. x. 26-29. sons are often terrified about the wicked imagi nations that often come into their minds, and expressions that come out of their mouths, at times, almost whether they will or not; in proportion as they are involuntary, they are not criminal in them, be they in their own nature ever so bad. When, therefore, poor scrupulous souls affright themselves about such things as these-or when they who have not sinned at all against the Spirit, otherwise than as every ill action is a sin against him ; or have sinned in a quite different manner from the Jews in the Gospel, and heartily repented of their sin; when they apprehend, that notwithstanding this, they cannot be pardoned-they entirely mistake their own case, either through ignorance, or false opinion infused into them-or excessive tenderness of mind-or, indeed, more commonly by reason of some bodily disorder, though, perhaps, unperceived by themselves, which depresses their spirits, and clouds their understandings, and requires the help of medicine. Another sin against the Holy Ghost, mentioned in Scripture, is," lying to him;"6 which means there, asserting falsehoods, being conscious that they were such, to persons inspired by him, with the knowledge of men's hearts, as did Ananias and Sapphira. But the offences which we are in danger of committing against him, are-resisting7 and quenching his good motions and influences, and grieving him by corrupt communication, evil thoughts, or unholy actions. These things, therefore, let us diligently avoid; or, if we have fallen into them, sincerely repent of them; the opposite duties let us conscientiously practice, and stedfastly persevere in them; for so shall we com"mend ourselves to God, and to the Spirit of his grace; who is able to build us up, and give us (8) 1 Thess. v. 19. 66 (6) Acts v. 3. (7) Acts vii. 51. G 66 an inheritance amongst them who are sancti"fied:" to which, may he, of his mercy, bring us all, for the sake of our Redeemer Jesus Christ. Amen. LECTURE XIV. CREED. Article IX. The Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints. THE most ancient Creeds of all, went no further than a declaration of faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in whose name we are baptized. For, in this profession, all those other points of doctrine were understood to be implied, which it was very soon after found most convenient to express by additional Articles. And the first of these is that now to be explained; wherein we declare our belief in "the Holy Catholic Church, and the Com"munion of Saints." The Scripture word, translated Church, originally signifies any regular and orderly assembly of persons, called to meet on any occasion. But in the Bible it signifies, almost always, a religious assembly. And when used in its largest sense there, it comprehends the whole number of good persons, in every age: all those who, from the beginning of the world, under whatever dispensation of true religion, have believed in God, and served him according to the degree of their light; and shall, in the end of it, be gathered together, and rewarded by him, according to the degree of their (9) Acts xx. 32. improvement. This is "the general assembly, and "Church of the first-born, which are written in "heaven," as the Epistle to the Hebrews calls it.' And since the salvation of all these is owing to Jesus Christ-the only name by which men can be saved, they are all, in that respect, members of the Church of Christ; how obscure and imperfect soever their knowledge of a Saviour may have been. But the word is usually taken in a narrower sense. And thus it is sometimes applied to the Jewish nation: which, in the Old Testament, is called, by a phrase of just the same meaning, the congregation of the Lord," and by St. Stephen, "the Church which was in the wilderness."4 4 But the Church more especially meant here in the Creed, is the Christian: which though, in some respects, the same with the Jewish, in others differed from it; which, therefore, our Saviour, in the Gospel, speaks of himself, as about to build ; and, accordingly, immediately after his ascension, in the Acts of the Apostles, we find it built; that is, we find an assembly of believers in Christ, met together at Jerusalem, under their proper teachers and governors, to worship God, and edify one another, in the manner which he appointed. 6 This was the original Christian Church; small, indeed, at first: but the Lord, we read, added to "the Church daily such as should be saved;" till the Gospel spreading every way the number of Christians, which, in the beginning, required no more than one congregation, was, of necessity, divided into several. And henceforward we find many churches spoken of, at some times; yet, all these many spoken of as one at others. For since they all proceed from the same source, are all, as the Apostle argues, one body, and are directed by (1) Heb. xii. 23. (4) Acts vii. 38. (2) Acts iv. 12. (3) Num. xvi. 3, &c: (6) Acts ii. 47. . "one spirit; even as they are called in one hope "of their calling; as they have one Lord, one "Faith, one Baptism, one God, and Father of "all :"7 so are they, in great propriety of speech, though "many, yet one in Christ." His Church, therefore, is the whole number of those who believe in him. How much, soever, they may differ in some opinions or practices, yet they are one in all things essential. How wide, soever, they may be dispersed throughout the world, they shall at last be "gathered together unto him." We can judge only according to appearances; and, therefore, to us, all those must be members of Christ's Church, who make a visible profession of being Christians. But God sees every secret thought; and in his eye, they alone belong truly to his Church, who truly serve him in "the hidden man "of the heart ;" that inward sincerity, which to human eyes is invisible. And this invisible true Church of Christ here on earth, is militant; carrying on a continual war against the outward temptations of the world, and the Devil, and the inward struggles of every wrong inclination; till having faithfully fought the good fight; and really, though not perfectly, gotten the victory in this life; it shall, in the next, become triumphant, and receive the "crown of righteousness."2 Such, then, being the Church of Christ in its. different states, let us proceed to consider the two qualities ascribed to it in the Creed; that it is Holy, and that it is Catholic. To be holy, is to be separate from all defilement and impurity, particularly of the moral kind. Thus God is perfectly holy; angels and good men are so in their different degrees. And because nothing unclean or impure, in any sense, ought to (7) Eph. iv. 4, 5, 6. (8) Rom. xii. 5. (9) 2 Thess. ii. 1. Rev. xv. 2. |