Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given", and fall into sin, and by the grace of God we may rise again, and amend our lives. f And therefore they are to be condemned

b There is not at present any sect in this country that maintain this doctrine.

c Matt. xvi. 16, 17. Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.- Matt. xxvi. 35. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee.-Ver. 69-74. And a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man.

d The Puritans, in the beginning of the reign of King James the First, wished the words "though not finally" to be here introduced, in order to reconcile the doctrine of the defectibility of grace with their opinion of absolute predestination; but the King and Bishops would not allow any such addition.

e Matt. xxvi. 74, 75. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the words of Jesus. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

f Gal. vi. 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

E

which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

This Article is directed against the Novatians of old, who held every sin committed after baptism to be unpardonable. This doctrine being revived by some of the Anabaptists and other enthusiasts which sprang up at the beginning of the Reformation; it is not improbable but that the compilers of the Articles had an eye likewise upon their heterodoxy. The latter part is against those who contended that men could not be guilty of sin, after they had once received the Holy Ghost, or divine grace, (see also Art. IX. and XV.) Thus in this Article we have to argue against those who contend for the impeccability of man, as in the preceding notice was taken of a sect who maintain the peccability of Christ.

By deadly sin we are not to understand such sins as in the Church of Rome are called mortal, in opposition to others called venial, (which they got rid of by temporal punishment, as though all sin was not equally criminal in the sight of God,) but deadly sin is here to be understood as opposed to sins of ignorance and infirmity-for though in the strictness of justice every sin is deadly, yet in the dispensation of the Gospel those sins only

are deadly" that drive away grace, and are wilfully and habitually continued in. Divines are by no means agreed concerning what is here called "sin against the Holy Ghost." This sin is mentioned in the three first Gospels; see Matt. xii. 31, 32. Mark iii. 28, 29. Luke xii. 10. from all which passages it is evident that this sin could not have been committed while our Saviour was upon earth, since he always speaks of the Holy Ghost as not being to come till after his ascension into heaven. (See John vii. 39. and xvi. 7.) And hence it would appear that this sin consisted in finally rejecting the Gospel as preached by the Apostles, though confirmed by divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost." This sin was different from all other sins, and unpardonable in the men of that generation, since it indicated an invincible obstinacy of mind, in rejecting the best of all proofs that could be afforded of the divine mission of Christ.

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If this sin can exist in the present day, it must be open and professed blasphemy against Christ and his religion, (the historians of which were inspired by the Holy Ghost,) in direct opposition to the plain dictates of reason and common sense.

In addition to the texts in support of the -latter part of this Article, the circumstance of St. Peter's denial of Christ, and his repentance, &c. may be adduced; also the instance of Simon Magus, Acts viii. 9-24.

ARTICLE XVII.

Of Predestination and Election.

b

a PREDESTINATION to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpose, by his Spirit working in

C

a 2 Tim. i. 9. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

b Eph. i. 4, 5. According as he hath chosen us IN HIM before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children BY JESUS CHRIST to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.-Acts ix. 15. He is a chosen vessel unto me.Rom. ix. 23. The vessels of mercy which he had before prepared unto glory.-2 Thess. ii. 13.-1 Pets ii. 9.

Rom. viii. 30. Whom he did predestinate, them he also called.-2 Tim. i. 9.-Eph. i. 18.-Heb. iii. 1.

e

due season: a They through grace obey the calling: They be justified freely: f They be made sons of God by adoption: 8 They be made like the image of his onlybegotten Son Jesus Christ: They walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.

*As the godly consideration of predes

d Ps. xc. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Acts xiii. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.-Rom. vi. 17. Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

e Rom. iii. 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.-Rom. viii. 30. Whom he called, them he also justified.

f Gal. iv. 5. That we might receive the adoption of sons. Ver. 6. 7. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father, &c.

g Rom. viii. 29. Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. 1 Cor. xv. 49.-Col. iii. 10.

h Eph. ii. 10. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

i Matt. xxv. 34. Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Rom. viii. 30. Whom he justified, them he also glorified.-1 Pet. i. 3, 4, 5.

k Rom. v. 11. We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the atonement.1 Pet, i. 8. Whom having not seen ye love; in whom