[ 14 ]
cleansed from many sins; he must have ⟨sworn⟩ communion with God, in his word and sacrament: he must have some taste of the love ⟨and⟩ favour of God, and comforts of his Spirit, ⟨and⟩ be refreshed by it, and taste of the joys of heaven and have some foretaste of the happiness of ⟨the⟩ world to come. This is that light and knowledge that lays a man open to the ⟨committing⟩ of that unpardonable sin: But yet a man may ⟨sin⟩ against all the light and experimental ⟨knowledge⟩ and yet do it through the weakness of the flesh or through some violent temptations, as Peter did when he denied Christ: Therefore,
4. He must oppose the known truth wilfully. He must wilfully fall away, after he hath received the knowledge of the truth; other ⟨sins⟩ are committed through infirmity, but this sin ⟨is⟩ wilful, the will is the chief actor in it; and ⟨to⟩ compleat and make up this unpardonable ⟨sin⟩ there is,
5. Malice in the heart: Without ⟨this,⟩ this sin cannot be committed. It must be a malicious opposing of the known truth; that ⟨is⟩ when a man being once enlightened, and having tasted of the heavenly gift, and the good ⟨word⟩ of God, and hath been made partaker of ⟨the⟩ Holy Ghost, and hath had some sweet relish ⟨and⟩ foretaste of heaven, he comes to take a ⟨dislike⟩ and to hate the holy ways of God, and ⟨maliciously⟩ oppose and persecute them, in despite of ⟨the⟩ Spirit of grace, crucifying afresh the Son of ⟨God⟩ and putting him to open shame.
