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nothing of what our adversary possesseth is the privilege of the Lord alone, who was partaker with us of his passions, yet without sin.' And Theodorus Abucata°, But there is none but Christ alone, who was ever perfectly and altogether free from tasting of sin: but every sin, be it what it will, brings forth death.'

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Cyril of Alexandria to the same purpose P: Christ was the first and the only man upon earth that did not commit sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.' And Cassianus very sharply: This thing therefore, viz. to be without sin, which is singular and proper to Christ alone, he will, with the fault of blasphemous pride, challenge to himself an equality in, whosoever dare profess himself to be without sin; for then it will follow, that he must say, that he hath the likeness of sinful flesh only, and not the truth of sin.'

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Augustine hath also delivered his opinion in this case very plainly. 'Perhaps,' saith he, it is not without cause, that when we often find in Scripture that men are said to be without complaint, we can find none said to be without sin, but that one alone of whom it is openly

ο "Ακρως δὲ καὶ παράπαν ἁμαρτίας ἄγευστος οὐδεὶς εἰ μὴ ὁ Χριστὸς πᾶσα δὲ ἁμαρτία καὶ ἡ τυχοῦσα θάνατον ἐπιφέρεται.-Theodor. Abuc. de Quinque Inimicis. • Πρῶτος καὶ μόνος ἄνθρωπος ἐπὶ γῆς ὁ Χριστὸς οὐκ ἐποίησεν ἁμαρτίαν, οὐδὲ ἑυρέθη dóλos Ev Tã σTóμatı avroũ. — Cyril. Alex. de Rectá Fide, ad Theodosium.

Hujus ergo rei, quæ illi tantùm singularis ac propria est, æqualitatem sibi blasphemæ superbiæ crimine vindicabit, quisquis se esse sine peccato ausus fuerit profiteri. Consequens enim est, ut similitudinem carnis peccati, et non veritatem peccati, habere se dicat. — Cassian. Collat. 22. cap. 12.

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Non fortasse sine causa cùm aliquoties in Scripturis inveniatur, homines dictos esse sine querela, non invenitur qui sit dictus sine peccato, nisi unus solus de quo apertè dictum est, eum qui non noverat peccatum.' -Aug. de Nat. et Grat. cap. 4. Utrùm qui omnino nunquam ullum peccatum habuerit, habiturusve sit, non solùm quisquam natorum hominum sit, verùm etiam potuerit aliquando esse vel possit? Hunc prorsus præter unum Mediatorem Dei et hominum, hominem Christum Jesum, nullum esse, vel fuisse, vel futurum esse, certissimum est. -Aug. de Peccatorum Meritis et Remissione, lib. ii. cap. 20. Ideò si illa vera sunt quæ tam multa de parvulis diximus, nec est in filiis hominum quisquam, nec fuit, nec erit (sine peccato), excepto uno Mediatore, in quo nobis propitiatio et justificatio posita est, per quam, finitis inimicitiis peccatorum, reconciliamur Deo. - Ibid.

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said, 'him who did not know sin.' And elsewhere he propounds this question, Whether not only there is some of the children of men, but whether there could ever have been any heretofore, or can any be hereafter, who never had or never will have any sin at all?' And he answers immediately, It is most certain there is none, never was, nor ever will be any such at all, besides the one Mediator betwixt God and man, the man Christ Jesus.' And presently, If therefore those things be true that we have spoken so largely concerning infants, there neither is amongst the children of men, nor was, nor will be any without sin, except the one Mediator, in whom propitiation and justification is placed for us, whereby the enmities of our sins being destroyed, we are reconciled unto God.' And to the same purpose doth the same father begin his book of the spirit and letter, with which I shall end this Article. 'Having read,' saith he", the works I sent lately to you, my dearest son, Marcellinus, concerning the baptism of infants, and the perfection of the righteousness of man, that none in this life ever did or ever will attain unto, except the one Mediator who suffered human passions in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without any sin at all.' So clear and full is this with the rest of the fathers, in determining what is here asserted, that Christ was alone without sin.'

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Lectis opusculis quæ ad te nuper elaboravi, fili charissime Marcelline, de baptismo parvulorum et de perfectione justitiæ hominis, quòd eam nemo in hac vita vel assecutus, vel assecuturus videatur, excepto uno Mediatore, qui humana perpessus est in similitudine carnis peccati, sine ullo omnino peccato, &c.- Id. de Spiritu et Litera àd Marcellinum, сар. 1.

ARTICLE XVI.

Of Sin after Baptism.

NOT EVERY DEADLY SIN WILLINGLY COMMITTED AFTER BAPTISM, IS SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST, AND WHEREFORE THE GRANT OF RE

UNPARDONABLE.

PENTANCE IS NOT TO BE DENIED TO SUCH AS FALL
AFTER WE HAVE RE-
INTO SIN AFTER BAPTISM.
CEIVED THE HOLY GHOST WE MAY DEPART FROM
BY THE
GRACE GIVEN, AND FALL INTO SIN, AND
GRACE OF GOD (WE MAY) ARISE AGAIN, AND AMEND
OUR LIVES. AND THEREFORE THEY ARE TO BE CON-
MORE
CAN NO
DEMNED, THAT SAY THEY
LONG AS THEY LIVE HERE, TO DENY

SIN AS

THE PLACE

OF FORGIVENESS TO SUCH AS TRULY REPENT.

THOUGH it is not so easily determined what the sin against the Holy Ghost is, yet it is easily determined what is not the sin against the Holy Ghost. Be sure every deadly sin, that is, every sin (for every sin is deadly *) willingly committed after baptism, is not the sin against the Holy Ghost. For as Augustine observes, our Saviour speaking of the

* Πᾶσα δὲ ἁμαρτία καὶ ἡ τυχοῦσα θάνατον ἐπιφέρεται. —Theodor. Abuc. de Quinque Inimicis. Пãca àμapría Jávaros Luxñs. —Nazianz. Orat. Funeb. in Mortem Patris. Omne peccatum, pro quanto est offensa Dei et contra legem ejus æternam, est de sua conditione et indignitate mortiferum secundùm rigorem justitiæ, et à vita gloriæ separativum.-Gers. de Vita Spirit. Anime, lec. 1. Τοῦ Κυρίου δίαβεβαιωσαμένου μὲν ὅτι ἰῶτα ἕν, ἢ μία κεράσα, οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται· ἀποφηνομένου δὲ ὅτι πᾶν ῥῆμα ἀργὸν ὅ ἐάν λαλήσωσιν οι ἄνθρωποι ἀποδώσουσι περί αὐτοῦ λόγον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως, οὐδενὸς δεῖ καταφρονεῖν ὡς μικροῦ· ὁ γὰς καταφρονῶν πράγματός, φησι, καταφρονηθήσεται ὑπ ̓ αὐτοῦ· ἄλλως δὲ ποῖον ἁμάρτημα μικρὸν τολμήσει τις εἰπεῖν, τοῦ ἀποστόλου ἀποφηνομένου ὅτι διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τὸν Θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις· εἰ δὲ τὸ κέντρον τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ἁμαρτία, οὐχ ἥδε ἤ ἥδε, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἀδιαρίστε, δηλονότι πᾶσα ἁμαρτία, ἄσπλαγηνός ἐστιν ὁ ἐφηEx his radicibus συχάζων οὐχ ὁ ἐλέγχων. Basil. Reg. Brevior. Reg. 4. argumentorum videtur esse sufficienter deductum, quòd omnis offensa Dei est mortifera ex sua conditione et indignitate. — Gers. loc. prædict. Si autem illud solum quod adversus Spiritum Sanctum dicitur sine venia esse post acceptum baptismum putatur, primò Dominus cùm inde loqueretur, nullum tempus excepit, sed regulariter ait, Qui dixerit verbum adversus Spiritum Sanctum, non remittetur ei.' — Aug. Expos. Epist. ad Rom. inchoata.

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şin against the Holy Ghost, doth not mention any particular time, but only saith in general, "He that speaketh against the Holy Ghost," whether it be before or after baptism; that is not material. And they (the Pharisees) to whom these words were directed were not baptized, and yet our Saviour forewarns them to have a care of that sin; which shows that they, as well as such as are baptized, may fall into it. And it is observable also, that at the same time our Saviour saith," The sin against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven," he saith also, "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men," Matt. xii. 31. Not all manner of sin after baptism only, but all manner of sin whatsoever, except this unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, shall be forgiven to such as truly repent of them, and believe in him that died for them; nay, all manner of sin against the Holy Ghost, except this sin against the Holy Ghost; for certainly every sin against the Holy Ghost is not the sin against the Holy Ghost. The heathens speak against the Holy Ghost, yet we do not say they are therefore incapable of pardon: nay, there is never a sin committed but is committed against the Holy Ghost as God; yet every sin is not unpardonable, and therefore not the sin against the Holy Ghost. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after baptism; which is a clear inference from the premises. For if sins after baptism are capable of pardon from God, they cannot, without sin, be denied the grant of repentance from men. For 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.' A man

Nam et pagani, qui appellantur, etiam nunc totam nostram religionem, quia jam ferro et cædibus prohibetur, maledictis contumeliisque insectantur, et quicquid de ipsa Trinitate dicimus, negando et blasphemando contemnunt. Non enim excipiunt sibi Spiritum Sanctum, quem venerentur ut in cætera sæviant: sed simul adversus omnia, quæcunque sollicitè de trinâ Majestate loquimur, quanto possunt furore impietatis, oblatrant, &c. Quos tamen quantum possumus adhortamur ad Christum cognoscendum, et per ipsum Patrem Deum, summoque et vero Imperatori militandum esse suademus, eosque promissâ impunitate præteritorum omnium peccatorum invitamus ad fidem. -Aug. Expos. Epist. ad Rom. inchoata. Qua in re satis judicamus, etiamsi quid adversus Spiritum Sanctum in sua sacrilega superstitione dixerunt, cùm Christiani facti fuerint sine ulla caligine dubitationis ignosci.-Ibid. ·

that hath received strength to rise from sin to grace, may fall from grace to sin, and yet may afterwards rise again from sin to grace, so as to repent of his former sins, and reform his future life. And if so, every sin of a regenerated man cannot be the sin against the Holy Ghost, for that shall never be pardoned and it shall therefore only never be pardoned by God, because never repented of by us. For if it could be repented of by us, it could not but be pardoned by God, the promise of pardon to repentance running in general terms, that if a man do confess his sins to God, God will pardon his sins to him; and therefore, though a regenerate man may fall into sin, yet seeing he may also afterwards rise from it, and repent of it, it may also be pardoned to him; and therefore it is not the sin against the Holy Ghost. And therefore also are they to be condemned that say, they can no more sin as long as they are here, to deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent. For if after baptism and regeneration we can sin no more, or if we do sin, it is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and so unpardonable; it must needs follow, that repentance is not to be granted to any that sin after baptism, for then it would be granted to the sin against the Holy Ghost, which God himself denies it to. The sum of all is this; every sin willingly committed after baptism is not an unpardonable sin, but it may be repented of by us, and therefore pardoned by God.

And this is clear from the case of Simon Magus, who, as Augustined observes, was baptized before he fell into that horrid sin which we from him call Simony; and yet St. Peter admonisheth him, saying, "Repent, therefore, of this thy wickedness, and pray God that perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee," Acts, viii. 22. Which plainly showeth, that though Simon did sin, yea, against the Holy Ghost, yet Peter did not think he sinned

4 Deinde Simon, quem paulo ante commemoravi, jam baptismum acceperat, cùm Spiritum Sanctum turpissimo mercatui subditam credidit; cui correpto à se Petrus tamen consilium poenitendi dedit.-Aug. loc. prædict. Simonem quoque Magum arguens Petrus apostolus, quòd tam malè de Spiritu Sancto senserit, ut eum venalem putans pecuniâ sibi emendum poposcerit, non tamen ita de illo desperavit, ut veniæ locum nullum relinqueret ; nam benignè etiam, ut eum pœniteret, admonuit.—

Ibid.

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