An Ample Declaration of the Christian DoctrineChapter 20. Of the sinnes against the Holie Ghost

What & how many be the sinnes against the Holie Ghost?

Master. They are sixe, to wit, despaire of our saluation: presumption to bee saued without merits: to impugne the knowen truth: enuie at an other mans grace: obstinacie in sinne: and finall impenitence.

Scholar. Wherefore are they called sinnes against the Holie Ghost?

Master. Because they are committed vpon meere malice, and speacially the third, which is of all other properly a sinne against the Holie Ghost: that is, when a man knoweth the truth, and yet will obstinatly hold, and proue that it is not true. To sin of malice is said to be against the Holie Ghost: because goodnes is attributed to the Holie Ghost, which is contrarie to malice: like as to sinne of ignorance, is said to be against the Son of God, to whome wisdome is atributed: and sinning of frailtie is said to be against the Father, to whom power is attributed.

Scholar. What haue these sinnes proper?

Master. They haue this, that they are not pardoned in this world, nor in the other, as our Lord admonisheth vs in the Gospel. Which yet is thus vnderstood: that they are hard to be pardoned: because seldom & hardly those that fal into these sinnes, come to true repentance: like as when wee say: a disease is incurable, we will not for all that say, it can not be cured by anie meanes: but that it is seldome cured, or that ordinarily it is not cured.