divided against the Holy Spirit which is not divided against Himself. And of this the very
testimonies of the Gospel warn us, would we with good attention search them. For according
to Luke the Lord does not say, “That he who blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost shall not
be forgiven:” in that place where He is answering those who said that He cast out devils by
the prince of the devils. Whence it would seem that this was not said once only by the Lord;
but we must not carelessly pass over the consideration of the occasion on which this last
also was spoken. For He was speaking of those who should have confessed or denied Him
before men, when He said, “Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess Me before men,
him shall the Son of Man also confess before the Angels of God. But he that denieth Me
before men, shall be denied before the angels of God.”2469 And lest from this the salvation
of the Apostle Peter should be despaired of, he immediately subjoined, “And whosoever
shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but unto him that blas-
phemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven;2470 blasphemeth,” that is, with
that blasphemy of an impenitent heart, by which resistance is made to remission of sins
which is granted in the Church by the Holy Ghost. And this blasphemy Peter had not, who
presently repented, when “he wept bitterly,”2471 and who after he had overcome the spirit
who is divided against himself, and who had desired to “have him to harass him,”2472 and
against whom the “Lord prayed for him that his faith might not fail,” even received the Very
Holy Spirit whom he resisted not, that not only his sin might be forgiven him, but that
through him remission of sins might be preached and dispensed.
35. And in the narrative of the two other Evangelists, the occasion of speaking out this
sentence of the blasphemy of the Spirit arose from the mention of the unclean spirit, who
is divided against himself. For it had been said of the Lord, that “He cast out devils by the
prince of the devils.” In that place the Lord says, that “by the Holy Spirit He casteth out
devils,” that so the spirit who is not divided against Himself may overcome and cast out
him who is divided against himself; but that that man would abide in his perdition, who
refuses through impenitence to pass over into His peace, who is not divided against Himself.
For thus runs the narrative of Mark; “Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto
the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme; but he that shall
blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but shall be held guilty of an
eternal offence.”2473 When he had delivered these words of the Lord, he then subjoined his
own, saying, “Because they said He hath an unclean spirit;”2474 that He might show that
2469 Luke xii. 8, 9.
2470 Luke xii. 10.
2471 Matt. xxvi. 75.
2472 Luke xxii. 31.
2473 Mark iii. 28, 29.
2474 Mark iii. 30.
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On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xii. 32, ‘Whosoever shall speak a word…