. He it is that strives with men by way of a
kind of inherent knowledge, testifying to them of salvation's waters
flowing free, and that they should forsake sin and plunge therein. By the
Holy Spirit is God's way of manifesting himself to men, convicting them of
sin, righteousness, and judgment. True, as Paul says, God "hath in these
last days spoken unto us by his Son;" but notice, it is "_hath spoken_."
The Son has done his part, we have his words on record, and he is at the
right hand of the Father; and he has himself said that he would go away,
that the Comforter (Holy Spirit) might come. And now we are living in the
special dispensation of the Holy Spirit.

The sin against the Holy Ghost, as it is commonly called, is also known as
the "unpardonable sin," and the "sin unto death." See 1 John 5:16. As we
before said, the answer to the question, Why is it unpardonable, lies in
the very nature of the Holy Spirit's relationship to man. Are we to
suppose that it is some sin too heinous to be forgiven? or that God has
decided that this sin is one that bears too heavily against his
willingness to forgive? or, in other words, that his great love is not
sufficient, were it weighed in the balance with this sin? Nay; that is not
the light in which it is to be regarded. This is a sin that is different
in its effects from other sins. It is one by which man unprivileges
himself to be saved. He disconnects himself, so to speak, from all
possible operations or strivings of the Spirit of God with him. He might
blaspheme God, or the Son, and it would be the same as any other sin. But
he blasphemes the Spirit whenever he takes action against (and casts out,
so to speak) that inherent principle in him which tends to draw him to
God. By so doing he places himself outside the realm of possibilities, as
regards his own salvation: for he severs all possible communication from
God to him, unless it be what is manifest by the presentation of awful
fear of approaching damnation.

It will be seen that in committing this sin a man by choice wilfully
places himself in such a position, in reference to the inner dictations of
the Spirit, that the latter is killed or destroyed. He can blaspheme God,
and the convictions of the Spirit in him be unaffected, save that
continual so doing might lessen them; but when he blasphemes the Spirit--it
being so interwoven as to be, in a sense, a part of himself--he involves
his own soul, by taking a stand agains