t himself, as it were, thereby
unfitting and unqualifying himself to be further affected by the Spirit.
He drowns, dissolves, annihilates the inner strivings of the Spirit.

If we examine carefully the quotation from Mark, we see by verse thirty
that the reason Christ said what he did about blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost was because certain scribes said he had an unclean spirit, and cast
out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Now whether they thereby
committed the blasphemy of the Spirit, we do not know; but from Christ's
words that followed, a strong inference could be drawn that they did. It
was at least a close step to it, and depended on the degree of inherent
knowledge they had that Jesus was the Christ. If they did it ignorantly,
it was not blasphemy.

In the sixth chapter of the Hebrews, verses four to eight, the apostle
speaks of such as have been partakers of the Holy Ghost, and were
enlightened, etc., who, if they shall "fall away," directly disinherit
themselves of the privilege of being renewed unto repentance, and "crucify
_to themselves_ the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." By
so doing they virtually do violence to the Spirit's convictions to such an
extent that they blaspheme the Spirit. We are persuaded that Paul here had
no reference to a person being overcome of the devil in some great
temptation so as to commit sin, while at the same time the soul protests
against sin. That would not be _falling away_ (as here meant) from the
love, neither the faith of God. Indeed, it is the very love of God, as
well as the Spirit's convictions, that causes such a one to have immediate
sorrow for the sin committed, and causes the soul to quickly flee to God
again. But what the apostle meant by "falling away" was to forsake the
Lord, give up the faith, walk no more in the truth or with God's children,
and be content to live in sin. But take notice of the standard which he
gives, from which "falling away" may be considered. He says, "those who
were once enlightened," had "tasted of the heavenly gift," were "partakers
of the Holy Ghost," had "tasted the good word of God, and the powers of
the world to come;" if such fall away--forsake the Lord and choose to live
in sin--they soon become incapable of being affected by any manifestation
of the Spirit or any inducement held out to them--a deplorable, lost
condition! bearing only thorns and briers! whose end is to be burned! Now
we ask, Who ever sa