The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 506

they are against Christ ; they scatter the souls which he would gather into his little flock. Their opposition is not active; they do not suppose themselves to be enemies of Christ, they do not think of the mischief which they are doing; but in reality their conduct tends to scatter the sheep quite as certainly as that of the open opponents of religion. (3) The life is wasted that is not given to Christ. He that gathereth not with Christ may gather many things-riches, honours, earthly comforts--but he cannot gather the true riches; they are offered him, but be scatters them abroad. He despises them in the time of health and strength ; in sickness and in death he will be poor, desolate, hopeless. IV. THE SIN AGAINST THE HoLY GHOST. 1. What is it~ The Pharisees needed the warning; they bad come perilously near to the unpardonable sin; they had attdbuted miracles which were wrought by the Spirit of God to the agency of Satan. But it was Christ against whom they had spoken directly, not the Holy Ghost. Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is the sin of those who " were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost," but yet have fallen o.way, and" done despite to the Spirit of grace." Such blasphemy is the expression of that "eternal sin" of which our Lord speaks in Mark iii. 29-etemal, unchangeable hostility against God, the strife of the flesh against the Spirit (Gal. v. 17) matured into complete antagonism. The blasphemy which cannot be forgiven seems to be the expression of this awful state in wicked words: that defiance of God, that con- temptuous rejection of his revelation which is the ultimate outcome of the wilful ·quenching of the Spirit in the individual heart. 2. It cannot be forgiven; St. Paul had spoken against Christ, he had been a blasphemer (1 Tim. i 13); but he did it ignorantly ; it was not a sin against light, not the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. That blasphemy hath never forgiveness; for he whD thus blasphemes sets himself in direct hostility to that Holy Spirit who is the only Source of spiritual life. He could not so blaspheme unless he had first quenched the Spirit; such blasphemy is a proof that the blasphemer would not retain God in his knowledge, and ihat God bath given him over to a reprobate mind. Many deep, perplexing thoughts gather round these most awful words. Are there sins which, unforgiven here, may obtain forgiveness in the world to come, in the future age? We ca.nnot help asking the question; the answer we must leave to God. It is one of the secret things which he has not revealed, of which we must be content to be ·ignorant, Only let us remember the awful holiness of the good Spirit of God, let us listen to his faintest whispers; to grieve the Holy Spirit is full of danger, to quench the Spirit is deadly sin. V. p AB.AllLE OF THE TREE AND THE FRUIT. 1. If the fruit is good, the tree is good. If the works of Christ are good, they must proceed from a good source. The Pharisees .could not deny the goodness of the works ; it was wicked folly to attribute deeds so holy to the evil one. It is a grievous sin to misrepresent the conduct of good men, to J:;uggest unworthy motives for their good deeds. 2. " Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." The Pharisees could not be expected to speak good things, for they were corrupt at the heart. They had said wicked things of Obrist; the Lord knew the wickedness of their hearts. Merciful and gentle as he was, he repeated the strong words .of condemnation which John the Baptist had used already, "0 generation of vipers I" ,(eh. iiL 7). Their heart had its hidden store of unholy thoughts, sinful imaginations, wicked motives ; out of that evil treasure came their evil words. They could not speak good things, for good things lllsue out of the heart's precious treasure of holy love, heavenly thoughts, blessed bopes; and that they bad not. A wicked man may, indeed, :,peak good things at times, when he iB playing the hypocrite. But hypocrisy has always something forced and unnatural about it; it betrays itself sooner or later. In sudden emergencies, in seasons of excitement, when the man is off his guard-then, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." 3. The Joogment qf wicked words. We must give account of our words in the awful day. The idle, vain, unprofitable word is sin; it shows the state of the heart. Words, thoughts, deeds, all will be brought into judgment; each department of human life must form a part of the great account. He whose words were good will so far be acquitted; he whose words were evil will so far be condemned. '!'hen words, fleeting as they may seem, forgotten sometimes almost Jls soon as spoken, assume an awful character, Let every man beware.  m. xu. 1-60.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 603