John Tauler · 19 of 121

Secondly, of the work and knowledge of grace. · 73.

Sixthly, you sin in God; and first, in God the Father. This occurs if a man is tempted, and in the resistance he is so rigid that he sinneth through sickness. This sin is in the Father. Again, a man sinneth in the Son, when a man sinneth unwittingly. Thirdly, you sin in the Holy Ghost, in five ways. First, if a man sinneth against God’s mercy; again, if a man having sinned, despairs in God’s compassion; thirdly, if a man entirely resists the counsel of the Holy Ghost, and destroyeth it in himself; fourthly, if a man attributes to himself the good that he hath from God, whether spiritual or bodily, and thinketh he hath it from his own worthiness, and doth not thank God for His goodness as he ought; fifthly, when the Holy Ghost wishes to do His work and man turneth away from Him, and will not make place for Him, and cumbers his heart about other things that are against God, and driveth out the Holy Ghost. And this is meant by sinning in the Holy Ghost, and is scarcely forgiven.