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in the inward chambers of the foul, firmicatem perpetuitatis obtinent, obtain the firmness of perpetuity." Again, he obferves, that "the grace and gift of our Saviour referring to John iv. 10, 14. αναφαίρετα και μη αναλισ κομένη, μηδε φθειρομένη, cannot be taken away, nor confumed, nor deftroyed in him that partakes of it. " Particularly he observes, agreeable to the Scripture, that "charity, or the grace of love, never fails; wherefore, adds he, the Apoftle being confident that he had received it entire, faid, Who Shall Jeparate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation, &c. for from charity, never failing were those words of his, Rom. viii. 38, 39." In another place he takes notice. of a twofold light, the light of the ungodly, which will be put out, and the light of the righteous, quae permanet in aeternum, which abides for ever; and then argues thus, "Our foul is enlightened either with the true light, quod nunquam extinguetur, which shall never be put out, which is Chrift; or if it has not in it that light which is eternal, without doubt it is enlightened with a temporaland extinguishable light, by him who tranfforms himself into an angel of light." Moreover, having obferved, as before, that

d In Joan. P. 206.

e In Matt. Homil. 23. fol. 43. A.

f In Jud. Homil. 1. fol. 177. C. et in Matt. Homil. 30. fol. 60. E.

"cha

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charity never falls, fo, fays he, the poffeffion and houfe of the faints never falls, is never taken away, is never feparated from their right; for, how can that house be separated from the priests, which is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, in which Jefus Chrift is the chief corner ftone?" He often argues the inexpugnableness and fafety of the faints, and church of Chrift, from their being built upon a foundation, and upon a rock "The church, he fays", as the building of Chrift, who builds his own houfe wifely upon a rock, ave@iden Q. 251 πUλav ads, can't admit of the gates of hell; which indeed prevail against every man without the rock and church, but can do nothing against it." And a little after, "No gate of hell can prevail against the rock, or the church which Chrift has built upon it." Hence he afferts, that none that belong to Chrift, even the least, can ever perish, or the elect be deceived; his words are these, after citing the paffage, in Matt. xviii. 10. he adds, "He that is now a little one can neither be offended nor perish, for great peace have they which love the name of God, and nothing fhall offend them. Even he that is the least of all the difciples of Christ, sx av awoλoilo, can

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not perish, and therefore he is great, and may fay this, who shall Jeparate us from love, &c?" And elsewhere, referring to Matt. xxiv. 24. he fays, If it be posible is a word of exaggeration, for he does not affirm, or fay, that the elect also may be deceived, but would fhew, that the words of hereticks are frequently very perfuafory and powerful to move even them that hear wifely." Satan, as powerful an adversary as he is, is represented as unable to hurt and deftroy thofe that fear the Lord. "We

don't deny, fays he ", that there are many devils on earth; we fay there are, and that they are powerful in the wicked, because of their wickedness; but can do nothing to those who have put on the whole armour of God, and have received ftrength to ftand against the wiles of the devil." And a little after "

Others, who through ignorance subject themselves to them, may fuffer by them; but the Chriftian, the true Chriftian, who fubjects himself to God only, and to his word, cannot fuffer any thing by the devils, being greater than them; and be cannot fuffer or be hurt by them, because the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him." And a little after he adds, "So that the contrary angels, nor the prince of them,

1 In Matt. Homil. 30. fol. m Contr. Celf. 1. 8. p. 400. • lb. p. 402.

59. D.

n Ib. p. 401.

who

who is called the prince of this world, can do nothing effectually against those who are devoted to God." The power of fustaining the combat with our fpiritual enemies, and the obtaining the victory over them, he afcribes not to the power of man, but to divine grace and affiftance. I own there are fome paffages in the writings of this Father which are not agreeable to this doctrine, though frequently fuggefted by him, as, when he fuppofes Judas to be a true believer, and observes ", that tho' none can pluck Christ's fheep out of the hands of God, yet they may fall out of them through their own negligence, or by fetting themselves afar off from the hand of God. As alfo when he intimates, that the Spirit of God is fometimes in the faints, and fometimes not; though this may be understood of the gifts of the Spirit beftowed at certain times for peculiar fervice; or of the graces of the Spirit not being always in exercife, though in being. And in the first passage referred to by Voffius, where Origen fays, that the Holy Spirit is taken away from perfons unworthy, and that he who is now worthy of the participation of him, and turns back, is

P In Exod. Homil. 6. fol. 376. wiel asxav. 1. 3. c 2. fol. 143. D. 144. D.

4 In Joan. p. 393.

In Jer. Homil. 18.. p. 166. et in Joan. p. 265.
In Num. Homil. 6. fol. 100. C. D. 101. E. F.
Hift. Pelag. 1. 6. Thef. 12. p. 566.

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really guilty of blafphemy against him, he is to be understood of the gifts, and not of the grace of the Spirit. His fecond paffage is not to be met with, there being no fuch chapter in the book he cites. In his third reference are plain intimations of the doctrine of perfeverance; he fays ", that they, of whom the Apoftle fays they made fhipwrack of faith, were indeed called but not juftified; and obferves, that neither the death of the body, nor the life of fin, nor the vain glory of this world, nor the prince of the world, and other powers, though they defire and endeavour, they cannot feparate any from the love of God. 'Tis true, he adds, if love is perfect, and is rooted and grounded; and so it is in every true believer, as to the principle, though not as to the degree and exercise of it.

NUMB. IX.

CYPRIAN. A.D. 250.

Cyprian muft

must be reckon'd among the affertors of the final perfeverance of the faints, and of the indefectibility of true believers, as will appear from the following

W

Trel denar. 1. 1. c. 3. fol. 117. C. D.

* In Rom. 1.7. fol. 192. B.

y Ib. fol. 194. A. B. C.

paffa

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