men, who by their divers errors and contradictions blaspheme against the Holy Ghost; it remains without a doubt, that in the passage where it is written, “He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness,” he must be meant, not who hath in any way whatever blasphemed; but he who hath blasphemed in such a particular way, that he can never be pardoned. 15. For as in that it is said, “God tempteth no man,”2369 it is not to be understood that God tempteth no man with any kind, but only not with some certain kind of temptation; lest that be false, which is written, “The Lord your God tempteth you;”2370 and lest we deny that Christ is God, or say that the Gospel is false, when we read that He asked His disciple “tempting him; but He Himself knew what He would do.”2371 For there is a temptation which induces to sin, with which “God tempteth no man,” and there is a temptation which only proves our faith, with which even God vouchsafes to tempt. So when we hear, “He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost,” we must not take it of every kind of blasphemy, as neither in the other place, of every kind of temptation. 16. So again when we hear, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;”2372 we do not of course understand it of one who believes in such a way “as the devils believe and tremble;”2373 nor of those who receive baptism in such sort as Simon Magus,2374 who though he could be baptized, could not be saved. As then when He said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,” He had not in his view all who believe and are baptized, but some only; those, to wit, who are settled in that faith, which, according to the Apostle’s distinction, “worketh by love:”2375 so when he said, “He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness,” he did not intend every kind, but a specific sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, by which whosoever shall be bound, he shall never by any remission be loosed. 17. That expression also of His, “He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood dwelleth in Me, and I in him,”2376 how must we understand? Can we include in these words those even of whom the Apostle says, “that they eat and drink judgment to themselves;”2377 when they eat this flesh and drink this blood? What! did Judas the impious seller and betrayer 2369 Jas. i. 13. 2370 Deut. xiii. 3. 2371 John vi. 5, 6. 2372 Mark xvi. 16. 2373 Jas. ii. 19. 2374 Acts viii. 13. 2375 Gal. v. 6. 2376 John vi. 56. 2377 1 Cor. xi. 29. 682 On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xii. 32, ‘Whosoever shall speak a word…