Clement of Rome:
“Whereas it is the will of God, that all whom he loves should partake of repentance, and so not perish with the unbelieving and impenitent, he has established it by his almighty will.’ But if any of those whom God wills should partake of the grace of repentance, should afterwards perish, where is his almighty will? And how is this matter settled and established by such a will of his?” (
Ep. 1, ad Cor. p. 20).
Irenaeus:
“but the Spirit encompasses man within and without, as always abiding, and never leaves him,” (Iren. adv. Haeres. 1. 5, c. 12, p. 450; vide Fragm. Graec. ad Calcem Ireuaei.).
Origen:
“Our soul is enlightened either with the true light, which shall never be put out, which is Christ; or if it has not in it that light which is eternal, without doubt it is enlightened with a temporal and extinguishable light, by him who transforms himself into an angel of light,” (In Jud. homil.1, fol. 177, C; et in Malt. homil. 30, fol. 60, E.).
Athanasius:
“That phrase, as we are one, referring to
John 17:11 means nothing else, than that the grace of the Spirit which the disciples had, might be never-failing and irrevocable,” (Contr. Arian. orat. 4, p. 477.).
“He received that the gift residing in him, grace might remain firm; for if men only had received, it was possible that it might be taken away again, which is shown in Adam, for what he received he lost; now that this grace might not he taken away, but be kept safe from men,’ therefore he made this gift his own, and says, that he received power as man, which he always had as God,” (contr. Arian. orat. 4, p. 490.).
Just a few.
