[Forest Keeper]

Perseverance of the saints is also addressed when Calvin highlights Augustine...

The definition which Augustine somewhere gives, - viz., that it is obstinate perverseness, with distrust of pardon, continued till death, - scarcely agrees with the words of Christ, that it shall not be forgiven in this world. For either this is said in vain, or it may be committed in this world. But if Augustine's definition is correct, the sin is not committed unless persisted in till death.

"...sin is not committed unless persisted till death."

Wow. What greater declaration of POTS?

That's pretty interesting. I guess I read this passage in a completely different way. (It's all Calvin's fault for not being clear of course. :)

I read this as Calvin disagreeing with Augustine. My paraphrase of Calvin would go something like this: "Augustine says that unforgivable sin is a sin that persists until death. That is clearly wrong because it disagrees with Christ who said that the unforgivable sin CAN be committed during life, and doesn't have to wait until death. But if Augustine is right, then the unforgivable sin cannot be committed during life because it requires death for it to become unforgivable. That contradicts Christ, so Augustine is wrong."

So, this is part of the reason why I thought Calvin might be ripping against POTS. But who knows. I struggle with Calvin's phrasing and sentence structure all the time. Same with Matthew Henry. :)

[Quix]

My own personal sense . . .

1. Attributing [?emphatically?] to satan what is Holy Spirit’s work, doings.

2. Tenaciouisly persistently doing #1 [?&/or cursing Holy Spirit and/or His doings?] with bone marrow hostility toward God and Holy Spirit.

3. Hardened, seered conscience resulting in “guiltless” attitude—in terms of FEELINGS of guilt—about doing 1 & 2.

[Quix]

Certainly satan is also eager to convince folks that they have crossed that line . . . causing them to give up spiritually . . .

when they haven’t.