preservation. What then must God needs do in this case? Demand repentance from men for their transgression? For this, some one might say, was worthy of God; arguing that, just as from the transgression they became subject to corruption, so from the repentance they might again return to incorruption. But repentance would not guard the consistency of God’s character; for He would still remain untrue, if death did not hold the mastery over men. Nor does repentance recal men from what is according to