(2.) If, by being _given to Christ_, we understand a being given to him, as objects of his special love, we must suppose, that all who were thus given to him, were kept by him; in which sense Judas, who is called _the son of perdition_, and was not kept by him, was not given to him: accordingly the particle _but_ is not exceptive, but adversative; and it is as though he should say, _All that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost; but the son of perdition is lost_, I have not preserved him; for he was not the object of my special care and love; he was not given me to save, therefore he is lost. Now it is certain, that the particle _but_ is used in this sense in many other scriptures, particularly that wherein it is said, _There shall in no wise enter into it_, that is, the heavenly Jerusalem, _any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life_, Rev. xxi. 27. _q. d._ ungodly men shall not enter in; but they that are written in the lamb’s book of life shall[93]. Thus much concerning this objection, taken from particular persons, who are supposed to have fallen from grace. _Obj._ 2. The next objection is taken from what the apostle Paul says concerning the church of the Jews, whom he describes as apostatized from God; and it is evident, that they are, to this day, given up to judicial blindness, and not in the least disposed to repent of that crime for which they were cast off by him; concerning these he says, that they once were holy; _If the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches_, Rom. xi. 16. and afterwards he speaks of _their casting away_, and _some of the branches being broken off, because of unbelief_, ver. 15, 17, 19, 20. Now if the whole church apostatized, we must conclude at least, that some of them were true believers, and therefore true believers may fall from the grace of God.