repetition of Baptism[1]. They restrain not, nor limit the mercies of God, that "he may peradventure give them repentance,—and that they may awake out of the snare of the devil, who have been taken alive by him at his will;" (2 Tim. ii. 25, 26) but they say that the Apostle here peremptorily decides that man has no means to restore such; for man it is impossible[2]. "See," says St. Chrysostom[3], "how awfully and forbiddingly he begins. "'Impossible!' i.e. look not for what is not possible. He saith not, it is not fitting, is not expedient, is not allowable, but—'is impossible;' so that he at once casts them into desperation, if they have but once been illuminated.—Is then repentance excluded? Not repentance, God forbid! but a renewal again by Baptism: for he saith not 'impossible that they should be renewed to repentance,' and there stops; but adds 'that they should be renewed,' i.e. become new, 'by crucifying again:' for to 'make men new' belongs only to Baptism; but the office of Repentance is, when they have been made new, and then become old through sins, to free them from this oldness, and make them new; but it cannot bring them to that former brightness: for then (in Baptism) the whole was grace." He then, (as do all the other Fathers) explains the words "cru-
- ↑ "Almost all the antients," says G. I. Vossius, "prove from this passage that Baptism may not be repeated." Disp. 17. de Baptismo, § 9. Besides the Commentators, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Primasius, Sedulius, Haimo, Theophylact, Œcumenius, he quotes Ambrose de Pœnitentia L. 2. c. 2. Epiphanius Hæres. 59. Jerome c. Jovinian L. ii. Augustine Expos. inchoat. ad Rom. (t. iii. p. 2. p. 938), Cyrill. in Joann. L. v. c. 17. Damascenus de fide L. iv. c. 10. "Scripture," says St. Augustine (de fide et operibus § 17. t. vi. p. 174.) "abundantly and plainly testifies that all these things (those spoken of by the Apostle, Heb. vi. 1, 2.) belong to the very commencements of new-made Christians."
- ↑ "I might say also to him, who understands this passage of repentance, that those things which are impossible with men, are possible with God; and God is able, when He will, to remit to us, even those sins which we think cannot be forgiven. And so, what seems to us impossible to be obtained, is possible for God to give." Ambrose l.c.
- ↑ Ad loc. Hom. 9. § 2. t. xii. p. 96. sqq. ed. Bened. cp. Hom. i. de S. Pentecoste t. ii. p. 467, Hom. x. (al. ix.) in Joann. t. viii. p. 60, Hom. ii. in Ephes. t. xi. p. 12., Hom. i. in Act. § 6.
