" impossible;" by which we are to understand, not that it is an absolute, but only a moral, impossibility. When our Lord declared that it was " easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven," he explained himself by saying, " With man this is impossible; but with God all things are possible p." Thus, the recovery of such apostates is quite contrary to all reason- able expectation ; nor can any thing but a most extraordinary interposition of the Deity effect it.]
What reason is there to hope that it should ever be accomplished in them ?
Consider,
1. The dishonour they do to Christ —
[They who renounce Christianity do, in fact, proclaim Christ an impostor: they declare their approbation of the Jews who crucified him ; and thus, as far as in them lies, they " crucify him afresh." But we must not confine this to avowed infidels : the same is true respecting those who decline from the ways of God, and return to a worldly and carnal life: " they put Christ to an open shame:" they proclaim to all around them, ' I once thought that it was my highest interest and happiness to serve Christ: but I was quite mis- taken : I made the experiment ; I became his follower ; I loved him, served him, glorified him ; but I found, after all, that I had given up a greater good for a less: I now am assured that Christ cannot make us happy; and, therefore, I have again returned to the world, and chosen it as the better portion : and, whoever would be wise or happy, let him follow my example ; let him renounce religion as a needless restraint, and despise it as an enthusiastic delusion : let him lend all his powers and faculties to the pursuits of time, and the enjoy- ments of sense ; and let him cast off the yoke of Christ as an intolerable burthen.'
Who can suppose that a man, after having cast such dis- honour upon Christ, should ever be brought again to embrace and honour him? While he continues to reject the Saviour, his restoration to repentance is absolutely impossible ; because, there is no way to repent, but by returning to Christ^. And that he should return unfeignedly to Christ is morally impos- sible ; because his way to Christ is barred up by shame, and fear, and almost every consideration that can influence the human mind — • ]
2. The despite they do to the Holy Spirit —
1 Matt. xix. 24—26. o Heb. x. 2(3, 27.