Wesley Corpus

You conclude this head: “Guilt imputed is imaginary guilt, and so no object of redemption.” I dare not say so as to my own particular. I pray God, of his tender mercy, to free me from this and all other guilt, “through the redemp tion which is in Jesus Christ!” “Why must we be ‘born again?’” (Page 245.) You subjoin the common, but, as you suppose, absurd, answer: “Because we are ‘born in sin; nature is averse to all good, and inclined to all evil: Therefore we must be born again, before we can please God.” In order to confute this, you assert, “Then it cannot be our duty to be born again; nor, consequently, our fault if we are not; because it is not in our power.” It is, by grace; though not by nature: By this we may all be born again. Therefore it is our duty; and if we fall short herein, it is our own fault. “But being born again does really signify, the gaining those habits of virtue which make us children of God.” (Page 246.) Then St. Paul ought to have said, not, “Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus; ” but, “Ye are all the children of God” by gaining habits of virtue ! Nay, but, according to the whole tenor of Scripture, the being born again does really signify the being inwardly changed by the almighty operation of the Spirit of God; changed from sin to holiness; renewed in the image of Him that created us. And why must we be so changed? Because “without holiness no man shall see the Lord; ” and because, without this change, all our endeavours after holiness are ineffectual. God hath indeed “endowed us with understand ing, and given us abundant means: ” But our understanding is as insufficient for that end, as are the outward means, if not attended with inward power. You proceed to explain yourself at large: “Christ informs us, that ‘except a man be born again, he cannot see the king dom of God;’” (page 246;) “and thereby teaches us,-- “1. That God hath erected a kingdom, united in and under him, for his glory, and men’s mutual happiness.” (Page 247.) “2.