Wesley Corpus

“See the true reason why only the Son of God could be our Redeemer. It is because he alone could be able to bring to life again that celestial spirit and body which had died in Adam.” (Ibid.) Not so; but he alone could be our Redeemer, because he alone, “by that one oblation of himself once offered” could make “a sufficient sacrifice and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world.” “See also why a man must “be born again of water and of the Spirit.” He must be born again of the Spirit, because Adam’s heavenly spirit was lost.” (Ibid.) Nay, but because Adam had lost the inward image of God, wherein he was created. And no less than the almighty Spirit of God could renew that image in his soul. “He must be born of water, because that heavenly body which Adam lost was formed out of the heavenly materiality, which is called water.” (Ibid.) Vain philosophy | The plain meaning of the expression, “Except a man be born of water,” is neither more nor less than this, “Except he be baptized.” And the plain reason why he ought to be thus born of water is, because God hath appointed it. He hath appointed it as an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, which grace is, “a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness.” “The necessity of our regaining our first heavenly body is the necessity” (I presume you mean, the ground of the neces sity) “of our eating the body and blood of Christ.” (Page 10.) Neither can I believe this, till I find it in the Bible. I am there taught to believe, that our “spiritually receiving the body aud blood of Christ,” which is most eminently done in the Lord’s supper, is necessary to “strengthen and refresh our souls, as our bodies are by the bread and wine.” “The necessity of having again our first heavenly spirit is shown by the necessity of our being baptized with the Holy Ghost !” (Ibid.) No. That we “must be baptized with the Holy Ghost,” implies this and no more, that we cannot be “renewed in righteousness and true holiness” any otherwise than by being over-shadowed, quickened, and animated by that blessed Spirit.