Wesley Corpus

“Nay, the immediate antecedent to the relative ‘he, is ‘the Son of God.” Therefore it was He, not the apostate, who was sanctified (set apart for his priestly office) by the blood of the covenant.” Either you forgot to look at the original, or your memory fails. “The Son of God” is not the immediate antecedent to the relative “he.” The words run thus: “Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, xxi to aqua rmg 3,267x7; xoivov myngap.svos, sy % myia Tón 7” You see Wynaap.svos, not vios, is the immediate antecedent to the relative “he.” Conse quently, it is the apostate, not the Son of God, who is here said to be sanctified. “If he was sanctified, yet this cannot be understood of inward sanctification. Therefore it must mean, either that he said he was sanctified, or that he made an outward profession of religion.” Why cannot the word be understood in its proper, natural sense, of inward sanctification? “Because that is by the Spirit of God.” From this very consideration it appears, that this must be understood of inward sanctification; for the words immediately following are, “and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace,” even that grace whereby he was once sanctified. It remains, that those who are sanctified by the blood of the covenant may yet perish everlastingly. 79. If you imagine these texts are not sufficient to prove that a true believer may finally fall, I will offer a few more to your consideration, which I would beg you to weigh farther at your leisure: “Ye” (Christians) “are the salt of the earth, But if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thence forth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men.” (Matt. v. 13.) “When the unclean spirit goeth out of a man,” (as he does out of every true believer,) “he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return : And he taketh with him seven other spirits; and they enter in, and dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first.” (xii. 43-45.) “And then shall many be offended; and the love” (towards God and man) “of many shall wax cold.