Wesley Corpus

And this regeneration which our Church in so many places ascribes to baptism is more than barèly being admitted into the Church, though commonly connected therewith; being “grafted into the body of Christ’s Church, we are made the children of God by adoption and grace.” This is grounded on the plain words of our Lord: “Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John iii. 5.) By water then, as a means, the water of baptism, we are rege nerated or born again; whence it is also called by the Apostle, “the washing of regeneration.” Our Church there fore ascribes no greater virtue to baptism than Christ himself has done. Nor does she ascribe it to the outward washing, but to the inward grace, which, added thereto, makes it a sacrament. Herein a principle of grace is infused, which will not be wholly taken away, unless we quench the Holy Spirit of God by long-continued wickedness. 5. In consequence of our being made children of God, we are heirs of the kingdom of heaven. “If children,” (as the Apostle observes) “then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” Herein we receive a title to, and an earnest of, “a kingdom which cannot be moved.” Baptism doth now save us, if we live answerable thereto; if we repent, believe, and obey the gospel: Supposing this, as it admits us into the Church here, so into glory hereafter. III. 1. But did our Saviour design this should remain always in his Church 2 This is the Third thing we are to consider. And this may be dispatched in a few words, since there can be no reasonable doubt, but it was intended to last as long as the Church into which it is the appointed means of entering. In the ordinary way, there is no other means of entering into the Church or into heaven. 2. In all ages, the outward baptism is a means of the inward; as outward circumcision was of the circumcision of the heart. Nor would it have availed a Jew to say, “I have the inward circumcision, and therefore do not need the out ward too: ” That soni was to be cut off from his people. He had despised, he had broken, God’s everlasting covenant, by despising the seal of it. (Gen. xvii.