Wesley Corpus

12. You need not therefore ‘imagine, that either the strongpretences or warm professions of the Moravians,’ or their ‘agreeing with me on some favorite topics,’ (for my love to them was antecedent to any such agreement,) ‘induce me to overlook their iniquity, and to forgive their other crimes.’ (Remarks, p. 23.) No. Ilove them upon quite different grounds; even because I believe, notwithstanding all their faults, they ‘love the Lord Jesus insincerity,’ and have a measure of ‘the mind that was in him.’ AndI am in great earnest when I declare once more, that I have a deep, abiding conviction, by how many degrees thegood which is among them overbalances the evil; that I cannotspeak of them but with tender affection, were it only for thebenefits I have received from them; and that, at this hour, I desire union with them (were those stumbling-blocks once put away,which have hitherto made that desire ineffectual) above all things under heaven. II. 1. Your second charge is, ‘That I hold, in common with them,principles from which their errors naturally follow.’ You meanjustification by faith alone. To set things in the clearest light I can, Iwill first observe what I hold, and what you object; and then inquire what the consequences have been. First. As to what I hold. My latest thoughts upon justification are expressed in the following words: -- ‘Justification sometimes means our acquittal at the last day. But this is out of the present question; that justification whereof ourArticles and Homilies speak, meaning present pardon andacceptance with God; who therein declares his righteousness and mercy, by or for the remission of the sins that are past. ‘I believe, the condition of this is faith: I mean, not only, thatwithout faith we cannot be justified; but also, that, as soon as anyone has true faith, in that moment he is justified. ‘Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it. Much less can sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works,springing from holiness of heart. But -- entire sanctification goesbefore our justification at the last day.