Wesley Corpus

A Dialogue between an Antinomian and His Friend Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 10 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- ANTINoM1AN.--WELL met, my friend. I am glad to see you. But I am sorry to hear you have changed your religion. FRIEND.--Changed my religion I I do not know what you Inean. Ant.--Why, you once believed, we are saved by faith. Friend.--Undoubtedly; and so I do still. Ant.--Do you believe, then, that the “whole work of man’s salvation was accomplished by Jesus Christ on the cross?”* * The words printed as quotations, within inverted commas, are transcribed rom \ate authors. I am not willing to name them. Friend.--I believe, that, by that one offering, he made a full satisfaction for the sins of the whole world. Ant.--But do you believe that “Christ’s blood and our sins went away together?” Friend.--To say the truth, I do not understand it. Ant.--No ! Why, did not Christ, “when he was upon the cross, take away, put an end to, blot out, and utterly destroy, all our sins for ever?” Friend.--He did then pay the price, for the sake of which, all who truly believe in him are now saved from their sins; and, if they endure to the end, shall be saved everlastingly. Is this what you mean? Ant.--I mean, He did then “heal, take away, put an end to, and utterly destroy, all our sins.” Friend.--Did he then heal the wound before it was made, and put an end to our sins before they had a beginning? This is so glaring, palpable an absurdity, that I cannot conceive how you can swallow it. Ant.--I thought you would come to your “carnal reason ing.” What has faith to do with reasoning? Friend.--Do you ever read the Bible? Does not God himself say to sinners, “Come now, and let us reason together?” (Isaiah i. 18.) Does not our Lord reason continually with the Scribes and Pharisees; St. Peter with the Jews; (Acts ii. 14, &c.;) and St. Paul both with the Jews and Gentiles? Nay, is not great part of his Epistles, both to the Romans and to the Galatians, and the far greatest part of that to the Hebrews, one entire chain of reasoning? Ant.--You may do what you please. But I do not reason; I believe. Friend.--Now, I believe and reason too: For I find no inconsistency between them.