Wesley Corpus

But neither the existence nor the holiness of God was prior to each other.” (Taylor's Sup plement, p. 162.) Nay, but if his existence was not prior to his holiness, if he did not exist before he was holy, your assertion, that every being must exist before it is righteous, is not true. Besides, (to pursue your reasoning a little farther,) if “God did always exist,” yet unless you can prove that he always acted, it will not clear your argument. For let him exist millions of ages, he could not be righteous (according to your maxim) before he acted right. One word more on this article: You say, “My reasoning would hold good, even with respect to God, were it true that he ever did begin to exist.” Then I ask concerning the Son of God, Did he ever begin to exist? If he did not, he is the one, eternal God; (for there cannot be two eternals; ) if he did, and your reasoning hold good, when he began to exist he was not righteous. “But St.John saith, “He that doeth righteousness is right eous.’” Yes, it appears he is, by his doing or practising “righteousness.” “But where doth the Scripture speak one word of a righteousness infused into us?” Where it speaks of “the love of God” (the essence of righteousness) “shed abroad in our hearts.” And cannot God, by his almighty power, infuse any good tempers into us? You answer, “No;--no being whatever can do for us that which cannot be at all if it be not our own choice, and the effect of our own industry and exercise. But all good tempers are the effect of our own industry and exer cise; otherwise they cannot be at all.” Nay, then, it is certain they cannot be at all. For neither lowliness, meekness, long-suffering, nor any other good tem per, can ever be the effect of my own industry and exercise. But I verily believe they may be the effect of God's Spirit, working in me whatsoever pleaseth him. See Isaiah xxvi. 12. You add: “The thing cannot exist, unless we choose; because our choosing to do what is right, is the very thing which is to exist.” No; the thing which is to exist is, a right state of mind.