Wesley Corpus

An Extract from A Short View of the Difference between the Moravian Brethren and the Wesleys Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 10 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- As those who are under the direction of Count Zinzendorf (vulgarly called Mora vian Brethren) are the most plausible, and therefore far the most dangerous, of all the Antinomians now in England, I first endeavour to guard such as are simple of heart against being taken by those cunning hunters. THE difference between the Moravian doctrine and ours (in this respect) lies here: They believe and teach,-- “1. That Christ has done all which was necessary for the salvation of all mankind. “2. That, consequently, we are to do nothing, as necessary to salvation, but simply to believe in him. “3. That there is but one duty now, but one command, viz., to believe in Christ. “4. That Christ has taken away all other commands and duties, having wholly ‘abolished the law; that a believer is therefore ‘free from the law, is not obliged thereby to do or omit anything; it being inconsistent with his liberty to do anything as commanded. “5. That we are sanctified wholly the moment we are justi fied, and are neither more nor less holy to the day of our death; entire sanctification, and entire justification, being in one and the same instant. “6. That a believer is never sanctified or holy in himself, but in Christ only; he has no holiness in himself at all, all his holiness being imputed, not inherent. “7. That if a man regards prayer, or searching the Scrip tures, or communicating, as matter of duty; if he judges himself obliged to do these things, or is troubled when he does them not; he is in bondage; he has no faith at all, but is seeking salvation by the works of the law.” We believe that the first of these propositions is ambiguous, and all the rest utterly false. “1. Christ has done all that was necessary for the salvation of all mankind.” This is ambiguous. Christ has not done all which was neces sary for the absolute salvation of all mankind. For notwith standing all that Christ has done, he that believeth not shall be damned.