Wesley Corpus

iii. 8.) Repent ance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance, I mean conviction of sin, pro ducing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment; and by “fruits meet for repentance, forgiving our brother; (Matt. vi. 14, 15;) ceasing from evil, doing good; (Luke iii. 8, 9, &c.;) using the ordinances of God, and, in general, obeying him according to the measure of grace which we have received. (Matthew vii. 7; xxv. 29.) But these I cannot as yet term good works; because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.” (Farther Appeal. Vol. VIII. pp. 46, 47.) 2. “Faith alone is the proximate condition of present justi fication.” II. 1. I have shown here, at large, what is the doctrine I teach with regard to justification, and have taught, ever since I was convinced of it myself, by carefully reading the New Testament and the Homilies. In many points, I apprehend, it agrees with yours: In some it does not; these I come now to consider. May God enable me to do it in love and meekness of wisdom. You say, “Happy times, when faith and a good life were synonymous terms!” (Page 7.) I conceive, they never were. Is not faith the root, a good life the tree springing therefrom ? “That good works are a necessary condition of our justifi cation, may be proved, (1.) From express testimonies of Scrip ture. So Isaiah i. 16, 17: “Cease from evil, learn to do well.’ Then ‘your sins, that were as scarlet, shall be white as snow.’ Here, ceasing from evil, and learning to do well, are the con ditions of pardon.” I answer: Without them there is no par don; yet the immediate condition of it is faith. He that believeth, and he alone, is justified before God. “So Ezekiel xxxiii. 14-16: If the sinner ‘turn from his evil ways, and ‘walk in the statutes of life, then “all his sins shall not be once. mentioned to him.’” Most sure; that is, if he believe; else, whatever his outward walking be, he cannot be justified. The next scripture you cite, Matt. xi. 28, (Sermon, p. 10,) proves no more than this, that none find “rest to their souls,” unless they first come to Christ, (namely, by faith,) and then obey him.