Wesley Corpus

These Roman virtues our religion does cut off; it leaves no place for them. And a reasonable Deist will allow, “that these are not the most essential recom mendation to Heaven.” But it is far from cutting off any sort, degree, or instance of genuine virtue; all which is con tained in the love of God and man, producing every divine and amiable temper. And this love we suppose (according to the Christian scheme) to flow from a sense of God’s love to us; which sense and persuasion of God’s love to man in Christ Jesus, particularly applied, we term faith ; a thing you seem to be totally unacquainted with. For it is not the faith whereof we speak, unless it be a “faith working by love,” a faith “zeal ous of good works,” careful to maintain, nay, to excel in them. Nor do we acknowledge him to have one grain of faith, who is not continually doing good, who is not willing “to spend and be spent in doing all good, as he has opportu nity, to all men.” Whoever therefore they are, that “throw aside good works; that suspend” (as you prettily phrase it) “the hand of industry, become inactive, and leave all to Providence, without exercising either their heads or hands;” they are no more led into this by any doctrine of ours, than by the writings of Paul of Tarsus. And yet “this unaccountable strange sect” (so I believe we appear to you) “place no merit at all in good works.” Most true. No, nor in faith neither; (which you may think more unaccountable still ;) but only in “the blood of the everlasting covenant.” We do assuredly hold, (which I beg to leave with you, and to recommend to your deepest consi deration,) that there is no justification, in your sense, either by faith or works, or both together; that is, that we are not pardoned and accepted with God for the merit of either, or both; but only by the grace or free love of God, for the alone merits of his Son Jesus Christ. I am, Sir, Your friend, though not admirer,