Wesley Corpus

Such are those of Samuel, Daniel, yea, and Job, in the former; of St. Paul and St. John, in the latter. “But God styles him “a man after his own heart.’” This is the text which has caused many to mistake, for want of considering, First, that this is said of David in a particular respect, not with regard to his whole character: Secondly, the time at which it was spoken. When was David “a man after God’s own heart?” When God found him “following the ewes great with young,” when he “took him from the sheep-folds.” (Psalm lxxviii. 70, 71.) It was in the second or third year of Saul’s reign, that Samuel said to him, “The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and hath commanded him to be captain over his people.” (1 Sam. xiii. 14.) But was he “a man after God’s own heart” all his life? or in all particulars? So far from it, that we have few more exceptionable characters among all the men of God recorded in Scripture. “There is not a just man upon earth that sinneth not.” Solomon might truly say so, before Christ came. And St. John might, after he came, say as truly, “Whosoever is born of God sinneth not.” (Page 261.) But “in many things we offend all.” That St. James does not speak this of himself, or of real Christians, will clearly appear to all who impartially consider the context. The Ninth Dialogue proves excellently well, that we cannot be justified by our works. But have you throughly considered the words which occur in the 270th page? “O children of Adam, you are no longer obliged to love God with all your strength, nor your neighbour as yourselves. Once indeed I insisted on absolute purity of heart; now, I can dispense with some degrees of evil desire. Since Christ has fulfilled the law for you, you need not fulfil it. I will connive at, yea, accommodate my demands to, your weakness.” I agree with you, that “this doctrine makes the Holy One of God a minister of sin.” And is it not your own Is not this the very doctrine which you espouse throughout your book? I cannot but except to several passages also in the Tenth Dialogue.