Wesley Corpus

By his sufferings alone the law was satisfied.” Undoubtedly it was. Therefore, although I believe Christ fulfilled God's law, yet I do not affirm he did this to purchase redemption for us. This was done by his dying in our stead. 30. “Verses of Charles Let him answer. Wesley.” 31, 32, 33. “Title to Life.” John Goodwin: Nothing. “Christian Library.” No thing. 34. “The righteousness of Ditto. Christ is imputed to every one that believes.” Here follows another thundering note: “When Mr. Wesley preached this sermon, he told the congregation, ‘It was the same doctrine which Mr. Romaine, Mr. Madan, and Mr. Whitefield preached.” So it was; Mr. Whitefield did, Mr. Romaine and Mr. Madan do, preach the doctrine contained in that sermon; namely, that “we are justified, sanctified, and glorified, merely for the sake of what Christ has done and suffered for us.” But did I say, this was all the doctrine which they preached ? No; and no man in his senses could under stand me so. I did not therefore “impose on the credulity of my hearers, by making them believe” any more than was strictly true. But “did they ever hold the tenets pleaded for in the books published by Mr. Wesley?” Whether they did or no is out of the present question; they did, and do, hold the doctrine contained in that sermon, “Mr. Wesley knows, they from their hearts subscribe to Mr. Hervey’s Eleven Letters.” I hope not; from any that do, I expect no more mercy than from a mad dog. “But if he had constantly preached that doctrine, how came so many to testify their surprise at that discourse?” Because God set it home upon their hearts. Hence it appeared new, though they had heard it over and over. “How came they to press the printing of it, in order to stop the mouths of gainsayers?” Because they judged it would affect others as it affected them; though I never thought it would. “Lastly: If Mr. Wesley had con stantly maintained this doctrine, why must poor John Bunyan be embowelled, to make him look like Mr. Wesley?” No.; his Calvinism is omitted, to make him like the authors going before him; “to preserve a consistency throughout the work;” which still is not done as I could wish.