Wesley Corpus

But why does he talk as if he did? “Because it is a clear consequence from your own assertion.” I answer, (1) If it be, that consequence is as chargeable on Dr. E. as on me; since he must, nolens volens, assert the same thing, unless he will dispute through a stone wall. (2.) This is no consequence at all: For, admitting “right tempers cannot subsist without right opinions,” you cannot infer, therefore, “right opinions cannot subsist without right tempers.” Prove this by other mediums, if you can ; but it will never be proved by this. However, until this is done, I hope to hear no more of this thread-bare objection. 3. Dr. E. attacks me, Secondly, with equal vehemence, on the head of justification. In various parts of his tract, he flatly charges me with holding justification by works. In support of this charge, he cites several sentences out of various treatises, abridgments of which I have occasionally published within these thirty years. As I have not those abridgments by me now, I suppose the citations are fairly made; and that they are exactly made, without any mistake, either designed or undesigned. I will suppose, likewise, that some of these expressions, gleaned up from several tracts, are indefensible. And what is it which any unprejudiced person can infer from this? Will any candid man judge of my sentiments, either on this or any other head, from a few sentences of other men, (though reprinted by me, , after premising, that I did not approve of all their expressions,) or from my own avowed, explicit declarations, repeated over and over? Yet this is the way by which Dr. E. proves, that I hold justification by works | He continually cites the words of those authors as mine, telling his reader, “Mr. Wesley says thus and thus.” I do not say so; and no man can prove it, unless by citing my own words. I believe justification by faith alone, as much as I believe there is a God. I declared this in a sermon, preached before the University of Oxford, eight-and twenty years ago. I declared it to all the world eighteen years ago, in a sermon written expressly on the subject. I have never varied from it, no, not an hair's breadth, from 1738 to this day.