Wesley Corpus

/ kingdom of God within us;” it is the life of God in the soul of man; it is the mind which was in Christ Jesus; it is “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” 6. Besides, they see that, be this religion shallower or deeper, it does not stand on the right foundation; since “other foundation” for true religion “can no man lay, than that which is laid, even Christ Jesus;” since no one can have the mind which was in Christ, till he is justified by his blood, till he is forgiven and reconciled to God through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. And none can be justified, they are well assured, but by faith, even faith alone; seeing “to him” only “that believeth on God who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness.” 7. What evasion now? What way could Satan take to make all this light of none effect? What could be done when that grand truth, “By grace ye are saved through faith,” was more and more generally received? What, indeed, but to persuade the very men who had received it, to “turn the grace of God into lasciviousness?” To this end Simon Magus appeared again, and taught, “that Christ had done, as well as suffered, all; that his righteousness being imputed to us, we need none of our own; that seeing there was so much righteousness and holiness in Him, there needs none in us; that to think we have any, or to desire or seek any, is to renounce Christ; that from the beginning to the end of salvation, all is in Christ, nothing in man; and that those who teach otherwise are legal Preachers, and know nothing of the gospel.” 8. This is indeed “a blow at the root,” the root of all holiness, all true religion. Hereby Christ is “stabbed in the house of his friends,” of those who make the largest professions of loving and honouring him; the whole design of his death, namely, “to destroy the works of the devil,” being over thrown at a stroke. For wherever this doctrine is cordially received, it leaves no place for holiness. It demolishes it from top to bottom; it destroys both root and branch. It effectually tears up all desire of it, all endeavour after it.