Wesley Corpus

However, to prove his point, Mr. Hill goes on : “This doctrine” (of the “The use of the term” (the “imputed righteousness of “imputed righteousness of Christ”) “I have constantly Christ”) “is not scriptural; believed and taught for near it is not necessary; it has eight-and-twenty years.” done immense hurt.”e “‘It has done immense hurt, says Mr. W.; ‘but here is no contradiction.’ Whether there be or not, there is a plain concession from Mr. W. himself, that he has been preaching a doctrine for eight-and-twenty years together, which has done immense hurt.” Let this (one instance out of an hundred) be a specimen of Mr. Hill's fairness ! The whole strength of the argument depends on the artful jumbling of two sentences together, and inserting two or three little words into the latter of them. My words are: “We no more deny the phrase” (of “imputed righteousness”) “than the thing.” (Remarks, p. 383.) “This doctrine I have believed and taught for near eight and-twenty years.” (Ibid.) These distinct sentences Mr. Hill is pleased to thrust together into one, and to mend thus: “This doctrine (of the imputed righteousness of Christ) I have constantly believed and taught for near eight-and twenty years.” And here, says Mr. H., is a “plain concession from Mr. 428 REMARKs on MR. HILL’s W. himself, that he has been preaching a doctrine for twenty-eight years together, which has done immense hurt.” No, the doctrine which I believe has done immense hurt, is that of the imputed righteousness of Christ in the Antinomian sense. The doctrine which I have constantly held and preached is, that faith is imputed for righteousness. And when I have either in that sermon or elsewhere said, that “the righteousness of Christ is imputed to every believer,” I mean, every believer is justified for the sake of what Christ has done and suffered. Yet still I think, “there is no use in contending for that particular phrase.” And I say still, “I dare not insist upon it, because I cannot find it in the Bible.” To contradict this, Mr. H. cites these words: “‘This...is fully consistent with our being justified, through the imputation of Christ's righteousness.” Mr. W.’s notes on Romans iv. 9.” Mr. H.