Wesley Corpus

Wesley Collected Works Vol 10

AuthorJohn Wesley
Typetreatise
YearNone
Passage IDjw-wesley-collected-works-vol-10-491
Words398
Justifying Grace Scriptural Authority Reign of God
And there fore I wish my readers would closely compare the “Remarks’ with the “Review’ itself;” (I desire no more. Whoever does this, will easily discern on which side the truth lies;) “as it is impracticable to point out half the little arts of this kind which Mr. W. has stooped to.” That is, in civil terms, “Sir, you are a knave.” Sir, I crave your mercy. I stoop to mo art, but that of plain, sound reasoning. By this art, and by this alone, I am able to untwist truth from falsehood, how skilfully soever they are woven together. I dare use no other; for (whether you know it or no) I fear God. And by his grace, in simplicity and godly sincerity I have my conversation in the world. “But how agrees this with what Mr. W. tells us, that he has never contradicted himself with regard to justification, since the year 1738?” (Farrago, p. 39.) Perfectly well. “How long has he held that justification is fourfold?” I have said nothing about it yet. “And how will he reconcile this with its being twofold, and with his preceding affirmation, that it is one and no more?” When time is, this mystery too may be cleared up. Of a Justified State. 30. Mr. W. says, “The state of a justified person is inex pressibly great and glorious.” (Page 34.) “Yet he asks elsewhere, “Does not talking of a justified or sanctified state, tend to mislead men ?” He answers: ‘It frequently does mislead men;’” namely, when it is spoken of in an unguarded manner. “‘But where is the contradiction?’ Whatever may be the contradiction, this is clearly the con clusion,-that Mr. W., by his own confession, is a misleader of men.” It is not quite clear yet. You have first to prove that I use the phrase “in an unguarded manner.” I confess, when it is so used, it tends to mislead men; but I do not confess that I use it so. 432 REMARKs on MR. HILL’s Are Works a Condition of Justification? 31. “Mr. W. says, “No good works can be previous to justification.’ And yet in the same page he asserts, ‘Who ever desires to find favour with God should cease from evil, and learn to do well.’” I answered: “Does not the Bible say so? Who can deny it? “Nay, but Mr. W.