Wesley Corpus

For is it not written, and do not you yourselves believe, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord?” And how then, without fighting about words, can we deny that holiness is a con dition of final acceptance? And as to the first acceptance or pardon, does not all experience, as well as Scripture, prove that no man ever yet truly believed the gospel who did not first repent? that none was ever yet truly “convinced of righteous ness,” who was not first “convinced of sin?” Repentance, there fore, in this sense, we cannot deny to be necessarily previous to faith. Is it not equally undeniable, that the running back into known, wilful sin, (suppose it were drunkennessor uncleanness,) stifles that repentance or conviction? And can that repentance come to any good issue in his soul, who resolves not to forgive his brother; or who obstinately refrains from what God con vinces him is right, whether it be prayer or hearing his word? Would you scruple yourself to tell one of these, “Why, if you will thus drink away all conviction, how should you ever truly know your want of Christ; or, consequently, believe in him ? If you will not forgive your brother his trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses. If you will not ask, how can you expect to receive? If you will not hear, how can “faith come by hearing?’ It is plain you ‘grieve the Spirit of God;’ you will not have him to reign over you. Take care that he does not utterly depart from you. For ‘unto him that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not,’ that is, uses it not, “shall be taken away, even that which he hath.’” Would you scruple, on a proper occasion, to say this? You could not scruple it if you believe the Bible. But in saying this, you allow all which I have said, viz., that previous to justifying faith, there must be repentance, and, if opportunity permit, “fruits meet for repentance.” 11. And yet I allow you this, that although both repent ance and the fruits thereof are in some sense necessary be fore justification, yet neither the one nor the other is neces sary in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith.