Wesley Corpus

Paul’s judgment, joined with faith;” (so undoubtedly they are; that is, as an effect is always joined with its cause;) “and therefore we are not saved by faith alone.” I cannot possibly allow the consequence. You afterwards cite two more texts, and add, “You see, mere faith cannot be a condition of justification.” You are out of your way. We are no more talking now of justification than of final salvation. In considering Acts xvi. 31. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved,” you say again, “Here the word. believe does not signify faith only. Faith necessarily produces charity and repentance; therefore, these are expressed by the word believe; ” that is, faith necessarily produces holiness;. therefore holiness is a condition of holiness. I want farther proof. That “Paul and Silas spake unto him the word of the Lord,” and that his faith did “in the same hour” work by love, I take to be no proof at all. You then undertake to show, that confessing our sins is a condition of justification, and that a confidence in the love of God is not a condition. Some of your words are: “This, good Sir, give me leave to say, is the greatest nonsense and contradiction possible. It is impossible you can understand this jargon yourself; and therefore you labour in vain to make it intelligible to others. You soar aloft on eagles’ wings, and leave the poor people to gape and stare after you.” This is very pretty, and very lively. But it is nothing to, the purpose. For we are not now speaking of justification; neither have I said one word of the condition of justification in the whole tract to which you here refer. “In the next place,” say you, “if we are saved” (finally you mean) “only by a confidence in the love of God.” Here I must stop you again; you are now running beside the question, on the other hand. The sole position which I here advance is this: True believers are saved from inward and out ward sin by faith. By faith alone the love of God and all man kind is shed abroad in their hearts, bringing with it the mind' that was in Christ, and producing all holiness of conversation. IV. 1. I am now to consider what has been lately objected.