Wesley Corpus

“I BELIEVE that justification is the same thing as to be born of God. Yet a man may have a strong assurance that he is justified, and not be able to affirm that he is born of God. “A man may be fully assured that his sins are forgiven, yet may not be able to tell the hour or day when he received this full assurance, because it may grow up in him by degrees. Though he can remember that, from the time this full assurance was confirmed in him, he never lost it, no, not for a moment. “A man may have a weak faith at the same time that he hath peace with God, not one uneasy thought, and freedom from sin, not one unholy desire. “A man may be justified, that is, born of God, who has not a clean heart, that is, is not sanctified. “He may be justified, that is, born of God, and not have the indwelling of the Spirit.” 25. I entirely agree, “that the foregoing creed is a very extraordinary and odd composition.” But it is not mine: I neither composed it, nor believe it; as, I doubt not, every im partial reader will be fully convinced, when we shall have gone over it, once more, step by step. The parts of it which I do believe I shall barely repeat: On the others it will be needful to add a few words. “OF THE AssURANCE OF JUSTIFICATION. “I BELIEVE that conversion,” meaning thereby justification, “is an instantaneous work; and that the moment a man has living faith in Christ, he is converted or justified.” (So the proposition must be expressed to make it sense.) “Which faith he cannot have, without knowing that he has it.” “Yet I believe he may not know that he has it till long after.” This I deny: I believe no such thing. “I believe the moment a man is justified he has peace with God: “Which he cannot have without knowing that he has it.” “Yet I believe he may not know he has it till long after.” This again I deny. I believe it not; nor Michael Linner neither; to clear whom entirely, one need only read his own words: “About fourteen years ago, I was more than ever convinced that I was wholly different from what God required me to be.