Wesley Corpus

We shall not put off these, but with our bodies. But if you mean, it does not promise entire freedom from sin, in its pro per sense, or from committing sin; this is by no means true, unless the Scriptures be false. For thus it is written, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, unless he lose the Spirit of adoption, if not finally, yet for a while, as did this child of God: For his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. He cannot sin, so long as he keepeth himself; for then the wicked one toucheth him not.’” The question is not, whether this be right or wrong; but whether it contradict any thing I have said elsewhere. Thrice I have spoken expressly on this subject, --in a sermon, and in two prefaces. If in any of these I have contradicted what I said before, I will own the former assertion as a mistake. To “Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.” (1 Kings xx. 11.) 1. MY first desire and prayer to God is, that I may live peaceably with all men: My next, that if I must dispute at all, it may be with a man of understanding. Thus far, therefore, I rejoice on the present occasion. I rejoice also in that I have confidence of your sincerity, of your real desire to promote the glory of God, by peace and good-will among men. I am like wise thankful to God for your calm manner of writing; (a few paragraphs excepted;) and yet more for this, -that such an opponent should, by writing in such a manner, give me an opportunity of explaining myself on those very heads whereon I wanted an occasion so to do. 2. I do not want, indeed, (though perhaps you think I do) to widen the breach between us, or to represent the difference of the doctrines we severally teach as greater than it really is. So far from it, that I earnestly wish there were none at all; or, if there must be some, that it may be as small as possible; being fully persuaded, that, could we once agree in doctrines, other differences would soon fall to the ground. 3.