Wesley Corpus

and that I immediately subjoin to the latter clause, “We talked largely with her, and she was humbled to the dust, under a deep sense of the advantage Satan had gained over her.” You quote, Fifthly, a part of the following sentence, to prove that I “undermine morality and good works:” “His judgment concerning holiness is new. He no longer judges it to be an outward thing, to consist either in doing no harm, in doing good, or in using the ordinances of God.” (And yet how strongly do I insist upon all these! Sir, do not you know this?) “He sees it is the life of God in the soul, the image of God fresh stamped on the heart.” It is so. Sir, can you deny it? What then will you prove by this? You quote, Sixthly, part of these words:-- “They speak of holiness as if it consisted chiefly, if not wholly, in these two points: First, the doing no harm : Secondly, the doing good, as it is called; that is, the using the means of grace, and helping our neighbour.” (Vol. I. p. 225.) And this you term, “disparaging good works!” Sir, these things, considered barely as to the opus operatum, are not good works. There must be something good in the heart, before any of our works are good. Insomuch that, “though I give all my goods to feed the poor, and have not ” this, “it profiteth me nothing.” You observe, by the way, “The Mystic divinity was once the Methodists’ doctrine.” Sir, you have stepped out of the way, only to get another fall. The Mystic divinity was never the Methodists’ doctrine. They could never swallow either John Tauler or Jacob Behmen; although they often advised with one that did. 39. You say, Seventhly, “I do not find that Mr. Wesley has ever cited those express passages of St. James.” Sir, what if I had not? (I mean in print.) I do not cite every text from Genesis to the Revelation. But it happens I have. Look again, Sir; and, by and by, you may find where. You say, Eighthly, “Mr. Wesley affirms, that the condition of our justification is faith alone, and not good works.” Most certainly I do. And I learned it from the Eleventh and Twelfth Articles, and from the Homilies of our Church. If you can confute them, do.