Wesley Corpus

Your Fourth argument against justification by faith alone, is drawn from the nature of justification. This, you observe, “implies a prisoner at the bar, and a law by which he is to be tried; and this is not the law of Moses, but that of Christ, requiring repentance and faith, with their proper fruits;” (page 16;) which now, through the blood of Christ, are accepted and “counted for righteousness.” St. Paul affirms this concerning faith, in the fourth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans. But where does he say, that either repentance or its fruits are counted for righteousness? Nevertheless, I allow that the law of Christ requires such repentance and faith before justification, as, if there be opportunity, will bring forth the “fruits of right eousness.” But if there be not, he that repents and believes is justified notwithstanding. Consequently, these alone are neces sary, indispensably necessary, conditions of our justification. 6. Your Last argument against justification by faith alone “is drawn from the method of God’s proceeding at the last day. He will then judge every man ‘according to his works. If, therefore, works wrought through faith are the ground of the sentence passed upon us in that day, then are they a necessary condition of our justification; ” (page 19;) in other words, “if they are a condition of our final, they are a condition of our present, justification.” I cannot allow the consequence. All holiness must precede our entering into glory. But no holiness can exist, till, “being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 7. You next attempt to reconcile the writings of St. Paul with justification by works. In order to this you say, “In the three first chapters of his Epistle to the Romans, he proves that both Jews and Gentiles must have recourse to the gospel of Christ. To this end he convicts the whole world of sin; and having stopped every mouth, he makes his inference, ‘There fore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified. We conclude, them, says he, “a man is justified by faith, with out the deeds of the law. But here arise two questions: First, What are the works excluded from justifying? Secondly, What is the faith which justifies?” (Pages 20, 21, 22.) “The works excluded are heathem and Jewish works, set up as meritorious.