06.03.2019 Views

In Germany to the Leipsic Disputation - James Aitken Wylie

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The combatants at <strong>the</strong> one end of <strong>the</strong> hall fight<br />

for salvation by grace — grace <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> entire<br />

exclusion of human merit: salvation of God. The<br />

combatants at <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r end fight for salvation by<br />

works, a salvation beginning in man's own efforts<br />

and good works, and <strong>the</strong>se efforts and good works<br />

running along <strong>the</strong> whole line of operation; and<br />

though <strong>the</strong>y attract <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>m supernatural grace, and<br />

make it <strong>the</strong>ir yoke-fellow as it were, yet <strong>the</strong>mselves<br />

substantially and meri<strong>to</strong>riously do <strong>the</strong> work. This is<br />

salvation of man.<br />

If rite doctrine of <strong>the</strong> corruption of man's whole<br />

nature be true, if he has lost <strong>the</strong> power of choosing<br />

what is spiritually good, and doing work spiritually<br />

acceptable <strong>to</strong> God, <strong>the</strong> Protestant divines were<br />

right. If he retains this power, <strong>the</strong> Roman<br />

<strong>the</strong>ologians were on <strong>the</strong> side of truth. There is no<br />

middle position.<br />

Thus <strong>the</strong> controversy came <strong>to</strong> rage around this<br />

one point — Has <strong>the</strong> Will <strong>the</strong> power <strong>to</strong> choose and<br />

<strong>to</strong> do what is spiritually good? This, <strong>the</strong>y said, was<br />

<strong>the</strong> whole controversy between Romanism and<br />

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