The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 264

height and depth, the inconceivable purity and spirituality of it in all its
branches.”—Wesley, sermon 25.
Wesley declared the perfect harmony of the law and the gospel.
“There is, therefore, the closest connection that can be conceived,
between the law and the gospel. On the one hand, the law continually
makes way for, and points us to, the gospel; on the other, the gospel
continually leads us to a more exact fulfilling of the law. The law, for
instance, requires us to love God, to love our neighbor, to be meek,
humble, or holy. We feel that we are not sufficient for these things;
yea, that ‘with man this is impossible;’ but we see a promise of God to
give us that love, and to make us humble, meek, and holy: we lay hold
of this gospel, of these glad tidings; it is done unto us according to our
faith; and ‘the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us,’ through faith
which is in Christ Jesus....
“In the highest rank of the enemies of the gospel of Christ,” said
Wesley, “are they who openly and explicitly ‘judge the law’ itself, and
‘speak evil of the law;’ who teach men to break (to dissolve, to loose,
to untie the obligation of) not one only, whether of the least or of the
greatest, but all the commandments at a stroke.... The most surprising of
all the circumstances that attend this strong delusion, is that they who are
given up to it, really believe that they honor Christ by overthrowing His
law, and that they are magnifying His office while they are destroying
His doctrine! Yea, they honor Him just as Judas did when he said, ‘Hail,
Master, and kissed Him.’ And He may as justly say to every one of them,
‘Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?’ It is no other than betraying
Him with a kiss, to talk of His blood, and take away His crown; to set
light by any part of His law, under pretense of advancing His gospel. Nor
indeed can anyone escape this charge, who preaches faith in any such a
manner as either directly or indirectly