What Wesley teaches about works as the condition of salvation is not a whit different from what Catholics teach about merit. It’s understood in both cases that the works and the merit as a result are entirely products of God’s grace. Wesley knows that full well (as to his own traditional Anglican position), but he appears to not know that it is Catholic teaching as well. And so, because of that misunderstanding or ignorance, he splits hairs over the word “merit.” He does seem to realize what is going on, though, in the probing analysis of the sentiment above.
