Wesley Corpus

Your Lordship undertakes to fix the meaning of an expression used by St. Paul, in the fourteenth chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians. And in order thereto, you laboriously explain part of the eighth chapterof the Romans. My Lord, how is this? Will it be said, “Why, this is often alleged to prove the wrong sense of that scripture?” I conceive, this will not salve the matter at all. Your Lordship had before laid down a particular method, as the only sure one whereby to distinguish what scriptures belong to all Christians, and what do not. This method is, the considering the occasion and scope of those passages, by com paring the text and context together. You then propose, by the use of this method, to show, that several texts have been misapplied by enthusiasts. One of these is the fifteenth verse of the fourteenth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corin thians. And to show, that enthusiasts have misapplied this, you comment on the eighth chapter to the Romans ! However, let us weigh the comment itself. The material part of it begins thus: “Now he adds another proof of the truth of Christianity: “Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities,” or our distresses, for aoréevetats signifies both.” (P. 22.) I doubt that: I require authority for it. “And then he mentions, in what instances he does so, viz., in prayers to God about afflictions.”--In nothing else, my Lord? Did he “help their infirmities” in no other instance than this? “‘We know not,’ says he, “what we should pray for as we ought.” That is, whether it be best for us to bear afflictions, or to be delivered from them. But the Spirit, or the gift of the Spirit, instructs us how to pray in a manner agreeable to the will of God.” “The Spirit, or the gift of the Spirit !” What marvellous reasoning is this? If these “are often put for each other,” what then? How is that evinced to be the case here? 12. “The Apostle goes on, ‘The Spirit itself maketh inter cession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.’ That is, the spiritual or inspired person prayed in that capacity for the whole assembly.” (P. 23.) “That is !” Nay, that is again the very point to be proved, else we get not one step farther.