Wesley Corpus

377.) (Did Origen, then, believe that the power mentioned in this text belonged only to the apostolical age?) “See the force of the word, conquering believers by a per suasiveness attended with the power of God! I speak this to show the meaning of him that said, “And my speech and my preaching were not with the enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” This divine saying means, that what is spoken is not sufficient of itself (although it be true, and most worthy to be believed) to pierce a man’s soul, if there be not also a certain power from God given to the speaker, and grace bloom upon what is spoken; and this grace cannot be but from God.” After observing that this is the very passage which your Lordship mentions at the close of the other, but does not cite, I desire every unprejudiced person to judge, whether Origen does not clearly determine that the power spoken of in this text, is in some measure given to all true Ministers in all ages. 22. The last scripture which your Lordship affirms “to be peculiar to the times of the Apostles,” is that in the First Epistle of St. John, concerning the “unction of the Holy One.” To confirm this interpretation, we are referred to the au thority of “Origen and Chrysostom, on the parallel passages in St. John's Gospel.” (P. 42.) But it has appeared, that both these fathers suppose those passages to belong to all Christians; and, consequently, their authority (if these are parallel passages) stands full against this interpretation. Your Lordship subjoins, “I shall here only add that of the great Athanasius, who, in his epistle to Serapion, interprets the ‘unction from the Holy One, not mercly of divine grace, but of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit.” Nay, it is enough, if he interprets it at all of ordinary grace, such as is common to all Christians. And this your Lordship allows he does. But I cannot allow that he interprets it of any thing else. I cannot perceive that he interprets it at all “of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit.” His words are, “The Holy Spirit is called, and is, the unction and the seal.