Wesley Corpus

You proceed to the testimony of Justin Martyr, who wrote about fifty years after the Apostles: He says, (I trans late his words literally,) “There are prophetic gifts among us even until now. You may see with us both women and men having gifts from the Spirit of God.” He particularly insists on that of “casting out devils, as what every one might see with his own eyes.” (Page 10.) Irenaeus, who wrote somewhat later, affirms, “that all who were truly disciples of Jesus, wrought miracles in his name: “Some cast out devils; others had visions, or the knowledge of future events; others healed the sick.’ And as to raising the dead, he declares it to have been frequently performed on necessary occasions, by great fasting, and the joint supplica tion of the Church. “And we hear many,’ says he, “speaking with all kinds of tongues, and expounding the mysteries of God.’” (Pages 11, 12.) “Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, who lived in the same age, speaks of casting out devils as then common in the Church.” (Ibid.) 12. “Tertullian, who flourished toward the end of the second century, challenges the heathen Magistrates, to ‘call before their tribunals any person possessed with a devil. And if the evil spirit, when commanded by any Christian, did not confess himself to be a devil, who elsewhere called himself a god, they should take the life of that Christian.’” (Ibid.) “Minutius Felix, supposed to have wrote in the beginning of the third century, addressing himself to his heathen friend, says, “The greatest part of you know what confessions the demons make concerning themselves when we expel them out of the bodies of men.’” (Page 13.) 13. “Origen, something younger than Minutius, declares, that there remained still the manifest indications of the Holy Spirit. ‘For the Christians,’ says he, ‘cast out devils, perform many cures, foretell things to come. And many have been converted to Christianity by visions. I have seen many examples of this sort.’” (Page 14.) In another place he says, “Signs of the Holy Ghost were shown at the beginning of the teaching of Jesus;” (not, as you translate it, “Miracles began with the preaching of Jesus;” that is quite a different thing;) “more were shown after his ascension, but afterwards fewer.