Wesley Corpus

IV. You are, in the Fourth place, to “review all the several kinds of miraculous gifts which are pretended to have been given; and to observe, from the nature of each, how far they may reasonably be suspected.” (Page 72.) “These,” you say, “are, 1. The power of raising the dead. 2. Of healing the sick. 3. Of casting out devils. 4. Of prophesying. 5. Of seeing visions. 6. Of discovering the secrets of men. 7. Of expounding the Scriptures. 8. Of speaking with tongues.” I had rather have had an account of the miraculous powers as they are represented to us in the history of the gospel. But that account you are not inclined to give. So we will make the best of what we have. Section I. 1. And, First, as to “raising the dead.” Irenaeus affirms: “This was frequently performed on necessary occa sions; when by great fastings and the joint supplication of the Church, the spirit of the dead person returned into him, and the man was given back to the prayers of the saints.” (Ibid.) 2. But you object: “There is not an instance of this to be found in the three first centuries.” (Ibid.) I presume you mean, no heathen historian has mentioned it; for Christian historians were not. I answer, (1.) It is not probable a heathen historian would have related such a fact, had he known it. (2.) It is equally improbable, he should know it; seeing the Christians knew with whom they had to do; and that, had such an instance been made public, they would not long have enjoyed him who had been given back to their prayers. They could not but remember what had been before, when the Jews sought Lazarus also to kill him; a very obvious reason why a miracle of this particular kind ought not to have been published abroad; especially considering, Thirdly, that it was not designed for the conversion of the Heathens; but “on occasions necessary” for the good of the Church, of the Christian community. Lastly: It was a miracle proper, above all others, to support and confirm the Christians, who were daily tortured and slain, but sustained by the hope of obtaining a better resurrection. 3. You object, Secondly: “The Heathens constantly affirmed the thing itself to be impossible.” (Page 73.) They did so.