Wesley Corpus

The strength of your argument constantly lies in a loose and paraphrastical manner of translating. The strength of mine lies in translating all in the most close and literal manner; so that closeness of translation strengthens mine, in the same proportion as it weakens your arguments; a plain proof of what you elsewhere observe, that you use “no subtle refinements or forced constructions.” (Preface, p. 31.) * Necesse est, ercidat sensu. 15. But to return to Cyprian: “I cannot forbear,” you say, “relating two or three more of his wonderful stories. The first is, A man who had denied Christ was presently struck dumb: The second, A woman who had done so was seized by an unclean spirit, and soon after died in great anguish: The third, of which he says he was an eye-witness, is this,--The heathen Magistrates gave to a Christian infant part of what had been offered to an idol. When the Deacon forced the consecrated wine on this child, it was immediately seized with convulsions and vomiting; as was a woman who had apostatized, upon taking the conse crated elements.” (Pages 112, 113.) The other two relations Cyprian does not affirm of his own personal knowledge. “Now, what can we think,” say you, “of these strange stories, but that they were partly forged, partly dressed up in this tragical form, to support the discipline of the Church in these times of danger and trial?” (Page 115.) Why, many will think that some of them are true, even in the manner they are related; and that if any of them are not, Cyprian thought they were, and related them in the sincerity of his heart. Nay, perhaps some will think that the wisdom of God might, “in those times of danger and trial,” work things of this kind, for that very end, “to support the dis cipline of the Church.” And till you show the falsehood, or at least the improbability, of this, Cyprian's character stands untainted; not only as a man of sense, (which you yourself allow,) but likewise of eminent integrity; and consequently it is beyond dispute, that visions, the fifth miraculous gift, remained in the Church after the days of the Apostles. Section V. 1. The sixth of the miraculous gifts which you enumerated above, namely, “the discernment of spirits,” you just name, and then entirely pass over.