Wesley Corpus

I do not doubt but the testimonies of these nine witnesses, added to the evidence of the apostolic Fathers, will satisfy every impartial man with regard to the point in question. Yet I see no cause, if there are nine witnesses more, to give up their evidence; seeing you may possibly raise objections against these which the others are unconcerned in. If then you should invalidate what I have to reply in oehalf of the witnesses now produced, you will have done but half your work. I shall afterwards require a fair hearing for the others also. 16. You close this head with remarking, (1) “That the silence of all the apostolic writers on the subject of these gifts, must dispose us to conclude they were then withdrawn.” (Ibid.) O Sir, mention this no more. I intreat you, never name their silence again. They speak loud enough to shame you as long as you live. You cannot therefore talk with any grace of “the pretended revival of them, after a cessation of forty or fifty years;” or draw conclusions from that which never was. Your second remark is perfectly new : I dare say, none ever observed before yourself, that this particular circumstance of the primitive Christians “carried with it an air of impos ture,” namely, their “challenging all the world to come and see the miracles which they wrought !” (Page 21.) To complete the argument, you should have added, And their staking their lives upon the performance of them. 17. I doubt you have not gone one step forward yet. You have indeed advanced many bold assertions; but you have not fairly proved one single conclusion with regard to the point in hand. But a natural effect of your lively imagination is, that from this time you argue more and more weakly; inasmuch as, the farther you go, the more things you imagine (and only imagine) yourself to have proved. Consequently, as you gather up more mistakes every step you take, every page is more precarious than the former. II. 1.