Wesley Corpus

“But elsewhere Solomon says, “There is no man that sinneth not. Doubtless thus it was in the days of Solomon; yea, and from Solomon to Christ there was then no man that sinned not. But whatever was the case of those under the law, we may safely affirm, with St. John, that, since the gospel was given, “he that is born of God sinneth not.’ “The privileges of Christians are in nowise to be measured by what the Old Testament records concerning those who were under the Jewish dispensation; seeing the fulness of time is now come, the Holy Ghost is now given, the great salvation of God is now brought to men by the revelation of Jesus Christ. The kingdom of heaven is now set up on earth, concerning which the Spirit of God declared of old time, (so far is David from being the pattern or standard of Christian perfection,) “He that is feeble among them, at that day, shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as the angel of the Lord before them.” (Zech. xii. 8.) “But the Apostles themselves committed sin; Peter by dissembling, Paul by his sharp contention with Barnabas. Suppose they did, will you argue thus: ‘If two of the Apostles once committed sin, then all other Christians, in all ages, do and must commit sin as long as they live?’ Nay, God forbid we should thus speak. No necessity of sin was laid upon them; the grace of God was surely sufficient for them. And it is sufficient for us at this day. “But St. James says, “In many things we offend all.’ True; but who are the persons here spoken of ? Why, those ‘many masters’ or teachers whom God had not sent; not the Apostle himself, nor any real Christian. That in the word we, used by a figure of speech, common in all other as well as the inspired writings, the Apostle could not possibly include himself, or any other true believer, appears, First, from the ninth verse, “Therewith bless we God, and therewith curse we men. Surely not we Apostles I not we believers | Secondly, from the words preceding the text: “My brethren, be not many masters, or teachers, ‘knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all.” We / Who?