Wesley Corpus

8. Yet your Lordship proceeds: “The next passage of Scrip ture I shall mention, as peculiarly belonging to the primitive times, though misapplied to the present state of Christians by modern enthusiasts, is what relates to the “testimony of the Spirit, and ‘praying by the Spirit, in the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans.” (Page 16.) I believe it incumbent upon methoroughly to weigh the force of your Lordship's reasoning on this head. You begin: “After St. Paul had treated of that spiritual principle in Christians, which enables them “to mortify the deeds of the body, he says, “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” This makes the distinction of a true Christian, particularly in opposition to the Jews.” I apprehend it is just here that your Lordship turns out of the way, when you say, “particularly in opposition to the Jews.” Such a particular opposition I cannot allow, till some stronger proof is produced, than St. Paul’s occa sionally mentioning, six verses before, “the imperfection of the Jewish law.” Yet your Lordship's mind is so full of this, that after repeat ing the fourteenth and fifteenth verses, “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God: For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father !” you add, “In the former part of this verse, the Apostle shows again the imperfection of the Jewish law.” This also calls for proof; otherwise it will not be allowed, that he here speaks of the Jew ish law at all; not, though we grant that “the Jews were sub ject to the fear of death, and lived, in consequence of it, in a state of bondage.” For are not all unbelievers, as well as the Jews, more or less, in the same fear and bondage? Your Lordship goes on : “In the latter part of the verse he shows the superiority of the Christian law to that of the Jews.” (P. 18.) Where is the proof, my Lord?