Wesley Corpus

This is not the result of our matural understanding. “The natural man discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God:” So that we never can discern them, until God “reveals them unto us by his Spirit.” Reveals, that is, unveils, uncovers; gives us to know what we did not know before. Have we love? It “is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” He inspires, breathes, infuses into our soul, what of ourselves we could not have. Does our spirit rejoice in God our Saviour? It is “joy in,” or by, “the Holy Ghost.” Have we true inward peace? It is “the peace of God,” wrought in us by the same Spirit. Faith, peace, joy, love, are all his fruits. And as we are figuratively said to see the light of faith; so, by a like figure of speech, we are said to feel this peace and joy and love; that is, we have an inward experience of them, which we cannot find any fitter word to express. The reasons why, in speaking of these things, I use those terms, (inspiration particularly,) are, (1.) Because they are scriptural: (2.) Because they are used by our Church : (3.) Because I know none better. The word, “influence of the Holy Ghost,” which I suppose you use, is both a far stronger and a less natural term than inspiration. It is far stronger; even as far as “flowing into the soul” is a stronger expression than “breathing upon it;”--and less natural, as breathing bears a near relation to spirit; to which flowing in has only a distant relation. But you thought I had meant “immediate inspiration.” So I do, or I mean nothing at all. Not indeed such inspiration as is sine mediis. But all inspiration, though by means, is imme diate. Suppose, for instance, you are employed in private prayer, and God pours his love into your heart. God then acts immediately on your soul; and the love of him which you then experience, is as immediately breathed into you by the Holy Ghost, as if you had lived seventeen hundred years ago. Change the term: Say, God then assists you to love him. Well, and is not this immediate assistance 2 Say, His Spirit concurs with yours. You gain no ground. It is immediate con currence, or none at all.