Wesley Corpus

So much for your account of the new birth. I am, in the Second place, to consider the account you give of “the pretended inspiration” (so you are pleased to term it) “of the Methodists.” “The Holy Ghost sat on the Apostles with cloven tongues as of fire;--and signs and wonders were done by their hands.” ThE REV. M.R. POTTER, 9I (Pages 16, 17, 18.) Wonders indeed! sick by a word, a touch, a shadow !-- For they healed the They spake the dead alive, and living dead. “But though these extraordinary operations of the Spirit have been long since withdrawn, yet the pretension to them still subsists in the confident claim of the Methodists.” This you boldly affirm, and I flatly deny. I deny that either I, or any in connexion with me, (for others, whether called Methodists, or anything else, I am no more concerned to answer than you are,) do now, or ever did, lay any claim to “these extraordinary operations of the Spirit.” 7. But you will prove it. They “confidently and presump tuously claim a particular and immediate inspiration.” (Ibid.) I answer, First, so do you, and in this very sermon, though you call it by another name. By inspiration, we mean that inward assistance of the Holy Ghost, which “helps our infirmi ties, enlightens our understanding, rectifies our will, comforts, purifies, and sanctifies us.” (Page 14.) Now, all this you claim as well as I; for these are your own words. “Nay, but you claim a particular inspiration.” So do you; do not you expect Him to sanctify you in particular? “Yes; but I look for no imme diate inspiration.” You do; you expect He will immediately and directly help your infirmities. Sometimes, it is true, He does this, by the mediation or intervention of other men; but at other times, particularly in private prayer, he gives that he', directly from himself. “But is this all you mean by particulai, immediate inspiration?” It is; and so I have declared a thou sand times in private, in public, by every method I could devise. It is pity, therefore, that any should still undertake to give an account of my sentiments, without either hearing or reading what I say. Is this doing as we would be done to? 8. I answer, Secondly, there is no analogy between claiming.