Wesley Corpus

“Having now established the fact,” (wonderfully estab lished!) “we may inquire into the fitness of it. There were two causes of the extraordinary operations of the Holy Spirit,--one to manifest his mission, (and this was done once for all,) the other to comfort and instruct the Church.” (Page 110.) “At his first descent on the Apostles, he found their minds rude and uninformed, strangers to all heavenly knowledge, and utterly averse to the gospel. He illuminated their minds with all necessary truth. For a rule of faith not being yet com posed,” (No! Had they not “the Law and the Prophets?”) “some extraordinary infusion of his virtue was still necessary. But when this rule was perfected, part of this office was trans ferred upon the sacred Canon; and his enlightening grace was not to be expected in such abundant measure, as to make the recipients infallible guides.” (Page 112.) Certainly it was not. If this is all that is intended, no one will gainsay. “Yet modern fanatics pretend to as high a degree of divine communications, as if no such rule were in being;” (I do not;) “or, at least, as if that rule needed the further assistance of the Holy Spirit to explain his own meaning.” This is quite ano ther thing. I do firmly believe, (and what serious man does not?) omnis scriptura legi debet eo Spiritu quo scripta est: “We need the same Spirit to understand the Scripture, which enabled the holy men of old to write it.” “Again, the whole strength of human prejudices was then set in opposition to the gospel, to overcome the obstinacy and violence of which, nothing less than the power of the Holy One was sufficient. At present, whatever prejudices may remain, it draws the other way.” (Page 113.) What, toward holiness? toward temperance and chastity? toward justice, mercy, and truth? Quite the reverse. And to overcome the obstinacy and violence of the heart-prejudices which still lie against these, the power of the Holy One is as necessary now, as ever it was from the beginning of the world. “A further reason for the ceasing of miracles is, the peace and security of the Church. The profession of the Christian faith is now attended with ease and honour.” The profession, true; but not the thing itself, as “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus” experience.