The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
“The former _seems to be_ the demonstration of the Spirit, with regard
to the prophetical testimonies of him.――And _the demonstration of
power, must signify_ the power of God, exerted in miracles.” (page 30.)
“Must;” Why so? That δύναμις often signifies _miraculous power_, is
allowed――But what follows? That it _must mean_ so in this place? That
still remains to be proved.
Indeed your Lordship says, this “appears from the following verse,
in which is assigned the reason for using this method of proving
Christianity to be true, viz. _That your faith should not stand in
the wisdom of man, but in the power of |God|_. By the power of God
therefore must necessarily be understood, the miracles performed by
Christ and his apostles.” By the illative particle, _therefore_, this
proposition should be an inference from some other: but what other I
cannot yet discern. So that, for the present, I can only look upon it,
as a fresh instance of begging the question.
“He goes on in the 7th, 10th and following verses, to explain this
_demonstration of the spirit and of power_.” But he does not say one
syllable therein, either of the _ancient prophecies_, or of _miracles_.
Nor will it be easily proved, that he speaks either of one or the other,
from the beginning of the chapter to the end.
After transcribing the 13th verse, _which things also we speak, not
in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost
teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual_, your Lordship
adds, “From which last passage it appears, that the words which the
Holy Ghost is said _to teach, must be_ the prophetical revelations of
the _Old Testament_, which were discovered to the apostles by the same
Spirit.” I cannot apprehend, how this appears. I cannot as yet see any
connection at all between the premisses and the conclusion.
Upon the whole, I desire any calm and serious man, to read over this
whole chapter; and then he will easily judge, what is the natural
meaning of the words in question: and whether (although it be allowed,
that they were _peculiarly_ fulfilled in the apostles, yet) they do
not manifestly belong, _in a lower sense_, to every true minister of
Christ? For what can be more undeniable than this, that _our_ preaching
also is vain, unless it be attended with _the power_ of that Spirit,
who alone pierceth the heart? And that your hearing is vain, unless
the same _power be present to heal_ your soul, and to give you a faith
which _standeth not in the wisdom of man, but in the power of |God|_?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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