Page:The works of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., late fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford (IA worksofrevjohnwe3wesl).pdf/189

 take day by day: especially, with respect to those parts thereof, which less immediately relate to practice. Hence even the children of God are not agreed, as to the interpretation of many places in holy writ: nor is their difference of opinion any proof that they are not the children of God on either side. But it is a proof, that we are no more to expect any living man, to be infallible than to be omniscient.

6. If it be objected to what has been observed under this and the preceding head, that St. John speaking to his brethren in the faith, says, ''Ye have an unction from the holy one, and know all things'', 1 John ii. 20. The answer is plain, "Ye know all things that are needful for your soul's health." That the apostle never designed to extend this farther, that he could not speak it in an absolute sense, is clear first from hence, that otherwise he would describe the disciple as above his master; seeing Christ himself, as man, knew not all things.—Of that hour, saith he, knoweth no man, no not the Son, but the Father only. It is clear, secondly, from the apostle's own words that follow, ''These things have I written unto you concerning them that deceive you'': as well as from his frequently repeated caution, ''Let no man deceive you''; which had been altogether needless, had not those very persons, who had that unction from the Holy One been liable not to ignorance only; but to mistake also.