Page:The works of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., late fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford (IA worksofrevjohnwe3wesl).pdf/197

 secondly, declares, that he which is least in the kingdom of God (in that kingdom which he came to set up on earth, and which the violent now began to take by force) is greater than he. Not a greater prophet (as some have interpreted the word) for this is palpably false in fact. But greater in the grace of God, and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we cannot measure the privileges of real Christians, by those formerly given to the Jews. Their ministration (or dispensation) we allow was glorious; but ours exceeds in glory. So that whosoever would bring down the Christian dispensation to the Jewish standard, whosoever gleans up the examples of weakness, recorded in the law and the prophets, and thence infers, that they who have put on Christ, are indued with no greater strength, doth ''greatly err, neither knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God''.

9. "But are there not assertions in scripture which prove the same thing, if it cannot be inferred from those examples? Does not the scripture say expresly, Even a just man sinneth seven times a day?" I answer, No. The scripture says no such thing. There is no such text in all the bible. That which seems to be intended is the sixteenth verse of the twenty-fourth chapter of the Proverbs: the words of which are these, ''A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again''. But this is quite another thing. For, first, the words a day, are not in the text.