72 A PIscoirnSE ON And as they were the great evidence of his acceptation with God, and exaltation, seeing in them the Spirit . convinced the worldofsin, righteousness, andjudgment, so they were the great means whereby he carried on his work amongst men, as shall afterwards be declared. 2. There was no certain limited time for the cessation of these gifts. Those peculiar unto the apostles, were commensurate unto their lives. None aftertheir decease had either apostolical office, power, or gifts. The like may be said of evangelists. Nor have we any undoubted testimony, that any of those gifts which were truly mi- raculous, and every way above the faculties of men, were communicated unto any after the expirationof the generation of them who conversed with Christ in the flesh, or thosewho received the Holy Ghostby their mi- nistry. It is not unlikely, butGodmight, on some occa- sions, for a longer season, put forth his power in some miraculous operations, and so he yet may do, andper baps doth sometimes. But the superstition and folly of some ensuing ages inventing and divulging innumerable miracles false and foolish, proved a most disadvantageous prejudice unto the gospel, and a means to open's way unto Satan to impose endless delusions upon Christians. For as trueand real miracles; with becoming circumstan- ces, were the great means that won and reconciled a regard and honour unto Christian religion in the world; so the pretence of such as either were absolutely false, or such as whose occasions, ends, matter or manner, were unbecoming the greatness and holiness of him who is the true author of all miraculous operations, is the greatest dishonour unto religion that any one can invent. But althoughall these gifts and operationsceased in some respect, someof them absolutely, and some of them as to the immediate manner of communication and degree of excellency; yet so far as the edification of the church was concerned in them, something that is analogous un- to there, .was, and is continced. He who gave somea- postles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, gave also somepastorsand teachers. And as hefurnished the former with extraordinarygifts, so far as any thing of the like kind is needful for the continual edification of the church, he bestows it on the latter also, as shall be declared. 3. And these gifts of the Spirit, added unto hisgrace in real holiness, were the glory, honour, and beauty of the church of old, Men have but.deceivred themselves, THE HOLY SPIRIT, -and others, when they have feigned a glory and beauty of the church in otherthings. And whatever any think or say, where these gifts of the Holy Ghost, which are the ornaments of the church, her clothing of wrought gold, andher raiment ofneedle-work, being neglected and lost, and they think to adorn her with the meritricious paint of pompous ceremonies, with outward grandue s wealth and power, she is utterly fallen from herchastity, purity and integrity. But it is evident that this is the state of many churches in the world, which are there- fore worldly and carnal, not spiritual or evangelical. Power, and force, and wealth, the gifts in this case of another spirit, under various pretences and names, are their life and glory, indeed their death and shame. I deny not, but thatit is lawful for ministers of thegospel to enjoy earthly possessions, which they do attain by any commendable way among other men. Neither are they required, unless in extraordinary cases, to part with the right anduse of their temporal goods, becausethey areso, ministers of Christ; though those who are so indeed, will not deny but that they ought to use them in a peculiar manner unto the glory of Christ, and honour ofthe gos- pel, beyond other men. Neither shall I ever question, that wherein the scripture is so express, namely, that those who labour in the word and doctrine, should have a convenient, yea, an honourable subsistenceprovided for them according to the best ability of the church, for their work's sake. It is in like manner also granted, that the Lord Christ bath committed all that power, which, with respect unto theedification of the church, he will exercise in this world unto thechurch itself, as it cannot without a virtual renunciation of the gospel and faith in Christ Jesus, as the head and king of the church, be sup- posed that this power is any other but spiritual, over the souls and consciences of men. And therefore cannot this power he exercised, or be any ways made effectual, but by virtue of the spiritual gifts we treat of. But for men to turn this spiritual power, to be exercised only by vir- tue of spiritual gifts, into an external coercive power o- ver the persons, bodies, liberties, and lives of men, to be exercised by law- courts, in ways, forms, manners utterly foreign to the gospel, and all evangelical administrations, without the least pretence unto, or appearance of the exercise of the gifts of the Holy Ghost therein; yea, and by persons by whom they are hated and derided, acting with pride, scorn, and contempt of the disciples
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