Two discourses concerning the Holy Spirit, and His work the one, Of the Spirit…

CHAP. V. The Original, Duration, Use and End of Extraordinary Spiritual Gifts.

(§ 1.) THIS Summary Account doth the Apostle give of these Extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost which then flourished in the Church, and were the Life of it's extraordinary Ministry. It may be mention may occur of some such Gifts under other Names, but they are such as may be reduced unto some one of those here expressed. Wherefore this may be admitted as a perfect Catalogue of them, and comprehensive of that Power from Above, which the Lord Christ promised unto his Apostles and Disciples upon his Ascension into Heaven, Acts 1. 8. For he ascended up far above all Heavens, that he might fill all things, Ephes. 4. 10. that is, the Church with Officers and Gifts, unto the Perfection of the Saints, by the Work of the Ministry, and the Edification of his Body, Ver. 11. For being by the Right Hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost, he shed forth, or abundantly poured out these things whereof we speak, Acts 2. 33. And as they were the great Evidence of his Acceptation with God, and Exaltation, seeing in them the Spirit convinced the World ⟨p. 199⟩of Sin, Righteousness and Judgment; 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 after their 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 miraculous, and every way above the Faculties of Men, were communicated unto any after the Expiration of the Generation of them who conversed with Christ in the Flesh, or those who received the Holy Ghost by their Ministry. It is not unlikely, but that God might on some occasions for a longer Season, put forth his Power in some miraculous Operations, and so he yet may do, and perhaps 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 a way unto Satan to impose endless Delusions upon Christians. For as true and real Miracles with becoming Circumstances, 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 although all these Gifts and Operations ceased in some respect, some of them absolutely, and some of them as to the