Chapter XII: Part 12

How happy would it be, if we have no Tares to defile and dishonour the cause of God, and to injure the precious grain! They often spring up, where good seed had been sown and where least expected. Every thing on earth is changing. Misfortunes and evils arise from quarters, where comfort and happiness were most looked for. While we deplore the mutability of all human things, we may learn the most useful lessons; and one of the most useful is the folly of trusting our own hearts, or the stability of others. Tares are sowed in the field. _In the parable of the sower,_ the seed means the doctrines of the Gospel. _In the Parable of the Tares,_ the seed sown seems to mean pious and upright members of the Gospel-kingdom; or _secondly,_ truth, as truth is instrumental in saving and enlightening the soul. The _Tares,_ mean then, not hypocrites only, but errors, heresies, and divisions among the professing people of God. One of the clearest proofs of human depravity is the proneness of man to wander into the wilderness of error and delusion. Though conscience and reason be on the side of what is right and just in doctrine and practice, yet the corrupt passions or evil dispositions of the heart lead to all that is wrong. The good man drops tears of grief over abounding errors and immoralities--the want of union, of charity--of peace in the Church of God. We do not see eye to eye. Before there will be a full uniformity of opinions on the doctrines of Religion, we must wait till the openings of celestial day, when that which is in part shall be done away, and that which is perfect is come. But it is exceedingly comfortable to think, however many tares there are in the Church here below, there will be none in the Church above in heaven. No enemy will gain entrance there, to sow them. In the Church triumphant will be no tares, or errors, or evils. In its harmony there will be no interruption. In its doctrines, no dissent. In its worship no coldness. And in its peace no end. But here in the Church militant, there will be hatred, variance, strife, hypocrisy, and errors. Tares will infest the field. And it is worthy of particular notice, they are always sowed by an enemy, open or concealed. _But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed Tares among the wheat, and went his way. The enemy that sowed them,_ says our Saviour, is the Devil: He does it by his agents. In the original it is an _envious man_: one who hates Religion; and the order and peace, purity and harmony of the Church; one who hates Christ and his ordinances and doctrines, and wishes to make mischief and spread confusion. _The enemy comes into the field_ and is active and zealous to _sow Tares,_ what may corrupt and poison, the grain, or hurt the harvest. _The enemy_ is sly and concealed in doing his mischief--he came in the night, _while men slept, sowed his Tares, and went away._ The servants are astonished when, in process of time, they discover the evil. _But when the blade sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the Tares also._ In nature's soil evil seed soon springs up. And so it does when sown in the garden of the Lord.--False doctrines or errors soon spread, being agreeable to the vicious inclinations of the heart.--Often what is most pleasing and promising at first turns out, to our great mortification, far otherwise. When we hoped for a plentiful harvest, and the ground was highly cultivated, _tares appeared also._ This teaches us to rest our hope in him, who changes not; and whose favour is life. How artful is the enemy of our souls, and of the peace and welfare of the Gospel-kingdom! He is full of devices--of subtle devices. And his instruments and agent to carry on his designs, are usually chosen with skill.

_In the third place,_ We notice in this parable of the Tares, the great tenderness and care of the Householder for the precious grain. A rash proposal was made by his servants to go and gather up the Tares. They were honest in this proposal, and doubtless viewed it best to root out the Tares immediately. But though the proposal were well meant, yet it was mis-timed. We admire the honesty and faithfulness of the servants. But they could not perform what they were willing to undertake. It is impossible to keep hypocrites, false professors, pretended friends, errors and heresies--delusions and false religions, visions and impulses from mingling with the Children of the kingdom, or to prevent the tares from being among the wheat. _So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field, from whence hath it Tares? He said unto them an enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, wilt thou, then, that we go and gather them up? But he said, nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them._ Thus wonderful is the tenderness of Christ for the pious and upright. He dearly values his friends and the truth. He will preserve and bless them, and in due time own it. He always had his Church in the world, and always will have. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it--No antient or modern heresy or superstition shall destroy it. They may injure it. They may exceedingly distress and persecute it. But no weapon formed against Zion however much at present it may, shall eventually prosper. There is no enchantment against Israel, or divination against Jacob. Error may come in like a flood--the love of many may wax cold, and infidelity may diffuse, far and wide, its poison.--But the cause of God will live and remain, in spite of all persecution or opposition from Earth or hell. The wheat must not be rooted up. Jesus Christ will protect and defend his true Church, in the darkest times. If tares be sown while men sleep, they shall not be permitted to destroy the valuable grain. "While Ministers, while Magistrates, while Parents," says one, "sleep, the enemy sows tares."

_In the fourth place,_ another observation which I shall make upon the Parable before us, is that a period of separation between _the tares and the wheat_ is fixed by our Lord. Here he gives to all his people, in all ages and places, most needful and excellent instruction and counsel, in their Church state. A rule is here laid before them of prudence, meekness, and wisdom. No rash expedients have his countenance. No undue severity is admissible by him. As he was all meekness and benevolence himself, so he presses, with all the weight of his authority and ardour of persuasion, the same temper upon all his disciples. They are to be meek and lowly in heart as he was. _Judge not,_ says he, _that ye be not judged._--Be more ready to take the beam out of your own eye, than the mote out of your neighbour's eye. Let a bitter censorious spirit never be exercised. Condescension, forbearance, humility and meekness are the temper of the Gospel. But we are not to be indifferent about truth, and duty. We are to _hold fast_ the form of _sound words,_ the Apostles' doctrines;--and to _contend earnestly_ for the faith once delivered to the Saints:--to be firm and courageous in our Lord's work. But we are not to go and gather up the tares to the danger of the wheat--both must stand till the harvest. A day is appointed, in which exact justice shall be distributed, and a perfect discrimination will be made of characters and principles. The day is that of the harvest. And the harvest is the end of the world. _Let both grow together until the harvest. And in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. The harvest is the end of the world: the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire: so shall it be in the end of the world. The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity! and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father._ There is an inimitable beauty and grandeur in this account of the end of the righteous and wicked, in the day of judgment.

Our blessed Saviour, so much disregarded by impious men--some denying his divinity--some his humanity--some his doctrines--some his spirit--and some his ordinances, will preside in that awful solemnity. Angels will be his attendants. They will be employed as agents in carrying on the important transactions of that day. The judge will appear in all the majesty of God. For he will come in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels. All things will be brought to light. The hidden things of dishonesty will be in open day. Such forms of guilt will be revealed, as shall strike horror into the mind. Clouded characters will clear up. The rotten hearts of false professors will be seen--Errors will be unmasked--and all characters pass in review. A full and perfect separation will be made by him whose eyes are as a flame of fire. We cannot make the separation between the tares and the wheat. It must be left with him, who is the head of the Church, to dispose of all, according to their works.--And he shall render unto every man according to his works.----

_The last observation_ to be made on this Parable, is the different fate of the _tares and wheat_; the righteous and wicked. Truth and duty will be at last triumphant, and honoured with a glorious reward. Error and all evil will be frowned upon and rejected. Nothing but Virtue will, in the final result of things, be recompensed. All vice, in all its multiplied forms, will be condemned. With the wicked there shall be weeping and wailing forever. They must be cast into a furnace of fire. They will be rendered as miserable as they have made themselves sinful. The more vile the more miserable. The greater their turpitude of heart and the more their sins of life, the heavier will be their condemnation. All things that offend, and that work iniquity shall be gathered out of the kingdom of Christ. The angels will be honoured with the office of making the final separation. And the righteous will be rewarded forever, and the wicked will be punished forever. Our Lord solemnly affirms this. And we may believe him with all possible safety. The wheat shall be gathered into the barn, and the tares be burnt with fire--be always miserable. _The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom ALL THINGS THAT OFFEND, and which do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth_--strong expressions to denote remorse and anguish. _Then shall the righteous shine forever as the sun in the kingdom of their Father._ That there will be as wide a difference in the situation of persons, in another world, as there is in their moral characters in this, is altogether consonant to the dictates of sober reason, and is clearly affirmed in the following words, _Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner. But he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire._ If such language as this can be explained away, so as to get rid of the doctrine of the perpetuity of future misery; any could, which might be used. Besides, it is perfectly consistent with reason, that a discrimination should be eternally made, between Virtue and Vice, right and wrong, between the precious and vile. If there should not, it would infringe upon all our ideas of justice. It is, of course, unreasonable to imagine there will not be such a discrimination. The judge of all the earth will do, all that is right to be done; and nothing but what is so. The wicked, therefore, will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.--Can any thing be more absurd in itself, or contrary to reason and nature, or repugnant to revelation, in its whole drift, than to suppose no difference will be made by the Lord of the Universe, between the _tares and the wheat_--that both will be gathered into one place--and no separation be made.--Certainly there is not. How unaccountable is it, that any, while they hold to the divinity of the scriptures, should affect to believe that all the human race, the wicked as well as the righteous, are at last to be admitted to the joys of a blissful immortality?--After persons have cast off a belief of the scripture, we are not to be surprised that they should embrace any error--or even deny a future state of rewards and punishment, and adopt, as one article of their Creed, the mortality of the soul. For when persons leave the plain truths and principles of the Gospel, they are on dangerous ground, and no conjecture can be made, how far they may be permitted to proceed in delusion, and vain imaginations, in error and vice--they may not stop till they have landed in absolute scepticism--or atheism. Hence we are exhorted to be _steadfast_--to be _immovable_--to _abound_ in the work of the Lord. Hence too we are cautioned against instability of principle--_Meddle not with them that are given to change._

Having made the observations upon the Parable of the tares, which seemed to be naturally suggested from it, it remains only to close the discourse, with some practical improvement.

And our subject may very properly put us upon a close and impartial examination of our hearts and ways, that we may know to our satisfaction, whether we may rank in the number of the Children of the kingdom, the precious grain. The field is the world: the good seed are the Children of the kingdom, belong to Christ's kingdom on earth, and are heirs of his kingdom of glory, but the tares are the Children of the wicked one. In all our inquiries into the state and temper of our hearts, we are carefully to guard against self-flattery. Man loves to think well of himself, and ill of others. In general, he is confident that he is right in principles and conduct, and that others, who differ from him, are wrong. Pride, self-will, and sinister motives have too much influence over all, both in forming their principles, and regulating their conduct. A fair outside, and a specious appearance catch many, who have not patience to investigate truth and duty, or discernment to descry danger, or to detect the insidious arts of the designing. _He saith unto them an enemy hath done this._ We are to be upon our guard, lest we be led away by the enemy of our souls, and to see that we be true, sincere, and upright--that we act upon pure and worthy motives--that we keep near to the Saviour of the world in duty--that we abide in his doctrines--that we live up to his laws, then shall we have the comforts of his spirit, and at last, the rewards of faithful followers will be conferred upon us.--What great tenderness has he for all his true followers, the Children of the kingdom. Whatever evils are permitted to happen, he will watch and guard them--will protect them in the midst of all dangers, however alarming, and support them in the darkest hours. He has an eye to pity them, and an arm to save them. He is the good shepherd that giveth his life for the sheep. And his sheep know his voice, and a stranger they will not follow.----

2ndly. We learn from what hath been said, how restless and uneasy the enemy of God and man is, except he be plotting evil. _The tares are the Children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the Devil._ He is a roaring Lion going about seeking whom he may devour. His devices are as subtle as numerous. Concealed and out of sight, he employs his cunning to ensnare and beguile souls--to ruin the incautious--to sow tares, errors and heresies, false principles and divisions. _And while men slept, his enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way._ He is ever active to do all the mischief, in his power, to the truth, to religion, and to the cause of God. His policy is deep laid. The factors or agents whom he employs, are commonly selected with great skill. He is a liar from the beginning; and his attacks are generally begun with misrepresenting the truth, and varnishing over error. His kingdom, indeed, has always been supported, in the world, by delusion and Idolatry--BY IMPULSES, or SUPPOSED DIVINE IMPRESSIONS upon the soul; changing himself into an angel of light, is of all others, his most subtle device, and the most successful. People are usually seduced from the right ways of the Lord, by being made to believe, either by corrupt writings, or by artful deceivers, that error is truth--that superstition is real piety, and enthusiasm a more spiritual way of serving God.--In days of prevailing error and irreligion it is a rich consolation to the serious mind, that God reigns: that the enemy of souls can carry his corrupt designs against piety and Virtue, no further than he is permitted. The wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder thereof he will restrain. Wise ends are to be answered in all events that take place, in divine Providence. While it is our duty to bewail the evils we behold, our vigilance, and prayerful exertions should be awakened, lest we be led away with the error of the wicked.--

To conclude all, Let us be persuaded to make it our chief concern in life to practise all the great and interesting duties of Religion:--to avoid all vicious and evil courses:--to be preserved from errors:--to cultivate the benevolence and Charity of the Gospel:--to be stedfast in our adherence to him, who died for us:--and to abound in the work of the Lord, that so we may be the Children of the kingdom, and with the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the kingdom of our heavenly Father.--

DISCOURSE XVIII.

----------

No immediate inspiration or miraculous teachings of the divine spirit since the Canon of scripture was closed, or since the Apostolic age.

1 CORINTHIANS xiii. 8.

_Charity never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away._

Few things have been productive of more confusion and mischief, in society as connected with religion or in Churches, than a pretension to the immediate inspiration or miraculous teachings of the divine spirit, or to a special intimacy with the invisible world, in the ordinary ages of Christianity. But strange as it may seem, some have risen up in every age and almost or quite every Christian Country, who have pretended to an immediate call from heaven, and immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost. The same call and the same inspiration or miraculous influence precisely as the Apostles, though perhaps, not in so full a measure. Such pretenders too have never failed to collect followers; some more and some less. As the consequence, they have broken up the regular and stated worship of God, the peace and order of society as far as they prevailed: have made divisions and separations in Religion: and been the direct cause of errors, hatred, animosity, confusion, and impiety. To compute the degree of mischief done to the best of all causes, that of Virtue and piety, by such pretenders, is beyond man's power. For nothing, like this, tends so directly to destroy all rational piety, and to throw a discredit on all the Redeemer's interest and kingdom.----What will be attempted, therefore, in the present discourse, will be to prove, by clear and conclusive arguments from scripture, reason, and fact, that there has been no immediate inspiration or miraculous teachings of the divine spirit since the Canon of scripture was closed, or since the Apostolic days.--Then some objections will be invalidated;--and some cautions offered to prevent any abuse of the subject;--After which a very brief improvement will follow, and close the whole.

The chief thing intended, is to prove by clear and conclusive arguments from scripture, reason, and fact, that there has been since the Apostolic age, no immediate inspiration, or miraculous teachings of the divine spirit.

This subject is of high importance in regard to the interests of morality, as well as of Religion. For all pretences to heavenly Visions--dreams--immediate impulses from the holy Ghost--miraculous gifts--direct and special communications with the world of spirits--and messages from the exalted Mediator usually terminate to the disadvantage of Morality, as well as dishonour of pure Religion. Whatever indeed injures the one, equally injures the other also. Because both are most intimately connected. There can be no Religion of the right kind without morality. And Morality, which is not supported and strengthened by religious principles, is not to be depended upon.--What I have to prove is that all pretence, in the ordinary ages of Christianity, to any immediate inspiration or miraculous influence of the divine spirit is ill-founded--can be nothing short of gross delusion and imposture--is mere fanaticism[1]--and the surest mark, which can be exhibited, of false Teachers, and mistaken notions of Religion.--Before I proceed to the proof of this, it may be necessary, in order to prevent misapprehension and all wrong ideas of the subject, to state, in as plain words as can be used, what kind of divine aid or influence the Christian Minister, and the people of God may look for and hope to enjoy; and what they actually experience. That the good man, whether Minister of the Gospel, or private Christian may depend on, and hope for the gracious assistances, or kind influences of the holy Ghost, in the way of means, is certainly a scripture-doctrine: a great support and rich consolation in times of distress, darkness, and doubts, and can be witnessed to by joyful experience.--I believe as fully in the doctrines of the gracious influence, of the spirit of God, as I do in the divinity of the scriptures, or reality of Religion. And this gracious influence, is distinguished, with most evident propriety, into the awakening--regenerating--confirming--and indwelling influence of the holy spirit. _Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God alone giveth the increase. By grace are ye saved. You hath he quickened._ The grace which saves the sinner is free, rich, sovereign grace. God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and compassion on whom he will have compassion. It is divine influence which awakens the soul, in conviction of sin. It is divine grace which regenerates the soul. Divine grace sanctifies it more and more, in the use of the appointed means and ordinances of God, prayer and other divine institutions. And divine grace meetens it for glory at last. The internal call of the spirit, is the sanctifying work of grace on the soul.--And the faithful Minister of the Gospel, in diligent study, prayerfulness, meditation--reading the scriptures, and collecting and comparing divine truths, may lawfully hope for and rely on the gracious assistances, influences, and motions of the holy spirit upon his soul. He may hope for divine help to enlighten his mind, to impress upon it a deep and affecting sense of divine things, to warm his affections, to fix his attention, and to enable him to speak forth the words of truth and soberness--to deliver the whole counsel of God in the written word, and to speak as a dying man, to dying men. This assistance or gracious influence, he at times experiences. And this is all he can hope for, or that the word of God allows him to pray for, or that any one in these days, ever hath. The matter he is to deliver is in the holy scriptures, which he is carefully and duly to collect, and arrange, and unfold. He is faithfully, diligently, and painfully to study the truths, and doctrines, therein contained, and to set them, as far as may be, before his fellow-men, in a clear and plain, in a striking and affecting light. This is all the influence of grace a Gospel-Minister is to expect, or pray for. All beyond this, is beyond the word of God, and beyond reason; and is either delusion and error, or fanaticism, and a heated imagination.--It may be added that regular, learned, and faithful Gospel-Ministers never pretend to any thing further, to any thing more than this GRACIOUS INFLUENCE now explained. And this, we contend is only to be hoped for, prayed for or expected, in a close, diligent, painful study--reading--meditation--and seeking to understand aright the holy scripture, to learn the revealed truths of God. We profess to go by nothing higher. We allow of no other rule of faith and practice. To the LAW and TESTIMONY is our Motto. We say, examine all--try all--prove all by this standard. By this, all we say--all we teach is to be scrutinized. We disown all idea of any IMMEDIATE INSPIRATION or miraculous gifts and influence. We come to you, my hearers, only with a _thus saith the Lord_ in his written word. We come only in the fulness of the _blessing of the Gospel of Christ; knowing only Christ Jesus and him crucified,_ not in our own fulness, or sufficiency, or inspiration. We disclaim openly all pretensions to an IMMEDIATE CALL from heaven, as the Apostles had; we pretend only to an internal call of the spirit consisting in a sanctifying work on the soul; between these two calls, there is as wide a difference as between any two opposite ideas. And in all ages of the Church since the days of the Apostles, and among all denominations of Christians the miraculous teachings or inspiration of the holy Ghost are never pretended to, except by either designing Impostors, or self-deceived enthusiasts. All pretence of this nature is held by all orders of Christians, with the above exception, to be imposture, and delusion.

_In the first place,_ the scripture states the difference between the SANCTIFYING GRACE, and EXTRAORDINARY GIFTS and MIRACULOUS INFLUENCE of the holy Ghost. It dwells on this distinction as a most important one: particularly in the first three verses, of this chapter, out of which the text is chosen. _Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not Charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling Cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and have all knowledge; and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not Charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not Charity, it profiteth me nothing._ Charity here is the same as true love to God and man, which is the sum and essence of all Religion. The SANCTIFYING GRACE of the holy Ghost implants this in the soul, when the sinner is born again of the spirit of God. The implantation of this in the soul is regeneration--is the new-birth--or spiritual renovation. And this _sanctifying work_ of the spirit upon the soul is altogether different from the miraculous gifts and influence of the spirit; and infinitely above them. The Apostle in stating this difference, puts the _miraculous gifts_ as high as they possibly could go, _speaking with the tongues of men and of angels_--the _gift_ of prophecy--_understanding_ all mysteries--_having all knowledge_--a _miraculous faith,_ that could remove mountains--_bestowing all one's_ goods for beneficent purposes--and _giving the body to be burned_ in defence of religion. The extraordinary gifts and miraculous powers of the holy Ghost were common at the first setting up of Christianity. What they were, we are plainly told--so plainly that we cannot be ignorant. They were immediate inspiration,--prophesying--speaking with tongues never before studied--healing the sick by a word--raising the dead--and some other extraordinary things. Of these we have a particular account in the preceding Chapter. The Apostle opens the Chapter with informing us that he is about to treat of _spiritual gifts._ These never mean the SANCTIFYING OR RENEWING GRACE of the spirit, but always the extraordinary, miraculous power of the spirit, common in the first age of Christianity, but which have long since ceased. _Now concerning SPIRITUAL GIFTS, brethren, I would not have you ignorant._ Speaking of the miraculous and extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost, the Apostle says, _the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit: to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy: to another discernment of spirits: to another divers kinds of tongues: to another interpretation of tongues._ These are the extraordinary gifts of the spirit, common in the Apostolic age, and called the BAPTISM of the holy Ghost, by John the baptist, by Christ, and by his Apostles. _This was the manifestation of the Spirit given to every man to profit withal._--Every man, that is, who had these spiritual gifts was to use them for the profit and edification of others. And he knew he had them, by being enabled to work miracles, to actually heal the sick--to foretel future events--to speak with tongues never before studied, and to raise the dead. For actually working miracles is the only way a person can know himself, or show to others that he has SPIRITUAL GIFTS. These miraculous gifts now have no existence in the Christian Church. They ceased when unnecessary. And inspiration ceased when the canon of scripture was completed. These miraculous gifts and inspiration the Apostles and first Christians had. This is clear from the whole scripture. And accordingly, Mark xvi. 20, it is said, _And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following._ Again--Heb. ii. 3, 4. _How shall we escape if neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs, and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Ghost, according to his own will?_

2dly. That these signs, or extraordinary gifts and miraculous powers of the holy Ghost were to cease, and not to abide in the Church is declared in so many words in the text. _Charity never faileth, but whether there be prophesies, they shall fail, whether there be tongues, they shall cease, whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away._ The Apostle uses a variety of very lively and expressive terms to shew that ALL miraculous gifts of the spirit were to cease, and not to continue in the Church. They shall fail. They shall cease. They shall vanish away. No language can prove to us that no such gifts are possesed by Ministers and Christians, in the ordinary ages of Christianity, if this do not. They are to be done away--to be no more. But the graces of the spirit, or holy tempers of the Gospel are to continue forever.--_But now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity._ Immediate inspiration, or immediate Calls from God ceased then, when the Gospel-State of things was fully arranged, and the holy Scriptures finished by the Apostles.----

3dly. Miraculous gifts and endowments, immediate inspiration and calls were unnecessary after the Scriptures were finished, and the Gospel kingdom was full arranged, and therefore were discontinued. At the beginning of the Gospel kingdom, they were absolutely necessary to prove the truth of Christ's mission--and the mission of his Apostles,--and to spread among all nations the glad tidings of the Gospel. No evidence of Christ's mission, could be so good, suitable, or powerful with all orders of men, as miracles. They were a species of proof adapted to all capacities, and suited to work conviction upon all minds. The unlearned as well as the learned could judge of them. No brilliancy of genius, or extent of erudition was necessary to see their force. All persons, who had the external senses, eyes and ears, could judge of them. But when once confirmed and established, Religion needs them not. And if it need them not, they will not be repeated, or continued. For God does nothing in vain; neither will he exert his almighty power when it will answer no good and valuable purpose, much less where it could manifestly be of very great disservice to the cause of truth. Besides, the Apostle prefers the _graces_ or sanctifying operations, far above the miraculous gifts of the spirit.--_And now show I unto you a more excellent way._

4thly. If any Christians or Ministers of the Gospel in the ordinary ages of Christianity have the extraordinary gifts or miraculous teachings and powers of the holy Ghost, his immediate inspiration, they would be INFALLIBLE GUIDES in things of religion, both doctrines and worship. They would be so, as much as, and precisely in the same sense as the Apostles. But to admit that all real Christians, or true Gospel-Ministers are _infallible guides_ in the Church, would be to admit a principle dangerous to the very existence of all religion, and which would inevitably overturn the whole Gospel. To admit that Christ's true ministers, or that private Christians are _immediately inspired,_ as the Apostles were, is to admit that they are _infallible guides._ Then we can no more dispute them, or object against any thing they preach--or say--or do than we can against the holy Apostles. Every word they speak under this inspiring influence of the holy Ghost, is authentic. Every tenet which they advance is as true as the FOUR GOSPELS, and has the broad seal of heaven upon it. If this be the case, we ought to obey them, and to receive every word they say, as fully as we do the holy Scriptures, or the Saviour himself. This being the case, all they deliver is inspired truth--the revealed will of God; and it is at our peril to disbelieve. But can this be so? Then _these inspired_ Christians or Ministers can make, or unmake Scripture at pleasure:--can abolish ordinances--can erect a new _dispensation_--can act in God's stead.--Then all must bow before them. Churches must fall; human learning must fall--ordinances and stated worship of God disappear, if they say so.--But such pretenders to immediate inspiration and miraculous gifts must prove their pretensions. We deny them. We boldly affirm that there is no such thing on earth as any person or persons, man or body of men having the immediate inspiration and miraculous gifts of the spirit, as the Apostles had. We have a right from scripture to say so. If any pretend to have, we demand of them to prove it. They must not say so, unless they can show it to us. We challenge them to come forward and prove it. We dare not, out of reverence to the scriptures, and the author of our holy Religion, take their word for it. It would be impiety in us to do it--horrible wickedness to countenance or credit such high pretences. They must prove their claims, as the Apostles did, by WORKS--by MIRACLES. No other proof is admissible. When they do this, we will bow before them. We will credit them. But until they do, we are bound to hold them as _deceivers_ and _impostors._ All pretence now in this age of Christianity to _immediate inspiration_--to _miraculous powers and teachings,_ where no evidence is given, to confirm such pretence, is blasphemy. When your own Ministers of the Gospel pretend any such thing, my hearers, that moment reject them as impostors, as deceivers, or believe them under an awful self-delusion. This is a point of the highest moment; we will do to attend most critically to it; and once for all fix our opinion.

5thly. Another proof that the extraordinary gifts and inspiration or miraculous teachings of the holy Ghost, have ceased is, that they would, if continued, defeat their own purpose. They would intirely supersede all study, all learning--all diligence, and pains to understand the Scriptures, or to acquire useful knowledge. They would then befriend an indolent temper and nourish pride and self-conceit. They had not this effect upon the Apostles, but the opposite, because they were _peculiarly_ raised up to propagate over the world, a new religion. They had not time to study or learn the various languages of the nations among whom they were sent to preach the Gospel. They had every thing to call forth all their exertions. But we are in a very different situation. And he that hath eyes to see, must know that we are.----Besides, make the supposition, that miracles were constantly repeated, the question is asked, how could we distinguish them from the common stated operations of the laws of nature? If you saw every day the dead raised, as you do the sun rise and set, and heard the dumb speak--or perceived a voice evidently from heaven, how could you know what is a miracle, and what is not? The continuance of the miraculous gifts in the Church, would defeat itself--would bring all things into confusion--would open a door to all vain-conceited, self-opinionated men to do mischief--would render useless the word of God--would take away the _chief reasons_ for reading it--would feed pride--would promote self-importance--and be a source of endless contention.--With what important airs would the pretender to immediate inspiration come forth to mankind, and demand, as a tyrant over their consciences, implicit obedience!

6thly. If persons have this _immediate inspiration_ and miraculous teachings of the holy Ghost, they could not be tried by the written word of God. They would be above it--might add to it--and take from it, at will. They might set it wholly aside. The consequence would be the scriptures never could be completed. But we know they are completed. How do we know this? Where is the text which tells us this? How do we know but that there may be more _revelations_ from God, by dreams--visions--impressions extraordinary upon the mind--by immediate inspiration?--We have clear, full, and undeniable proof, in these remarkable words at the end of scripture. _For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the prophesy of this book, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He who testifieth these things, saith surely, I come quickly. Amen, even so come Lord Jesus._ Here is a plain, proof, that no person since the Canon of scripture was closed, is inspired to reveal to us, or to tell us, by the spirit's infallible teachings, the will of God. No person therefore has been _inspired immediately_ since the Apostolic age. We may not add to, or take from the _revealed will_ of God. But if any be inspired immediately, or speak as the holy Ghost moves them--if what they deliver, under such supposed inspiration be immediately handed in to them, both matter and words, as in the case of the Apostles, they may of right add to, or take from the standing revelation of God's will. And we are as much obliged to hear them, as to hear Moses and the prophets, Christ and the Apostles.

7thly. The scripture declares to us, it is a SUFFICIENT rule of itself, in all matters of belief and practice. While I plead the intire sufficiency of scripture, I am pleading its honours--I am pleading a most important protestant doctrine against all human additions, supplements, traditions and commandments. It has then every doctrine--every truth--every duty--every promise--every hope--every threatening--every motive--every call which can be needful, or useful to furnish for all good works on earth and happiness in heaven. It has whatever is requisite either for the edification of the saint--the conviction and conversion of the sinner, the benefit of man and glory of God in the way of instruction, direction, exhortation, or command. There is no superfluity or defect in its ordinances, its laws, its prospects, its invitations, its warnings, its offers, and consolations. If it should please the Supreme Being to give us a Revelation at all of his mind and will, and of our duty and obligations; he would give, a full one--a proper one containing nothing redundant,--a sufficient one lacking nothing--one that would, all things taken into view, the state of the world, the nature of man, and his own divine nature, be the best which could be given. We may foolishly object and say it contains too much, or too little--is vague and indefinite in its statement of doctrines--is not worded with legal precision--is too full of narrative, or too sparing. But we are not competent judges when a divine revelation is just as it should be. We must rest satisfied that God is always guided by infinite wisdom, knowledge, and goodness. It was at his mere sovereign pleasure, whether to vouchsafe a revelation of his will to man, or to leave him to the sole guidance of reason in matters of Religion, and to the fatal effects of his Apostacy. But when he determined upon granting him one, he was bound by his eternal attributes, wisdom, knowledge and goodness to grant one clear, full, and sufficient: to be an infallible guide--to be above all others--and to be always regarded, as the only standard of truth and duty. Would we, then, know who, and what God is--who and what his son, our Saviour is, what our duty is, what the nature of religion is, or any part of it--what doctrines are to be admitted, what the divine ordinances are, we are to consult and hearken to this infallible guide. All controversies are to be decided by it. All schemes of religion to be examined by it. All our consciences to be regulated by it. All our hopes as Christians, all our views and inward exercises--all impressions that may, from time to time, be made upon our minds are to be tried by it.--That it is a sufficient and perfect rule--the PRIMARY rule by which all spirits, or supposed light are to be tried is plain from the following passages. _The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple: the statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart: the commandments of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes: the fear of the Lord is clean enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey or the honey-comb.--Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.--O how love I thy law, it is my meditation all the day.--How shall a young man cleanse his ways, by taking heed thereunto according to thy word.--If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one should rise from the dead.--The words that I speak to you, they are life and spirit.--Lord to whom should we go for thou hast the words of eternal life?--And that from a Child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.--All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works._--Is it possible for language more fully to declare that the scripture is intirely sufficient for our direction in the way to happiness, or our only infallible guide? That they are so, is likewise evident from their being represented as a _treasure,_ as _precious,_ as _sweet,_ as _light,_ and _glory,_ and the HOLY scriptures, and from our being commanded not to make it of none effect by our traditions, and not to add so much as one word to it, or to take one word from it, in the affecting passage cited, under the last argument. Now if the word of God, as we usually term the scriptures, be such a full, sufficient, and perfect guide in things of Religion, in faith and practice, in doctrine and duty, then it will follow that since the canon of scripture was closed, no one man, body of men or person on earth has been _divinely inspired_ as the Apostles were immediately, or favoured with the miraculous teachings of the holy Ghost. If we have a full and complete standing Revelation, there can be no need of any miraculous teachings, or immediate inspiration. If we have a guide above the word of God, it must be because that is an imperfect and defective rule. There cannot be two perfect guides, scripture and spirit. One or the other must be superior; be the primary and only infallible guide. They cannot be both equal in authority. If, then, any have the inspiration of the holy Ghost, or only speak as they are moved and impelled or driven thereto, the word of God is made of none effect, is wholly set aside, and is to be understood and interpreted by that spirit. There is then no immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost in this age of Christianity.

8thly. The last argument which will now be mentioned to prove that no person or body of men since the scripture was completed by the Apostle John, in his Apocalypse ever had the immediate inspiration or _infallible_ leadings and guidings of the holy Ghost is that we are commanded to try the spirits whether they be of God or not, and from the directions given to Ministers of Christ, to study, meditate, and read, and the frequent descriptions of their qualifications to minister in holy things. We are expressly commanded to try the spirits whether they be of God or not. _Beloved, believe not every spirit; but try the spirits whether they be of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world._ We are here forbidden to believe every pretence to an immediate call from God, as a true Gospel-Teacher. For there are _false_ prophets. We are not to admit or wish success to every pretender to the honourable work of a Gospel Minister. Why, _because many false prophets are gone out into the world._ Their object is to deceive and lead people from the truth. By their fruits we are to know them. We, as Christians, are to try them and their doctrines. What rule of trial is given us? There must be an _infallible_ one. The very command to try them, necessarily implies that we have a rule, by which to do it, a true, an _infallible_ rule. We have so: and that is the written word of God. It will be readily acknowledged by all, it is presumed, that _false_ Teachers and _false_ prophets have always been in the world, to perplex and disquiet the minds of God's people, and to sow discord among brethren. And certainly there is no rule by which to try, detect, and discard such, but the written word. Here we must hold. Here we must build, or we are gone. We have no certain guide WITHIN us to direct us in the trial of the spirits.----Further, Gospel-ministers are commanded to study--to read--to pray--to be wholly devoted to study--to hold fast to the form of sound words--to oppose error--to be workmen that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth--to give a portion to all in due season:--their qualifications likewise are largely described--they are required to make full proof of their Ministry--to take heed to themselves and their doctrine, that they may as instruments, save themselves and them that hear them. But if they have the miraculous teachings, light, guidance, and immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost, how absurd would all this be! how useless! It would be folly in the extreme.----The conclusion of the whole is that no man, no sect, no Communion of Christians, no body of men, no person male or female, have now, or ever had, since the canon of Scripture was closed, or ever will have to the end of the world, the IMMEDIATE INSPIRATION, or miraculous teachings, leadings, and guidance of the holy Ghost, as the Apostles had. Consequently all pretenders to this, are either DECEIVERS or DECEIVED.--It will be sufficient to add here, that in the various ages of the Church, some have risen up with pretences to immediate inspiration, and have unhappily diffused abroad fanaticism and delusion.--It would be easy to mention many instances of a striking nature. But this would swell this discourse to too great a size. Every one who will be at the pains, or has leisure to consult any good ecclesiastical history, will see for himself the follies, the errors, and the blasphemies of such pretenders. While we remark this, we cannot but lament the evil done to the cause of Christianity by them. As a gratification of spiritual pride, man is prone to avow that there subsists between him and the invisible world, a peculiar intimacy, that extraordinary CELESTIAL communications are made to him. The ignorant, being fond of what is marvellous, or has the air of being extraordinary, embrace the wild notions broached by pretenders to inspiration, and heedlessly follow them; admire them;--and resort to them, contrary to all reason--and to the tender entreaties of the wise and reflecting. Time has always disproved such claims to miraculous teachings. And the delusions, excited by them, die away. Happy is it for man, that this is the case.----

In the Roman catholic Church, there has been often, among some of its orders, on particular occasions, where interest was greatly concerned, high pretence to miraculous powers. And the common people, in the Roman catholic countries being extremely ignorant, have fully believed in the existence of such powers. But when their pretended miracles have been closely inspected, and critically examined, they have uniformly been discovered to be mere cheat, and imposture. The _man of sin_ is to be known by lying wonders. The pretence of miraculous powers is a mark of Antichrist. Many of the Romish writers describe with much pomp of language the number and greatness of their miracles. St. Paul speaking of Antichrist, says, _Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness._ Lying wonders--fictitious miracles characterise the superstition of the Romish Church.