besides many whereof no account had been given." "What the judicious and unprejudiced reader will think of these and more the like instances there reported by this good Father, I know not, or whether he will not think it reasonable to believe that God did suffer these strange and miraculous cures to be wrought in a place where multitudes yet persisted in their Gentilism and Infidelity, and who made this one great objection against the Christian faith, that whatever miracles might be heretofore pretended for the confirmation of the Christian Religion, yet that now they were ceased, when yet they were still necessary to induce the world to the belief of Christianity." [The Life of St. Stephen the Protomartyr.]

Milner has this observation on the subject in his Church History, (vol. ii. Cent. 5. p. 423). "One of them, the healing of a disorder, seems peculiarly striking because it was in answer to prayer." The case to which Milner refers may be found at p. 826, of the Eng. Transl. London, 1620. To which are added by St. Augustine a case of a devout woman healed of "a cancer in her breast;" of a "Physcian," [cured of the gout who was] "freed both from his paine and the cause thereof, so that he never had the Goute in all his daies after." (P. 827, 828.) After enumerating other instances of the power of the Lord, he remarks:"So that we see there are miracles at this

day wrought by God, with what means he liketh best who wrought them of yore; but they are not so famous, nor fastened in the memory by often reading, that they might not be forgotten. For although we have gotten a good custome of late, to read the relations of such as these miracles are wrought upon, unto the people, yet perhaps they are read but once, which they that are present doe heare, but no one else; nor doe they that heare them keepe them long in remembrance, nor will any of them take the paines to relate them to those that had not heard them." Now I must acknowledge that, if the existence of these powers in the Church to the time of Constantine is sufficient to overthrow the former theory, I see not how the latter is to stand before impartial judges, when it appears that the same powers were exercised at least one hundred years after that period. That, as the Church became more corrupt, her gifts and graces became more scarce is easily to be credited, though, I have little doubt, could we know all things now as we hope to know them hereafter, but it would be found, that the Father had not left himself without witness in this particular, in any age since our Lord's ascension to his right hand, and which occasional outpourings of the Spirit, if such there have been, would only resemble the partial showers that may sometimes fall between the periodical seasons of the former and the latter rains.

The sum of the matter then seems to be this. By the terms of the promise, as found in St. Mark's Gospel, we have no reason for saying that the time was limited for the exercise of these gifts after they had been bestowed. By the terms of the promise, in St. John's Gospel, we are taught, that the Holy Ghost, as the effectual worker in the members of the Church of works similar to those which Christ wrought when ministering in the flesh, should be continued with her "for ever." By the terms of the prophecy of Joel, which foretold these events, it appears that, if the Spirit should be poured out miraculously at no other season, during "the last days," or times of the Gentiles, than at their commencement and close, certainly He should then be: which latter season is to precede the great and terrible day of the Lord, when in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance. If it can be shown therefore that the day of the Lord is at hand, and the harvest of the earth about to be reaped, then must we look for the re-appearing of those extraordinary operations of the Holy Spirit which God tells us in his word shall precede that day: which, that they have not been all along abounding in the Church, cannot be ascribed to a want of faithfulness on the part of God, though it may be to a want of faith in the members of the Church.

CHAPTER IV.

AN EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTION, WHETHER ANY, AND WHICH, OF THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT, HAVE RE-APPEARED IN THE CHURCH.

"The Gifts and calling of God are without Repentance.” ROM. xi. 29.

"WE see not our signs, there is no more any prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long." (Ps. lxxiv. 9.) Thus spoke the Church in the days of old, when the Lord had visited her with judgment, and had withdrawn those marks of special love which, in these words, she so feelingly laments. As "a wife of youth" "forsaken and grieved in spirit," she mourned over the bridegroom's absence, and the loss of that favour which had made her face to shine, and was indeed the very life of her soul!

Where do we discover corresponding feelings at the present hour? Where do we hear words which harmonize with these complainings? The Church of Christ, after his appearing, was highly

favoured beyond all former days. Her prayer then was, "Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely." He was then to her "the chiefest among ten thousand." She rested in his love; and if, at any time, He hid as it were his face from her, "Return, return that we may look on thee," was the earnest request of her lips.

The tokens of his love accordingly abound

ed!

The manifestations of his presence were frequent! Her gifts were very plenteous, her graces manifold. Hence her members, in themselves no better than we, (Eph. ii. 3.) were "filled with the Spirit," and abounded in "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Gifts and Graces were the handmaids of the Gospel, and God was glorified in each. But now we may cry "I-chabod," her glory is departed, (1 Sam. iv. 21.) and who mourns its loss? Her gifts are withdrawn, and whom does it concern? Her graces languish, and who laments? But, if one should say, that her God is beginning again to manifest these tokens of former days, that "the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come," that she may lift up her head, for her redemption draweth nigh, does not the heart of every living member leap with joy, and is not the bearer of such tidings gladly received? "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon