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.