Sec. 16.  Hence it is plain, that all those Texts which speak of the plentiful Effusion of the Spirit in the times of the Gospel, are quite misunderstood by all those, who interpret them after such a manner, as if God had given such a Measure of it to all Mankind, that upon a due Improvement of it, they might attain to the Knowledge of him, and of all Things necessary to Salvation.  Whereas it appears, that even in the earliest Times of the Gospel, there was no such thing; but then all the Churches were planted by the Ministry of the Apostles, who ordain’d others to succeed them in their Office.  If therefore in those Times it was not granted, it is a ridiculous Absurdity to expect it in this Age; and no small Degree, either of Impudence or Madness to pretend to it.

Sec. 17.  Since it is not foreign to the Matter in hand, the Reader will, I hope, pardon me if I digress a little, to shew why we cannot reasonably expect Prophets now.  And it seems to me, that there are several Reasons to be given why there should be Prophets during the time of the Mosaical Dispensation, rather than after the Gospel had taken Root.  For, the Promises made to the Jews having Relation to their possessing the Land of Canaan, God was pleas’d to send them Prophets to quicken their Memories, and keep them in mind of their Duty, that thereby his Judgments might be averted from them; (and especially, because of the prevailing Idolatry of those Times; for after they were well fix’d in the Practice of the True Religion, and out of that Danger, we find no Prophets;) and we find that most of the Ancient Prophecies tend that way.  But now we are quite upon another Bottom; we are taught, that we have here no continuing City; that, when these Tabernacles shall be dissolv’d, we have a Habitation not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens.  That we are to set our Minds on Things above, not on Things on the Earth; that we are to deny our selves, and take up our Cross and follow Christ; that, through many Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and many Passages to the same Effect.  So that to have Prophets foretelling future Events, relating to the Welfare and Preservation of our Temporals, or the contrary, seems not so proper for a People, whose very Profession supposes them to have laid aside all Solicitude concerning them.  Again, before the Coming of Christ, God’s Will was but imperfectly reveal’d; and it was necessary that there should be Fore-runners to prepare the way against his Coming, and raise the Expectation of him in the People, that they might be the better prepar’d to receive him.  But after he was once come, who was to compleat and fulfil all; after God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the Prophets,[44] had, in these last days, spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed Heir of all things, &c. who was the Brightness