| 19 us with the promises annexed, they say, but if you believe in the signs following, casting out devils, healing the sick, speaking in tongues, &c., you are guilty of fanaticism and dangerous heresies; and are in danger of the divine displeasure, unless you repent of your error and come to the knowledge of the truth. And they also kindly, and no doubt affectionately, tell us that we are among those spoken of by Peter, whom the Lord our God should call, and which he chose to do through their instrumentality. But that the promises made to the apostle's congregation does not apply to us nor to our children. And that, although Peter said it was not only to those who heard him, but to all that were afar off, even to as many as the Lord our God should call, it is not to be expected that miracles should be wrought in our day, or the gifts manifested; for they were long since done away, because no longer needed.
And why not, pray? Has it not already been sufficiently shown that the gifts were set in the church, and were invariably to follow the spread of the gospal [gospel]? If not, proof is not wanting to substantiate the position, in the minds, as it would seem, of the most incredulous. We will therefore refer to the 14th chapter of the Acts, and from the 7th to the 10th verses, inclusive. When Paul and Barnabas were expelled from the city of Iconium, they fled to the cities of Lystra and Derbe, "and there they preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked. The same heard Paul speak; who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, stand upright on thy feet; and he leaped and walked," The use I intend to make of this passage, is this; to show that the man of Lystra, got faith to be healed by hearing he gospel; yes, simply the gospel preached by the apostle Paul. Now it is, [is it not?] an acknowledged fact, that the same cause always produces the same effect. Yet who ever heard of men's receiving faith to be healed, by hearing the gospel as preached in modern times? Echo answers, who!
Fro a still further illustration of the subject let us refer to the 12th chapter of 1st Corinthians. "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant." &c., and verse 4th-"Now there are diversities of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. For 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; for another, the word of knowledge, by the same spirit; to another faith, 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 discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. But all these worketh that one and the self same spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ."
We already understand the apostle as speaking of the church. But to be yet the better understood, he continues, verse 27th-"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." And to show the organization of the church of Christ, he continues, verse 28th-"And God hath set some in the church; first, apostles; secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that, miracles; then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." What! these set in the church? Mark that: it cannot be misunderstood: I stop short with wonder, astonishment, and delight; while I contemplate the future, and the dawning of that light which I believe is about to burst upon the world; and contrast it with the darkness, superstition and incredulity of the present day.
Above we have a plain statement as to what the body of Christ is, as a whole; also what the component parts are which constitute it a body; and it requires of course all the various parts or members designated, dispensing with none, to render it-complete. And as we have no account of his having more than one body, we are inevitably drawn to the conclusion, that wherever his body is found, in any age of the world, there, if it were dissected, would be found all these self same members, or component parts.
And, as if to answer objections that might be or perhaps were offered, because every member is not the whole body; the apostle continues, verse 29th-"Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?"-Here, with eloquent and emphatic silence, the writer draws from us a negative reply. And in the next verse I understand him to mean, and exhort his Corinthian brethren, one and all, that although they did not each possess all the gifts, they should covet earnestly the best gifts. And yet he would show them a more excellent way, by introducing to them, in the following chapter,
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