reason for supposing that, under the present circumstances of Christianity, they are likely to be called into action. Nor are we to forget that many of the original promulgators of the Gospel, on whom this work of establishing a new religion devolved, and several of whom were employed in composing those records of divine truth which are of permanent and universal authority, were gifted in a far more eminent degree with divine inspiration than now appears to be the case with any of the Lord's servants. But, although these admissions are to be freely made, there are good reasons for the conviction, entertained by Friends, that the immediate operations of the Spirit, as productive of ministry, continue, to this very hour, to be bestowed on the followers of Christ.

In the first place, there is a great probability, a priori, that such would be the fact. Since, even under the dispensation of the law, the ministry was prompted and exercised by means of those immediate operations, it is altogether inconsistent with the analogy of divine truth to suppose that, under the more spiritual dispensation of the Gospel, the church should be deprived of so important and salutary a privilege. Again, it is to be remembered that the "prophesying" of which we are speaking was intended, as the apostle declares, for the great purposes of exhortation, edification, and comfort; I Cor. xiv, 3. Now, since exhortation, edification, and comfort, are required at the present day, as much as they were in the times of the apostles, and since the Great Head of the church is ever willing and able to supply the need of his servants, there are obvious reasons for our believing that the gift which was directed to those purposes would still be permitted to operate.

The strong antecedent probability, now adverted to, may be sufficient to throw the onus probandi

upon those who deny the continued existence of the gift of inspired ministry. Nevertheless, it is desirable for us to remark, in the second place, that this antecedent probability is confirmed by certain plain promises contained in the Holy Scriptures. The prediction of Joel, as it is cited by the apostle Peter, declares that an abundant measure of this very gift should be poured forth on the servants of the Lord in "the last days;" Acts ii, 17.1 From the comparison of various other passages of the Bible, it appears that by "the last days" are intended the "times of Christianity”—“" the times of the last dispensation"—and it will scarcely be denied that these expressions include the whole of that dispensation-its career and termination, as well as its commencement; comp. Isa. ii, 2; Heb. i, 2; I Pet. i, 20; I John ii, 18. It is most probable, therefore, that the promise of the Lord, through his prophet, did not relate exclusively to the events of the day of Pentecost, but is rather to be interpreted as describing some of the permanent characteristicks of the Christian dispensation.

Such a view of this celebrated prophecy appears to have been entertained by the apostle who cited it. After explaining to the people that the wonderful events of the day of Pentecost were effected by the Son of God, who had "received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost," and who had shed forth that which they then saw and heard, he proceeds to declare the continuance and universality, among believers, of the same divine influence. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you," said he....." and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost: for, the promise is unto

1 In Joel ii, 28, we read, "And it shall come to pass afterwards, -Hebrew Kimchi, the Jewish commentator, informs us that this phrase signifies, In the last days; and it is well known that by "the last days" the Jews denote the times of the Messiah.

you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call;" Acts ii, 39. This passage has been cited, on a former occasion, to prove that the Holy Spirit was not to be withdrawn from the church as a guide to morals. Now, when we look at the circumstances under which these words were spoken, and consider their immediate connexion with the prediction of Joel and with its fulfilment, we can scarcely fail to perceive the evidence, which they also afford, that the Holy Ghost was not to be withdrawn from the church as a guide to prophesying. It was, probably, in reference to both these spiritual operations-the one general, the other peculiar-that our Lord himself, when he promised to his disciples (who then represented his church militant), the effusion of the Holy Ghost, declared that this divine Teacher and Monitor should abide with them "for ever;" that is, I presume, through the whole course of the Christian dispensation; John xiv, 16. Lastly, an appeal may be safely made to the persons addressed in this work, when it is asserted that the sentiments of Friends, on the present subject, are confirmed by their own experience. That Society has, for more than a century and a half, been acting, in reference to the ministry, on the principles which have now been stated; and they certainly have never found reasons for considering those principles either untrue or inefficacious. Although we are very far, indeed, from pretending to those higher degrees of inspiration which for peculiar and specifick purposes were bestowed on some of the immediate followers of Jesus, we know that there are individuals amongst us who have received that gift of prophecy which is profitable for "exhortation, edification, and comfort;" that these persons are incapable of exercising their gift in their own strength, or at any stated periods; but that, as

they are preserved in watchful dependence upon their holy Leader, they are sometimes really anointed for the service; and that, on such occasions, their prayers and their preaching, however little adorned with the enticing words of man's wisdom, are evidently accompanied with life and power.2

2 In connexion with the subject of the present section, I wish to present to the reader's attention a very curious passage, selected from the Pastor of Hermas, a work probably composed during the first century after Christ, and although, in many respects, a fanciful composition, held in considerable repute among many of the early Christians.

THE ELEVENTH COMMAND.

That the Spirits and Prophets are to be tried by their works,
and of a twofold Spirit.

He showed me certain men sitting upon benches, and one sitting in a chair; and he said unto me, Seest thou those who sit upon the benches? Sir, said I, I see them. He answered, They are the faithful; and he who sits in the chair is an earthly spirit. For, he cometh not into the assembly of the faithful, but avoids it. But he joins himself to the doubtful and empty, and prophesies to them in corners and hidden places; and pleases them by speaking according to all the desires of their hearts. For he, placing himself among empty vessels, is not broken, but the one fitteth the other. But when he cometh into the company of just men, who are full of the Spirit of God, and they pray unto the LORD, that man is emptied, because that earthly spirit flies from him, and he is dumb, and cannot speak any thing. As if, in a storehouse, you shall stop up wine and oil; and among those vessels shall place an empty jar; and shall afterwards come to open it, you shall find it empty as you stopped it up: so those empty prophets, when they come among the spirits of the just, are found to be such as they

came.

II. I said, How, then, shall a man be able to discern them? Consider what I am going to say, concerning both kinds of men; and as I speak unto thee, so shalt thou prove the prophet of God, and the false prophet. And, first, try the man who hath the Spirit of God; because the Spirit which is from above is humble, and quiet; and departs from all wickedness; und from the vain desires of the present world; and makes himself more humble than all men; and answers to none when he is asked; nor to every one singly; for the Spirit of God doth not speak to a man when he will, but when God pleases. When

In reviewing the principal particulars of the present chapter, the reader will observe that the influences of the Holy Spirit are both general and extraordinary— that the former effect our conversion and sanctification, and, as such, are essential to salvation, and common to all the Lord's children-that the latter are not intended for the salvation of those to whom they are

therefore, a man who hath the Spirit of God shall come into the church of the righteous, who have the faith of God, and they pray unto the Lord; then the holy angel of God fills that man with the blessed Spirit, and he speaks in the congregation as he is moved of God. Thus, therefore, the Spirit of God is known, because, whosoever speaketh by the Spirit of God, speaketh as the Lord will.

III. Hear now concerning the earthly spirit, which is empty and foolish, and without virtue. And, first of all, the man who is supposed to have the Spirit (whereas he hath it not in reality,) exalteth himself, and desires to have the first seat, and is wicked, and full of words; and spends his time in pleasure, and in all manner of voluptuousness; and receives the reward of his divination; which, if he receive not, he does not divine. Should the Spirit of God receive reward, and divine? It doth not become a prophet of God so to do. Thus you see the life of each of these kind of prophets. Wherefore, prove that man by his life and works who saith that he hath the Holy Spirit. And believe the Spirit which comes from God, and has power as such. But, believe not the earthly and empty spirit, which is from the devil, in whom there is no faith nor virtue. Hear now the similitude which I am about to speak unto thee. Take a stone, and throw it up toward the heaven; or take a spout of water, and mount it up thitherward; and see if thou canst reach unto heaven. Sir, said I, how can this be done? For neither of those things which you have mentioned is possible to be done. And he answered: Therefore, as these things cannot be done, so is the earthly spirit without virtue, and without effect. Understand, yet further, the power which cometh from above, in this similitude. The grains of hail that drop down are exceeding small; and yet, when they fall upon the head of a man, how do they cause pain to it! And again: consider the droppings of a house; how the little drops, falling upon the earth, work a hollow in the stones. So, in like manner, the least things which come from above, and fall upon the earth, have great force. Wherefore, join thyself to the Spirit which has power; snd depart from the other, which is empty; Archbishop Wake's Version of the Apostolick Fathers, p. 255.