me Apostle tells us, that _now we see through A Glass
darkly_; and that _we know in part, and prophesie in part_[43].

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 concernin