the Contumacious and Difobedi Volume ent. And then, laftly, there was the Power of cafting out Devils in the name of Chrift, which was common to the meaneft Chriftian, and continued in the Church a long time after most of the other Gifts were ceased, as Tertullian, Minucius Felix, and Arnobius, do most exprefly teftifie concerning their times. Thus you fee that there were almost all imaginable kinds of miraculous Powers conferred upon the Apoftles and firft Chriftians, to give the greater Establishinent and Confirmation to the Chriftian DoЄtrine. All the reflection I fhall make upon what hath been faid, fhall be this. Since our Religion comes down to us confirmed by fuch miraculous Powers, we ought to take the more earnest heed to it, to believe it more ftedfaftly, and to practice it more carefully in our lives. For Sermon if the word Spoken by Angels was ftedXII faft, and every tranfgreffion and difobedience received a just recompence of reward; How fhall we escape, if we neglect fo great falvation? SERMON XIII. Of the Miracles wrought in Confirmation of Christianity. The Third Sermon on this Text. HEB. II. 4. God alfo bearing them witness, both with figns and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Ghost, according to his own will. N these words three things offer IN First, That Miracles are a Divine Teftimony given to a Perfon or Do&trine. Secondly, That God gave this Teftimony to the Apoftles and firft PubBb 2 lishers Sermon XII. lifhers of the Gospel, in a very eminent Volume manner. Of these two I have dif cours'd at large, and now proceed to the, Third, and last thing which I propofed, viz. The reason why these Miracles are now ceased in the Chriftian Church, and have been for a long time, fo that there have been no footsteps of this miraculous Power for many Ages. And in the handling of this Argument, I fhall do these three things. I. fhew that these miraculous Gifts and Powers have ceafed in the Christian Church for several Ages. II. I fhall affign a plain Reason of the ceafing of Miracles after fuch a time. III. Answer the Objection from the innumerable Miracles which have been, and are ftill pretended to be wrought in the Church of Rome. |