Lights and shadows of spiritualism

CHAPTER II.THE SPIRITUAL IN THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH.A FAVOURITE dictum with many divines is,that miracle ceased withthe apostoHc age. We have no certain evidence, say they, thatsigns and wonders occurred after the last of the twelve haddeparted from earth. Learned bishops have not been ashamedto employ the whole force of their ecclesiastical eloquence in endeavouringto prove this hypothesis a certainty.Yet the fact undeniably is that, as regards external evidence,certain miraculous occurrences recorded by Athanasius, Augustine,and others, are better supported than anything the New Testamentcontains. The internal evidence which in the Bible carries suchweight is, of course, weaker in the case of the Fathers. Yet, conjoinedwith the historical testimony, it has proved sufficient toinduce such men as Locke and Grotius to admit the authenticityof these narratives. The first tells us that we must allow themiracles, or, by denying that they occurred, destroy the authorityof the Fathers, and even] their reputation for common honesty.The second not only warmly defends the spiritual in the earlyChurch, but avows his entire belief that such things had continueddown to his own day. Milton, Cudworth, Bacon, Addison, Dr.Johnson, and a host of men equally distinguished, have held oneor other of these opinions. Indeed, it is difficult to see howChristians can do otherwise.The words used by Christ are, " Hethat believeth on me, the works that I do shall ho do also, andgreater works than these shall he do." If Protestant divinesdeny that such works are now done, is not the inference plain ?They are of opinion that men have ceased to believe in Christ.