eighteen hundred years ago, and consequently ceased. Why not then throw aside their titles of pastors and teachers? If the office of prophet is limited by this text to the primitive church, so is that of evangelist and all the rest; for there is no distinction made. p. 12, Para. 2, [1SG].
Now let us reason a moment upon this point. All these gifts were given for the perfecting of the saints in unity, knowledge and spirit. Under their influence the primitive church enjoyed for a time that unity. "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul." And it seems a natural consequence of this state of unity, that "with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the LORD JESUS: and great grace was upon them all." Acts. iv, 31-33. How desirable such a state of things now! But apostasy with its dividing and blighting influence marred the beauty of the fair church, and clothed her in sackcloth. Division and disorder have been the result. Never was there so great a diversity of faith in christendom as at the present day. If the gifts were necessary for the unity of the primitive church, how much more so to restore unity now! And that it is the purpose of GOD to restore the unity of the church in the last days, is abundantly evident from the prophecies. We are assured that the watchmen shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. Also, that in the time of the end the wise shall understand. When this if fulfilled, there will be unity of faith with all that GOD accounts wise; for those that do in reality understand aright, must, necessarily, understand alike. What is to effect this unity, but the gifts that were given for this very purpose? p. 12, Para. 3, [1SG].
From considerations like these, it is evident that the perfect state of the church here predicted is still in the future; consequently these gifts have not yet accomplished their end. This letter to the Ephesians was written in A.D. 64, about two years before Paul told Timothy that he was ready to be offered, and the time of his departure was at hand. The seeds of the apostasy were now germinating in the church, for Paul had said ten years before, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, "The mystery of iniquity doth already work." Grievous wolves were now about to enter in, not sparing the flock. The church was not then rising and advancing to that perfection in unity contemplated in the text, but was about to be torn by factions, and distracted