What is the basis for Cessationism? Cessationism is the belief held by some protestants that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as prophecy, do not occur in present day.  The general thinking is that these gifts "ceased" at the completion of the canon, closing any new revelation.

What is the basis for this belief?  I'm interested in Biblical, logical, empirical and historical arguments.
The argument for Cessationalism tends to be empirical rather Biblical.


While there is significant evidence for glossalia in the NT writings (it is mentioned heavily), by the time of the Church Fathers  (1 Clement, Didache, Polycarp, etc...), the evidence is scant.
During most of recorded church theology (everything from say, Origin, Jerome, etc... to the Azusa Street Revival in 1900, this gift seems to have largely bypassed written record.
This is often excused / explained by the idea that the gift of prophecy and miracles was superceded by the written Word of God.  Another idea is that the gifts were no longer being used for their intended purpose. 


The presence of miracles in Jesus' testimony, for example, was clearly given "in order that you might believe" (see Mark 2:8, Matt 17:26) and not for show (e.g. Luke 11:28-32). In Acts 2, the toungues were given as a miracle to substantiate the authority of the Apostles (those who would be 'sent out'). But, as Paul indicates in 1 Cor 12, the showy gifts like toungues and prophecy were causing divisions amongst believers.

As mentioned by Software Monkey, Pentecostal churches explicitly reject Cessationalism.  The aforemention Azusa Street Revival (and modern manifestations such as the Toronto Blessing) are, for the Penetcostal movement, the evidence of their legitimacy.  The term, of course, refers to the contrary position held by non-Pentecostals.