it is faid, That the people did eat, and drink, and fend portions, Neh. viii. 12. And at the feast of Purim, they made them days of feafting, and joy, and of fending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor, Eph. ix. 22. Thus Chrift, in the day of his majefty and inauguration, in that great and folemn triumph, When he afcended up on high, he led captivity captive, and did withal give gifts unto men, Eph. iv, 8. Concerning this miffion of the Spirit, or thefe gifts of Chrift to his church, I fhall discover the accomplishment, as it appears in these texts, And when the day of Pentecoft was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place, and fuddenly there came a found from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the houfe where they were fitting; and there appeared unto them clover tongues, like as of fire, and it fat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and began to fpeak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance, Acts ii. 1, 2, 3, 4. Out of these words, I fhall obferve thefe particulars: the time when, the perfons to whom, the manner how, the measure what, and the reasons why the holy Ghost was fent. 1. For the time when the holy Ghoft was fent, it is said, When the day of Pentecoft was fully come,' this was a feaft of the Jews, called [pentekofte a pentechdeka], from fifty days, because it was ever kept on the fiftieth day, after the fecond of the paffover. We find in fcripture fundry memorable things reckoned by the number of fifty. As fifty days from Ifrael's coming out of Egypt, unto the giving of the law. And the fiftieth year was that great feast of the Jubilee, which was the time of forgiving of debts, and of restoring men to their firft eftates: and fifty days were in truth the appointed time of the Jews harveft; their harveft being bounded as it were with two remarkable days, the one being the beginning, the other the end thereof, the beginning was [deutera tou pafcha]; the fecond of the paffover; the end was [pen tetkofte], the fiftieth day after, called the Pentecoft, upon the [deutera]; they offered a fheaf of the firft-fruits of their harvest, Ley. xxiii. 10. Upon the Pentecoft they offered two wave loaves, Lev. xxiii. 17, the fheaf being offered, all the after fruits throughout the land were fanctified; and the two loaves being offered, it was a sign of the harvest finished and ended; and now we find, that as there were fifty days betwixt [deutera] and the Pentecoft, fo there were fifty days betwixt Chrift's refurrection and the conuing down of the holy Ghoft. What was the meaning of this, but to hold harmony, and to keep correfpondency with those memorable things? As on the day of Pentecoft, (fifty days after the feaft of the paffover) the Ifraelites came to mount Sinai, and there received they the law; a memorable day with them, and therefore cailed the feaft of the law; fo the very fame day is accomplished that prophefy, Out of Zion fhall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Ferufalem, Ifaiah ii. 3. now was the promulgation of the gofpel called by James, the royal law, Jam. ii. 8. as given by Chrift our king, and written in the hearts of his fervants by the holy Ghoft; it seems to fhaddow out the great difference betwixt the law and gofpel; the law was given with terror, in lightning and thunder; it discovers fin, declares God's wrath, frights the confcience; but the gofpel is given without terror, there was no lightning and thunder now; no, no, the holy Ghost flides down from heaven with grace and gifts; and with great joy fits on the heads and in the hearts of his faints. 2. On the Jubilee, or fiftieth year, was a great feaft, whence fome obferve, That the Latines made their word Jubilo, to take up a merry fong; though the word be derived from the Hebrew Jobel, which fignifies a ram's horn; for then they blew with ram's horns, as when they gathered the people to the congregation, they blew with filver trumpets. There were many uses of this feaft; 1. For the general release of fervants. 2. For the restoring of lands unto their first owners who had fold them. 3. For the keeping of a right chronology and reckoning of times; for as the Greeks did reckon by their Olympiads, and the Latines by their Luftra, fo did the Hebrews by their Jubilees; this falls fit with the proclaiming of the gofpel, which is an act or tender of God's moft gracious general free pardon of all fins, and of all the finners in the world; now was the found of the gospel made known unto all, out of every nation under heaven, Acts ii. 5. now was that fpiritual jubilee, which Chriftians enjoy under Chrift; now was the remiffion published, which exceeded the remiffion of the jubilee, as far as the jubilee exceeded the remillion of the feventh year, Fff 2 (i.e.) (ie. not only feven times, but feventy times feven times, Matth. xviii. 22. 3. On the day of Pentecoft, they offered the two wave-loves called the bread of the first fruits unto the Lord, Lev. Xxiii. 17. 20. In like fort, this very day (the Lord. of the harveft fo difpofing it) the apoftles, by the affistance and effectual working of the Spirit, of fered the first fruits of their harveft unto the Lord; for the fame day, there were added unto them about three thoufand fouls, Acts ii. 41. We fee the cire cumftance of time hath its due weight, and is very confiderable; When the day of Pentecoft was ⚫ fully come, then came the holy Ghost." 8. F fcenfion, That he would fend the holy Ghost, and FOR the perfons to whom the holy Ghost was fent, it is faid, To all that were with one accord in one place, A&ts ii. 1. Who they were it is not here expreft, yet from the former chapter we may conjecture, they were the twelve apofiles, together with Jofeph called Barfabas, and the women, and Mary the mother of Jefus, and his brethren, Acts i. 13, 14. These all continued with one accord in one place, for fo was Chrift's command, That they fhould not depart from Jerufalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, faith he, Ye have heard of me, Acts i. 4. This promise we read of in the evangelifts, When the comforter is come, whom I will fend unto you from the Father, even the spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father he will teftify of me, John xv. 26.-And behold I fend the promife of the Father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerufalem, until you be indued with power from on high, Luke xxiv. 49. It was the great promife of the Old Teftament, that Christ should partake of our human nature, and it was the great promife of the New Testament, that we should partake of his divine nature; he was clothed with our flesh according to the former, and we are invefted with his Spirit according to the latter promife. For this promife, the apoftles, and others, had long waited, and for the accomplishment they were now fitted and difpofed. 1. They had waited for it from the afcenfion day till the feast of Pentecoft: he told them at the very inftant of his a thefe particulars. 9. SECT. IX. Of the manner how the holy Ghoft was fent. NOR the manner how he was fent, or how came to thefe apofiles, we may 1. He came fuddenly, which either fhews the majefty of the miracle, that is gloriously done which is fuddenly done; or the truth of the miracle, there could be no impoftor or fraud in it, when the motion of it was fudden, or the purpose of the miracle, which was to awake and affect them to whom it came; ufually fudden things ftartle us, and make us look up. We may learn to receive thofe holy motions of the Spirit, which fometimes came fuddenly, and we know not how: I am perfuaded the man breaths not amongst us Chriftians, that fometimes feels not the stirrings, movings, breathings of the Spirit of God. Oh! that men would take heed of defpifing prefent motions. Oh! that men would take the wind while it blows, and the water while the angel moves it, as not know ing when it will, or whether ever it will blow again. 2. He came from heaven, the place feems here to commend the gift; as from earth, earthly things arife, fo from heaven, heavenly, fpiritual, and eternal things. And this is one fign to diftinguifh the fpirits, Beloved, believe not every fpirit, but try the fpirits whether they are of God, John iv. 1. If our motions come from heaven, if we fetch our grounds thence from heaven, from religion, from the fanc tuary, it is the Spirit of God; or, if it carry us heavenward, if it makes us heavenly minded, if it wean us from the world, and if it elevate and fet our affections on heavenly things, if it form and frame our conversations towards heaven, we may then conclude the motions are not from below but from above. O! that Chriftians would be much in observation of, and in liftening to the movings, workings, hints, and intimations of that Spirit that comes from heaven. Certainly that Spirit is of God, that comes down from heaven, and that lifts up our fouls towards heaven. 3. He comes down from heaven like a wind, the comparison is most apt; of all bodily things the wind is least bodily; it is invifible, and comes nearest to the nature of a fpirit; it is quick and and active as the Spirit is. But more especially the holy Ghoft is compared to a wind in respect of its irrefiftable workings; as nothing can refift the wind, it goes and blows which way foever it will; fo nothing can refift the Spirit of God, where foever it hath a purpose to work efficaciously; I will not fay, but the heart of a man may refift and reject the work of the Spirit in fome measure, and in fome degrees; Stephen told the Jews, They had always refifled the holy Ghoft, Acts vii. 51. And the apostle tells of strong bolds, and of every thing that exalteth itself against God, 2 Cor. x. 5. So there is a natural contrariety, a conflant enmity, and active refifting of God's Spirit by our fpirits; we must therefore diftinguish between a prevalent and a gradual refifting; the Spirit in converfion fo works, that he takes away the prevalent but not the gradual refifling: a man before he be converted is froward, and full of cavils and prejudices, he is unwilling to be faved; he cannot abide the truth, he doth what he can to stifle all good motions; yet if he belong to the election of grace, God will at last over master his heart, and make him of unwilling, willing; he will omnipotently bow and change the will, and work on his foul by his mighty power efficacioufly, infeparably, and irrefiftably. Again, the holy Ghoft is compared to wind, in refpect of its free actings, The wind bloweth where it lifteth (faith Chrift) John iii. 8. And fo the Spirit bloweth where it lifteth; who can give any reafon why the Spirit breaths fo fweetly on Jacob, and not on Efau, on Peter, and not on Judas? Is it not the free grace and good pleafure of God? Springs it not from the mere freedom and pure arbitrariness of his own only workings? To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, (faith Chrift) but to them it is not given, Matth. xiii. 11. And I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou haft hid these things from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes, even fo Father, for jo it feemed good in thy fight, Matth. xi. 25, 26. Thefe, and the like texts are as fo many hammers to beat in peaces all those doctrines of free-will, and of the power of man to fupernatural things, grace makes no gain of man's work; free-will may indeed move and run, but if it be to good, it must be moved, and driven, and breathed upon by God's free grace. The Spirit blows where it lifteth 4. He came like a rushing mighty wind, as the wind is fometimes of that ftrength, that it rends and rives in funder mountains and rocks, it pulls up trees, it blows down buildings, fo are the operations of the holy Spirit, it takes down all before it, it brings into captivity many an exalting thought, it made a conquest of the world, beginning at Jerufalem, and and fpreading itself over all the earth; it is mighty is a property very fuitable to the Spirit of God, in operation, able to shake the stouteft and proud- The wind bloweth where it lifteth, and thou hear eft man, and to break in peaces the very stoniest eft the found thereof, but canft not tell whence it heart; indeed our words without this Spirit are cometh, nor whether it goeth, fo is every one that but weak wind; we may spend ourselves and ne- is born of the Spirit, John iii. 8. The Spirit blows ver waken fouls; but if the Spirit blow, he will where it will, and upon whom it will, and they shall amaze the confciences of the ftouteft peers, and plainly feel it, and others about them not one jot: drive away our fins, as the wind drove away the have we not fometimes the experience of this in grafhoppers and locufts, that overfpread the land our very congregations? One found is heard, one of Egypt. Some analogy there is betwixt this ve- breath doth blow, and it may be one or two, and hement wind, and the Spirit's workings; the Spi- no more hears the found, or feels the breath inrit first comes as a Spirit of bondage, and then as wardly, favingly; it may be one here, and another a Spirit of adoption; the Spirit of bondage is as a there, fhall feel the Spirit, fhall be affected and vehement wind that terrifies, to fhew that we are touched with it fenfibly; but twenty on this fide not fit to receive the grace of God, unless the door them, and forty on that fide them fit all becalmbe first opened by fear and humiliation. Others ed, and go their way no more moved, than when fay, That the vehement rufhing of this wind fhew- they came into God's prefence. Oh! that this ed how irrefiftably the apoftles fhould proceed in 'Spirit of the Lord would come daily and conftantly preaching the gospel of Jefus Chrift; they had a into our congregations! oh! that it would blow commiffion to go into all the world, and to teach through them, and through them! oh! that it all nations, and they had a promise, that though would fill every foul in the affembly with the breath many might oppofe, yet the gates of hell fhould of heaven! Come holy Spirit; awake O north-wind, not prevail against the church; the Spirit fhould and come thou fouth-wind and blow upon our gar go along with them, and he in them, and they in dens, that the fpices thereof may flow out, Cant. him, fhould prevail mightily like a rushing migh- iv. 16. ty wind. 5. He filled all the house, where they were fitting; there were none there that were not filled with the holy Ghost; this room contained a congregation of none but faints. All the men and women (an hundred and twenty, as fome think) Acts i. 15. in this room were vifited from on high, for the holy Ghost came upon them, and dwelt in them; well might David say, Blessed are they that dwell in thy house,- I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness, Pfalm lxxxiv. 4. 10. They that abode in this houfe were under a promife, That the Spirit should come, and now was the promife accomplished; For it filled all the house where they were fitting; I fay, where they were 'fitting,' to fignify, that all the other houses in Jerufalem felt none of this mighty rufhing wind: there was no affembly of faints in any part of the city, but only in this houfe; or if any other affembly might be, this Spirit blew upon none of them, where these men were not; that, and only that house it filled, where they were fitting. And this point of blowing upon one certain place, 6. He came down in the form of tongues. As one faith well, This wind brought tongues, even a whole shower of tongues.' The apoftles were not only infpired, for their own benefit, but they had gifts bestowed on them to impart the benefit to more than themselves. But why did the holy Ghoft appear like tongues? I anfwer, 1. The tongue is a fymbole of the holy Ghoft's proceeding from the word of the Father; as the tongue hath the nearest affinity with the word, and is moved by the word of the heart, to express the fame by the found of the voice, fo the holy Ghost hath the nearest affinity that may be with the word of God, and is the expreffor of his voice, and the fpeaker of his will. 2. The tongue is the fole inftrument of knowlege, which conveys the fame from man to man; though the foul be the fountain from whence all wisdom fprings, yet the tongue is the channel and the conduit-pipe, whereby this wisdom and knowlege is communicated and transferred from man to man: in like manner the holy Ghost is the fole author and teacher of all truth; though Christ be the wisdom of God, yet the holy Ghost is the teacher of this wisdom wifdom to men; and hence it is that the holy Ghost appeared in the form of tongues. And yet not merely in the form of tongues, but thus qualified; 1. They were cloven tongues, to fignify, That the apoftles fhould fpeak in diverfe languages; if there must be a calling of the Gentiles, they must needs have the tongues of the Gentiles wherewith to call them; if they were debtors not only to the Jews, but to the Grecians, nor only to the Grecians, but to the Barbarians also, Rom. i. 14. then must they have the tongues not only of the Jews, but of the Grecians, and Bar barians, to pay this debt, and to discharge this duty off, Go, and teach all nations, Mat. xxviii. 19. Surely this gift was bestowed for the propagating of the gospel far and wide: the tongues were cloven, that the apostles might speak all languages, and that all nations of the world, whitherfoever they came, might hear them, and understand them Speaking in their own tongues. 2. They were fiery tongues; to fignify, That there fhould be an efficacy, or fervour in their speaking; the world was fo overwhelmed with ignorance and error, that the apoftle's lips had need to be touched with a coal from the altar; tongues of flesh would not ferve the turn, nor words of air, but there muft be fire put into the tongue, and Spirit of life into the words they fpake; with fuch a tongue Chrift fpake himself, when they faid, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he spake unto us by the way? Luke xxiv. 32. And with fuch a tongue Peter fpake at this time, fomething like fire fell from him on their hearts, when they were pricked in their hearts, and faid, Men and brethren, What shall we do? A&te ii. 37. Oh! that we of the miniftry had thefe fiery tongues! O! that the Spirit would put his live-coal into our fpeeches! Oh! that our fermons were warming fermons ! may we not fear, that the Spirit is gone, whiles the people are dead, and we are no more lively in our miniftry? It is faid of Luther, That when he heard one preach, very faintly, Cold, cold, fays he, this is cold preaching, here is no heat at all to be gotten.' Oh! when the Spirit comes, it comes with a tongue of fire; instead of words, fparks of fire will fall from us on the hearts of hearers. 3. Thefe cloven fiery tongues fat upon each of them; to fignify their conftancy and continuance; they did not light, and touch, and away, after the manner of butterflies; but they fat, they abode ftill, they continued fteady, without any stirring. or flartling. This was the privy fign, by which John the Baptift knew Jefus to be Chrift, Upon whom thou shalt fee the Spirit defeending and remaining on him, the fame is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghoft, John i. 33. It was not only the Spirit's defcending, but the Spirit's remaining on him, that was the fign. The Spirit of God is a constant Spirit, Pfal. li. 10. it abides on the foul to whom it is given; and therefore the Pfalmift defcribes these great transactions of Christ to this very end, that the Spirit might dwell with us, Thou haft afcended on high, thou haft led captivity captive, thou haft received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious alfo, that the Lord God might dwell among them, Pfalm lxviii. 18. Not only that he might stay and lodge for a night as a way-faring man, that comes to his inn, and then is gone in the morning: no, no; but that he might take up his refidence, and dwell in them. I know it is a queftion, Whether the holy Ghost may be loft? But certainly of the elect he is never totally or wholly loft, only I dare not fay, but as touching many gifts, he may be loft even of the elect themselves: David, after his fin, was forced to cry, Caft me not away from thy prefence, O Lord, and take not thy holy Spirit from me; refiore unto me the joy of thy falvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit, Pla. li. 11, 12. We find here, that in refpect of fome gifts, even of regeneration, the Spirit is fometimes loft, but that the godly fhould retain no remnants of the Spirit in their worst declinings, I cannot imagine; John teacheth exprefly, Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit fin, (a fin unto death) for his feed remaineth in him, neither can he fin, because he is born of God, 1 John iii. 9. David in his fall loft the joy of his heart, the purity of his confcience, and many other gifts which he defired to have reftord to him; but the holy Ghoft he had not utterly loft; for if fo, How could he have prayed. Caft me not away from thy prefence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me? I have done with the manner of the Spirit's million. |