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for as the Wind bloweth where it lifteth, and tho we hear the Sound of it, yet we cannot tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth; fo is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3. 8. ›

Again, The Wind in which he came is faid to be a rushing mighty Wind, to denote the great Force and Efficacy of this Holy Spirit: for as the high Winds fometimes blow with that Violence, as to carry all before them; fo the Motions of this Holy Spirit are many times ftrong and irresistible, and conquer all Oppofition: for we read of Stephen, that all his Enemies could not refift the Wisdom and Spirit, with which he fpake; Acts 6. 10. And the reft of the Apostles, by this Breath of God, blew down all the Strong-holds of Sin and Satan, and brought into Captivity every high thing that exalted it self against the Knowledg of Chrift.

Moreover, This Wind is faid to come from Heaven: it was no earthly Exhalation, that arofe from, or favour'd of the Earth; but a Divine Infpiration, that defcended from Heaven, and exalted those upon whom it lighted above all earthly to heavenly things.

Laftly, 'Tis faid of this Wind, that it filled all the Houfe where they were fitting; that is, the Influence of this Holy Spirit reach'd all that were there prefent, and from thence diffus'd it felf into all Parts of the World. This is the first thing by which the Coming down of the Holy Ghost is here fet forth, viz. by a rushing mighty Wind.

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2d Was in the fhape of Cloven Tongues, which appear'd unto them, as the next words inform us. The Spirit's appearing in the fhape of Tongues, was an Emblem of Elocution, as the Wind was of Infpiration: and as by this the Apostles receiv'd the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft themfelves, fo by the other they were enabled to utter and impart them to others. Accordingly the Cloven Tongues reprefented the Diverfity of Languages, with which they were endow'd for the publishing and propagating the Gospel to all

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There is indeed a Cleaving of the Tongue which doth much harm; as when Men thereby become double-tongu'd, and use it as an Inftrument of Deceit and Double-dealing: But the Cloven Tongues here were for the great Good of Mankind, to enable them to declare to all People the Will of God, and the Myfteries of their own Salvation. And this was defign'd as a Bleffing to reverse the Curse of Babel: for as the Tongues were then divided to confound the Builders of Babel, that the Work might be hinder'd, by

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not understanding one another; fo on the contrary, the Tongues were cloven here, that the Apostles might underftand the Languages of all Nations, and thereby the better build them up in the moft Holy Faith: it being all one as to Edification, whether all Men (as of old) speak one Language; or fome Men (as now) fpeak all: for what was lost by the Confufion of the one, is recover'd by the Knowledg of the other; and the Method of inftructing the World, is preferv'd by both. Again,

3dly, Thefe Cloven Tongues were faid to appear in the Likeness of Fire, that is, they were inflam'd from Heaven, to kindle in the Difciples the pious Ardours of Affection and true Devotion. St. James fpeaks of fome Tongues that are Set on Fire of Hell, Jan. 3. 6. and they are fuch as are us'd to Slander and Detraction, to the Dishonour of God, and the Difcrediting of our Neighbour; which things proceed from an evil Spirit, and are done by the Inftigation of the Devil. But we are told here of Tongues that are set on fire of Heaven; and they are employ'd to better Purposes, viz. to the promoting the Glory of God, and the Good of Mankind: which things come from a good Spirit, and are the Motions of the Holy Ghoft, whofe Coming we this Day celebrate.

Now the Likeness of Fire, in which the Holy Ghost appear'd, ferves to reprefent to us the Purity, and the Power of this Divine Spirit: for as Fire is the pureft of all Elements, and helps to refine other things from their Dross and Impurities; even fo the Holy Spirit purifies our Nature, and refines it from the Dregs and Defilements of the World. And as Fire is a pure, fo is it a powerful Element, that confumes all that is near it, and few or no things can stand before it; even fo the Spirit of God is quick and powerful, it ftrengthens us with Might in the inner Man, and arms us against the Wiles of the Devil: for which reafon the Apoftles were faid to Speak with the Holy Ghost, and with Power; and to confirm their Doctrine with the Demonftration of the. Spirit and Power.

Laftly, Thefe fiery Tongues are faid to fit upon each of them, which betokens their Stay and Continuance with them, and gives us to understand that the Light of this Holy Spirit is not a fleeting or tranfient Flash, but a conftant and an abiding Flame: 'tis not like the hot Fit of an Ague, that is foon follow'd with a cold one, but like the veftal Flame, that never goes out, or the Altar-Fires, that

were

were always kept burning. True. Zeal will keep us conftant and fteddy to our Duty, without Lukewarmness and Neutrality, and make us zealously affected always in a good thing.

Thus we fee the Time, Place, and Manner of this wonderful Defcent of the Holy Ghoft; from whence let us, in the next place, fee what Effects it had on the Apostles that. felt it, and the People that faw and heard it: both which are related in the following Part of this Epiftle.

As for the Apostles, we read in the next Verfe, that they were all fill'd with the Holy Ghoft, and began to speak with. other Tongues, as the Spirit gave them Utterance. They were filled, but not with Wine, as the Jews malicioufly fuggef ted, charging their Freedom and Readiness of Speech, as the Effect of Intemperance and Excefs, and affirming them to be fill'd with no other Spirits but thofe of Wine; which St. Peter fharply rebuk'd, as a belying and blaf pheming the Holy Ghoft, ver. 13, 14, 15,

Again, they were fill'd; but not with any windy flatulent Humour, coming from the Gall or the Spleen, which fome mifcall Zeal and the Power of Godliness: but they were filled with the Holy Ghoft; that is, with the Gifts and Graces of God's Holy Spirit: and then they began to speak, and not before. 'Twas a Father's Obfervation, that the Apostles were fill'd first, and then they fpake; they ftay'd till then, and did not prefume to teach others, till they were well fitted and furnifh'd for it themselves. Contrary to the Prac tice of fome, who are all for fpeaking, yea and much fpeaking too, before they are half full, yea little better than empty; and then like empty Veffels found loud, tho there be little or nothing befide, Vox & præterea nihil. None then may venture upon this Office, before they are call'd and fill'd, but muft ftay till they are well qualify'd for it, and not take upon them to teach others, before they are well taught and instructed themselves. This is the Order to be obferv'd in this Matter, and the Method of God's appointing.

Moreover, being fill'd with the Holy Ghoft, they spake with other Tongues; that is, with other Tongues than they did or could before. For whereas before they understood only their own Mother-Tongue, and that but badly too, they were now of a fudden able to fpeak all manner of Languages, Greek, Latin, Arabick, Perfian, Parthian, none

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too hard for them. They could difcourfe to Men of all Na tions and Countries, in their feveral Languages; and that too, without any previous Learning or Meditation, but by the immediate Affiftance and Infpiration of the Holy Ghoft. By which means they who were but poor illiterate Fishermen, became of a fudden Fifhers of Men; and intead of catching the mute and filly Fifh, they converted the Wits and Sages of the World, and brought in whole Sholes of Profelytes to Chriftianity.

Laftly, 'tis here faid, that they fpake as the Spirit gave® them Utterance: they fpake not of their own heads, rafhly or what came firft to mind, but what was dictated and directed to them by the Holy Spirit. They did not utter vain, empty, or idle Effufions, but wife, ufeful, and weighty Sayings; for fo the Word amoyed, in the Original fignifies not any loofe or vain talking, but wife and fententious Speaking: 'tis the uttering of Apophthegms, and fpeaking like the Oracles of God. Hence we read' that God gave them a Mouth and Wisdom; not a Mouth only to speak any-how, but Wisdom too, to order their Speech, and direct it to wife and useful Purposes. This is the Utterance that the Spirit gives, not the pouring out the crude, hafty Conceptions of our own Brain, which too many father upon the Holy Spirit ; but wife, pithy, and profitable Sentences, fuch as befits the Holy Spirit to utter, and becomes us to hear. Once more,

Their fpeaking as the Spirit gave them Utterance, betokens the Freedom and Fluency of their Speech, which the Spirit gave them in the Delivery of their Meffage; that whereas before they were but flow of Speech, and in a manner tongue-tyed, they were then enabled to speak with the greatest Readiness, Courage, and Confidence, and that before all Perfons, and in all Places, without being in the leaft afraid or abafh'd at any in all which 'twas' not fo much they that spake, but the Spirit of God, that fpake in and by them. Thefe were the Effects that this coming down of the Holy Ghoft had upon the Apostles, who were thereby infpir'd with many new Gifs and Abilities.

But what Effect had this upon the People who faw and heard thefe things? Why, that the following Words tell us they were feiz'd with Astonishment and Admiration, and that not a few, but all that beheld or heard it; for there were at that time dwelling at Jerufalem, Jews, and

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other devout Men out of every Nation under Heaven; who were wont to come from all Quarters of the World to the Worship of God at Jerufalem. Now when this was nois'd abroad, the whole Multitude of them came together, and were Confounded or aftonifh'd at the Strangeness of the thing, because that every Man heard the Apostles Speaking to them in their own Language. This unexpected News fo ftartled them, that they were all amaz'd, and marvell'd, faying one to another, Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans! that is, Men born in Galilee, that had lived all their time there: And how hear we every Man of them fpeaking in our own Tongue wherein we were born; and as readily too, as we who are Natives of thofe Countries; Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the Dwellers in Mefopotamia, and in Judea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Afia, Phrygia and Pamphilia, in Egypt, and in the Parts of Lybia, about Cyrene, and Stran gers of Rome, Jews and Profelytes, Cretes and Arabians; we do hear them Speak in our Tongues the wonderful Works of God: that is, we of fo many different Nations and Countries, and likewife of fo many different Dialects and Languages, we do hear them preaching the Doctrine of Chrift and the Miracles wrought by him in our own feveral Tongues, which they never knew or understood before, nor had any Opportunity of learning. And this Wonder made fuch an Impreffion upon them, that the Apostles Preaching convinc'd them of the Truth of their Doctrine; and thereby were daily added to the Church, such as should be faved.

These are the Effects which this Defcent of the Holy Ghost had upon the People, it being the Means of teaching and converting all Nations, and of turning them from the Darkness of Paganifm and Idolatry, to the Light of the Gospel, and the Hopes of eternal Salvation.

This is, in fhort, the Mercy we are to call to remembrance this Day, a Mercy too great for all the Tongues, that at this time fell on the Apostles, fufficiently to celebrate; a Mercy, for which all that Fire in which the cloven Tongues appear'd, cannot enough inflame our Breafts with Love and Thankfulness to God: In a word, a Mercy for which every Sermon we hear, coming from the Affif tance of this Holy Spirit, fhould fet us a bleffing and praifing God, for fending him to us. For 'twas the Holy Ghoft's coming down this Day, that endow'd the Apostles with Power from on high, to plant and propagate the Gof

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