A Century of Sermons, Sermon 3
THE THIRD SERMON UPON THE Deſcent of the Holy Ghoſt.
ACTS ii. 3.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it ſat upon each of them.
OF all Myſteries, of all Viſions, of all Revelations which the Church ever had, this that is conteined in my Text hath one peculiar bleſſing, that it is moſt eaſie to be underſtood. I can give no reaſon for it but this, that as natural light makes all colours viſible to our eyes, and it ſelf moſt viſible: ſo the Holy Ghoſt cauſeth all celeſtial Doctrin that concerns eternal ſalvation to be revealed to the knowledg of faith, and makes himſelf to be moſt apparent and intelligible. Therefore I cannot but obſerve it unto you, that ſome Angel or ſome Saint departed did always interpoſe their preſence at the other mighty works of the Goſpel, only they forbore to ſhew themſelves at this Feaſt of Pentecoſt upon the ſending of the Holy Ghoſt. I will ſpread this before you in a trice, and my conjecture upon it. At the Nativity of our Saviour, many Angels were employed to divulge it: At his Transfiguration, Moſes and Elias appeared to ratifie it: At his Agony in the Garden, an Angel waited there to ſtrengthen him: At his Reſurrection, two Angels in white appeared in his Sepulcher to glorifie him: And laſtly, at his Aſcenſion, two others clad in as white apparel as they, did teſtifie of him. But upon the deſcending of the Holy Ghoſt the Angels did quite withdraw themſelves, I am ſure they came not in any bodily ſhape into the place where the Apoſtles were gathered together, for that were as the Proverb ſays facem ſoli praeferre, to light a candle before the Sun at noon day: and that illuſtrates all things, can be illuſtrated by nothing but by himſelf. This is the comfort then of my Text, that we have light on every ſide to walk in: this is the great latitude of the benefit conteined in it, that it gives us vocem & ſcientiam, linguam & ignem; both tongue and fire, both ſcience and elocution, ſapere & fari quae ſentiat, to conceive clearly that which is fit to be learnt, and to utter diſtinctly that which is wiſely conceiv'd: And therefore in one word we owe unto this bleſſed day, both completely to be made happy, and completely to know our happineſs.
No marvel if the Old Church, many hundred years ſince, which was moſt prudent in appointing Feſtivals, did conſtitute, that between Eaſter and Whitſuntide all the fifty dayes ſhould be deſtinated to joy and gladneſs that all the people ſhould ſing haleluja with a loud voice, ſo often as they met in their holy Aſſemblies; that there ſhould be no faſting days, no mourning, no not ſo much as the dejection of kneeling on the ground, but to ſtand and pray all that ſpace of time, theſe Fathers were exceeding full of ceremony to expreſs the gladneſs which they had for the gift of the Holy Ghoſt. And therefore Bernard calls the Lenten ſtrictneſs that goes before Eaſter, Quadrageſimam luctus & paenitentiae, the fourty days of godly ſorrow and repentance: but he calls the time following to Whitſuntide, Quinquageſimam gaudii, the fifty days of Exaltation (for our joy doth ſurpaſs our ſorrow). At Eaſter we are aſſured by Chriſts Reſurrection that the body ſhall riſe from corruption: at Whitſuntide theſe firy tongues do manifeſt that the Soul ſhall riſe from darkneſs and ignorance, and be partaker of the marvelous light. And becauſe this mighty miracle was communicated to the Apoſtles in moſt ſenſible objects, therefore I told you the laſt year that the third perſon of Trinity diſcloſed his glory and power openly two wayes, to their ear and to their eye; by a ſound unto the ear, by a lightſom brightneſs to the eye: to the ear as to the ſenſe of faith, and ſuddenly there came a ſound from heaven, &c. to the eye as to the ſenſe of love, and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, &c. Whereupon I will enlarge my ſelf unto you at this time in theſe particulars. 1. That the Holy Ghoſt preſented himſelf to the Primitive Church in a viſible object. 2. For the principal ſubſtance of the apparition, it was a Tongue. 3. Lingua diſpertita vel ſectilis, it was a Cloven Tongue. 4. Quaſi ignis, it was a firy Tongue. 5. It was lingua, or ignis, or ſpiritus inſidens, this Tongue, or this Fire, or this Spirit, take which you will, it is all one, but it reſted or ſat upon each of them.
We begin with an Apparition repreſenting not ſome Angel or other glorious creature putting on a ſenſible ſhape, but the third Perſon of Trinity, the Eternal Spirit conſubſtantial with the Father and the Son, He offered himſelf as this day in a viſible Figure, to the Apoſtles, and divers other believers that were gathered together in Jeruſalem. St. Auſtin in his third Book of the Trinity maintains that all the Perſons of Trinity did appear in viſible ſhapes to the Patriarchs of the Old Teſtament, one or two upon one occaſion, and a third upon another occaſion. Tertullian and Epiphanius are ſtout in their opinion, that none but God the Son, called the Angel of the New Covenant, did lay aſide his inviſible glory in the old times, and appeared to men; I will not engage my ſelf in that quarrel, but for one thing I am at certainty, that when the Law was delivered at Mount Sinai, the Godhead did not condeſcend to any apparition at all, the people were forbidden ſo much as to imagin they ſaw any reſemblance of the Moſt High, ſays Moſes, Ye ſaw no ſimilitude, only ye heard a voice, Deut. iv. 12. But the Lord grew more friendly and familiar with us that profeſs the Goſpel. We have ſeen, we have heard, our hands have handled the word of life: this day the new Law began at Mount Sion, and we did not only hear a voice, as it is in the former verſe, but according to my Text they ſaw a ſimilitude, that which was wrapt up in dark Parables to the Fathers, we ſee that truth as clearly as it were the Sun at noon day. They had the Veil before their eyes, ſays the Apoſtle, we behold the fair beauty of God, and the Veil taken away, and rent aſunder; they did diſhonur God by worſhipping viſible things inſtead of the Inviſible Creator, and therefore they might not ſee any reſemblance of him for fear of tranſgreſſions; and if we worſhip vain things that are not Gods in this world, we ſhall utterly be deprived of ſeeing his glory, and loſe our reward hereafter. But the ſpecial intent of this apparition was to comfort the Apoſtles for all the tribulations that they were to ſuſtain; for as their faith was corroborated with ſome viſion of God here, ſo it aſſured them that the ſame faith ſhould be rewarded with a perfect viſion hereafter in the life to come. He that believeth doth as it were ſhut his eyes, and takes all upon truſt that he believes, yet upon ſuch truſt as cannot deceive him, the truſt of Divine Revelation: ſo that he ſees God, as I may ſay, though he do not ſee him, as it is Hebr. xi. 27. By faith Moſes endured the wrath of Pharaoh as ſeeing him who is inviſible: foreign to ſee him that is inviſible is contrary to reaſon, but reconciled by Divinity: but if at any time the moſt renowned Servants of God had ſome glimpſe of his Majeſty in an apparition, as it was at this time, then it ſeals that promiſe unto them which they have made, Matth. v. 8. Bleſſed are the pure in heart for they ſhall ſee God: they ſhall, I ſay, for all their conſolation is de futuro, in hope, but not in act, whether this Viſion of the Holy Ghoſt, or any other before it, they ſaw nothing to ſpeak of in compariſon of that which ſhall be revealed. Says Epiphanius he that looks through the funnel of a Chimney may truly ſay that he ſees the Heaven, but what doth he ſee? neither the heighth, nor the breadth, nor the vaſtneſs of it; ſo he that ſees ſome reſemblance of the Holy Trinity, ſees ſomewhat of God darkly as in a Glaſs, but he ſees not ſo much of the immenſity of his glory, as he that ſees the Heavens above but through the eye of a Needle. To cloſe this point, what doth the Lord require from hence? but that our eyes ſhould be chaſt and pure, and ſanctified to his ſervice; becauſe He let the benediction of his Spirit ſhine upon them? and that amends might be made chiefly in that bodily inſtrument, through which we have diſhonoured him with wantonneſs and concupiſcence. What is created more wicked than an eye, ſays the Son of Sirach? and therefore it weepeth upon every occaſion, Ecclus. xxxi. 13. God hath placed our eyes in the uppermoſt part of man, to be Centenels in our Watch-Tower, and to give us warning of thoſe things that may hurt us: but quis cuſtodiet ipſos cuſtodes, unleſs we ſet a Watch upon this Watch we ſhall be betrayed to the ſins of the fleſh. We live like Labans Sheep, every man conceives folly, as his eye beholds vain things and party coloured. Seleucus King of Locrine enacted a Law to have the unchaſte eyes of Adulterers pull'd out, to puniſh the treſpaſs in the fountain of the ſin: and Democritus the Philoſopher pull'd out his to prevent the danger. We have had an evil eye, Matth. x. eyes full of adultery, and then as Sal…ucus ſaid, or rather as our Saviour ſaid, oculus eruendus, an eye good for nothing, but pull it out and caſt it from you: but as the whole man ſhall be made a new lump through the reformation of inward grace, ſo that the ſame work may be wonderful alſo in our eyes, the Holy Ghoſt caſt his beams upon them at this Feaſt of Whitſuntide, and there appeared unto them, &c.
Hitherto I have made a general ſurvey of the Text, that it conteins an Apparition ſent from Heaven: in making acceſs to particulars the firſt thing notorious in the Apparition is, that the matter, and, as it were, the ſubſtance of it is a tongue. The whole world was mad againſt the truth, crying out diſtractedly like thoſe of Epheſus, Acts xix. Then there was need of the voice of a charmer to make them ſtill and attentive with ſome heavenly incantation. The Church was going forth in a militant order to fight the Lords Battels, therefore the Lord gave a Trumpet to his Miniſters to utter forth a certain ſound that they might prepare themſelves for the skirmiſh, 1 Cor. xiv. 8. Briefly the Goſpel was now to launch forth, and to flote upon the waves of many trials and perſecutions, and therefore it had need of a Helm to turn it about whitherſoever the Governor liſteth; and that little Helm is the tongue, Jam. iii. 4. I told you even now that the wantonneſs of the eye had a gracious viſion to amend it; ſo here came a remedy from Heaven to correct the iniquity of our mouth, which is the very forge of Hell, and a tongue deſcended from above to ſanctify it. As the Devil can put no worſe thing into us than an evil tongue, and then it becoms the worſt member that we have, Jam. iii. 6. ſo God can ſend us no better thing from the ſtore of his mercies than a tongue to praiſe him: and then David calls it in the old Tranſlation of our Pſalms, the beſt member that we have. Pſal. cviii. 1. We had need to let that Prayer come in often among our earneſt ſupplications, that God would touch our lips with a coal from his altar, as he ſent a Seraphin with that bleſſing to the Prophet Iſaiah. It is very meet that we conſider in our vote with the Pſalmiſt, Set a watch before my mouth, pone oſtium circumſtantiae, Pſal. 141.3.as the vulgar Latin hath it, make ſuch a door for my mouth, that I may look to every circumſtance of every ſyllable that paſſeth out: Oret lingua ut dometur lingua, Says St. Auſtin, O let the tongue pray for it ſelf that it may be ruled: how often trips it in ſwearing? how often doth it murmur in diſcontent? in boaſting above meaſure, in pride lofty, in anger furious, in perjuries blaſphemous, in curſes bitter, in vain talking never quiet; glib as honey in hypocriſie, ſubtle in lying, ſmooth in deceiving, impudent in flattery. What a happy thing it is to have a fence about the lips, that no ſuch evil ſpirits as theſe may come in or out? and notwithſtanding all theſe exorbitancies of the mouth to which we are ſo obnoxious, God can purifie our ſpeech, and ſeaſon it with ſalt that it ſhall not corrupt: For if man by wit and induſtry can tame wild beaſts which he hath not made, can not the Lord much more tame the tongue which he hath made? a Watch can ſuppreſs and curb thoſe in, that would break out of their holds, and the Lord can make ſuch a door for our lips as ſhall inhibit all the petulancy of vain breath, and ſhut and open for his own glory? Oſtium aperitur & clauditur, ſays Gregory unto it, a door is made to let our friends and familiars in, but to keep out theevs and robbers; ſo the tongue muſt be open to confeſs our ſins, and ſhut if hypocriſie ſhall attempt to excuſe them: the mouth muſt be open unto the praiſe of God, and barred againſt our own commendation; it muſt be open to teach the humble, but ſhut and ſilent if the obſtinate will not learn, for anſwer not a fool in his folly ſays Solomon: He that openeth and no man ſhutteth, he that ſhutteth and no man openeth can give us this power from above to ſpeak unto his praiſe, and to be ſilent unto evil; therefore the Holy Ghoſt deſcended in the apparition of a tongue.
To pierce further, as far as obſervation will give me leave upon this point, as the tongue naturally is an inſtrument of two functions, of ſpeaking, and of taſting; ſo theſe extraordinary tongues were deſtined for two properties, to preach the Goſpel, and to diſcern ſpiritual things in their true guſt and ſapor. The firſt intent was to give the Apoſtles a door of utterance, to proclaim ſalvation to all that were prepared to hear, and that all men ſhould confeſs with boldneſs that Jeſus is the Chriſt. The Spirit came in the former verſe like a ruſhing mighty wind, that was for inſpiration, for the Apoſtles own ſakes, to ſanctifie themſelves, but the gift of tongues was for elocution, to impart the benefit to more than themſelves. This is the antient gloſs of the Fathers upon my Text, eſpecially Gregorie's,Paſt. Cu. lib. 2. c. 4. and that in two places, Paſtores primos in linguarum ſpecie ſpiritus ſanctus inſedit, quia quos repleverit de ſe protinus loquentes facit; the Holy Ghoſt ſat upon the firſt Paſtors of the Church in the ſhape of a tongue, for whomſoever of that rank the Divine Spirit fills, he opens their lips to preach the Lord Jeſus. In both of St. Pauls Epiſtles to Timothy one of his Injunctions upon a Biſhop is that he ſhould be foreign, apt to teach. In his admonitions to Titus the ſame leſſon again, A Biſhop muſt be able by ſound doctrin to exhort, and convince gainſayers, Tit. i. 9. and St. Hierom ſays very truly how that character is more appropriated to a Biſhop than all the reſt: the reſt ought generally to be found in all holy Chriſtians not to be given to filthy lucre, nor to quaffing of wine, to be the Husband of one Wife, to be hoſpital, juſt, unblameable; but this is intrinſecal firſt to Epiſcopal, then to Prieſtly vocation to be cymbolum mundi, the loud Cymbals of the world, the tongues of the Church, to be apt and painful to teach. And therefore Eſpencaeus, though of the Roman party, exclaims much againſt the Pontifician Biſhops for giving Monks and Friars licence to preach, who are no Succeſſors of the Apoſtles, In 1. cap. ad Titum.and therefore never received an Evangelical tongue in their Predeceſſors; but ſays he, the Prelates that ought to do that work themſelves will not, and therefore they grant licence to thoſe to teach the Goſpel who ought not: but he cries out unto them to live according to St. Pauls Canons charged upon thoſe two famous Biſhops, Timothy and Titus, and then eant Epiſcopi, & ſe a docendi neceſſitate, ſi poſſint, excuſent; mark that, Reverend Fathers, ſays he, and excuſe your ſelves if you can from the neceſſity of preaching. No, there is no excuſe, for theſe tongues deſcended now after a mighty ruſhing wind, quaſi exeuntes è loco tonitrui, as if they had been bolts after a clap of thunder, to ſignify that theſe are the Trumpets which God ſends forth to call us to repentance before the day of Judgment: Ante adventum judicis ipſi clamando gradiantur, ſays Gregory. And howſoever ſome may juſtly attain to ſuch place in the Church as to ſway the Staff of Government in their hand, yet they muſt remember that they are never releaſed of this duty, that their tongue muſt edify. In the old Book of Ordination in this Church as well as in the Church of Rome, the Biſhop Elect at his Conſecration had the Bible given him in one hand to teach, and the Paſtoral Staff in the other hand to govern the Flock. It was never meant he ſhould let fall the Book out of one hand, and hold the Staff in both: nay beware he be not beaten with the Staff that lets go the Book. Latratu & baculo rabies luporum deterrenda eſt, ſays St. Hierom, Ep. ad Oecanum.that is, if the Wolf come near the Sheepfold, he muſt not only be threatned with the Staff, but the Dogs muſt bark at him likewiſe, and then he will leave his Prey, and take him to his heels. St. Auſtin preſſeth the ſame Doctrin out of St. Paul. Epheſ. iv. 11. He gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors and Teachers. Says he I collect from hence that every Paſtor, that is every Biſhop muſt be a Teacher; for it is not ſaid he gave ſome Paſtors and ſome Teachers, as it went before, ſome Apoſtles and ſome Prophets, but Paſtors and Teachers are put together without a diſtinctive member, ut intelligerent Paſtores ad officium ſuum pertinere doctrinam, Ep. 59.that Paſtors may know how teaching is included in their duty, and cannot be ſeparated from it. This then was the principal intent of giving the tongue at the Feaſt of Whitſuntide, as it is Iſa. l.4. The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I ſhould know how to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon. Firſt then negligent ſilence in Paſtors is a ſtifling the grace of God: Quantùm vitae merito aedificat tantùm deſtruit ſilentio. Secondly, affected ſilence is affronting the grace of God, as thoſe Orders of Friars that bind themſelves by vow and inſtitution of life not to utter a word excepting one day, or it may be one hour in the week, ſometimes not ſo often. Agatho the Anchorite is commended in the lives of the Fathers that he never ſpake: what is this but as it were to advow not to receive the benediction of the Holy Ghoſt. Finally to be preproperous and over-haſty to teach the Goſpel is to prevent the Spirit, or rather not to wait for the grace of God. For Chriſt had firſt rooted the knowledge of the Word and Scripture in the Apoſtles, and then endued them with a tongue; but they that ſtart up Teachers before they be grounded in the Word, ſpeak with their own tongue before they have received the tongue of the Holy Ghoſt.
But the tongue ſupplies another office in nature, and that's to taſte: The ear trieth words, as the mouth taſteth meats, Job xxxiv. 3. ſo the Spirit makes us feel and know the good things of God that are in us, even as the tongue makes us reliſh that which is ſweet upon the palat, and will be delectable for nouriſhment: Nay we do not only taſte the things of heaven ſlightly, and as we ſay upon the tip of the tongue, but the ſame Spirit makes us to ruminate upon them, and chew the cudd, my heart is always muſing of thy teſtimonies, ſays David. O 'tis a comfortable thing to have a taſt of Heaven in our Soul, to have ſome perſuaſive Experiment that the Holy Ghoſt dwelleth in us, eſpecially to have it proceed to that moſt pleaſing Sapor, when the Spirit ſhall teſtifie to our Spirit, that we are the Sons of God: but in all that are meetly diſpoſed to Eternal Life, there is ſome perceivance, in others more, in others leſs, there's ſome Taſt, ſome Conſolation, that Chriſt is in them and works in them by Faith and Love; and the more you taſt it, the more ſweetneſs you ſhall find to breed an Appetite. The Natural Man perceives not the things that are of God, he counts the Doctrin of Chriſt and him crucified to be Madneſs and Fooliſhneſs, he thinks they that kill his Apoſtles do God good ſervice; he puts bitter for ſweet, and ſweet for bitter, Iſa. 5.20. there's all the Taſt that he hath, he wants a Tongue to dijudicate of the Manna that comes from Heaven, which no man knows but he that receiveth it. Rev. ii. 17. He to whom it is given to know what is the height, bredth and depth of the Love of our Lord Jeſus and his Redemption; he accepts of all things in a diverſe manner from him to whom the mind of the Lord is not revealed; he interprets the Poverty of Chriſt to be the Riches of the World, his Ignominy to be the Triumph of the Saints; Tribulation for the truth is a Refreſhing to his body, Mortification and pious Sorrow a dainty Lenitive to his ſoul; he receives the Doctrin of our Miniſtry not as the Word of Man, but as it is indeed, the Word of God; he cannot but ſpeak the Truth, though his life ly at the ſtake for it, negare Dei verbum non valeo, quia ſpiritus ſancti linguam habeo, Homil. 30. in Ezek.it is Gregories, I cannot deny the word of God, becauſe the Holy Ghoſt hath given me a tongue to ſpeak it. To conclude this point, no man can have a ſmack of the Kingdom of Heaven, but through the relliſh of this tongue, no man can ſay that Jeſus is the Chriſt but by the Holy Ghoſt, 1 Cor. xii. 3. as we are born children of wrath, in our unregenerate eſtate we have bitterneſs in our throat, and the poiſon of Aſps under our lips, how can we ſavour the things that are of God? but the Spirit makes us a new creature, and takes away all this ſourneſs, and ill reliſhed acrimony, and then his fruit will be ſweet unto our mouth, Cantic. ii. 3.
Having delivered unto you the ſubſtance of this Viſion, which is a tongue it follows to ſpeak of the Figure and Form of it. It was cloven, that's truly called the Figure; and like as of fire, that's truly called the Form. A Tongue was a Commiſſion, and an enabling of the Apoſtles to preach, but a Cloven Tongue was their hability to preach unto many. The Syrian language was all that they could ſpeak before, and in that they faultered too, and mouthed it rudely and unelegantly, a ſilly Damoſel quipt even St. Peter with it, Thou art a Galilaean, and thy ſpeech betrayeth, yet ſuch a tongue as it was they were unlettered men, and could ſpeak no more, all the world beſide were Barbarians to them, and they Barbarians to all the world. But the Lord knew that they had need of many tongues to pay that great debt which they owed his Church; ite, praedicate univerſae creaturae, go and teach all Nations from Jeruſalem and Samaria, even unto the ends of the world. I would a little ſatisfie my Auditors before I go any further, that would know how the tongues did reſemble a cloven figure that ſat upon the Apoſtles. If you look upon ſuch types of it as Picture-drawers have framed, remember that there is no heed to be given to their Pencil, for they will extremely abuſe your ignorance; they uſually repreſent the Apparition, as if every Apoſtle, and the Bleſſed Virgin ſitting in the midſt of them, had a little lamp of fire, like the flame of a ſmall Torchet blazing upon their head, and ſo would thruſt this belief upon the raſh gazer, that God ſent down a ſhew of many firy tongues into the place where this holy Society was gathered together; and that there was ſingularis flammula, a little flame proportioned ſomewhat like a Tongue, ſitting upon each of them. Now this is nothing ſutable to that which immediately enſued, and was prefigured in this Miracle, namely, the ſpeaking with divers Tongues to the fit intelligence of all Nations. The moſt probable conceit that I can frame of it is, to imagine how fire diſparts it ſelf into flames, eſpecially, a celeſtial irradiation, like the light of the Sun, that was but foreign, like as of fire. Fire, you know, will caſt out many flames in ſharp and Pyramidal points, or as the Sun lays his beams forth in many ejaculations, nothing fits it righter than the expanſion of the fingers of the hand, ſo this fire did gliſter like ſeveral beams in proportion to the Tongue when it is rather pickant and ſharp than broad, and in that ſort, as I fancy it, as is above the skill of any Limner in the world to paint it (for the Holy Ghoſt perhaps intended not to be ſet forth in Workmans Art and Imagery) and ſo it multiplied into the ſhew of ſeveral diſparted Tongues, as many of them ſeemed to ſit upon every ſeveral Apoſtle.
My drift is to make this conceit of it enter into you, that from one Language the Apoſtles grew expert of a ſudden to ſpeak many, their Harp now wherewith they praiſed the Lord was not only ten ſtringed, but ten times ten ſtringed to make a more chearful melody to the God of Jacob. The Tongue which was confined before to a little corner of the world in Paleſtina, and there only to bleſs the Creator that made us is now ſet at liberty, that in all Languages it may glorifie the Saviour that redeemed us. And as the Fathers do very well ſhew it, this is a plain reverſing of the curſe of Babel by the bleſſing that came out of Sion. For as God pulled down that proud Tower which thoſe inſolent Builders intended by the confuſion of many Tongues, ſo he built up the new Jeruſalem in an inſtant by the gift of many Tongues; and as diverſity of Tongues was a puniſhment to ſcatter Rebels for their pride, ſo diverſity of Tongues was made the only means to reduce Infidels that had not heard of God into the unity of the Faith. And they that advanced themſelves againſt heaven, ſays Gregory, loſt the communion of that one tongue which they had, but they which ſubmitted themſelves to the good will and pleaſure of Chriſt obtained the communion of all Tongues which they had not. Sic humilitas unitatem meruit, & ſuperbia confuſionem. And all this was done viſibly upon this one day, that we may believe the Church ſhall never want Gods inviſible grace, that is, though not in this kind, yet in ſome other benefit. A miracle in the ſame kind, they that are the common minters of Miracles, dare not urge or pretend. And although nothing be more expedient for the ſetling of the Goſpel in an unknown world, ſuch as America was within one hundred and forty years, then the gift of Tongues to be able to ſpeak to thoſe Savages to their own underſtanding, yet the Jeſuites have never arrogated that any of their Order who viſited thoſe parts, could ſpeak new Languages by inſpiration; only Turcellinus, a man of no forehead, nor modeſty, ſays, that Xaverius the Jeſuite ſpake but his mother tongue to the Indians of Goa, and that all thoſe heatheniſh people did underſtand him as if it had been their native Dialect; an impudent forgery confirmed by none, diſavowed by Acoſta of his own Society, and quite contrary to the nature of a Miracle, that Infidels and Pagans ſhould be inſpired to underſtand, and the Chriſtian that converted them ſhould have no extraordinary inſpiration to ſpeak. Therefore as I ſaid before, we have no kind of inviſible grace in the ſame kind that the Apoſtles had cloven tongues, that is a faculty to ſpeak by inſtinct with all Nations, but the Lord did never give to any Age more bleſſing in the learning of the Tongues than he hath done to this, furniſhing men with rare skill to be able to communicate in ſpeech with thoſe of the world beneath us, which is a ſign to me that he is gathering the World unto him by the calling of all Nations, and haſtening his Kingdom.
But now I gather in further upon this Miracle, Can any thing be more Diametrically oppoſite to the good intention of it than publick Prayers recited in a Tongue unknown to the ignorant people, to which they cannot underſtandingly ſay Amen? Why hath God ſent down this Viſion of Cloven Tongues, but that the Lips of all Nations and Languages may as well publickly as privately reſound his glory? If Beaſts and Birds could ſpeak they would utter nothing but that which they underſtand; and ſhall reaſonable men be tied through the tyranny of Churchmen to fumble words by roat like Beaſts? It is againſt Nature, which gave us a Tongue to be the interpreter of the mind to thoſe that liſten to us. It is againſt Reaſon to make the Laiques ſay Amen to the Prieſts, when for their part they are uncertain whether he bleſſed them, or curſed them. It is againſt Scripture, 1 Cor. xiv. If you ſpeak in an unknown tongue, how can he that ſupplies the place of the Ideot ſay Amen? And Lyra ſays upon it, If the People underſtood the Prieſts they would ſerve God better, be converted ſooner, anſwer much more devoutly to the Contents of the Liturgie. It is againſt the Scope of the Holy Ghoſt, who enabled the Apoſtles to ſpeak with divers Tongues, that all people might hear and know, and know and believe to eternal life. It is againſt all poſſibility of Edification: For where knowledge enters not firſt, how can zeal and deſire be kindled?Harding. Ignoti nulla cupido. And it is an impious deriſion of one of the Romiſh to ſay, that although the Prieſt ſtand at the Altar ſo far diſtant from the people, that they neither hear nor underſtand, yet the people may be taught by Signs and Ceremonies. It is quite againſt the old Imperial Laws; Juſtinian the Emperour ſtrictly commanding all Prieſts ſo to officiate in the Church, that their voice might come diſtinct and intelligible to all the people preſent, that they may anſwer again, as is their duty. Finally, it is moſt utterly againſt the ancient uſe of the Church, one example for many. St. Hierom ſays that at the Funerals of Paula the people ſang Pſalms, ſome in Hebrew, ſome in Greek, ſome in Latine, and Syriack, all in their ſeveral Dialects to praiſe the Lord for her happy departure. So I have delivered what is moſt oppoſite to the gift of Cloven Tongues; one thing more for a caution, that a double tongue is a gift of the Devil, as a cloven tongue is the gift of God. The cloven Tongue was the diſperſion of many beams out of one flame, of many Tongues out of one root, foreign, ſays Oecumenius, ſo that there is unity in the root, and diſtinction in the ſtalks; but the double tongue (which St. Paul bids Deacons take heed of, foreign 1 Tim. iii. 8.) that is, Lying, Equivocation, Flattery, ſowing diſſention, double mindedneſs, Jam. i. 8. (Omnis foreign) he that hath a double tongue hath a double mind, an heart and a heart. He praiſeth that to one Faction, which he defies before the other. He commends a man to his face, backbites him behind his back, he confeſſeth Chriſt where it is advantage, and denies him where it is advantage. Cum triſtibus ſeverè, cum remiſſis jucundè, as the Oratour ſaid of Cataline, he can curſe and bleſs with the ſame breath, out of the ſame Fountain come forth ſweet waters and bitter; theſe, and many more than theſe are the juglings of a double tongue, but the Lord will ſay unto them, double unto them double, according to their iniquities, and divide them in twain, that they may have their portion with hypocrites.
I have been copious, as the time would give me leave, upon the Figure of theſe Tongues, that they were Cloven, next you muſt mark their Form, foreign, as it were fire, cloven tongues as it were fire, and let a certain learned Interpreter have his judgment to himſelf, that it is an Hypallage, for there appeared fire as it had been Cloven Tongues, yet ſtill it is but appearing, and as it were; the ſound was a real ſound that came from heaven, all beſide was but Similitude and Apparition. Very fire was not needful, nay, it would have been offenſive, and have ſcorched the part upon which it ſate; But it was ſuch fire as appeared to Moſes in the Buſh, Exod. iii. The buſh burnt with fire, and the buſh was not conſumed. Such as the Evangelical Prophet Iſaiah did foreſee, Iſa. xliii. 2. When thou walkeſt through the fire thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. To be inſpired in a moment to ſpeak all ſort of Tongues the Apoſtles did never dream of,Mar. 16. Chriſt did not foretel them any thing which ſounded that way. But they had prediction of this part of the Miracle both from John the Baptiſt, He ſhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoſt, and with fire, Mat. iii. 11. and from Chriſts own mouth, I am come to ſend fire into the earth, Luk. xii. 49. Which the Fathers, for the moſt part, interpret of that which came down at this Feaſt of Pentecoſt. All the Plagues of the Old World, as if the Elements had ſpate out their venom, became bleſſings under the Kingdom of Chriſt. The Old World was drowned with Water, the New World is ſaved by Baptiſm; and as I ſaid but lately, God pulled down the Tower of Babel by the confuſion of Tongues, now he built up the New Jeruſalem, by the multiplicity of tongues: So he ſent down fire upon Sodom to conſume it, here he ſent down fire upon his Church to ſave it.
But becauſe all the Apparitions which the moſt wiſe God doth ſend are full of Signification and Doctrine, it concerns the Text to have it diligently enquired wherefore the Holy Ghoſt did deſcend in fire?
Firſt, Look back to the Moſaical Law delivered at Mount Sinai, at the promulgation of it there came ſmoak,Ep. 494. and thunder, and flaſhes of fire, therefore, ſays Iſidor, Ʋt unus Deus in utroque teſtamento agnoſceretur; that you may know that the ſame Lord is Lord of both the two Teſtaments, in the firſt ſetling of the Goſpel likewiſe there came down fire from heaven. The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, in his right hand was a firy Law, Exod. xxxiii. 1. Whereupon the Chaldee Paraphraſt ſays, that his right hand wrote the Law out of the midſt of the fire, ſo the holy Spirit doth write the Law of Chriſt in our hearts as it were with an hot Iron Mark, making ſuch a ſtamp as will never be got out.
Secondly, And I mean principally likewiſe, the brightneſs of fire concurred in the Tongues to import that boldneſs, and fervour, and efficacy which goes along with them, where the Lord doth give the mouth utterance to ſpeak. Tongues of fleſh, and words of air will not ſerve the turn to convert ſouls, there muſt be fire put into the Tongue, ſomewhat above natural force and power that muſt bring it to paſs. Says the Son of Syrach concernig that renowned Prophet that awed all Iſrael with his Preaching, then ſtood up the Prophet Elias like fire, and his word burned as a lamp, Eccluſ. xlviii. 1. There is a burning vigour in the Word of God when it is luckily applied to the conſcience of a ſinner. As Cleophas and the other Diſciple ſaid of the communication of our Saviour, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and opened unto us the Scriptures? Luk. xxiv. 32. And we muſt be warm, and fervent our ſelves in our Meſſage, that we may warm others with it. Ardeat orator ſi judicem velit accendere, ſays Tully, 2. lib. de Orat.that was his craftsmaſter in that kind. Let the Orator be fervent if he means to heat the Judge in his cauſe, ſo the Embaſſadors of God muſt be foreign, Rom. xii. 11. Fervent in ſpirit, if they mean to thaw the frozen hearts of their Auditors. So ſays Gregory upon this very occaſion of the firy Tongues, Otioſus eſt ſermo doctoris, Homil. 30. in Ezek.ſi praebere non valeat incendium amoris; Our Preaching is frivolous if it do not kindle the fire of divine love in our Diſciples. Therefore St. Paul writes thus to Timothy, 2 Epiſt. i 6. To ſtir up the gift of God that is in him, foreign, to quicken and kindle the fire of the gift of God that is in him. Ʋt ſopitum ignitum ſuſcites, Eraſmus.to rake up the fire together, and make it flame that it go not out. The gift of God is a lively flame kindled in our hearts, which the Devil and the fleſh would put out, and that monition quench not the ſpirit is the watch word againſt it, and we muſt labour, as much as we can, to foſter it, and keep it burning. But he that is a lukewarm Chriſtian, neither hot, nor cold, indifferent to ſerve God, or to diſobey him, he is a loathed morſel which God canot digeſt, and becauſe he wants fervor it is a manifeſt ſign that the Spirit is departed from him.
Thirdly, The Spirit came at ſeveral times in the ſhape of a Dove and in fire to ſhew what mixture out of them both is moſt pleaſing in a Chriſtian, Quia ne que placere Deo ſimplicitas ſine zelo, neque zelus poteſt ſine ſimplicitate; the Dove, is the Emblem of gentleneſs and ſimplicity; the Fire, of zeal; neither is zeal good without meekneſs, nor meekneſs without zeal. We muſt not loſe our fervour in tameneſs, nor with prepoſterous zeal forget gentleneſs. And well doth Gregory hunt this Parallel further, that the Spirit did deſcend upon Chriſt in the ſimilitude of a Dove, upon the Apoſtles in the ſimilitude of fire, for God will be mild as a Dove toward us, if we will be hot as fire againſt our ſelves. That he may ſpare us with his mercy, let us be angry at our ſelves with godly revenge. And ſo they that made no bones of lies and fictions have renowned St. Dunſtan in his Legend, that a Dove deſcended from heaven upon him, Et remigia alarum ſcintillantis ignis ſplendorem prae ſe ferebant, ſays Capgrave. And the wings of it, when they were ſtretcht out,Capgrave. did ſparkle like fire. Their meaning is in this Fable, as I call it, to ſet him forth as moſt full of the Holy Ghoſt, upon whom both the Dove and fire deſcended.
Fourthly, ſays St. Auſtin, where God cauſeth the Tongue to ſpeak the truth,De Tem. Serm. 185. fire, that is ſorrow and trouble, will follow, Ignis portendit tribulationem, quam propter linguas erunt perpeſſuri; The fire imports that tribulation which the Apoſtles muſt undergo by preaching the Goſpel. The Devil did rage againſt thoſe that were the Pillars of the Church, and of true Doctrine, and blew the coals of many a fire to conſume them.
Fifthly, and to ſhut up that Point, the Tongue being left to it ſelf is full of much corruption as I have amplified already, and it had need of a purging fire to cleanſe it, and refine it. In all the old Sacrifices of the Grecians Homer ſays, foreign, they threw the tongue of the beaſt into the fire, whereupon ſays Coelius Rhodoginus, Comburendo linguas perperam dictorum labes expurgabant; They made expiation thereby in the flames of fire for all words that had been ſpoken offenſively. St. James ſays the Tongue is a fire, Chap. iii. 6. meaning a fire of diſcord and miſchief, and that fire had need to be corrected by another fire from heaven, or elſe the torments of hell-fire would be the end of it.
And now we will reſt at laſt in that Point which is the reſting and ſetling of theſe Tongues, There appeared unto them, &c. and it ſate upon each of them. It ſate? Why we ſpoke of Tongues in the Plural number before; What Enallage is this? Cajetan, and the moſt Divines interpret it that the fire ſate upon each of them. Calvin by a Metonimy of ſigni pro re ſignatâ, that the Spirit ſate upon each of them. The Syrian Paraphraſt refers it directly to the Tongues, and puts it in the Plural number, ſederunt, they ſate upon each of them. Indeed, to refer it to many Tongues, and yet to make the Verb of the Singular number is the beſt expoſition of all, it ſate, to ſhew that it is one Holy Ghoſt in the adminiſtration of divers gifts, foreign, as I ſaid before, one root and many ſtalks, There are diverſity of operations, but it is the ſame Lord that worketh all in all, 1 Cor. xii. 6. But upon whom did they deſcend and ſit? For now I make haſte. Upon every one of the hundred and twenty that were gathered together? Or upon the Apoſtles only? Somewhat is in it, that when all are named to whom this fire appeared, all to be filled with the Holy Ghoſt, yet the Tongues are ſaid to ſit upon each of them. In two ancient Copies ſome of our Criticks ſay that the Text runs, they ſate upon each of the Apoſtles, and I think that a very probable gloſs. The Reaſons are, Firſt, the Spirit in ſome particular manner was promiſed to them only, Acts i. 7. Secondly, when ſome Scoffers ſaid they were full of new wine that had the gift of Tongues, St. Peter makes his apology for himſelf and the Eleven only. Thirdly, it is ſaid hereupon that they all ſpake or preacht the mighty things of God. This befits the Apoſtles, and not thoſe one hundred and twenty, among whom was the Bleſſed Virgin, and other women, whoſe office it was not to preach. Fourthly, the ſtanders by ſaid, Are not all theſe of Galilee that ſpeak with divers tongues, which was true in the Apoſtles, now Judas was taken away, but very improbable to agree to all the reſt. Howſoever let there be no diſcord about this, it is not worth the while; no more is the next quere upon what part of them the Cloven Tongues did ſit? That is not expreſt, but in all likelihood it was their head, for thereunto all Expoſitors do give their ſuffrage. The Spirit muſt be in ſummo loco, we muſt give it, and the inſpiration thereof the pre-eminence in all things. Theſe Tongues,Lib. 8. c. 2. ſays Gregory, did encircle about their head, Ʋt novae coronae ſpirituales capiti eorum imponerentur, as if the King of heaven had crowned them with ſpiritual Crowns from heaven. They are ridiculous among the Pontifician Writers that would fetch it from hence that Chriſt did ordain the Apoſtles Biſhops at this time, and uſed this Ceremony to touch their head from heaven, for Conſecratio Epiſcoporum eſt in capite, as they urge it out of Clemens Conſtitution: For another while they confeſs that the Epiſcopal character, and all Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction and authority was given them in thoſe words, As my Father ſent me, ſo do I ſend you.
Theſe things being thus put out of the way, the main Doctrine agreed on all hands is, that the ſitting of the Tongues did betoken the conſtant abiding of the Spirit, he is no flitter, he doth not come with a lick and away, but his gifts are without repentance. foreign, ſo St. Chryſoſtome, and his true follower Oecumenius, foreign, both agree that the Spirit was ſetled upon them, not to depart away. It is a fire like that on the Altar, permanent and never going out; according to our Saviours Promiſe, Joh. xiv. 16. I will pray the Father and he ſhall give you another Comforter, that may abide with you for ever. Some of the Schoolmen find a knot in this plain Doctrine, whether the Apoſtles, and all upon whom the Spirit did now abide were confirmed in grace. Certain Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtorians trouble them in their concluſions, who ſay that Nicholas the Deacon, from whom the Nicolaitans were derived, and many other ring-leaders of Hereticks were preſent at this time, and although the Spirit deſcended upon them, yet they forſook their firſt faith. The anſwer is, if theſe ſtories be Authentical, theſe gifts were gratiae gratis datae, not gratum facientes; Gifts which God did graciouſly give, not gifts which made them gracious to God that received them. And the continuance and reſidency of theſe tongues is eſtabliſhed in theſe words, that the Comforter whom Chriſt would ſend ſhould abide with them for ever; that is, it ſhould abide in the Church, that is in them, and in their Succeſſors unto the ends of the world, till Chriſt ſhould come again in glory, as I will open upon the next verſe. AMEN.