A Century of Sermons, Sermon 4
THE FOURTH SERMON UPON THE Deſcent of the Holy Ghoſt.
ACTS ii. 4.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghoſt, and began to ſpeak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
ALL the joy which we celebrate for the famous acts of Chriſt is irkſom to the Devil; and the particular Solemnities, which we keep, are grievous to thoſe that ſhut their eyes againſt the truth. Upon the yearly day of our Saviours Nativity the Jew is ſad and diſpleas'd, becauſe he believes not, that he that was born of Mary a pure Virgin was the Son of God, and the Meſſias whom their Fathers lookt for, that ſhould ſit upon the Throne of David for evermore. Upon the high Feaſt of his Reſurrection the Sadducee gnaſheth with his teeth, becauſe he denieth that the dead can be raiſed to life. So upon this triumphant Feaſt, wherein we abound with comfort for the ſending of the Holy Ghoſt, the Pelagian is malecontented, who is an enemy to the efficacy of Grace, and the more cauſe we have to maintain the dignity of it, and to be throughly diſciplin'd what the Holy Ghoſt hath wrought for our Soul, becauſe the Church is miſerably ſoured of late in all places with the leaven of Pelagius. Again, as all the parts of our Saviours Mediatorſhip were ſeveral degrees to advance our Salvation, and like the ſeveral ſteps of Jacobs Ladder to bring us nearer and nearer to Heaven, ſo in this compariſon the ſending of the Holy Ghoſt is the loftieſt degree, and as it were the top of the ſpire, which is next neighbour to the Kingdom of Glory: for as man in his firſt creation had but an incomplete being, till the Lord breathed into his noſtrils the breath of life, ſo man in his reparation was but incompletely reſtored, till Chriſt did ſend the Comforter to infuſe into him the breath of ſanctification. This day therefore is the concluding Feaſt of all the great days, wherein we rememorate the noble works of our Lord; and to go further, this Text is the upſhot of all the bleſſings that were conferred upon the Church in this happy day. Chriſt took our nature upon him that he might die for our ſins; he ſuffered and was crucified that he might reconcile all ſuch to his Father as would repent and believe: repentance and faith to pleaſe God cannot enter into the heart of the natural man by his own abilities; a power from Heaven muſt be the means to bring that about, which is ſo repugnant to our corrupt nature. Traverſe over the myſtery of our Redemption, and you ſhall find that the work is at a ſtand, till ſupernal grace poured in do draw it forward: as Phyſicians ſay that ſpiritus eſt ultimum alimenti, the laſt concoction, and the moſt refined part of our nouriſhment is that which makes the ſpirits; ſo the donation of the Holy Spirit is the accompliſhment and final reſolution of all the benefits which we partake in Chriſt.
And the laſt payment collated by that precious liberality to enrich the Church for ever is here in my Text: nay indeed it was but a preparation before, the talent of grace was not tendred till now. That which was ſet forth in figure in the former verſes, is here exhibited in real ſubſtance. Before a ruſhing wind made a noiſe, here was the very thing imparted which was ſhadowed by the wind: before certain firy tongues made a glittering that ſat upon their head, now their own tongues became moſt fluent, and voluble with wonderful eloquence. In brief, to the exact building up of the Church two things were requir'd, which are not wanting, but abound in this verſe: Firſt that the Lord ſhould ſpeak unto the Heart; Secondly, that he ſhould ſpeak unto the Ear, by an inviſible word and by a viſible: He ſpake inviſibly to the Heart, when they were all filled with the Holy Ghoſt; he ſpake viſibly to the Ear, when his Miniſters began to ſpeak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Nay more, to gather a Society together, whoſe Labours ſhould be diſpread over all the world, it was expedient that the Lord ſhould confer both ordinary and extraordinary Gifts upon them: His ordinary Bleſſing (and indeed nothing is bleſt without it) is ſome quantity of Sanctification; his extraordinary Bleſſing is twofold, to ſend ſuch as are not lightly ſprinkled, but filled with the Spirit, and to ſpeak with divers Tongues, that their ſound may go forth into all the World. Yet again, to ſhew the Amplitude of Gods allowance to his Primitive Church, he makes a double proviſion, firſt for every Diſciple, as he is one Member of this Body, and ſo all and every one of them were filled with the Holy Ghoſt, and then he provides for all the Members of his Body junctim in one union and communion, they began, &c. ſo that here's the inward and the outward bleſſing, the ordinary and the extraordinary, the particular and the univerſal. The inward, ordinary, and particular bleſſing is this, that they were all filled with the Holy Ghoſt.
If you look for the proviſion with which the Primitive Church was ſtored, look for it in this Chapter, and you will find out upon judicious ſurvey that there are three things which make it plenteous with all manner of ſtore, Paſtores, Verbum, and Spiritus; Firſt certain Paſtors allotted to the ſacred Function to guide the ſouls of the People. 2. the Word of life which is put into their mouth to be preacht unto all Nations. 3. The Spirit of grace accompanying the Word, to make it fruitful and prolificous in the hearts of them that hear it and obey it. That ſome were ordeined Paſtors and Biſhops to teach and rule the Church, that's clear, the Apoſtles met together in Jeruſalem with one accord, as Chriſt had appointed, and the Cloven Tongues which came from Heaven ſat upon each of them, that was their Commiſſion to take their Biſhoprick upon them: that the Word was delivered unto them which they ſhould preach, and Elocution to impart that Word to every Kingdom and Language, that's as clear. Eight times in this one Chapter St. Peter quotes the Scripture of the old Teſtament, and with divers tongues according to the capacity of all the Nations and Languages that were met together; and that the Holy Ghoſt was infuſed with much abundance at the ſame time, that's as clear and pregnant as the reſt, 'tis twice gone over in my Text, both in the beginning, and in the end, they were filled with the Holy Ghoſt, and the Spirit gave them utterance. A Church without lawful Paſtors is but a Synagogue of Schiſmatiques; a Paſtor without a Tongue is but an Idol Shepherd, or a dumb Dog: a Tongue without the power of the Spirit is but ſounding Braſs, or a tinkling Cymbal: As St. Paul ſaid of the three grand Theological Virtues, Now abideth Faith, Hope, Charity, theſe three, but the greateſt of theſe is Charity; ſo I ſay of theſe neceſſary parts that conſtitute the Church the Miniſtry, the Word, and the Spirit, but the chiefeſt and moſt excellent of theſe is the Spirit. In ſome ſtrange manner God may have a Church without a conſecrated Prieſthood, as when Adam and Eve were firſt placed in Paradice; he may have a Society of holy Servants without the Word taught and proclamed by the organ of a Tongue, as the Angels are illuminated to know his will by immediate inſpiration; but with reverence let me ſpeak it, I cannot ſee which way the Lord can have a Church without the Gift of the Holy Spirit. God may be known by his wonderful works and effects without his ſpecial grace; but can he be preſent in the ſoul of man, and make it bleſſed by knowing his Divine will to pleaſe him without his ſpecial grace? Praeſens eſt in quantum praeſentem facit beatitudinem; if he make all his good to paſs before us, it muſt be by theſe means, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, Exod. xxxiii. 19. Thoſe creatures that ſeek no higher perfection, nor greater good than a temporal being, and that which is found within the compaſs of their own nature they may attein thereunto by the ſtrength of nature without any other help; but Men and Angels that ſeek an infinite and Divine good, that is everlaſting happineſs, which conſiſteth in the viſion of God, they cannot attain their wiſhed end, which is ſo much removed from them, and ſo far above them, unleſs they be lifted up unto it by a ſupernatural force of grace. Eternal felicity is the Haven to which they ſail, and it is no ordinary wind, but the ſtiff gale of the Holy Spirit that muſt bring them to the Port of endleſs glory; that is, they cannot aſcend of themſelves, they may be lifted up to the Viſion of God: eſpecially Man ſince his woful fall (they are the words of the tenth Article of our Church) can have no power to do good works pleaſant and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Chriſt preventing him, that he may have a good will, and without the ſame grace working with him when he hath a good will. Natural habilities and inclinations at the beſt reach no further than to diſpoſe all things well for the honor and preſervation of the natural being, but when we are put to it, and become content, yea and rejoyce to lay down our life for Chriſts ſake, which is the abolition of the natural being, this vigor and ſtrength muſt come from a ſupernatural influence, that is from the fire of the Spirit, which is predominant above the breath of nature.
This hath given you ſatisfaction, I ſuppoſe, that it did more import the Church to receive the Spirit than any other benefit. I draw forward to a more diſtinct inſpection of it: and the firſt ſcruple about which I find a difference is this, Whether the very Perſon of the Holy Ghoſt be meant in this place, or only certain impreſſions of his Gifts and Graces? I will ſtreighten my ſelf to a ſhort anſwer, both the Perſon of the Holy Ghoſt was here, and the virtue of the Holy Ghoſt, that which ſat upon the head of each of them in cloven tongues as it were, was the infinite Majeſty of the third Perſon of Trinity in that apt and viſible ſimilitude: but that which filled them was not the very eſſence but the operation of the Spirit. Implet non ſeipſo formaliter, ſed dono quod producit, ſay the Schoolmen; he that filleth all things with his preſence, cannot be ſaid formally to fill one thing more than another; but he that blows where he liſteth with his inſpiration, is ſaid to fill thoſe whom he ſanctifies, not with his eſſence, but with that inſpiration. The Founder of School Divinity is noted for one error above the reſt, that he makes the Grace of God to be no effect of the Holy Spirit, but the eſſence of the very Spirit to purifie the thoughts and mind. He ſtuck too litterally to St. Auſtin, Serm. 185. de Temp.and ſo wandred from the right way. For thus that Father preaching upon my Text, Chriſt was preſent with his faithful Servants this day, not by his Viſiting Grace, but by his Perſonal Majeſty; atque in vaſa non jam odor balſami, ſed ipſa ſuba ſacri defluxit unguenti; their veſſels were not only perfumed with the odour of the ſweet Ointment, but that fragrant Balſam, the very Unction it ſelf did flow abundantly into them. To this it is moſt proper to rejoyn, that St. Auſtin meant it of the extraordinary Apparition of the Holy Ghoſt upon this day, not of his ordinary inſpiration: For in the ſame Sermon he ſays, that the immortal Spirit is vicarius ſucceſſor redemptoris, the Deputy to ſucceed our Saviour in the Church, now he is gone away on high. But how is he Chriſts Deputy, not as if by his perſonal communication he wrought his gifts in us, but thus, quod Salvator inchoavit, peculiari virtute Spiritus Sanctus conſummat, the faith which Chriſt did begin in his Apoſtles by teaching them daily, the Holy Ghoſt did perfect by the ſpecial virtue of ſanctification. No Text doth more evidently convince that the infinite and increated eſſence of the Spirit is to be diſtinguiſht from the finite and created qualities which he infuſeth, then thoſe words, Jo. vii. 39. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath ſaid, out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living waters; but this ſpake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him ſhould receive, foreign ▪ thoſe are all the words in the Text, for the Holy Ghoſt was not yet, we make it up, for the Holy Ghoſt was not yet given. But ſtand we to the words of Scripture, foreign, the Holy Ghoſt was not yet: This will never hold without differencing the third Perſon of Trinity from his ſanctifying effects; the Perſon was before, and had no beginning, but nondum erat manifeſti muneris efficacitate, ſays Theophylact, as yet he was not revealed in his plentiful efficacity. The cloſe of the Point is thus, the very Perſon of the Holy Ghoſt came down into the place where they were gathered in an external viſible form, and his effects or efficacy was breathed into them in wonderful gifts.
But concerning thoſe gifts wherewith they were filled there's another ſcruple, whether they were ſaving graces, ſuch as are collated upon them that are the Elect of God, or whether they were only miraculous aſſiſtances, as Prophecies, Gifts of Tongues, Gifts of Healing, and the like, which are impreſſions indeed of the Holy Ghoſt, not that they ſanctifie him which hath them, but they are given to men for the confirmation of the holy Faith. That which brings this into doubt is a Tradition that hath no good founder, that ſome Apoſtates and Revolters (as Nicolas the Deacon, from whom the Nicolaitans are derived) were ſome of this Aſſembly, that are ſaid to be filled with the Holy Ghoſt, and it is not to be contradicted, but that gratiae gratis datae, habilities to work miracles may be in thoſe that make ſhipwrack of a good conſcience. Yet that Exception, though it may hold in others, yet it is not to be applied to theſe perſons, and to this ſeaſon; not to theſe perſons, for it is moſt likely that none but the Apoſtles were partakers of the Divine illumination, which came from Heaven upon this day: and the Apoſtles, no man calls it in queſtion, had the talents of that grace delivered unto them, which ſaved their ſouls. Ir is a maſterleſs and a falſe fame that any caſtaways were in the number of theſe that were filled with the Holy Ghoſt. Chriſt himſelf is ſaid to be full of the Holy Ghoſt, Luke iv. 1. and the Bleſſed Virgin gratiâplena, full of grace: and St. Stephen the Captain of all Martyrs, full of the Holy Ghoſt, Acts vi. and Barnabas the Son of Conſolation full of the Holy Ghoſt, Acts xi. None but ſuch as were peerleſs Saints are deigned with that praiſe: to give this ſcruple a full ſatisfaction, regard the time and ſeaſon wherein this dew of heaven did drop down into the Fleece of wooll, it is the day ſo long before promiſed, wherein the Spirit ſhould be poured out upon all fleſh, the ſcaturigo, the firſt ſpouting out of the Spirit; and do you think that this being the original from whence the ſpring began, that all the beſt Balſams and Liquors did not flow into them that received it? I reſolved therefore, that theſe perſons in my Text did not only partake ſuch gifts as made them wonderful in the eyes of the world, but ſuch alſo as made them holy and acceptable in the ſight of God: that is, it did not only ſpeak in their tongues, but it was diffuſed in their hearts. To end this matter, remember what manner of ſpirit that is which God beſtows, it is from above, it is holy, it is not our own but Chriſts; a Spirit from above, and not from beneath: as St. Paul ſays, Now we have received not the ſpirit of this world, but of God, 1 Cor. ii. 12. Spiritus mundi eſt per quem arripiuntur phanatici, ſays St. Ambroſe, that's the ſpirit of this world with which phanatical men are led, which drives them into contention, or vain glory; but they are enemies to peace, and ſavour not the things which belong to God. And ſince we are bidden to deny our ſelves, if we will be Chriſts Diſciples, we muſt alſo deny our own private Spirit, and ſubmit our ſelves to the Spirit of the Church, which is the Spirit of God, for our Saviour hath promiſed to be with it unto the end of the world. Take heed of this hot windy humour, which makes ſome cleave pertinaciouſly to their own imagination, and attribute far more to their own ignorant judgment than becomes them. The Spirit of the Prophets is ſubject to the Prophets: but if any one think that ſome new myſteries are revealed to him, which the Church never heard of before, and begin to trouble our peace with his falſeſly pretended raptures and enthuſiaſms,Ezek. 13.3. I ſay unto ſuch in Ezekiels words, Woe unto the fooliſh Prophets, that follow their own ſpirit, and have ſeen nothing.
Thus far I have ſpoken of the Gift, which was given to the Apoſtles to ſupply the room of Chriſt himſelf, now he was gone and aſcended into Heaven. Hominem portavit in coelum, & Deum miſit in terram, ſays St. Auſtin, he carried away his Manhood into Heaven, and inſtead thereof he ſent down God unto the Earth, I mean the Holy Ghoſt: and this Gift, more worth than all the world beſide, is his uſual and continual favour, but the meaſure of it is more than ordinary, repleti ſunt omnes, they were all filled with the Holy Ghoſt. And Leo did very well to mark it, that this was not ſpiritus inchoans, but cumulans, not the initiation but the accumulation of the Spirit, the augmenting of the old ſtock, which the Apoſtles had in a good quantity before, not the beginning of a new. They had the Spirit before, as appears particularly in St. Peter, when Chriſt told him he had prayed that his faith might not fail, therefore he had a portion of faith. In general it is moſt manifeſt, that Chriſt breathed on them all, and ſaid, Receive ye the Holy Ghoſt. But as it appears by Eliſha's requeſt to his Maſter Elias, there are ſingle, and there are double Portions of the Spirit; there is a ſingle Talent of Grace given to one Servant, two to a ſecond, and five Talents committed to him that was moſt entruſted by his Maſter: there are ſuch as have a little of this Manna in their Omer, and them that have it top full: And theſe that received the Holy Ghoſt at this Feaſt were ſuch as were not ſprinkled, but repleniſhed with it, quibus nulla pars animae manſit carens ſpiritu ſancto, ſays Cajetan, the fruits of ſanctification did not grow thinly in them, here a berry, and there a berry upon the top of a bough, but pious conformity to Gods will, obedience and the fear of the Lord were in every faculty of their ſoul and body. The Romaniſts oftentimes put in ſuch impertinent cautions, that their bedging in of ſome needleſs exception lays waſte the truth of God. Among others of that bad ſtamp this is one, that the Apoſtles and other holy men are ſaid to be filled at this time with the Holy Ghoſt, becauſe an Increaſe was put to that which they had before, but the Bleſſed Virgin was ſo full before, that ſhe received not any new addition; or if ſhe received a new diſtillation of it now, illud erat ut in nos tantum effunderet ſays Lorinus, it was for our ſakes that it might overflow, and be transfuſed from her to us: even as Chriſt was full of grace and truth from the firſt moment that he was incarnate, and yet for our ſakes the Spirit came upon him, when he was baptized in Jordan, Matth. iii. a moſt ſcandalous compariſon between the Infinite and the Finite, between the Creator and the Creature; for though Chriſt thought it no robbery to be equall with God, Philip. ii. yet it is a great robbery of the Divine honor to make the Bleſſed Virgin equal with Chriſt. But to keep to mine own work, the Apoſtles had an earneſt penny of the Spirit before, but they came to the fulneſs of it by degrees: firſt they were baptized, and ſo had an introduction unto ſanctity; afterward Chriſt breathed on them, that was their proficiency: laſt of all came this mighty ruſhing, and cloven tongues as it were fire, and ſat upon each of them, that's their perfection: by nature and of themſelves they were of the earth earthly, but they were regenerate and born again in Baptiſm, that's an Element above the Earth. The next ſtep of their heavenly promotion was, that the Lord breathed on them, ſo the Air is above the Water. In concluſion the Holy Ghoſt came down upon them in fire; this is a ſign that they were now full to the brim, for that's the Element which is above the Water and the Air, and is the next to Heaven. And well may it be called a fulneſs, not that the Veſſel of any of their hearts was ſo repleniſht, but that God could have poured in more, if it had ſeemed good unto him; for nothing but the eſſence of God is all ſufficient, and can admit of no augmentation; but never was there ſuch copious meaſure of it either diffuſed among the Iſraelites in the Old Law, no nor imparted to us Chriſtians ſince this Generation did leave the world. Rupertus ſays upon it, it was now, now when this Ocean of the Spirit was poured out that the Devil was bound, and caſt into the bottomleſs pit, though that is rather to be aſcribed to the virtue of Chriſt's Paſſion, and to his bloud ſhed upon the Croſs.
When Mary poured a Box of Spiknard very precious upon our Saviour's head, Judas grumbled, and ſaid quorſum perditio? to what end is ſo much waſte? and leſt any profane perſon ſhould ſo gibe at this bleſſing, and ſay to what end was ſo much plenty and ſuperfluity of the Spirit? take theſe reaſons with you for your uſe and inſtruction: and I will begin with two Maxims of reaſons. 1. Si natura non deficit in neceſſariis multò minùs ſpiritus ſanctus, if Nature is furniſht with all inſtruments and faculties fit for its work, ſurely the Holy Ghoſt would not be ſcanty in any thing that ſhould conduce to reſound the Glory of God over all the world. 2. Speculative men tell us, tantum medii ſumendum eſt, quantum ad finem conducit, he that is a wiſe Appointer will lay forth ſo much means as will bring the end to paſs. Put theſe together, and it will follow that here was neither too little, nor too much; nothing wanting, nor yet to ſpare. The work of the Apoſtles was the greateſt Task that ever was put upon mens ſhoulders: Chriſt gave them one Commiſſion which might be diſcharg'd with ſome moderate pains and adventures, to preach unto the loſt ſheep of the Houſe of Iſrael. Their ſecond Commiſſion might ſeem unto fleſh and bloud inſupportable, Go and teach all Nations, &c. How much ground was to be trod? how many deaths to be hazarded? how many ſubtle Philoſophers to be convinced? we preach unto them that are brought up in Religion, and are glad to hear us; they were ſent to thoſe that ſtop their ears at them, and could not endure the name of Chriſt; their heart therefore, their judgment, their courage, their patience did require a far other proportion of the Spirit than will ſuffice a common Chriſtian; their filling muſt be more abundant, becauſe they were to empty it out to ſo many. And unto whomſoever God hath imparted more copious grace, let him not deſpiſe his Brethren, but let him uſe that plenteous Gift for the benefit of many, for the edification of the Members of Chriſt's Body, or elſe the bleſſing that did adorn him will condemn him.
The next thing we learn is, that we muſt ſtrive, and contend, and pray for the fulneſs of the Spirit; it is not every Modicum and pittance of it which will content him that truly loves the Lord. The Son of Syrach ſays of that wiſdom which ſanctifieth all things, They that eat me ſhall be hungry, and they that drink me ſhall yet be thirſty, Eccluſ. xxiv. 21. And very certain none ſo eager to have more grace as they that have a liberal portion already. None ſo inſtant to get ten Talents as he that hath received five. Let Eliſha have ſome enlightnings of a Prophetical Spirit, and then he makes bold to ask that a double portion of Elias his Spirit may reſt upon him. Gregory ſays it is the property of the fruits of the Spirit, Cum non habentur in faſtidio ſunt, cum habentur in deſiderio; They that have them not, either never miſs them, or think vilely of them, they that have them do inſatiably deſire them. It is a ſign of a diſdainful lothſomneſs in nature to come to the Fountain of living waters, and to do no more but ſip, and wet our lips with it. He that hath a truly heavenly guſt of it pleno ſe proluit alveo. As St. Paul phraſeth it, We are all made to drink into one ſpirit, 1 Cor. xii. 12. Still we ſhall call for more and more, not becauſe want and drineſs doth afflict us, but becauſe deſire doth pleaſe us. Nemo primo ſtatim die ad ſatietatem potatur ſpiritus ſancti, ſays Calvin; no man is made Chriſtian enough in a day to go to the Kingdom of heaven, unleſs it be in ſuch a rare example as that was of the penitent Thief. It is a falſe ſpirit that ſays unto any mortal man, it is well if you can keep at this ſtay, and prove no worſe. I know the greateſt part of indifferent Chriſtians are ſo affected to carnal content, that if it were poſſible to meaſure out to a drachm what quantity of righteouſneſs would ſerve them to be endued with, that they might attain ſalvation, they would reach ſo far if the grace of God would aſſiſt them, but would take no care to ſeek any further. I ſay, if they knew the trick how to make juſt a Saint and no more, they would ſpare a labour for ſeeking beyond that Point, and for the reſt ſacrifice to carnal ſecurity. Chriſtianum eſſe probant, minimum eſſe non probant, as St. Hierom ſpeaks; they do not love a man unleſs he be a Chriſtian: And again, they will not love him if he be a vehement and an earneſt Chriſtian to ſerve the Lord. Certainly it is a ſign that there is no ſanctification in that conſcience where there is not a ſtudious longing of the ſoul for an augmentation. The learned among the Heathen love to talk of ſtrange Creatures; and Plutarch tells of a fiſh, whereof if a man taſte but a little it is hurtful, if he eat it up all it is medicinal. True or falſe be his ſtory it comes fit to be applied, a little holineſs will vaniſh away like a morning miſt, as Hoſea ſpeaks; nay, it is prone to turn to mans hurt, for when there is but little of it, it turns to hypocriſie; but as God hath given us plenteous redemption in Chriſt, ſo we muſt return him plenteous faith, and plenteous obedience, with all our heart, and with all our ſoul, and love our neighbour with a plenteous love, even as we love our ſelves, and that is to be filled with the Holy Ghoſt.
Let this be the concluſion of the firſt part of my Text, the inward donation of the Spirit; the outward exerciſe of it remains to be handled, They began to ſpeak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. The Spirit which is ſignified by the wind and inſpiration is neceſſary to all Chriſtians who are invited to faith. But as it appears in Tongues, ſo it was requiſite for them only that were ſent to teach all Nations. That is, if God had meant only to make good men of them the wind would have ſufficed, but intending to make good Apoſtles of them he gave them to ſpeak with other Tongues; with other Tongues, which is ſimply, and without any Periphraſis termed the ſpeaking with Tongues: For when Peter preached to the Gentiles of Cornelius houſe, Acts. x. 46. the Holy Ghoſt fell on them, and the Jews heard them ſpeak with Tongues, and magnified God. In St. Mark, our Saviour promiſed his Diſciples that they ſhould ſpeak with new tongues, Mar. xvi. 17. not with tongues, ſuch as were never heard before, for that were direct canting, as we call it, and it would turn to no profit of edification, but they were ſuch tongues as were new to them that ſpake them, and they had the faculty to utter them in a new manner, by a ſudden inſpiration, and for a new work, which was not begun before, to call all the Gentiles unto the knowledge of ſalvation, that there may be one Shepherd and one Sheepfold over all the world. And then was verified that of the Prophet David, There was neither ſpeech nor language, but their voices were heard among them, their ſound is gone out into all Lands, and their words unto the ends of the world, Pſal. xix. The miracle is ſtupendious, the end of it much more admirable than the miracle. It is a glorious remonſtrance of the infinite power above, that from one Tongue and Dialect theſe holy men ſhould be expert of a ſudden to talk with all Nations whom they encountred. The ſuddenneſs was wonderful, to get ſuch a volubility, ſo as Mithridates had never the like, without all ſtudy or premeditation. Says Leo upon that circumſtance, Quàm velox eſt ſermo ſapientiae? Et ubi Deus eſt Magiſter, Serm. 1. in Deut.quàm cito diſcitur quod docetur? The Word of Wiſdom runs forth very ſwiftly, and where God is the Inſtructer, how ſoon doth he learn us that which he is pleaſed to teach us? The multiplicity of that which they were able to utter was moſt ineffable, their voice did come diſtinct and intelligible to all people, that they might ſay Amen with an underſtanding heart when the name of Jeſus is bleſſed in the Congregation. Quot linguas quis callet, totidem viris aequipollet, as the old ſaying goes; A man ſtands for ſo many men as he can ſpeak Languages, and therefore look how many Tongues one of them could ſpeak, in effect and ſufficiency he was ſo many Apoſtles.
You ſee this well enough, I will ſtand no more upon it, the Miracle was one of the greateſt that ever was brought to paſs. Even as thoſe Jews that reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt were convinced in heart to think ſo, their aſtoniſhment is expreſſed in three ſeveral terms, ver. 6. and 7. foreign, the multitude was confounded, they were all amazed and marvelled. But they did not ſee the end of it, that it was the opening of the door to bring the Gentiles into the Church, and our induction to be admitted into the number of the people of God. How could our ſtony hearts be mollified during ſo many Generations, during the long time of ignorance that no man preacht in our Confines to make us underſtand him, we were Barbarians to him that ſpake unto us, and he that ſhould ſpeak was a Barbarian to us. The Prophets of the Old Teſtament that had the will of the Lord revealed to them in all kind of Myſteries, were tongue-tied that they could not expreſs themſelves to the Nations that ſate in darkneſs: And as one ſays very elegantly, Religion before was as the Muſick of a Monochord, now the Harp of the Apoſtles was not only ten ſtringed, but even ten times ten ſtringed to make a chearful noiſe to the God of Jacob. The Tongue which was confined before to the 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 all hit upon 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 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 Infidels for their pride, ſo diverſity of Tongues was made the only means to reduce Infidels that had not heard of the Word of God into the unity of the faith. And they that advanced themſelves againſt heaven, ſays Gregory, loſt the communion of that one Tongue they had, but they that 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 viſibly done upon this day, that we may believe the Church ſhall never want Gods inviſible grace, though not in this kind yet in ſome other benefit.
For in this kind the Lord did not aſſiſt his Church any long time; ſurely after the firſt hundred of years it was ſcarce conferred upon any, although Propheſies and gifts of healing did continue among ſome eminent perſons afterward for a great ſpace. Irenaeus ſeems to ſpeak as if ſome few had the gift of Tongues in his time, Lib. 5. c. 7. which was about one hundred and fifty years after Chriſts Aſcenſion: But after him I find no Author touch upon it, and perhaps Irenaeus ſpeaks of the time when he was very young, and knew Polycarpus and the Scholars of the Apoſtles. I make no reckoning of Antoninus the Plorentine, nor of any reports which he and his Pew-fellows make concerning ſome of their Friers, whom they ſay God did inſpire with all ſort of Languages. They have whetted their tongues, I am ſure, with ſharp lies, and in that reſpect, they have one tongue more than a good Chriſtian ſhould have. They that are the common minters of miracles dare not urge or pretend this faculty of all kind of Languages in our days, becauſe they would quickly be deſcried when they came to parley with learned men. For though nothing be more expedient for the ſetling of the Goſpel in an unknown world, ſuch as America was within one hundred and forty years, than the gift of Tongues, to be able to ſpeak to thoſe Savages to their own underſtanding, yet the Jeſuites do not arrogate that any of their Order, who have viſited thoſe parts, could ſpeak new Languages by inſpiration. Only Turcellinus, a man of no forehead or modeſty, ſays, that the Jeſuit Xaverius 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 teſtified unto by none but himſelf, diſavowed by Joſephus Acoſta of his own Order, who was long in thoſe parts; and quite contrary to the nature of a Miracle, that Infidels and Pagans, who perhaps never believed, ſhould be inſpired to underſtand, and the Chriſtian that converted them ſhould have no inſpiration to ſpeak. Salmeron is much troubled that he could not give that magnificent report to his Aſſociates, that they ſpake with new Tongues by inſpiration in India, as well as the Apoſtles did, when they were ſent to teach the Gentiles. But becauſe he would not have his Order give ground to the Apoſtles (ſee the ſtomack of the man) he makes this compariſon, that it is no leſs Gods benefit and grace to take pains to learn a ſtrange tongue than if it were immediately poured out from heaven; nay ſays he, In illâ adipiſcendâ plus meriti poſitum eſt; It is more meritorious to atchieve it by much induſtry than by inſpiration, as it is more praiſe-worthy to raiſe up a fortune by a mans own diligence, than to have it bequeathed him by inheritance. I was aſtoniſh'd when I read this, that this Loyolite ſhould dare to compare, and to prefer himſelf and ſuch like even before the Apoſtles of our Lord, and prefer their ſmattering in Tongues before the mighty Miracle of this day, the greateſt that ever was granted to men. I confeſs, it is the wiſdom of God which teacheth learned men their exact inſight into the Sacred Tongues, and the Lord hath furniſh'd many Heroes of the Reformed Churches with ſuch exquiſite skill in that kind far beyond our Adverſaries, that out of their over-flowing envy they have called us Pedants, and Gramarians. But God be thanked many of our Linguiſts are able to communicate in Speech with thoſe of the world beneath, which is a ſign to me that God is gathering the world unto him by the calling of all Nations, and haſtening his Kingdom.
Theſe being the general extractions of this laſt part of the Text, both touching the matter of it, and touching the end for which it was done, which is the form of it. I will ſpare much of that which remains rather than exceed my time upon this day, and yet I will rather point at the particular inferences than quite omit them. 1. It is to be collected from the perſons that received this utterance of Tongues, that the Tongue is a member of diligent employment in an Apoſtle, for how can he diſcharge St. Pauls Canons, to be foreign, apt to teach, fit to reprove, and exhort, unleſs he open his lips in the great Congregation, that his mouth may ſhew forth the praiſe of the Lord. But remember that this hability was only infuſed into Apoſtles and Teachers. How ſhall they ſpeak unleſs they be ſent? Let others be contented with that monition, He that hath ears to hear let him hear. Suarez the Jeſuite makes the caſe of the Bleſſed Virgin to be tranſcendent, that ſhe did not only receive the power from heaven to ſpeak with divers Tongues on this day, but ſhe was able to do as much long before. Therefore ſhe converſed with the Wiſemen of the Eaſt, and had skill in their Eaſtern Tongue, and when ſhe fled away into the Land of Egypt with our Saviour ſhe wanted not the knowledge of that Language. Cajetan denies that ever ſhe had this gift of Tongues. For to what end? It was not her part to preach unto the Gentiles. And for the coming of the Wiſe men of the Eaſt, my anſwer hath more likelihood than Suarez objection, that they brought Interpreters with them: For they asked at Jeruſalem, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? And all the people underſtood them. Let this grace therefore be aſcribed only to the Apoſtles, and to ſuch as in thoſe days joyned with them in the ſame labour. 2. When they had theſe Tongues, foreign, they began to ſpeak. But firſt, they were endued with Spirit, and then with a Tongue to ſpeak. God doth firſt cleanſe the mind within, and then he puts his Word into the mouth of his Paſtors. Unleſs the heart have a ſincere feeling of that which it ſpeaks, there will be a jarring in the Tongue as in a Bell that is crackt, or an Inſtrument that is broken. Without the help of the air the Organ of the natural voice cannot ſpeak, and without the Spirit there is no ſpeaking in the name of God, Why doſt thou take my Laws into thy mouth, ſince thou hateſt to be reformed? The Exorciſts of the Jews that had no faith, the Devil flew upon them when they began to ſpeak of holy things, Jeſus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? 3. Mark what an alteration the impreſſion of the Holy Ghoſt makes in our very ſpeech. Now they begin to ſpeak with boldneſs, with Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, with all Comers, Jews and Gentiles. Nay, ye ſhall be brought before Kings, ſays our Saviour, yet fear not to profeſs my name, Dabo vobis os & loquelam. Here was a great mutation ſince that time, that Peter could not hold parly with a ſilly Damoſel but he faltred. We have tongues now adays, but certainly we are empty, and have none of this Spirit, or elſe we would be bolder in delivering the Meſſage of the Lord.
Thirdly, They began to ſpeak with other Tongues. Moſes habuit linguae balbutiem, as one ſays; Moſes that brought the Law had ſcarce the uſe of one Tongue, he confeſſed he was of a ſlow ſpeech, and of a ſlow tongue, Exod. iv. 10. But the Goſpel was not terrible like the Law, which would make the tongue of him that brought it to falter and tremble, but it is ſweet upon the tongue, and full of grace were their lips that brought it. 5. Wherefore this variety of Tongues, but that all may praiſe the Lord as well publickly as privately in a known Language? What a tyranny it is in the Roman Church; that the Common People in the time of Maſs are edified by nothing but the mopping, and nods, and geſtures of the Prieſt. Lyra confeſſeth, that if their vulgar Auditors underſtood to what they ſaid Amen, they would ſerve God better, be converted ſooner, and anſwer much more devoutly to the words of the Liturgy. 6. When the Apoſtles ſpake it was not with the demonſtration of humane wiſdom, but with the power of the Spirit, as the Spirit gave them utterance: And yet it was not baldly and rudely performed, for my Text ſays, the Spirit gave them foreign, Sententioſa & mirifica loqui, ſays Beza; To ſpeak ſententious and admirable matter. foreign, ſays St. Chryſoſtome; they were Apophthegms, and ponderous ſayings which they brought forth, they ſpake Magnalia Dei, the wonderful works of God, ver. 11. Yet now adays that is ſaid to be ſpoken by the Spirit, and nothing but that, which is frothy and windy, and perhaps never a wiſe word ſpoken; and other men that have care of every word which they deliver in the ſight of God, and in his name, that is ſtudied affectation, or ſome ſuch bitter cenſure. Whereas St. Paul requires in Titus foreign, ſound and learned doctrine, Tit. i. 9. And St. Peter, If any man ſpeak, let him ſpeak the Oracles of God, foreign, rational diſcourſes, 1 Pet. iv. 11. So our Saviour promiſed his Diſciples, I will give you a mouth and wiſdom, not a mouth only, but wiſdom with it, ſo that all your Adverſaries ſhall not be able to gainſay it, Luk. xxi. 15. Finally, the Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaking in the perſon of an Evangelical Prieſt, The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I ſhould ſpeak a word in ſeaſon, Iſa. l. 4. And ſo to end all, let us ſend up our tongues of praiſe and thankſgiving to heaven, to the gracious God that did ſend down the bleſſing of theſe Tongues to his Church upon earth. And the ſame Lord Jeſus exalt us to his Church Triumphant, where with one ſong, and with one voice we ſhall ſing glory to him for evermore. AMEN.