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J. P. 4742. all with one accord in one place'.

V. Æ. 29. Jerusalem.

And suddenly there came 2

a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled
all the house where they were sitting, And there appeared 3

7 ON THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.

The sins of man and their evil designs occasioned the confusion of tongues; the redemption of man brought with it the revocation of that judgment, in the wonderful gifts of the Holy Ghost, which are recorded in this section. In the former instance men were leagued together for the purpose of propagating a false religion, but were miraculously frustrated in their plans by the interposition of Almighty God, who rendered them suddenly unintelligible to each other; in the latter case, when the true religion was to be delivered to the world, and its appointed ministers were assembled in obedience to a divine command, at Jerusalem, the sentence of condemnation was revoked: the Holy Spirit descended in testimony of the divine truth; and, by a miraculous diffusion of tongues, empowered the meek and lowly of the earth to communicate the glad tidings of salvation "to every nation under heaven.” The same miracle that first separated mankind, was now made the means of their re-union. All were invited to acknowledge the same God, and again to become members of the one true religion. A sensible demonstration was given of the presence of the Holy Spirit. It took place before a mixed multitude, assembled from every part of the civilized globe, who by this providential arrangement became witnesses of the fact, and spectators of the divine commission given to the Apostles. Fire had always been considered by the Jews as an emblem of the visible presence of the Deity; the people of Israel now saw it descend in the form of cloven tongues upon the despised followers of the crucified Jesus. They saw it descend upon them on the anniversary of the same day, when the law which was to bring them to Christ was first delivered to them: nor could any outward form be more appropriate or figurative to represent the gift and powers it was intended to convey. It likewise intimated to the Jews that God had now appointed the day of Pentecost to be commemorated for the introduction of a new law, and a new dispensation, which was solemnly ratified by the effusion of the Spirit of God. The glorious covenant of redeeming grace was fully and finally disclosed, the Holy Ghost testifying the exaltation and divinity of Christ, by the accomplishment of the promise which our Lord had given. "This is He that shall testify of me." In his Godhead, Christ could only be known by the evidence of the Holy Spirit-in his manhood, the knowledge of Him was imparted by the testimony of the Apostles. "When we consider (to use the language of an eminent modern divine,) the magnitude of the commission intrusted to the Apostles to teach all nations, and their acknowledged incompetency to carry it into effect, we can thus only be struck with the immense disparity between the end to be attained, and the means by which it was to be accomplished."

The previous conduct of the Apostles, during the last trying scenes of our Saviour's life, shows that they were by nature eminently unfit to fulfil the important duties to which they were now called; the selection therefore of these ignorant and timid men was the best evidence that all human aid was laid aside, and that the Gospel was to be established, not by the "wisdom of men, but of God." Natural means were rejected, that spiritual things might be made manifest by the Spirit. He, the most energetic of our Saviour's apostles, who on the first appearance of danger shrank from the scrutinizing glance of a maid-servant, and three times, even with oaths and curses, denied the Holy One of Israel, now, armed with the Spirit of truth and of power, speaks before the astonished multitude as the ambassador of God, and was the instrument of adding in one day to the newlyformed Church three thousand souls. "Is this," says Dr. Heylin, "the illiterate fisherman? Is this the carnal disciple, who presumed to rebuke his Lord, when he first mentioned the cross to him? Is this the fugitive, apostate, abjuring Peter?"

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Nor were the other disciples in any way more distinguished for their courage and firmness. By one, Christ was betrayed, and by all he was deserted and abandoned; yet such were the men ordained of God to "go into all the world, and to preach the Gospel to every creature.' But God's strength was to be made perfect in weakness, and the ordinary and extraordinary influences of the Holy Ghost descended to supply all the natural deficiencies of the chosen followers of Christ. As men, they were commissioned to bear their human testimony to the truths of those facts, of which they themselves had been the eye-witnesses; but of spiritual things, the Holy Ghost was to testify, co-operating with them in their labours, and supplying them with those graces which were then only necessary in, and therefore limited to the apostolic age.

Under the different titles ascribed to the Holy Ghost, they were qualified and prepared to undertake the great work to which they were devoted. "The Comforter" administered to their fearful and pusillanimous nature supernatural strength, fortitude, perseverance, and consolation-“ As the Spirit of truth," he illuminated their dark and uncultivated minds, and gave repaired energy to their slow comprehensions, "teaching them all things, and bringing all things to their remembrance." As "the witness" he was continually with them, renewing their corrupt hearts and affections, and

9 See page 13.

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V. Æ 29.

unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each J. P. 4742. 4 of them: and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them Jerusalem.

disposing them to holiness and purity of life. He endowed them with spiritual gifts, with the word of wisdom, of knowledge, and of faith, and "worked with them, to confirm their word with signs following," (Mark xvi. 20.) These signs may be considered as the more visible and extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, and were, if we may be allowed to say so, necessary to distinguish the divine wisdom and knowledge of the Apostles from human acquirements, and from human superiority. In Judæa only, their low origin and neglected education would either be known or believed; in other countries some further testimony was requisite to confirm their important declarations, than that which had wrought such a miraculous change on them at the day of Pentecost. For this purpose, therefore, the "gifts of healing and working of miracles" were added to the word of wisdom and knowledge. They possessed the power of restoring the dead to life, and by a word consigned the living to the grave (Acts v. 9, 10, &c.) their very shadows had virtue in them, and the sick were restored by handkerchiefs that had only touched their persons. Thus was the Gospel established as far as related to the human nature and actions of Christ, by the testimony of man : but to his Godhead by the "testimony of God," (1 Cor. ii. 1.) and by "the demonstration of the Spirit and power." The former was demonstrated by holiness of life, by unrepining martyrdom and patient suffering; the other by miracle and inspiration.

These were the great credentials of our faith, and the hallowed evidences on which our holy religion rests. When, however, the Church through these means was established, and the canon of Scripture, through divine knowledge and prophecy, was completed, the necessity for inspiration and miracle gradually ceased. "But," observes Mr. Nolan, "from these lively oracles, the Spirit still speaks the same language which it dictated to the prophets, or the evangelists, while the sacred text still perpetuates the remembrances of those miracles which were openly wrought by the apostle and saint, to evince the divinity of our religion. To those who still require inspiration and miracles as evidences of its truth, the word of revelation lies open; and the religion which it details affords the most convincing proofs of supernatural intervention; prophecy, of itself, sufficiently proclaims the source from whence it sprang; and Christianity exhibits in its establishment a standing miracle." In the present day the gift of tongues would be disregarded, and considered as useless when languages may be so easily acquired.

Those infidels who now scorn the evidence of prophecy which has declared the glorious triumph of Christianity over all the persecuting opposition of its powerful opponents, and who see it progressively extending over the unconverted world, would in all probability doubt even if a miracle were wrought in its favour. What indeed can be a greater evidence of the truth of Revelation than the living miracle of the perpetual preservation of the Jews, as a distinct body, separated from their fellow men, holding in their hands the Hebrew Scriptures, and bearing testimony of their divine origin, and of their own perverse blindness and condemnation! Of such men I would say, "though one rose from the dead, yet will they not be persuaded."

The extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, being vouchsafed for one especial purpose only-the benefit of the Christian Church, as soon as that Church was established, and the canon of Scripture completed, were gradually withdrawn: though the ordinary operations, without which no child of Adam can "be renewed unto holiness," are to be continued for ever, "even unto the end of the world." This was the consoling and gracious promise our Lord gave to his disciples, before he was visibly parted from them. He informs them of his departure; and at the same time declares, “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you:" and again in another Evangelist, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." This most merciful promise was at first given to the Apostles, and through their ministry to the universal Church; Christ himself having appointed outward means of grace, by which he has engaged to maintain a constant communion with his Church, through the operations of the Holy Ghost.

The spirit of Christ through the Holy Ghost still acts in the administration of holy orders, in the study of the revealed word, in public and private worship, and in the sacraments, (1 Cor. vi. 11. John vi. 55. 63. 2 Thess. ii. 13. Ephes. v. 25, 26, &c. &c. &c.) These are the means of grace by which the ordinary operations of the Holy Ghost are imparted; and these are the sources from which alone we have reason to expect those continued and spiritual gifts which are essentially necessary to the renovation of fallen man, and his reconciliation with God. Every amiable feeling and affection, every virtue, and every grace, are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. He alone, by a secret and internal operation, changes and transforms the "spirit of our mind," and enlarges and improves every faculty of our soul, healing all its sicknesses. He checks the solicitations of sense, counteracts our natural propensities, arms us against the flatteries and allurements of the world, and against those spiritual enemies which are ever on the watch to assail our weakness, and to tempt our

J. P. 4742.
V. Æ. 29.

Jerusalem. • Gr. when

this voice was made.

utterance.

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, de- 5 vout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this 6 was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were + confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his

+ Or, troubled own language.

in mind.

And they were all amazed and marvelled, 7

virtue. "He," to use the words of the eloquent Barrow, "sweetly warmeth our cold affections, inflaming our hearts with devotion towards God; he qualifieth us, and encourageth us to approach the throne of grace, breeding in us faith and humble confidence, promoting in us fit matter of request, becoming our Advocate and Intercessor for the good success of our prayers." He is our only Comforter and Intercessor on earth-through Him alone we can attain to "that most excellent gift of charity, which never faileth, which believeth all things, and hopeth all things," surviving the wreck of time, the perfection of man here, and his happiness hereafter (a).

A variety of opinions have been advanced respecting this miracle of Pentecost. The most rational and the most general is, that the gift of tongues lasted during the ministry of the Apostles; and that as soon as the purpose for which it was given was accomplished, it was gradually withdrawn.

Others contend that it was but temporary, and intended to answer only an immediate purpose; that the miracle was not wrought upon the Apostles themselves, but upon the people only, who were suddenly enabled to understand in their own various dialects, the words which were spoken by the Apostles in the Galilean language.

Others attempt to do away the miracle altogether. Eichhorn suggests, that to speak with tongues, means only, that some of the Apostles uttered indistinct and inarticulate sounds; and those who uttered foreign, or new, or other words, were Jews who had come to Jerusalem, from the remote provinces of the empire, and being excited by the general fervour of the people, united with them in praising God in their own languages. Herder is of opinion that the word yλora is used to express only obsolete, foreign, or unusual words. Paulus conjectures, that those who spoke with different tongues were foreign Jews, the hearers Galileans. Meyer, that they either spoke in terms or languages not before used: in an enthusiastic manner, or united Hebrew modes of expression with Greek or Latin words. Heinrichsius, or Heinrich, that the Apostles suddenly spoke the pure Hebrew language, in a sublime and elevated style. Klenius, that the Apostles, excited by an extraordinary enthusiasm, expressed their feelings with more than usual warmth and eloquence. Such are the ways in which the modern German theologians endeavour to remove the primitive and ancient belief in the literal interpretation of Scripture. "Thinking themselves wise, they become fools." Learning so perverted by the inventions of paradoxes, which can tend only to darken the light of Scripture under the pretence of illustrating its sacred contents, becomes more injurious to the consecrated cause of truth than the most despicable ignorance, or the most wilful blindness. The errors of ignorance, the fancies of a disordered imagination, the misinterpretations of well intending theories, are comparatively harmless, when contrasted with the baleful light which renders the Scripture useless, by producing doubt in the attempt to overthrow facts.

Byrom of Manchester, also, and others, have endeavoured to lessen the force of this miracle, by representing that the influence of the Spirit was not so imparted to the Apostles as to enable them to speak in various languages, but that when the Apostles addressed the multitude in their native Galilean dialect, the Parthians, Medians, &c. who were present, understood them each severally in their own language. It is well remarked by Philo, that if this had been the case, the words of St. Luke would have been λαλοῦσιν αὐτοὶ, ἀκουόντων ἡμῶν, ταῖς ἡμετέραις γλώσσαις, whereas his expression is λαλούντων αὐτῶν ταῖς ἡμετέραις γλώσσαις, unde etiam patet, miraculum hoc non fuisse in audientibus, sed in apostolis loquentibus. He then goes on to prove that they spoke successively the various languages of the hearers and spectators of the miracle-they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance, καθὼς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐδίδου αὐτοῖς (ἀποστόλοις) ἀποφθέγγεσθαι, non ἐδίδου αὐτοῖς (ἀκροαταῖς) εἰσακοῦσαι. Β. Schmidius-Syrus, loquebantur lingua, et lingua, i. e. pluribus linguis (b).

8 The words here used by St. Luke, καὶ ἐν τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς πεντεκοστῆς· are thus happily translated by B. Dn. Erasmus Schmidt (in not. ad loc.) et cum completum esset tempus usque ad diem festum Pentecostes:-" And when the time was fulfilled, even up to the day of Pentecost." The Jews reckoned the day of Pentecost to begin fifty days after the first of unleavened bread, which was observed the day after the Paschal Lamb was offered. The law relative to this feast is found in Levit. xxiii. 15, 16. Perhaps the Evangelist is thus particular in pointing out the time, on account of the striking analogy that exists between the old and new dispensations (a) See Nolan's Sermons on the Operations of the Holy Ghost; also Faber on the ordinary Operations of the Holy Spirit being evidences to the authenticity of their own prophecies. (b) Salmasius was of opinion that the miraculous gifts lasted but for one day.--See the dissertations on this event in the Critici Sacri-Kuinoel Comm. in lib. Hist. N. T. vol. iv.-Nolan on the Holy Ghost, and Faber on the ordinary Operations, &c. &c. &c.

IX.]

DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

13

V. Æ. 29.

saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak J.P. 4742. 8 Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, 9 wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, Jerusalem. and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judæa, and Cappa10 docia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers 11 of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to

in this and other great events. In the former, the Paschal Lamb of the Passover was broken and fed upon, in remembrance of the great deliverance of the children of God from the hands of their temporal enemies, by whom they were detained in bondage and subjection. In the latter, at the celebration of this figurative feast, Christ our Passover was slain to deliver all that would believe on Him from the great enemies of their salvation, Satan, sin, and death, and to rescue their spirits from the unhappy thraldom of these cruel task-masters. He died for us that we might be spiritually fed by his body and blood. In the former dispensation, at the day of Pentecost, God gave his law on Mount Sinai, with thunder and lightning, fire, storm and tempest, with all the awful demonstrations of an offended Deity. In the fulness of time, at the feast of Pentecost, God again manifested himself, and revealed a more perfect law-on both occasions circumstances characteristic of the peculiar nature of the law were observed-the same divine power was demonstrated, but in the Latter instance divested of its terrors. On both occasions the presence of God was manifested by the sound of rushing winds supernaturally excited, by fire descending from heaven, and as some suppose by the sudden thunder which accompanied the Bath Col. The account of St. Luke is so very brief, that we cannot be certain whether the latter proof of the presence of God was given; but it is the most probable opinion, and is very strenuously defended by Harenburgh, in the 13th volume of the Critici Sacri (a). At the passover, Christ proved his human nature by submitting to the most ignominious death to which that nature could be exposed: at the day of Pentecost he gave evidence of his divine nature and exaltation, by miracle, and by power, and by fulfilling to the utmost the promise he made to his disciples while with them upon earth (John xiv. 16. 18). “He humbled himself, that he might be exalted."

In the Jewish tabernacle God testified his acceptance of the first sacrifice that was offered on the holy altar by the descent of fire from heaven. When Christ made a sacrifice of his body on the altar of the cross, thereby abolishing all burnt offerings of bulls and of goats, the apostles, as priests and ministers of his new covenant, as the living sacrifices acceptable to God, received a similar token of divine approbation, by fire from heaven resting upon them in the form of fiery tongues. Thus are all the mysteries of Omnipotence shadowed out as "through a glass darkly," and thus, may we not suppose, that the last revelation given to man by St. John typifies, in like manner, those eternal realities of the new Jerusalem, of which we can form no higher idea than the Jews of old entertained of the glorious privileges and blessings, of which we are now the happy partakers in the Christian dispensation?

• Various opinions have prevailed respecting the place where this miracle occurred. The temple, the house of Mary the mother of John, of Simon the leper, of Joseph of Arimathea, of Nicodemus, have each been alternately fixed upon. This point must ever remain in a great degree a matter of doubt: I am however induced, by the arguments of the celebrated Joseph Mede, to think that this miracle took place in an upper room of some private house, set apart for religious services, rather than in the temple which was so soon to be destroyed, and its figurative service superseded by a spiritual worship, and purer discipline.

It is not probable that the despised followers of the crucified Jesus should be allowed, as an associated body, to assemble together in the temple, for the purpose of joining in a new act of devotion, by those priests who had so short a time before been the persecuting instruments of their blessed Master's condemnation and crucifixion (b).

(a) The opinion is principally founded on the words in Acts ii. 6. Tevoμévns dè tñs pwvñs Taúτns, which both Harenburgh and Schoetgen would render in this manner-pons, verte tonitru. Sic sæpe vox p, in Hebræo, et vox græca, Apoc. i. 15. x. 3. Schoetgen refers also to Heinsius, in Aristarcho Sacro, c. 14, and 25. Doddridge defends the common translation by observing that it was not the sound of thunder or rushing wind which collected the people together, but the miraculous effusion of tongues. This, however, must still remain a matter of doubt, as we are only informed in the sacred narrative, that when the multitude came together, they were confounded to hear every man speak in his own language. (b) See Schoetgen; and Mede's Dissertation on the Churches of the Apostolic Age.

J. P. 4742. another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These 13 men are full of new wine 1o.

V. Æ. 29.

Jerusalem.

§ 4. Address of Peter to the Multitude.

ACTS ii. 14-37.

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, 14 and said unto them, Ye men of Judæa, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem", be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the 15 third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by 16 e Is. xliv. 3. the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, 17 saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh : and your

Joel ii. 28.

e

So

10 Markland supposes that instead of "these men are full of new wine," the passage should be read, "these men are, without doubt, under the strong inspiration of the Goddess TXUK." He would read γλευκους as derived from γλεύκος, “ must.” For the sake of ridicule, the person or goddess TXEKO (Gen. óoç, ovç,) formed as Oáλλw, Avžù (Poll. viii. 9. Segm. 10.) is used. likewise 'AutoTw, and Eveσ7w, Deæ Politicæ. Those who opposed the Apostles intended by this expression to sneer at the mean appearance and obvious poverty of the fishermen of Galilee, as no one opened their vessels of last year's yλtukoç, so early as June, unless impelled by necessity (a). This, however, seems to be a strange remark: the witnesses of the miracle at Pentecost were Jews; and, though some of them who were Hellenists had resided in Greece or Rome, it does not appear probable that they would make an allusion to the mythology of the heathens in preference to their own traditions: in which they read that there was a demon called opp, which possessed those who were drunk with new wine, which gave the drinker not only wit and gaiety, but the power of speaking other languages (b); and to this agent we may justly suppose the Jews would have ascribed the eloquence and fluency of the Apostles, if they had attempted to account for the effects of the Holy Spirit by any supernatural influence. But as we find that this was not the case, and as the conjecture that a reference was made to the Heathen Mythology can only be derived from the word yλevkog, the present translation of the passage may be considered as giving its genuine signification (c).

11 St. Peter here particularly addressed himself to these repot (ver. 13.) who represented the Apostles as drunkards to the Jews of Judæa and Jerusalem, because those who were assembled from distant parts might not have been so well acquainted with the prophecy of Joel, (ii. 28.) which he now declares to have been fully accomplished on this occasion. And he urges upon those who hear him this predicted promise of the Holy Spirit, as a glorious evidence of the exaltation and resurrection of the crucified Jesus, who was "both Lord and Christ." Let those who doubt the inspiration of Peter, compare what he now is with what he formerly was, the weak and timid disciple, who deserted and denied his best Friend and gracious Master!

The prophecy of Joel was not applied to the great effusion of the Holy Spirit by St. Peter only; the traditions of the Jews record its reference to the same event, in the days of the Messiah. Schoetgen quotes on this subject the following paragraphs from Tanchuma, fol. 65. 3. and Bammidbar rabba, sect. 15. When Moses placed his hand upon Joshua, the holy and blessed God said ➡bıya, that is, in the days of the Old Testament-one prophet prophesies at one time, but xan bb, in the days of the Messiah, all the house of Israel shall prophesy, as is said in Joel ii. 28. Likewise from Midrasch Schochartof in Jalkut Simeoni, part i. fol. 221. 2. and fol. 265. 4. on Num. xi. 29.

The people assembled therefore at the festival of Pentecost, who were acquainted with this prediction and its traditional interpretation, were now the spectators of its actual fulfilment, and were appealed to by tradition, by prophecy, and miracle, to acknowledge the divinity of Christ, and the real nature of his mission. The words "last days," in ver. 17, are shown by Schoetgen to refer to the days of Messiah, by two references to the Book Zohar, “x♫♫w ora oʻom nanxa Diebus postremis, die sexto, qui est millenarius Septimus, x 2, quando Messias veniet; nam dies Dei S. B. sunt mille anni (d). Genes. xlix. 1. where Jacob said, "I will tell you what shall take place in the latter days'

Messiæ (e).

finem קץ משיהא vocavit ipsos, quia voluit ipsis revelare לאחרית הימום

(a) Bowyer in loc. (b) Lightfoot, Pitman's edition, vol. viii. p. 377. (c) Hesychius ap. Schoetgen, reūkos, To aяOOTY TAs σraduλns, aрiv kann, illud, quod ab uva distillat, antequam calcetur. See Schoetgen, Hora Hebraicæ, vol. i. p. 412. and the Dissertation on the word reuxos, in the Critici Sacri. (d) Sohar Genes. fol.13. col. 52. (e) Ibidem, fol. 126. col. 499. ap. Schoetgen, vol. i. p. 413.

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