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there came a Sound from Heaven, Nefcit tarda molimina Spiritus Sancti gratia, fays an Ancient; or in the Words Prov. of the wife King, Hope deferred maketh the Heart fick; 13. 12. but when the defire cometh, it is a Tree of Life.

But to what End was all this pompous Appearance, is not God a Spirit, and to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth? Why then fuch Sounds, and fuch Forms of Tongues, was not this for our fakes? No doubt, for our fakes, as well as for their fakes that were prefent: As when the Spirit of God defcended like a Dove, upon Chrift at his Baptifm, and at his Transfiguration in a bright Cloud, and now appeared to his Difciples in I Cor. cloven Tongues, like as of Fire; for Tongues are Signs 14. 22. not to them that believe, but to them that believe not. Therefore when the Multitude came together, Strangers and Profelytes, devout Men out of every Nation under Heaven, they were confounded and amazed to hear them, every Man in his own Tongue wherein they were born, fpeak the wonderful Works of God: So that thefe Appearances were no vain Shews vor Delufions, but myftical Reprefentations and Seals of thefe Truths which the Apostles taught; not with inticing Words of Man's Wisdom, but in Demonftration of the Spirit and of Power, converting now Three thousand of their Hearers, and anon Five thousand Not by humane Might, nor by Power, but by my Spirit, faith the Lord of Hofts.

Zech.

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And fuddenly there came a Sound from Heaven, &c. a Sound that pierced the Ear and Inner man : For the Heb.4. Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing afurder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joints and Marrow, and is a Difcerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart.

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This heavenly Sound of Grace and glad Tidings is to be heard in the Hearts of God's People until the End

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of the World; as it is written, Their Sound is gone out through all the Earth, and their Words to the End of the Pfal. World.

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Blessed is the People that know the joyful Sound, they shall walk, O Lord, in the Light of thy Counte Joh.10. nance; Locutio verbi, infufio doni, refponfio anime, cum 27. gratiarum actione admiratio: The Lord fpeaks to his own when he convinces, enlightens and comforts them; as fays the Pfalmift, I will hear what God the Lord will speak in me :: for he will peak Peace unto his People, and to 8, 9. bis Saints: but let them not turn again to Folly.

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Surely his Salvation is nigh them that fear him, that Glory may dwell in our Land..

As of a mighty rufbing Wind. Implying thereby the mighty Power of the Holy Spirit in the preaching of the Gospel, to the pulling down of the ftrong Holds of Sin and Satan in the World: As the Wind is very useful to cool the Air of intemperate Heats, and to clear it of Mifts and Clouds: So is the Breathing and Prefence of the Holy Spirit very neceffary, and proper to cool the inordinate Heats of corrupt Nature, and to blow off that Darkness which Sin hath brought upon our Minds, as the Wind blows away the Chaff from the good Corn: Dulcis ille hofpes animi, dulce defiderium: in labore requies, in aftu temperies, in fletu folatium.

Awake, O North Wind, and come thou South, blow upon my Garden, that the Spices thereof may flow out: Let my beloved come into his Garden, and eat his plea fant Fruit.

And there appeared unto them cloven Tongues. Not rent afunder, or divided with Factions and Confufions, as thefe were at the building of Babel; but opened and fitted by thefe Apertures for Utterance and Expreffior, for building up the New Jerufalem, that they fhould know how to fpeak a Word in Seafon to him that is

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weary: Spiritus Sancti doctrina, non curiofitatem acuit, fed charitatem accendit.

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Again, there was this Appearance of Tongues, to fhow us, that of all the Members of the Body, the Tongue needs moft to be purified with this Holy Fire from Heaven, otherwise it fetteth on Fire the Course of Nature, and is fet on Hell Fire it self.

Wo is me, for I am a Man of unclean Lips, and I Ifa. 6. dwell in the midft of a People of unclean Lips; until the Holy Spirit, and a Seraphim of thine, O Lord, touch my Lips with a live Coal from thine Altar, and take away mine Iniquity, and purge my Sin.

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Therefore these were like as of Fire, and it fat upon each of them, not to burn or confume the Body, but to inflame their Love and Charity: So the Lord appeared of old in the burning Bufh, and upon Mount Sinai, yet neither the one nor the other was confumed.

The Difciples were then Strangers to this Holy Fire Luke of Divine Love, when they called for deftroying Fire 9. 55. from Heaven to burn up thefe unmannerly Cities that James denied Ingrefs and Entertainment to their Master, that 3. 15. Fire, (like flashing of Lightning that is accompanied

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with Storms and Thunder Bolts) defcended not from the Father of Love and Light, but was earthly, fenfual, devilifh. But this Zeal and Wifdom wherewith they were now inspired from above, was calm as Sun-fhine, pure and peaceable, gentle and eafie to be intreated, full of Mercy and good Works, without rafh Cenfuring. Thefe are the Fruits of the Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-fuffering, Gentleness, Goodnefs, Faith, Meeknefs, Temperance; which fpeak Chriftians to be like therr Mafter, who was Meek and Lowly, full of Love and Charity.

Indeed the Holy Spirit is a confuming Fire to the Workers of Iniquity, to wicked and incorrigible Sinners,

but

but he is like a Refiner's Fire, and like Fuller's Soap to the Godly, to these he fhall be as a Refiner, and as a Purifier of Silver, he fhall purifie the Sons of Levi, and purge them as Gold in this Purgatory with this holy Fire, which inflames Men and Angels with Love to God, and one another. This is the Fire of which our bleffed Lord fpeaks, faying, I am come to fend Fire on Luke the Earth, and what will I if it be already kindled.

O eternal Flame of Love and Light, that never damps nor dies, but alwife burns and fhines in Heaven and heavenly Hearts, inflame our cold Affections with Light and Love, and confume all these inordinate Heats which the World and that wicked one kindles in our Hearts; burn these as the Fire burneth Wood, and as the Flame fetteth the Mountains on Fire.

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After this manner the Holy Ghoft manifefted himself unto the Apostles upon the Day of Pentecoft, in the rufhing of a mighty Wind, and in the Appearance of cloven Tongues, as of Fire: Here were Diversities of Gifts by the fame Spirit, and to the fame End, which was for the perfecting of the Saints, for the Work of the Ministry, and for edifying the myftical Body of Chrift: To every one was divided his feveral Gift, not for himself only, to be hid in the Earth, or laid up in a Napkin, as the flothful Servant did his Master's Talent, but for the Publick to profit with all: As in the natural Body the good of the Eye is for the good of the Foot; and again, the good of this is for the good of the other, that there be no Schifm in the Body, but that the Members should have the fame Care one for I Cor. another.

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And they were all filled with the Holy Ghoft. As that mighty rufhing Wind filled all the Houfe where they were fitting, to fhow the Plenty of thefe Gifts, that the Earth fhould be filled with the Knowledge of the Ifa. II LORD, as the Waters cover the Sea.

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They had received the Firft-fruits of the Spirit formerly, when he breathed on them, faying, Receive ye John the Holy Ghoft: But now the Measure of this Mani20. 22. feftation was good Measure indeed, preffed down and fhaken together, and running over, like the precious Ointment upon Aaron's Head, that ran down to the Skirts of his Garments: Such was this Fulnefs, a Fulness of edifying Gifts, a Fulnefs of fanctifying Graces, a Fulness of Paftoral Power, and a Fulnefs of Confolati

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First, Here was a Fulnefs of Gifts to furnish them with all Knowledge, who were to teach all Nations; now the Labourers were few, and the Harveft great. Therefore it was expedient they fhould be filled with the Knowledge of Divine Love, in all Wifdom and fpiritual Underftanding.

Next, Here was a Fulness of Graces to ftrengthen them against Temptations, and to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleafing.

The former Kind of Gifts the Schools call Gratiasgratis datas, Gifts which are for the Edification of the Church, as the Gifts of Prophefying, of Tongues, of working Miracles, and the like: But thefe fecond Kind of Gifts they call Gratias gratum facientes, Gifts acceptable unto God, and neceffary to our own Salvation, as Repentance, Faith and Obedience.

Again, Here was a Fulnefs of Paftoral Power and Jurifdiction to forgive Sins, and to separate betwixt the Precious and the Vile: And bleffed be our Lord, who hath given fuch Power to his Church, as he faid to Peter, in Name of the reft, while he was yet with them, Matth. I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: And whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth, fhall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loofe on Earth, fball be loofed in Heaven. And again to them all after his

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