Acts 2:1-4

DISCOURSE: 1736
OUT-POURING OF THE SPIRIT

Acts 2:1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

IT was not long after the Flood that man retained the knowledge of the true God. No sooner did the posterity of Noah begin to multiply upon earth, than they conceived an idea of counteracting the intentions of their Maker in relation to their dispersion over the world, and actually began to build a city sufficiently large for their accommodation, and a tower which might place them out of the reach of any future deluge. When they had made considerable progress in the work, God was pleased to inflict upon them a judgment, which instantly put a stop to the building, and compelled them to separate themselves to different and distant places. They had hitherto been “all of one language and one speech:” but now “God confounded their language, so that they could not understand one another.” This introduced such confusion, that they could not prosecute their purpose, but were necessitated to form themselves into distinct societies, each uniting with the party whose speech he understood. From hence the knowledge of the true God was speedily lost; till in a few generations it seemed to have vanished from among the children of men. This knowledge however was revived in Abraham, and continued in a part of his posterity, till the time came that God had fixed for the diffusion of it over the face of the whole earth. The time so fixed was after the ascension of our blessed Lord: then was his Gospel to be preached to all nations: and, in order that it might be so, God reversed, as it were, the judgment he had before inflicted; not indeed by restoring an unity of language among all nations, but by enabling his chosen servants to address all people in their native tongue. This miracle is to be the subject of our present discourse: and we shall,

I. Make some observations for the illustration of it—

The miracle itself was the enabling of the Apostles, without any previous study, to speak with propriety and fluency whatever language was most familiar to their respective hearers; and to communicate unerring information on the great subject of religion, which, till that hour, they very imperfectly understood. Now, if we reflect how difficult it is even for men of learning to attain a new language, and how much time and study are necessary to acquire any proficiency in speaking it, we shall see how stupendous a miracle this was, which enabled a number of illiterate fishermen to address foreigners of different nations, whose language they had never so much as heard. But there are some peculiar circumstances respecting this miracle, to which we would call your more particular attention:

1. The time when it was wrought—

[There were in the year three great feasts, at which all the males in Israel were required to go up to Jerusalem: namely, the Passover, or feast of unleavened bread; the Pentecost, or feast of weeks; and the feast of tabernacles. The first was appointed in commemoration of their deliverance from Egypt; and the second (the period referred to in our text) was held in remembrance of the giving the law from Mount Sinai, fifty days after their departure from Egypt [Note: Exodus 19:1; Exodus 19:11.]. Now God was pleased to make that very day on which he had proclaimed his law, the day for publishing his Gospel also: that so their connexion might the more plainly appear, and the one might be the more fully acknowledged as introductory to the other.

It is further to be remarked, that on the day of Pentecost, “the first-fruits” of the wheat harvest were offered unto God, as the first-fruits of the barley harvest had been seven weeks before [Note: Leviticus 23:15.]. This also, no doubt, was designed of God to typify the first-fruits of the Jewish Church, which were now presented unto him. It is certain that converts, whether from among Jews or Gentiles, were so designated [Note: James 1:18; Revelation 14:4.], and especially the first in any place [Note: Romans 16:5.]: and consequently, the typical offering was, as it were, completed on this day, in the conversion of three thousand persons unto Christ.

Moreover, it is probable that the anointing of the first-fruits also had respect to the out-pouring of the Spirit upon the converts on this day [Note: Leviticus 2:1.]: for that very idea is distinctly suggested by St. Paul in reference to the Gentile converts, who were brought by him as “an offering in a clean vessel unto the Lord [Note: Isaiah 66:20.],” and were accepted of the Lord, “being sanctified by the Holy Ghost [Note: Romans 15:16.].”}

2. The manner in which it was wrought—

[As in the time of working the miracle we see types fulfilled, so in the manner of its being wrought we behold emblems illustrated and realized. The attention of the whole multitude was fixed by an appeal both to their eyes and ears. “They heard a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind.” Our Lord compares the influences of the Spirit to wind; “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit [Note: John 3:8.].” Who then must not recognize in this tempest the inexplicable, but effectual, operations of the Spirit on the minds of men?

At the same time “cloven tongues, like as of fire, appeared,” and abode visibly on the head of all who were then assembled. Now we know, it is the property of fire to enlighten, to warm, to purify: and such were to be the effects of the Spirit which was poured out upon them; for whilst, by the diversity of tongues in which they spake, they communicated light and understanding to the world; they inflamed them with love to the Lord Jesus Christ, and transformed them into the very image of their God: and thus was the prophecy of John the Baptist accomplished; “I baptize you with water; but He that cometh after me shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire [Note: Matthew 3:11.].”]

Such was the miracle, which, however interesting in itself, derives a still greater interest from the circumstances before referred to. We now proceed to,

II.

Suggest some reflections for the improvement of it—

The decided proof which it gave of Christ’s Messiahship, and of the power and glory to which he is exalted, must naturally suggest itself to every mind. We therefore wave the consideration of the miracle in that view, (more especially as we propose to notice it in the following discourse;) and confine our attention to other reflections less obvious, but equally important:

1. What rich provision has God made for the salvation of the world!

[Was the gift of his only dear Son necessary to redeem us from death and hell? He so loved the world as to give his Son for us. Was more necessary? Was it necessary that the third Person of the blessed Trinity should bear testimony to Christ, and qualify persons to make him known to the world, and actually render their labours effectual for that end? Behold, God sent his Holy Spirit to work this stupendous miracle in confirmation of Christ’s Messiahship, and to endue his servants with such powers as were necessary for the preaching of his Gospel to every creature, and to convert to the faith of Christ thousands who but lately had crucified him as a malefactor. What then will he not do for those who desire to be saved? What will he refuse us, who has, unsought and unsolicited, done such great things for us? Let us bear in mind that we are as much interested in these things as those who lived in the apostolic age; for “the promise is to us, and to our children, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call” — — —]

2. What a striking resemblance appears between the events of that day, and the period wherein we live!

[We confess that miracles have ceased, and that the operations of the Spirit are no longer audible in sounds, or visible in tongues of fire: but have they therefore ceased? No: we affirm that they yet exist; and that too in no common measure or degree. Persons, it is true, are not enabled to address themselves successively, without any previous study, to foreigners of every country in their own vernacular tongue; but persons are stirred up to study different languages, and to translate the Scriptures into those languages, so that persons of every country may adopt the same acknowledgment as was used on the day of Pentecost; “We do, every man in his own tongue, hear spoken to us the wonderful works of God [Note: ver. 6, 8, 11.].” Nor is this effect produced in any slight or partial degree; for persons of every rank, and almost of every nation, are contributing to this blessed end. In our own nation, such an attention has been excited to this work as has never been known since the apostolic age. Nobles, as well as others, have united in disseminating the Holy Scriptures, and in spreading the knowledge of them to the ends of the earth. Is not this work of God? Yes; and, by whomsoever it be opposed, it shall stand; nor shall all the powers of hell prevail against it [Note: In the year 1812.]

3. How certainly may we expect, ere long, a yet greater work!

[God has reserved in his own power the times and the seasons wherein he will work: but he has assured us, that in due time “the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea:” and we have reason to believe that that time is fast approaching. Behold with what astonishing rapidity the work has been carried forward of late! In this land, schools have been set on foot for the education of the poor; so that in a little time we may hope they will be established in almost every town and village in the kingdom. At the same time, Bibles have been so liberally dispersed, that no poor person who desires to possess that heavenly treasure, needs to continue destitute of it. A similar kind of spirit has been diffused through other countries, where even crowned heads [Note: The Emperor of Russia, and the Kings of Prussia, Sweden, &c.] are contributing to advance the glorious cause. Above all, the very same means as Providence used for the speedy establishment of Christianity throughout the Roman empire, are at this moment provided against the time that the Spirit shall be poured out to convert the world. At the Passover, the Jews throughout divers countries assembled at Jerusalem, and went home to report what they had seen and heard respecting the death and resurrection of Christ. At the day of Pentecost they did the same, in reference to the ascension of Christ, and the descent of the Holy Spirit, and the instantaneous conversion of thousands to the faith of Christ. Reporting these things in their respective cities, they prepared the way for the ministry of the Apostle, and excited the greatest attention to them. Thus at this day, Jews are spread over all the earth, and for their use the New Testament is translated into Hebrew, at the same time that translations are going forward into all the languages of the world; insomuch that we may hope, in the space of twenty or thirty years, there will be scarcely a nation that shall not possess the Scriptures, or at least a considerable portion of them, in their own language. Moreover, there is a society formed for the express purpose of converting the Jews, and of educating their children in the Christian faith. If then God be pleased to send forth his Spirit upon the Jews by means of the Scriptures which are translated into their language, there will be missionaries without number already found in every country under heaven, conversant with the habits and languages of the people among whom they dwell, and able to explain to them the Scriptures which have been previously translated into their respective tongues. What a glorious prospect does this open to us! O that God would even now pour forth his Spirit upon all flesh, that “his word might run and be glorified throughout the earth!”]