comes not where there is noise and clamour, but moves upon the face of the still waters, not the rugged ones. Would we have the Spirit poured out upon us from on high? Let us be all of one accord, and, notwithstanding variety of sentiments and interests, as, no doubt, there was among those disciples, let us agree to love one another; for where brethren dwell together in unity, there it is that the Lord commands his blessing.
II. How, and in what manner, the Holy Ghost came upon them. We often read in the Old Testament of God's coming down in a cloud; as when he took possession of the tabernacle first, and afterward of the temple, which intimates the darkness of that dispensation. And Christ went up to heaven in a cloud, to intimate how much we are kept in the dark concerning the upper world. But the Holy Ghost did not descend in a cloud; for he was to dispel and scatter the clouds that overspread men's minds, and to bring light into the world.
1. Here is an audible summons given them to awaken their expectations of something great, v. 1. It is here said, (1.) That it came suddenly, did not rise gradually, as common winds do, but was at the height immediately. It came sooner than they expected, and startled even them that were now together waiting, and, probably, employed in some religious exercises. (2.) It was a sound from heaven, like a thunder-clap, Rev. 6. 1. God is said to bring the winds out of his treasuries, (Ps. 35. 7.) and to gather them in his hands, Prov. 30. 4. From him this sound came, like the voice of one crying, Prepare ye the way of the Lord. (3.) It was the sound of a wind, for the way of the Spirit is like that of the wind; (John 3. 8.) thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it comes, or whither it goes. When the Spirit of life is to enter into the dry bones, the prophet is bid to prophesy unto the wind; Come from the four winds, O breath, Ezek. 37. 9. And though it was not in the wind that the Lord came to Elijah, yet that prepared him to receive his discovery of himself in the still small voice, 1 Kings 19. 11, 12. God's way is in the whirlwind and the storm; (Nah. 1. 3.) and out of the whirlwind he spake to Job. (4.) It was a rushing mighty wind; it was strong and violent, and came not only with a great noise, but with a great force, as if it would bear down all before it. This was to signify the powerful influences and operations of the Spirit of God upon the minds of men, and thereby upon the world, that they should be mighty through God to the casting down of imaginations. (5.) It filled not only the room, but all the house, where they were sitting. Probably, it alarmed the whole city, but, to shew that it was supernatural, presently fixed upon that particular house; as some think the wind that was sent to arrest Jonah, affected only the ship that he was in, (Jon. 1. 4.) and as the wise men's star stood over the house where the child was. This would direct the people who observed it, whither to go, to inquire the meaning of it. This wind filling the house, would strike an awe upon the disciples, and help to put them into a very serious, reverend, and composed frame, for the receiving of the Holv Ghost. Thus the convictions of the Spirit make way for his comforts; and the rough blasts of that blessed wind prepare the soul for its soft and gentle gales.
2. Here is a visible sign of the gift they were to receive. They saw cloven tongues, like as of fire; (v. 3.) and it sat—ἐκάθισε, not they sat, those cloven tongues, but he, that is, the Spirit, (signified there by,) rested upon each of them, as he is said to rest upon the prophets of old. Or, as Dr. Hammond describes it, "There was an appearance of something like flaming fire, lighting on every one of them, which divided asunder, and so formed the resemblance of tongues, with that part of them that was next their heads, divided or cloven." The flame of a candle is somewhat like a tongue: and there is a meteor which naturalists call ignis lambens—a gentle flame, not a devouring fire; such was this. Observe,
(1 ) There was an outward sensible sign, for the confirming of the faith of the disciples themselves, and for the convincing of others. Thus the prophets of old had frequently their first mission confirmed by signs, that all Israel might know them to be established prophets.
(2.) The sign given was fire, that John Baptist's saying concerning Christ might be fulfilled, He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: with the Holy Ghost, as with fire. They were now, in the feast of pentecost, celebrating the memorial of the giving of the law upon mount Sinai; and as that was given in fire, and therefore is called a fiery law, so is the gospel. Ezekiel's mission was confirmed by a vision of burning coals of fire, (ch. 1. 13.) and Isaiah's by a coal of fire touching his lips, ch. 6. 7. The Spirit, like fire, melts the heart, separates and burns up the dross, and kindles pious and devout affections in the soul, in which, as in the fire upon the altar, the spiritual sacrifices are offered up. This is that fire which Christ came to send upon the earth. Luke 12. 49.
(3.) This fire appeared in cloven tongues. The operations of the Spirit were many; that of speaking with divers tongues was one, and was singled out to be the first indication of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and to that this sign had a reference. [1.] They were tongues; for from the Spirit we have the word of God, and by him Christ would speak to the world, and he gave the Spirit to the disciples, not only to endue them with knowledge, but to endue them with a power to publish and proclaim to the world what they knew; for the dispensation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. [2.] These tongues were cloven, to signify that God would hereby divide unto all nations the knowledge of his grace, as he is said to have divided to them by his providence the light of the heavenly bodies, Deut. 4. 19. The tongues were divided, and yet they still continued all of one accord; for there may be a sincerity of affections, where yet there is a diversity of expression. Dr. Lightfoot observes, that the dividing of tongues at Babel, was the casting off of the heathen; for when they had lost the language in which alone God was spoken of and preached, they utterly lost the knowledge of God and religion, and fell into idolatry. But now, after above two thousand years, God, by another dividing of tongues, restores the knowledge of himself to the nations.
(4.) This fire sat upon them for some time, to show the constant residence of the Holy Ghost with them. The prophetic gifts of old were conferred sparingly and but at some times, but the disciples of Christ had the gifts of the Spirit always with them; though the sign, we may suppose, soon disappeared. Whether these flames of fire passed from one to an other, or whether there were as many flames as there were persons, is not certain. But they must he strong and bright flames, that would be visible in the day-light, as it now was, for the day was fully come.
III. What was the immediate effect of this?
1. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, more plentifully and powerfully than they were before. They were filled with the graces of the Spirit, and were more than ever under his sanctifying influences ; were now holy, and heavenly, and spiritual, more weaned from this world, and better acquainted with the other. They were more filled with the comforts of the Spirit, rejoiced more than ever in the love of Christ and the hope of heaven, and in it
