Whitsunday — On the coming down of the Holy Ghost

Consider, first, that on the feast of Pentecost, when the disciples were all assembled together, suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty wind coming; and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues t as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak, Acts ii. 2, 3, 4. Thus they received the promised Comforter, with all his gifts and graces. Thus were they quite changed into other men. Weak and cowardly as they were before, they are now on a sudden courageous and perfect. They begin boldly to preach, and to publish the faith and law of their crucified Lord, and bring thousands to embrace it. O heavenly Spirit, how wonderful are thy operations 1 O, when wilt thou work the like change in my soul! Christians, praise and bless your God, for sending down, in this manner, his holy Spirit upon his church; and for all the wonders that he wrought in the first establishment of it. The Israelites observed the solemnity of Pentecost, as one of the three principal feasts of the year, her cause, on that day, the old law was published from mount Sinai, in thunder and lightning: how much more ought Christians religiously to observe this solemnity, because, on this day, the new law, of grace and love, was published on mount Sion, by the com? ing down of the Holy Ghost in tongues of fire? O, far more sweet and amiable flames!

Consider, secondly, that the Holy Ghost came down upon the apostles in the shape of tongues, to signify that he came to make them fit preachers of his word; and to endow them with the gift of tongues, accompanied with heavenly wisdom, and understanding of the mysteries of God, and all the Gospel truths; to the end that they might be enabled to teach and publish, throughout the whole world, the faith and law of Christ. And these tongues were of fire, to signify how this divine Spirit sets those souls on fire, in which he abides; inflaming them with divine love, consuming the dross of their earthly affections, putting them in a continual motion of earnest desires and endeavours to go forward from virtue to virtue, as fire is always in motion; and carrying them upwards towards the God of gods in his heavenly Sion, as the flame is always ascending upwards towards its element. O blessed fire, when shall I partake of thy sacred flames? O come, and take possession of my heart; consume all these bonds that tie it to the earth, and carry it up with thee towards the heavenly furnace from whence thou comest. Sweet Jesus, thou hast said, (Luke xii. 49,) I am come to cast fire on the earth; and what will I but that it he kindled? O cast this fire into my soul, that it may be kindled there.

Consider, thirdly, that the coming of the Holy Ghost was not promised only to the apostles, or to the first Christians, nor confined to the primitive ages, but was designed for a blessing, to be entailed on the people of God throughout all ages. / will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Paraclete, (or Comforter,) that he may abide with you for ever, the Spirit of truth, St. John xiv. 16, 17. He was promised to be for ever with the pastors of God’s church, to guide them into all truth in teaching God’s people; and to be for ever with the sheep of Christ, to guide them into all truth in their belief and life, and to be the source of all grace to their souls. Wherefore, though we are not now to look for his visible coming down any more in tongues of fire; we are nevertheless entitled, if we sincerely seek and sue to him, to expect a share in his invisible graces and communications, and to aspire to the honour and happiness oi being made his temples. Christians, what a happiness indeed, to have the Spirit of God in us! This we must all aim at, with our whole power; this is the great devotion of this holy time; this we must pray for at all times.

Conclude with this humble address of the church to the d vine Spirit: — Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of thy love; or that other of the sacred hymn, — Come, O Spirit our Creator, visit these souls of:hine; and JiU taith thy heavenly grace the breasts which thou hast made for thyself Frequently repeat these or the like invitations, and trust in the infinite goodness of him, who delights tobe with the children of men, that he will come to thee, and be tliy guest