ably requisite. After his resurrection, he again reminded them of this, by declaring that "not many days" from that time they should be "baptized with the Holy Ghost;" commanding them also "not to depart from “Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of "the Father, which they had heard from "Him;" adding yet further, "Ye shall re"ceive power, after that the Holy Ghost is "come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses "unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Ju“dæa, and in Samaria, and unto the utter"most parts of the earth.”

Conformably with these instructions, the Apostles, it appears, abode at Jerusalem, awaiting the event foretold, and preparing themselves for it by prayer and supplication, and by daily communications with each other. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully

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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

f Acts i. 3, 5, 8.

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speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave "them utterances."

The expression, "when the day of Pen"tecost was fully come," reminds us of a similar one used by St. Paul respecting our Lord's coming; "When the fulness of time "was come, God sent forth his Son." In both instances, it seems to be implied that the event spoken of was to take place at some definite period of time, until which the completion of the purpose of the Almighty would be wanting. The "fulness of time" in which our Lord appeared, was marked by the accomplishment of many distinct and circumstantial prophecies concerning him, as well as by the general state of the heathen world, and the particular aspect of the Roman and Jewish governments, at that special crisis. The circumstances which render a similar expression applicable to the descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, though less obvious to immediate observation, are such as give great additional interest to the

event.

The festival of Pentecost was ordained under the Jewish dispensation to commemorate the giving of the Law from mount Sinai, fifty days after the Passover. The solemn

g Acts ii. 1-4.

promulgation of the Gospel on that day, ushered in by a miracle so stupendous, could hardly fail to excite attention, and to impress strongly upon the mind of a devout observer the seeming coincidence of the two dispensations. The Christian convert, at least, might be led to infer, that as the Jewish passover had prefigured our Lord's death and passion, so the giving of the Law to the Israelites on mount Sinai might be contemplated as typical of the preaching of the Gospel to all nations. St. Luke's expression that the day was fully come," seems to indicate the expectation that our Lord's promise would come to pass at that particular season.

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Other circumstances also might tend to connect these occurrences with each other in contemplative minds. The Divine presence had been manifested on the delivery of the Mosaic Law, by thunders and lightnings and other terrific signs, impressing the people with awe and dread. That same presence was indicated on this occasion, not indeed by tokens so tremendous, but by wonders no less demonstrative of Divine agency, and rendered doubly impressive by being associated with the recollection of what had passed in former times, on the day still held sacred. "The sound as of a rushing mighty wind,"

which "filled all the house where they were "sitting," and the cloven tongues “like as "of fire" which sat upon each of the Apostles, would bring to mind the thunders and lightnings of the former period, and would excite scarcely less veneration towards these holy men, than had been felt by the Israelites towards their inspired Lawgiver. These marvellous appearances were also significant of the powerful energy of the Gospel and its preachers, "whose sound was to go out into "all lands, and their words unto the end of "the world"." As the elements of air and fire purify and invigorate, warm and enlighten the natural world; so does the Holy Spirit operate on the hearts and minds of men. Its immediate effect upon the Apostles corresponded with these symbols: and multitudes bore witness to its almost irresistible influence both on those who preached and those who heard the word. Again; the “clo"ven tongues" betokened that precious gift by which the Apostles discoursed in various languages to people of various nations, on the "wonderful works of God." This they did "as the Spirit gave them utterance." By the word of wisdom" and "the word of

h Psalm xix. 4.

"knowledge" they were enabled to understand divine truths; and by the gift of “di"vers kinds of tongues," they were empowered to communicate them to others; not simply to speak and utter them, but to expound, exhort, persuade, and argue, with a power far exceeding any ordinary human endowments.

This miracle, then, is to be considered as a public and solemn manifestation of the coming of the Holy Ghost, to complete the work of our redemption. By indisputable tokens of Divine power, the Almighty had already borne witness to the coming of his Son; and now, by tokens no less convincing, he bore witness to the descent of the Holy Spirit. The festival we this day celebrate; has hence been sometimes called the Advent, and the Epiphany, of the Holy Ghost; corresponding with the terms applied to the coming of our blessed Saviour. The purposes to be effected by each were indeed inseparably connected. Our Lord came to fufil the Law, and make atonement for its transgression; the Holy Ghost, to perfect the Gospel, and give spiritual life to its disciples. Christ came to redeem the church; the Holy Ghost to sanctify

i 1 Cor. xii. 8, 10.

J Whitsunday.