Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

. Book.IV. Part.V. Looking rmto JtftU. Chap. t .Secr:9 in like mannenhe holy Ghoft is the fole A~thor and Teacher ef all truth; though Chrift be the wifdome of God, yet the holy Ghoit is the Teacher of this wifdome to men ; And hence it is that the holy Ghofl: appeared in the forme of tongues. And yet not meerely intfte forme of tongues, but thus qualifi~ ed, J.• They were cloven tongues; to fignifie that tbe Apoftles fhould fpeak in diverfe languages; if there muft be a calling of the Get1tiles, they-muft needs have the tongues of the Gentiles wherewith to call them; if they were Jebtors not only to the Jews, but to the Grecians; nor only to the Grecians, but to the''Barbarittns al[o, then muft they have the tongues-not only of the Jews, but oftbe Greciam, and Barbarians to pay this debt, and to difcharge this duty of go, apd te.tch all nations. Surely this gift wasbellowed for the propagating of the Gofpel far and wide; the tongues were cloven,that the Apoftles-rnight fpeak all languages, and that all nations ofthe world whitherfoever they came, might heare them, and underftand.them fpeaking in their own tongues. 2. They were fiery tongues; to fignifie that there fhould be an. efficacy , ~ fervour in their fpeaking ; the world was fo ov.erwhclmed with ignorance and error, that the Apofttes lips had need to be touched with a wle from the Altar; tongues of flefh would not ferve the turne, nor words ofayre, but there muft be fire put into the tongue, and Spirit of life into the words they (pake; with fuch a tongue Chrift fpake himfelte, when they faid o.fhim,did not our hearts burne within m , while he jpa~ unto m hy the wa,? and with fuch a tongue Peter fp.tke at this time, [ornething like fire fell from him on their hearts, when they were pricked in their hearts, and faid,men and bmhren what /ball we tk? Oh that we of the Miniftry had thefe fiery tongues! 0 that the Spirit would put his live-coale into our fpeeches ! Oh that our Sermons were warming Sermons! .mty we not feare that the Spirit is gone, whiles the people arc dead, and we are no more !ively in our Miniftry ? it is Ctid of Luther, that when he heard one preach very faintly, cold, cold, fayes he, this is cold preaching, heres no heate at tt!l to begat ten; Oh when the Spirit comes, it e>omes with a tongue of fire; inftead ofwords fparkes of fire wilt fall from us on the hearts ofhearers. 3J Thefecloven fiery tonguesfote ~tpon filch of them; to !igni· tic:

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=