2. 82, Of the Gift of Tongues VOI.I', li li Secondly, To confider the dear Evidence of this Miracle, that it was real, and that there could be no Sufpicion of anyManner of Impofiure and Deceit in ir. It was publickly wrought before many Witneffès, and thofe the molt competent of all other, becaufe they were highly prejudiced againtt the Ar oft les, and great Enemies to them, as being the Difciples of him whom they had' folately crucified as an Impoftor. They gaveclear Proof ofthis miraculous Power in the Prefence of great Multitudesof feveral Nations, who heard them everyonefpeaking to them in their ownLanguage : And befides the prefent Dcmonftration of this miraculous Gift, to thofe of feveral Nations that dwelt at jerufalem, they gave Evidence ofit in all Places and Nations whither they went Preaching theGofpel ; fo that this Mira- cle accompanied and continued with them, till the Gofpel was made known to a great Part of the then knownWorld, and tatted for a whole Age, and till there was no farther Need and Ufe of it. But it may be Paid, that tho' this was fuffciently evident to them that dwelt at. yerufalem, who knew the Apoftles, and the Circumprances of their Education ; yet; it was not fo credible to others, wholived remote from 7erufalera, and neither knew the Apoftles, nor theManner of their Education, norwere Witneffès of the miracu- lous Rife and Beginningof this Gift ofTongues. Thefe couldonly hear them fpeak: in their Language; but whether their Knowledge of this Language had been ac-' quired by Study, or was fupernatural and infufed, for this they bad onlycommon Fame, and the Apoftles ownWord, which may feem to have been but a flender. Evidence for aThing fo ftrange. And foit mullbe acknowledged to be, iftheApo- files Affirmation, that this Gift was fupernaturally co. ferred upon them, had not been otherwife countenanced and fupported ; as it was in a very extraordinary and remarkable Manner, by their being endowed with a Power to work other Miracles of all Kinds, which they did every where, and very frequently upon all Occafions. And thiswas fufficient to give Credit to what they affirmed, concerning this fupernatural Gift of Tongues : For when they faw them work other Miracles of all Sorts, they had no Reafon to doubt of the Truth and Realityof this miracu- lous Gift of Tongues, which was abundantly confirmed by the other miraculous Powers with which they were endowed. So that the Gofpel, where-ever it came, carried its own Evidence along with it, and was confirmedby the very Manner of its Conveyance and Delivery ; and well might Men entertain it as a Divine Do&rine, when the very Manner and Means, whereby it was conveyed to the World, was fo firange and aftonifhing a Miracle, as was never wrought in the World before, upon any Occáuon whatfoever. And this will yet be farther evi- dent, if we confider in the Third Place, the wonderful Effe& which this Miracle immediately had upon the Spot, and on the very Day when it fiat appeared. It had fo glaring an Evidence, and carried fach Convi&ion in it, that the Do&rine which they who were endowed with miraculous Gifts did preach, was immediately received and entertained by avery great number ofthe Hearers; who, upon the Convi&ion of this great Miracle, became Profelytes to this new Religion, and were folemnly admitted to the Profeffion of it by Baptifm ; as we read, hr. 45. of this Chapter; where, after St. Peter had made anEnd ofhis Sermon to the Peo- ple upon this Occafion, it is faid, Then they that gladly received his Word were bapti- red; andthefame Day therewere addedunto them about three thoufandSoule. Here was a mighty Effe&, Three thoufandconverted at one Sermon, being convinced by the Evidenceof this Miracle. And it was a very immediate Effe& ; for it is faid, that thefame Day three thoufandwere added to the Church. Here was anEffe& proportiona- ble to the Greatnefs andStrangenefs ofits Caufe 5 amighty Vietory gained over the Prejudices of Men, and the Powers of Darknefs, by the Light and Convi&ion of this Miracle, which our Saviour feems to have kept in refervefor this great Occa- fion, when his Gofpel and Religion was to be firft publifh'd, and to make its fo- lemn Entrance into the World. Here was a large Portion ofFirft- fruits, and a great Earnefi of that Spiritual Harveft, which the Apoftles had began to reap ; of which the Firft-fruits among the 7eree were a Type : For their Harveft alto was at this very Seafon of the Year; as I noted before. fourthly, We will confider the great ïlfefialnefs of this miraculous Gift, for the more
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