I answer — I take the promise indefinitely, as it is propounded, and so exclude neither the one nor the other.
First, The extraordinary gifts are not wholly to be excluded, partly because these were the things which they now saw and admired in the apostles. Now saith Peter, Eepent, and believe in Christ, and ye shall be made partakers of these gifts which ye so admire in us. And partly because the promise is to be interpreted by the effect. Those gifts were given to many upon their baptism : Acts iv. 30, 31, ' By stretching forth Ihine hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of the holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the l)lace was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost ; ' Acts x. 44, 45, ' While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word ; and they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.' And partly because these gifts are not to bo slighted, because they conduced nmch to the propngatiug and confirm- ing of the gospel : Heb. ii. 4, ' God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.' They were wonderfully confirmed by this means in the assurance of the truth of the gospel.
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290 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SeR. VII.
Secondly, Besides this gratia gratis data, these free gifts, there is gratia gratum faciens, saving graces ; these are principally intended ; for—
1. Miraculous gifts would have been small comfort to them that were pricked in heart, and did so anxiously inquire after the way of salvation, to put them off with tongues, and prophecy, and gifts common to hypocrites : Mat. vii. 22, 23, ' Many will say unto me in that day. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works ? And then will I profess unto them, I know you not ; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity ; ' 1 Cor. xiii. 1, ' Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.' The apostle, who knew better how to satisfy and to heal these wounded souls, promiseth such a gift of the Holy Ghost as is joined with remission of sins.
2. All parts of Peter's answer, both the precept and the promise, must be supposed to be suited to the question asked. Now the ques- tion asked was, ' What shall we do to be saved ? ' or freed from the misery into which we have plunged ourselves ? His answer was. Re- pent, and seek remission by baptism in the name of Christ. If you do so, you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which shall teach you all things, and make you fit to do all things that are necessary to your salvation ; you are weak and impotent, but you shall have power from the Holy Ghost. For it concerned them not only to know what they should do, but whence they should have strength to do what was required of them.
3. In the next words the apostle speaketh of a promise, and such a promise as was to them and their children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. This promise was the promise of internal grace ; be it the promise in Joel, or the promise in John vii. 38, ' He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters.' And the evangelist tell- eth us in the words that follow, ' But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive ; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.' Those rivers out of the belly imply something flowing out of the heart ; a spring of living waters there, that would send forth life and influence to all their actions. Well, then, this was the promise, and a promise that did not only concern the first age, when these miraculous and extraordinary gifts were dispensed, but all the ages of the church ; a promise to us and our children, and as many as the Lord our God should call. It relateth to the gracious covenant, that God will be our God, and the God of our seed ; even that promise spoken of Gal. iii. 14, where the apostle saith that Christ was made a curse for us, ' that the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.' The blessing of church privileges was Abrahams blessing, even ordinances accom- panied with the Spirit.
4. The process of the story showeth what the gift of the Holy Ghost is : ver. 41, ' There were added to the church about three thousand souls that day,' who received the faith of Christ, joined themselves to the