August 9

And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him.— Luke 3:22.

WHEN he sent the Holy Spirit, he manifested him visibly in two ways: by the dove, and by fire: by the dove upon the Lord when baptized; by fire, upon the disciples when met together. For when the Lord, after his resurrection, had ascended into heaven, after forty days spent with his disciples, and when the day of Pentecost was fully come, he sent unto them the Holy Spirit according to his promise. The Spirit, then, coming at that time, filled the place, and when there had been first a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them; and they began to speak with tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. On the one hand, we have seen the dove descending upon the Lord, on the other, the cloven tongues on the disciples met together. In the one case simplicity is shown, in the other fervency. For there are, who are said to be simple, when in fact they are merely spiritless: they are called simple, only because they have no energy. Not such was Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost: he was simple, for he injured no one; he was fervent, for he rebuked the ungodly. For he held not his peace before the Jews; his are those fire-flashing words, Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised of heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost. A mighty onslaught! but it is the fierceness of the dove in which is no gall. For that ye may know that his was a fierceness in which was no gall, observe that they, at hearing these words, ran and snatched up stones; they, the ravens, against this dove! they have begun to stone Stephen: and then the man who just before with the voice of rage and eager spirit, like one making an on- slaught upon enemies, like one full of violence, had set upon them in words of fire, and in such a blaze, (as ye have heard, Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised of heart and ears,) that, to hear the words, one would think Stephen would, if it might be, have had those men consumed in a moment; no sooner do the stones, which their hands had thrown, reach him, but with bended knee he saith, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. He held close to the unity of the Dove. For his Master before him, upon whom the dove descended, had done the very same thing. Father, forgive them, he saith while hanging upon the cross, for they know not what they do. We learn, then, that those who are sanctified by the Spirit should be without guile; this is shown by the dove: that their simplicity should not be left to wax cold, is shown by the fire. Nor let it disturb any one that the tongues were cloven. For tongues are diverse, therefore the appearance was that of cloven tongues. Cloven tongues, we are told, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. Tongues are diverse the one from the other, but yet the diversity of tongues does not constitute schisms. Fear not separation and dispersion in the cloven tongues; in the dove recognize unity.

Thus, therefore, thus it behooved the Holy Spirit to be manifested, when coming upon the Lord, that every one might understand, that if he has the Holy Spirit, he ought to be simple like the dove; to maintain true peace with the brethren, which is what the kisses of doves signify. Ravens, it is true, have their kisses; but in ravens is a false peace, in the dove is the true peace. Not every one, therefore, who saith, "Peace be unto you," is to be listened to, as though he were a dove. How then are the kisses of ravens distinguished from those of doves? Ravens kiss, but tear. The dove's nature is guiltless of tearing. When, then, there is tearing, there is not true peace in the kisses. Those have true peace who have not torn the church. For ravens feed upon what is dead; this the dove doth not. The dove lives on the fruits of the earth, its food is innocent: a circumstance, brethren, justly deserving admiration in the dove. Sparrows are very small birds, but they kill at any rate flies. Nothing of this sort doth the dove; for it doth not feed on what is dead. They who have torn the church, feed upon the dead. God is powerful; let us pray that they may come to life again, who are devoured by them, yet know it not. Many acknowledge that they come to life again; for at their coming we daily give them joy in the name of Christ. Be ye harmless, but only so that ye be fervent withal: and let your fervency be in your tongues. Hold not your peace: speak with glowing tongues, and set those who are cold on fire.

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