The Pharisees and high Priests, thought to stop up the Apostles, those bottles full of the new wine of the mysteries of Christ, and therefore gave them Counsel, yea a command to speak no more in his name. At the 10th verse, they said of some in a common sense, These men are full of new wine, that is, they are drunken; but the truth was, they were full of the Spirit, full of Gospel-truths, and like bottles full of new wine they could not hold. And when the Pharisees and high Priests would have stopped up those bottles, and charged them that they should speak no ⟨p. 115⟩more in the name of Jesus; they answered, Whether it be meet to obey God or man judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things that we have seen and heard: you may cut out our tongues if ye will, take away the organs of speech ye may, but otherwise we cannot but speak. As it is said of Christ, they could not resist the Spirit by which he spake; so they were not able to resist the Spirit by which the Apostles spake. Some have such Impulses from the Devil upon them, that they cannot but speak boldly as well as wickedly and blasphemously; it is strange to see what some both old and new Impostors have done, their bellies have been like bottles full of new wine, they have even burst to vent their wicked opinions.1 Bernard discoursing of such an Opinionist in his time, saith, He hungers and thirsts for Auditors, into whose bosoms he might empty himself, and pour out all his sentiments, that he might appear who and how great a man he was. He careth not to teach thee what thou knowest not, nor to be taught by thee what he doth not know; but that himself may be known to know what he knoweth. Now if there be such pressures upon the spirits of vain men to be delivered of their false and airy conceptions: How much more when a man hath strong impressions from the Spirit of God ('tis discernible by the matter that comes out of the bottle, whether it be the wine of Sodom, or of Zion) is he unable to contain himself? Such a man must speak not only to instruct and refresh others, but (as it followeth in the next verse) to ease and refresh himself.
The Pharisees and high Priests, thought to stop up the Apostles, those bottles full of the new wine of the mysteries of Christ, and therefore gave them Counsell, yea a command to speake no more in his name. At the 10th verse, they said of some in a common sence, These men are full of new wine, that is, they are drunken; but the truth was, they were full of the Spirit, full of Gospel-truths, and like bottles full of new wine they could not hold. And when the Pharisees and high Priests would have stopt up those bottles, and charged them that they should speak no ⟨p. 115⟩more in the name of Jesus; they answered, Whether it be meet to obey God or man judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things that we have seene and heard: you may cut out our tongues if ye will, take away the organs of speech ye may, but otherwise we cannot but speak. As it is said of Christ, they could not resist the Spirit by which he spake; so they were not able to resist the Spirir by which the Apostles spake. Some have such Impulses from the Devill upon them, that they cannot but speak boldly as well as wickedly and blasphemously; it is strange to see what some both old and new Impostors have done, their bellyes have been like bottles full of new wine, they have even burst to vent their wicked opinions.1 Bernard discoursing of such an Opinionist in his time, saith, He hungers and thirsts for Auditors, into whose bosomes he might empty himselfe, and powre out all his sentiments, that he might appeare who and how great a man he was. He careth not to teach thee what thou knowest not, nor to be taught by thee what he doth not know; but that himselfe may be knowne to know what he knoweth. Now if there be such pressures upon the spirits of vaine men to be delivered of their false and ayery concep•ions: How much more when a man hath strong impressions from the Spirit of God ('tis discernable by the matter that comes out of the bottle, whether it be the wine of Sod•me, or of Sion) is he unable to containe himselfe? Such a man must speake not only to instruct and refresh others, but (as it followeth in the next verse) to ease and refresh himselfe.
- 1Esuris & suit auditores quibus omne quod sentit effundat, quibus qual• & quantus sit innotescat. Non curat te docere vel a te doceri quod nescit, sed ut scire sciatur quod scit. Bernard:
