A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The Fourth Perſecution.
THE Remarks of Mercy mixed with this Church's Miſery, are theſe; (1.) God overpowers the Devil in ſetting bounds and limits to all his, and his Inſtrument's Perſecutions, ſaying to them, as to the unruly Ocean [Thus far ſhalt thou go and no farther, and here ſhall thy proud Waves be ſtayed] Job 38.10, 11. N.B. No Reaſon can be rendred why the main Raging Sea doth not overflow the many ſmall Iſlands of Dry Land that are ſeen in Maps, and found by Mariners in all parts of the habitable World, ſave only this, that the great God hath ſet Bars upon it by his Divine Decree. God hath ſhut it up in his Decreed place (the hollows of the Earth) with Bounds and Banks. As it was the incomprehenſible work of God's Wiſdom and Power to produce ſuch a prodigious vaſt powerful Body of that fluid Element out of nothing at the firſt, like an Infant out of his Mother's Womb, Job 38.8. ſo 'tis no leſs a work of wonder, that God can as eaſily Rule and Repreſs that unruly Sea, as the Mother or Nurſe can her ſucking Infant, when 'tis ſwathed up with Swadling-bands, verſe 9. This is a work of God's great Power, and is therefore inſtanced and inſiſted upon in Scripture, as here, and Pſal. 107.23. to 30. and Jer. 5.22, &c. God holds the Sea in his hand, as in a Pit, that it cannot paſs out of the hollow of God's hand, to overflow the Land in the leaſt of thoſe little Iſlands, but the Tide is pulled back by an Ebb, &c. N.B. Thus the great God butted and bounded the Roaring and Raging Waves of this great Perſecution; though the Enemy came now in like a Floud, yet the Spirit of the Lord did lift up a Standard againſt him, Iſa. 59.19. and made him ſtand at his appointed Bounds, beyond which he could not paſs. Though Stephen ſhall be ſtoned, and the Teachers (with other Believers) ſhall be ſcattered by the Adverſary, yet not one more ſhall be murdered; a Church ſtill (though not ſo very numerous) ſhall remain in Jeruſalem, and the Twelve Apoſtles ſhall ſtay there untouched in the midſt of that fiery Furnace, to comfort and cheriſh the Church in that ſad deplorable and ſcattering Day, maugre the Malice of angry Men, and of inraged Devils.
The ſecond Remark is; As God over powered the Devil, ſo he over-witted him in this Fourth Perſecution. The Wiſdom of God out-wits all the Seven Heads of the Dragon's Beaſt, as the Power of God proves too hard for his Ten Horns, inſomuch that all the Plotting-heads, and the Puſhing-Horns do but Aethiopem lavare, labour in vain, as here. This ſcattering Perſecution (by which the Devil deſigned to deſtroy and ſmother the Goſpel) did propagate and ſpread it the more, Acts 8.4… &c. and Acts 11.19. They that were ſcattered went every where Preaching the Word, not only in Judea and Samaria, but they that were ſcattered abroad (upon the Perſecution that aroſe about Stephen) travelled as far as Phaenice (the Countrey about Tyre) and Cyprus (that famous Iſle in the Mediterranean Sea) and Antioch (the Metropolis of Syria) N.B. Which City, by this means, became in time the New Jeruſalem of the Gentile-Church, as Old Jeruſalem (out of which they were now baniſh'd) had been hitherto of the Jewiſh Church the principal Seat, Acts 11.19, 20, 26. which place is exegetical, explaining what was more briefly intimated, Acts 8.4. This City Antioch will be Renowned to the World's end, becauſe the Banner of Chriſt was firſt Erected therein, and Believers liſted themſelves under him as their Enſign-Bearer, Cant. 5.10. and Captain, Heb. 2.10. and had the honour to be call'd by his ſacred Name, Chriſtians, not nicknamed ſo by the Enemies of Chriſtianity (who ſcornfully called all Profeſſors of Chriſt Nazareans, or Nazarites, ſuppoſed to ariſe from Peter's weakneſs in his Judaizing at this City, Gal. 2.11.) but it was done by Divine Direction, as the word [foreign] doth import, being rendred [warned of God] Heb. 11.7. The name of Chriſtians ſignifies [Anointed ones] 1 John 2.27. which Divine Unction hath made many Myriads of Believers in all Ages (in deſpite of the Devil) to be Kings and Prieſts unto God, Rev. 1. v. 6. that is, in a ſpiritual ſenſe, ſuch as ever durſt own Chriſt, and did glory in the name of being call'd Chriſtians. N.B. Oh! that we may hold faſt the Profeſſion of our Faith, Heb. 4.14. and 10.23. (being mindful of this holy Oil poured upon us in this name) and not fall; as if we had not been anointed with Oil, 2 Sam. 1.21. Thus the Lord (as he ever doth) did over-ſhoot Satan in his own Bow, over-ruling the Malice of the Adverſary, in turning it here to the propagation of the Goſpel. Thoſe Diſciples were forced to flie for their lives from the Capital City of the Jews, hereby the Light of the Goſpel is carried to the Gentiles. N.B. The great God cauſeth the Devil to break his own head by his own deſign, and maketh Light to come out of Darkneſs, Pſal. 112. v. 4. God is a skilful Pilot, and can ſail with contrary Winds, uſing croſs Providences to accompliſh his precious Promiſes, Gen. 9.27. Hereby Japhet (the Gentiles) were made to dwell in the Tents of Shem, the Jews. This ſcattering proved to the Church's great Advantage, which, like the Sea, what ground it loſeth on one ſide, it gaineth on the other ſide: No doubt, God is fetching ſuch a compaſs now, &c. 2 Sam. 5.23. 'Tis a great and moſt ſacred Truth, that the great God would ſuffer no ſort of evil to be, unleſs he knew how to bring ſome excellent good out of that evil. N.B. The following Hiſtory is a confirming Comment upon this Text of Truth. The moſt wiſe God would not have permitted ſuch a Diſperſing Perſecution upon this Primo-primitive Church, but to over rule it for his own greater glory, and for his Church's greater gain. This Church at Jeruſalem was now grown ſo great by the many Acceſſions and Additions to it (through the great Grace that was upon it, Acts 4.33.) that it was become like the Hive of Bees, which is ſo full of ſtock, that there is not room within to receive all thoſe little laborious Animals, and therefore, if they do not voluntarily remove in a Swarm, they muſt be driven to make a new Colony in another new Hive. Thus (and much more) the Lord dealt with this numerous over-grown and full-ſtock'd Goſpel-Church: A great many of thoſe Evangelical Bees are driven away from Jeruſalem, not only to plant new Colonies of Chriſtians in Samaria, but alſo in many other places both among the Jews and among the Gentiles, as the ſequel ſheweth.
N.B. The firſt Inſtance hereof is; the planting of a Goſpel-Church in Samaria, whereof the Procatartick or occaſional cauſe was this great Perſecution that the Devil and his Imps raiſed againſt this firſt Church at Jeruſalem; but the Organical or inſtrumental cauſe thereof, was, Philip, not the Apoſtle, Mat. 10.3. but the Deacon of that name, Acts 6.5. for all the Apoſtles ſtill ſtay'd at Jeruſalem, Acts 8.1. This Deacon, having been found faithful over a few things, was made Maſter of more in the Miniſtry, as Mat. 25.23. Thus he (being [foreign] apt to teach the Truth, and able to maintain it by the Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt upon him) purchaſed to himſelf an higher degree in the Miniſtry of the Church, 1 Tim. 3.12, 13. fairly ſtepping from that good degree of a Deacon (therefore none ſhould deſpiſe the Deaconſhip, that is ſo honourably intituled) to an higher Order, &c. This holy Deacon was of that ſcattered number, whom God directed to go into Samaria; where, what he did, the Divine Record gives a full account of it, Acts 8.5, &c.
N.B. The Relation of his Actings there, (1.) Concerns his Doctrine; and (2.) His Auditors. (1ſt.) His Doctrine is deſcribed; (1.) In the Matter of it, Acts 8.5, 12. He Preached the Doctrine of Faith, Repentance, and Remiſſion of Sins by Chriſt alone, &c. (2.) In the Succeſs of it, verſe 6, 7. a mighty preſence of Divine Power prepared thoſe to attend, whom God had a purpoſe to ſave, hanging their Ears (as it were) at the mouth of this their Miniſter, as thoſe are ſaid to do upon Chriſt himſelf, Luke 19.48. [foreign] They did hang upon him (it ſignifies) as the Babe hangs on the Breaſt, the Bee upon the Flower, or the little Bird upon the Bill of her Dam: As Chriſt drew the People after him, by the Golden Chain of his Angelical, yea Divine Eloquence: So Philip here (by the powerful preſence of the Spirit of Chriſt upon him) united his Hearer's hearts (as well as Ears) to attend diligently unto the Doctrine of Chriſt: He Preached to them concerning his marvelous Birth, his holy Life and Death; and his glorious Reſurrection and Aſcenſion, and concerning the Kingdom of his Grace and Glory; both which are one, ſeeing the Kingdom of God hath its Inchoation on Earth, but its Conſummation in Heaven. This diligent attention was a bleſſed preparative to theſe Samaritan's Converſion, ſeeing Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10.17. The Syriack word [Methtephiſin] here ſignifies, they did not only Attend to, but alſo did Acquieſce in all he ſpake to them. N.B. Were there more Reverend Attention to the Word, and more plenary Aquieſcency in it, there would be more Converſion at this day. N.B. But beſides Philip's Evangelical Eloquence wherewith he drew his Auditory to his Oracles, he wrought Miracles alſo which were as ſo many Evidences of the Truth of his Oracles, and whereby he ſhewed God's Authority for what he Preached: He healed many Diſeaſes, and caſt out many Devils (call'd unclean Spirits, becauſe they delight in ſin, that ſpiritual uncleanneſs of the Soul) who cried out with a loud voice, as very loth to leave their Lodgings, had they not been conſtrained to it, &c. N.B. The performance of what Chriſt promiſed, Mark 16.16, 17. did both corroborate the Faith of thoſe Goſpel-Miniſters, and did mightily promote the Succeſs of Philip's Miniſtry in Samaria.
Then (3dly.) The Effect hereof is briefly compriſed, v. 8. and [There was great Joy in that City] Tho' Samaria was a place of corrupted Worſhip, and baſely bewitched by the Sorceries of Simon Magus, yet even there God begets a People to himſelf, who not only rejoyced for the miraculous Cures wrought upon their Bodies, but more eſpecially for the Word of Reconciliation and Salvation Preached to their Souls. N.B. Joſephus ſaith, that at Samaria was a Sanctuary opened by Sanballat for all Renegado-Jews, and upon the very building of the Temple upon Mount Gerizim, multitudes of Jews flocked thither, that call'd Jacob their Father, had their Prieſthood. Service, Pentateuch, &c. ſo that Samaritaniſm generally was but a Mongrel-Judaiſm: Therefore the Jews hated the preſence, the are, the faſhions, and the very Books of the Samaritans, John 4.9. Now this deſpiſed Samaria imbraces the Goſpel with Joy; when the formerly beloved and holy City Jeruſalem doth explode and perſecute it. N.B. Such ſtrange Alterations doth the Free Grace of God work, both in Cities and Countreys, and in all Societies of Men. Once it was before this, that Chriſt muſt needs go to Samaria, John 4.4. Oh happy City! that then lay in a ſweet Saviour's way to be look'd upon with his gracious look of Love, and that his Footſteps may drop fatneſs upon it, Pſal. 65.11. Many believed in Chriſt at that time of the Samaritans, John 4.40, 41. though he ſtayed among them but two days then, verſe 43. for he had forbid his Diſciples to Preach in any City of Samaria (which was no obliging Law to himſelf) Matth. 10.5. becauſe the fuller Calling of the Gentiles (whereof this was only an Earneſt) was reſerved to after times, when the Partition Wall was broken down, then did the Lord at his Aſcenſion direct his Diſciples to be Witneſſes of him in the Cities of the Samaritans, Acts 1.8. which was now done, &c. Thus have we diſpatch'd the firſt particular, to wit, The Doctrine of this Deacon Philip in its Efficacy at this place and time: Occaſion will be offered to inlarge upon it in the ſequel, &c.
The ſecond particular is, Philip's Auditors after this Effect: They were of two ſorts. (1.) The Falſe and Hypocritical, who was Simon Magus, verſe 9. And (2.) The True and Sound Auditor (beſide thoſe Samaritan ſound Believers) and that was the Ethiopian Eunuch, verſe 27, 28, &c. Firſt of the firſt and falſe One, (1ſt.) Simon Magus is deſcribed (1.) By his Countrey; he was a Samaritan, verſe 9. It may eaſily be ſuppoſed that this Inſtrument of Satan muſt needs be a ſtrong Impediment to the Succeſs of Chriſt's Goſpel in Samaria, having ſuch a ſtrong Satanical Samaritan in the very Bowels of it. (2.) By his Condition or Occupation, how he led his former life in exerciſing Magical Inchantments, bewitching the whole City with his Sorceries, inſomuch that this Conjurer carried the Citizens generally out of themſelves (as the word foreign ſignifies) ſo that they were more his than their own, driving them into an amazing Extaſie, and affrighting them as if he had been one of the Heathen Gods, verſe 9, 10, 11. Having by God's permiſſion, and by the Devil's power, wrought wonders among the People; this was a mighty diſadvantage to the Entertainment of the Goſpel, had not Chriſt been ſtronger than this ſtrong Man to diſarm him, &c. Luke 11.21, 22. He is deſcribed (3.) By his Manners or Behaviour; (1.) While his Hypocriſie was covered; he takes upon him to believe with an Hiſtorical Faith only, and is baptized, v. 12, 13. (2.) When it was diſcovered even by the Sorcerer himſelf, by bidding Money wherewith to buy the Holy Ghoſt; for which (3.) He was reproved by Peter for a Rotten Profeſſor, &c.
The Remarks hereupon are theſe, (1.) A Rotten Heart may go far in Reformation, yet be in the gall of bitterneſs, &c. 'Tis ſaid here, [Then Simon himſelf believed alſo] Acts 8.13. yet was in the bond of iniquity, verſe 23. N.B. He had only the Faith of Devils, who believe their Doom ſhall be denounced againſt them to their Eternal Torment at the laſt day, which belief makes them [foreign] frisk and tremble, James 2.19. They give their bare Aſſent that there is a God to judge them; ſo Simon did aſſent with his head, but he believed not with his heart, Acts 8.37. and Rom. 10.9. His Faith was only Hiſtorical, believing it to be true, that Chriſt indeed did many Miracles, and was really Raiſed from the Dead, &c. He only took upon him to believe, it was not given him of God, whereas Faith is God's gift to us, Epheſ. 2.8. and not to be taken up by us at our pleaſure; therefore was it not the Faith of God's Elect, Titus 1.1. but a Tempory Faith only, which ſerveth to breed Horrour, as the Hiſtorical doth in Devils, yet is but a meer flaſh in Hypocritical men, and thereupon ſoon dwindles away. Notwithſtanding this Hiſtorical (which was but Hypocritical) Faith, and his ſeeming Repentance profeſſed, verſe 25. pray for me, &c. yet was he ſtill in the State of ſin, and all his pretended Profeſſion was as bitter to God's pallate, as is the fleſh of any creature corrupted with Gall, to ours, Deut. 29.18. & 32.32. He was yet faſt bound, like a Bondſlave of Satan, in the irrefragable Bonds of his own Hypocriſie, Ambition, and Avarice.
The ſecond Remark is, Hypocrites ſhall ſooner or later be detected; ſome men's ſins go before hand to Judgment, and ſome men's ſins follow after; no putrid Hypocriſie can be forever hid, 1 Tim. 5.24, 25. N.B. The great Judge of the World keeps his Petty-Seſſions often in this life, letting the Law paſs upon ſome few, reſerving the reſt till the great Aſſizes of the laſt Judgment. Some men's ſins are diſcovered and puniſh'd in this life, before their perſons appear at God's Tribunal. In the diſcovery of Simon's Hypocriſie, there is the Occaſion and the Manner thereof to be conſidered. N.B. (1.) The Occaſion, when the Apoſtles at Jeruſalem heard that Samaria had imbraced the Goſpel by Philip's Miniſtry, they ſent Peter and John (thoſe two Pillars of the Church, Gal. 2.9.) as their Embaſſadors to confirm Philip's Doctrine, and to conſtitute a Church there by their Apoſtolical Authority, yea, and to confer upon ſome men (not on all, nor on the Women who were Believers alſo, verſe 12.) thoſe extraordinary Gifts of Teaching, Healing, &c. Acts 2.38. which was done only by the Apoſtles (and not by Philip's) Prayer and Impoſition of Hands, Acts 8.14. to 18. N.B. They all that believed had received the Saving Grace of the Holy Ghoſt (ſaving this unſound Simon) but none of them the extraordinary Gifts, &c. which were given for confirming this New Tender Church of the Samaritans. This was the Occaſion. N.B. (2.) The Manner of Simon's diſcovering his Hypocriſie was, when he ſaw thoſe Gifts were conferr'd by Impoſition of Hands, he offers a price to purchaſe this power: Hereby this Notorious Hypocrite diſcovered himſelf, having taken a Profeſſion upon him, and counterfeiting that, he believed only for baſe ends, to wit, both that he ſhould not be deſerted by his own Diſciples, who now were won over to Philip's Doctrine, and alſo that thereby he might procure a power of working Miracles, when he ſaw the Apoſtles had done far beyond what he was able to do, verſe 18, 19. N.B. The unſoundneſs of his Soul, and baſeneſs of his Spirit, appeared in his having ſuch low eſtimations of the high things of God, as if they were purchaſeable by periſhing Metals, and as if theſe things of God had been vendible here, as after was ſaid to be at Rome, where Simon's Statue ſtood with this Inſcription [Simoni Deo Sancto] in Claudius Caeſar's time, and where 'tis now become a Proverb, [Romae omnia Venalia] All things at Rome are ſoluble and ſaleable; ſo Mantuan their own Poet teſtifieth, &c. N.B. And 'twere well if the Sin of Simony were not found in other places (as well as in Rome) betwixt covetous Patrons, and a corrupt Clergy; ſo Crucifying Chriſt afreſh between two Thieves; Benefices being beſtowed (ſaith he) non ubi optime, ſed ubi quaeſtuoſiſſime, to him who will give the moſt for them, not who beſt deſerve them: As if a man ſhould beſtow ſo much Provender on his Horſe, becauſe he is to Ride upon him, &c. It was Judas's ſin [What will ye give me?] Matth. 26.15. that curſed Traitor ſold the Head, but Simoniacal Patrons ſell the Members; he the Shepherd, they the Sheep; and herein, as worſe than Judas; he only ſold the Body, but they the Souls of Men, as that Scarlet Strumpet doth at this day, Rev. 18.13. Nor did Simon here deſire to purchaſe thoſe Miraculous Gifts, that he might glorifie God, or confirm the Truths of the Goſpel (which he now profeſſed) by them, but to make Merchandize of them, ſelling dearer than he would have bought to ſatisfie his inſatiable Thirſt after gain, as alſo to maintain his Reputation among his Admirers, who ſaw the Apoſtles out-vye and over-do him. N.B. Beſide, this Simon Magus was thus far convinced by Simon Peter, that himſelf had no more than a meer ſhew of Godlineſs (under which he laboured to lurk) and was no better a man than what the Apoſtle had characteriz'd him to be; therefore, being terrified with that direful Threatning, verſe 20. and probably fearing to fall under the ſame diſmal Doom that had (as he might hear of) befallen Ananias and Saphira, he feigns a Repentance, as he had done a Faith, begs the Apoſtle's prayers, which he knew were prevalent with God: What became of him, the Scripture is ſilent. N.B. However, this ſame Simon, whom Philip had look'd upon as Honeſt, and Baptized him, was detected by Peter, who ſoon ſmelt the Fox, and divinely drew him out of his Den, expoſing him to open view. Eccleſiaſtick Hiſtory ſaith, that as he was flying in the Air, at Peter's powerful prayers, he fell down and broke his Neck. This Story, though not Canonical in it ſelf, yet holds it a ſacred correſpondency with Solomon's Canonical Sentence and ſaying, [The Memory of the Juſt is bleſſed, but the Name of the Wicked ſhall rot] Prov. 10.7. And [He that perverteth his ways ſhall be known, whereas he that walketh uprightly, walks ſurely] verſe 9. Sure I am, the name of this Notorious Hypocrite, hath an ignominious and black Brand put upon it, wherewith he ſtands ſtigmatized in all Civil, as well as Sacred Hiſtorie; and notwithſtanding his cunning Contrivances to hide his Hypocriſie, yet, as this Hypocrite was detected by Peter, ſo is he deteſted by all perſons of conſideration to this day: His Name ſtill ſtinks like putrified Carrion. N.B. Though this Simon Magus did manage his matters ſo cleverly and craftily, that Philip miſtook him for a Believer, and baptiz'd him, yet Peter preſently pump'd up his Rottenneſs, and laid him open in his proper colours; all comes out to his eternal contempt and diſhonour; therefore, as thoſe wicked Sodomites (who would have carnally known Angels in the likeneſs of Men, Gen. 19.5, 8.) gave the odious name to that beaſtly ſin of Sodomy: So this Sorcerer, unſound Simon, hath given the execrable name to that abominable ſin of Simony, wherewith both the Laws of God and Men do brand all thoſe that barter for Spiritual Benefices. N.B. This ſin is forbid, Lev. 25.34. The Levites Portion and Patrimony was not to be ſold, &c. The ſellers of Doves (in which form the Spirit deſcended, Matth. 3.16.) our Lord did whip out of his Temple twice; the firſt time was at his Entrance on his Publick Miniſtry, John 2.14. and the ſecond was at his Ending of it, Matth. 21.12. N.B. Alas! it may moſt truly be ſighed out, and ſaid in our ſad ſeaſons, that Satan hath his Simon and Jude, as well as God; He hath his Jude or Judas, who was a ſeller of our Saviour God the Son, and his Simon that would have been the buyer of God the Holy Spirit; and becauſe he attempted to purchaſe with Money that greateſt of Gifts, he deprived himſelf of all part and portion either in receiving, or in the conferring of that Gift, and of any part in Eternal Life Preached by Peter, &c.
N.B. But (2dly.) Though Simon Magus proved an unſound Proſelite to Philip's Miniſtry, yet the Aethiopian Queen Candace's Chamberlain, became a more ſound one, (as well as all the other Samaritan Profeſſors) who was truly and throughly converted by the Miniſtry of Philip; in the Story of whoſe Converſion there be five ſingular Circumſtances to be obſerved.
1. The Author or Inſtrument converting, Philip, Acts 8.26. when the two Embaſſadors (the Apoſtles) had confirmed this new Conſtituted Church at the chief City of Samaria, they all Preach the Goſpel in all the ſame Villages of that Countrey alſo, as they were commanded by Chriſt, Acts 1.8. (which teſtified their Indefatigable and Invincible Induſtry in deſpite of this fourth great Perſecution, Acts 8.1.) ſo returned to Jeruſalem, Acts 8.25. N.B. But Philip was commanded by the Angel of God to go from thence to Gaza, verſe 26. nor muſt he go the ordinary Road thither, but the Deſart-way, which was up-hill and down-hill (an Emblem of the way to Heaven) ſo but little frequented. Had not Philip been thus directed, he had certainly gone the common Path, and not have met with this great Ethiopian Officer, which doth teach us [That man's way is not in himſelf; it is not in man to direct his own ſteps] Jer. 10.23. and that the Lord tells all our wandrings, Pſal. 56.8. Man is not Maſter of his own walkings, but is over-ruled and directed by God; and if God will have man to wander in a Wilderneſs, as David did, when hunted like a Partridge upon the Mountains; and as Philip did here, paſſing through a Deſart, yet was it great comfort to them both, that as they went hither and thither at the Lord's direction, ſo God kept an account of all their footings and flittings.
N.B. (2dly.) The Object or Perſon converted; he is commended by his Nation, Condition, Dignity, Religion and Occupation, Acts 8.27, 28. He was (1.) An Ethiopian by Nation. (2.) An Eunuch, or Gelded Man (ſuch as Queens imployed in their Chambers to avoid ſuſpicion) was his Condition. (3.) His Dignity is imported in his being ſtiled an Officer of great Authority, a Noble-man of the Queen's Court. (4.) For his Religion, he was a Proſelyte, who had been at Jeruſalem to worſhip God in that Solemn Feſtival of the Paſſover. N.B. His Religion may riſe up in Judgment againſt many Profeſſors, who know more of God than this Proſelyte: He could have only ſome ſmall knowledge of God in that Dark Region of Africa; yet can he croſs the Seas, takes this long Journey to worſhip God at Jeruſalem, and in his Return improved his time ſo well as to Read the Sacred Scriptures, which declares he did not deſire to worſhip the True God according to any falſe Fancy, but as he was directed by the Word of God in his External Worſhip. What a ſhame is it to behold our Courtiers and Gallants, &c. (if they Read at all in their Coaches) do ſpend their time there in Reading frivolous Romances, &c. when this ignorant Ethiopian Lord did better, having ſome ſmall ſmattering of Divine Knowledge, uſed his beſt endeavour to increaſe it; [To him that thus hath, it ſhall be given him, and that more abundance] Matth. 13.12. They ſhall know, that follow on to know the Lord, Hoſ. 6.3. God will rather work a Miracle, than that they who thus ſeek, ſhould not find, Matth. 7.7. Such as ſeek God ſincerely, and endeavour to know him and his Will faithfully, and more fully, ſhall not be diſappointed. N.B. Here God makes Philip miraculouſly to meet this Eunuch, who was inquiring after Godlineſs, &c. N.B. Then (5:) His Occupation; he was Lord Treaſurer to this Queen Candace, which is one of the principal of Court-Offices; yet while this Eunuch was occupied in his Charge over the Queen's Treaſure, he ſtill neglected not the True Treaſure for ſaving his own Soul, wherein that precious Promiſe and Prophecy, Iſa. 56.4, 5. was graciouſly fulfilled. Let not the Eunuch ſay, I am a dry Tree, verſe 3. I will give to them a Place and a Name in my Houſe, both the Credit and the Comfort of being the Sons of God, &c. N.B. And this honour the Lord conferred upon this Eunuch, to make him the firſt we find who carried the Profeſſion of Chriſt into Africa; and tho' the Ethiopians were a People moſt deſpicable in the Eyes of the Jews, and of the Greeks likewiſe (for their famous Greek Poet Homer, calls thoſe Sun-burnt People, foreign, the loweſt of Mankind) yet the Lord did demonſtrate hereby, that there is no reſpect of Perſons or of Nations with him, but whoever fears God, and works Righteouſneſs, is accepted of him, Acts 10.34. Gal. 3.28, &c.
N.B. (3.) The Manner of his Converſion is deſcribed by the Eunuch's Reading, and by Philip's Running to hear what he Read; both were done by the direction of the Spirit; as the one is expreſſed, ſo the other is undoubtedly implied. As the Spirit by the Miniſtry of an Angel moved Philip, verſe 26, 27. and made him able to Run as ſwiftly as this great Man's Chariot Ran, ſo that not only he could come up to the Eunuch, but keep pace with him, to hold a conference alſo: The Scripture he was Reading, was that in Iſa. 53.7, &c. [He was led as a Sheep to the Slaughter, &c. Philip asks him [Underſtandeſt thou what thou Readeſt?] The Eunuch modeſtly and humbly anſwered [How can I except ſome man guide me?] verſe 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, &c. Is qui nil dubitat, nil capit inde boni. Ask & learn.
This Proſelyte might (by converſing with both the diſperſed Jews in his own Countrey, and thoſe at Jeruſalem, at his keeping the Feſtivals there) be acquainted with the Lives of the Prophets, and might find there Recorded, how much Iſaiah ſuffered under Manaſſeh; this might well raiſe a doubt in him, whether the Prophet ſpake of himſelf, or ſome other Man; and that he might be reſolved of his doubts, ſuch was his modeſty and humility, that this great Man takes up his Inferiour into his Chariot (as Jehu did Jehonadab, 2 Kings 10.15.) and asks him this Queſtion; in anſwer whereunto Philip Preach'd a powerful Sermon of Chriſt to him, ſhewing that Prophecy could be meant of none but our dear Redeemer, and not of Iſaiah, Jeremy, or any other: And by that pregnant and pathetical diſcourſe, (the Lord bleſſing the Ordinance of Hearing the Word) Saving Faith was effectually wrought in this Eunuch's Soul.
N.B. The Remarks upon this are theſe, 1. This Ethiopian may teach us Chriſtians to ſpend our time profitably, not vainly; we do not ſo much want time as waſte time, whereof we are but Tenants at will, and muſt, as Stewards, give an account for that Talent.
2. Of all other Books, to Read the Scriptures moſt (as he did) that we may by digging in that golden Mine find Eternal Life, John 5.39.
3. That Maſters ought to inſtruct their Servants out of the Scriptures. Thus, 'tis ſuppoſed, this man was doing, though he had but ſmall knowledge.
4. That ſuch as are throughly humble, are alſo truly docile, willing to learn knowledge from any hand, and to acknowledge their own ignorance.
5. That Superiors muſt not diſdain to be inſtructed by their Inferiors, as he here, and great Naaman by a Captive Girl, 2 Kings 5.2, 13. How would our great Treaſurers and Chamberlains huff at ſuch an Affront?
6. That bare Reading the Scripture, without underſtanding it, is no better than the tinkling of a Cymbal: They are bleſſed that Read it with Knowledge, Attention, Affection and Application in their Lives, Rev. 1.3.
7. Divine Commands muſt not be grudgingly diſputed, but ſpeedily diſpatched, as Philip did here, in haſtening through a Deſart of Difficulties (without cavilling at the uncouth way) to ſave a Soul.
8. Divine Providence doth wonderfully work in a concurring tendency towards this Ethiopian's Converſion: God both orders him to be Reading ſuch a portion of Scripture, as he had need to be informed of concerning Chriſt, and alſo Philip to be ſo ready at that juncture to inform him there in a moſt Fundamental Truth.
N.B. (4.) The wonderful Effect of this holy Conference follows; not only the Converſion, but alſo the Baptiſm of this New Convert. Incredible gain is got by mutual Conference in all Arts and Sciences, eſpecially in the knowledge of Divine Truths. N.B. The Mathematicks are ſo call'd, becauſe they cannot be learned without a Teacher: No Man is foreign, a Self-Teacher in Divine Literature. It were to be wiſhed that illiterate Mechanicks, and ignorant Women would ſay with this great Officer [How can I underſtand the Scripture, except ſome Interpreters help me?] Acts 8.31. The Priests of the Lord ſhould preſerve knowledge on their Lips, and the People ſhould ſeek the Law at their Mouths, Mal. 2.17. Deut. 33.10. and Jer. 3.15. N.B. He that in heavenly things dare become a Scholar only to himſelf, hath no better than a Fool to his Maſter. None can know the things of God, by the reach of their own carnal Reaſon, &c. but only by the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2.10, 11, 14. Thus God's Spirit, who had directed Philip hither, did alſo in lighten the Eunuch's underſtanding in the Divine Myſteries of Man's Salvation; and this Queſtioniſt becoming a Chriſtian, deſires the Seal of Chriſtianity in Baptiſm, which upon, the Profeſſion of his Faith was done according to God's appointment, verſe 36, 37, 38. by Dipping in thoſe hot Countreys, but now God will have mercy, &c. in our cold Countreys; for Sprinkling is as ſignificative and effectual, anſwering the Type, Exod. 12.3. and Heb. 10.22.
(5thly.) And laſtly; The Event of all, to wit, the departure of both each from other. N.B. (1ſt.) Philip was ſuddenly taken up out of the Eunuch's ſight, and was miraculouſly caught and carried away out of this great Man's company by the Spirit of God in the Miniſtry of an Angel, as the Apocryphal Daniel affirms of Habakkuk; and this Rapture and Tranſportation was in a rapid and ſwift motion. The like we read of, 1 Kings 18. v. 12. and 2 Kings 2.16. and Ezek. 3.12, 14. 'Tis ſaid [The Eunuch ſaw Philip no more] Acts 8.39. for he was not let or ſet down out of the Angel's Arms (who had charge over him, to keep him in his way] verſe 40. till he came to Azotus (ſo call'd by the Septuagint) which in the Hebrew Old Teſtament Reading is Aſhdod, one of the five Principal Cities of the five Lords of the Philiſtines, Joſh. 15.47. 1 Sam. 5.3. and 6. v. 16, 17, 18. N.B. Now the diſtance from Gaza to Azotus (as Diodorus Siculus meaſures it) is 270 Furlongs, or 34 Miles; ſo far did Philip flie ſafely upon the wings of an Angel, imployed by the Spirit of God.
The Remarks hereupon are theſe; (1.) This miraculous Rapture of Philip from the Eunuch's preſence and proſpect, was for this purpoſe, that the Eunuch might be the more aſſured of the Truth of thoſe things which were taught him by Philip's Miniſtry, and that he was a perſon ſent of God to ſave this Ethiopian's Soul.
The ſecond Remark is; God will do better to his People at the latter end, than at the beginning, according to his promiſe, Ezek. 36.11. Philip here had an hard and toilſom Journey from Samaria to Gaza, footing it through a Deſart in untrodden paths: But now from Gaza to Azotus he hath an eaſier paſſage, an holy Angel becomes his Chariot, and he who ran to the Eunuch's Chariot, [making haſte, and not delaying to obey God's Command, Pſal. 119.60.] as he Rode a while in that earthly woodden Chariot (when the Eunuch had handed him into his, Acts 8.30, 31.) So now he Rides in an Heavenly and Angelical flying Chariot, wherein he not only Rode, but did Flie to Aſhdod.
The third Remark is; Whereſoever Chriſt comes, he caſts out Satan, that ſtrong Man, out of his ſtrongeſt holds, as he is the ſtronger Man, Luke 11.21, 22. This Aſhdod was a place famous (or rather infamous) for Dagon, and his Diabolical Worſhip, 1 Sam. 5.3. where the True God Awakes in his Power, by beating Dagon upon his own Dung-hill, and paying the Poſteriors of his Worſhippers with Emerods. And it was a principal place of the Philiſtines, thoſe Irreconcileable Enemies of the Church of God: But now Philip muſt go thither with the Goſpel, that in this dark place he might bring Life and Immortality to light, 2 Tim. 1.10.
N.B. (2dly.) The Eunuch went on his way rejoycing, which Joy was the fruit of his Faith, Rom. 5.1. admiring at the great Gift conferred upon him in the Knowledge of Chriſt, and in the Salvation of his Soul, which was now ſealed to him with the Seal of the Covenant of Grace; he values not what the wild Courtiers at home would ſay of him, or cenſure him for having Chriſt's Mark ſet upon him, but takes Ship at Gaza, and becomes the firſt, we find, that carried Chriſtianity into Africa.