Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BS2096.A1 1701 .P3

Ch, 8. The Eunuch's . The Ads: Converfion. Ch. neration ? for his life is taken from gel of the Lord fpake unto Philip, faying,Arife,and go toward the fouth, unto the way that goeth down from Jerufalem unto Gaza, which is de- fers. 27. And he arofe and went : andbehold,a man ofEthiopia,an eu- nuch of great authority under Can- dace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge ofall her treafure,and had come to Jerufalem for to wor- ship, 28. Was returning, and fitting in his chariot read Efaias the prophet. 25, 2d d'r. Nate. God ¡hewed a notable proof in this ofhis freeEleting Grace. a. Angels minifter towards the Convectionof God's Ele&. 3. He that was a ProfeIyte before, and came fo far to worship, was better prepared for the Gofpel than Heathens. 4. He that would lofe no time, but was rea- ding God's word on his Journey in his Chariot, was inGod's way for farther Mercy, which was feet after him. 29. Then the Spirit laid unto Phi- lip, Go near, and joyn thy Pelf to this chariot. 29. By Infpiration.] Nate, The Chariot was driven Slowly that hemight read, and fo Philp on foot could accompany tr. God's Spiritdire&- tth his word to the Ele&. 3o.And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet E- faias, and laid, Underftandeft thou what thou readeft? 31. And he laid, How can I, except force manfhould guide me ? and hedefired Philip that he would come up, and fit with him. 30. Note. God dire&ed him to the Text : And -God gave him the fente ofhis own ignorance and infufficiency to underftand, and ofhis need of a Teacher. And God gave him anhumble Mind, to condefcend'to ask a Stranger on foot to come fit with him in his Chiriot and teach him. All there were happy preparatives to Chrif}ianity, and further Grace. 32. The place of the fcripture which he read, was this, He was led as a fheep to the flaughter,and like a lamb dumb before his (hearer, fo o- pened he not his mouth : 33. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away : and who 411 declare his se: the earth. 32. He fuffered innocently and patientlyby unrighteous Cruel men; He humbled himfelf to undergo their unjuft Judgment Thy wickedly triumph over him, as cutting off his bfe from the Earth. 34 And the eunuch anfweredPhi- lip, and laid, I pray thee, of whom fpeaketh the prophet this ? of him- felf,or offorce other man ? 3 5.Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the fame fcripture, and preached unto him Jefus. 36.And as they went on their way, they came unto a cer- tain water : and the eunuch laid, See,here is water ; what doth hinder me to be baptized ? 34, as Note t. He firft craveth Inftru &ion and then Baptifm, and is not forced to be Bapti - zed againft his Will. 37. And Philip laid, Ifthou belie- veft withall thine heart, thou may- eft. And heanfwered and laid, I be- lieve that Jefus Chrill is the Son of God. 37. Ifthou believe with a ferious,well groun- ded, refolvedFaith, thou maylt beBaptized, and have the prefent remifîronof fin, as a Chriftian. Note. The belief that Jefus is the Son of God, includeth all the reif that is neceffary to Salvati_ on, that is, That ere is a God whom we of- fended, ro whonthhe recercileth its, and who gave him to us in love, and that his Word is true,andthat by theWord andby the Holy Ghoft he fan&ifiethand prepareth us for Heaven. 38.And hecommanded the chariot to ftand ítí11: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch ; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the I.ord caught away Philip, that the eunuch faw him no more: and he went onhis way rejoycing. 38, 39. The Angel or Power of God caught away Philip. Note. A Convertedmanbath great caufe ofre- joycing. The Gofpel proclaimed, much more heartily received is matter ofgreat joy. z. The Traditionof..lh fa (where is a great Empire of Chriftiats) is that they received the Christian Faith by this man whowas the Queen's Lord Treafurer. And force Learned null conjc&ure than

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