the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. It might be supposed, from this language, that he was become duly sensible of his guilt, as well as aware of his danger. Yet it is the general opinion of ecclesiastical writers, that he remained to his death an unbeliver, and a violent opposer of Christianity. 25. And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. REFLECTIONS. 1. In the last section I had occasion to notice the benefit which Christianity derives from the martyrdom of Stephen and other first believers; since their testimony in its favour, with the prospect of immediate death before them, affords the strongest proof that could be given of their persuasion of its truth and divine origin, and, therefore, lays a good foundation for the like persuasion in others, in the most distant places and most remote generations. We are now called to observe the good effects of an inferior degree of persecution, which spares men's lives, but harasses their persons and confiscates their property. By dispersing them in various directions, it proves the means of diffusing the knowledge of the truth through a wide extent of country; for they go every where, preaching the word. Thus do the storms of persecution in the moral world resemble the effects of the winds in the natural, which disperse the clouds, and make them descend in showers in distant regions. Here, then, we see the wisdom of God counteracting the designs of man, and rendering those means which were employed to suppress and destroy the truth, subservient to its further diffusion and establishment. Let us not then hastily arraign the conduct of providence, when we see the wise and good persecuted and oppressed; nor let us murmur or complain, when we ourselves suffer in a good cause. We are probably doing more essential service to mankind by our sufferings, than we could do in any other way. 2. The conduct of Peter, in rejecting money with indignation, when offered him upon dishonourable terms, deserves our admiration and applause. He hereby showed that, in preaching the gospel, he had some nobler object in view than enriching and aggrandizing himself, and that his sole motive for entering upon the course of life in which he had now engaged, was to fulfil the purposes of Divine Providence, and to promote the interests of mankind, by communicating the most important truth. In such an honourable employment, he is willing to remain poor, and to trust for protection and support to the favour of heaven and the charity of the benevolent. And in doing so, he has wiped away all suspicion of interested views from himself and his associates, as well as adhered to the injunction of his divine Master: "Freely ye have received, freely give." In this behaviour let other Christians learn to imitate Peter. Let no regard to money, or any worldly interest, induce them to conceal or renounce the truth, or to violate any duty which they owe to God and man. For this honourable integrity they may be condemned to live in poverty; but they will find more peace of mind in that condition, than all the splendour of riches could bestow; and what they lose in temporal emoluments in this life, will be amply repaid at the resurrection of the just. I shall here subjoin the observation of a learned commentator: (Dr. Benson :)" From this crime of Simon, a purchasing the ministerial function with money or bribes was called Simony, in the ancient canons of the Christian church. But it is now called so, to procure ecclesiastical benefices by bribing and corrupting such as have the disposal of them. Nor can they who take such bribes be wholly clear of all crime. SECTION XII. Conversion of the queen of Æthiopia's treasurer. ACTS viii. 26-40. 26. AND an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south, unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. As Stephen had called the voice that spake to Moses from the bush an angel of the Lord, it is possible that what is here called an angel might be something of the same kind, that is, a miraculous voice from heaven, or, perhaps a secret suggestion of the Spirit. This supposition seems so be confirmed by what is said below in verse the twenty-ninth, where we are told that not an angel, but the Spirit, gave directions to Philip how to act; although it be highly probable that the second directions came from the same instrument, whatever it might be, as the first. It is not easy to determine whether the word desert in this verse belong to the town of Gaza, or to the road which led from Jerusalem to it, being equally applicable to both. For the town was in ruins, and the road to it passed through a desert country. 27. And he arose and went; and behold an eunuch of Ethiopia, of great authority under Can : dace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28. Was returning, and, sitting in his chariot, read Isaiah the prophet. This man was probably a Jew by descent, although a native of Æthiopia; which will not appear extraordinary, considering that there was a great body of Jews at Alexandria in Egypt, a neighbouring country. Notwithstanding the prejudices which prevailed among the Gentiles against that people, he had recommended himself by his talents to the first post in the court of the queen of that part of Æthiopia which bordered upon Egypt. Like other foreign Jews, he went up to Jerusalem, at one of the great festivals, to worship God. A queen of this part of Ethiopia, of this name is mentioned by Pliny, and other heathen writers ;* which circumstance may be regarded as a confirmation of the truth of the Scripture history. * 29. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31. And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32. The place of the Scripture which he read, was this; He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before the shearer, "before the butcher," so he opened not his mouth. This prophecy is found in Isaiah liii. The first part of the verse refers to slaughter; it is more probable, therefore, that the last clause refers likewise to the same subject, and, agreeably to this supposition, it is found that both the Greek and Hebrew word signifies a destroyer, or devourer, as well as a shearer.† 33. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away, "his condemnation was extorted," and who shall declare his generation? i. e. "the men of his generation who shall be able to describe," on account of their wickedness? for his life is taken from the earth.‡ In the former of these two verses, the prophet predicts the silence and patience of Jesus, on two very remarkable occa * See Doddridge, Benson, Harwood. † Wakefield's Note and Silva Crit. I. p. 43. + Dodson's Isaiah. sions, his trial and his execution. In the other, he foretels that his condemnation would be extorted, and not the result of free opinion. The prophet also expresses his astonishment at the wickedness of the people, who could accomplish the death of so innocent and excellent person by such means. In giving this character of the Jews of that age, he is supported not only by the testimony of the evangelists, but also by that of Josephus, the Jewish historian. 34. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man? 35. Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. He took occasion, from this passage, to show how exactly the character and sufferings of Jesus corresponded with the prediction of the prophet, and to infer hence that he must be the Messiah promised to the Jews. 36. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37. And Philip said, if thou believest with all thy heart, If thou art perfectly convinced of the truth of the Christian doctrine, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This verse is omitted in the Alexandrian and many other manuscripts, and is, therefore, probably an addition to the text, made by some one who intended to supply what he conceived a proper answer to the eunuch's question.* But even if it were genuine, it would argue great ignorance, to infer from Philip's calling Christ the Son of God, that he had instructed the eunuch in the doctrine of Christ's divinity; nothing being more clear than that the Son of God signifies, in the language of the Jews of Christ's time, no more than Messiah or Christ, that is, the highly-favoured messenger of God. 38. And he commanded the chariot to stand still; 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 Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more; for he went on his way rejoicing. His going on his way is assigned as the reason why he saw Philip no more; it may be doubted, therefore, whether the expression, "the Spirit caught away, or took away, Philip," refers to his being miraculously conveyed through the air, as seems to have been the case with some of the ancient prophets; or merely to his being directed to leave him. The eunuch went on rejoicing, both because he was relieved from the perplexity which he before experienced respecting the passage which he was reading, and likewise because of his faith in the Christian religion, which affords just ground for joy. Some manuscriptst add to this verse, "The Holy Spirit fell upon the eunuch;" but, as none except the apostles appear to have had the power of communicating miraculous gifts, it is probable that this is a spurious addition to the text. 40. But Philip was found, or, "appeared," at Azotus; the Ashdod of the Old Testament; and, passing through, he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea. REFLECTIONS. 1. WE may observe how honourable is the character here given of the Ethiopian treasurer. He is not ashamed of his religion in a foreign country, nor in a luxurious court, but cheerfully exposes himself to all the ridicule, and all the contempt, which the public avowal of it would necessarily bring upon him, from his fellowcourtiers. Notwithstanding the importance of his office, he undertakes a long journey to fulfil his duty as a Jew, and employs the leisure which that journey affords, in reading the Scriptures. Such fortitude, piety, and zeal, reflect more lustre upon his character, than all the honours conferred upon him by his royal mistress. Justly were they rewarded by an early communication of the gospel of salvation, and with a place in these pages, in which he will be handed down to all succeeding generations. Happy are they who, like this nobleman, have courage to avow their religious principles in the most trying situations; who, amidst the cares and pleasures of exalted stations and important employments, can find leisure to attend to the duties of religion, and to improve their minds in useful knowledge. They will find that the time thus employed has not been spent in vain. In the principles which they hereby acquire, they will experience support when every earthly succour fails. The favour of princes is uncertain, and soon lost. All worldly grandeur will cease at death, if not before; but of the delightful prospects and divine consolations which religion affords, men can never be deprived. These will follow them to the grave, and live beyond it. Let no business or station *See Griesbach. |