Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/93

Rh to the custom, they went perhaps up to the ancles or mid-leg into the water, and Philip sprinkled water upon him, according to the prophecy which this eunuch had probably but just now read, for it was but a few verses before those which Philip found him upon, and was very apposite to his case; (Isa. 52. 15.) So shall he sprinkle many nations, kings and great men shall shut their mouths at him, shall submit to him, and acquiesce in him, for that which had not before been told them shall they see, and that which they had not heard shall they consider. Observe, Though Philip had very lately been deceived in Simon Magus, and had admitted him to baptism, though he afterward appeared to be no true convert, yet he did not therefore scruple to baptize the eunuch upon his profession of faith immediately, without putting him upon a longer trial than usual. If some hypocrites crowd into the church, that afterward prove a grief and scandal to us, yet we must not therefore make the door of admission any straiter than Christ has made it; they shall answer for their apostacy, and not we.

VI. Philip and the eunuch are parted presently; and this is as surprising as the other parts of the story. One would have expected that the eunuch should either have stayed with Philip, or have taken him along with him into his own country, and, there being so many ministers in those parts, he might be spared, and it would be worth while: but God ordered otherwise; as soon as they were come up out of the water, before the eunuch went into his chariot again, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, (v. 39.) and did not give him time to make an exhortation to the eunuch, as usual after baptism, which it is probable the one intended, and the other expected; but his sudden departure was sufficient to make up the want of that exhortation, for it seems to have been miraculous, and that he was caught up in the air in the eunuch's sight, and so carried out of his sight; and the working of this miracle upon Philip, was a confirmation of his doctrine, as much as the working of a miracle by him would have been. He was caught away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but, having lost his minister, returned to the use of his Bible again. Now here we are told,

1. How the eunuch was disposed; he went on his way rejoicing; he pursued nis journey, business called him home, and he must hasten to it; for it was no way inconsistent with his christianity, which places no sanctity or perfection in men's being hermits or recluses, but is a religion which men may and ought to carry about with them into the affairs of this life. But he went on, rejoicing; so far was he from reflecting upon this sudden resolution and change, or advancement rather in his religion, with any regret, that his second thoughts confirmed him abundantly in it, and he went on, rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory; he was never better pleased in all his life. (1.) He rejoiced that he himself was joined to Christ, and had an interest in him. And, (2.) That he had these good tidings to bring to his countrymen, and a prospect of bringing them also, by virtue of his interest among them, into fellowship with Christ; for he returned, not only a christian, but a minister. Some copies read this verse thus: And when they were come up out of the water, the Holy Spirit fell upon the eunuch, (without the ceremony of the apostle's imposition of hands,) but the angel of the Lord caught away Philip.

2. How Philip was disposed of; (v. 40.) He was found at Azotus or Ashdod, formerly a city of the Philistines; there the angel or Spirit of the Lord dropped him, which was above thirty miles from Gaza, whither the eunuch was going, and where Dr. Lightfoot thinks he took ship, and went by sea into his own country; But Philip, wherever he was, would not be idle; passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea, and there he settled, and, for aught that appears, had his principal residence ever after; for at Caesarea we find him in a house of his own, ch. 21. 8. He that had been faithful in working for Christ as an itinerant, at length gains a settlement.

CHAP. IX. In this chapter, we have, I. The famous story of St. Paul's conversion from being an outrageous persecutor of the gospel of Christ, to be an illustrious professor and preacher of it. 1. How he was first awakened and wrought upon by an appearance of Christ himself to him as he was going upon an errand of persecution to Damascus: and what a condition he was in while he lay under the power of those convictions and terrors, v. 1..9. 2. How he was baptized by Ananias, by immediate direction from heaven, v. 10..19. 3. How he immediately commenced doctor, and pre&ched the faith of Christ, and proved what he preached, v. 20..22. 4. How he was persecuted, and narrowly escaped with his life, v. 23..25. 5. How he was admitted among the brethren at Jerusalem: how he preached, and was persecuted there, v. 26..30. 6. The rest and quietness which the churches enjoyed for some time after this, v. 31. II. The cure wrought by Peter on Æneas, who had long been laid up of a palsy, v. 32..35. III. The raising of Tabitha from death to life, at the prayer of Peter, v. 36..44.

ND Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the High-Priest, 2. And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5. And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6. And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

We found mention made of Saul twice or thrice in the story of Stephen, for the sacred penman even longed to come to his story; and now we are come to it, not quite taking leave of Peter; but from henceforward being mostly taken up with Paul the apostle of the Gentiles, as Peter was of the circumcision. His name in Hebrew, was, Saul—desired, though as remarkably little in stature as his namesake king Saul was tall and stately; one of the ancients calls him, Homo tricubitalis—but four foot and a half in height; his Roman name which he went by among the citizens of Rome, was, Paul—little. He was born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, a free city of the Romans, and himself a freeman of