The Christian will readily image to himself the glowing application made by Philip of these strikingly pathetic allusions to the passion and the cross of Christ. He will hear him enlarging on his Redeemer's wonderful condescension in taking upon himself our humanity; on his patience under persecution; on his many miracles to the diseased; on his many mercies to the wretched; on his impartial censure of vice, whether clad in poverty or purple; on his zeal for his friends, and his forgiveness of his foes; but most especially on the unshaken courage with which he met the most unparalleled tortures. He will hear him, moreover, proclaim, that as God had created, and the Son of God redeemed, so would the Spirit of God guide man into all truth; as well in the wilderness of Gaza as amid the worshippers at Jerusalem. Such may the Christian disciple conclude was the scriptural exposition of Philip, when " preaching Jesus

to this devout Ethiopian. The effect was immediate and decisive," the seed was sown on good ground;"—he "believed with his whole heart," he became a disciple of the Church of Christ. He was forthwith admitted into the communion of Christians; -an active believer, he had searched into the treasures of divine wisdom, and, by the saving mercy of his God, he had discovered them-he was immediately baptized.

A similar declaration of the "whole heart's belief" is in this brighter day of Christianity required of its disciple before

he can be admitted into the covenant of grace. The conditions which this gracious covenant prescribes, must be attested by the sponsors of those who are too young to answer for themselves. By the most solemn obligations, they make themselves responsible for the faith and obedience of the infant

disciple. The question is substantially the same as in the infancy of Christ's religion"Believest thou with all thine heart?" It must not be made an objection to the sacred character of the ceremonial, as it is now administered, that the contracting party are too often faithless to their trust. They will be awfully responsible for the charge they have neglected, and the non-fulfilment of the necessary conditions will assuredly be visited upon the heads of the unfaithful. The Sacrament of baptism still stands the hallowed threshold to the Church of Christ : ordained by him, it derives no impurity from the sins of its disciples. There is a sister sacrament where those sins, repented of, may be forgiven, under the atoning merits of that Redeemer who instituted both;- the Christian may pass through this, and again "go on his way rejoicing." It is well if the after conduct of the baptized

respond to the spirit of the Ethiopian's reply:" I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

There is one remarkable feature in this fruitful little history which must not escape your observation, since it serves to strengthen the assertion made in the beginning of this letter; that every individual, whatever be his rank or station, if he manifest a proper disposition of heart, becomes the immediate care of his All-merciful Father. When this commissioned servant of God had accomplished his important trust, and wrought conversion upon the Ethiopian's soul, we hear of him no more;-for this sole act of mercy had he been summoned from a distant country; and this sole act performed, he repaired to other scenes, where his presence and his preaching might work some new deliverance. "The Spirit caught him away,”—the new disciple

"went away

rejoicing," and "Philip was found at Azotus and passing through, he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea."

I have singled out, from numberless equally instructive narratives in holy writ, this history of the eunuch's conversion, as well on account of the particularly useful lecture which it reads to the minister and the people, as that I might from one instance teach you how to apply other historical passages of Scripture.

In pressing upon the consideration of your congregation what has been detailed

to you in this letter, (and you may very materially improve the discussion,) I wish you first to awaken their attention to the efficacy that will ever attach to a close communion with the Scriptures. In public or in private, at church or at home, these must be their associates; their resources in