Jerufalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they fent unto them Peter and John. I 15 Who when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Ghost. 16. (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Je fus.) directed.) telligence of the Progress of the A. D. 35. 16. (For these miraculous Powers, were not the immediate Privilege of all Converts upon Baptifm, but were dispensed by the Twelve Apostles, to fuch Perfons and Purposes as the Holy Spirit 17. Then laid they 17. Accordingly these two Atheir hands on them, postles came and conferred them and they received the upon several by Prayer, and the holy Ghost. fignificant Ceremony of laying their Hands on them. And, by thus conferring the Gifts of the Holy Spirit upon these Converts of Samaria, the Apostles took the most prudent and early Steps toward curing those long Prejudices, and Aversions that had poffefled the Minds of Jews and Samaritans against each other; shewing them now to be all equally acceptable to God, and capable of the Bleffings of the Meffiab's Kingdom, upor their Repentance and Conversion to his Religion. 18. And when Si mon faw that through laying on of the apostles hands, the holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19. Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the holy Ghoft. stow it upon him. 18 & 19. Simon observing this lege, if he had it; and judging E2 20. Which A. D. 35. 20. But Peter faid unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be pur 20. Which Proposal Peter rejected with the utmost Indignation, upbraiding him with the monstrous Wickedness of imagining, That a free Gift of God could ever, like earthly Commodities, be exposed to Sale, and of designing that for his own Vanity and Lucre, which God intended only for the spiritual Good of Mankind. Take your Money (fays he) the Love of which will chased with money. ------ be your Destruction. 21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the fight of God. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if* perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23. For I perceive that thou art in the 21. Telling him, that his Covetousness and Hypocrify was too great, to render him fit for any spiritual Gift, or capable of any Benefit from the Christian Religion. 22 & 23. But exhorted him at the same Time, to endeavour for a Pardon of this wicked Project, and for the Cure of his defperate and corrupted Difpofition, by the most earnest Prayer to God, and a special Degree of Humiliation and Repentance. gall † of bitterness, 24. Then answered me. en him withal. 24. By which fevere Rebuke, he seemed, at least, to be much affected, and begged of the two Apostles to join their Prayers to his own, That God would not punish him in so exemplary a Manner, as they feemed to threat25. The * Ver. 22. If perhaps-ci aça-This Particle does not denote any Uncertainty of God's Forgiveness, upon Simon's real Repentance; but is the fame with ei, & εἶπως, in Philip. iii. 11, 12, and elsewhere. The Sense is, That the Thought of thy Heart may be forgiven thee. + Ver. 23. Gall of Bitterness - Alluding (most probably) to Deut. xxix. 18. or xxxii. 32. † Ibid. Bond of Iniquity - Alluding to Ifai. lviii. 6. 25. And they, when they had teftified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jeufalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. 26. And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, faying, A. rife, and go toward the fouth, unto the way that goeth down from Jerufalem unto Gaza, which is defert. 27. And he arose and went: and behold a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treafure, and had come to Jerufalem for to worship, 28. Was returning, and fitting in his chariot, read Efaias the prophet. 29. Then the Spirit faid unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Efaias, and 25. The two Apostles having A. D. 35. by the Gifts of the Holy Ghost, confirmed and settled the Christians in these Parts, returned again to the other Ten at Jerufalem, preaching the Gofpel as they went through feveral Villages of the Samaritans, where Philip had not yet been. 26. He having also now finished his preaching, in the Place before - mentioned, had Orders given him by an Angel to leave it, and travel the Road that leads from Jerufalem to Gaza, that Part of it particularly, that lay through the Desert of Judah. 27 & 28. He went accordingly, and as foon as he came thither, found upon what Occasion he was sent; for he saw a Chariot upon the Road, belonging to the High Treasurer of the Queen of * Ethiopia, who being a Jewish Proselyte, had been at Jerufalem to worship the true God, at the great Feast of Pentecost, and was now returning home, and as he rode along, was reading in the Prophet Efaiah. 29. The Angel directed Philip to make up to the Chariot, and talk with the Treasurer about what he was reading. 30. He did fo, and asked him, if he understood that famous and remarkable Passage? laid, Understandest thou what thou readest? E 3 * That Part of it that lay under Egypt. 31. And A. D. 35. 31. And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? and he defired Philip that he would 31. No (faid he) it can hardly be expected, a Stranger, not much skill'd in the Jewish Learning, should be able to interpret their Prophecies; and, being defirous to be informed, requested Philip to come into the Chariot, and of it. And so he did. shew him the Meaning 32. The place of the scripture which the shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33. In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the 32 & 33. The Paffage was that of Ifai. liii. 8. (according to the Greek Translation) concerning the Meffiah. He was led as a Sheep to. the Slaughter, and as a Lamb dumb before his Shearer, so opened he not his Mouth. Signifying the perfect Innocency of Life, and the absolute Patience, Modesty, and Refignation of CHRIST under his Condemnation and Sufferings. In his Humiliation bis Judgment was taken away, i. e. While he condescended to live upon Earth in the low and humble Estate of Manhood, he should be most unjustly treated, and have no Right or Juftice done him. And who shall declare his Generation? For his Life is taken from the Earth, i. e. Who can fufficiently express the Wickedness of that. Generation of Men, who thus condemned and crucified their own Meffiab? earth. 34. The Treasurer defired to know, Whether Ifaiah spake this of himself, or of fome other great and eminent Prophet? 34. And the eunuch 35. Then Philip o- 35. Whereupon Philip took Occasion to shew him, how this, and abundance of other Prophecies, were defigned to be eminently and compleatly fulfilled in the Meffiah; convincing him all the Way, that Jesus was the very Person. to whose Life, Death, Refurrection, I and and Afcenfion, these Scriptures exactly answered; and A. D. 35. consequently that He was the Saviour of Mankind, and fo all were obliged to embrace his Doctrine, and be baptized into the Profession of his Religion. 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 faid, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayeft. And he answered and said, I be lieve that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God. 38. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into 36. The Man was fully convinced of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion by Philip's Difcourse, and requested him to baptize him into the Profeffion and Privileges of it. 37 & 38. Philp told him, that if his Conviction was real and fincere, and his Refolution to persevere and live up to it firm and hearty, he would do it. And having his repeated Assurances that he was so, he baptized him at the next convenient Water they came to. 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, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. 40. But Philip was found at Azotus: and paffing through, he preached 39. When all was over, the the Truth of what he had taught 40. The Angel carried Philip E 4 Place * Ver. 39. The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip. Note, The Alexandrian, and other MSS. read it thus, πνέυμα ἅγιον ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ ζὸν Ἐυνέχον; ἄγγελο δὲ κυρίκ, &ι. "The 66 Holy Spirit fell upon the Eunuch; but the Angel of the " Lord caught away Philip." And accordingly, by the Powers of this Spirit, the Eunuch is said to have planted the Gofpel in Ethiopia, as Eufebius says, Hift. Lib. 2. Cap. 1. |