and fetters of evil habits; when he delivereth | our care to arise without delay to newness of him out of the hands of his enemies to serve life, not suffering ourselves, through sloth and God without fear; the time of his bondage, indolence, to relapse into evil habits, like the under the elements of the world, and the do- sluggard upon his bed, who requireth always minion of sin, appeareth as a dream, from" a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a which he now findeth himself most happily little more folding of the hands to sleep." awaked; awaked to the prospect of a bliss Let us arise at the first admonition, because, that is not visionary, of a real and substantial that being rejected, God may not vouchsafe good, that melteth not into air, as the shadowy us another; and there will be more difficulty enjoyments of this world do, but affordeth in obeying it, if he should do so. Let us solid comfort to the person who is possessed therefore dread a relapse, and guard against it. of it; awaked to follow after that honor For this purpose, let us be constantly emwhich cometh from God only, those riches ployed in some good work, and much of the which neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, danger will be removed; since listlessness in those pleasures which are at God's right hand, the mind, like a lethargy in the body, is best and that wisdom which maketh wise unto cured by motion and exercise; and when salvation; awaked to a steady and uniform temptations are creeping upon us, there is no pursuit of these glorious objects, instead of better method of baffling and putting them to that endless desire of novelty and variety flight, than by forcing ourselves to read, or. which wearieth the men of the world, leaving pray, or perform some other work of piety them always disappointed of their hope: in a to God, or charity to our neighbor. Above word, awaked to the knowledge and love of all things, let us beware, that surfeiting and an inheritance in light, that fadeth not, but excess do not oppress and weigh down the shall endure for ever in heaven, even when heart, inducing sleep upon the soul, as well the world itself shall fly away as a dream, as the body. Let us be temperate, let us be and the very remembrance of it vanish as a sober, walking evermore as children of the vision of the night. light, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying; for all these are the works of darkness: but that darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. Thus shall we be qualified to set and keep that constant watch, which is absolutely necessary to perceive and repel the enemy, at his first appoach. "What I say unto you," saith Christ to his disciples," I say unto you all—WATCH." This if we do, we shall spend our time, as it ought to be spent, in working out our salvation, and not dream away, in vanity and folly, the precious and fleeting hours allowed us for that purpose. And happy, thrice happy, the man, who, in the evening of life, taking a survey of what is past, shall be able to say, with an humble confidence, to his blessed Master, as that Master, in the days.of his flesh, said to the Father; "I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." His body shall lie down in the dust in perfect peace, and rest in hope, till the dawning of the great day; when that likewise shall receive its summons from heaven, by the voice of the archangel; "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."

If, therefore, these things be so-and surely the Scriptures say they are so; if the state of the sinner, or man of the world, be one of darkness, insensibility, and delusion; and if such a state be not judged preferable to one of light, and sense, and substantial reality; let no man be disobedient to the voice of the church, which, through the course of this penitential season, incessantly addresseth every one of her children; "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." Awake, therefore, thou that sleepest: awake, and sing, ye that dwell in the dust, and mind earthly things: awake, O thou Christian soul, and utter a song in praise of him who hath redeemed thee: awake, awake, put on the Lord Jesus thy strength, put on righteousness and holiness'thy beautiful garments; shake thyself from the dust, and set thy affections on things above: the night is far spent, the day is at hand; cast off therefore the works of darkness, and put on the whole armor of light: arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee: arise, and stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee the light of life.

Awakened by these repeated calls, be

it

DISCOURSE XV.

THE NOBLE CONVERT.

ACTS, VIII. 34, 35.

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him JESUS.

tory world, every thing that perplexeth, and every thing that defileth, let us take a view of the no less engaging than interesting circumstances of the history before us.

St. Philip, commonly styled the Evangelist, one of the seven deacons, and next in order to St. Stephen, being driven from Jerusalem by the persecution which arose at the time of the protomartyr's death, went down. to the city of Samaria; and, ever mindful of the commission he had received, and the necessity of executing it, preached Christ to the people there. So that the storm raised by the adversary against the church turned out to the furtherance of the Gospel, being made a means of wafting the seeds of evangelical truth to distant lands, in order to a more plentiful and glorious harvest.

We are now drawing towards the close of that penitential season, set apart by the wis dom of the church for retirement and recollection, confession and humiliation, mortification and self-denial, meditation and devotion; to the end that, having discovered and cast out our sins, having subdued pride, and extinguished concupiscence, having brought the body into subjection, and rendered the spirit tender, and humble, and holy, we might be prepared to attend our blessed Redeemer at the celebration of his last passover; to accompany him from the garden to the high-priest's palace, from thence to the prætorium, and from thence to Mount Calvary; there to take our station, with the Virgin Mother, and the beloved disciple, at the foot of the cross, and "look on him whom we have pierced." The history therefore of the Ethiopian nobleman's While he was employed in edifying his conversion, effected by St. Philip's expound- Samaritan converts, a fresh opportunity ing to him the liiid chapter of Isaiah, seemeth was offered him of advancing his Master's no improper subject whereon to employ our kingdom; as, indeed, opportunities of dothoughts, at a time when the church is en- ing that blessed work are seldom wanting forcing on us the duties of repentance and to him who has the piety and skill to seize faith, by the same argument which first pro- and improve them aright. "The angel of duced them in the heart of that illustrious the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, person; namely, the unexampled sorrows and go towards the south, unto the way and sufferings of the Son of God for the sins that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza, of the world; to the contemplation of which which is desert." The most unpromising is dedicated the great and holy week upon journey shall be a prosperous one, when which we this day enter; a week, spent in undertaken in obedience to the divine resigsuch a manner by them of olden time, as made nation, intimated by a lawful call. Nor let it evident to every beholder, that these were the minister of Christ despair, whose lot is "the days in which the bridegroom was cast in the midst of spiritual barrenness taken away." For now (as the ancient canons and desolation. He who sent Philip to a and constitutions inform us) men gave over desert place, did not send him there for all worldly employments, and, making the nought: since even in such a soil he raised happy exchange of earth for heaven, betook a fair and fragrant flower, which having themselves wholly to devotion, heightened bloomed, for its appointed time, on earth, and improved by those religious exercises, in the beauty of holiness, now displays its which the experience of pious men in all colors, and diffuses its odors, in the paraages hath evinced to be conducive to that dise of God; who, whenever he pleases to end. Dismissing therefore from our thoughts bless the labors of his servants, can cause the cares and pleasures of a vain and transi-" the wilderness and the solitary place to be

glad for them, and the desert to rejoice, and | life in a ground so well prepared. "Arise," blossom as the rose."

This Philip knew, and therefore made no objection, and asked no questions, but arose and went." And he who shows the same unreserved obedience to the will of his Lord, shall reap the fruits of it in this world, and that which is to come.

says the ever-gracious Spirit of God to Philip, " and go toward the south, to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert: " for there he might behold a minister of state, sitting in his chariot, and reading the Scriptures! So ready is God to teach, when man is ready to hear.

Such an opportunity of instructing the welldisposed was not to be neglected, for a single moment, by the faithful messenger of Christ. No sooner, therefore, did the Spirit order Philip to "go near and join himself to this chariot," but he "ran thither" instantly.

Being come to the side of the chariot, he

For no sooner was Philip arrived at the place appointed, but (the wisdom of God so ordering) behold, arrived at the same time, "a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure." But what made this statesman great in the sight of God, was his extraor-" heard him read Esaias the prophet;" and dinary piety, which led him to the temple of Jerusalem. For the fame of this temple, diffused abroad among the nations round about, brought many continually to inquire "concerning the Name of the Lord," who resided in it, and to worship him in the court assigned them for that purpose, which was therefore styled the court of the Gentiles. Among others came this Lord Treasurer of Ethiopia, who, engaged, as he must of course be by his office, in a multiplicity of worldly honor, could find time and inclination, it seems, to take a long Journey on the account of religion; thinking himself never so well employed, as when attending the city and court of the great King; never so highly honored, as when suffered to prostrate himself before JEHOVAH, the God of Israel: "He had been to Jerusalem to worship, and was returning."

his introductory question to him was " understandest thou what thou readest?" A question, which every reader of the sacred books must frequently put to himself, if he would not read in vain. And happy they, who like this nobleman, are not offended when it is put to them, but show the meek and teachable disposition of their minds by returning his answer, "How can I, except some man should guide me?" Such will have the wisdom and grace to desire the company of those (however lowly their appearance and condition in the world may be, compared with their own) who can tell them words, whereby they may be saved. "He desired Philip, that he would come up, and sit with him."

The evangelist being seated in the chariot, they proceeded to consider the place of Scripture, to which the providence of God, predisposing those incidents commonly ascribed But as the tide of secular affairs, if suffered to chance, had directed the nobleman; which to break in, will presently extinguish the was the following passage in the liiid chapter spark of devotion, though kindled in the soul of Isaiah; "He was led as a sheep to the by a coal from the altar; in order to cherish slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before his the heavenly thoughts and affections produced shearer, so opened he not his mouth. In his in his mind by worshipping towards the holy humiliation his judgment was taken away; temple of the Lord, as he returned home in and who shall declare his generation? for his his chariot "he read Esaias the prophet; "life is taken from the earth." thereby teaching us where to look for Christ, It is obvious, at first sight, that the prophet and how to sanctify with pious reading all is here drawing a picture of afflicted innoour leisure hours; out of the many thousands cence. But it was impossible for the nobleof which so carelessly and extravagantly man to understand the place, because he squandered (though God knows we have need of them all), there is not one, but, if rightly used, might set us considerably forward in our way to glory. How will this illustrious personage arise up in the judgment against all This great leading question in the interprethose Christians, who in the hours of domes- tation of the Scriptures, Philip will teach us tic ease and tranquillity never open a Bible, how to answer; who, having waited all this when he would not even travel without one time to hear his new disciples read the passin the chariot with him! "Sitting in his age, and propose his difficulties upon it, now chariot he read Esaias the prophet." A no- at length "opened his mouth, and began at bleman thus employed was an object that the same Scripture, and preached unto him engaged the attention of Heaven, and an JESUS"-may we not suppose, without preevangelist was sent to sow the seed of eternal | sumption, in words to the following effect

knew not to whom the description belonged; as appears by his asking Philip "I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?"

Be not surprised to find, that you cannot, without assistance, attain to a right understanding of the ancient prophecies, seeing you want that key which alone can open them, and admit you to a discernment of the holy mysteries they contain. For prophecy, being not the word of man, but given by inspiration of the Spirit of God, terminates not in the temporary affairs of this world, but extends to the eternal concerns of another and better life, leading men to that dispensation of love and mercy which is now about to be unfolded to you.

scribes him, small and of no reputation, from a family nearly extinct, like a tender plant springing unnoticed from its root hidden in a barren and dry land, out of which nothing eminent was expected to rise. In the manner of his appearance he had no form nor comeliness, none of the advantages of worldly grandeur, no ornaments of state to set him off; and when we saw him with our outward eyes, there was no beauty that we should desire him; his visage was so marred by sufferings more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. For the usage he met with from the world was even more discouraging than his poor and lowly appearance. He was despised and rejected of the men he came to save: all his life long a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, his bosom friend and companion night and day, during his pilgrimage upon earth. Unheeded and unregarded he walked amongst us, while we, not discerning his glory through the veil of flesh cast over it, hid as it were our faces from him, and would none of his company; but finding

Know, then, that the prophet Isaiah, in the passage before us, is by no means speaking of himself, or his own private sufferings, but those of another man, in whom the whole world is interested; and who is mentioned by him elsewhere under the title of IMMANUEL, or GOD WITH US; that divine Person, ordained from the beginning to reverse the sad effects of the fall of Adam, which you read of in the books of Moses, and to be the Redeemer of mankind from sin and sorrow, from death temporal and eternal. This Person, the ob-him despised by the many and the great, we ject of the faith and hope of the people of God in all ages, prefigured in the law, foretold by the prophets, and celebrated in the Psalms, the Messiah of the Jews, and the desire of all nations, of whose appearing, as at this time, a general expectation prevails among both, has accordingly been manifested in the flesh, to fulfil all that was written of him; and having kept the law of man, and suffered death for his transgression of it, he arose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven, from whence he sent down his Spirit to establish his kingdom among the Gentiles by the preaching of that Gospel which the Jews have rejected, expelling those charged with the publication of it out of their coasts.

esteemed him not, for the very reason which ought to have made him most dear to us. For surely the griefs he bare, and the sorrows he carried, were not his own, but ours; yet we, not considering for whom he suffered, did esteem him the outcast of heaven and earth, stricken in just judgment from above, smitten of God in his anger, and afflicted by his heavy displeasure. And indeed he was wounded, but it was for our transgressions; he was bruised, but our iniquities bruised him; the chastisement he underwent procured our peace; and the stripes inflicted on his pure and innocent body, were as balm to heal the wounds of our polluted and guilty souls. Our sins were the true cause of his sorrows. All we, the wretched sons of wretched Adam, like sheep ever ready to wander from the fold, have gone astray; we have turned from the only right way, the path of God's commandments, every one to his own evil way; and the merciful Lord, instead of punishing us, laid on him the iniquities of us all; a burthen, which the world could not have sustained a moment. He, the son of God, himself, was sore oppressed and afflicted with it; his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. But his love to man was invincible, You may wonder, perhaps, what could in- burning and shining amidst a sea of troubles duce them to reject their Saviour, whom they unutterable; all the waves of affliction, which were all along taught by their own Scriptures broke over him, could not quench it, neither to expect. It was the poverty and humility could the floods of Belial drown it. His rein which he came to visit us, so contrary to solution to save us, like a branch of the victheir modern, proud, and carnal conceits. torious palm, received strength from the For this being the season of his humiliation weight laid upon it. He could have comfor our sins, he grew up, as Isaiah here demanded the armies of heaven to have attend

The behavior of this stubborn and stiffnecked people, who, as they crucified the Master, never cease to persecute his servants, forces us to cry out in the words spoken by the prophet in spirit so long before; Lord, who, among thy once faithful people Israel, hath believed our report concerning the manifestation of thy Christ; and to whom hath this arm of Jehovah, this mighty power of God, been revealed by our ministry, to the purposes of salvation?

VOL. II.

12

This view of things so affected the nobleman, and the love of his Saviour thus dying for him took such entire possession of his soul, that when, by the direction of the same good

ed him in a moment; but thus it behoved quities, and done away their sins. Therefore, Christ to suffer; and therefore the inhabitants the multitudes of the nations are given him of the regions of glory, instead of vindicating for the portion of his inheritance, and the his innocence, taught the church of the re-strong and mighty kingdoms of the world, redeemed to adore his passion; which, bitter as scued from the tyranny of Satan, shall beit was (for never was sorrow like unto his come his; because for them, though they sorrow!) extorted not one repining or com- knew him not, he hath poured out his soul plaining word from him. He was oppressed, unto death, and was numbered with transand he was afflicted, yet he opened not his gressors and malefactors, and bare the sin of mouth. He was brought to the cross, all Adam and all his posterity; and being heremeekness and quietness, as a lamb to the by exalted to the throne of God, there conslaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers, tinueth for ever to make intercession for you, that liveliest portraiture of resigned inno- and for me, and for all transgressors. cence, is dumb, so opened he not his mouth before his malicious persecutors. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away; the Judge of all the earth was condemned by one who acknowledged him to be guiltless; and Providence that superintended this whole afthough a person of such high and unspeakable | dignity, that neither men nor angels can declare the manner of his generation, yet he shared with us the lot of mortality, and tasted death for every man; he was cut off from the land of the living, for the transgression of the people was he smitten. He, whose style is, "the Lord our Righteousness," died with the wicked, and the possessor of heaven and earth was beholden to the rich for a grave. Although he had done no violence, neither was there deceit in his mouth, for in his person mercy and truth met together; yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, as one made sin for us, though he himself knew no sin; he hath put him to grief, that we might rejoice evermore, seeing he made his soul an offering, and was accepted of the Father, as a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world. Accordingly, the debt man had contracted being discharged, his substitute was released from the prison of the grave, and ascended into his glory, where he reaps the fruit of his labors. For now he sees his seed, the generation of the faithful converts adopted into his family and made his children; he has prolonged his days and those of his spiritual offspring for ever and ever; and the pleasure of the Lord, the work of man's salvation, prospers gloriously in his hands. He sees the numerous issue of the travail of his soul in those bitter pangs it endured upon the cross; and esteeming it an ample recompense for them all, is satisfied, and filled with joy. By the knowledge of his heavenly doctrine, to be preached in all the world, shall the righteous servant of Jehovah justify an innumerable multitude of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, who, like the spangles of early dew, or the stars of the firmament, shall shine evermore by communications of his glory; for he has borne their ini

fair, "they came," as they journeyed on, "to a certain water, he said," in transport," See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized" into the name of this JESUS whom thou preachest? "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that JESUS is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and they went down both into the water, both Philip and eunuch, and he baptized him. 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." How careful ought we to be to snatch, and improve to the utmost, every opportunity of making our calling and election sure! how watchful, lest the day of salvation pass unheeded away, and the Sun of Righteousness set upon our impenitence and unbelief! Philip had other work in great abundance to do, and one sermon had converted the nobleman. "He went on his way rejoicing," full of joy in the Holy Ghost; and he who came from Ethiopia, Lord Treasurer to queen Candace, made his entrance into it again in a different character, that of apostle of Jesus Christ; for as such, the ecclesiastical historians inform us, he was commissioned to preach the Gospel to his countrymen, the truth of which he finally sealed with his blood.* In heaven he again beholds the face of his own pastor and father in Christ. Numbered with the saints of the Most High in glory everlasting, with what pleasure do they now look back upon the time they spent together in the chariot over the lid chapter of Isaiah; that small portion of time, productive of so much never-ending joy and comfort to them both!

And now let us make a suitable application of this delightful and profitable part of sacred story.

* Jortin's Remarks on Eccles. Hist. vol. i. p. 304.