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A12524
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The Ethiopian eunuchs conuersion. Or, The summe of thirtie sermons vpon part of the eight chapter of the Acts. By Samuel Smith, minister of the word
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Smith, Samuel, 1588-1665.
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1632
(1632)
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STC 22847; ESTC S119101
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159,079
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581
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kingdome of God themselues nor suffered those that would Now wanting the word to direct them they serue Idols yea they worship Sathan instead of God For there is no worship can bee pleasing acceptable vnto God that hath not the word for it warrant He read Isaiah the Prophet Here we see â—is employment in his Iourney vpon his returne home into his countrey hee was not idle neither gaue he himselfe to sleeping nor spent he his time in idle discourse nor yet in reading vaine foolish wanton and lasciuious bookes as the manner of many is to do But he spent his time in reading the Scripture and in studying the word of God for the further building of himselfe vp in the knowledge of God and of Christ Whose example may commend vnto all Gods people a necessarie duty namely That they be daily conuersant in the Scriptures Doct. Godly must be conuersant in the Scriptures Deu. 6.6 7. and exercise themselues daily therein This is that charge Moses gaue vnto the people from the Lord These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently vnto thy children and shalt talke of them as thou sittest in thy house when thou walkest by the way when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp Againe Ios 1.8 The booke of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth But thou shalt meditate therein day and night This is Christ owne charge Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 for in them ye leoke to haue eternall life This is likewise an Apostolicall iniunction Col. 3.16 Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously To this Solomon exhorteth diligently when hee saith Prou. 7.3 speaking of the word Binde them vpon thy fingers write them vpon the table of thine heart And againe Vers 4 Say vnto Wisedome thou art my sister and call vnderstanding thy kinswoman And this was the great commendations of Timothy that hee knew the Scriptures of a childe Therefore doubtlesse very conuersant in them And of Apollo it is said that hee was mightie in Gods word So that we see to spend much time in reading the Scriptures and to be conuersant in Gods word is an excellent things a commendable duty Though the reading of the Scriptures doe not ordinarily worke faith and repentance Reas 1 yet it is an excellent meanes to prepare the heart for the same worke and to confirme our faith to strengthen it and to build vp a man daily more and more in the knowledge of Christ Secondly Gods word must be the rule of out walking Reas 2 and that narrow road within the limits whereof we should alwayes containe our selues And indeed by the word must all our actions be tried and iudged and therefore it were most expedient that by the word all our actions should bee squared Thirdly it is that onely that must bee our comfort Reas 3 when all other comforts faile Now a sure friend must not be contemned I had perished in my affliction saith Dauid had it not beene for thy word Vse 1 Seeing then that the Scriptures ought so diligently and frequently be read of vs. How iniuriously then doth the Church of Rome deale with mens soules that will not permit men the reading of the Scriptures no priuate man in that Church without speciall lycence may reade the Scriptures but must take all vpon trust and vpon the bare word of their teachers But what is this but directly to contradict the Lord himselfe We see that ignorant men peruert the Scriptures Obiect A poore filly shift Resp because some abuse the Scriptures shall others therefore not be permitted the lawfull vse thereof meates drinkes c. What is there amongst vs that is not abused must therefore the lawfull vse be taken away This may serue to condemne thousands amongst vs Vse 2 who seldome or neuer reade the Scriptures neuer take the booke of God into their hands yea such as giue no place to Gods word in their houses hardly haue a Bible at home Cards and Dice are rife amongst them these are turned and tossed euery day but the book of God is cast into a corner lyes couered with dust and the Spider spins her web ouer it This may serue also to taxe many Noble men and Gentle men Vse 3 who thinke it a base and contemptible thing to reade the Scriptures therefore they spend their time in Hawking and Hunting in Carding and in Dicing in eating and drinking and in all manner of licentious courses but as for reading the Scriptures it is held a matter of reproach to seem to haue a Bible in their hands a matter of precisenesse curiositie and more then needs But they must haue in stead of the Scriptures which are able to make them wise vnto saluation idle vaine and lasciuious bookes the Court of Venus the Pallace of pleasure bookes of loue and venery books of lyes and vanitie which doe poyson youth stir vp lust and all vncleanenesse and drowne men in perdition Well let such men know that while they bestow more time and leisure in reading such vaine and idle Pamphlets then in Gods word the Lord will plague punish them with a spirituall plague and iudgement from aboue that they remaine strangers from the comforts of Gods word that is indeed a clapsed and a sealed book vnto them whereas vnto the godly the word of God is their greatest ioy and solace Thy word saith Dauid is sweeter vnto mee then the honey the honey combe and againe Thy word is dearer vnto mee then thousands of gold and siluer This comfort such men are strangers vnto whilest with the Swine they feede on huskes and draffe and haue no appetite at all to the word of life And last of all Vse 4 this may serue to prouoke vs all in the feare of God by the example of this worthy man to a greater loue and delight in the word that we bestow more time in reading and searching therein for great is the fruit and profit that comes thereby We see a childe will take delight to reade his Fathers Will to see what Legacies be giuen him of his father Now the word of God in the old and new Testament is the Will of God the Father yea Christ last Will and Testament wherein be many legacies giuen to Gods children namely remission of sinnes eternall life the kingdome of heauen c. O then if we be the sonnes of God how can we choose but looke into these Legacies royalties and priuiledges giuen vnto vs of God our Father We see how carefull men bee to get the booke of Statutes into their houses how diligently will they reade them and meditate vpon them that they may not offend how much more ought men to search into Gods statute Booke his Word that they may not sinne against him He reade Esayas the Prophet But why tooke he such paines in reading the Scriptures Quest migâ—t not this seeme to be
Christ that hee labour aboue all things to be assured of the truth of his calling that the same bee from God that so they may performe the same in faith and obedience and feed the flocke of Christ that is committed vnto them But how shall a man truely know that he is called to preach the Gospell Quest This is knowne diuers wayes Answ How to know a Minister to haue his calling from God First by those gifts that qualifie a man for the worke of the Ministery for God neuer sends but qualifies first Secondly the testimony of a mans owne conscience that hee enters not for any other by-respect but for the aduancement of Christs kingdome Thirdly the approbation of the Church Fourthly a propense inclination to be exercised in that calling as if a Minister were like a creature out of it clement vnlesse hee were setting forward the Lords worke either in publike or priuate Fiftly if the Lord in some measure blesse his labours this is as the Lords signet or seale set to his calling VERSE 27. And he arose and went Text. c. HItherto of Philips Commission now of the execution of his Commission The Angell biddeth him goe but telleth him not what he shall doe or what profit should come of his trauaile yet Philip goes And thus the Lord made triall of the obedience of Abraham when hee called him to goe into the land of Canaan Gen. 12. not acquainting him with the end wherefore he sent him thither And thus the Lord tryeth the obedience of his seruants And surely this serued much for the commendations of the obedience of Philip that he reasoned not the matter with the Angell but being called presently obeyed He arose and went Teaching vs Doct. We must yeeld oâ—edience to Gods commandement though we see nâ— reason Gen. 7. that wee are to yeeld obedience vnto Gods commandement though wee see no reason and we are to know that this is sufficient for vs that our obedience be approued to God Thus Noah when God commanded him to build an Aâ—â—â— though he might haue had mâ—ny discouragements in that worke if hee had consulted with flesh and bloud as namely how it could be possible that he should bee saued and all the world drowned The difficulty of the worke men hauing no experience of Ships how such a vessell should saue Length of time one hundred and twenty yeares the mocking of that sinfull world c. Yet this is obserued to the great commendations of his faith By faith Noah moued with reuerence prepared the Arke Heb. 11.7 Abraham receiued a commandement to go out of his Country to leaue his kindred and his fathers house to goe into a place he knew not Now this is likewise obserued as a great commendations of his faith that he yeelded obedience not reasoning the caâ—â— with God Heb. 11.8 So likewise when God called him to sacrifice his sonne Isaac he yeelded obedience not consulting with flesh and blood what should become of the promise if Isaac were gone ver 17.18 but readily yeelds him vp vnto God A contrary example wee haue in Saul who spared Agag the king â— Sam. â—5 and the fat of the cattle whereas the Lord had Commanded him to destroy them all And of the Prophet that was commanded not to eat yet disobeyed and was therefore killed of a Lion 1 Reg. 13.8 And in what a miserable case had Naaman beene in had hee persisted in his opinion and had not hearkened vnto the Prophet And there is reason for it First in regard he is the Soueraigne Lord of all Reas 1 and must be obeyed his power and authority ouer men and Angels yea all creatures is absolute hee is the Creator we the creature â—â—e is our Father we his children hee our king we his subiects he the Potter wee but a peece of clay in his hands Now his relation to vs and ours to him cals for this duty Reas 2 Secondly in regard of that high price the Lord doth set vp on obedience as it appeareth by that of Samuel vnto Saul Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offrings and sacrifices 1 Saâ—â—5 22 as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed Behold to obey is better then sacrifice c. Reas 3 A third reason may be drawne from that reward the Lord hath promised to such as hearken and obey as If ye will heare my voice indeed saith the Lord and keepe my Couenant Ex. 19.5.6 Then shall yee bee my chiefe treasure aboue all people And againe Deu. 28.1 If thou wilt hearken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to obserue and to do all his Commandements c. Then the Lord thy God will set thee on high aboue all the Nations on the earth c. Fourthly disobedience as Samuel tels Saul is as the sinne of witchcraft and shall neuer escape the reuengefull hand of God The Lord threatned this vnto the people That if they would not hearken and obey they should die of the sword Ier. â—â—â—â— famine pestilence so that none of them should escape Disobedience shut Adam out of Paradise Moses out of Canaan and Saul out of his kingdome Vse 1 Let this then serue to prouoke all men vnto this duty not to coâ—sult with flesh and blood in the things of God or to bee directed by carnall reason for then we shall neuer obey God Had Philip done this now that the Angell bids him goe not telling him what was to bee done hee had neuer obeyed the Angell The Minister though hee see not that his preaching doth or is like to do any good yet because God hath commanded hee must doe his duty Thus must Magistraâ—es doe though sinne abound still Thus must masters of families doe though it take little effect for God hath commanded these duties to be done and must be obeyed And behold a man of Ethiopia c. The word Behold is commonly verbum admirationis a word of wonder and cals vs to that speciall parenthesis of our Sauiour Let him that readeth consider Mat. 24.15 And is for the most part of the same nature that Selah is sooften vsed in the book of the Psalmes Behold q. d. Consider this thing that howsoeuer Philip at this time were in great danger and hazard for preaching of the Gospell by reason of Caiphas the high Priest and Saul that made hauock of the Church yet obeying the commandement of the Angell though for the present hee could see no reason for the same mark what followed see the good successe of his obedience Behold a man of Ethiopia The instruction is plaine Doct. We are to take speciall notice of the obedience of Gods seruants That God would haue vs in a speciall manner take notice of the obedience of his seruaÌ„ts the examples of his children obeying him and all to this end to prouoke vs vnto obedience This truth is clearly manifested by the