THE ETHIOPIAN EVNVCHS CONVERSION OR The summe of thirtie Sermons vpon part of the eight Chapter of the Acts. By SAMVEL SMITH Minister of the Word LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper for Thomas Alchorne and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Greene Dragon 1632. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir RICHARD NEWPORT Knight one of his Maiesties Iustices of the Peace for the County of Salop Grace mercy and peace be multiplyed Right worshipfull THe whole bodie of Theologie may well bee rendered into these two heads The knowledge of God and of our selues the latter consists principally in the knowledge first of a mans naturall misery secondly of his selfe-insufficiencie to come out thereof And thirdly the All-sufficiencie that is in Christ And all sound preaching that aymes at the conuersion of hearers must ayme at these things as most necessarily to be knowne to life and saluation The Subiect matter of the ensuing History of the Eunuchs Conuersion is excellent to this purpose if the workmanship were sutable But herein haue I applyed my selfe to my countrey hearers euer endeuouring that they of the lowest forme might learne something But now as my defects in handling the History haue need to be couered and graced by the countenance of some who is of note and respect in Gods Church So why should I doubt of this fauour from you Sir hauing so constantly heard of your most religious respect vnto our Tribe and loue to the truth Blessed be his Name that hath so engrauen this part of his image vpon you whereby a good euidence is ministred vnto your own heart that you are translated from death to life It is the portion but of a few and therefore you are to esteeme it your greatest honour and your vnperishing riches whereas all earthly greatnesse abstracted from this cannot make you truly happie Theodosius that Noble Emperour was wont to say Magis se gaudere quod Membrum Ecclesiae Dei esset quam Caput Jmperij He accounted it more honour that he was a member of the Church then Head of the Empire Hoc est enim omnis homo Eccl. 12.13 To feare God and keepe his Commandements Continue herein and let your works be more at last then at first I dare promise your conscience more true tranquillity herein and your person more honour then the whole world besides can affoord you And thus humbly crauing pardon for my boldnesse I commend this worke to your reading The Noble Ethiopian to your imitation and your body and soule with all yours to the protection of the Almightie My selfe remaining At your worships seruice SAMVEL SMITH A Short view of such Doctrines as are enlarged with their Reasons and vses in this Booke Doctrines MInisters must discharge their duties notwithstanding all appearance of danger Page 9 Faithfull Ministers most subiect to persecutions Page 13 Good Angels serue for the good of Gods people Page 20 God will teach men by men Page 26 Good Ministers sometimes discouraged when they see not the fruite of their Ministery Page 37 Ministers must bee called before they preach Page 42 Wee must yeeld obedience to Gods Commandement though we see no reason Pag. 48 We are to take speciall notice of the obedience of Gods seruants Pag. 54 It is a rare thing for great men to bee good men Pag. 60 Of all sorts of men God hath some that belong to his kingdom Pag. 70 The Gentiles to be called Pag. 75 The greatnesse of none may exempt them from the performance of holy duties Pag. 77 The publike assemblies of Gods people ought highly to be esteemed and diligently frequented Pag. 87 Catechising a necessary duty Pag. 104 Religious duties ought earnestly to be pursued Pag. 109 A true Christian must bee the same in priuate hee is in publike Pag. 121 In Gods worship we must setch our direction from Gods word Pag. 125 Godly must bee conuersant in the Scripture Pag. 133 Men must diligently reade the Scripture though many things bee therein obscure Pag. 141 God will be found in the vse of the meanes that hee himselfe hath appointed Pag. 149 Ministers must still haue a calling for that they doe Pag. 154 God hath a seasonable time to speak to his people Pag. 163 A great mercy of God to send a faithfull Minister vnto a people Pag. 168 God giues things not onely for necessity but for ornament and delight Pag. 176 God loues cheerfulnesse in his service Pag. 185 Truth of Gods word not to be measured by outward appearaÌ„ce Pag. 193 Ministers to instruct in priuate as preach in publike Pag. 198 Holy duties must bee performed with vnderstanding Pag. 205 Signe of a gratious heart to confesse ones ignorance Pag. 211 Humilitie an excellent ornament in a Christian Pag. 217 Men by nature vnderstaÌ„d nothing in the Sâ—â—â—ptures Pag. 224 Without preaching of the word impossible truly to know Christ Pag. 233 We must not only see our ignorance but labour to come out of it Pag. 242 Great men must be great Professors Pag. 253 Christians ought to bee dayly conversant in the Scriptures Pag. 254 Christ the true sacrifice for sin Pag. 262 A dangerous sin for man to bee Instrument of his owne death Pag. 278 Christ went willingly to death Pag. 289 No other way to purchase life to the Church but through Christs death Pag. 301 As Christs death is cause of mourning his resurrection is cause of reioycing Pag. 334 Godly must through afflictions enter into glory Pag. 337 Christs death momentany but his life perpetuall Pag. 361 Heauenly truths are hardly beleeved and applied by vs. Pag. 366 In all straights goe to Gods Ministers for direction Pag. 378 True knowledge of God comes not by nature Pag. 378 Gods word must bee handled with all reuerence Pag. 384 Ministers must choose special texts on speciall occasions Pag. 393 Christ the subiect matter of true preaching Pag. 397 End of the preaching is to bring mâ—â—â—â— Christ Pag. 405 Time 〈◊〉 to be well spent Pag. 411 God neuer wanteth meanes for the good of his seruants Pag. 414 Gods will once knowne must be obeyed Pag. 419 Hartie Christians must be harty in their profession Pag. 421 Ministers must first instruct their people before they administer the Sacrament vnto them Pag. 433 Faith necessary to the due participation of the Sacraments of the Church Pag. 438 No perfection of Faith here Pag. 451 A beleeuing heart is a sincere heart Pag. 457 A particular Faith necessary to salvation Pag. 469 True Faith hath euer Christ for the obiect of it Pag. 481 All must stoupe to Gods ordinance Pag. 490 No place since the death of Christ more holy then another Pag. 495 The Lord would haue his seruants setled grounded in the truth Pag. 509 Sound Conuersion breeds sound ioy Pag. 514 The calling of a Minister a laborious calling Pag. 537 The Ethiopian EVNVCHS Conuersion ACTS 8.26 27 c. AND the Angell of the Lord spake vnto Philip saying
admittance into the kingdome of heauen By that new and lining way which he hath prepared for vs through the veile that is his flesh Heb 10 19 20. Whereas in the sacrifice of the Masse there is no benefit at all to any of these vses And last of all this great worke that Christ hath wrought for vs should worke in vs thankfulnesse towards God there is nothing in all the world should affect our hearts more with thanksgiuing then this The common blessings that we receiue should at all times moue vs to thankfulnesse as our meat drinke c. but this aboue all Christs sufferings are the Christians treasure let our hearts be there and neuer let this worke of his be forgotten of vs. So opened he not his mouth Here we haue the reddition or application of the whole vnto the person of Christ that as the sheepe goeth vnto the slaughter and Lambe to haue his fleece shorne off so was it with Christ in the putting off of his tabernacle and laying downe of his life And herein hath left vs in his admirable patience of his an admirable paterne of patience and an example as the Apostle Peter saith of suffering affliction 1. Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we also should follow his steps who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered Vers 23 he threatened not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously Now should we thinke much to take vp his crosse and to follow him to suffer afflictions for his sake and for his Gospels sake that hath suffered so great things for vs. Shall we not bee content to loose a little nay all if need be seeing wee shall receiue an hundred fold Mat. 29. And what though we meet with mockings and scoffings at the hands of men say with Dauid It may bee that God hath bid him do it 2. Sam. 16.11 Num. 12 Mat. 11.29 Moses suffered Aarons and Miriams reproofe patiently Take my yoke vpon you saith Christ The greatest honour that can betide any of Gods children is to suffer for Christ Phil. 1.29 So Paul To you it is giuen not only to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake But of this before VERSE 33. In his humiliation his iudgement was taken away and who may declare his generations for his life is taken from the earth THe Spirit of God hauing spoken of Christs humiliation of his death and passion how he was smitten and afflicted of God his Father for our sinnes Now lest any should bee dismayed beholding nothing but his death and those vnsufferable sorrows he vnderwent and think that he was swallowed vp of these as the nature of man is to feare at such a spectacle Hee therefore comes here to shew the notable victory he got ouer these In his humiliation his iudgement was taken away The meaning is Christ hauing beene thus humbled and brought so low not willingly but voluntarily seeing he had power to resist hee could haue commanded legions of Angels to fight for him for by his owne word he made those that apprehended him to fall backward to the ground yet was he content to be humbled to the death And in this his humiliation so meeke and humble so perfect and so exceeding great His iudgement was taken away that is the sentence he vnder went by Pilate vnder whom he suffered was remoued For that it was impossible he should be held downe by death Act. 2.24 He was at last taken away from prison Isa 53 and from Iudgement for as Christ saith Ioh. 19.18 I haue power to lay downe my life and to take it to me againe And who shall declare The meaning is that now that he is deliuered and set at libertie from the graue and from death Pilats Iudgement being remoued and the bitternesse of death being ouer past Who shall declare That is who shall set forth or expresse to the sonnes of men the meaning is it is beyond all humane art and Science to demonstrate the number of his dayes the length of his life or the perpetuitie of his kingdome the exceeding glorious successe of his death and resurrection againe according to that of the Prophet Who can number his seed Isa 53.10 or measure his dayes For his life is taken from the earth That is he liues now no longer vpon earth a place of mortalitie but in heauen a place of immortality he layed downe his life that he might take it to him againe He was cut off from the land of the liuing not for his owne transgressions for his very Iudge pronounced him innocent Mat. 27.24 But hee was taken off for the transgressions of the people euen for those whom God had giuen him to redeeme by that death of his according to that of the Prophet For the transgressions of my people he was smitten Isa 53.8 9. And now his Iudgement being remoued and hee againe raised from the dead dyeth no more Death hath no more dominion ouer him for he indeed dyed vnto sinne or for sinne once but now liueth vnto God or for God The summe then of this verse is this That Christ so humbling himselfe and meekly submitting himselfe to death and the graue in the very depth of his humiliation he was extolled his iudgement remoued the bands of death broken and himselfe set at libertie And now being raised vp againe his life is euerlasting his dayes past numbring and his kingdome shall neuer haue an end And therefore no man can be found that is able fully to expresse his generation for his life is no longer on earth but in heauen He is no longer subiect to mortality but is he who onely hath immortalitie and shall enioy the same for euermore Thus of the sense of the words In his humiliation was hiâ— Iudgement c. The Spirit of God hauing spoken of the death of Christ and how he was afflicted of God his Father for our sinnes lest any should now thinke the state of the Church desperate and forlorne or that Christ was swallowed vp of these miseries He comes now to shew the happy victory hee got ouer them all And herein will teach vs Doct. As Christs death is cause of mourning Christs resurrection is cause of reioycing That to behold Christs death that he dyed for our sinnes and not to consider his resurrection will cause nothing but sorrow vnto vs. It is the consideration of his glorious resurrection That he arose againe for our Iustification that yeelds the most solid comfort vnto a Christian soule And hence is it that the Apostle Paul doth vsually ioyne these two together Christs death and Christs resurrection that as the one doth cast downe the other might raise vp as the one might cause vs to mourne the other might cause vs to reioyce So Paul Phil. 2.8.9 He humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse rests he
Christ then are we of all men most miserable But now the hope of a christian reacheth further and answers vs That if we suffer with him Rom 8. wee shall be glorified with him Vse 2 Secondly seeing that through afflictions we must enter into glory this serues as a speciall ground of comfort to Gods children in time of their greatest troubles that their light and momentany afflictions which last but for a few dayes should bring with them such an eternall weight of glory Rom. 5.3 The saying is That is well that ends well I confesse many are the seares cares sorrowes and troubles that betide the godly here yet in the midst of them all wee are more then Conquerours through him that hath loued vs. Say then Why art thou then cast downe my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me waite on God for I will yet giue him thanks which is the helpe of my countenance and my God Heauinesse may indure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Hitherto of the generall Doctrines In his humiliation his iudgement was taken away c. The meaning is that after Christ had beene thus humbled and abased in suffering so cursed and shamefull a death His iudgement was taken away That is the sentence of death and condemnation was remoued from him which was done in his glorious resurrection Acts 2.24 for that it was impossible he should be held downe by death Thus was hee taken from prison and from iudgement for as our Sauiour saith I haue power to lay downe my life and to take it to me againe so that euery part of Christs humiliation had an end in is resurrection and comming out of the Sepulchre Now followes his exaltation and glorification His iudgement was taken away In handling the doctrine of Christs exaltation and glory diuers circumstances are to be considered 1 The degrees of his exaltation 2 The reasons why Christ was to be thus exalted 3 The fruits and benefit of this his exaltation The degrees of Christs exaltation The first degree of Christs exaltation is his raising himselfe from the dead He losed the pangs of death because it was not possible he should be holden of it Raising himselfe from the dead Acts 2.24 euen as a man that chops vp a morsell that is too hot for his mouth is glad to put it out againe so death hauing swallowed vp our blessed Sauiour and finding him too hot for him could not hold him but rendreth him vp againe according to that prophecy that went before of Christ Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption But what was it of Christ that went thus to the graue Quest and that thus rose againe There are in Christ Answ three natures 1 A humane body 2 A reasonable soule 3 His deitie quickning both The soule of Christ that went presently from the Crosse into heauen according to Christs own speech to the penitent Thiefe To day thou shalt be with me in Paradice The Deity of Christ could not suffer but was at this time vailed and forbeareth the execution of it power during the time of Christs passion It must needs therefore bee Christs body that went thus to the graue which the third day is raiseâ— agaâ—â—â— and that by it owne poâ—â—â— wâ—â—â—h iâ—â—â—ed puts the differeâ—â—◠〈…〉 Christs resurrection and 〈…〉 againe from thâ—â—â—ad by â—is own power wee by the power of Christ as many men be 〈…〉 out of a Boate into the watâ—â— if there bee any one in the company expert in swimming as many as hang on him are safe and are brought to land And thus are wee saued through Christ for so saith the Apostle As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made aliue 1 Cor. 15.22 23. but euery man in his owne order Christ the first fruits then they that are Christs at his coming He is the first fruits of them that sleepe Reu. 1.5 The first borne of the dead The first degree then of Christs exaltation is the resurrection from the dead The second degree Christs Exaltation Christs ascention in to heauen Mar. 16.19 is his ascending vp into heauen So when the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued vp into heauen And againe And it came to passe when he had blessed them Luk. 24.51 Act. 1.11 he was parted from them and carried vp into heauen So that Christ Iesus in regard of his bodily presence is in heauen farre from the malice of any mortall creature no more to be assaulted by Sathan or wicked men but is now at the right hand of his Father there to be and remaine vntill his second coming to Iudgement So that it is a foolish and absurde conceit of the Papists that hold Christs reall presence in the Sacrament of the Altar If the Article of our faith bee true that Hee ascended into heauen That Doctrine of the Reall presence is false But did not Christ say to his Disciples Object Mat. 28.20 that hee would be with them and with his Church vnto the end of the world I answer Christ is present with his Church according to his Godhead and spirituall presence Resp and by his grace whereby he worketh effectually by his owne spirit Mar. 16.20 And so is Christ still present with his Church and people But in regard of his bodily presence so is he not alwayes present inasmuch as hee is now ascended vp into heauen there to bee and remaine vntill that his second coming to Iudgement The third degree of Christs exaltation is his sitting at the right hand of God his Father as it is confessed in the Creed Now to speake properly Christs sitting at the right hand of his Father God hath no right hand nor left but is a Spirit infinite and incomprehensible but thereby is meant how hee is next vnto God his Father in maiestie power and glory So that after all his labours sorrowes and sufferings after that his bitter death and passion hee is now at rest in heauen in vnspeakable happinesse blessednesse and felicitie there to be and remaine vntill that his second comming to Iudgement when he shall come againe not to be iudged as before by Pontius Pilate But to iudge all flesh to whom euery man shall giue vp an account of all the things he hath done in his body 2. Cor. 5.10 whether they be good or euill The Reasons why Christ was to be exalted And thus we haue seene the degrees of Christs 〈◊〉 We come now to the reasons why Christ was to be thus exalted First it was so decreed and appointed of God Luk 24.46 Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe the third day Luk. 24.26 Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into glory To this agreeth that of the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 1.11