The apostolical history containing the acts, labours, travels, sermons, discourses, miracles, successes, and sufferings of the Holy Apostles from Christ's ascention to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus : a brief description whereof is here inserted : also, a narration of the particular times and occasions upon which the apostolical epistles were written, together with a brief analytical paraphrase of them : to which is added (for the better understanding of this history) a map of the Apostle Paul's travels ... / by Samuel Cradock.

SECT. XV.

FRom Samaria, Philip is warned of an Angel(a) 1.1 in a Vi∣sion, that he should go to Gaza, but he must not travel the ordinary road; but the other way which was through the desart, and lay through the mountains. In this way he meets with a great man an Eunuch, Treasurer of Can∣dace Queen of the Aethiopians(b) 1.2 return∣ing in his Chariot from Jerusalem where (being as it seems a proselyte) he had been to worship(c) 1.3 at the feast of Pentecost. Philip by the instinct, and motion of the Spi∣rit joining himself to his Chariot, finds him well imployed(d) 1.4 namely reading the Fifty third Chapter of the Prophet Isaiah, and being courteously invited by him to come up into his Chariot(e) 1.5 and to in∣terpret that Scripture to him, (which he acknowledges he did not well understand) Philip accordingly expresses himself ready to serve him therein. The words(f) 1.6 the Eunuch was reading are the seventh and eighth verses of that Chapter. He was led as a sheep(g) 1.7, so opened he not his mouth. The next clause in the Hebrew Text was this. He was taken from prison, and from judg∣ment(h) 1.8, that is, hurried from thence to execution; but the Septuagint (which Luke follows, and possibly the Eunuch at this time read) hath inlarged the sense, by change of the phrase, reading it thus, In his de∣pression, or humiliation, his judgment was ta∣ken away, that is, his right was taken away, and no right at all done him, and Who can sufficiently declare the wickedness of that ge∣neration, which dealt so unjustly with him, as to take and cut him off from the land of the living, who was so innocent a person. Philip shews him that the Prophet in this place speaks not of any other person but the Messias, who was now come into the world, and had done and suffered all that was prophesied of him. And having large∣ly instructed him in the Doctrine of Christ, and (as 'tis proba∣ble) concerning Baptism also, the Eunuch desired to be baptized, professing his Faith in Christ. Thereupon Philip immedi∣ately baptized him, which when he had done, he was strait-way transported, and carried out* 1.9 of his sight by the Spirit(i) 1.10

of the Lord (which might be an evidence to him, that he was sent to him of God, and was no mercenary person, seeing he staid not to receive any reward) and found himself set down at Azotus or Ashdod, one of the five Cities of the Philistins [See Josh. 15.47.] The Eunuch went on his way rejoycing at this won∣derful mercy of God in revealing Christ to him, in whom he be∣lieved for the remission of his sins; But Philip passing through the Country, whither the Spirit had carried him, he prea∣ched the Gospel in all the Cities and Towns thereof, through which he went, till he came to Caesarea Stratonis ••here it seems he stayed a great while. For fourteen years after t•••• ••ul coming with the collections of Asia, and Achaia to carry t•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 o Jeru∣salem he found Philip there with his whole Family, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lodged with him, See Act. 21.8.

Act. 8. v. 26. And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the South, unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

v. 27. And he arose, and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, an ••unuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who h••d the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship;

v. 28. Was returning, and sitting in his chariot, read Esaias the prophet.

v. 29. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go neer, and joyn thy self to this chariot.

v. 30. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

v. 31. And he said, How can I except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip, that he would come up, and sit with him.

v. 32. The place of the Scripture which he read, was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before the shearer, so o∣pened he not his mouth:

33. In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away; and who shall de∣clare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.

v. 34 And the Eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, Of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

v. 35. Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

v. 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 bapti∣zed?

v. 37. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayst. And he answered, and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptized him.

v. 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 rejoycing.

v. 40. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing thorow, he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea.

* 1.11 * 1.12

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  Ministerium verbi dignissimum est officium, cum Angelorum interventu ad id vocentur homines. Speciali man∣dato Angeli, & speciali instinctu Spiritus Sancti, v. 29. mittitur Phi∣lippus ad Aethiopem. Sic Petrus speci∣ali visione & instinctu mittitur ad Cor∣nelium, Act. 10. Sic Paulus, & Barna∣bas speciali mandato mittuntur ad Mace∣dones, Act. 16
• (b) 1.2

  Aethiopia est regio inter Arabiam, & Aegyptum, sub zonâ torridâ.
• (c) 1.3

  Fuit vir pius, sed opus habuit ma∣jori illuminatione, & speciali recepti∣one Messiae exhibiti.
• (d) 1.4

  Qui cupit Deum habere comi∣tem itineris, in divinis sit occupatus.
• (e) 1.5

  En signum animi discendi cu∣pidi, & de salute solliciti.
• (f) 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 propriè comprehensio, i. e. pars sermonis, quâ continetur cer∣tum pronunciatum, certá ve pronunci∣ata.
• (g) 1.7

  Christus non tantum passus est, sed patientèr passus est.
• (h) 1.8

  Isa. 53. v. 8. In Hebraeo est 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a coarctatione & à judicio tollitur: in LXX 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In ipsius depressione judicium ejus sublatum est. Ju∣dicium aliquando pro jure sumitur, Job 34.5. vid. Lightf. in loc. Aliqui haec verba sic exponunt, De angustiâ, & ju∣dicio sublatus est, hoc est, à passionis. vin∣culis, & morte solutus est, & liberatus per Patrem suum, cum à mortuis resur∣geret: & in depressione ejus, i. e. cruce & morte, judicium ejus, h. e. jus, seu causa ejus asserta est à Deo, vid. Freidl. in loc.
• * 1.9

  See 1 King. 18.12. & 2 King. 2.16.
• (i) 1.10

  Insigne exemplum quod ministri mittantur à Spiritu Sancto, quippe qui Philippum non tantum inspiratione suâ ad Eunuchum perduxit, sed & deindo transportavit in alium locum ubi conci∣onari debebat.
• * 1.11

  v. 27. Candaces nomen commune Reginarum Aethiopiae fuisse, à Plinio traditum est, lib. 6. cap. 29.
• * 1.12

  v. 40. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ut suprà, v. 23.