your Faith and your Faith by the fruits otherwise the water of your Baptisme shall not be able to quench the fire of that burning lake which is the second death The same must bee sayd of the other Sacrament thou saist to me againe Lo heere are Bread and wine what should let me to communicate I answer still as I am taught heere If thou beleeuest with all thy heart thou maist If thou come without Faith thou art no welcome guest to this banquet without it thou mayest eate the Lords bread Panem domini non panem dominum vt August de Inda but not that bread which is the Lord and thy receiuing shall be but a pledge of iudgement and vengeance to thy soule This point will be quickned by that which followeth touching the quality of Faith THE SECOND SERMON NExt to the requisitenes of Faith to the well pertaking of the Sacrament followeth the quality of that Faith which is required If thou belieuest with all thy heart c. The sence of the words heere handled as if it had beene said Thou desirest to bee baptized if thou doest belieue and that not formally alone and in shew but in sincerity and in truth of thy heart thou maiest this Sacrament shall returne to thy comfort and bee a pledge of grace vnto thy soule This thus opened doth afford two doctrines This is the first The 1. Doct. That there is a kind of Faith out of which there commeth no good vnto the soule of him that hath it This is insinuated in Philips speach For so much manifestly is intended that it was possible for the Eunuch to belieue after a sort and yet to remaine vncapable of the comfort and sweetnsse of the Sacrament Suppose thou belieuest yet if it be not with all thy heart by such a Faith thou art not one haires bredth neerer to saluation so that the very nature of the speach presupposeth an vnprofitable Faith a Faith which is of no vse vnlesse it bee to the encreasing of his damnation that professeth it This is also easily prooued by the Scripture Our Sauior in the parable of the Seed speaketh of a Faith and the same gotten by hearing which is also accompanied with a kind of flashing sodaine ioy but yet is but like seed among stones withering away for lacke of moisture a Luk. 8.6.13 This is that Faith which is called a temporall Faith or a Faith whose continuance is only for some little time Some such Faith may seeme to haue beene in those of whom it is said Many belieued c. when they saw his miracles But Iesus did not commit himselfe vnto them b Ioh. 2.23.24 There was a certaine yeelding wrought in their hearts by the power of Christs miracles that surely he was that Messias yet Christ did not hold them worth the trusting to In this present Chapter it is said Simon Magus belieued c Act. 8.13 We cannot thinke his Faith was that which for distinctions sake we terme a Sauing Faith He had as a learned man saith of him August quest in Leuitic the visible Baptisme but he wanted the inuisible sanctifying Saint Paul mentioneth a Faith which a man may haue and yet bee nothing d 1. Cor. 13.2 Iames giueth a kind of Faith euen to Diuells e Iam. 2.19 and speaketh of a Faith which he calleth a dead Faith f Ver. 26. These few testimonies are very pregnant Sathan knoweth how to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light g 2. Cor. 11.14 so that there is no good thing but he can counterfeit it and doth and by that meanes maketh many hypocrites to make a wonderfull shew Seeming to be as sincere and forward in religion as the best There is no grace which accompanieth saluation wherewith God is pleased to enrich and furnish his elect but he can frame some one or other of his limmes to a shadow of it yea and teach them to come so neere it as that for the present it shall be a very hard matter to discerne it There may be somewhat like praier which yet is not praier but lip-deuotion Something like repentance which yet is not repentance but worldly sorrow causing death r 2. Cor. 7.10 something like obedience which yet is not obedience but grosse hypocrisie and so in other particulars Felix trembled t Act 24.26 Ahab was humbled u 1. Kin. 21.27 Saul confessed his fault x 1. Sam. 26.11 Esau wept y Heb. 12 17. Iudas had a kinde of repenting z Math 27.3 Herod heard gladly a Mar. 6 20. Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous b Num. 23.10 The Apostle seemeth to acknowledge a taste of the good gift of God c. in some revolters that yet fall away beyond all possibility of repentance e Heb. 6.4.5 Thus still it appeares how neere a man may come to true religion and yet still be in the snare of the Diuell caried vp and downe as a Captiue at his will d 2. Tim. 2.26 He may carry the name of a belieuer and yet misse the end of Faith the saluation of his soule e 1. Pet. 1.9 The vse is to exhort vs all who thinke wee haue Faith The vse and boast of Faith and professe our selues to be belieuers to giue all deligence f 2. Pet. 1.5 and to prooue our selues with our best endeuour whether the faith which we thinke we haue be such as will not deceiue vs in the end Wee see by that which hath beene said that there is a thing which for the time is as like vnto Faith as one thing can bee to another The wit of man for the present can discerne no difference and yet the hauers of it shall not be saued How behoofull then is it for vs to follow the counsell of Paul to prooue our selues whether we are in the Faith or no g 2. Cor. 13.5 The life of a Christian is a continuall warfare we haue a strong and a dangerous enemy to grapell with and there are many particulars of spirituall armour necessarie for our defence among the rest there is a shield of Faith h Eph. 6.16 A carefull souldier will try his buckler whether it will keepe out shot or otherwise be free from being pierced by that kind of weapon against which it must be vsed Now if faith be a shield it must be tried that it may be a shield of proofe against the day of battell Faith is as I before said the Tenure of our Free-hold for by it we stand i â— Cor. 11.24 All the euidence we haue to shew for our inheritance in the kingdome of heauen is our Faith Now we know the care that men haue about their deeds and tenures they examine them to see whether they be sound they aske the counsell of this and the other Lawyer touching them Such yea and far greater care ought we to haue
THE BAPTIZING of the Eunuch In three Sermons vpon Act. 8.36.37.38 BY SAMVEL HIERON MARKE 16.16 He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued M B LONDON Printed by MELCH BRADVVOOD for SAMVEL MACHAM and are to be solde at his shop in Pauls church-yard at the signe of the Bull-head 1613. TO MY VERIE worshipfull good friend GEORGE CHVDLEIGH of Strachley in Deuon Esquire SIR I haue much desired to present you with some testimony of my loue Being therefore mooued to the publication of these Sermons touching the initiating of the Eunuch by Baptisme into the number of professed Christians I thought fit to commend them by this more speciall inscription to your reading I preached vpon the whole History touching what passed betwixt Philip and this noble Conuert but least I should be thought to oppresse the times with so many of my publishings in one kind therefore I selected that which God gaue me to deliuer out of this passage and that principally for the furtherance of their vnderstanding into whose hands this shall come in the point of sauing faith and in the manner of applying Christ vnto the soule My hope is through Gods mercy it may doe some good that way Your selfe are one to whose soule I wish the best as an vndissembled argument whereof I beseech you to accept these sheetes Your respect to me in my Ministery out of which what am I doth I confesse deserue more but where power is defectiue I must pray you that syncerity of affection may make the supply The truth is I am paid before hand for this and for more then I now make offer off but yet I will craue this recompence of you that if either by this or any other my endeuour you receiue comfort you would desire God to make me faithfull and profitable in my function to the end In assured hope that you will doe so my selfe doe heere promise vnder my hand to remaine Modbury this 27. of Ianuary Your worships remembrancer to the throne of grace SAM HIERON THE BAPTIZING OF THE EVNVCH ACTS 8.36 And as they went on their way they came vnto a certaine water and the Eunuch sayd See here is water what should let me to be baptized 37. And Philip sayd vnto him If thou beleeuest with all thy heart thou mayst Then he answered I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the son of God 38. Then he commanded the chariot to stand still and they went downe into the water both Philip and the Eunuch and he baptized him THE FIRST SERMON IN this report heere made of the baptizing of the Eunuch The diuision of the Tent. there are two things considerable 1. The Eunuch his motion for baptisme 2. Philip his condescending to the motion Touching the former this is to be conceiued that Philip among other things deliuered in the opening the doctrine of Christ Iesus out of Isaiah spake also concerning Baptisme by which those that professe Christ are admitted into the society and fellowship of beleeuers and haue also their owne personall interest into Christ sealed vp vnto their soules Heereupon these two Philip and the Eunuch trauelling together and in their iourney comming to a riuer the Eunuch made this motion to a like effect as if he had thus said The meaning of the word â— of the 1. part Thou speakest of Baptisme as a necessary badge of Christian profession see heere is a place conuenient heere is matter for the purpose let mee I pray thee receiue this sacrament for what should hinder Now the points of doctrine to be gathered out of this motion The 1 Doct. are these First That to an obedient and cheerefull hearer the word of God is neuer preached without successe The generall purpose of this verse is to shew to vs how Philips doctrine wrought vpon the Eunuchs heart and we see heere how powerfull it was For this one discourse preuailed through Gods mercy to the enlightning of his minde making him to conceiue the hope of his calling and the riches of that glorious inheritance which God hath in his Saints a Eph. 1.18 it wrought also vpon his affections in such a measure that nothing was more desired by him then to shew himselfe a Christian and to haue some pledge of the fauour of God in Christ gaged to his soule An admirable issue of one sermon and a notable instance of the blessing of God vpon such an hearer as the Eunuch was one who came to heare with desire and submitted himselfe to the authority of the word with an obedient heart The word neuer is vnprofitable where it meetes with such an auditor It is said of those three thousand which were added to the Church by one Sermon of S. Peters when the spirit of God beginneth to relate their obedience that they were such as gladly heard the word b Act. 2.41 This was an excellent preparatiue to obedience when their hearts long for the word when it was a ioy to them to be taught Dauid saith his heart stood in awe of the Lord c Psal 119.161 so did theirs for it is said before they were pricked at their hearts So I note that as it is said in one place of Antioch that by reason of the number of beleeuers the Disciples there were first called Christians d Act. 11.26 so in another place the forwardnesse to heare is reported in the inhabitants there as that they besought Paul to preach the same words to them and accordingly at the time came almost all the whole city together to heare e Act. 13.42.44 so againe in the same Chapter it is said that when the Gentiles heard they were glad f Ver. 48. and then strait it followeth Thus the word of the Lord was published throughout the whole country g Ver. 49. See what wings were giuen to the Gospell by the desire and gladnesse of those to whom it was deliuered The word of God by this meanes grew mightily and prevailed The Apostle to the Hebrewes insistes vpon the want of this readinesse and yeeldingnesse of the inward man as the cause of the vnprofitable hearing of the ancient Iewes The Gospell was preached also vnto them but it profited not because it was not receiued with faith in those that heard it h Heb. 4 2. I may applie to this purpose as very fitting to it that of Solomon He that reproueth the wise and the obedient eare is as a golden earing and an ornament of fine gold i Pro. 25.12 His meaning is that if a man haue to do with men of obedient and yeelding hearts it will be a credit to his paines and labour in perswading the successe with which his endeuours shall be crowned will make his speach as beautifull as an ornament of gold Now besides these proofes it is easie to make it manifest that successe cannot be wanting where there is such a disposition to heare as the Eunuch had For God hath promised to
about our Faith If that be not good what becometh of all our hope for life eternall And thinke what a wofull thing it is herein to bee mistaken I said Faith is the Tenure we hold heauen by Now put case a man hath continued a sute at law a great while trusting to a certaine piece of writing which he hath in a boxe if at the day of hearing that writing proue insufficient what becommeth of him wee know hee looseth all his former cost he is cast out of doores and misseth that which hee thought he should haue enioyed all his daies So in this A man maketh account he hath Faith sufficient to saluation hereupon he goeth on without feare of future euill at the day of reckning his faith proueth counterfet thinke then in what a wofull case is that man Wee may guesse somewhat herein by a speach of Christs Many shall say to mee in that day Lord haue we not in thy name prophecied c. and yet it shall be said to them Depart from mee c. k Math. 7.22.23 It seemeth these will bee very confident and make full account to be saued But now when for all this it shal be said Depart we may well tremble to thinke vpon their misery For the more sure a man is in his owne opinion the greater confusion vexation it will be to him to be disappointed of his hope How necessary a matter is this to be vrged in these secure times It would make a mans heart woe to thinke how exceeding carefull men be in other things but how desperate in this point concerning Faith Is this lease good is this bond good is this cloth for my garment good is this beast good is this ground good is this husbandry good is this corne which I haue chosen for my seed good Wee abound in these inquiries and are scarsely euer satisfied wee are still ielous and afraid lest it should not bee as wee desire But who amongst many makes a question touching his Faith who saith to himselfe Here is much speaking of Faith and it is taught that without it there can be no saluation what is my Faith which I promise myselfe I haue such as it ought to bee sure if it be not I can neuer be saued Who is it that thus communeth with his owne soule Who keepeth this priuy audite within himselfe I hearkned and heard and no man spake aright said Ieremy of old l Ier. 8.6 He would euen deliuer vp the like verdit of the men of this generation if he were now liuing It is the great pollicy of the Diuill to leade men on and to lull them a sleepe in their carelessenes it filleth his barnes and helps to encrease his kingdome A debating with a mans selfe touching his hope of a better life is a very first step towards heauen Sathan knoweth that if men should once put it to the question how their Faith is they should see such scantnes in themselues that way that the very sight thereof would make them looke about and begin a better course wheras now presuming al is well they run on headlong and will surely be in the pit before they be ware When thou art perswaded and called vpon to examine thy selfe whether thy faith be right and sound why man saith the diuell by and by vnto thee wherfore shouldst thou doubt it Hast not thou beleeued in God euer since thou couldst remember Hast thou done thus well hitherto and shouldst thou now beginne to make question of thy Faith Feare not doe not doubt but thou art euen as good a beleeuer as the best Thus with these and the like charmes this subtile enemy rockes men asleepe and encourageth them to feed themselues with vaine perswasions and to trust on lying words which cannot profit m Iere. 7.8 Let therefore the doctrine taught worke to the reforming of this common euill from which scarce one of many is able well to cleere himselfe We hope to be saued we say we haue faith we would take it for a wronge if any man should call vs vnbeleeuers Oh let vs remember that there is a faith which will deceiue a kinde of beleeuing which is but counterfet Let vs not content our selues with supposals with idle imaginations which haue no ground but let vs bring our faith to the touch-stone and let it be tried throughly whither it will hold in the day of account or no. There is nothing more contrary to Christianity then presumption nor any in worse case then they which are most secure and make themselues beleeue that all is with them as it should We read that Iacob in his dreamesaw a Ladder vpon the earth of which the top reached to Heauen n Gen 28.12 This Ladder betokened Christ as Christ himselfe hath reference to it in his speech to Nathaniel touching Angels ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man o Ioh. 1.51 Now to apply this to my present purpose we know that hee which climbeth vp a ladder is especially carefull of his footing and hold and looketh diligently and aduisedly to euery step So doth he which is in Christ and is by him and through him getting vp to heauen he is alwaies trying whither his standing be sure and whither his hold that he hath caught be such as will not deceiue him Thus he worketh out his saluation with feare and trembling p Phil. 2.12 and happy is he who is so busied And so I haue laboured to presse the vse of this necessary point In the matter of faith it is a dangerous thing to be deceiued If a mans faith be vnsound all his hope is ouerthrowen it is easie to be mistaken our Heart is deceitfull q Ier. 17.9 and in our owne cases wee are partiall iudges Sathan is cunning and will beguile vs with a shadow of Faith and there is a faith which is very like to true Faith but yet will deceiue vs what then can be more behoofull then to proue our faith that we may be sure it will not faile vs most when we shall need it most This is the summe And to the end wee may bee the better prepared for this duty of Triall I come now to the next doctrine as the Text giueth occasion to shew what kinde of Faith it is which is auailable to life eternall and which is therefore called the Faith of Gods elect r Tit. 1.1 because it streameth from Election and is a pledge thereof The 2. Doct. The next doctrine then is That onely that Faith maketh a man capable of saluation and giueth him an interest into life eternall which is with all thy heart This is direct out of the words If thou beleeuest with all thy heart thou mayst that is If thy beleeuing be sincere and thy faith vnfained thou mayst finde comfort in this Sacrament otherwise it will be to thee but an idle signe In all matters betwixt God and vs this is a chiefe thing
which he requireth that we giue him our hart Å¿ Prou. 23.26 that that which we profes to do be done in singlenes He himselfe is a God of truth t Psal 31.5 and therefore can delight in none but such in whose spirit there is no guile u Psal 32.2 His chosen are called the Israel of God x Gal. 6.16 and it is the badge of a true Israelite to bee without Deceit y 1. Ioh. 1.47 A double heart is the marke of the vngodly z Psal 12 2. and God commands vs to purge out this leauen if we would draw neere vnto his Maiesty a Iam. 4.8 The true worshippers shall worship him in Truth for the father requireth euen such b Ioh 4 23. It remaineth as a blemish in the name of the old Israelites that albeit they made a shew of seeking God yet their Heart was not vpright with him neither were they faithfull in his Couenant c Psal 78.37 Thus much to shew the necessity of vnfainednes and of doing that with the Heart which we doe in all things which concerne God and so by consequence in the matter of Faith God is Truth Christ is Truth the holy Ghost is the spirit of truth How can Faith make vnion betwixt God and vs vnlesse it be Faith of truth d 2. Thes 2.13 This point will not bee so profitable in the application vnlesse we looke a little more neerely into it to finde out what that speciall point is in respect whereof Faith is said to be with all the heart The heart is the seat and fountaine of all the affections A man therefore belieueth with all the heart when that which is belieued is become as it were the center of all his affections the maine marke and matter of his loue delight ioy c. so that whatsoeuer els is loued or delighted in is so respected only for the sake of that principall scope and so far forth as it leadeth and draweth towards it As for example The maine obiect of Faith is Christ now then to belieue in Christ with all the heart is to fasten a mans whole affiance his whole ioy his whole contentment only vpon him So that Christ beareth the whole sway and principality in his affections and the maine end why his Faith worketh and striueth towards him and why he desireth to be vnited to him is not so much the good and saluation of his owne soule as the enioying of him in whom all fulnesse dwelleth e Col. 1.19 and in whom the Treasures of all godnesse are laid vp There may be a relying and a belieuing vpon Christ which may bee said to be true and vndissembled in this respect because the party in whom it is doth indeed doe that which he professeth to doe neither doth speake contrary to his secret thoughts when he saith he beleeueth in Christ and yet is not this the Faith with all the heart here spoken of As for example I doubt not but a Papist speaketh truly and as hee meaneth when he saith he beleeueth to be saued by Iesus Christ yet notwithstanding there wanteth in him this quality of belieuing with all his heart because he hath also a secret dependance vpon the helpe of Saints vpon the intercession of the virgin Mary vpon the merit of some worke or action of his owne Here Christ hath not all his heart because he hath diuided it betwixt him and some other obiects So againe among our selues I doubt not but many professe soothly and without fraude in auouching that they haue cast all their hope of saluation only vpon Iesus Christ and yet there is a defect in there Faith and that in this particular that it is not with all the heart because their Heart draweth not towards Christ seeketh not to be knit to Christ only for Christs sake and because of that worth and excellency which is conceiued to bee in him but for some other by-respect and for their owne sakes For let mee make this knowne vnto you which is not generally considered it is possible for a reprobate to goe thus far namely to acknowledge there is no saluation in any other but in Christ to disclaime all hope saue only by him to desire truly and with his soule to haue a part in him and to account himselfe happy if hee might haue fauour with God through him thus far he may come and yet still Christ hath not all his Heart because the principall drift and aime of his respecting Christ is his owne saluation by Christ why will some man say what shall a man els aime at in beleeuing vpon Christ but only saluation by Christ Answere I deny not but that it is lawfull to loue Christ and to rest vpon Christ for saluations sake but I say withall that he which esteemeth Christ for nothing els but to be saued by him shall neuer be saued by him My Heart is to my selfe it is not to Christ if I make account of him and seeke to him only for my benefit So then Christ is belieued with all the heart when the enioying of Christ is the scope of our belieuing I desire not to enioy Christ so much because I would be saued as thus I desire to be saued that I might enioy Christ My Heart is to Christ as to the maine to mine owne saluation as to the inferior and as to a matter therefore only worthy the desiring because it leadeth vnto Christ Thus I hope we now see 1. that that Faith which is effectuall to saluation is only that which is a belieuing with all the heart and then 2. that that is a beleeuing with all the Heart when Christ who is the obiect of Faith and is acknowledged to bee a sole and complete sauior is laboured after principally for himselfe my heart is towards him for his owne sake more then for mine owne saluation sake I know I can not depend vpon him and be made one with him but it will bee for my profit yet I looke not so much vpon that as I doe vpon him yea and I striue to be affected as Iob to continue my Faith and my trusting to him though he should slay mee f Iob. 13.15 though I should not only not get good by him but receiue some sharpenes from him We must couple this point with the former The vse and I wish we may well digest it and that we could bee perswaded to bestow some part of our thoughts vpon it euery day Ardua ras est fides Hierony It is no easie thing rightly to beleeue Not euery one that taketh the name of Iesus into his mouth shall by and by bee saued no nor yet euery one which goeth further then a superficiall naming him It is possible to vnderstand the mystery of Christ to professe truly and vndissemblingly a dependance onely vpon Christ and as it were to set vp a mans rest on this that no man can come vnto God
the father but by Christ and yet in the end to come short Let vs remember that the very life and glory of faith is to beleeue with all thy Heart that is in our beleeuing to let Christ haue the preeminence the full and the very all of our affections If wee can bring our soules once to this to value Christ more for his owne proper worthes sake then for owne saluations sake then are we beleeuers with all our Heart This is indeed singlenes sincerity of affection this is vprightnes of mind when my faith reacheth after Christ for Christ I account my owne saluation but the Bay the fruition of Christ the Maine These be two things I know which cannot bee sundered in enioying Christ and saluation but yet it is possible to giue the one the precedence aboue the other in desiring Let not this seeme strange vnto vs. Who amongst vs accounts him a friend worth the hauing whose chiefe end in seeking to be linked in with him in society is more his owne commodity or some credit like to accrew to him then the fruition of him to whom he professeth loue When we can say of a man professing friendship I know he respecteth mee for this or for that were it not for such a hope or the expectation of such a benefit I am sure he would regard me as little as another man will we iudge such an one an vnfained friend How then shall that be called an vnfained Faith which aimeth at Christ onely for this because there is hope of a kingdome by beleeuing This is a mercenary respect neither is that a true sauing faith which hath no higher scope Would I not draw towards Christ in my desire and affection if there were no saluation by his meanes is it onely to make a benefit of him that I do cast my selfe vpon him shal this be called faith No I doubt not but such respects as these may be found in many which yet shall bee called the least in the Kingdome of God And thus we may see how one thing followeth vpon another that maine matter of preaching must be Christ the supreame purpose of hearing must be to finde Christ * This was taught out of the 35 verse and so the principall intendement of faith must be to enioy Christ To be saued may lawfully be an inducement but sure we shall misse if it be the chiefest motiue If we will beleeue on Christ he will haue all the Heart or nothing And so much touching the quality of Faith which I commend to our best obseruation wish it may be well considered that we may not beguile our selues with an opinion of faith Let it bee remembred how neere counterfet faith commeth vnto true faith and wherein the maine difference doth consist Christ hath but halfe the heart if wee respect him onely for this that vpon his shoulders wee may bee carried vpwards into Heauen If we could thinke Heauen it selfe not worthy the hauing but onely for his sake that were excellent So far of the condition propounded by Philip now next of the Eunuchs vndertaking it Then he answered I beleeue that c. We haue here three things to note 1 That the Eunuch was able to giue an account of his Faith 2 That hee was ready so to doe 3 What the account was The first of these is very apparent for what is this speech but an account giuen by the Eunuch what hee beleeued and it was so sufficient that vpon it he was admitted to the Sacrament So that the doctrine hence is The 3 doct That it is necessary for euery good Christian to be able to expresse for himselfe what he beleeues This sufficiency of the Eunuch to returne an answer to the inquiry made into his faith is not to bee passed ouer without noting out of all question it was written for our learning that we might labour not to be to seeke in the things which doe concerne our soules This is that which Peter caleth a giuing a reason of that hope which a man hath g 1. Pet. 3.15 Paul termeth it a confession with the Mouth h Rom. 10.9 and maketh it a necessary companion of that Faith which brings to saluation and Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde i Rom. 14 5. that is let him that is a beleeuer labour to conceiue distinctly what that is whereupon it is necessary for him to rest that he may be saued let him not satisfie himselfe with a kinde of reserment to the faith of others but let him see that hee himselfe doe apprehend that which is necessary The iust must liue by his Faith k Heb. 2.4 by that which hee conceiueth in his owne heart not by subiecting himselfe to the opinion of another This is life euerlasting to know thee the onely God l Ioh. 17.3 It is not imagination or supposall or some loose and vncertaine fancy some rauing coniecture that can guide a man to life it is vnderstanding it is knowledge such which the hauer is both able if need be to set downe determinately what it is and to giue a reason also thereof to Thus is it written and this I beleeue this is my Faith and this is the foundation thereof Why else is it that the Scripture teacheth grounds of the Christian Faith so exactly Why is it that there is any such necessity laid vpon vs which are called to the seruice of the Church to lay open the mystery of Christ Why I say should this be if it were not the duty of beleeuers to be able in heart to comprehend and with mouth also if occasion bee to declare whereupon they rest for the saluation of their soules Indeed what comfort can there be or what sweetnesse in vncertainty or what possibility to put Sathan to flight with some confused motion which a man hath catched vp he knoweth not how It is the glory of Christians to be fulfilled with Knowledge and spirituall vnderstanding m Col. 1.9 to haue the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation and to know what is the hope of their calling c. n Eph. 1.17.18 A shame to them to be children in vnderstanding o 1 Cor. 14.20 to be dull of hearing p Heb. 5.11 to be euer learning and yet neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth q 2 Tim. 3.7 These things may serue to prooue this doctrine The vse In the vse it giueth ful occasion to accuse the ignorance of the times in which so many of all sorts and of all degrees are vtterly vnable to giue a comfortable account of that which is necessary to be knowen vnto saluation Euery parish euery assembly euery congregation swarmes with such There is no Minister that laboureth to know the state of his flocke but can be a witnesse with me touching this Men speake of I know not what hoping well and of being of that which they call Gods
Certainely this is an argument of scanmes of grace amongst men There cannot but be a stomacke to the Sacrament where there is felt sweetnesse in the word And it is well knowne that in those prime daies when zeale was feruent the belieuers mette not together to heare but withall they did communicate and this vse continued many yeeres It was Popery that first brought in the seldomnes of this seruice and at last drew it to once a yeere making the people belieue that in respect of the difficultie to be well prepared it was better for them to communicate in heart with the Priest then to do it in act These dregs yet remaine among men and it is an vniustifiable error that they committe to passe ouer the Sacrament of the supper to some old people or women with child who must take it as was said in the daies of superstition for their viands Pro viatico being neerer in opinion and possibility to their last passage and themselues either to turne their backes or to sit by proclayming to the world their want of appetite to such an heauenly banquet I say the same reason is in both the Sacraments in regard of desiring comfort And therefore the doctrine is good hence that where grace is there is a desire of the Sacraments and a willingnesse to vse them according to the order of him that ordained them and where there is little respect to the seales surely there the couenant it selfe is not much esteemed A third doctrine out of this motion is The 3 doct That in whom there is any truth of Christianity in him there is also a desire to discover and to make it knowen to the world that he is a Christian I gather this out of the Eunuch his request to bee baptized which Sacrament his desire was to be partaker of not onely for the establishing of his heart and the confirming of his faith but withall that hee might haue vpon him the badge and cognizance of his new profession and might shew himselfe not to be ashamed of the name and title of a Christian And indeed it was an evidence of great resolution in this conuert that whereas it would not but breed him some question and trouble at his returne into his owne country to be fallen from the religion wherein he was borne and brought vp to be become one of that new Sect which was euery where spoken against f Act. 28 22. yet he fearing no hazard of his honour no losse of his office and dignity no incurring the hatred and censure of his country-men would needs be baptized and as it were enrouled and booked among Christians This is the nature of true conuersion albeit it may stirre but weakely at the first and seeme almost not to dare to shew it selfe as wee see in the case of Nicodemus and some other in our Sauiours time whom the opposition of the world made somewhat slow in the discovery of themselves yet when it is come to a fuller grouth so that a man is more then in the way to conversion and is indeed renued in the inner man then there will be a desire to make it knowen that he marcheth vnder the colours of the Lord Iesus and hath renounced all other wayes of saluation to rest onely vpon him So euen the same Nicodemus albeit in the beginning when he was but a beginner hee came to Iesus by night g Ioh 3.2 And after spake on his side at a Conuocation of the Pharisies but covertly and a farre-oft so that it could scarcely be smelt which way he did encline h Ioh. 7.50 Yet in time he grew to more opennesse as in joyning with Ioseph in the honourable interring of our Sauiour i Ioh. 19 39. And so much it seemeth to haue beene the purpose of the Holy Ghost to insinuate in the manner of reporting it Then came Nicodemus also which first came to Iesus by night c. As if he had sayd howsoeuer he was something timorous at the first yet now the fire was kindled and the light thereof brake forth more apparantly The same may besayd of Ioseph of Arimathea himselfe there is no speech of him at all during our Sauiours life and the text saith too he was a secert disciple k ver 38. but then saith S. Marke he went in boldly vnto Pilate c l Mark 15.43 So yet although there bee much weakenesse and faintnesse at the first tasting of religion whiles a man is but yet as it were in the throwes of his new birth yet when the worke is accomplisht and one is become a Christian indeed there is a willingnesse to make it to appeare and a kinde of neglect of all other things in respect of this one that a man may be knowen to haue given his name vnto Christ Not that the children of God doe seeke applause but that it may be seene they are not ashamed and doe therefore shew themselues in their kinde yea though some outward inconuenience do befal them It is said of Paul that assoon as he had receiued direction from Ananias he straight way preached Christ in the sinagogues c m Act. 9 20. As who would say he did euen long vntill he had giuen some euidence to the World what he was and what change God had wrought in his heart Thus in the first times of the Apostles preachings notwithstanding the sharpe persecutions raised vp aginst the Truth yet the beleeuers trouped togethet and drew themselues into societies and ioyned themselues to the assemblies and had fellowshippe with those which were in Christ before them in those things by which it could not but be descryed what they were The text speaking of the conuersion of these three thousand saith they were added to the Church n Act. 2.41 which argueth that they not onely in heart embraced the Truth but withall disposed of themselues so that it was manifest to all to what number they belonged And the number of them that beleeued saith Luke grew more and more o Act. 5.14 which sheweth a visible adhering to the fellowship of professors The like is intended in that speaking Barnabas was a good man c. and much people ioyned themselues vnto the Lord p Act. 11.24 so it is sayd of the conuerts at Ephesus they came and confessed and shewed their workes q Act. 19.18 when Christ commended mutuall loue vnto his disciples By this said he shall all men know you are disciples r Ioh. 13.35 as if he had said If you be such as you should be you wilde fire to manifost your selues to be my disciples you wil be willing to haue it knowen what you are Now then behold a marke whereby the world shall discerne you What should I say more in this It is certaine he that rightly apprehends the good to be gotten by Christ and is sensible of some interest in it for his owne particular will
desire nothing more then that he may shew himselfe to be his and to be reputed one of his followers and dependants yea though it be with some preiudice in the world yet he will acount it to be the greatest honour can befall him To returne home with the badge of a Christian out of all doubt the Eunuch valued it more then his office of Treasurer in the Kingdome and he chose rather to hazard both that and all other dignities then to goe into his country as a secret Christian The vse This deserues to be commended to the care of all that feare God that how soeuer the vaine applause of men be not to be hunted after and it be hipocriticall and pharisaicall to practise the duties of godlinesse to be seene Å¿ Math. 6.1 yet it is necessary that we should make it to appear what we are and yet we be not ashamed of that sincerity godly care which becommeth those that would be saued Will some man say vnto me this a needlesse exhortation vnto vs. For behold we haue done as much for the shewing of our selues to be Christians as this Eunuch did He was baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus so haue we beene euery one and therefore you may spare the labour of perswading that which wee haue already done I answere To receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme was to this man sufficient for the declaring of himselfe a Christian in his owne country where the name of Christ was either not heard of or not liked of and where the Sacrament of Baptisme was a thing strange and vtterly vnknowen but the case is not so with vs. For with vs neither the bearing the name of a Christian nor an admittance by the Sacrament of Baptisme into the society of Gods people is enough to prooue a man to be a Christian indeed because these things are common to many hypocrites with the best professours So that albeit Baptisme might be a witnesse of this mans Christianity among a people either hating it or not esteeming it yet it cannot be so with vs but some further thing is necessary to the end our sincerity of religion and Christianity may appeare There be some things as hatefull among the men of this generation as the name of a Christian was or could be among the Ethiopians as namely for a man to make conscience of his wayes to binde himselfe to a kinde of circumspect walking to shew himselfe fearefull to offend and loth to doe any thing displeasing to the maiesty of God to follow after holinesse with a kinde of striuing to be strait in those things wherin men generally take a kinde of liberty to themselues and to seeme not to dare to doe diuers things which the world makes no question of these and the like I say are as strange as harsh as displeasing as much subiect to censure and hate in these our dayes as euer was the name of Christianity among the heathen which knew not God And therefore if we that professe godlinesse can frame our selues hereunto not regarding what we may lose in credit in estimation in rising to preferment in the world thereby not reckoning of the reproaches and euill speeches and scorne that may be cast vpon vs this will testifie that wee be Christians indeed When we be not backward in those things which are like to bring vs vpon the stage and to make vs a matter of note and spectacle vnto others It was a notable euidence of the Eunuch his faith and piety that albeit he knew well that after his returne the kingdome would be filled with the newes of his conuersion and he was like to come to an account to his Queene and the rest of the state for his religion yet baptized he would needs be it should be his glory to be knowen to be a dependant vpon Christ crucified It vtterly condemneth that spirit of cowardize which possesseth many who are loth to doe ought appertaining to religion that might single them out from the multitude or make them to bee noted amongst men Thinke not I would giue countenance to that vaine singularity which leadeth some who take a kind of pride if they can once bring themselues to be talked of and so runne themselues out of breath in a kinde of violent and head-stronge zeale hauing too much of that pharisaical disease of despising others t Luk. 18.9 and being as Solomon saith pure in their owne conceipt though they bee not washed from their filthinesse n Pro. 30.12 I say my purpose is not to giue allowance to any of any such spirit but I labour against that faint heartednesse of men reasonably well affected it may be and yet loth to be too forward for feare of espying and forbearing to doe those things which are meete to be done lest they should incurre some disgrace or hazard somewhat which they are loth to lose For a man to cast himselfe into perill is rashnesse and folly and more then there is any warrant for so for a man to desire to bee noted and to affect a name of somewhat more then ordinary that is vanity but for a man to consider what his profession binds him to and to giue euidence to the world that he respects the doing thereof more then any worldly circumstance and would faine shew himselfe not to bee ashamed of his Sauiour and of his words before men that is true Christianity and the thing which I labor out of the Eunuch his practize here in this place The Law of gouerning the antient Roman army was drawen to two heades 1 Non sequi not to make any rash pursuit against the enimy wherby to runne into needlesse danger 2 non fugere not to flie before the enemy whereby to betray the common cause into his hands So it must be in this Neither is trouble to be sought neither yet to be declined when it commeth The Eunuch was willing the world might know he had renounced Idolatry and had giuen his name to Christ as the Prince of his saluation He thought it not fit though it might bee for the safety of his outward honor to smother his profession and to frame to the times keeping his beliefe in secret to himselfe So far of the Eunuch his motion A true conuert hath euer a loue and a desire to the Sacrament and a care to giue euidence to the World that hee hath learned better things then he sometimes knew The 2 part of the whole text Now followeth Philips condescending to the Eunuchs motion where we haue three things to treate of 1 A condition propounded by Philip to the Eunuch vpon which it might be lawfull for him to receiue Baptisme The particulars of it If thou beleeuest with all thy heart c. 2 The Eunuchs entertaining the condition I beleeue c. 3 The Baptisme it selfe with the circumstances Then he commanded the charet c. In the first of these two particulars
is the sonne of God cannot saue I know who thou art said the euill spirit therein he spake as he thought and was perswaded euen the holy one of God m Luk. 4.34 And shall we thinke that this was all was intended in the Eunuchs acknowledgement that hee gaue credit vnto the Scripture touching Iesus Christ to be the son of God God forbid He might haue done so and yet neuer haue beene saued He had not beleeued with all his hart if he had done no more It was necessary there should bee also a relying a resting a casting himselfe vpon Christ a trusting to him an expecting saluation by his means a fitting of this general truth touching Christ to his owne particular for the discharge of his soule in the sight of God And indeed this is so necessary a part of Faith that as it cannot be without the former for a man cannot rely vpon Christ vnlesse he be certaine he is the person to be relyed vpon so the former is not rightly and truly apprehended vnlesse this latter be attained to or at the least endeuoured for For first generally it is true that the points and articles of Faith are so contriued that the failing in one ouerthroweth all Then secondly a man cannot properly bee sayd to beleeue the report of the Scripture touching Christ vnlesse he doe apply it to himselfe For how doth a man giue credit to this that Christ is the sonne of God and a Sauiour if he himselfe doe not rely and hang vpon him for his owne saluation So that indeed it is no full and compleate assent where there wants an application of that Truth which is assented vnto to a mans owne particular How can I beleeue Christ to be my Sauiour except I know him to be the promised Sauiour and how doe I beleeue him to be the promised Sauiour if I dare not trust him with my owne soule and am backeward to depend vpon him for my selfe And therefore in this truly saith the Apostle that he maketh God a Lyer that doth not proceed from the generall doctrine to the point of particular application that God hath giuen vs eternall life n 1 Iohn 5.10.11 If then we yeeld as we needs must that the Eunuch did more then assent to this generall truth as it is reuealed in the Scripture and did lay hold vpon it as a matter into which himselfe had interest it cannot but follow thence that the Faith required to saluation hath in it beside the acknowledgement of the Truth in the vnderstanding an embracing it also in the will and a dependance thereon for the personall good of him in whom it is And thus of this doctrine touching that matter and obiect of Faith Iesus Christ the sonne of God apprehended by the authority of the Scripture to be so and laid hold vpon as a Sauiour The vse The vse is principally to moue vs to a due and diligent enquiry whither we who speake of Faith and doe also make full account of being saued by Christ doe so beleeue as hath beene described and as out of all doubt this Eunuch did namely how we be grounded and setled in this by the teaching of the Scripture that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God in whom only god is pacified and then next how we doe depend vpon him in particular for our selues with what warrant and vpon what tearmes This is a matter that deserueth scanning in the closet of euery heart that would be saued Certainly it will appeare vpon inquiry made that if this be to beleeue surely then the number of beleeuers is exceeding small For first how raw how confused how vncertaine generally is mens knowledge in this fundamentall point touching the person and office of Christ Iesus How few are able to prooue vnto their owne hearts out of Gods word that this Iesus Christ whom we so often name is that very person in whom all Gods promises touching life and saluation are yea and Amen o 2. Cor. 1.20 hauing in him and by him their full accomplishment that it is he whom God the father hath sealed p Ioh. 6.27 to saue his people from their sinnes q Math. 1.21 If a man should come to many who are belieuers by profession and say Oh thou that makest thy boast of Christ and thinkest vnder his wings to be shrouded against the wrath of God how knowest thou that this is the person in whom God will be reconciled to thee what warrant hast thou in him to finde fauour and acceptance with the Lord How quickly would they be foyled and how easily graueled in this necessary particular without certainty wherein all a mans Faith is but meere presumption Verily I am perswaded that it is not the tenth of our ordinary hearers and professors thar can tell how to make this point good against sathans cauils with which he will vndermine and batter it in the euill day that Iesus Christ is that person vpon whom he that desires saluation must rely For shame let vs not be more remisse and carelesse for our soules then we would be for our outward state What wise man will take the word or bond of another vnlesse he be sure of his sufficiency to make that good for which he offereth himselfe either by word or writing to be engaged wherein is a man the neerer to haue his bond for many pounds who it may be is not worth so many groates Heere therefore let vs first begin in the matter of faith let vs labour to see this point well prooued out of the testimony of Gods word that Iesus Christ is the chiefe stone elect and precious put in Sion vpon whom who so beleeueth shall not be ashamed r 1. Pet. 2.6 that he is the way the truth and the life and that as no man can come to the Father but by him Å¿ Ioh. 14.6 so hee which commeth by him cannot be repelled If we would be sound in the Faith t Tit. 1.13 and rooted in Christ let vs looke to this It is abundantly cleared in the Scripture Search the Scriptures they are they that testifie of Christ u Iohn 5.39 Well now as I haue discouered the scarsity of Faith by the common defect in this maine ground of Christianity so may I as easily doe it in vrging the other part touching the particular application of the generall doctrine of Christ Iesus For in it there is as great an errour as in the other I know there is an ordinary making account to be saued by Iesus Christ but yet though therein there is a kinde of fitting the doctrine of Christ to particulars yet it is not that application which is the life of faith and which out of all doubt this Eunuch had attained to For to the Application of Christ there is more belongs then this to say Christ died for sinners and I hope by him to escape damnation Many shall goe into Hell with as much as that