Acts 8:36-39 And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water… Note — I. THAT TO AN OBEDIENT AND CHEERFUL HEARER THE WORD OF GOD IS NEVER PREACHED WITHOUT SUCCESS. This one discourse prevailed through God's mercy to the enlightening of the eunuch's mind; it wrought also upon his affections in such a measure that nothing was more desired of him than to show himself a Christian, and to have some pledge of the favour of God. The Word never is unprofitable where it meets with such an auditor. Learn, then, the true cause why there is no such profiting of the Word preached as there should be and was in purer times. Then one sermon won many; now, many sermons scarce prevail with one. Surely the cause is men want that ready, cheerful disposition, which the good people in those times had; then they sued to be taught, as the eunuch here, those at Pentecost, the Antiochians, and the jailer. II. THAT WHERE THE HEART IS TRULY TOUCHED, AND THE SOUL INDEED TURNED UNTO GOD, THERE IS A DESIRE TO BE PARTAKER OF THE SACRAMENTS. The apostles urged the use of the sacrament upon the people yielding to the doctrine as a trial of them. If they had refused it, their hypocrisy had been soon discovered; if they embraced it, it was an evidence that their hearts were seasoned as was meet. Thus John Baptist bound his hearers to the sacrament (Matthew 3.), and Peter, "Amend your lives and be baptized"; and after that order did the rest proceed. There be just causes of desiring the sacrament in him that is enlightened. 1. He knows the use of the sacraments to be God's ordinance, and therefore, in obedience to His will, he will make conscience thereof. 2. He conceives them to be "seals of the righteousness which is by faith," assurances of society with Christ; for which cause they must needs be sweet unto his soul. 3. He apprehends them to be badges of his profession, and of his service unto Christ, and therefore he cannot but desire them. 4. He believeth them to be bands of the communion of saints, and in that respect he must needs affect them. In these days there is not that respect to the sacraments that there should be. Baptism we have received in our childhood, but what man of many laboureth to make the right use of it? And as for the Lord's Supper, generally it is made no more reckoning of than some three-half-penny ordinary, save only at some season of the year. Certainly this is an argument of scantness of grace amongst men. There cannot but be a stomach to the sacrament, where there is felt sweetness in the Word. III. THAT IN WHOM THERE IS ANY TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY, IN HIM THERE IS ALSO A DESIRE TO MAKE IT KNOWN TO THE WORLD THAT HE IS A CHRISTIAN. It was an evidence of great resolution in this convert to return into his own country as one of that sect which was everywhere spoken against. This is the nature of true conversion, albeit, it may stir but weakly at the first, and seem almost not to dare to show itself, yet, when it is come to a fuller growth, then there will be a desire to show the colours of the Lord Jesus. So Nicodemus, when he was but a beginner, came to Jesus by night. Yet in time he joined with Joseph in the interring of our Saviour. This deserves to be commended to the care of all that fear God, that howsoever the vain applause of men be not to be hunted after, and it be hypocritical and pharisaical to practise the duties of godliness to be seen, yet it is necessary to make it appear what we are, and that we be not ashamed of it. Will some say, This is a needless exhortation, for we have done as much for the showing of ourselves to be Christians as this eunuch did? I answer, that albeit baptism might be a witness unto this man's Christianity, among a people not esteeming it, yet some further thing is necessary to the end our sincerity may appear. There be some things as hateful among the men of this generation as the name of a Christian could be among the Ethiopians, as, namely, for a man to make conscience of his ways to show himself fearful to offend God, to follow after holiness. IV. THAT HE THAT ADMINISTERETH THE SACRAMENT OUGHT TO BE CAREFUL TO INSTRUCT THE PEOPLE IN THINGS NECESSARY TO THE COMFORTABLE PARTAKING OF IT. Every one that is entrusted with the dispensing of the sacrament is bound to acquaint the people carefully upon what conditions only they may receive it to their comfort. The doctrine appertaining to the right use of the sacrament is part of the counsel of God, and therefore not to be secreted by him that desireth to be pure from the people's blood. V. THAT SINCE THE COMING OF CHRIST THERE IS NO PRECEDENCE OF ONE PLACE ABOVE ANOTHER FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HOLY THINGS. Here is baptism administered by the wayside, and that in an ordinary river the sacrament had been no whit better to the eunuch if he had received it in some hallowed place, or in some consecrated vessel. Formerly the worship of God was limited to a certain place, but Christ being manifested, who was the Body of all former shadows, the distinction of places is abolished, and neither is God's worship tied to Jerusalem, nor to Gerizim. Therefore Christ's forerunner exercised his ministry openly in the wilderness, and baptized in the river Jordan; and our Saviour preached in mountains, by the seaside, and out of boats, anywhere where the audience was. So the apostles after, preached in houses, in fields, and baptized in any river which came next to hand. "Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in My name," etc.; there is no exception of place, so that in other things the due form be observed. Conclusion: This may put us all in mind what use to make of our baptism. 1. So often as we think upon our baptism, it ought to be a spur to holiness. A servant to a great man, when he looketh upon his livery, cannot for shame be an enemy to him of whom he had received it; the sight of it is rather a common caller upon him to be faithful to him into whose service he is entered. So baptism is the cognizance of a Christian, and by it we have taken on us to wear the colours of our Captain; the very thought thereof should restrain us from doing the business of Satan, and work us by all means to the willing obeying of the Lord, to the studying, learning, and practising of His will. How excellent were it, if in doing of anything, which we rush upon without any scruple, we would say to ourselves, Is this according to promise, is this agreeing to the vow of baptism? 2. To those that thus make use of baptism as a motive to obedience, it is a storehouse of much comfort. When men's titles to land be in question, they fall to perusing their sealed evidences; and so a Christian must often look to the will and deed of his heavenly Father sealed up in baptism, and by it he shall have comfort. (S. Hieron.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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 baptized? |
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