Section 82
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60 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. far as Phoenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, they were not yet in a situation to venture to impart the faith to the nations, and there fore only announced it to the Jews. .''During this time, Paul also was yet laying waste the church, entering the houses of the be lievers, dragging away men and women, and delivering them over to prison. ? Philip, also, one of those who had been ordained to the office of cfeacons, being among those scattered abroad, went down to Samaria. Filled with divine power, he first proclaimed the divine word to tKe inhabitants of that place. But so greatly did the divine grace co-operate with him, that even Simon Magus, with a great number of other men, were attracted by his dis courses. But Simon had become so celebrated at that time, and had such influence with those that were deceived by his impos tures, that they considered him the great power of God. This same Simon, also, astonished at the extraordinary miracles per formed by Philip through the power of God, artfully assumed, and even pretended faith in Christ, so far as to be baptized ; and what is surprising, the same thing is done even to this day, by those who adopt his most foul heresy. These, after the manner of their founder, insinuating themselves into the church, like a pestilential and leprous disease, infected those with the greatest corruption, into whom they were able to infuse their secret, irremediable, and destructive poison. Many of these, indeed, have already been expelled, when they were caught in their wickedness ; as Simon himself, when detected by Peter, suffered his deserved punish ment. For as the annunciation of the Saviour's gospel was daily advancing, by a certain divine providence, a prince of the queen of the Ethiopians, as it is a custom that still prevails there to be governed by a female, was brought thither, and was the first of the Gentiles that received of the mysteries of the divine word from Philip. The apostle, led by a vision, thus instructed him ; and he, becoming the first fruits of believers throughout the world, is said to have been the first, on returning to his country, that proclaimed the knowledge of God and the salutary abode of our Saviour among men. So that, in fact, the prophecy obtained its fulfilment through him : " Ethiopia stretcheth forth her hands unto God." After this, Paul, that chosen vessel, not of men, nor through