|
ACTS XVI. 25, 26.
"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and
sang praises unto God': and the prisoners
heard them. And suddenly there was a great
earthquake, so that the foundations of the
prison were shaken, and immediately all the
doors were opened, and every one's bands were
loosed."
What could equal these souls? These men had
been scourged, had received many, stripes,
they had been misused, were in peril of their
lives, were thrust into the inner prison, and
set fast in the stocks: and for all this they
did not suffer themselves to sleep, but kept
vigil all the night. Do you mark what a
blessing tribulation is? But we, in our soft
beds, with none to be afraid of, pass the whole
night in sleep. But belike this is why they
kept vigil, because they were in this
condition. Not the tyranny of sleep could
overpower them, not the smart of pain could bow
them, not the fear of evil east them into
helpless dejection: no, these were the very
things that made them wakeful: and they were
even filled with exceeding delight. "At
midnight," it says, "and the prisoners
listened to them :" it was so strange and
surprising! "And suddenly there was a great
earthquake, so that the foundations of the
prison were shaken, and immediately, all the
doors were opened, and every one's bands were
loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking
out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors
open, drew out his sword, and would have killed
himself, supposing that the prisoners had been
fled." (v. 27.) There was an
earthquake, that the keeper should be roused
from sleep, and the doors flew open, that he
should wonder at what had happened: but these
things the prisoners saw not: otherwise they
would all have fled:* but the keeper of the
prison was about to slay himself, thinking the
prisoners were escaped. "But Paul cried with
a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for
we are all here" (v. 28.) "Then he
called for lights, and sprang in, and came
trembling, and fell down before Paul and
Silas; and brought them out, and said,
Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (v.
29-30.) Do you mark how the wonder
overpowered him? He wondered more at Paul's
kindness; he was amazed at his manly boldness,
that he had not escaped when he had it in his
power, that he hindered him from killing
himself. "And they said, believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and
thy house. And they spake unto him the word of
the Lord, and to all that were in his house."
(v. 31, 35) and immediately gave proof of
their kindness towards him. And he took them
the same hour of the night and washed their
stripes; and was baptized, he and all his,
straightway." (v. 33.) He washed them,
and was himself baptized, he and his house.
"And when he had brought them into his house,
he set meat before them, and rejoiced,
believing in God with all his house. And when
it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants,
saying, Let those men go." (v. 34,
35.) It is likely the magistrates had learnt
what had happened, and did not dare of
themselves to dismiss them. "And the keeper of
the prison told these words to Paul, saying,
the magistrates have sent to let you go now
therefore depart, and go in peace. But Paul
said unto them, they have beaten us openly
uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us
into prison; and now do they thrust as out
privily? nay verily; but let them come
themselves and fetch us out. And the sergeants
told these words unto the magistrates: and they
feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
And they came and besought them, and brought
them out, and desired them to depart out of the
city. And they went out of the prison, and
entered into the house of Lydia: and when they
had Seen the brethren, they comforted them,
and departed." (v. 36-40.) Even upon
the declaration of the magistrates Paul does not
go out, but for the sake both of Lydia and the
rest he puts them in fear: that they may not be
supposed to have come out upon their own
request, that they may set the rest in a posture
of boldness. The impeachment was twofold: that
"being Romans," and "uncondemned," they
had openly cast them into prison. You see that
in many things they took their measures as men.
(Recapitulation) "And at midnight," etc.
(v. 25.) Let us compare, beloved, with
that night these nights of ours, with their
revellings, their drunkenness, and wanton
excesses, with their sleep which might as well
be death, their watchings which are worse than
sleep. For while some sleep without sense or
feeling, others lie awake to pitiable and
wretched purpose, plotting deceits, anxiously
thinking about money, studying how they may be
revenged upon those who do them wrong,
meditating enmity, reckoning up the abusive
words spoken during the day:thus do they rake up
the smouldering embers of wrath, doing things
intolerable. Mark how Peter slept. (ch.
xii. 6.) Both there, it was wisely ordered
(that he should be asleep); for the Angel
came to him, and it behooved that none should
see what happened; and on the other hand it was
well ordered here (that Paul should be
awake), in order that the keeper of the prison
might be prevented from killing himself. "And
suddenly there was a great earthquake." (v.
26.) And why did no other miracle take
place? Because this was, of all others, the
thing sufficient for his conversion, seeing he
was personally in danger: for it is not so much
miracles that overpower us, as the things which
issue in our own deliverance. That the
earthquake should not seem to have come of
itself, there was this concurrent circumstance,
bearing witness to it: "the doors were opened,
and all their bonds were loosed." And it
appears in the night-time; for the Apostles
did not work for display, but for men's
salvation "And the keeper of the prison,"
etc. (v. 27.) The keeper was not an
evil-disposed man that he "thrust them into the
inner prison," (v. 24) was because of his
"having received such a command," not of
himself. The man was all in a tumult of
perturbation. "What shall I do to be
saved?" he asks. Why not before this? Paul
shouted, until he saw, and is beforehand with
him saying, "We are all here. And having
called for lights," it says, "he sprang in,
and fell down at the feet" of the prisoner;
he, the prison keeper, saying, "Sirs, what
must I do to be saved?" (v. 28-30.)
Why, what had they said? Observe, he does
not, on finding himself safe, think all is
well; he is overcome with awe at the miraculous
power.
Do you mark what happened in the former case,
and what here? There a girl was released from a
spirit, and they cast them into prison, because
they had liberated her from the spirit. Here,
they did but show the doors standing open, and
it opened the doors of his heart, it loosed two
sorts of chains; that (prisoner) kindled the
(true) light; for the light in his heart was
shining. "And he sprang in, and fell before
them;" and he does not ask, How is this?
What is this? but straightway he says, "What
must I do to be saved?"
What then answers Paul? "Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,
thou and thine house." (v. 31.) For this
above all, wins men: that one's house also
should be saved. "And they spake the word to
him, and to all that were in his house. And he
took them the same hour of the night, and washed
their stripes," etc. (v. 32, 33),
washed them and was washed: those he washed from
their stripes, himself was washed from his
sins: he fed and was fed. "And rejoiced,"
it says: although there was nothing but words
only and good hopes: "having believed in God
with all his house (v. 34): this was the
token of his having believed--that he was
released of all. What worse than a jailer,
what more ruthless, more savage? He
entertained them with great honor.
Not, because he was safe, he made merry,
but, having believed God.
"Believe on the Lord," said the Apostle:
therefore it is that the writer here says,
"Having believed,4-- Now therefore," it
says, "depart, and go in peace" (v.
36):that is, in safety, fearing no man.
"But Paul said unto them" (v. 37): that
he may not seem to be receiving his liberty as
one condemned, and as one that has done wrong:
therefore it is that he says, "Having openly
beaten us uncondemned," etc.--that it may
not be matter of grace on their part. And
besides, they wish the jailer himself to be out
of danger, that he may not be called to account
for this afterwards. And they do not say,
"Having beaten us," who have wrought
miracles: for they (the magistrates) did not
even heed these: but, that which was most
effectual to shake their minds, "uncondemned,
and being Romans." Observe how diversely
grace manages things: how Peter went out, how
Paul, though both were Apostles.
"They feared," (v. 38) it says: because
the men were Romans, not because they bad
unjustly cast them into prison,* "And
besought them to depart out of the city" (v.
39): begged them as a favor. And they went
to the house of Lydia, and having confirmed
her, so departed. For it was not right to
leave their hostess in distress and anxiety.
But they went out, not in compliance with the
request of those rulers, but hasting to the
preaching: the city having been sufficiently
benefited by the miracle: for it was fit they
should not be there any longer. For in the
absence of them that wrought it, the miracle
appeared greater, itself crying out more
loudly: the faith of the jailer was a voice in
itself. What equal to this? He is put in
bonds, and looses, being bound: looses a
twofold bond: him that bound him, he looses by
being bound. These are indeed works of
(supernatural) grace. Let us constantly bear
in mind this jailer, not the miracle: how,
prisoner as he was (the Apostle), persuaded
his jailer. What say the heathen? "And of
what things," say they, "was such a man as
this to be persuaded--a vile, wretched
creature, of no understanding, full of all that
is bad and nothing else, and easily brought over
to anything? For these, say they, are the
things, a tanner, a purple-seller, an
eunuch, slaves, and women believed." This is
what they say. What then will they be able to
say, when we produce the men of rank and
station, the centurion, the proconsul, those
from that time to the present, the rulers
themselves, the emperors? But for my part, I
speak of something else, greater than this: let
us look to these very persons of no
consideration. "And where is the wonder?"
say you. Why, this, I say, is a wonder.
For, if a person be persuaded about any common
things, it is no wonder: but if resurrection,
a kingdom of heaven, a life of philosophic
self-command, be the subjects, and,
discoursing of these to persons of mean
consideration, one persuades them, it will be
more wonderful than if one persuaded wise men.
For when there is no danger attending the things
of which one persuades people, then (the
objector) might with some plausibility allege
want of sense on their part: but when (the
preacher) says--to the slave, as you will
have it--" If thou be persuaded by me, it is
at thy peril, thou wilt have all men for thine
enemies, thou must die, thou must suffer evils
without number," and yet for all this,
convinces that man's soul, there can be no more
talk here of want of sense. Since, if indeed
the doctrines contained what was pleasant, one
might fairly enough say this: but if, what the
philosohers would never have chosen to learn,
this the slave does learn, then is the wonder
greater. And, if you will, let us bring
before us the tanner himself, and see what were
the subjects on which Peter conversed with him:
or if you will, this same jailer. What then
said Paul to him? "That Christ rose
again," say you; "that there is a
resurrection of the dead, and a kingdom: and he
had no difficulty in persuading him, a man
easily led to anything." How? Said he
nothing about the mode of life; that he must be
temperate, that he must be superior to money,
that he must not be unmerciful, that he must
impart of his good things to others? For it
cannot be said, that the being persuaded to
these things also was from the want of power of
mind; no, to be brought to all this required a
great soul. For be it so, that as far as the
doctrines went, they were rendered more apt to
receive these by their want of intelligence: but
to accept such a virtuous, self-denying rule of
life, how could that be owing to any defect of
understanding? So that the less understanding
the person may have, if nevertheless he is
persuaded to things, to which even philosophers
were unable to persuade their
fellow-philosophers, the greater the
wonder--when women and slaves are persuaded of
these truths, and prove it by their actions, of
which same truths the Platos and all the rest of
them were never able to persuade any man. And
why say I, "any man?" Say rather, not
themselves even: on the contrary, that money is
not to be despised, Plato persuaded (his
disciples) by getting, as he did, such an
abundance of property, and golden rings, and
goblets; and that the honor to be had from the
many is not to be despised, this Socrates
himself shows, for all that he may philosophize
without end on this point: for in everything he
did, he had an eye to fame. And if you were
conversant with his discourses, I might go at
great length into this subject, and show what a
deal of insincerity (eirwneian) there was in
them,--if at least we may believe what his
disciple says of him,--and how that all his
writings have their ground-work in vainglory.
But, leaving them, let us direct the discourse
to our own selves. For besides the things that
have been said, there is this also to be added,
that men were persuaded of these things to their
own peril. Be not thou therefore shameless,
but let us think over that night, the stocks,
and the hymns of praise. This let us also do,
and we shall open for ourselves--not a prison,
but--heaven. If we pray, we shall be able
even to open heaven. Elias both shut and opened
heaven by prayer. (James v. 17.) There
is a prison in heaven also. "Whatsoever,"
He saith, "ye shall bind on earth, shall be
bound in heaven." (Matt. xvi. 19.) Let
us pray by night, and we shall loose these
bonds. For that prayers loose sins, let that
widow convince us, let that friend convince us,
who at that untimely hour of the night persists
and knocks (Luke xi. 5): let Cornelius
convince us, for, "thy prayers," it says,
"and thine alms are come up before God."
(ch. x. 4.) Let Paul convince us, who
says, "Now she that is a widow indeed and
desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in
supplications night and day." (1 Tim. v.
5.) If he speaks thus of a widow, a weak
woman, much more would he of men. I have both
before discoursed to you on this, and now r peat
it: let us arouse ourselves during the night:
though thou make not many prayers, make one with
watchfulness, and it is enough, I ask no
more: and if not at midnight, at any rate at
the first dawn. Show that the night is not only
for the body, but also for the soul: do not
suffer it to pass idly, but make this return to
thy Master: nay rather (the benefit) itself
returns to thee. Say, if we fall into any
difficult strait, to whom do we not make
request? and if we soon obtain our request, we
breathe freely again. What a boon were it for
thee, to have a friend to go to with thy
request, who shall be ready to take it as a
kindness, and to be obliged to thee for thy
asking? What a boon, not to have to go about
and seek one to ask of, but to find one ready?
to have no need of others through whom thou
mayest solicit? What could be greater than
this? Since here is One who then does most,
when we make not our requests of others than
Himself: just as a sincere friend then most
complains of us for not trusting in his
friendship, when we ask of others to make
request to him. Thus also let us act. "But
what," you will ask, "if I should have
offended Him?" Cease to give offence, and
weep, and so draw near to Him, and thou wilt
quickly render Him propitious as to thy former
sins. Say only, I have offended: say it from
thy soul and with a sincere mind, and all things
are remitted to thee. Thou dost not so much
desire thy sins to be forgiven, as He desires
to forgive thee thy sins. In proof that thou
dost not so desire it, consider that thou hast
no mind either to practice vigils, or to give
thy money freely: but He, that He might
forgive our sins, spared not His
Only-begotten and True Son, the partner of
His throne. Seest thou how He more desires to
forgive thee thy sins (than thou to be forgiven
)? Then let us not be slothful, nor put off
this any longer. He is merciful and good: only
let us give Him an opportunity. And (even)
this (He seeks), only that we may not become
unprofitable, since even without this He could
have freed us from them: but like as we (with
the same view) devise and arrange many things
for our servants to do, so does He in the
matter of our salvation. "Let us anticipate
His face with thanksgiving." (Ps. xcv.
2. "Let us come before His presence."
E.V.), since He is good and kind. But if
thou call not upon Him, what will He do?
Thou dost not choose to say, Forgive; thou
wilt not say it from thy heart, but with thy
mouth only. What is it, to call in truth?
(To call) with purpose of heart, with
earnestness, with a sincere mind; just as men
say of perfumes, "This is genuine, and has
nothing spurious," so here. He who truly
calls on Him, he who truly prays to Him,
continually attends to it, and desists not,
until he obtain (his request): but he who does
it in a merely formal manner (afosioumenos),
and even this only by way of fulfilling a law,
does not call in truth. Whosoever thou art,
say not only, "I am a sinner," but be
earnest also to rid thyself of this character;
say not this only, but also grieve. If thou
grievest, thou art in earnest: if thou art not
in earnest, thou grievest not: if thou grievest
not, thou triflest. What sort of man is he who
shall say, "I am sick," and not to do all to
be freed from his sickness? A mighty weapon is
Prayer. "If ye," saith the Lord, "know
how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more your Father?" (Luke xi. 13.)
Then wherefore art thou unwilling to approach
Him? He loves thee, He is of more power than
all besides. Both willing is He and able,
what is there to hinder? Nothing. But then,
on our part, let us draw near with faith, draw
near, offering the gifts that He desires,
forgetfulness of wrongs, kindness, meekness.
Though thou be a sinner, with boldness shalt
thou ask of Him forgiveness of thy sins, if
thou canst show that this has been done by
thyself: but though thou be righteous, and
possess not this virtue of forgetfulness of
injuries, thou art none the better for it. It
cannot be that a man who has forgiven his
neighbor should not obtain perfect forgiveness:
for God is beyond comparison more merciful than
we. What sayest thou? If thou sayest, "I
have been wronged, I have subdued my anger, I
have endured the onset of wrath because of Thy
command, and dost Thou not forgive? Full
surely He will forgive: and this is plain to
all. Therefore let us purge our soul from all
resentment. This is sufficient for us, in
order that we may be heard; and let us pray with
watching and much perseverance, that having
enjoyed His bountiful mercy, we may be found
worthy of the good things promised, through the
grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ,
with Whom to the Father, together with the
Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now
and ever, world without end. Amen.
|
|