God suits his gifts people. He bestows

Still it is right to observe, that spiritual joy like that of Paul and Silas, is not often the lot of Christians in ordinary life. It is a cordial, and reserved for great occasions. to the circumstances of his that in their seasons of affliction, of persecution, of earthly trial and privation, which he withholds at other times. He gives to every individual of his people according to their several necessity, according as he sees to be expedient for them. Comfort was now expedient for Paul and Silas all without was dreary, they must be cheered within: and they were cheered; and the prisoners heard them, not murmuring over their misfortunes or their injuries, but praying and singing praises unto God.

But, doubtless, there was a thought through which this comfort was conveyed and impressed upon the heart. They "had respect unto the recompense of reward." They looked unto the end. It is the end which sweetens the present toil. A man "rises up early, and late takes rest, and eats the bread of carefulness;" not because such labour is in itself delightful to him, but because it leads to something he desires: he may so acquire honour, or obtain wealth: his family may be better provided for. And for this he bears the present toil. Such too is the principle of the Christian. He denies himself, he keeps under his body, and brings it into subjection." He submits to reproach. He suffers, if need be. Because he looks beyond the present trial to the future

"

reward. He is assured that his " light affliction, which is but for a moment, shall work for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

This, then, was the immediate spring of comfort which the disciples were now tasting, and through which they were supplied with peace and joy. We know it was, for they have told us so. Paul tells us his habitual state. "To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." As the servant of Christ, and in obedience to his will, he was always labouring, and now he was suffering. Had his life been taken, as he had every reason to expect, it would have been his gain; it would have carried him earlier to that rest which awaited him that rest, of which some years after he speaks with so much transport: "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but to all them that love his appearing."

These last words show that the comfort possessed by Paul and Silas, even under their sharpest trials, was not conferred on them peculiarly; belonged to them, not as apostles of Christ, but as believers in Christ. Those who can apply to themselves the same description, "To me, to live is Christ,' may also enjoy the same reflection as the support of every day of trial, the encouragement of every day of labour, the comfort of every day of care :-Death must come and "to die is gain."

4 2 Tim. iv. 6-8.

LECTURE LVIII.

THE KEEPER OF THE PRISON IS CONVERTED AND BAPTISED.

A. D. 53.

ACTS xvi. 2632.

26. 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.

27. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm : for we are all here.

29. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30. And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Thus it appears, why this earthquake had been ordered by Him, who has all the elements under his command. Not so much on account of the apostles. They might have been set free as quietly as Peter was, when he awoke from his sleep and found himself at liberty. But God had mercy in store for the keeper of this prison. The earthquake which shook the foundations of the prison, shook also that which is often more hard to move-the stony heart. The bands were loosed which had,

held the prisoners' limbs; those stronger bands were also loosed, in which Satan had held this keeper of the prison. He perceived by the earthquake, and by the conduct of the apostles which ensued, that some mighty power attended them, and that to persecute them was to oppose that power; to ill-treat them was to fight against God. So he came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, saying, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? How can How can I escape the vengeance of this power which protects you, and which, by severely handling you, I have provoked?

Observe, here, the different dealings of God with men's hearts. Sometimes the voice which calls them is the still small voice which no one hears except he to whom it is addressed. So it was in the case which recently came before us, the case of Lydia; of whom we merely read, that "the Lord opened her heart, so that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul."

It happens thus with many now, who are brought up in a christian land. As there are many, who, possessing the same privileges, see as if they saw not, and hear as if they heard not, and never understand, or come to the real knowledge of the truth, so there are others who do attend to the things spoken, and receive them into their hearts, softened and prepared by the dew of divine grace. The "seed is cast into the ground, and springs, and grows up," silently and unobservedly.' They hear the voice of God, whilst it is yet the still

1 See Mark iv. 27.

small voice. And blessed are they who do so; lest he either pass by them altogether, or come to them in the whirlwind or the storm.

Sometimes he does thus reveal himself. It needs not the thunder which rends the heavens ; it needs not the earthquake which shakes the foundations of the prison; perhaps illness, in a few hours showing a man the precipice on which he stands, and disclosing the gulf below; perhaps affliction" the desire of the eyes," the treasure of the heart, taken away "at a stroke;" perhaps reverse of fortune, depriving a man at once of all that he most loved, and reducing him to that which he most dreaded-these are voices in which God sometimes speaks, and forces them who have been too long deaf to his mercy, to listen to his anger.

One thing, however, we must constantly bear in mind. Whether it be the gentle voice, or whether it be the voice of thunder, it is not the voice, but the Lord who sends the voice, that produces any effect upon the heart. There may be the earthquake, but the Lord is not in the earthquake; not a soul is shaken. There may be the cloud, but the Lord is not in the cloud. Not a drop falls-not one tear of penitence is shed. The dispensation effects nothing; the Lord must direct the dispensation, that it may not return unto him void, but accomplish the thing for which he sends it. Many hearts are as little penetrated by the judgments of God, as by his mercies. And the earthquake would have been no more to this jailer, than the