The Humbled Sinner, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The Dependance of the words.
PAul and Silas (on their journey) make a ſtep to Philippi, a chiefe City in Macedonia, verſ. 12. They had a ſpecial call for it, ver. 9. Being there the next Sabba…h, they apply themſelves to Praying and Preaching, ver. 13. and each of theſe was crowned with a bleſſed effect.
By the former, Lydia is converted, ver. 14, 15. By the latter, the Devils is diſpoſſeſſed out of a Damoſell, ver. 16, 18. The Word and Prayer are the great power of God to change the heart and conquer Satan.
But if we trouble the Devil, the Devil will not ceaſe to trouble us. It hath been the lot of the beſt Miniſters, to do moſt good, and find moſt affliction. Look but in the 19. ver. and there you ſhall ſee Paul and Silas caught and drawn before the Rulers.
Good God! That Paul ſhould be queſtioned becauſe he did caſt out a Devil! But this is not the matter objected, nor the immediate ground of the trouble (Her Maſter ſaw that the hope of their gaines was gone.) How far will the love of the world thruſt a man againſt Gods ſervants, even Paul himſelf is brought to the Bar, when he cuts off the gaines which the Devil brought. Covetous hearts and good Miniſters can never agree. They will rather ſell …he Truth than loſe their Gaine.
But being now before the Magiſtrate, what is their accuſation? What! That Paul and Silas did caſt out the Devil? No That they who were the Maſters of the Damoſel were impaired and diſadvantaged by their Preaching? No, though this was the ground, yet ſomething elſe was the Pretence. This would ſeeme ſomewhat too baſe, and therefore they urge againſt them another allegation, which they knew would eaſily take, verſ. 20. Theſe being Iews exceedingly trouble our City, and ver. 21. Teach Cuſtomes which are not lawful for us to receive, nor to obſerve, being Romans.
As if he ſaid, they are a couple of factious and ſchymatical fellows, men of a ſingular ſpirit, given to innovation▪ ſpeak ſtrange things of one Chriſt, and of Believing, and of Repenting, and we know not what.
They need ſay no more, preſently there is an uprore, and without any more ado, right or wrong, they have Juſtice. The Magiſtrates rent their clothes, and command to beare them. ver. 22.
And this is not enough, beſides the whip, they muſt to the Priſon, and be kept ſafe and cloſe, verſe 23. Hatred of goodneſſe doth many times precipitate evil men to the acts of injuſtice; and he who hates a good man, will many times become a bad Judge.
But in the priſon and ſtocks they are, and the layler is as ſtrict to execute, as they unjuſt to command, verſe 24. He did thruſt them into the inner priſon, and made their feet faſt in the ſtocks.
A ſtrange Providence is that of God, Paul and Silas are ſent to priſon to convert a Jayler, to unlooſe him, who bound them, to heale him, who ſcourged them, God hath ſome ſpecial ends in the times and places of his ſervants ſufferings. Well, at Midnight Paul and Silas prayed and ſang prayſes to God, verſe 25. No priſon can bolt out our Communion with God. Prayer will get up to heaven in diſpite of all oppoſition, and even a ſuffering Chriſtian may be very cheerful.
But now ſee the conſequents of this, their prayers ſhooke the Heaven, and the Heaven ſhooke the Earth, ſo that the foundations of the Priſon were ſhaken, and immediately all the doores were opened, and every ones bands were looſed, ver. 26. I do not marvel that Prayer can breake the bonds of Iron, when I know it is able to break aſunder the bonds of death it ſelf.
The Iayler awakes, ſees the priſon doores open, and for ought he knew, an eſcape of all his priſoners, for whoſe lives, probable it is, that he muſt pay his own, and therefore in a paſſionate deſperateneſſe, drawes out his ſword to kill himſelf.
Paul eſpies him, and cryes out with a loud voice, (hold, hold) Do thy ſelf no harme, for we are all here, not a man of us that hath ſtirred.
Which when he had ſearched, and found, O, what a ſtrange alteration is in this Jayler, verſe 29. He came in trembling. What! he who before made them to bleed, doth he now tremble! he that before caſt them into the ſtocks, doth he come trembling to them! What were they, or what could they do ſhackled, and ſcourged, and impriſoned perſons, that he trembled before them! But ſo he did. Scorners will become Tremblers, when God hath once touched their hearts; yet this is not all. He alſo falls down before them. He is upon his knees to ask them forgiveneſſe, for his cruel uſage. And then he brings them forth.
But what of all this. All this may ariſe from ſparks of pitty and Object. humanity.
Nay, but there is a greater matter then all this: Sirs, ſaid he, Sol. what ſhall I do to be ſaved? (As if he ſaid) I am in a miſerable condition, I have lived wickedly, and done wrong to many of the people of God, and in particular to you; Good Lord what ſhall become of me; you are the Miniſters of Chriſt, I beſeech you have pity on me, and ſhew unto me what I may do to ſave this poore ſoul of mine.
What does Paul, and Silas Anſwer him? they ſaid, Beleeve in the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved. And I beſeech you marke it, how immediate their anſwer is to his queſtion; they do not ſay, as the High Prieſts to afflicted Iudas, look thou to that, they do not upbraid him with his hard and cruell uſage. They take not that advantage, and ſay, nay, now doth thy conſcience trouble thee for being ſo wicked, and ſcourging us ſo ſharply? yea, and ſo let it; doeſt thou come for direction and comfort to us, whom thou haſt ſo ſhamefully abuſed?
No, they forget the injuries, and preſently pour in the Oyl. They inſtantly direct him into the true way of life, Believe in the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved. But more of this anon.
I have choſen this text on purpoſe that I may proceed to the next article of the Creed (I believe in Ieſus Chriſt our Lord) you ſee it is expreſt in the next.
But before I handle it, give me leave to Analyſe the words, and to touch upon ſome ſingular concluſions, and then I will ſet down upon the Article it ſelf more fully.