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 .

Secondly , The case fully resolved : ( Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ , and thou shalt be saved , ) As if he said , Christ is the onely way to Heaven , and faith is the onely way to Christ ; God hath given Jesus Chr●st to sinners , and salvation in him ; And whosoever believes in him , shall not perish , but have eternall life . Now then , believe in him , and you shall be saved .

There are many conclusions emergent from these words , I will omit most of them , and onely insist on the latter .

Change of heart breeds change of estimation toward the Ministers of the Gospel . The Jayler a little before had a base and unworthy opinion of Paul and Silas , but now Lords , Sirs , what shall I do ?

As the Heart is , so the Judgement is , and Newnesse of Nature , hath with it Newnesse of Light . We can now see the men and their authority , and their office , and embassage , and the end of all their reproofes , and instructions , and therefore the very feet of them who bring good tydings , and publish peace and salvation , are beautiful .

It argues the heart to be base and sordid , which can slight and scorne the Messengers of Christ ; he hath no grace , who can contemne and vilifie a Minister of grace . But two things God ever works , when he confers grace , ( viz. ) A love of the word of Grace , and an Honouring of the Messengers of Peace .

Sensible sinners are ever inqu●sitive . Sirs what shall I do ? and so , they in Act. 2. 37. Even they were pricked in their hearts , they cry out , men and brethren what shall we do ?

There are two sorts of sinners .

First , some are hardned , unsensible , wholly overgrown with sin , and are past feeling , Eph. 4 18. Their sin is in them , like the waters in the Ocean ; under all which , if a man doth lye , yet he feeles no weight nor burden , because the Elements in their proper places are not sensibly weighty : so where sin is in its center , men are unsensible of the burden of it . They feele it not , nor their misery , and therefore neither complaine nor enquire .

Secondly , others are made sensible , not onely by the ordinary light of a naturall conscience , but by the contrary principle of new and infused Grace : It is with them like as with a man recovering out of a deep sicknesse , his health comes in , and makes him now sensible of his weakness , and complaining , and desiring help . So when God doth by his blessed spirit work the lively sense of sinne in the heart of a person , the basenesse of it , the danger and misery of it . O he cannot now remaine thus , live thus , he must have a guide , he goes to a Messenger , one of a thousand , to instruct and direct him .

For first , conscience truly awakned , cannot beare its own burden , it s own divisions , feares , accusations , present condition , and therefore the person will enquire whether there be no balme in Gilead .

Secondly , againe , sensiblenesse of sin is Opus respectivum , it is a work for further work . God doth for this very end make us sensible of our sin and misery , that we might enquire after the meanes of grace and safety .

Thirdly , once more , scarse one sensible sinner of many thousands that is able to be his own Counsellor , or comforter , we are not able always to apply those sweet directions , those proper and heavenly comforts as God promises , to our own necessities , which yet we may distribute with a full and tender heart to others in their exigencies : for there is a great difference betwixt the proposing of comfort and the applying of comfort . He who is to propose it , hath a medicine to deliver ; He who is to apply it , hath a medicine to take . There be many contrary arguments and risings of an unbelieving and fearful nature , in the person who is to apply the truth , and goodness of Gods promise to himself , so that he is not alwayes able to see the reach , and compasse of them to himself ; and therefore no marvel if he seeks out for direction , in the midst of his own confusions , and for a help to apply , in the midst of his own feares and distractions .

The maine and choise thing which the troubled soule lookes after , is how to save it selfe . ( Sirs , what shall I do to be saved ? )

There be divers sorts of troubles , and according to their grounds and qualities , doth every person lay out for help and remedy . Some are troubled with meer sickness , and health is the thing which they would have . Some with poverty ; and riches are the things which they would have . Some with ignominy ; and favour , and good opinion is the thing which they would have .

Some with outward afflaction and punishment ; and exemption is the thing which they would have . Remove from me this Plague onely said Pharaoh .

Some are troubled with meer terrors of conscience ; and quiet and ease is the thing which they would have .

Others are troubled in soule for their sinnes , by which God is dishonoured , and their heart polluted ; now how these may be saved ; This is the thing which these would have .

Come to a soul , sensibly groaning under the weight of sinne , and say , why ? Soul be of good cheer , thou hast goods laid up for many yeares : Oh sayes that soul , miserable comforters are they to me , Lord be merciful to me a sinner . Come againe and say , you have many good and kinde friends , Alas saith the soul , friends are Physicians of no value to my troubled and perplexed soul : Lord be merciful to me a sinner . Come to that soul , and discourse to him of the defect of sin , of the richnesse of divine mercy , of the Grace that God hath promised to give , of that sorrow , of that repentance , of that faith , of that blood of Christ ; O now sayes that soul , say on , give not over , mercy is that which I would have , and Grace , and Christ , and Salvation , this is it which I would have , how I may be brought out of this miserable and damnable condition . Suppose a man were very sick , and one should come and tell him many merry tales , to delude the sense of his sicknesse , this were nothing to a man sick indeed ; for it is not a tale , but wholsome Physick which would help him ; he had rather by much heare the Physitian discoursing and counselling , and applying . So it is with the truly troubled soul , yea that is it which he desires and would have , to be set in the right way how to save his soul . Shew us the Father , said Philip , and that is sufficient , so here , shew me the way of salvation , and I desi●e no more .

And the reason of it is this , because ,

There is nothing which suit● with the troubled soul , but the way of salvation : the helps and remedies of it are not to be found unless in these wayes .

If a man hath a burden on his back , take it off , and that is the way to ease him ; if a man hath a feavour , cure him of that , and this is the way to help him ; if a mans bone be out of joynt , set it in his proper location , and this is the way to comfort him . In like manner is it here . The distresses of the soul are spiritual , and only spiritual waies relieve spiritual troubles ; I now see God at difference with me , how may I be reconciled to him ? I see the dishonour against him , how may I pacifie him ? I feel the guilt of sin , who shall take that off for me ? I would be a changed and new person , who will work this in me ? what course must I take to get God to look graciously on me , to get these sins pardoned , this heart to be sanctified ?

I cannot passe over this point without a word of application .

If salvation be the maine enquiry of a truly troubled soul , Vse . then verily many people have not yet been truly troubled for their sinnes ; why ? Because they strive not how to save their soules .

The Psalmist speaks of some , that God was not in their thoughts ; and we may say of some , that Salvation is not in their mindes . He who hath abundance hath this question , who will shew us any good ? and he who is in want , hath this question , what shall I do ? But , what shall I do to be saved ? few think of this , it is a marvelous thing that so noble a creature as man , who carries in him the singular stamp of heaven ( a spiritual and immortal soul ) should so infinitely forget both himself and his errand into this world . I am a miserable sinner ( said Saint Hicrome ) and born only to repent . We are born transgressors from the wombe , and with hell at our heeles ; God is pleased to draw out the threed of our life , and to vouchsafe to give us this hint , that we are sinners , and must dye , and if we change not our condition we perish forever . And besides that , he hath addressed the wayes of Salvation to our hands , so plainely , that he who runnes may read . Yea , and there is something implanted in men , which secretly inclines them to be affected with a generall desire of Salvation ; nevertheless , to observe men how variously they flye off , how little they minde that , which most of all concerns them ; how infinitely one drudgeth for riches ; how illimitedly another pursues pleasures ; so that when we come to dye , we have hardly thought wherefore we were borne . There is a Salvation , and a way tending thereunto , but we forget that all our dayes : We have other employments , but let us soberly recall our selves .

Is there any thing better then Salvation ?

Is there a nearer thing then the soul ?

Is there not a necessity to be working in the way , if ever we would attain unto the end .

O then let this take us up ; let heaven take us up ; let our souls take us up ; but let not our sins , let not the world take us up . Vbi pompa ( said Saint Augustine ) ubi exquisita convivia ? ubi gentiorum ambitio ? ubi argenti & auri pondus immensum ? Transient omnia ab oculis ejus , putatur requiesere corpus ejus , & habitat in inferno anima ejus , multipl●cavit agros , plantavit vineas , implevit horrea , yet saith he . S●ul●e hac nocte . He enlargeth his Fields , plants his vines , fills his Barnes , loseth his soul . The like saith Saint Bernard . Dic mihi ubi sunt amatores seculi , qui jam diu fuerint ! Dic , quid eis profuit inanis gloria ? Brevis laetitia ? mundipotentia ? Quid carnis voluptas ? quid falsae divitiae ? ubirisus ? ubi jocus ? ubi jactantia ? Hic , caro eorum vermibus ; illic , anima ignibus deputatur infernalibus .

I say no more , but labour to save that , which if it be lost , the world cannot procure it , and believe it , that the soul can never be saved by that which is not worth a soul .

Another conclusion from the words of the text may be this That persons rightly sensible , are as throughly resolved , for the meanes and wayes , as for the end and scope .

The Jayler doth not say I desire Salvation barely , but what must I do to be saved ? as if he said , I desire Salvation , and I do conjecture that it is an end , and therefore means there are leading to it : now whatsoever they are , point them out unto me , that I may apply my self for the prosecution of the end .

There are two things which deceive a mans heart .

One is presumption , which is a skipping over the lesson , and taking forth before we have learned our part ; my meaning is this , that it is an opinion of our happinesse , without any use of meanes : As if a man went to heaven as the Ship moves in the Tyde , whether the Master wakes or sleeps .

Another is hypocrisie , which is an inquality of the heart to all the wayes of Salvation : No hypocrite will apply himself to every thing which may indeed save him . But where the heart is rightly understanding , and truly sensible , there is not only a consideration of meanes , but an illimited resolution for all the wayes of Salvation : whatsoever course God doth by his Word reveale and prescribe , for that it is resolved and purp●sed , though they may be contrary to my proud reasoning and capacity ; though they may be contrary to the bent of my affections ; though they may require much time and employment , &c.

What the Princes speak with a disembling heart , that the sinner rightly sensible of his condition , affirms with a plaine spirit , of true intention . The Lord be a true and faithful witnesse between us , if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us . Whether it be good , or whether it be evil , we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we send thee , that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God .

He who will be saved must come to this , to deny his own will ; to crucifie his own affections ; to captivate his own imaginations ; to resigne up his own desires and pleasures ; to afflict his heart for his sins ; to give up himself to the rule and command of Gods Word ; to draw off his heart from the world ; to settle all his confidence upon Jesus Christ ; to watch over his own spirit ; To love the Lord God with all his soul , and with all his might : These and other things are required as the way to life , and unto them all , doth a sinner , rightly sensible , yield up himself with all readiness and gladnesse .

For as much as , though there may be some difficulty in these , yet there is Salvation by them ; yea , and there is a singular help for them , as well as a special reward , but the present and former condition and way of sinne is engraven with much paines , and sore horror , and death , and hell ; But I pass on .

Another conclusion from the words is this , When God doth throughly work upon mens consciences : , personall injuriousnesses must be forgotten by them who are to deale with them .

You see here that Paul and Silas speakes not a word of this cruel usage towards them , but instantly addresse themselves to the direction of his safety and comfort , Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ , &c.