第62章

But while men were cruel and vindictive, or criminally negligent of the solemn responsibilities devolving upon them, God had not forgotten to be gracious to His servants.All heaven was interested in the men who were suffering for Christ's sake, and angels were sent to visit the prison.At their tread the earth trembled.The heavily bolted prison doors were thrown open; the chains and fetters fell from the hands and feet of the prisoners;and a bright light flooded the prison.

The keeper of the jail had heard with amazement the prayers and songs of the imprisoned apostles.When they were led in, he had seen their swollen and bleeding wounds, and had himself caused their feet to be fastened in the stocks.He had expected to hear from them bitter groans and imprecations, but he heard instead songs of joy and praise.With these sounds in his ears the jailer had fallen into a sleep from which he was awakened by the earthquake and the shaking of the prison walls.

Starting up in alarm, he saw with dismay that all the prison doors were open, and the fear flashed upon him that the prisoners had escaped.He remembered with what explicit charge Paul and Silas had been entrusted to his care the night before, and he was certain that death would be the penalty of his apparent unfaithfulness.In the bitterness of his spirit he felt that it was better for him to die by his own hand than to submit to a disgraceful execution.Drawing his sword, he was about to kill himself, when Paul's voice was heard in the words of cheer, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here." Every man was in his place, restrained by the power of God exerted through one fellow prisoner.

The severity with which the jailer had treated the apostles had not aroused their resentment.Paul and Silas had the spirit of Christ, not the spirit of revenge.Their hearts, filled with the love of the Saviour, had no room for malice against their persecutors.

The jailer dropped his sword and, calling for lights, hastened into the inner dungeon.He would see what manner of men these were who repaid with kindness the cruelty with which they had been treated.Reaching the place where the apostles were, and casting himself before them, he asked their forgiveness.Then, bringing them out into the open court, he inquired, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"The jailer had trembled as he beheld the wrath of God manifested in the earthquake; when he thought that the prisoners had escaped he had been ready to die by his own hand; but now all these things seemed of little consequence compared with the new, strange dread that agitated his mind, and his desire to possess the tranquillity and cheerfulness shown by the apostles under suffering and abuse.He saw in their countenances the light of heaven; he knew that God had interposed in a miraculous manner to save their lives; and with peculiar force the words of the spirit-possessed woman came to his mind: "These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.

With deep humility he asked the apostles to show him the way of life.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house,"they answered; and "they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house." The jailer then washed the wounds of the apostles and ministered to them, after which he was baptized by them, with all his household.A sanctifying influence diffused itself among the inmates of the prison, and the minds of all were opened to listen to the truths spoken by the apostles.They were convinced that the God whom these men served had miraculously released them from bondage.