1. The blessedness of serving God —
[It may appear at first, that there is no inference less deducible from the subject than this: for, is there any blessed- ness in imprisonment, and bonds, and death? But look at Peter on the very night previous to his intended execution : he is sleeping as soundly as if no evil whatever awaited him ; insomuch that the extraordinary light which shone into the prison did not interrupt his slumbers ; nor did he awake, till " the angel smote him on the side." Behold too the inter- position of God for him! Was an angel wanted to liberate him from prison? an angel is sent from heaven on purpose; and soldiers, chains, bars, gates, have no longer any power to confine him. Surely then, if to enjoy such composure in the immediate prospect of death, and such protection from God when all human help has failed, be blessed, it is blessed to serve our God, who vouchsafes such mercies to his faithful
people — Be not ye afraid then of the frowns of men:
but fear God, who is alike able to save or to destroy
Seek your happiness in doing the Divine will ; and then you may safely commit your every concern to him, knowing, that if God be for you, none can, with any effect, exert themselves against you ]
2. The efficacy of united prayer —
[Prayer may appear for a time to be offered in vain : " God may bear long with his people," even when they are most importunate. But we must not mistake delays for denials: " God has never said to any, ' Seek ye my face' in vain." Circumstances may arise, wherein it will be more for the good even of the Church itself that prayer should not be answered precisely in the way that we might wish. This doubtless was the case with respect to James, whose fortitude in suffering martyrdom was more useful to the Church than his continued labours would have been. But where any matter will really issue in God's glory and the Church's good, we may ask for it with an absolute assurance that it shall be granted. No nation since the establishment of Christianity ever enjoyed greater mercies from God than ours ; and if we knew the history of it as it is recorded in heaven, I doubt not but that the prayers of God's people would be found to have wrought more for us, than all our fleets and armies have ever done. Let all of us then give ourselves unto prayer in our secret chambers : let societies for prayer be established ; and those which already exist carry on their united efforts with unceasing ardour. Let us not be contented with a brief men- tion of our necessities to God, but plead earnestly with him for the relief of them, and " give him no rest, till he arise and make our Jerusalem a praise in the earth."]