your own, but seek it as the free gift of God for Christ's sake. "Look" to Christ, as the wounded Israelites did to the brazen serpent ; and " wash " in the fountain of his blood, as Naaman did in the streams of Jordan : then shall you " be healed" from your leprosy, and " be saved" from the deadly wounds of sin
Yes, you, notwithstanding the treatment you have
shewn to us, his servants, and notwithstanding you have never thought of salvation till this moment of terror and alarm, even you shall surely, shall instantly, be saved by him, if only you
trust in him with your whole heart "What beautiful
simplicity is there in this way of salvation !]
2. Its efficacy —
[" Sharper than a two-edged sword was the word" spoken by Paul and Silas. As it suited the jailor's case, so it reached his heart, and proved " the power of God to the salvation of
his soul." It instantly turned his sorrow into joy* It
also with no less rapidity, changed and renewed his soul. But a few hours before, he had with unrelenting cruelty executed the commission which he had received from the persecuting magistrates ; " thrusting these divine messengers into the inner prison, and making their feet fast in the stocks." But now " he took them into his own house, and washed their stripes, and set meat before them :" yea, " the very same hour of the
night" did he thus evince the truth of his conversion
Finally, it caused him, without hesitation, to become a determined follower of Christ. Though he saw what he was likely to suffer for the truth's sake, he did " not consult with flesh and blood," or temporize at all ; but immediately, with all his household, devoted himself to God in baptism, and avowed himself a friend of this persecuted religion.
Surely the wonder-working rod of Moses did not more clearly display the power of God, when it divided the Red Sea, or brought water from the rock, than this simple declara- tion did in the change it wrought on this ferocious jailor.]
Address —
1. The secure —
[When do you intend to begin this inquiry ? Is it a fit
employment for a dying hour? Will the consciousness
of having neglected it excite no fears when you are just enter- ing on eternity, or leave no room for regret when you stand at
the judgment-seat of Christ? O that you were wise,
and would consider your latter end ! ]
f ver. 34. lie was enabled to see the freeness, the suitableness, the sufficiency of the Gospel salvation, and to trust with confidence in the promises made to him in Christ Jesus. Thus were his fears dissipated, and his terrors changed into exultation and triumph.