* of the Jews is very remarkable,who were,mad withrage againſt Chriſt
* Juh.21. 13.
i! Or, Int ant and earneſt praver tas made.
* Ch. 5. 1c,
and his Apoſtls, at ſuch times in which they pretended to ſerve the God of love and peace.
4 And * whenhe had apprehended him, he put him in priſon, and delivered him to g four quaternionsof ſol- dicrs to keep h.m, intgnding + after Eaſter to bring him
forth :to the people.
g There were lixren Soldiers appointed to keep Peter ; the Romans uſing four Soldiers at a time to keep Ceptry, and the Jews dividing their nights tnto four watches, there were enough to re- lieve the others, and to ſet a new watch as often as was required for every night; of which four at a time, two were with the pri- ſoner, and perhaps for the greater ſecuriry, bound with the ſame chain; Md two did always ſtand at the door or gate ; and this they might the rather« do, out of great caution, having heard what Miracles Pefer did ; and that he had been delivered by an Angel out of priſon, Chap. 5. 19, h That day in which the Paſchal Lamb was eat, on Which the Fews would. put none to death, that they might not eclipſe the joy of that day. # Todo with him what they would, leaving him to their mercy, or rather cruelty,
5 Peter therefore was kept & in priſon ; but || prayer was made / without cealing of the church unto God for him.
& Till a fir time to offer him up as a Sacrifice unto the people ; ſo balely do wicked men ſtoop for their ends : The onely help or hope poor Chriſtians had, was fiom prayer, (preces & lachryme) there are no quaternions of Soldiers can keep the paſſage ſhut thatis towards Heaven. ! Continued, long prayers, without intermiſſion ; but alſo fervent and earncft prayers, nouns, with all the might of cheir Souls ; remembring the Apoſtle now in bands, as bound with him, Hcb. 13. 3.
6 And when Herod would have »» brought him forth 2, the ſame night Perer wass ſleeping berween two ſoidiers, bound with ptwo chains, and-the keepers be- fore the door kept the priſon,
»m To be put todeath. » This is a night to be remembred, as that in which God delivered his 1/7ae] out of Egyps ; when both were come to the urmoſt extremity, and at the pits brink, then ſo God does his marvellous Work of deliverance, that it ought to be had in remembrance, Pſal xo5 5. o Innocency hath this advantage, and a good conlcience acquieſces in the providence of God ; it hath God to its friend ; and if he be for us, who can be againſt us? p See veiſe 4. To which may be added, Thar with one chain, St. Pezcr's right hand was bound to the Soldiers Jefr; with the other chain his Ietr hand to the other Soldiers right ; for ſo was their manner for their greater ſecurity, rhat chey might not J:r the priſoner eſcape, thus pe; {ccutors areskyfu! to deſtroy; bur no device can avail againſt any whom God will ſave.
7 And behold * the q angel of the Lord » came upon hin, and a slight ſhined in the priſon : and he : ſmote Peter on the fide, and raiſed him up, ſaying, Ariſe up guickly. And his chains fell off from h;s hands.
g Whoſe office is to miniſter for the heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. 14. and who willingly fulfil this Will of the Lord; r as Luke 2. 9. Sud- denly and unexpettedly. 5 Whether this light was from the bright body the Angel afſumed, or from ſome other cauſe, weare nor rold; and therefore it is not neceſſary for us ro know ; bur it was a light one!y to Peter ; bur darkneſs to his keepers ; as the pillar of fire in- highrned onely the 1ſraelires which made them borh the more {ſtrange and miraculous. # The Angel ſfinote Perer, ( asone jogs, or gently Nrikes another) ro awaken hun ; Thus God was waking, though Peter lepr ; and by bis ; providence. watches over all his people for their preſervation : Chains could not hold any whom God will have
free ; every thing loſes its face, when God {uſpends or withdraws tis concurrence
wr ACT A
Chay, Y ;
$ And the angel faid nrito him, « Gird thy v1 .
arty vas | Y {elf, ang bind og thy x ſandals: And fo he did. And hef:jrh un co him, Caſt y thy garment about thee, and follow 5.
# The cuſtom being ro wear long garments, they were RE a, ro go about any buſinel(s until they had girt their garment; to Ga, hence Jeremy is commanded to get a gudle, Jer. 11. r, aboue 1c.” when he was to be ſent on God's errand, x The anda); we... — other than ſole-leather, bound or faſtned with thongs, , T7. ite, permoſt veſt (anſwerable to a cloak amongſt us.) God fainifl. ©. people thus with necetlaries, and he w:ll have them uſe the, 1 35 they are able to ſerve them, even then when he is wok... = miracles fot their deliverances. "KY |
9 And he went out and followed him, and wig ,,. FF chat it was & true which was done by the angel , by, choug ht he ſaw a viſion. a
z The greatneſs and ſuddenneſs of the deliverance, wa, (,., it amazed him,it ſeemed incredible unto him ; not that he queg; a Gods power br goodneſs ; bur knowing that he was tg (yg, c_ Chriſts name ſake, he might the rather nor look for ſuch a deliverance and when it came, be as one that dreams, as P/al. 126. 1, Gogth;,.” fore bringing his people to ſuch extremities, that his Salvation mich be the more aſtoniſhing. |
1o When they were paſt the afirſt and the ſecony ward, they came unto the iron gate 6 that leadeth yy. to the city *,which c opened to them of its ownaccarq.,, and they went out, and palied on through one fires , and forthwith the angel departed from !1:m, :
a Guard or Sentinels. 6 The outmoſt gate that Jed our of ;4, priſon into the Ciry, (not that the priton its ſelf was out of the Cir; 1 c God worketh a ſeries of miracles in their fir place and time, j, could have done them all together, and have opened this iron gate before hard, when he condutted Peter through thefirſt, then through the ſecond watch; bur it is good for Peter and us, to be cenyinre that we ſtand every moment in need of God's condu& and dzljje. rance.
11 And when Peter was come 4 to himſelf, he jy Now I know of a ſurety, that the Lord hath * fn; lis 45 angel, and hath delivered me e out of the hand of Here and from all the expectation of the people of th: Jews.