The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 395

it) in all this 'history, Men pray, pray constantly, pray even before miracle, and prayer is an aotual deed honoured of Heaven. It has been truly said that a correct alias for the Acts of the Apostles would be" The Acts of the Holy Ghost," and ihis le most ,true. Another not altogether i_napt style of. th~ book might be "The Acts of Prayer.' For here they abounc.J. and m the most s1gmficant situation from those 0f the first chapter (i. 14, 24) to that of the last (xxviii. 8). 2. The clistinctness and promptness of reply to prayer, which miracles wrought made occasionally very evident, even had the tendency to increase faith in prayer. Men would not lie by and do nothing when they remembered how only yesterday God graciously and marvellously interposed undeniably for even eye of sense. Yet the lesson that the temporary dispensation of miracle should have taught the Church for evermore, when miracle of sense was gone is, ahs I often lost now. Need the thing signified be lost and wastefully sacrificed because the mere outside sign is gone? It is all our own fault if we do not oftener see for ourselves the fulfilment of the word of Jesus, "Ye shall see greater things than these." It is undeniable that one spiritual miracle, e.g., that of the conversion of Saul, counted for more, counts still for more, will ever count for more, than all the miracles wrought upon the body, th?,t ever were, Let the Church's prayer to-day oftener challenge some spiritual miracle, and who will doubt the issue? III. In conclusion, two things might be well observed, as justly to be gathered from this subject. 1. That the very heart of prayer lies in petition. Petition may be considered as the crucial question which prayer involves, and the crowning privileg" of it. 'l'he petition of the sinner for mercy, pardon, salvation, being ever to be ran.kcu. as the typical petition. 2. That it may be placed amol!g the moral defences of prayer, that the qualities which make it real, which make it strong, which make it a co11- vincing and mighty power, are just the same with those which make work real, strong, and full of fruit. Distinctness of object, sincerity of faith in your practical object, earnestness in the pursuit of it, and patient, persevering determination are the qualities that win the day. And they do so by the verdict of the world. It is an indication that prayer and work have known one another this long time, and, so far from disclaiming a family relationship, persistently assert it. They a.re the union of the Divine and the human.-B. Vers. 6-17.-0ne instance of the manner of Divine working. When we read the "mighty works" of Jesus ·or of those commissioned by him, whether apostles or angels, it is an easy thing to permit our attention to be diverted from anything else contained in them, under the influence of the fascination of the power which they display. For this very thing is often done, and the moral quality, the mornl beauty, and even the moral imitableness of what we call the miracle, is ignored. The loss is as gratuitous as it is wastefui, nor is it free from an element of perverseness, when it exhibits us stricken by the wonder of the power we cannot, negligent of the grace we might, learn. Meantime the various character and aspect of the miracles recorded i11 Scripture are neither less astonishing nor less pleasing than the various colour and hue and fragrance of the flowers of the garden. The impression may be described as a whole o.s the charm latent, or sometimes less la.tent than evident, in the Divine working. To contemplate this must ever add to our sense of Di vine gracefulness, may in some degree improve our own approach to it and growth in it. Let us in this sense consider the Divine interposition here recorded. For whatever reason, it is mercifully resolved on. Prayer unceasing has brought help. The Divine wisdom has determined the trenchant and decisive character of the help. And in humbled yet grateful and joyous feeling nevertheless, we may note the contrasts suggested by the Divine work and too much of our own. Observe- I. THE AOTUAL LIGHT WHICH IS THROWN ROU:!.Ll ABOUT DIVINE WOBX. (Ver. 7.) "Clouds and darkness are round about" God himself, his incomprehensible character, his hidden purposes, his sovereign will. This is very true. But when he comes tc, work distinctly for men and among them, his footsteps are not in the stealthy dark.. The angel comes in light, and the prison is lighted up, whoever is awake t;) se., =a whoever has eyes to see, II. 'l'm: FINISHED COMPLETENESS OF THAT wor.KING. The angel brings all necessary instruction; does all that could be necdl'ul, or helpful; condescends to the meanest  THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. [oa. xo. 1-26.