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inquired, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? the answer was, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house: and he believed in God with all his house.* One peculiarity of ancient society rendered it comparatively easy for the master of a house to ensure an outward conformity in religion on the part of his family. His servants were slaves. Yet we need not suppose that any compulsion was used, except that of the powerful influence of the Spirit speaking by the Apostles. The Gospel was preached not only to the head of the family, but to all the household, as at Philippi: they spake unto the keeper of the prison the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. But thus much at least we may collect, that these pious converts considered it to be a duty of charity, to afford to their slaves the same religious opportunities which they themselves enjoyed. And this, if any thing, is implied in the precept, Masters, give unto your slaves that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.†

When Paul and Silas were cast into prison at Philippi, we read that at midnight they prayed, and sang praises unto God. In all probability Acts xvi. 25.

* Acts xvi. 80.

+ Col. iv. 1.

they sang portions of the Psalms; not only praising God that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name ;* but praying to him for deliverance perhaps in the very words of the Psalmist; Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee, according to the greatness of thy power: preserve thou those that are appointed to die.-Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name.†

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

This awful interference of a divine power was not intended for the release of the imprisoned Apostle, as was the case when the angel opened the prison doors to Peter; for Paul refused to go, until the magistrates besought him. It was therefore, we may suppose, designed partly for the confirmation and support of Paul and Silas, under this earnest of the bonds and afflictions which awaited them in every city;§ and partly for the conversion of the jailor and his household. If it be objected, that the conversion of a single

*Acts v. 41.

Acts xii. 7.

Ps. lxxix. 11. clxii. 7. § Acts xx. 23.

family, and that not of high rank, was an object unworthy of so awful a display of supernatural power, we reply; Of that it is impossible for us to judge. We are sure, that if the means were actually employed, the object, whatever it may have been, was worthy of them: and we are not to measure the importance of the object, in this instance, by the mere accession of a single family to the Christian cause. We know not in how great a degree the converted jailor may have been instrumental in bringing others to the knowledge of Christ. If he continued in his office, it is obvious that he would have more. opportunities, than any other person in Philippi, of calling sinners to repentance.

But we must not pass over without remark the circumstances of his conversion. Alarmed at the overpowering attestation which had been given to the divine commission of his prisoners, he came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas; and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? No doubt he apprehended some immediate infliction of God's anger; some avenging visitation upon himself, as the executor of unjust punishment. His notions of the wrath to come were probably indefinite; but his fears were awakened; and he felt himself to be a

guilty sinner, in need of forgiveness. The same awakening of conscience had been wrought, by the preaching of Peter, in three thousand souls, on the day of Pentecost, and had suggested the same earnest inquiry, Men and brethren, what shall we do?* The answer then was, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The answer in this case was, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Here is no mention of repentance: either because the jailor was already penitent and humbled; or because the Apostle knew, that there could be no true belief without repentance. To believe in Jesus Christ as a Saviour, implies a consciousness of sins, from the consequences of which he is to save us; and a consciousness of sin, and a sense of the consequences of sin, and a desire to be rescued from them, are the essential ingredients of repentance. Again, St. Peter said, Repent, and be baptized; St. Paul simply enjoined belief: but baptism was consequent upon belief, and therefore, in apostolic language, Be baptized, means, Repent and believe, and be baptized.

But what was the belief required of these

* Acts ii. 37.

converts, as a prerequisite to their admission into the Church of Christ? Certainly not a belief in all the doctrines of the Gospel, separately and particularly considered: for although Paul and Silas spake the word of the Lord to the keeper of the prison, and to all that were in his house, they had not time to lay before him even a brief summary of all that Jesus had himself done and

taught, and of all that he had instructed them by his Spirit to teach; for the narrative informs us, that he took them the same hour of the night,

and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straitway. He was of course prepared to believe implicitly all that Paul and Silas should declare to him, being satisfied that they were teachers sent from God. The articles of faith to which they required his immediate assent were undoubtedly these; that Jesus Christ was the Son of God; that he died on the cross for the sins of mankind, and rose again on the third day these points at least, and possibly others, were proposed to him for his assent. This we may safely infer from a collation of instances. When the Ethiopian eunuch desired Philip to open to him that remarkable prophecy of Isaiah, which speaks of the Messiah as being led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as bearing the

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