HOMILY VIII.] HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS. And yet what good did this do to that un feeling people ? Whereas here there is even much profit arising to the faithful from what was done. For as there were records made, and the enemies themselves bore testimony to the facts, the testimony was above suspicion. As therefore in that instance the mouths of the enemies were stopped in no other way whatever, but only by the persons who came acknowledg ing the facts, so was it also here. For why did the jailor here do nothing like what Herod did ? Nay, and the things which Herod witnessed were not at all less wonderful than those which this man witnessed. So far as wonder goes, it is no less wonderful to be assured that a prisoner came out when the doors were closed, than it is to behold them set open. Indeed this last might rather have seemed to be perhaps a vision of the imagination, the other never could, when exactly and circumstantially reported. So that, had this man been as wicked as Herod, he would have slain Paul, as Herod did the soldiers ; but such he was not. If any one should ask, Why was it that God permitted the children also to be murdered ? I should fall, probably, into a longer discourse, than was originally intended to be addressed to you. At this point, however, let us terminate our discourse, with many thanks to Paul s chain, for that it has been made to us the source of somany blessings, and exhorting you, should ye have to suffer any thing for Christ s sake, not only not to repine, but to rejoice, as the Apostles did, yea, and to glory ; as Paul said, " Most gladly, there fore will I rather glory in my infirmities," (2 Cor. xii : 9. ) for because of this it was that he heard also those words, "My grace is sufficient for thee." Paul glories in bonds; and dost thou pride thyself in riches ? The Apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to be scourged, and dost thou seek for ease and self-indulgence ? On what ground then, dost thou wish to attain the same end as they, if here on earth thou art traveling the contrary road from them? "And now," saith Paul, " I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there ; save that the Holy Ghost testi fied unto me in every city, saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me." (Acts xx : 22.) And why then dost thou set out, if bonds and afflic tions abide thee? For this very reason, saith he, that I may be bound for Christ s sake, that I may die for His sake. " For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts xxi : 13.) MORAL. Nothing can bemoreblessed than that soul. In what does he glory? In bonds, in afflic tions, in chains, in scars ; " I bearbranded onmy body," saith he, "the marks of Jesus," (Gal. vi : 17.) as though they were some great trophy. And again, For because of the hope of Israel , saith he, "I am bound with this chain." (Acts xxviii : 20.) And again, " For which I am an ambassador in chains." (Eph. vi : 20.) What is this? Art thou not ashamed, art thou not afraid going about the world as a prisoner? Dost thou not fear lest any one should charge thy God with weakness ? lest any one should on this account refuse to come near thee and to join the fold? No, saith he, not such aremy bonds. They can shine brightly even in kings palaces. "So that my bonds," saith he, "became mani fest in Christ, throughout the whole praetorian guard : and most of the brethren in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God with out fear." (Phil, i: 13, 14.) Behold ye a force in bonds stronger than the raising of the dead. They beheld me bound, and they are the more courageous. For where bonds are, there of necessity is something great also. Where affliction is, there verily is salvation also, there verily is solace, there verily are great achieve ments. For when the devil kicks, then is he, doubtless, hit. 1 When he bindsGod s servants, then most of all does the word gain ground. And mark how this is every where the case. Paul was imprisoned ; and in the prison he did these things, yea, saith he, by my very bonds themselves. He was imprisoned at Rome, and brought the more converts to the faith ; for not only was he himself emboldened, but many others also because of him. He was imprisoned at Jerusalem, and preaching in his bonds he struck the king with amazement, (Acts xxvi: 28.) and made the governor tremble. (Acts xxiv : 25.) For being afraid, it is related, he let him go, and he that had bound him was not ashamed to receive instruction concerning the things to come at the hands of him whom he had bound. In bonds he sailed, and retrieved the wreck, and bound fast the tempest. It was when he was in bonds that the monster fastened on him, and fell off from his hand, having done him no hurt. He was bound at Rome, and preaching in bonds drew thousands to his cause, holding forward, in the place of every other, this very argument, I mean his chain. It is not however our lot to be bound now-a- days. And yet there is another chain if we have a mind to wear it. And what is it ? It is to restrain our hand, to be not so forward to covetousness. With this chain let us bind our selves. Let the fear of God be unto us instead of a bond of iron. Let us loose them that are bound by poverty, by affliction. There is no 1 [This reminds one of the saying of an eccentric evangelist in America who refering to those that abused and persecuted him for the severity of his preaching said, " It s always the hit dog that yelps." G. A.]