these cases, we cannot tell: we only know that God has His own time and method of working and acting and either by seeming acquiesence in the evil designs of men, or by bold and timely interference with the vile plots of the wicked, He makes the wrath of man to praise Him, and the remainder of wrath does He restrain. He sits in the heavens and laughs at the puny possibilities of human weakness and wickedness: He holds the enemies of truth in derision, and causes His servants to glorify Him, either by life or by death.

There is something singularly impressive in the manner of this deliverance. In the case of the imprisonment of Paul and Silas at Philippi, God used an earthquake to open the prison doors, and loose the prisoners' bands; causing the jailor to tremble, &c.; in this case He sends an angel, and rescues the Apostles in quietness and peace. We gather from verses 21-28, that the undisturbed calm, which marked the deliverance, confounded the enemies of Christianity. The securelyfastened, safely-guarded, but empty prison, and the prisoners preaching in the temple to the people, disappointed, perplexed, confused the Jewish Council, and made them cautious in their dealing with "these men" (vers. 38-40).

The season in which this deliverance was wrought out is also worthy of remark. The "night" seems to be God's special time of working. Numerous illustrations of this fact are to be found in the Scriptures. Let is be distinctly noted, however, that God does not select the "night-season" for the accomplishment of His purposes to man, because He needs the darkness to conceal His designs, as wicked men do to conceal theirs (John iii. 19). The darkness and the light are both alike to Him. He, who in the day-time caused a darkness. that might be felt to pass into the dwellings of the Egyptians (Ex. x. 21, 22), and a light to shine upon midnight darkness, in the prison where Peter was incarcerated (Acts xii. 7), needs neither the one nor the other to aid His merciful designs; and yet He can effectually employ both, if He choose.

II. THE COMMISSION GIVEN BY THE ANGEL TO THE APOSTLES shows the design of their deliverance from prison-"Go, stand," etc.

I. In the word "Go" we have, as it were, a repetition of "The Great Commission" Christ gave His disciples before His ascension into heaven, "Go ye into all the world," etc. (Mark xvi. 15). Here then the obligation to "preach the Gospel" is re-asserted, and imposed by "an angel of the Lord" upon the persecuted Apostles, and also upon the Church in every age and place.

2. "Stand," indicates the boldness they were to display in the resumption of their labours. This "boldness" in the

Apostles had been observed by their enemies on a former occasion (iv. 13); and now they are enjoined to display it again. They are not to be frightened by the authorities, nor run away at the approach of officers. In spite of threatening, beating, and the comand of rulers not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus, they are to "stand and speak." This boldness, too, is one of the principal requests found in the united prayer of the Church, in chap. iv. 29.

3.

"Stand in the temple" is a command to return to the place they occupied, before their imprisonment. This served at least two purposes. (a) It made Christianity as public as Judaism. The temple was the place of public worship among the Jews; and the most likely place in that day to find the people. By resorting thither, the Apostles showed that Christianity was not to be secreted and confined to the few, but made prominent, and proclaimed to the many; in fact, it purported that the new religion was to supersede the old. (b) By making Christianity thus prominent, they challenged the clearest investigation into its truth, and defied its opponents to prove it false, or destroy its power.

4. The angel further charges the apostles to "speak in the temple." He does not tell them what to say, only bids them speak. But whom God sends He prepares. He gives the word, as well as sends the company to publish it. Indeed, it is a special promise given to Christ's disciples, that in their times of trial and duty, the Holy Ghost should teach them what to say (Matt. x. 19, 20, Mark xiii. 11, Luke xii. 11, 12, xxi. 14, 15): a promise which is sometimes misapplied, in being made an excuse for a preacher's laziness. There is, undoubtedly, a promise of Divine help given to those servants of the King who are called to speak for Him, but it is supplementary to their own efforts, and not instead of them. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." Then again,

5. The Apostles were to speak to the people. The rulers would not hear; their purpose was to silence the Apostles; but the common people, as in Christ's own ministry, heard gladly.

6. The proclamation they were to make to the people is, "all the words of this life." This, of course, is named as the subject, and not as the matter of their speech. It is a trite saying, that life is the most prizable of temporal blessings. "Skin for skin," &c. (Job ii. 4). The life here spoken of is, however, superior to any earthly good for it is a life of the Spirit-newness of life-everlasting life-eternal life. "This life may refer first of all to the Sadducean belief, which denied the doctrine of a future life, &c., which the Apostles had boldly preached," etc. Or it may be an allusion to the Gospel in general. Spiritual life is the most distinguished

of gospel blessings; nay, it is the blessing itself. (See John X. 10, xvii. 3, I John v. 11, 12.)

7. And lastly, they were to proclaim "ALL THE WORDS of this life. Nothing must be kept back through fear, nor aught withheld, though it should "bring this man's blood" upon the Jews. They must not shun to "declare the whole counsel of God."

Mark, in conclusion, how obedient the Apostles were to this great commission (vers. 21, 29-32). Our duty as Christians is to follow their example; risk everything at the command of heaven. Act on the same principles as they did, "We ought to obey God," &c. "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard"; or, as the Hebrews, "We are not careful," &c. (Dan. iii. 16-18).

"For right is right, since God is God;

And right the day must win;

To doubt would be disloyalty,

To falter would be sin."

T. TURNER.

THE WAGES OF SIN AND THE GIFT OF GOD.

"The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. '- Roм vi 23.

We want not evidences that God designs the happiness of man. Nature. Revelation. God's will harmonises with our highest interests. Let us keep His law and obey His will, and we shall fulfil the end of our being. The context speaks of the glorious transition of the believer, from the slavery of sin to the liberty of grace.

The text unfolds two scenes; one bright, one gloomy;sin and its connection with our essential misery; and the Divine gift of righteousness.

I. THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH.

Define sin

It is portrayed in the preceding verses as unprofitable, disgraceful, and ruinous.

Its natural consequence. Death: metaphorical and real. Man loves life; he clings to it; he deems it connected with happiness. He employs the terms almost indifferently. Lifehappiness. Sin brings death.

1. Moral. Distance from God. Loss of spiritual enjoyment. Death, a fine description of man's moral state. Dead in sins.

Physical. O could I shew you the ruins, the ashes, the mortal agonies of our race, I could depict the results of sin. Arguing from the effect, the cause must be most dreadful and appalling.

Eternal. We are compelled to fear that already many

miserable spirits have found sin the index to perdition. All the impenitent must experience the results of sin in the future state.

The general lesson flowing from this part of the subject, embraces the awful and perilous character of sin; and supplies a warning against its indulgence. He who commits. sin seeks death. It is a disgrace to man to act without calculating on the consequences of his action. Be summoned, then, to abandon sin. Be allured by the provision unfolded in the second branch of our subject.

II. THE GREAT BENEFIT EXHIBITED IN CONTRAST.

1. Eternal life. Happiness. Present; everlasting. (a) All the joys of spiritual life. (b) The heavenly life beyond the grave. (c) The life of the future body.

2. The light in which the blessing is to be regarded. The gift of God.

The former term (wages) is here inapplicable. 3. The medium of its communication.

Christ our Lord.

Through Jesus

See the perfection and adaptation of Christianity. It gives life to the dead. W. L. THORNTON, M.A.

SEED-THOUGHTS ON TEXTS AND SUBJECTS.

THE BRAZEN SERPENT.

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth on Him might not perish, but have eternal life."-JOHN iii. 14, 15.

THE brazen serpent a type of Christ. See Num. xxi. 5-9, for the different points noticed below.

1. Sin was the cause of the punishment which came to the children of Israel: so it is sin, and sin only, that causes all the miseries of which we are the subjects.

2. Many died of the sting of the fiery serpents, before the remedy was exhibited. How many have died and are dying of the consequences of sin.

3. It was sin and its punishment that occasioned the serpent to be lifted up so in the case of Jesus Christ.

3. The brazen serpent was lifted up as the Divinelyappointed means of curing the suffering Israelites; so Jesus Christ is the "Saviour," " provided," "set forth," "preached," for the salvation of man from the guilt, inbeing, and punishment of sin. He who sent the punishment, provided the remedy. Hence the justice and love of God.

5. The brazen serpent was the only provision made for the cure of the Israelites: so "Jesus only" is our Saviour. No other name, &c. ; no other foundation, &c.

6. Looking to the up-lifted serpent was the way prescribed for the Israelites to be cured. Believing on Jesus; looking to Jesus; trusting Jesus, is the way by which we are saved through Him.

7. There was no respect of persons as to who should look and be cured; and it came to pass that he who looked was cured. So in our salvation. "Whosoever believeth," &c.

8. The serpent was so lifted up, that all who would, could see it. So Jesus should be so lifted up in Gospel preaching, that he who will may see Him, and be saved.

9. All who looked lived, and all who looked not died. He that believeth on the Son hath life; he that believeth not shall not see life. "Come unto Me all ye that labour," &c. "Ye will not come unto Me, that ye might have life, and have it more abundantly."

10. It was a strange method of cure-looking to a brazen serpent. It was God's. So looking to a Crucified One, but it is Divine and effectual. That is enough. God's ways not as man's ways.

Points of difference :—

1. Looking to the brazen serpent, saved only from physical and temporary evil. Believing in Jesus saves from many physical evils, and from all moral, spiritual, and eternal evils.

2. The brazen serpent was not to be worshipped; was worshipped, and destroyed. Jesus is to be worshipped, and lives for ever.

Conclusion :—

1. All are sinners, and all need believe in Jesus.

2. Believe in Him now. Danger is near.

3. Believe every moment.

4. Believe for ever.

NONE CAST OUT.

J. B.

"Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out."-JOHN vi. 38. Consider Jesus Christ in some of His relations to man, and in these relations speaking to him in the text.

As a Refuge, He speaks to those who are pursued by their foes, and says, "Him that cometh," &c.

As a Teacher, He speaks to them who are seeking instruction in things concerning the kingdom of God," "Him that cometh," &c.

As a King, He speaks to them who are wanting protection and government, "Him that cometh," &c.

As a Friend, He speaks to the friendless. "There is a Friend," &c.

As a Physician to the diseased.