sistently granted. Abraham pleads for Sodom until he is ashamed, it would seem, to plead longer. But, who can say, that, had he plead her cause still longer, he would not have prevailed? Our Lord has said, that men should always pray, and never faint; and, if always, there is no limitation to persevering prayer. The rule is, to pray till God bids you 66 cease;" ;" till God grants the boon, or "No."

says,

4. Prayer, on suitable occasions, should be offered by Christians uniting for that purpose.

Such an occasion was the deliverance of Peter. His imprisonment was a public calamity. The whole Church was suffering, and was likely to suffer still more, should the plans and purposes of Herod be accomplished. With great propriety, therefore, did the Church, as a body, come together and plead, in their collective capacity, for the deliverance of one, of so much importance to the infant cause.

In like manner, should the Church at the present day act; if, from any cause, her interests are suffering. Are the influences of the Spirit suspended?—are false doctrines being spread abroad?-are ministers swerving from the truth ?-is the Church, in respect to her light, life, zeal, losing her proper influence over the world?-are sinners waxing bold, and crowding the broad way in an unusual manner?—if all these, or any of these, discouraging and palsying influences are at work, let the Church assemble; let her plead and importune the aid of her Divine Head.

5. Prayer is sometimes answered, while it is yet being offered up.

This was true in respect to the deliverance of Peter. He was released while the disciples were praying at the house of Mary. This accords with one of the promises of the prophetic Scriptures. "It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and, while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Daniel received an immediate response to his supplication: "While I was speaking in prayer, and confessing

my sin, and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God, for the holy mountain of my God: yea, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me, about the time of the evening oblation, and he informed me, and talked with me, and said: O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications, the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee, for thou art greatly beloved."

In like manner, were the disciples answered on the day of the Pentecost. They were engaged in prayer at the very time of the descent of the Spirit, and were supplicating that most important blessing. And, since that auspicious morning of the Christian Church, how many have received similar blessings, while they were in the very attitude of supplicating them!

To Him, their prayers and cries,

Each contrite soul presents;

And, while he hears their humble sighs,

He grants them all their wants.

6. God has every possible facility for answering prayer. He is Lord of the universe. Not an angel exists, that is not ready to fly at his command; nor are bars, and bolts, and keepers in the way, when he decides to act in behalf of an individual, or in behalf of his Church. Grant that to us every thing seems forbidding; may be the powers of earth, and the powers of darkness are against us.- -What then? By a single turn of his providence, God can, with infinite ease, put those out of the way who would intercept and prevent the blessings sought.

We do not say that, at the present day, we are to expect miraculous interference on the part of God. The age of miracles may be past; but God is infinitely well able to

touch some spring, far above our sight and comprehension, by which storms are hushed-billows are put to reposehuman prejudices are removed, and human passions are allayed.

Let us not be discouraged. No! However dark and gloomy our affairs may be; whatever difficulties seem to exist, and render it, so to speak, impossible that we should be blessed in a given way—if that blessing be needed, and God so decide-and we pray humbly and in faith for it—it must come. And it will come: whether it be bread we need, or deliverance from the power of a cruel tyrant, or the converting influences of the divine Spirit. God reigns! let the earth rejoice!

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

PAUL AND SILAS.

And at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.-Acts xvi. 25.

PAUL and Silas are in an inner prison at Philippi, and are praying and singing praises at midnight. What is the explanation of their strange adventure?

These servants of Jesus were now on a missionary tour; in the progress of which, they came to Troas. Here, a vision appeared to Paul in the night—a man of Macedonia, apparently praying, and saying: "Come over into Macedonia, and help us." The request was concise, but pressing. Inferring, from the vision, that he was called to preach the Gospel in Macedonia, Paul, accompanied by Silas, sets out without delay; and, after a prosperous voyage, arrives at Philippi.

Philippi, at this time, was the chief city of that part of

Macedonia. It was under Roman law, but was principally inhabited by Jews. Not long after their arrival, accompanied by several Jews, they went out of the city, by a river side, on the Sabbath-day, to an Oratorio, or place where prayer was wont to be made. Here Paul preached; and Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, became his convert.

Not long after, as Paul was again proceeding to the above place, for prayer, a certain damsel, possessed with the spirit of divination, met him, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. In the name of Jesus, Paul ejected the demon which possessed her; in consequence of which, she abandoned her soothsaying, and, of course, her masters failed of their usual gains, by reason of her practices.

Greatly incensed at the loss of such an income, the masters of the young woman accused Paul and Silas of "troubling the city." They succeeded in raising a popular outcry against the missionaries. The magistrates, also, became enlisted; and, in their zeal and indignation, rose upon them; and, having severely beaten them, cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. The jailerhimself an unfeeling monster-quite willing to carry out the mandate of the magistrates, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Paul and Silas might, probably, have saved themselves from punishment, had they, at the moment of their seizure, as they did the next morning, declared themselves to be Roman citizens. But, willing to suffer for the Gospel, they waived this privilege; and, as true disciples of the Redeemer, submitted to stripes and imprisonment imposed upon them.

The Lord Jesus was, however, with his faithful servants, and overruled their trials, for promoting the object of their mission to Philippi. Their prison became a place of prayer and of praise; and there was enacted a scene of grace, which will for ever prove a source of admiration and joy, wherever the story shall be told.

At midnight, Paul and Silas lift up their voices in prayer. They doubtless prayed for themselves-for deliverance, if such were the will of God—but more, that the name of Jesus might be honored; and that souls then, and in that populous city, might be converted. What a rich source of consolation to these imprisoned missionaries was access to a throne of grace! What holy confidence do they exercise in God! What reliance do they feel upon Him, who had said to his first apostles: "Lo! I am with you unto the end of the world!" Paul was strong in prayer.

"Prayer is a creature's strength-his very breath and being;

Or was, perhaps, the "breath and being" of Paul, more than most other men. That night, probably, no fears assaulted his heart; no apprehension of approaching evil altered him from his purpose.

Paul and Silas prayed. They did more-they sang praises to God. Many a modern Christian might pray under such circumstances-but how few would sing praises to God! "Little do songs accord with the gloom of a prison." But Paul and Silas were animated by the consideration that they were suffering for the name of Jesus. Of that name, they were not, and never could be ashamed. Had some one, that night, looked in, through those prison-doors, upon the apostle-had he inquired of Paul whether he were not "ashamed of Jesus" of Nazareth, methinks he would have broke out in those strong and admiring lines of the poet:

Jesus, and shall it ever be

A mortal man ashamed of thee!

Ashamed of thee, whom angels praise!

Whose glories shine through endless days!

"Never! No-never!" I think I hear the apostle say. "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."