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26.

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Privilege of being called servants of God.

EPHES. neither did the three Children come forth, until he who had IV.1,2. cast them in commanded them to come forth. What lesson are we taught from this? Not to be over hasty in courting persecution, nor when in tribulation to be over eager for deliverance, and on the other hand when they release us not to continue in it. Further, the jailor, inasmuch as he was able to enter in where the saints were, fell down at their feet. The king came but to the door and stood. He dared not approach that inner prison which he had prepared for them in the fire. Acts 16, And now mark their words. The one cried, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? The other, though not indeed with so great Dan. 3, humility, yet uttered a voice of no less sweetness, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Mighty dignity! Ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. How shall they come forth, O king? Thou didst cast them bound into the fire; have they continued this long time in the fire? Why, had they been made of adamant, had they been blocks of metal, in singing that entire hymn, must they not have perished? Yet for this they were saved, because they sang praises to God. The fire reverenced their courage, it reverenced that wonderful song, and their hymns of praise. By what title dost thou call them? I said before, Ye servants of the most high God. Yes, to the servants of God, all things are possible; for if some, who are the servants of men, have, nevertheless, power, and authority, and the disposal of their concerns, much more have the servants of God. He called them by the name most delightful to them, he knew that this was the most flattering title he could use: for indeed, if it was in order that they might continue servants of God, that they entered into the fire, there could be no sound more delightful to them than this. Had he called them kings, had he called them lords of the world, yet would he not so truly have rejoiced them as when he said, Ye servants of the most high God. And why marvel at this? when, in writing to the mighty city, to her who was mistress of the world, and prided herself upon her high dignities, Paul set down as equivalent in dignity, nay, as far greater, yea incomparably greater, better than consulship, or kingly name, or than the empire of

The three Children shewed no anger at the king.

199

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the world, this title, Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ.-Ye HOMIL. servants of the most high God. Yes, he would say, if they Rom. 1, shew so great zeal to be servants, doubtless this is the title 1. by which we shall move them.

Again, observe also the piety of the Children: they shewed no indignation, no anger, no gainsaying, but they came forth. Had they regarded it as an act of vengeance that they had been thrown into the furnace, they would have been grieved against the man who had cast them in; as it is, there is nothing of the kind; but, as though they were going forth from Heaven itself, so went they forth. And what the Prophet says of the Sun, that He is as a bridegroom coming Ps. 19,5. forth out of his chamber, one would not do amiss in saying also of them. How so? Because, thus gloriously as he comes forth, yet came they forth there yet more gloriously than he, in that he indeed comes forth to enlighten the world with natural light, they to enlighten the world in a different way, I mean, spiritually. For because of them the king straightway issued a decree, containing these words, I thought it good to display the signs and wonders Dan. 4, that the high God hath wrought toward me. How great are His signs! And how mighty are His wonders! Thus then went they forth, shedding a yet more glorious radiance, beaming indeed over those countries themselves, but, what is more than all, capable, by means of the king's writings, of being diffused every where, and thus of dispelling the darkness which every where prevails. Come forth, said he, and come hither. He gave no commandment to extinguish the flame, but hereby most especially honoured them, by believing that they were able not only to walk within it, but even to come out of it as it raged.

2.3.

But let us look again, if it seem good to you, at the words of the jailor, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? What language sweeter than this? This makes the very Angels leap for joy. To hear this language, even the Only-begotten Son of God Himself became a servant. This language they who at the beginning believed addressed to Peter. What v. Acts shall we do to be saved? And what said he in answer? Believe, and be baptized. To have heard this language from the Jews, gladly would Paul have been cast even into hell, in his eagerness for their salvation and obedi

2, 37.

200 S. Paul's fellow-prisoners loosed, the furnace-heaters burnt.

EPHES. ence.

3, 28.

But observe, he commits the whole matter to them,

IV.1,2. he makes no unnecessary difficulties. Let us however look at the next point. The king here does not say, What must I do to be saved? but the doctrine is plainer in his case than any language whatever; for he straightway becomes a preacher, he needs not to be instructed like the jailor. He proclaims God, and makes confession of His v. Dan. power. Of a truth I know that your God, He is God of Gods and Lord of Lords, because He hath sent His Angel, and hath delivered you from the furnace. And what was the sequel? Not one single jailor, but numbers are instructed by the king's writings, by the sight of the facts. For that the king would not have told a falsehood is evident enough to every one, because he never would have chosen to bear such testimony to captives, nor to overthrow his own acts; he never would have chosen to incur the imputation of such utter madness: so that had not the truth been abundantly manifest, he would not have written in such terms, and with so many persons present.

Perceive ye how great is the power of bonds? How great the force of those praises that are sung in tribulation? Their heart failed not, they were not cast down, but were then yet more vigorous, and their courage then yet greater: they justly thought," one thing yet is left us."

Why was it that in the prison on the one hand, the prisoners were loosed, whilst in the furnace the executioners were burnt to death: for that indeed should have been the king's fate, because neither were they who bound them, nor they who cast them into the furnace, so truly the sinners as the man who commanded this should be done. On this point there is not any very great need of minute examination; for they were impious. And therefore this was providentially ordered, that the power of the fire might be shewn, and the miracle might be made more signal; for if it thus devoured them that were without, how did it shew them unscathed that were within it? it was that the power of God might be made manifest. And let no one wonder that I have put the king on a level with the jailor, for he did the same thing; the one was in no wise more noble than the other, and they both had their reward.

But, as I said, the righteous, when they are in tribulations,

Divine virtue in the prison of Jeremiah, Joseph, and S. John. 201

VIII.

are then especially more energetic, when they are in bonds: HOMIL. for to suffer any thing for Christ's sake is the sweetest of all consolation.

2.3.

Will ye that I remind you of yet another prison? It seems necessary to go on from this chain to another prison still. And which will ye? Shall it be that of Jeremiah, or of Joseph, or of John? Thanks to Paul's chain; how many prisons has it opened to our discourse? Will ye have that of John? He also was once bound for Christ's sake, and for the law of God. What then? Was he idle when he was in prison? Was it not from thence he sent, and from the prison said to his disciples, Go and say Mat. 11, unto Christ, Art Thou He that should come, or do we look for another? Even when there then it seems he taught, for surely he did not disregard his duty. But again, did not Jeremiah prophesy concerning the king of Babylon, and fulfil his work even there in prison? And what of Joseph? Was he not in prison thirteen years? And yet not even there did he forget his virtue. I have yet the bonds of one to mention, and with them will close my discourse. Our Master Himself was bound, He who loosed the world from sins. Those hands were bound which had wrought excellent things without number. For, they bound Him, it saith, and v. Mat. brought Him to Caiaphas; yes, He who had wrought so many marvellous works was bound.

Reflecting on these things, let us never repine; but whether we be in bonds, let us rejoice; or whether we be not in bonds, let us be as though we were bound together with Him. See, how great a blessing are bonds! Knowing all these things, let us send up our thanksgiving for all to God, through Christ Jesus our Lord.

27, 2. John 24.

18,

HOMILY IX.

IV. 3.

EPHES. CHAP. iv. 1-3. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

We have demonstrated the power of Paul's chain, a power both great, and more glorious than miracles. It is not in vain then, as it should seem, nor without an object, that he here holds it forward, but as the means of all others most likely to touch them. And what saith he? I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. And how is that? with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.

It is not the being merely a prisoner that is honourable, but the being so for Christ's sake. Hence he saith, The prisoner of the Lord, i. e. for Christ's sake. Nothing is there to be compared to this. But now the chain is dragging me away still more from my subject, and pulling me back again, and I cannot bear to resist it, but am drawn along even against my will,-yea, rather, with all my heart; and would that it were always my lot to be descanting on Paul's chain.

But now, go not off to sleep: for I am yet desirous to solve that other question, which many raise, when they say, Why, if tribulation be a glory, how came Paul himself to say in Acts 26, his defence to Agrippa, I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds? He said not

29.