Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 84

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IMPRISONMENT OF PAUL AND SILAS . 77 to be graciousto his sufferingservants. An angelwas sentfrom Heaven toreleasetheapostles. As he neared theRoman prison,theearth trembledbeneathhis feet, the whole citywas shaken by theearthquake,and the prisonwalls reeledlike a reed in the wind. The heavily bolteddoorsflewopen; thechainsand fettersfell from the hands and feetof every prisoner. The keeperofthejailhad heardwith amazement the prayersand singingof theimprisoned apostles. When they were led in,he had seen theirswollenand bleedingwounds,and he had himself caused their feet to be fastened in the instruments of torture. He had expected to hear bitterwailing, groans, and imprecations; but lo! hisearswere greetedwith joyfulpraise. He fellasleepwith thesesoundsinhisears; but was awakened by theearthquake,and theshakingof theprisonwalls. Upon awakening he saw allthe prisondoors open,and hisfirstthoughtwas thattheprisonershad escaped. He rememberedwith what an explicitchargetheprisonershad been intrusted to his care the nightbefore, and he feltsure thatdeathwould be thepenaltyof hisapparent unfaithfulness. He cried out in the bitternessof hisspiritthatitwas betterforhim todieby his own hand than tosubmitto a disgracefulexecution. He was about to killhimself, when Paul criedoutwitha loudvoice," Do thyselfno harm ; for we are all here ." The severitywith which thejailerhad treated theapostleshad not rousedtheirresentment,or theywould have allowedhim tocommit suicide. But their hearts were filledwith the love of Christ, and they held no maliceagainsttheir