〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
THE JAILERS Conversion.  
Wherein is lively represented, the true Image of a Soul rightly touched, and converted by the spirit of God.  
The weighty circumstances of which supernatural work, for the sweet amplifications, and fit applications to the present time, are now set down for the comfort of the strong, and confirmation of the weak.  
By Hugh Dowriche Batch. of Divinity.  The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: bringeth low and exalteth. 1. Samu. 2. 7. Behold now, for I, I am he, and there is no gods with me: I kill, & give life: I wound, and make whole: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand, Deu. 32, 39 
LONDON, Printed by john Windet, dwelling at Paul's Wharfe, at the sign of the Cross Keys, and are there to be sold. 1596.   

To the Worshipful, and my approved good Friend: Valentine Knightly Esquire, long prosperity, and peace of conscience in Christ.  
BLessed is he (saith David) whose wickedness is forgiven and whose sin is covered, etc. Here is one Medicine for two maladies: here is one salve that heals two sores. Sin is the testy botch that may not be touched. All are infected with this plague: but here is the difference, some see it not at all, some see it too much, some feel it, & fear it, some neither fear it, nor feel it. In some negligent blindness, and security breeds contempt of imminent peril; in some, the view of great danger accompanied with fear without faith, commits them to the dangerous downfall of a deadly desperation. The one seethe not his sin, & therefore seeketh no remedy; the other overwhelmed with sin, findeth not the means to apply the remedy. Hear is both the remedy and the application. There is a mean between these extremes: This mean is, to see our sin, our nakedness, our wickedness, but so, as we always have one eye on ourselves and our sin, the other, on Christ and his merits. If we see our sins in themselves, they exceed in number the sands of the Sea, in greatness, the compass of the whole world. If we then go about to match them, with our own power, strength, or merits, how infinitely shall we be overwhelmed in this comparison? But if we, leaving ourselves, fly to the power of God, by which he can; and his mercy in jesus Christ, by which he will deliver us from this infecting plague; we shall presently see, both sin, hell, and Satan to consume as smoke, before the presence of our God. Sin is the plague, sin is the sore: The medicine is, the mercy of God, through jesus Christ in whom, and by whom, our sins are forgiven. This mercy is apprehended by faith, and faith is the gift of God. Therefore, when we have cast up all our reckoning, we shall find, that all our righteousness, and all our merits, (in respect of perfection, to merit salvation) are nothing else but the righteousness and merits of Christ, imputed to us by the mercy of God, by which our sins are pardoned. And therefore with Saint Paul every man, to his own Conscience, may rightly say, What hast thou, which thou hast not received? Yet, to this mercy there is tied a blessing, and a curse, to show the difference between the reprobate, and the children of God. They, which by mercy, attain this mercy, are truly called blessed; They which for want of mercy, are deprived of this mercy, are justly accursed. But can there be in one, and one so certain and immutable cause, such, and such divers effects? Can mercy be found without mercy? Can light be seen without light? Can fire be felt without heat? What more contrary the one to the other, than glory, & confusion? Yet one, and the self same fire, makes gold more glorious, which utterly consumes wood, straw, and stubble. What is more contrary than hard, and soft? yet one and the self same sun doth harden the dirt, and mollifieth the wax. These contrary effects proceed not from any contrariety that is found in the pure and simple essence either of Sun or fire, but from the diversity which lieth hid in the nature of the subjects, on which they work. The mercy of God, being still one and the same, is offered to all without respect, (as the Sun shines and the rain falls, as well on the unjust as the just) but all receive it not. The wicked see it, but despise it, and make a jest of it, till, by the just judgement of God they perish in their wickedness, as did Pharaoh, judas, and the wicked sons of Elie, etc. The elect, being moved by the spirit of God, do see, lament, and repent their sins, and so by mercy obtain pardon. So that, though, both the elect and the reprobate are both alike happy, in that mercy is offered to both a like, yet because the wicked refuse it, they are justly accursed; and the other that receive, and take hold of it, are here accounted happy and blessed. And yet not blessed in respect of any work or worthiness in themselves, but that, by the merits of Christ, (which they apprehend by faith) they are by mercy and imputation, made worthy of this blessing. This then is the golden mean, that makes the godly blessed to behold their sins by faith in Christ; and not as the reprobate, either, not to see them at all, or, without faith to behold them. Of this mean, David himself took happy holdfast. For now, conducted by mercy, and faith, we see, how lustily he leaps out from the hote-house of desperate temptations in which it seems (at the making of this Psalm) he was deeply plunged, by the terror of a guilty conscience, touched by the hand of God, for the sin which he had committed with Barsheba. The extremity of his passions and the vehemency of his conflicts, are described in the 3. and 4. verses of this Psalm. Now this is not David's case alone; but it is certain, that all the children of God, that are elected in his eternal purpose, in their times appointed, shall hear the like calling and taste of the like mercy. For manifestation of the which, we may see an example of the same mercy, which the Lord showed unto a simple and sinful man, the common jailor of Phillippy; of whom in the 16. of the Acts there is an honourable memory left to all posterity. K. David, & this jailor, were both sinners; both of them acknowledged the hand of God heavy upon them for their sins; the one, called to repentance by the voice of a man; the other, shaken from his drowsiness, by the terror of an Earthquake; both felt comfort in their miseries, by the mercy of GOD, which kept them from desperation. The rareness of which example, the great mercy of God; and the singular instructions that rise, to the profit of such as deeply weigh the whole action; besides the earnest desire of some, whose request I could not deny; have drawn me now, to set down certain notes, and considerations touching the singular working of the spirit of God in this man, uttered long sithence upon occasion; which I have termed, The jailers Conversion.  
This being the first thing of mine, that ever past the press; I thought to make bold, to Dedicate it, to the first friend, that ever was truly possessed of my heart. The first fruits were still most accepted & desired of the Lord; The first child, by nature, is best beloved of the father: The first faith is ever most firm, most dear and sweet to the possessor: My first faithful affection, hath enforced me, to offer these simple first fruits, to you that had the gift of my first faith. Which affection you first won by courtesy, & after confirmed it by desert; which, being planted young, hath now grown to be old: being begun long sithence, hath continued to this present, inviolable; and as the green bays, (whom no tempest can blast) ever flourishing; & (so I hope) shall continue so long, as life shall give leave to love. If I could as easily bestow on you, a great part of the world, as I do willingly give you this small portion of words, though you be great already, yet would I make you greater: But seeing words for want of wealth, must show my will, consider in these words, not the words, but the working of the spirit of God. And I dare presume to say, that if you can imitate rightly this one example, these words in short time, though you be good already, yet shall they make you better.  
The Lord, that hath given you a great portion of faith, & hath bestowed on you great worldly blessings of wisdom and wealth, increase this faith, & so daily multiply these blessings upon you, that you may go forward, from faith to faith, from virtue to virtue, from life to life, till in the day of the Lord, your imperfections being made perfect, you may receive the Crown of immortal glory, prepared for such as love the Lord unfeignedly. Honiton in Devon, this 30. day of june. 1596.  
Your loving friend. Hugh Dowriche.   


Vain floating blasts of worldly bliss, that never stay,  
Are smoke-like, mounting spied, but quickly quite decay.  
Like views of fawning shades, that plant alluring baits,  
Err fully come, their farewell shows, their hid deceits.  
No trust, in trustless trash, no faith in friendly shows,  
Truth quails in Hectik fits, whilst falsehood greenely grows.  
Yea, masking visars fraud, great grace, in graceless finds,  
No place, for naked truth, No time, for fraudless minds,  
Esteemed vice soores high, on gales of witless winds.   

Knock Wisdom while she faint, on rock of flinty heart,  
No answer, but, I will not come, you may departed,  
If supreme voice, to Conscience call, to count for sin,  
Green figleaves, grace defects, as sin had never been.  
High Cedars stoutly vaunt, that fruitless harvest yield,  
The Volgo, bright, yet good, for neither fish nor field.  
Let not false Susis springs, find poors in Corky heart,  
Yield not to lose the truth, though clad in careful smart,  
Establish virtues throne, And say to sin, depart.    

To the friendly Reader.  
THere is daily preaching, and daily printing of good Sermons, and good Books, and yet there is little profiting, and little amendment seen to follow, either in words or works. We have had precept upon precept, Sermon upon Sermon; in every corner, here a little, and there a little, and yet Egypt cannot speak the language of Canaan. 
Esay. 8 13. Esay. 19 18.  Some professors cannot see what is belonging to their profession, & live there after. The Vineyard yieldeth but briars & thorns. The company of vain, Papistical, Libertine, 
Esay. 27. 5. jerem. 7. 11  and Machiavelion professors, are become companions to thieves, they are even found to be the den and the sink of loath some hypocrisy; which the eye of Christ viewed, his heart loathed, his whip purged. The sword's edge is rebated to them, it cannot Pierce: the shaft is shot in vain, it cannot stick. The force of the Gospel, is become now so weak, it cannot move them. The bellows are burnt, the led is consumed in the fire, the founder 
jerem. 6 ●  hath melted in vain. The preachers have lost their labours, and the Printers have spent their care, their time, their strength in nothing, for The wicked yet still wrestle against God, like wild Bulls tumbling in a 
jerem. 1. ●  net: yea, they have made a new covenant with death, and with hell: they have clapped hands upon a new bargain. As Satan told Eva she should not die so our lying fancies have told us, that, No plague shall come near us. Long peace and wealth hath brought us to wanton 
1. Cor. 4.  Babel's estate: we are a virgin not to be oppressed by any; we are tender and delicate, the mistress of felicity; we are a Lady of kingdoms, with a peerless prosperity, in the midst of 
Esay. 47. 1●  our neighbour's miseries, we never feared of our own calamities, our neck is framed of iron sinews, it cannot bow; our brows are over-plated 
Esay: 48. 4●  with brass, they cannot blush. The trump hath blown, yet can be not bring again them that Were lost in the land of Assiria: Though the preachers with their Cornets have seven and seven times compassed jericho, yet the cursed walls fall not; though the voice, the cry, and the force of the Gospel, of signs and wonders have been heard and felt in every corner, yet the weeds overtoppe the Corn: the soul lost in the sink of error and land of transgression, returns not again: the Papists deceived by the full flesh pots of Egypt are not yet reclaimed; the Atheists, Brownists, Anabaptists, Libertines, and carnal, careless, and dissolute professors, that are for their sin suffered to be led into heresies, are not yet contented to join in one godly unity to worship and serve the Lord in the mount of jerusalem, the vision of peace. We do not yet see that blessed time, when Ephraim shall be are no evil will to juda; nor juda vex Ephraim, when preachers shall not wrangle for trifles and be divided one from an other, but all join together to fly upon the shoulders of the Pihlistins the common enemies of the Gospel. All our preaching cannot draw on that happy time, when, juda and Israel, shall walk both together, When all preachers and professors that now hate, backbite, and slander one an other shall so join hands and hearts together, that neither of them walk or continue any longer in the hardness of their froward hearts. It was a certain sign of God's heavy plague against juda, and a sure token that their destruction was at hand, when the people's ears began to be Uncircumcised, when they could not patiently hearken to the truth; and when the word was to them as a reproach, & that they could not delight in it. If the same tokens may be now any way á sign to England of her destruction, as it was to jerusalem, then may England's Music, be well turned into judahes mourning, and say, Woe be unto me, Woe is me now, My heart, my health, my hope, my help and all is gone from me. It were a lamentable thing, that our wilful and wicked sins, (daily crying for vengeance to fall upon us, from the seat of God,) our covetousness, usury, drunkenness, whoredom, blasphemy, perjury; contentions, pride, envy, & disobedience, should give our Corn to be meat for our enemies, and the fruit of our labours, to refresh strangers, while we ourselves famish: yet thus it hath been in time, and thus it may be again.  
Some think there be too many Books, too many Sermons, too much preaching, too much Printing: and I think there is too little of everiesort. There is no fault found with too much ease, too much pleasure, too much negligence, too much wantonness in behaviour, too much pride in apparel, too much love to imitate new Apish toys and strange fashions: we are never cloyed with these, come as thick as they can, but the poor despised word sounds too oft, & comes too thick upon us. O sin, O Satan, Papistical envy saith, every boy is become a preacher: every fool is become a writer. josua enviously murmureth against Eldad and Medad, for prophesying in the Tent: The Disciples 
Num. 11. 28 Mark 9 38. Luke. 9 48 john. 3. 26.  of john, envied at Christ for working of Miracles, but I say with meek Moses, I would all the people of God did prophecy, I would all were learned, I would all were preachers, I would all were so perfectly taught of God, that every man were able to preach to himself, to teach and instruct himself and his charge in all things, that we might indeed need less preaching, and less writing.  
Some would have no Books written, but such only as did wade into the depth of Divinity, and contained the marrow, and quintessence of learning; such as did profoundly handle deep points, & subtle quiddities of Divine or Philosophical controversies; and such as in a manner should speak that which was never spoken before.  
This is the very policy of Satan, to take from the simple people, their greatest comfort, (next unto preaching) that they enjoy, which is, the reading or hearing, at leisure times some plain exposition or familiar Sermon, penned to their capacity, wherein many and many take great and singular comfort, delight and profit. Many there be, that for age, troubles and other occasions, cannot often come to hear Sermons, where and when they would, which having at home some good Book, supplies often times the want of a better means, to bring them to the knowledge, and love of God.  
I speak not this to patronize any lewd, wanton or foolish Pamphlets, which tend not to edification, but rather to destruction; neither yet to prefer or compare reading, or writing with preaching, which is the blessed, and ordinary means of our salvation, but only to crop the blossoms of their proud Envy, that despise their weak brother's gifts, in respect of their own surmised perfections: & which think, that some profit may not redound to the simple, by the most simple gift, that ever was bestowed of God upon the most simple man.  
I detest the fantastical humour of them that writ or publish any book, to hunt for any private praise, glory, or profit to themselves, and not with a single, and simple intent to seek only the glory of God, the furtherance of the Gospel; and the knowledge, comfort and salvation of God's children, & the weak brethren. With this intent and no other, (as he knows that knows my heart) I have persuaded myself to suffer these plain & Country notes, to subject themselves to the curious eyes, to the sharp conceits, and the quick judgements of the learned Readers of this age, not intended or adorned for the learned, but only vowed and plotted in the lowest kind, for the capacity of the simple and ignorant.  
It may be that I have studied more, to be plain, brief and perspicuous, than some have to fly aloft in the misty clouds of rolling eloquence; be cause I seek the edification of the simple, not the praise of myself.  
If I should vauntingly fly so high, as the wings of fancy would carry but a mean Scholars reach, I might neither in duty do that I should; nor in conscience, perform that which I would.  
Let the jailers and keepers of Prisons in these days, account this example the chief flower in their garland, that there hath been so honest a man, an undoubted child of God found in their Corporation: of whom, I would they would all learn, to be more merciful and courteous to their poor brethren that are in bands, to consider the cause of their imprisonment: not to heap misery upon misery, but in their punishments to see the anger of God against their own sins: to be sorry for them that are in Captivity, to thank God for their own freedom: not to insult over them, whom God hath cast down, but in a charitable mind to comfort them that are in heaviness, and relieve the wants of the poor and needy, to their powers. So God (with this jailor) shall bless them with the true knowledge of their salvation, and the joyful spirit of regeneration: So shall the Lord comfort them in their distress, and deliver them from the prison and punishment which their sins have deserved. This is the wourst I wish them, this the Lord grant them. And so I commit thee, gentle Reader, to Gods merciful protection. From Honiton in Devon this 30. day of june. 1596.  
Thine in the Lord, Hugh Dowriche.   

Verses written by a Gentle - woman, upon The jailers Conversion.  
THe man is blest which can endure,  
Whose heart doth never slide,  
When for his sin, with fiery scourge,  
His patience shall be tried.  
No daunting fear can once attaint,  
The conscience that is clear:  
The wicked wail that have no faith,  
When dangers do appear.  
The rod that doth correct our life,  
And sinful ways reprove,  
Is said, to be a certain sign,  
Of God's eternal love.  
No tempting trial from the Lord,  
No grief or dire annoy,  
Can sever once the faithful heart,  
From Christ, his only joy.  
Though sinful flesh do oft rebel,  
And fancy file our fall,  
Yet happy man, that can return,  
When God begins to call.  
Though God permit his chosen flock,  
Sometimes to walk astray:  
Yet sets he both the times and means,  
To wain them from their way.  
How long did Paul, with cruel heart,  
The Church of Christ molest?  
Till called home to see the truth,  
His blindness did detest.  
How cruel was this jailers heart,  
To vex the poor elect?  
Till trembling earth by mighty power,  
His madness did detect.  
The God, that makes the haughty hills,  
And Libans Cedars shake  
When he shall take his cause in hand,  
Will make the proudest quake.  
To comfort his, that be in need,  
The Lord is always priest,  
And all that haps to his elect,  
Is always for the best.  
Which in this picture here is seen,  
By that, which shall in sew,  
Lord grant us grace, when he doth call,  
To frame our lives anew.  
A. D.   


Ad Authorem, amicum suum, ut plura det.  
P●rge, mi: quidnam titubas eundo?  
Hic labor certé, hoc opus est, Catenas  
Nocte subnigra, miseré Reclusis  
Rumpere tetras.   

Sive divinas, Calamo, loquelas  
Pingis, aut sacrum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ore pandis:  
Pingis & pandis veneranda, pulchré,  
Dogmata jovae.   

Hinc, & hinc, laudes (mihi crede) celsae  
Te manent: Sedes manet ampla: utrinque  
Digna praeclaris, (quid enim recusas?)  
Proemia factis.   

Plura des nobis igitur, jehovae  
Seruiens, nobis, patriae, tibique,  
Et mihi: Da, quos voluisse dix'ti  
Dare, libellos.   

Divites (Dowrich per-amice) Dotes  
Si tui cunctis animi paterent,  
(Pluribus notae:) At taceo tacendi 
Aposiopesis   
Nomen Amici.   

Ergo, mi: nunquam titubes eundo:  
Hic labor certé, hoc opus est, Cateruas  
Quas Catenatas tenet atra nigri  
janua Ditis,  
solvere vinclis.   
Quo pede coepisti, sic benè semper eas.  
Per Guilielmum Palfraeium, Gener. Lin-colniensis Hospitij Socium.   

Ad Carcerum Custodes. S. P.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Terrae motu concussus, ad unum,  
Et verum motus, vertitur inde, Deum:  
Quid facis, O Saevo, stringens tua viscera ferro?  
Sola Saius Animae, quaeritur una tuae.  
Heu cohibete manus, Custodes Carceris omnes,  
Mittite sub Christi, colla superba jugum.  
Paul, Comesque Sila, Captivi corpora; nullas  
Fregistis, Domino sed reserante, fores.  
Ille aperit vobis, Neopoitae janitor aulae,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ac Fletus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 que vias,  
Et soluit duris, religatos crura, cathenis,  
Ad Christum ut properent Liberiore pede.  
Discite ab hoc Omnes exemplo, vera vereri  
Numina, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

THE JAILERS Conversion.  

The Argument.  
Paul and Silas were by the spirit of God, sent into Macedonia, and passing through many places of the Country, came unto the chief City called Phillippie. Where preaching the word, they found a fortune-telling Devil, which had long time abused the simple people. Paul not able to bear with this deceit of Satan, by the word of the Lord expels him. Hereof rose a grievous persecution against the word. The worst part was the greatest. They prevailed. Paul and Silas were whipped, and cast into prison. They prayed, and the Lord heard them; and sent an Earthquake. The jailor would have killed himself, but Paul stays him. The jailers eyes are opened, he humbleth him self; he seeks the way to be saved, he obtaineth it for himself and his whole family. etc.   

THE TEXT.  Acts. 16. 30. And he brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do, to be saved? 
IN this verse is expressed only, a question demanded, by the jailor. In which question these five circumstances are to be considered. First, The person that doth demand it. Secondly, Of whom he demandeth it. Thirdly, What the question is which is demanded. Fourthly, What it was which brought this man to this godly care, to demand this question. And lastly, the time when he fell to this consideration what he ought to do to be saved  
For the first. In the person that doth demand the question, these three things are to be considered. First, his Office. Secondly his Charge. Thirdly his sodden Alteration. By Office he was the common jailor: which, though it be an Office necessary, yet commonly, I know not how it falleth out, they continue not long honest men that have it; but, for the most part, are of nature cruel, hard-hearted; and oftentimes blind and far from the knowledge of the truth, as this man was.  
Application. Doctrine. The Lord doth not give unto every man one order and kind of life, but hath by a marvelous wisdom, disposed men, into several callings, as they may best serve for the performance of several duties, which are either for order, policy, regiment, or the glory of God established in the Church. And therefore every man is to consider of his calling, and place whereunto he is appointed, to acknowledge it to be the ordinance of the Lord; to content himself with it, as with a thing delivered unto him from the Lord; to frame himself so in it, as he may only seek the glory of God, and not his own pleasure, profit, or glory, etc.  
Every Office which is▪ either commanded by the word, or not contrary to the same, is good, lawful, and honest, of itself in his own nature: if any Office be contemptible, odious, or loathsome unto us, it is made so, by reason of the wickedness, cruelty, covetousness, and folly of him that doth possess it. As the Publicans, the Rend gatherers, or Roman Bailiffs made their Office odious among the jews, by Requiring more, then that which was appointed unto 
Luk. 3. 13.  them. The soldiers made their calling odious, by doing of violence. Accusing innocents falsely for their own lucre, Not being content with their wages, But robbing, stealing and spoiling beside. The Scribes and pharisees made their prefession odious, By their horrible and wicked hypocrisy. The laylors 
Mat. 23. 23.  make their Office odious, by unmerciful abusing of the poor prisoners, robbing them by their great fees, selling them but a little liberty for a great deal of money; murdering the simple by penury, by pinching them of their allowance, and ordinary duty, and such like, etc. Nay, to fall to a higher reckoning, Kings and Princes have made their seat and Crown infamous, by their sin and wickedness, as jeroboam by Idolatry, 
1. King. 12. 28.  Ahab and jesabel by covetous oppression, shedding of innocent blood, and persecuting Gods Prophets and truth. David by murder and whoredom caused the enemies of The Lord to blaspheme: Noblemen and Gentlemen 
1. Kin. 21. 8  make their degree odious, by their pride, contempt of the word, wantonness, covetousness, whoredoms, liberty in sinning, injury, and such like. justices turn justice into wormwood, and judgement into gall, condemning the innocent and justifying the wicked, dishonouring their calling. Lawyers defame their vocation & the godly and honourable use of the law, by taking the patronage of bad matters, by defiling their hands with bribes & their closerts with gifts against the poor and helpless, being content for gain to give counsel with the wicked against the just, with the mighty against the simple, with the rich, against the poor fatherless and widow, against Law, by Law; against right, by making sour sweet and sweet sour, by altering cases, and making right no right, where it is for their profit, against conscience, having no conscience, where commodity shows itself. Physicians have made their necessary and good science odious and infamous among the common people and most men in these days, by their untolerable and excessive covetousness, by taking such great sums of money for little labour, and oftentimes when to the parties diseased they do no good at all but rather hurt, without either piety, pity or conscience. Protestants and professors 
Protestants by profession, but Papists indeed.  of the Gospel, make the glorious word and preaching of Christ to be blasphemed among the Papists, and they hinder many from professing and believing the same, because they walk not wisely toward them that are without: because there is as much whoredom, covetousness, drunkenness, usury, perjury, simony, subtlety, bribery & injury amongst them, as ever was among the Papists, or can be among the Turks and infidels; because there is as little faith, as little regard of promise or word, or less than ever was in the time of ignorance. etc. But what shall become of these wicked hypocrites, of these Painted walls, of these stinking sepulchres, and fruitless Figtrees, which defame their callings, abuse their places, pollute their Offices, and dishonour the Lord by their sinful lives: Surely, they shall leave a deadly curse upon their posterity: the filthy maws of the hungry Dogs shall be thought to be a Sepulchre, worthy and sufficient for such cursed carrions. The Lord shall plague them by taking from them their son begotten in a dulterie, their Offices, their dignities, and the thing they love best: the Lord shall punish them by rebellion in in their sons, in their subjects, and heavy mishaps within their own houses.  
Some of these wicked abusers of their Office and calling, the Lord doth notwithstanding (as we here see) call home to a consideration of their miserable estate, to the knowledge and sight of their sins, to a true humiliation of their proud stomachs, and to an effectual repentance, because it is certain and sure, that the wickedness of man cannot alter the purpose of the Lord. Where we learn, that as God doth suffer his elect for a time to be seduced, and to wander out of the right way, as David by his lust, Paul by blind zeal, Marry Magdalene by lewd concupiscence, and this jailor by cruelty & blindness, yet, as many as pertain to God's election, have the times and means of their conversion appointed, and they, at that calling, obey, (as we see here this jailor doth) though before oftentimes they have refused.  
Here we see the great mercy of the Lord: which calleth all sorts of men, which despiseth no Office, nor the vilest callings: which refuseth not to think upon the greatest sinners in the midst of all their blindness, but useth loving and fit means to call sinners to repentance. As, according to the quality, greatness and continuance of any sin, so we see his motions to repentance fitted for them. David had not long been forgetful, neither remained any great time in the sink of his sin: therefore the voice of the Lord in a simple man wrought a sorrow and repentance in him. Peter had not long continued in his Apostasy, he was brought unto that forgetfulness of his good master, and duty, by the frailness & fear that was in his flesh and blood, and not by any malice or wilful contempt, therefore the voice of a Cock was sufficient to awaken him, to make him see the foulness of his fin, and to lament his weakness with bitter tears. But of the contrary, where the sin is settled of a long continuance, where the sinners after admonition have taken delight in it, have continued it with malice, and wilful contempt, there, the Lord must use great and mighty motions to remove them, as Earthquakes, throwing down some tower in Siloe, stirring up great enemies, and showing great and unusual wonders, etc. And yet these great motions move not all, for there are some which pertain to the Lords inheritance, that are converted by them, as this jailor and many other. But such again as be none of this number, but those whom the Lord hath forsaken, and cast off, cannot be moved nor converted by all the signs, wonders and Earthquakes that can be showed: such were the Scribes and pharisees the masters of this jailor, such was Pharaoh, such were the sons of Elie, and many in jerusalem: such are our great and grounded Papists, such are our libertine professors, and fleshly Gospelers, such are our Atheists and jesters in religion, etc.  

2. His Charge.  
It seemeth, that his Charge was very great and that it stood greatly upon him, to restore again such as he had received. It should appear that these Apostles were delivered unto him, with such a strait commandment, that, if he did let them escape, his life should go for theirs. For, being now awakened, by the sudden shaking of the earth, & rising out of his bed at midnight in great fear, and coming unto the prison and finding the doors open, and thinking assuredly that his prisoners had been fled, in a desperate mind, determined rather to kill himself, then to stand to the courtesy of that sentence, which his good masters the envious Scribes and pharisees should pronounce against him. Which wicked act, the fearful and desperate man had committed in deed, had not Paul by the spirit of God in the dark seen his intent, and with this joyful voice at that instant comforted him, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.  
Application and Doctrine. First, by his strait Charge which the Scribes and pharisees gave for the keeping of these Apostles, we learn, with what great heat and hateful malice, the wicked world with the blind potentates thereof do persecute the truth, wheresoever they shall see it but once to show itself, or appear never so little, and how loath they are that the messengers of this news should escape with life or liberty, when they once come within their fingers. The estate of God's truth in this world is marvelous and miserable. For the every, murder, whoredom, drunkenness, etc., hath always found more friendship in it, and hath been better allowed of then the simple truth. There was a thief and a murderer preferred before Christ himself. The illusion of Satan, and a Devil that deceived them, by blind toys and telling of fortunes, was a great deal better accepted in this blind City of Phillippie, than Paul and Silas the true preachers. For wherefore were Paul and Silas cast into prison with so strait a commandment, after they had been buffeted and whipped most cruelly before? Surely the holy Ghost layeth down no other causes but these. First, They preached the truth, and assayed to turn them from their Idolatry & blindness. Secondly, They cast out the Devil that did deceive them. Where we learn how unwilling the world and the wicked are to have the Devil cast out of themselves, of their sons and daughters, especially if the Devil bring any kind of commodity with him, as this Devil did. For that was the cause of this commotion, because Paul's new doctrine could not agree with their old Devil, because they might not follow Paul's Religion, and yet still retain their former profit and commodity. By which we see, how hard a matter it is to plant the true Religion among the covetous and worldly minded wretches. We see now the cause, why the godly in the primitive church, why the blessed martyrs in Queen Mary's days, were vexed, exiled, whipped, imprisoned, set upon the racks, tied and chained to the stakes and burned: only for this, because they preached truly the Gospel of Christ which Paul and Silas preached before: because they called them from darkness to light, from error to truth, from hell to heaven: because they opened the illusions of the Mass, Purgatory and other such peevish fantasies. But here a man might say, it seemeth that there was some other matter which moved these rulers to lay up Paul and Silas with so strait a charge. For as there was no commodity came to the rulers by the spirit of Divination which was in the woman, but rather a private gain to certain that were her masters, so there was no such hurt like to ensue unto the Magistrate or state of the town, by expelling of him, as should force them to so great a fury: therefore, there was belike some other matter. No, but here we see most notably▪ the nature of the wicked. For it falleth out many times, 
The natu of the wicked.  that the Magistrate which feareth not God, persuadeth himself that by policy, and maintaining of that which best liketh the multitude, the commonwealth shall be both better & longer maintained quiet & peaceable, then by establishing any thing be it never so good, which the people like not. That was one error of the Magistrates. another thing that we see in them is, vain glory, and a desire to keep their dignity. Which thing where so ever it doth enter, it makes them unwilling to hear of any alterations, be they never so little or never so good, and be they themselves never so full of imperfections, for fear, lest if they should allow the doctrine of the Gospel, in the reformation of one thing, be it never so little, it would in time grow farther, and at length perchance find a fault in their own best coats that had need to be amended. That was the cause which made these Magistrates stop the proceed of the truth in the first appearing, and to allow and encourage wicked men in their fury against the same, when as (if they had done well) they should have corrected the covetous abuse of the Devil: and have praised the good men that did open it, & have thanked God that had revealed this abuse unto them. Here we see another abuse and folly, that was in those Magistrates, for they presently upon the cry & exclamation of two or three lewd fellows without examination of either causes, or parties, sent good men to the prison, and let the varlets go unpunished. Lastly, we see the dullness and blindness of such Magistrates whom the Lord doth not bless. They could not see the right cause of this tumult, which was, a covetous mind; neither could they perceive the policy of the Devil, in shadowing this cause. For the wicked come not to the Magistrate & say, Sir, they by their preachings have taken away our gain and commodity, for than it might easily have been perceived from whence their heat proceeded, but they colour their covetousness with an other shadow, and say: Sir, These men, which are jews, trouble our City: They preach ordinances which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, seeing we are Romans'. So, we see that it is a common thing to entitle that truth (which we think will in time overthrow our pride, & our covetousness) with rebellion, sedition, & conspiracy: by that means to make it a cloak for lewdness & knavery. Now we see the causes of this strait charge which the Magistrates gave unto the jailor.  
We learn here again, that the Lord suffereth even his elect & chosen for a time to run in the path of sinners, that he doth exercise them with great temptations, & that he brings them even to the brink of hell and desperation, & yet recalls them, & even then when they are farthest gone, & least think of succour, then is the Lord nearest unto them, as is here to be seen by the example of this woeful jailor, and many other such like in the Scripture. For when Abraham had hoped beyond hope, & had waited for the promise, till it was passed both man's help and hope, yet then did the Lord keep promise when he least thought it. When the same Abraham 
Gen 17. 19 & 21. 2. Heb. 11. 11.  (being commanded to offer up his son that he had so long looked for,) could see no reason of the Lords promise, yet at the very 
Gen. 22. 10. Eccl. 44. 20.  instant when the axe was lifted up, unknown to Abraham, there was a means provided to save the child, ere the Axe fell. When there was but a silly basket between death and Moses, yet at an instant, the Lord 
Exod. 2. 3. 4  had provided an unknown means, to make him ruler of his people. When joseph was in great extremity, sold into a strange 
Gen. 41. 40.  country, and for a long time in grievous imprisonment, without friends, or hope of restitution, and therefore might have been comfortless, yet the Lord, when joseph thought least of it, set him at liberty, and 
1. Sam. 23. 27.  made him ruler of a great Country. When David was in great peril by Saul: When Daniel was cast into the lions den: When the three young men that would not worship the Idol, were cast into the hot furnace, 
Dan. 6. 22. & 3. 25.  yet the Lord at that instant when flesh and blood could see no help, preserved them. So, this fear, which the jailor felt, first in the Earthquake, next in that he thought that his prisoners had been all gone, struck him very deep to the heart, and brought him to great extremity, which all, unknowing to him, was used by the Lord, to be a mean of his conversion, and salvation. Where we see, how the Lord watcheth over his elect, to comfort them, to keep them, to defend them from water, from fire, from wild beasts, and from desperation and cruel enemies, that nothing may hinder them from that happy hour, wherein the Lord hath appointed to call them, convert them, and save them.  
Lastly, we learn that they be happy, though they feel some misery, which may hear the voice of the Gospel and true preachers: for they ever bring comfort and joy unto them, that can hear them, they expel all fear, abandon all qualms of loathsome desperation, from their hearts▪ but more happy are they that hear, obey, and submit themselves and their affections to the rule of the word, speaking to their ears outwardly, or of the spirit of God, moving their hearts inwardly, as this jailor did.   

Thirdly, his sudden Alteration.  
The Alteration of this man was sudden and marvelous. For he, which at the beginning of the night, did with joy receive these prisoners, with cruelty and disdain no doubt thrust them into the vilest dungeon, set them into the stocks, and clapped gives upon their feet: before the same night was ended, felt the power and spirit of God; confessed his ignorance; saw his own sin, understood the vanity of his masters, the Scribes and pharisees, perceived himself to be in an error, humbled himself to them, whom before he had abused, and with tears sought their comfort, whom he thought before to be comfortless, desiring of them to know the right way to be saved, whom a little before he had condemned as those that held some wrong opinions, etc.  
Application and Doctrine. First we see, that though God suffered his elect, his servants, his truth, by tyrants, wicked and malicious enemies, in our judgement to be oppressed, overborne and trodden under, yet he never leaveth, nor forsaketh them, but is present with them in their prisons, in the stocks, in the dark and ugly pits, he sitteth with them, he suffereth with them, he comforteth them, he strengtheneth them, he heareth their prayers, & when 
Psal. 34. 19 & 145. 18. & 34. 16. Act. 4. 31. & 12. 10.  it pleaseth him to deliver them, the strongest Irons, prisons, and tyrants in the world, shall not be able to hold them.  
And here we are to remember, what difference there is between the miseries that we feel for the cause of Christ, and the torments which are put upon us for our own wickedness. For when we are cast into prison 
Act. 11. 4 Mat. 25. 40 Zakar. 2. 8. Ephe. 1. 22. & 4. 13: 15.  for Christ's cause, Christ is there with us, when we suffer for him he is grieved with us, for the head cannot be quiet, if the body be in pain. These have always such peace and joy in their conscience, that suffer for the truth, that when they are whipped they rejoice, when they are wounded they are 
Act. 5. 4. Gal. 6. 17.  not aggrieved, when they are tied to the stakes, they triumph in the midst of the fire, the joy of a good conscience is so great, and the earnest desire, and assured comfort, of the present receiving of that unspeakable joy that will never fail, makes the greatest torments seem even to flesh & blood, either very little, or no pain at all: knowing assuredly that they could not suffer for Christ, 
Phil. 1. 29 Rom. 9 29. 2. Cor. 4. 10 Luk. 24. 26.  except they were thereunto appointed, that they in these passions might be made like unto the son of God. And assuring themselves that assoon as they be delivered from the stinking prison of this filthy carcase, their soul shall be presently in the hand of 
Deut. 33. 3. Wis. 3. 1. 2. Tim. 2. 11 Psal. 116. 15 Apo. 14. 13.  the Lord: where no torment shall touch them, & that they shall be presently with Christ in his kingdom, with whom, and for whom they have suffered: and their death being precious in the sight of the Lord, they feel that they are most happy of all other, that die in the quarrel of Christ. Of the other side, they which suffer justly, for their thievery, murder, whoredom or any other like vice, they feel most horrible horror of conscience, and torment both of body & mind, being separated from Christ and having no peace or joy in their heart by the quietness of a good conscience, and assured trust in the mercy of God. And therefore many of them in their torments and death, lamentably howl without hope, without comfort, being without the company of Christ, and so in miserable desperation, without especial grace, oftentimes end a wretched life. Here we must remember that God doth often give repentant hearts, to such as have committed, and do suffer for most vile offences, of whom we are to judge the best.  
We learn here, to have always a sure hope, and confidence in the Lord, our cause being his, that though we always see not his power, and will ready to deliver us, when our flesh doth desire it, yet, let us assure ourselves that he is with us, and that he will help and deliver us, when he seethe his time.  
We see how quickly God can pull down the pride, and confound the devices of his enemies, & by such means as they can neither suspect, nor prevent, and how quickly he can turn the hearts of the wicked and enemies, to cherish and favour his servants, and truth if he list.  
We may learn of this jailor here a notable 
The right use of God's judgements.  lesson, which is, to make our right, and true use of the judgements of God, when we see or feel them; which is, that by them we descend into a deep consideration of our own estate, life, and behaviour, and see whether these judgements fall not upon us for our pride, our wantonness, whoredom, murder, ignorance, ingratitude, negligence, contempt of God's truth, and evil entreating the servants of God: Which all it seemeth that this man considered, for he feeling the Earthquake, and knowing that it was the hand of the Lord, he fell presently to view his life, the damnable estate wherein he stood, and the lamentable misery that he was to fall into, if his life at that instant should have been taken from him. He comes therefore and desireth the true Physic, not that which comforteth the body, but that which preserveth the soul. What shall I do, that I may be saved? How many of us in England either high or low, have with ourselves entered into this consideration, having felt the like Earthquakes and many other signs and tokens? I doubt not, but there be some which have, though it be, perchance, a little some. In all Philippie the Scripture makes mention but of a few which were converted thoroughly, and made to see, and acknowledge their sin. We read that the rulers were moved, but this motion proceeded not so far, as to make them to see the estate wherein they stood. Therefore we see that the signs and wonders of the Lord are not effectual, in all, but only in such, as are his, and were before known in his purpose. The cause of this defect is not in the judgements themselves, but in the hardness, and sin of their froward hearts that see them: as, the cause why a blind man taketh no comfort of the sun, is not in the sun itself, but in the fault of his own eyes. It may be that many of our Rulers, our great men and Gentlemen were at that present when they felt God's hand shaken upon them, in the last Earthquake moved, and troubled in mind, but it was such a motion, as the proud pharisees felt, which was not so soon & suddenly conceived, but it was even as soon and suddenly forgotten. It was not such a motion as the jailor here felt, which made him see his sin, his imperfections, his wicked life, and raised in him a hearty repentance for the same, and which caused him to give over all other cares, as one now wholly mortified, to seek only the right way, how he might be saved. For, this motion of the jailor, had the spirit of the holy Ghost joined with it, which moved inwardly, and effectually, the heart, with the outward motions of the body: the other, moved but the outward limbs, and senses, with a sudden fleshly fear, without the spirit of God. For, let us see, how many great men, gentlemen & rich men, which before that time were whoremongers, adulterers, usurers, thieves, pirates, rackers of rents, and and unmerciful to their poor tenants, how many that were swearers, blasphemers, Atheists of no Religion, neither hot nor cold, wantoness, and libertines, have been sithence sound converted, have taken an account of their lives, of their behaviours, of their sins, and have repent heartily for them, and have come unto their Preachers and Ministers to learn the right way to be saved, and have ever sithence continued in that godly course, which all, we see this jailor did? I know not what other preachers can testify, but, for myself, I can witness but of a very few, or rather none. There were in some few places, solemn & general fasts, by the Pastors proclaimed, many did resort, from many places, perchance many, for the novelty of the matter more than for any touch of conscience: but the folly of some, the great hypocrisy of a number, the short continuance of the good mind, the quick forgetting of these judgements, and the murmuring of many against these proceed: do argue plainly, that the best of us all were far from the perfect enjoying of that sweet motion, which called this jailor to a sorrowful repentance, and kept him always in a perfect obedience. If we consider this, we may lament, that the Lord in 38. years peace and preaching of the Gospel, hath not by his grace given unto us so perfect hearts, and sorrowful consideration of our sin, neither such desire to seek him, nor such obedience to hear him, believe him, and continue with him, as at a sudden he gave then unto this poor and miserable jailor, but now a happy and joyful believer. God grant that we now seeing our want, our imperfections, and our blindness, which is the curse of God upon our sin, may with this jailor be perfectly, (by the spirit of God) moved, upon the sight of our sin, to true repentance, to humble hearts, to an earnest desire to seek our salvation in Christ, that so we may continue in perfect obedience to the word of life, and under the protection of Christ, escape those plagues, miseries, wars and calamities, which our sin, rebellion and unthankfulness do now threaten to pull upon us.  
Lastly, this jailor received no comfort, joy, or peace of conscience, until he was moved by the spirit of God, to love & comfort the preachers of the word, to hear the voice of the Gospel, and yield obedience unto the same: so we learn, that we which are sick, are not to hope for health; we that are weak, are not to look for strength, and we that are wicked, are not to promise unto ourselves pardon, and forgiveness, until, we have with sorrow confessed, and acknowledged our sickness, weakness and wickedness and have sought help at the Lord, and his word, and have freely and willingly submitted our rebelling affections to the orders and direction of the same.   

The second circumstance. Of whom he demanded this question.  
He came to the poor Apostles. The keeper, to his prisoners, a freeman; to them that were in bondage; he that before thought well of himself, unto men that were despised, etc. For now out of all question, he knew assuredly, that they were the servants of God and preachers of the truth. Which opinion he had conceived, by this strange and wonderful miracle, which GOD for their sakes had lately wrought. It may be marveled, why he feeling his conscience sore burdened, with fear, sorrow, grief and remorse of sin, had not gone for comfort and consolation unto the great Scribes and pharisees: which before had taught him. Surely, the spirit of God had secretly made him to see, that they were all blind guides, that they were far out of the right way, & therefore now at length was well content to forsake them all, and to yield unto the manifest truth, which at this time appeared plainly, and would no longer wilfully stop his ears and refuse the proffered grace. Wherein, he did marvelously disgrace the whole company of the Priests, Scribes & Doctors, in that he preferred these men's learning counsel and doctrine, before all theirs. These being poor men, strangers and in the outward show of the world abjects: and the other, men rich, glorious, grave, and in the opinion of most men, learned, and great Rabbis. Besides all this, he put himself in great danger of excommunication, of life and living, which they had published against 
Io. 9 23, 34.  all such as should enter either acquaintance or familiarity with them which spoke or taught in the name of jesus, whom they had crucified. Yet we see, that he casting away all fear and not consulting with flesh and 
Gala. 1. 16.  blood, submitted himself happily to be a Scholar unto these Apostles.  
Application. Doctrine. First we learn, in our extremities, miseries, fear, doubts, & heavy trouble of conscience, where we are to seek for ease, help and comfort: not of the blinded, proud, and cruel Pharisee, which is not acquainted with the motions of God's spirit: but of the pure word of God, revealed, and preached unto us, and of the true preachers and Apostles, which lead us directly to Christ & no other. When we will take comfort by the word, we must not consult with the Papists 
Torrensis in confess. Augustiniana. lib. 1. cap. 7. Housius de expresso verbo.  the Iudasites, terming themselves jesuits for they will tell us, that the Scriptures are hard and obscure, and that it is but lost labour to read them, etc. But the spirit of God, in the Scripture, teacheth us the contrary, that the word of the Lord is a light 
Psal. 119. Prou. 6. Esay. 45. john. 6. 2. Pet. 1.  unto our feet, and a lanthrone unto our paths.  
When we are troubled with concupiscence, the first motions of sin, the pricks of Satan in our flesh, which drive the godly to great sorrow, we may not go for counsel 
Torrens. lib. 1. ca 2. Cathechismus ex decret. Cons. Trident. in Sacra. Baptism.  and remedy, unto the Pharisaical Papist, for he will go about to persuade us, that this Concupiscence, and the first motions are no sin in their own nature, neither any sin at all, either in name, or substance, except Consent go with it: which devilish voice, and lie, is confuted by the word of God, for it is called Enmity against God, it is against the commandment, Thou shalt not lust or covet, It confirms their horrible sin, which 
Rom. 8. 7. Exod. 20. 17 1. john. 1. ● Mat. 5. 22.  say They have no sin: Christ accounts the motion of anger a deadly sin, and worthy judgement. Lastly the definition of sin by Saint john confutes them. Sin is the transgression 
1. john. 3. 4  of the law.  
Little comfort shall the weak younglings find in them, which say, that the Scripture is not sufficient for their salvation, but they must seek other traditions: which say, that to believe in Christ is not sufficient, except he keep the whole law: which impudently and wickedly affirm, that Christ by his death hath not sufficiently purged their sins but that there is an other Purgatory, appointed to cleanse, and make clean the faithful, 
Col. 2. 8.  through which, every one must pass, that shall enter into heaven. Contrary to the preaching of the true Apostles, and the sacred word, for we are bid to take heed of 
Tit. 1. 14  men's traditions, that we be not deceived by them. Again, that we follow not commandments of men which turn from the truth. And in the very next verse to my text, 
Act. 16. 31.  Paul told this jailor that it was sufficient both for him and his household to be saved 
Ioh 3. 18. & 5. 24.  if he did only believe: Christ hath said. He that believeth shall be saved, He that believeth in the son shall not come into judgement: He 
Wisd. 3. 1.  that heareth my word, and believeth in him that sent me, hath life everlasting, he shall not be judged, but hath passed from death unto life. The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and no torment shall touch them. 
Heb. 1. 3.  Christ by himself hath purged our sin, therefore we need no other Purgatories, & we defy such as have invented them to the derogation of Christ's power and honour.  
Little comfort may a wounded conscience 
Torrensis. lib ●. ca 4. & lib. 8. cap. 4. Consilium Tridenti●um sess. 6. ●an. 12. & ●3. & can. ●5. & 16.  find at their hand who teach, That men must always doubt, and never assure themselves of their election in Christ, what motions so ever they feel, and that they must always carry an uncertain opinion, whether they shall persevere unto the end, or not. But let them come to the pure fountain of the word of God, and then they shall hear the spirit 
jam. 1. 7.  tell them, that, except they believe the Forgiveness of sins, without doubting, or if they waver uncertainly in doubtful dumps, they shall never obtain any thing of the 
Mat. 9 2.  Lord: they shall hear Christ say, Son, stand not in doubt, but comfort thyself & assure thyself, Thy sins are forgiven thee. They shall hear, that Abraham after the promise was made unto him, never doubted of the 
Rom. 4. 18. 19  performance of it, not considering himself, and the weakness of his own body, but the promise, and the ability of the Lord that had promised. They shall hear the spirit of God tell the Corinthians, and under them, us, that we being sometime disobedient (having now received and believed the word) Are sanctified, are justified in the name 
1. Cor. 6. 11.  of the Lord jesus Christ, and by the spirit of our God. They shall hear Paul in the full assurance of his election, to rejoice without doubting, I live, yet not I now, but Christ liveth in me, and in that, that I now live in the flesh, I 
Gala. 2. 20.  〈◊〉, by the faith in the son of God, who hath loved me, and given himself for me. They shall hear the spirit exhorting them to go boldly 
Heb. 4. 16. & 10. 19  to the throne of grace, and not to doubt, but rather, that by the blood of Christ they may be bold, & trust perfectly (not doubtingly) 
1. Pet. 1. 13.  on the grace that is brought unto them, etc. Ask of the Papists, which teach this doubting doctrine, what is meant by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or fullness of faith, whereof the Scripture makes so much mention, calling it the full Assurance of understanding, and the effectual 
Col. 2. 2.  faith? they must needs if they answer truly, say, that it is A peculiar application, whereby every perfect believer, that feeleth the earnest penny of his election, doth apply unto 
1. Thes. 1. 3.  himself, the promise of eternal life in Christ jesus.  
Now for perseverance unto the end, of which the Papists would have us to doubt, Let them consider whether they say not daily in their belief, I believe everlasting life. If they do, let them consider what they be that Christ saith shall be saved. They that endure to the end. Such as be not weary in well-doing. 
Mat. 24. 13. 2. The. 3: 13  Then, if they believe that any shall be saved, they must needs also believe that they shall endure to the end. So that they must needs confess, that the faithful shall endure unto the end, such I mean, as are appointed to eternal life. And if this argument suffice not, let us see, what speeches the full assurance of this perseverance unto the end, hath brought forth in the elect and godly. David saith. Doubtless, goodness and mercy shall follow me 
Psal. 23. 9  all the days of my life, etc. Paul saith, I am persuaded that neither death nor life, etc. shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ 
Rom. 8. 38.  jesus our Lord. Again, the same Paul saith, unto such as afterward had received the word, and believed in this City of Phillippie where our jailor was, I am persuaded 
Phil. 1. 6.  that he which hath begun this good work in you, will perform it until the day of our Lord jesus Christ. Thus we see that we are to comfort ourselves in this, that if we pertain unto Christ, we may not doubt of our election, or perseverance, which both we must be assured of; not by reason of any perfection, strength, or goodness in ourselves; but only, relying on the might, and mercy of jesus Christ, which by his blood hath redeemed our daily, and fleshly imperfections, and falls, that our continuance in him, and by him, may never be finally broken off.  
Thus we see to whom we must go with this jailor for comfort in our extremity, & whom we must avoid.  
We see further, that GOD hath at all times confirmed his truth, spoken by his servants, with manifest signs, and tokens, whereby they that were not quite forsaken, might be called to the knowledge of the same. What good our signs and tokens have done to us, I can not see, but only, that many, by them are made the more hard hearted, and careless, no doubt to their farther condemnation.  
This jailor no sooner saw the power of God, making manifest and giving testimony unto the truth, which the Apostles had preached, but he presently yielded unto it, embraced it, sought his remedy by it, forsook his old customs, and masters, & was content and willing to learn. He no sooner saw the judgements of God, but strait he remembered his sin, he repent, he bad farewell to his former delights, pleasures, pastimes, wantonness, and wickedness, and of an enemy, became a friend, of a persecutor, a professor, of a proud master, an humble servant, and of a sinful jailor a penitent believer. Therefore as Christ said, that Tyrus and Sidon, and the Queen of the South should rise in judgement, against the hard-hearted unbelievers of jerusalem, so no doubt, this jailor as he condemned the proud pharisees then, so, he shall be a heavy condemnation, to our blind Papists and our carnal and licentious professors of the Gospel, now, which having the truth, have loved error more than the truth: having the light, have desired darkness more than the light, and having salvation offered by Christ, have chosen rather damnation, in following their own devices, and wilfully continuing the course of their sweet old sins, For our Papists, notwithstanding all the preaching of Christ, will be still Moses Disciples, they will not forsake the customs of their fathers, and the ignorance of that time, wherein they were Christened, they will never suspect that there can be hypocrisy, error and deceit under the grave habits, and demure countenances, of their old Doctors, Priests, Scribes and pharisees. They would be loath to departed from the unity (as they call it) & the consent, of so many ages, counsels, and learned fathers, to believe the new doctrine of Paul and Silas, strangers, wanderers, but lately heard of & but even now come to the town. These, and many other stops, were laid in the laylors' way, to have kept him from obedience to the truth, but, when the arm of the Lord was revealed unto him, and when by the spirit of God his heart was 
Act. 16. 14.  opened, he cast of these fantastical shadows, and obeyed the effectual calling. He might have alleged against the Apostles, every way, as much as any Papist in the world can say, against the Gospel, and the Lords instruments, which in this last age, he commanded, and appointed to unrake the truth from the dull ashes, and misties' shadows, in which it lay long time for sin enclosed, the world being not worthy of it. Now the Papists must condemn this jailor, to be a fool for consenting so quickly to strange doctrine, for giving credit to a few against many; to strangers, against men that were known, and for revolting so easily from the faith wherein he was baptized: or, if they will not condemn him, whom the word doth commend, they must needs condemn themselves, for not believing the same word, and obeying the like callings. Especially, seeing they have many and divers other examples, that urge and teach the same, as, Elisha, who ran after Elias upon a 
1. King. 19 20.  small calling, to our judgement: The Disciples also upon small acquaintance were content to forsake, ships, nets, occupation, 
Mat. 4. 18.  gain, friends and father, to follow Christ, assoon as he called them. Matthew being a Publican was content, at one word, to arise, to leave his Office, his profit, his glory, his masters and former teachers, to follow an other 
Mat. 9 9  master that had now called him. What should I reckon Paul, Cornelius, Lydia, with infinite others, which obeyed the same calling that our jailor did. Surely, if the like should happen now, if any should fall away from Popery, from superstition, to follow Christ, or believe the doctrine of the Apostles: if Elisha, if the Disciples, if Paul, if Cornelius, now lived, they should be condemned by the Pope, to be rash, foolish and rank heretics. It is time for us which have been so long and many ways called, at length to bid farewell unto your pleasures, delights, deceit, hypocrisy, etc. This jailor will rise in judgement against us.  
The Popish chain of universality, was now not yet coined, or of this man little esteemed; which, at this time, is one of the great Ankers, which holds the Popedom that it sinks not, and keeps so many simple fools in bondage, upon great brags and vain ostentation; of a Monster in the air, which never was, That all the world (forsooth) is of their Religion; or was not long sithence. If this be true, where was then, I say, not the popish universality, (for that hath always been an universality of error,) but where was any universality of the truth, at all, when first the lineage of Seth; then of Abraham, and his kindred, in all the world, Israel, among all nations: only juda, among all the tribes, only john Baptist in all judea, Christ only and his Apostles in all the earth, Paul & Silas only in all Macedonia, Luther and a few others in all Germany, gave testimony of the truth? Had it not been a foolish thing for this jailor to have jested at the truth, because there were but a few that professed it? Even so gross an absurdity it is now, in our Papists to say, that we have not the truth, because, it is not universally credited, and believed of all men, and in all places received, when as it is certain, that the truth hath never been universally received, nor ever will: but rather it hath always been (by the wicked, and most part of the world) universally persecuted, and kept under, and so will continue, till the day of Christ.  
We see, that if the opinion of wisdom, gravity, and learning; if grey hairs, strange forms of apparel, with brave and gorgeous shows: if the riches, pomp, pride, and glory of the world, in the dumb Scribes and pharisees, could have pacified the troubled conscience of this poor man, he needed not to have come to the Apostles. But we learn, that though error, and the illusions of Satan, bore a gallant face, and delightful countenance, outwardly to the world, to blind, and deceive the senses of the simple, yet there is nothing can pacify, (with true peace) the conscience wounded for sin, but only the word of God. For I pray you, what is he, in all the time of Popery, that can say, that he was either comforted in conscience, or converted from sin, by any of the masking shows in apparel, by the melody, sencing, perfuming, images, painting, guilting, crossing, shriving, or any other such Apish toys, used for a pomp, without preaching or expounding the word? Saint Paul allows not any thing to be used, neither by the minister, nor in the Church, 
Rom. 15. 2. 1. Tim. 1. 4. 1. Cor. 14. 26. 40.  but such things only, as concern a godly decency, and are known to edify.  
Lastly, here is a glass, which never fails, to show us the true proportion, of such as be 
A true glass for all estates.  rightly touched, at the touchstone of God's spirit. We see this man after he was touched, how little ashamed he was to confess his blindness, to condemn himself, to desire help; how little afraid he was, to venture credit, office, livings, life and all to obtain that salvation which he desired, & of which he now felt the want. This was a sure token in him, and so it is in all, to know them that are rightly called, from the hypocritical professors. For it is as possible, that they which be rightly touched, should continue in their old covetousness, whoredom, drunkenness, blasphemy, malice, negligence, and injury, as it is for the spirit of God to continue in the heart of a wicked man: which can never be. Now we see what we are to think of those liars, which say with their mouths, 
Wis. 1. 3. 4. 5 Titus. 1. 16.  they know God, and have felt his motions, and yet in their deeds deny him: and of those fruitless and cursed Figtrees, which in the spring bud fair and promise great hope and yet at harvest yield nothing but 
Mat. 21. 19  leaves, etc.   

The third circumstance. What question it was that the jailor demanded.  
The question is. What must I do, to be saved?  
He inquires not now, after the fashion of worldlings, what must I do to come to promotion, to honour and dignity? What must I do to become rich, and to obtain an easy & quiet life? What must I do to be revenged of my enemies, to deceive my neighbours, and to satisfy my lust? etc. No he was not troubled about any such matter, but the spirit of God had now made him careful only for one thing, and the best thing, which was, what he might do to be saved, and to have his sin forgiven. And it seemeth that the judgements of God had touched him home, that so presently, a man so carnal, so fleshly, so worldly and sensual, should so willingly take his leave of the love of the world, of the vanities and pleasures of the same, the love of his house, wife, children, living, life and all, and only crave to know that which few did desire, which many did despise, that is, what he might do to be saved. Pointing as it were with his finger unto the only mark, & end, upon which every man should have his whole care fixed & planted.  
In this question, we are to consider the manner of his coming unto them, and his salutation. He fell down before them, he trembled, he brought them out, he called then in Greeke my Lords, by a reverend title. What could he have done more to Noble men? Nay what could he have done more to the greatest princes in the world? But a man may ask, how could Paul & Silas abide to be honoured & not reprehend him. Surely, they knew that he honoured them not superstitiously (which Paul could not abide in other 
Act. 14. 14. 15.  places, & men,) but rather that he used this gesture, forced unto it, by the manifest feeleing 
Act. 10. 26.  of the judgements of God in the late Earthquake, and therefore suffered him to do it.  
Application and Doctrine. We see first how the Lord, when it pleaseth him, forceth even his enemies, in their conscience to give that truth an honourable testimony, which they persecuted, and to honour it with great reverence.  
We learn of this jailor, to honour the Lords gifts, (especially the word of truth) wheresoever we find it, whether it be in the prison, or at liberty, whether it be contemned, or honoured, whether it be in men simple and despised, or in men of credit and dignity. For the Lord chooseth many times the weak, to confound the mighty, & the humble, to shame the proud, etc.  
We see again, that the ministery of the word, is a calling and Office, ordained, and blessed by the Lord, and therefore he will have it honoured of all men. Because the ministers thereof are not the Ambassadors of worldly Princes, (which is also a calling of great honour, for they represent the Majesty of the King and are as it were the very mouth of the Prince himself (but they are the messengers of the Prince of all Princes, the eternal Lord of heaven and earth: they represent the majesty of the Lord, in his word, and when we hear them speaking (if they preach nothing but according to the very word) we must assure ourselves that we hear the Lord speaking unto us in them. Therefore we find that in many places, the word itself gives them honourable titles, for S. Paul saith, they are worthy of double honour. This jailor here 
1. Tim. 5. 17  calls them by the worthiest name of pre-eminence that he could devise, not in respect of their persons, which seemed to be but simple, but for the love and honour which he bore to the word, which they professed.  
Another thing we are here to consider, which may not be forgotten, That, the jailor in demanding this question, What must I do to be saved, flatly and plainly overthrows, and condemneth, all the Religion of the Scribes and pharisees, to be nothing else, but a farthel of ceremonies, toys, and superstitions, joined with a worldly pomp, and beauty only, having nothing in it to comfort the heart oppressed with Woe, or assure the conscience of the mercy of God in jesus Christ, which is the only Saviour and salvation of the elect by faith. For if he had been persuaded that the doctrine which the pharisees taught concerning the fulfilling of the law, had been sufficient for his salvation, & to have brought him the right way to the mercy of God, and the forgiveness of his sin, he would never have come unto the Apostles, to have learned another way, which had been superfluous. But we see plainly, that he did now not only doubt, but boldly renounce, and abandon and forsake in the plain field, the pharisees superstition, the rites, and Religion wherein he was borne, brought up, and had for a long time continued. Because he saw that now, when he most needed, he could find no comfort nor salvation in it at all. As if he should say: Sirs, I was borne under the Religion 
The Oration of the jailor unto the Apostles.  which the pharisees profess, I have been zealous in it, as many others at this day are. I have had an honourable opinion of it, and have hated them that have gainsaid it, I have been of long time now led with their outward pomp of dumb shows, & I could never by any means be persuaded that these great, grave, ancient, learned & wise men could ever have been deceived, or have been convinced of any error, or so blinded, that they could not have seen the truth. Yet now, I plainly see, that they all, the very best of them, are but hypocrites, blind guides, foolish, ignorant of the true knowledge, wicked, 
Ma, 23. 13  & the generation of Vipers, which shut up the kingdom of heaven, and will neither enter themselves nor suffer others that would, which devour the widows houses with colour of long prayer, which compass sea & land to make one of their profession, which make clean the outerside of the cup and platter, but within are full of bribery and excess, which I see are nothing else but whited Tombs, full of dead men's bones, & all filthiness, etc. I can not find now in their Religion any comfort at all for a wounded conscience, or any hope to have my sins forgiven. Now therefore sith it hath pleased the Lord with one motion to move both body and heart, and that he hath made me see my sin, my ignorance, my blindness: I do here forsake, renounce and detest for ever, this Pharisaical superstition. And seeing this course that I have taken, can do me no good, I pray you, whom I now know to be the servants of the living God, & preachers of the truth, Tell me at length what course I must take, & what I must do that I may be saved?  
By which words we see that he did not only suspect but utterly by the spirit of God renounce that, which the same spirit had told him, to be wicked and abominable. And I wish in perfect charity that all those which are now blinded with Popery, and lie yet drunken with the cursed wine of the great whore of Babylon, all what ever they be either in Italy, France, Spain or England, may, (if they pertain to the Lords election) feel the like motions & the like hartquakes to assault their conscience, & open their eyes, that they may once feel & see their blindness, their errors, and their sins & certain damnation, that they may once with this jailor perfectly bid farewell unto all the Romish pharisees, blind guides, & deceiving hypocrites, that now so monsterously abuse them.  
Again, seeing this jailor seeks to be saved, let us consider what salvation it is that he desireth. The Greek word signifieth such a kind of saving, as that a man may continually remain assured and without fear. The Syrian Paraphrase hath it, what must I do that I may live? Which is as much to say, as, to be preserved: which teacheth us, that he sought not for the temporal & present saving of his life, the fear of the earthquake being passed, and they being that way able to do him no good, neither did he as the wicked are wont to do, which seeing the judgements of God, for a time tremble, & quake, but the rod being past, they return again unto their former wickedness: But, this man being rightly touched, and fearing more his sin, than the Earthquake, earnestly sought for the salvation of his soul, the comfort of which might continue with him for ever. If he desired the right way, the very truth, and life itself, whom did he desire but Christ? If he desired 
john. 14. 6.  salvation, what desired he but Christ, which is the only Saviour of the faithful? Blessed, saith David, is he whose wickedness is forgiven & whose sin is covered. If no man 
Psalm. 32. 1  can be blessed, happy, joyful and saved, but they that have their sins forgiven: then we see what salvation it is that this man sought, namely, an assurance that his sins should be forgiven, & the means by which he might attain unto this. This salvation the pharisees could not teach this jailor then, and our Papists purely without corruption will not have it taught now.  
Further, we learn here, if we see any cruel, wicked, and malicious persecutors of the truth, or any other abominable sinners, not to proceed in rash judgement against them, to condemn for reprobates, but rather to leave this judgement to the Lord, who only knoweth what they be that are his, because we know not whether the Lord have appointed both time and means for their conversion, as he had for this jailor, etc.  
Lastly we learn, that this care and desire of the jailor condemneth the cares and desires of many of us that have been longer 
●h. 10. 41. 42.  taught. Christ said once to a worldly minded Martha, Martha, thou carest & art troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, etc. This one needful thing is to desire to hear the word of God and the means how to be saved, and have our sins forgiven. This one thing had the jailor now found, this one thing he desired & no more. Whosoever therefore neglecting the word of God and care of salvation, applieth his mind to any other exercise, pleasure, or profit, his care is needless, vain, foolish and wicked. For all our cares, studies and endeavours, wherein we have not a principal regard unto the glory of God and our own salvation, are accursed of the Lord, and therefore can never bring a blessing upon us. The counsels and conspiracies of the wise Achitophel's, 
2. Sam. 17.  the Lord for his David shall overthrow by his appointed Hushais. No provision, counsel, or determination for the government or safety of any commonwealth, can ever stand long, or bring a blessing upon that land, where the principal mark of all their devices tend not to the establishing and setting forth of the truth, the honour of God, and salvation by Christ jesus our only Saviour. Hospitality is good: a reasonable provision of things necessary, is allowable: an earnest desire to be diligent in our vocations, occupations, and callings, is commended: but yet to love, follow, or be busied so in any of these, that we neglect at times convenient, and when occasions be offered, to hear the Sermons of Christ, or neglect the learning of the knowledge of our salvation, is in Martha by Christ greatly reprehended. There be many Martha's in England which trouble themselves about many vain pleasures, offices, and devices, while in the mean time they neglect the best duty: As Gentlemen that trouble themselves to build fair houses & gorgeous palaces, which yet care not for the building of the lords house, and as little for their own salvation: country men that are careful to provide for their posterity, yet careless for their own safety and help of their souls: Ministers, which either for ignorance, negligence, or contempt of the word, leaving the consideration of their calling give themselves some to be husbandmen, farmers, graziers etc., some to be Physicians, Lawyers, and other secular officers, as though that one blessed calling of theirs were not needful only, & sufficient, to preach the word of God truly, and to live thereafter, & to bring the simple & ignorant to know which way they must be saved. etc.   

The fourth circumstance. What it was, which brought this man to this Consideration.  
The text shows us, that it was the judgement and hand of the Lord which he felt in the Earthquake, and the holy Ghost also inwardly working which wrought this care & desire in him, and made him to have a consideration of his sins, etc.  
Application and Doctrine. First we see, that it is a profitable & good thing for a man to feel the judgements, rods and scourge of the Lord oftentimes, to awaken him out of his security, and also to cast down his pride, that he may learn to humble himself before the Lord. For ease, peace, and quietness bring us a sleep, harden our hearts, make us to contemn the messengers and word of the Lord: But fear and his rod when it is seen, maketh us more apt to learn, and willingly to seek for comfort & help. Therefore said David, It is good for me 
Psal. 119. 67 71  that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy statutes. For before I was troubled, I went astray, but now I keep thy word. The worldly minds which are not endued with spiritual knowledge, do wonderfully repine, murmur, and frown against all miseries, sickness, calamities, plagues, or what troubles so ever happen in this life, detesting all things which are not pleasant to the flesh, as a thing most repugnant to nature. But the godly on the other side do know, that the church & servants of God in this life, are subject to many crosses, troubles, persecutions, not that the Church shall perish with these afflictions, but rather that it is thus ordained by the singular providence of the Lord, that by this means his servants may see their sins, & the Lords anger against it, that they may learn to tame the mad and outrageous concupiscence of the flesh, & that faith, love, charity and mercy, with the feeling of one another's infirmities, may daily increase, and be renewed in them. Where we see, that these afflictions, are nothing but just corrections for our escapes and faults: and we see what they be that are most fit to receive admonition, even such as are most visited with afflictions, griefs, sickness, want of things necessary, and such like, etc. Blessed is the man whom the Lord correcteth, because it is a sign of his love, & blessed 
job. 3. 17.  is that man which endureth temptations, & continueth constant to the end, and is not 
jam. 1. 12.  overborne with calamities, for he shall receive a Crown of life, which the Lord hath 
Mat. 5. 10.  promised to them that love him.  
Again; we are to learn, that, whensoever we see the Lord to wound our consciences, or to threaten us with any calamity, wars, plagues, sickness, or any other visitation, he doth it for no other cause, but to make us to consider that we are gone astray, that we are out of order, that our life is not such as it should be, and that he hath a heavy quarrel, and reckoning against us. Then here we see the cause, why the Lord hath of late given us so many gentle warnings, showed us so many loving rods, and like a merciful father, hath rather made us as yet to see them, then to feel them. And yet surely we have so seen the sentence (as it were) of our own condemnation, in signs in the heavens, and wonders in the earth, in Earthquakes, in the necessity, & cry of many thousands in this time of misery, by the stop of mutual traffic, and even now in these rumours of wars, and expectations of foreign invasion: that we may easily conjecture, what effect there will follow, if the cause be not removed. Our sin, our unthankfulness, our negligence, our careless and licentious liberty, in all estates, our wicked behaviours, our monstruous apparel, our want of charity, love and patience, our abundance of envy, malice, deceit, whoredom, and like abominations, are the causes of these tumults, of these motions, of these fears, and of these signs and tokens. And, if we with this jailor be not drawn, by some means to seek help the sooner, we are to look for some heavy misery to fall upon us & our land. The Lord shakes these rods over our heads to some purpose, we must think. A careful & loving father, if he find his child's stomach so stubborn, that the sight of the rod, and threatening will not terrify him, at length he falls to severe whipping, and chastening of him indeed. I pray God, that my fear and conjecture in this respect, may be vain: but surely I fear, and by most manifest signs am driven to conjecture, that, except very shortly we all, even from the highest unto the lowest take an other course and trade of behaviour, we must look for a fearful end of our long, our sweet and pleasant peace, that hath now so sound lulled a sleep some of us in the cradle of security, some in the cradle of iniquity, some in the cradle of Atheism, doubting of God, giving 
Manifest signs of Atheism.  no credit to the Scriptures, disputing of foolish and heathenish questions, & seeking to comprehend the works & power of God, which are in the unscrutable wisdom of the Lord, by reason and not by faith: which Saint Paul proves to be a monstrous folly, 
Rom. 1.  some in the cradle of Anabaptism, some at the breast and sweet teat of Popery, all in the rolling and unsettled cradle of our own fantasy. Alas, the careful souls of many thousand poor men that have been oppressed, cry out of our land and every corner thereof, as the blood of Abel for vengeance against our land, and against our hypocrisy, & abusing of our religion. What end can we imagine, what reward can we look for, but the fearful mark of Cain, and the heavy judgement of the forsaken, hateful & wandering jew? I fear greatly lest these thirty and eight years of pleasant peace, have provoked God more to anger against this land, than five hundred years before of war and misery. O that God's blessings should be so abused, that they should end with so heavy a curse. O that his mercy should lead us to such unmercifulness, that we should forget the care of our own salvation, and fall a murdering of our own souls. O that we should live to see that day, in which the sweet benefits & loving patience of the Lord should make us the worse. Happy is the man that with this jailor finds occasion & his motions in these things to come unto the Lord; and happy may that man be thought which resteth in the Lord, which shall not see the misery of the future times, which sin and Satan without repentance will pull down upon this Noble realm, etc.  
We see farther, by the great care which this man had to know how to be saved, and the haste that he made to obtain his purpose, that he gave sure tokens of his obedience to his calling: which teacheth us that the judgements of God take not like effect in all men, For in some, that is, in the elect which are rightly touched by the spirit of God, it is true that the Prophet said: Assoon as they hear, they shall obey me. But in others, 
Psal. 18. 44.  this is true, I called but they would not hear nor obey. There be some which at the judgements of God tremble for a time, but it is again presently forgotten, as Pharaoh, the keepers of Christ's Sepulchre, Caligula and many others. But in the godly they work 
Exod. 7. 3. Mat. 28. 5.  contrary effects. It is true amongst most of us, that the more signs and tokens of God's wrath we see, the harder our hearts grow daily: what may the end of these things be? A blind man may see. The Lord be merciful unto us, and give us grace with this jailor be more careful of our salvation.  
We learn also, that a great festered sore, needeth a sharp and quick Surgeon. These proud Rabbis and great Doctors would not hear the voice of the Ministers of the Gospel speaking unto them, neither could their voice drive them to any consideration of their estate. Therefore the Lord sent them the voice of a more terrible preacher, which shook both bodies and houses all at once, assaying by this means to bring their impenitent hearts, to some shaking, feeling, and fear of conscience for their sins. But as 
Which was felt about the year, 1580.  that Earthquake showed them, so our last Earthquake, and other tokens sithence, show us plainly now, the estate wherein we stand, which is, that we yet continue in our sins, That we despise the voice of the Gospel, & need a more sharp preacher▪ it openeth our security, it threateneth God's justice in severity, it promiseth our punishment, & shows us that it is very near the last time of warning.  
Happy (we see) are they which come, when the Lord calleth them, for many be called, but few are chosen, few come. What callings should we look for more than we have had? We have had our daughter diseased, our son sick, our servant like to die, we have seen fearful signs over jerusalem, we have heard of the gatherings, of the confederacies and conspiracies, of many nations against us, we have found little faith in our friends, little loyalty in our own natural children, great falsehood in friendly face, great divisions, quarrels, and hartburnings amongst ourselves, many Malcontent daily rising, and a thousand other such callings, besides the consideration of the silly thread of our happy estate, depending upon one, and in earthly respects but one only; the uncertainty of all things, when God shall visit us, the turmoils and hurly-burlies, that we may long before plainly see, if God of his mercy help not. These things are considered of few, of many not accounted of, and feared of none. What will the end of these things be? Let all the inhabitants of England cry: Lord save our Noble Queen Elizabeth from treason at home, and from foreign enemies abroad. Lord forgive her her sins, and us our wickedness, and grant, if it be thy will, that she may yet long and long time in peace, and in safety preserve this her Noble Realm of England. Amen.  
Lastly, we learn the great mercies of our God. For he chideth before he strick, he warneth before he destroyeth; he punisheth not, till he have used all means to have us return. He giveth sinners, both grace and space to repent, and to seek which way they may be saved, with this sinful jailor.   

The fift and last circumstance: The time when he fell to have this care, what he might do to be saved.  
He never fell to this consideration, till the Lord drew him unto it by his spirit. For in the nature of man, there is no good thought motion or power to return from evil, to consider and see our sins, or to lament and be sorry for them, and at the word to seek for remedy against them; but rather, a desire, will and affection still to remain in them. Therefore Christ said. No man can come unto me, except my father draw him. This man 
john. 6. 37. 44. & 3. 27  had his part of two motions. The one outward by the miracle, the other inward by the holy Ghost.  
Application. Doctrine. Where first we see, that all our labour & travail is lost in preaching, and opening the Scripture outwardly to the ear, except the spirit also preach inwardly to the heart. For men are of themselves deaf and dull, till God do open their hearts, and give them a new understanding, as he gave to Lydia, to this jailor and many other.  
Again we see, how naked, weak & miserable we be of ourselves: and that, if we were not governed and nourished by better power than our own, how quickly & miserably we should perish. Therefore this consideration may serve to conquer the spirit of pride in our free-will men, when they shall know that in their flesh and humane nature there is no goodness at all, & that they can perform nothing, that is good without him that said. Without me, ye can do nothing. 
1. Cor. 4. 7. Act. 20. 35.   
What hast thou (saith Paul) which thou hast not received?  
We learn that faith is not in the power & nature of man, to believe or not to believe when 
Ep. 1. 18. 19 1. Cor. 12 ● 9 11.  it pleaseth him, but that it is the free gift of God for Christ's sake, unto those that are his choose. For if it were in the nature of man, than all 
Phil. 1. 29. 2. Thes. 3, 2.  men should believe. But All men have not faith, therefore, it is in us a work supernatural, wrought by the spirit of God only: The want of the presence, and working of which spirit, in the hearts of men, makes them, that they have no desire to hear the word, and when they do hear it, they take no profit by it, for it is said. But the word which they heard, profited them not, because it was not mixed 
Heb. 4. 20  with faith in them that heard it. Where we see a notable relation between faith, & the word. The one can never be effectual without the other. They go both together. Therefore as soon as there was a faith kindle in the heart of this jailor, by the holy Ghost, he seeks presently for the word, as the body for the soul. For as the body is a dead thing without the soul, so the word also hath no life, effect or motion without faith. Now we see why many Gentlemen, Countrymen and others are yet either Atheists, ●esters in Religion, or despisers of the word, because as yet with this jailor they have not received the gift of faith, etc.  
Here we understand, that all shall not be saved, against the error of Origen: for without faith none can be saved: but none have faith but they only whom God the father gave unto his son Christ. But he saith, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou 
joh. 17. 9  hast given me. Therefore the elect which are separated from the world, (that is the reprobate,) by the free election, and donation of God, and are guarded by the continual prayer of Christ, are they only that shall be saved. Of which number we see now this jailor by his calling, and faith, to be one. For God's election oftentimes lieth hid under a wicked life, till the time of their conversion come, which the Lord hath appointed.  
All are not, we see, drawn to Christ in one manner: for there be many which profess Religion, and talk much of Christ, whom God the father by his spirit never drew, but either their belly, hope of honour, vain glory etc. No marvel though they believe not rightly, and though they continue not long in a good course. Such are many of our earnest jesuits, Papists, and libertine professors of the Gospel of Christ.  
Lastly, when it is said, that this jailor was drawn to this Religion & to this godly care, and in like manner all the elect, we learn what unwillingness, what slackness, & what negligence we use in our coming to Christ, and that we of our own nature have no list, affection, or good will to come, longer than God by his spirit, moveth us and compelleth us. Therefore if Christ should look for us till we should come of ourselves, we should surely never see him, nor have any part in him. Let us therefore desire the Lord, that as he by his holy spirit drew this jailor from the miserable thraldom of ignorance, error, and iniquity, and planted a desire in him to seek the truth, and by the same gave him both comfort & salvation: So in like manner that he will by the same spirit move our hard hearts to lament our sin, open our blind eyes to see our imperfection, and draw our proud stomachs to humble our affections, to the obedience of the word, and kindle in us a love to like, and seek the same, that we also in our most extremities, may by Christ receive light, help, and everlasting comfort: which the Lord God grant unto us, for his dear Son jesus Christ's sake, to whom with the holy Ghost, three persons and one eternal God, be all honour, power, praise, glory and dominion both now and ever.  
Let all praise and glory be given to God alone.  
FINIS.