dependance on the overruling power of the true God. Had Paul's advice been followed, the ship would have been safe in the harbour near Lasea during the tremendous hurricane. It is not always scientific knowledge which is the surest guide in any matter: the good sense of pious people should never be disregarded; and it is often found that advice which has been despised as coming from a person with knowledge inferior to ourselves, would have saved much trouble and inconvenience, or even prevented failure.

QUESTION.

With what feeling do I listen to the opinions of sensible people on points on which I ought to know better than they? Does my pride induce me to neglect them? or do I give them

due consideration?

4. The remarkable declaration of Paul, when he pointed out the selfish treachery of the sailors, is a strong proof of the manner in which a confident expectation of the promised end concurs, in a christian's mind, with a full dependence upon the proper use of every possible means. After the special revelation of the Lord Jesus to Paul, that as to himself, he must be brought before Cæsar, and as to the others in the ship, God had granted to Paul the preservation of their lives, some might imagine that the apostle would consider it quite unimportant, whether or not the vessel were left entirely to landsmen, who knew nothing of the management of a ship. But so far from this being the case, the practical application of the assured promise led Paul to take the greatest care that the proper means were used; and even to go so far as to state, that without such fitting means as were within their reach, the promised result would not take place. True practical christianity does not flow from the understanding; it feels its course of action, and acts while others argue. A strong confidence in God's promises, when it is truly a spiritual feeling, calls out all the energies, and is the means of imparting that courage in using them, of which success becomes the reasonable result. A faithful christian has a strong confidence, not that God will cast into his lap the blessing that he needs, and for which he can trace a war

rant in the scriptures, but that God will fulfil His promise by imparting the blessing in the ordinary exercise of proper means. This kind of confidence promotes his diligence in every effort, while he sees the token of God's power in every success. So it is that he works out his own salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that "it is God that worketh in him both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Phil. ii. 12, 13.)

QUESTION.

Does my expectation that God will give me any particular blessing that I wish for lead me to relax in my own exertions to obtain it? Does the diligent earnestness with which I strive after it lead me to place my confidence of success in my own exertions?

THE PRAYER.

O God of love, whose wisdom has constituted the affections of the heart, and whose mercy comforts us by calling them into exercise, sanctify all my affections, I beseech thee, and spiritualise my heart, so that my friendships may be in Christ, and endure abidingly. I praise thee that thou hast been pleased to reveal in thy word the reality of the unseen things of thy Providence; and I beseech thee to enable me wisely to apply those gracious promises of protection for thy people, which thou hast given in thy word. Make all things work together for my good, I beseech thee; give thine angels charge concerning me, to keep me in all my ways. Give me sure tokens that thy love is shed abroad in my heart, that I may have sure confidence in that safety which is promised to every spiritual member of Christ. I magnify thy name for all the undeserved protection I have experienced ever since I was born. Teach me to seek thy merciful protection in the exercise of all the knowledge and discernment which thy goodness has bestowed upon me, or imparted to me through the counsel of others; and grant that while I confide in thy mercy to give me all that I need and desire according to thy will, I may seek that mercy through the diligent use of every means that thou hast placed within my power. Grant these things only through the mediation of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. AMEN.

FIFTY-THIRD PORTION.

Paul at Melita.

PLACE.-Melita.

TIME.-From November, A.D. 58, to March, A.D. 59.

May God, for the sake of Jesus Christ, give me the Holy Spirit, that I may understand this portion of His Holy Word, and profit by it. AMEN.

THE SCRIPTURE.

ACTs, chap. XXVIII. 1-10.

And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called 1 Melita. And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, 3 and laid them on the fire, their came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on 4 his hand, they said among themselves," No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live." And he shook of the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit they 5 looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but 6 after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

In the same quarters were possessions of the cheif man of the island, 7 whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of 8 a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others 9 also, which had diseases in the island, came, and where healed: who also 10 honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.

EXPLANATION.

When Paul and his companions in the shipwreck found themselves safely on the shore, they discovered that it was the island now called Malta upon which they had been cast. Some of the inhabitants came to the wreck, and treated them with great kindness. They made a large fire and gathered the sufferers round it, endeavouring to give them every assistance in the condition which they were in from cold, and rain which was then falling. Everybody appears to have been doing their best to get fuel for

this fire, and Paul amongst the rest collected a quantity of wood. As he placed this on the fire, a viper which had been concealed amongst it was driven by the heat to come out, and it laid hold on Paul's hand. The people of the Island, who were heathens, seeing what had happened, immediately imagined that the bite of this reptile, which they knew to be fatal, indicated some dreadful judgment inflicted on Paul. He had narrowly escaped death by drowning, and now a more certain death awaited him, to which none of those who had been with him in the ship were exposed. They looked upon him therefore as a person who had committed some great crime-a murderer at least. Paul however holding forth his hand that the viper had seized, shook off the poisonous creature, which leaving go its hold fell into the fire. The Maltese people watched him to see what would happen, fully expecting that the ordinary consequences of such an accident would have followed; and that either his arm would have begun to swell, or if the reptile were of the more destructive kind that he would have died on the spot. They gazed however for a considerable time, and finding that no change whatever took place in him, they came to an entirely opposite conclusion, and declared that he was a divine person.

The governor of the island, whose name was Publius, had some property in that part of the country where the ship had been wrecked. He hospitably received Paul and his companions, and kept them at his house for three days. The father of Publius was at this time ill with a fever and dysentery; Paul went to his chamber, and after praying for him, laid his hands upon him, and the man was immediately recovered from his sickness. This miracle of healing soon became generally known, and other people who were afflicted with illness in different parts of the island were brought to Paul, who performed similar miracles upon them. The consequence was, that every token of respect and honour was given to Paul and his companions; and when they left the island, the people supplied them with everything they could require for their voyage.

APPLICATION.

1. The manner in which Paul was able to shake from his hand a poisonous reptile, which had firmly fastened on

it with a bite calculated to produce death, is an instance of the fulfilment of that special promise of our Lord, when he enumerated several signs by which those who went forth to preach the gospel to every creature were to manifest the reality of his presence and power with them. (Mark xvi. 18.) The circumstance afforded an occasion in which the judgment of the natural mind, with reference to the dealings of God with man, was pointedly displayed. The barbarian inhabitants of Malta had only such a notion of the Godhead as that described by St. Paul to the Romans, as the state of mind in which the heathen were, who "when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." (Rom. i. 21.) These people formed their judgment upon the supposition that this life alone is the sphere within which man's course is bounded. The notion that heavy afflictions must be the result of wicked actions, flows from such an imagination as this, and shews the most mistaken view of the nature of God's government in the present dispensation. Our Lord Jesus Christ strongly reproved these opinions in the Jews, who brought him word of the manner in which certain worshippers in the temple had been killed by Pontius Pilate. (Luke xiii. 1-5.) And we have the strongest proof that afflictions are not always tokens of God's anger; for we are repeatedly assured in his word that "whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth." When however these barbarians perceived that the man who had escaped one dreadful death, was able to exercise a supernatural power which preserved him from another danger of death, "they changed their minds, and said that he was a god;" and though this was the result of the corrupt and darkened state of nature that produced the general idolatry of the world, who changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man," yet the effect intended by the manifestation of miraculous signs is to call the mind from the false notions of temporal judgments, to a right understanding of the dealings of the true God with men. That which was especially intended by the exercise of the miraculous powers given in an extraordinary manner for the publication of the gospel, should be also