and to become as dead men, as it was with the guard set on Christ's sepulchre.
3. The angel awaked Peter, by giving him a blow on his side, a gentle touch, enough to rouse him out of his sleep, though so fast asleep, that the light that shone upon him did not awake him. When good people slumber in the time of danger, and are not awaked by the light of the word, and the discoveries it gives them, let them expect to be smitten on the side by some sharp affliction; better be raised up so, than left asleep. The language of this stroke, was, Arise up quickly; not as if the angel feared coming short by his delay, but Peter must not be indulged in it. When David hears the sound of the going on the tops of the mulberry trees, then he must rise up quickly, and bestir himself.
4. His chains fell off from his hands. It seems, they had handcuffed him, to make him sure, but God loosed his bands; and if they fall off from his hands, it is as well as if he had the strength of Samson to break them like threads of tow. Tradition makes a mighty rout about these chains, and tells a formal story that one of the soldiers kept them for a sacred relic, and they were long after presented to Eudoxia the empress, and I know not what miracles are said to be wrought by them; and the Romish church keep a feast on the first of August yearly in remembrance of Peter's chains, Festum vinculorum Petri—The feast of Peter's chains; whereas this was at the passover. Surely they are thus fond of Peter's chains, in hopes with them to enslave the world!
5. He was ordered to dress himself presently, and follow the angel; and he did so, v. 8, 9. When Peter was awake, he knew not what to do but as the angel directed him. (1.) He must gird himself; for those that slept in their clothes, ungirt themselves, so that they had nothing to do, when they got up, but to fasten their girdles. (2.) He must bind on his sandals, that he might be fit to walk. Those whose bonds are loosed by the power of divine grace, must have their feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. (3.) He must cast his garments about him, and come away as he was, and follow the angel; and he might go with a great deal of courage and cheerfulness, who had a messenger from heaven for his guide and guard; he went out, and followed him. Those who are delivered out of a spiritual imprisonment, must follow their Deliverer, as Israel when they went out of the house of bondage did; they went out, not knowing whither they went, but whom they followed.
Now it is said, when Peter went out after the angel, he wist not that it was true which was done by the angel, that it was really matter of fact, but thought he saw a vision; and if he did, it was not the first that he had seen: but by this it appears that a heavenly vision was so plain, and carried so much of its own evidence along with it, that it was hard to distinguish between what was done in fact and what was done in vision. When the Lord brought back the captivity of his people, we were like them that dream, Ps. 126. 1. Peter was so, he thought the news was too good to be true.
6. He was led safe by the angel out of danger, v. 10. Guards were kept at one pass and at another, which they were to make their way through, when they were out of the prison, and they did so without any opposition; nay, for aught that appears, without any discovery, either their eyes were closed, or their hands were tied, or their hearts failed them; so it was, that the angel and Peter safely passed the first and second ward. Those watchmen represented the watchmen of the Jewish church, on whom God had poured out a spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, Rom. 11. 8. His watchmen are blind, sleeping, lying down, and loving to slumber. But still there is an iron gate, after all, that will stop them, and if the guards can but recover themselves, there they may recover their prisoners, as Pharaoh hoped to take Israel at the Red Sea; however, up to that gate they march, and, like the Red Sea before Israel, it opened to them; they did not so much as put a hand to it, but it opened of its own accord, by an invisible power; and thus was fulfilled in the letter what was figuratively promised to Cyrus, (Isa. 45. 1, 2.) I will open before him the two-leaved gates, will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron. And probably, the iron gate shut again of itself, that none of the guards might pursue Peter. Note, When God will work salvation for his people, no difficulties in their way are insuperable: but even gates of iron are made to open of their own accord. This iron gate led into the city out of the castle or tower; whether within the gates of the city or without, is not certain, so that when they were through this, they were got into the street.
This deliverance of Peter represents to us our redemption by Christ, which is often spoken of as the setting of prisoners free, not only the proclaiming of liberty to the captives, but the bringing them out of the prison-house. The application of the redemption in the conversion of souls, is the sending forth of the prisoners, by the blood of the covenant, out of the pit wherein is no water, Zech. 9. 11. The grace of God, like this angel of the Lord, brings light first into the prison, by the opening of the understanding; smites the sleeping sinner on the side, by the awakening of the conscience; causes the chains to fall off from the hands, by the renewing of the will; and then gives the word of command. Gird thyself, and follow me. Difficulties are to be passed through, and the opposition of Satan and his instruments, a first and second ward, an untoward generation, from which we are concerned to save ourselves; and we shall be saved by the grace of God, if we put ourselves under the divine conduct. And at length the iron gate shall be opened to us, to enter into the New Jerusalem, where we shall be perfectly freed from all the marks of our captivity, and brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
7. When this was done, the angel departed from him, and left him to himself; he was out of danger from his enemies, and needed no guard; he knew where he was, and how to find out his friends, and needed no guide, and therefore his heavenly guard and guide bids him farewell. Note, Miracles are not to be expected, when ordinary means are to be used. When Peter has now no more wards to pass, or iron gates to get through, he needs only the ordinary invisible ministration of the angels, who encamp round about them that fear God, and deliver them.
IV. Having seen how his deliverance was magnified, we are next to see how it was manifested; both to himself and others, and how, being made great, it was made known. We are here told,
1. How Peter came to himself, and so came himself to the knowledge of it, v. 11. So many strange and surprising things coming together upon a man just waked out of sleep, put him for the present into some confusion; so that he knew not where he was, nor what he did, nor whether it was fancy or fact; but at length Peter came to himself, was thoroughly awake, and found that it was not a dream, but a real thing; "Now I know of a surety, now I know ἀληθῶς—truly, now I know that it is truth, and not an illusion of the fancy. Now I am well satisfied concerning it, that the Lord Jesus hath sent his angel, for angels are subject to him and go on his errands, and by him hath delivered me out of the hands of
Vol. vi—Q
