He gave them a title of respect, Sirs, κύριοι—lords, masters; it was but now, Rogues and villains, and he was their master; but now, Sirs, lords, and they are his masters. Converting grace changes people's language of and to good people and good ministers; and to those who are thoroughly convinced of sin, the very feet of those are beautiful, that bring tidings of Christ; yea, though they are disgracefully fastened in the stocks.
[2.] How serious his inquiry is; What must I do to be saved? First, His salvation is now his greatest concern, and lies nearest his heart, which before was the furthest thing from his thoughts. Not, What shall I do to be preferred, to be rich and great in the world? but, What shall I do to be saved? Secondly, He does not inquire concerning others, what they must do; but concerning himself, "What must I do?" It is his own precious soul that he is in care about; "Let others do as they please; tell me what I must do, what course must I take." Thirdly, He is convinced that something must be done, and done by him too, in order to his salvation; that it is not a thing of course, a thing that will do itself, but a thing about which we must, strive, wrestle, and take pains. He asks not, "What may be done for me? but, "What shall I do, that, being now in fear and trembling, I may work out my salvation?" As Paul speaks in his epistle to the church at Philippi, of which this jailer was, perhaps, with respect to his trembling inquiry here; intimating that he must not only ask after salvation, (as he had done,) but work out his salvation with a holy trembling, Phil. 2. 12. Fourthly, He is willing to do any thing; "Tell me what I must do, and I am here ready to do it. Sirs, put me into any way, if it be but the right way, and a sure way; though narrow, and thorny, and up-hill, yet I will walk in it." Note, Those who are thoroughly convinced of sin, and truly concerned about their salvation, will surrender at discretion to Jesus Christ, will give him a blank to write what he pleases, will be glad to have Christ upon his own terms, Christ upon any terms. Fifthly, He is inquisitive what he should do, is desirous to know what he should do, and asks those that were likely to tell him. If ye will inquire, inquire ye, Isa. 21. 12. They that set their faces Zion-ward, must ask the way thither, Jer. 50. 5. We cannot know it of ourselves, but God has made it known to us by his word, has appointed his ministers to assist us in consulting the scriptures, and has promised to give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him, to be their Guide in the way of salvation. Sixthly, He brought them out, to put this question to them, that their answer might not be by duress or compulsion, but they might prescribe to him, though he was their keeper, with the same liberty as they did to others. He brings them out of the dungeon, in hopes they would bring him out of a much worse.
(3.) They very readily directed him what he must do, v. 31. They were always ready to answer such inquiries; though they are cold, and sore, and sleepy, they do not adjourn this cause to a more convenient time and place, do not bid him come to them the next Sabbath at their meeting-place by the river side, and they will tell him, but they strike while the iron is hot, take him now when he is in a good mind, lest the conviction should wear off; now that God begins to work, it is time for them to set in as workers together with God. They do not upbraid him with his rude and ill carriage toward them, and his going beyond his warrant; all this is forgiven and forgotten, and they are as glad to shew him the way to heaven, as the best friend they have. They did not triumph over him, though he trembled; they gave him the same directions they did to others, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. One would think thev should have said; "Repent of thy abusing us, in the first place." No, that is overlooked and easily passed by, if he will but believe in Christ. This is an example to ministers, to encourage penitents, to meet those that are coming to Christ, and take them by the hand; not to be hard upon any for unkindnesses done to them; but to seek Christ's honour more than their own. Here is the sum of the whole gospel, the covenant of grace in a few words; Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Here is,
[1.] The happiness promised; "Thou shalt be saved: not only rescued from eternal ruin, but brought to eternal life and blessedness. Thou, though a poor man, an under-jailer or turnkey, mean and of low condition in the world, yet that shall be no bar to thy salvation. Thou, though a great sinner, though a persecutor, yet thy heinous transgressions shall be all forgiven through the merits of Christ; and thy hard imbittered heart shall be softened and sweetened by the grace of Christ; and thus thou shalt neither die for thy crime, nor die of thy disease."
[2.] The condition required; Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must admit the record that God hath given in his gospel concerning his Son, and assent to it as faithful, and well worthy of all acceptation. We must approve the method God has taken of reconciling the world to himself by a Mediator; and accept of Christ as he is offered to us, and give up ourselves to be ruled and taught and saved by him. This is the only way, and a sure way to salvation. No other way of salvation than by Christ, and no other way of our being saved by Christ than by believing in him; and no danger of coming short, if we take this way; for it is the way that God has appointed, and he is faithful, that has promised; it is the gospel that is to be preached to every creature, He that believes shall be saved.
[3.] The extent of this to his family; Thou shalt be saved, and thy house; that is, "God will be in Christ a God to thee and to thy seed, as he was to Abraham. Believe, and salvation shall come to thy house, Luke 19. 9. Those of thy house that are infants, shall be admitted into the visible church with thee, and thereby put into a fair way for salvation; those that are grown up, shall have the means of salvation brought to them, and, be they ever so many, let them believe in Jesus Christ, and they shall be saved; they are all welcome to Christ upon the same terms."
(4.) They proceeded to instruct him and his family in the doctrine of Christ; (v. 32.) They spake unto him the word of the Lord. He was, for aught that appears, an utter stranger to Christ, and therefore it is requisite he should be told who this Jesus is, that he may believe in him, John 9. 36. And the substance of the matter lying in a little compass, they soon told him enough to make his being baptized a reasonable service. Christ's ministers should have the word of the Lord so ready to them, and so richly dwelling in them, as to be able to give instructions off-hand to any that desire to hear and receive them, for their direction in the way of salvation. They spake the word not only to him, but to all that were in his house. Masters of families should take care that all under their charge partake of the means of knowledge and grace, and that the word of the Lord be spoken to them; for the souls of the poorest servants are as precious as those of their masters, and are bought with the same price.
(5.) The jailer and his family were immediately baptized, and thereby took upon them the profession of Christianity, submitted to its laws, and were admitted to its privileges, upon their declaring solemnly, as the eunuch did, that they believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; he was baptized, he and all his, straightway. Neither he nor any of his
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