but the storm will come at last. "But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon." Lord, let me be found with those who, like Abraham, believe thy testimony in the face of all adverse appearances. I would not take the globe on which I stand, to force the account of its origin by the Holy Spirit through Moses, into an accordance with the dogmas of infidel science.

Paul must go to Rome as a prisoner, but why must there be a storm? Might it not have been confidently expected that the ship that carried the ambassador of the Son of God would have a prosperous voyage? Surely nothing but the gentle zephyrs will fill the sails. Not so. We must have a storm-a storm almost unexampled. This was for the glory of God: this was for the advantage and honour of the apostle. It afforded an opportunity to manifest God in a most powerful manner. By this God avowed that Paul was his servant, and that he was the only Lord of the universe. For such a purpose, then, Paul was to submit to very great hardships for a very long time. And so must all the Lord's people submit to whatever hardships, and dangers, and evils, the Lord shall see fit to expose them. Let them console themselves, then; no storm will arise which is not necessary for their good and the Lord's glory. If Paul was here called to great suffering, he was distinguished with signal honours. The Lord publicly owned him, and gave him the lives of all who sailed with him.

Before the storm Paul was overlooked; now he is the principal personage on board, and all live on his word.

Paul must be saved, and all on board for his sake. But this is to be in the way of Providence, and not by miracle. The storm did not cease, as when Jesus said, "Peace, be still." It continued to rage, and the ship was a total wreck. The passengers were providentially saved, just as almost in every day's occurrence is witnessed on the seas. Some swam to shore, and some are saved on planks and broken pieces of the ship. Is not this a key to the Providences that occur in naval history? Are we not warranted from this to ascribe to Providence all the wonders of deliverances afforded to men at sea? A history of well authenticated deliverances from the perils of the ocean would be a most interesting work. Men do not see God in these things; but it is because they do not wish to see him. Is there any thing in the occurrences of the shipwreck of Paul that is not occurring almost every day? Jehovah rules the world in its minutest concerns, as well as in affairs of greatest moment. Nothing is too great nor too little for his attention and care. They who do not love to retain him in their knowledge, remove him to a distance through the figment of his doing every thing, not by his own agency, but by general laws. A shipwreck in a storm is no way the work of the Lord, in their estimation, but as it is the result of original arrangement and adaptation of nature.

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This cursed philosophy is nothing but practical atheism, invented to hide God from his creatures.

But Paul, saved from the storm, is at the peril of death from the counsel of the soldiers. They wished to secure their prisoners by killing them. Paul, however, must not, cannot, fall. Providence secures his safety through the clemency of the centurion. Had he coincided with the judgment of the soldiers, Paul was a dead man. "But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose." Thus Paul was saved providentially from slaughter, and all the prisoners were saved on his account. Wicked men often owe their safety to the mixture of their lot with that of the people of God. Had not Paul been one of the prisoners, the prisoners would all have been butchered by the cruel prudence of the soldiers.

Providence accompanies the apostle every step of his journey. For the sake of the servant of God, kindness and hospitality receive them as soon as they reach the shore. It might have been a desert island, or a coast at a distance from houses, at which they might have been wrecked. Their coming safe to land would in that case have been no safety. The inhabitants might have been inhospitable and cruel; and have either neglected them, or destroyed them for their property. In many places called Christian, the lives of the shipwrecked are not in safety. But Providence inclined the hearts of the barbarians to show kindness to Paul and the whole company. "And the barbarous people showed us

no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold." The God of Providence went before his servant, and opened the hearts of all to receive him with kindness. And cannot the missionaries who carry the gospel to barbarous nations witness that Providence disposes the barbarous people to show them no little kindness? And why should they not expect this? If they have Paul's gospel, they have as good reason to count on the presence of God in opening a way for them as Paul had himself.

But an apparently unfortunate accident now happens to Paul. He was assisting in gathering sticks and laying them on the fire, and a viper fastens on his hand. Why this occurrence? Why does the accident befal Paul, rather than any one of all the company? Is not this an adverse Providence? Does not this point him out as under the judgment of God? So thought the barbarians; and so would think men in general, as far as they see Providence. Philosophers, indeed, are better taught. They would see nothing in this but chance, as the operation of natural causes. But the barbarians, wiser than philosophers, though they misunderstood the language of Providence, recognised the thing as providential. It was providential, and turned out for the glory of God, and the advantage of the apostle. Providence took this way of introducing his ambassador with his credentials of office. And many things which at first appear to show that God is counteracting his servants,

will ultimately turn out greatly for their honour and assistance. God may suffer vipers to fasten on their hands, while the crowd will look on the occasion as an indication of divine wrath ; but when they shake off the reptiles without being injured, the cause of the Lord will be glorified.

The same Providence disposed the heart of the Roman governor of the island to show kindness to Paul and his shipwrecked associates. Why was there at this time such a governor in the island? Why was he not a cruel and inhospitable man? He was placed there by the hand of Providence for this very occasion. God works through means, and his Providence plans and arranges all things to effect his purposes. “In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously."

But Providence was working by another dispensation to bring Paul into notice and favour. The father of Publius was at this time sick. Why this sickness at this particular time? Was it chance, or was it Providence? Look at the issue, and try to doubt this. The hand of God is in the fact. The man was sick, that God might honour his gospel and his servant by his recovery. "And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him." The report of this spread over the island; and in this way the gospel would be spoken of by every