will to do as Christian and Hopeful did in "Doubting Castle," they
could readily find a key in their bosoms with which to unlock every
gate, and thus make their escape.

II. In this respect they differ from Peter, for "_he was sleeping
between two soldiers_." Besides this, there were men stationed at
the door to keep watch all night. But the Lord is prepared for every
emergency. What storm can sink a ship when Omnipotence is at the helm?
If you or I, brethren, were to see a brother confined and guarded as
Peter was, I greatly fear we would utterly despair of ever seeing him
rescued; especially so if public sentiment were rife with malice and
rage against him. I fear we would say, It is no use to _pray_ for
that man. Nothing short of a miracle can save that man; and miracles
are not wrought by prayer nowadays. But the loving hearts gathered
together in secret places in Jerusalem thought not so. They "made
unceasing prayer for him."

Now let us note the order in which the Lord proceeded to answer these
prayers. He came to Peter and smote him. Whether the stroke was light
or heavy is a thing of little consequence. It succeeded in awaking the
man. This was its object. I think the Lord gave Peter only a _slight_
tap on the side, because he was not hard to wake up that night. But
there are some, and I have known such, whom the Lord had to smite very
hard to stir them from their sleep. They open their eyes in amazement
and wonder why they have been so smitten. Unfortunately for some of
this class, they open their eyes, but they see not; they hear, but
they heed not. I think I have known a few such; and I fear the Lord
said of them what he said of Ephraim: "He is joined to his idols, let
him alone."