Acts 10:1-16

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, (2) A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. (3) He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. (4) And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. (5) And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: (6) He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. (7) And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; (8) And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. (9) On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: (10) And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, (11) And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: (12) Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. (13) And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. (14) But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. (15) And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. (16) This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

For the better apprehension of the subject contained in this chapter, it will be proper to consider the scriptural account of the Church of Christ, in relation to all the members of Christ's mystical body; and no less to notice, the very different views which the Jewish Church had conceived of it.

Nothing can be more evident, from the whole tenor of Revelation, than that the Church of Christ from everlasting is one. So Christ himself sweetly sings, and so, blessed be God, we know. My dove, my undefiled, (saith Jesus), is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her, Song of Solomon 6:9. Hence, both Jew and Gentile are included in this view, and both form but one and the same. And, although the Lord was pleased for wise and gracious purposes known to himself, to form Israel in the family of Abraham, with whom might be the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came: Romans 9:4, yet these were subsequent transactions to the original and eternal gift of the Church to Christ by Jehovah. God the Father in his covenant-office and character, is said to have chosen the Church in Christ before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4. And all the members of Christ's mystical body, were written in his book, when as yet there was none of them, Psalms 140:13; John 17:2. And agreeably to these things, the Son of God in our nature, speaking by the spirit of prophecy, ages before his incarnation, yea, from the womb of eternity, is introduced to the Church, as calling upon his Church to listen to him, both Jew and Gentile, as Jehovah's salvation to the end of the earth. I pray the Reader before he prosecutes the subject further, that he would turn to the prophet Isaiah, in proof of this most blessed and important truth: See Isaiah 49:1. Nothing can be more decisive in confirmation, that the Church of Christ everlastingly was, and is, and can be, but One. And however diversified in the after time-state of the Church, the distinct stock of Jew and Gentile might be formed; yet, under every state, both in time, and to all eternity, Christ hath but one Church, and both Jew and Gentile in their relationship to him, are but one fold. Indeed, as if to shew that oneness yet more decidedly, it is to be noted, that Abraham, the great father of the Jewish Church, when chosen of God for this purpose, was himself a Gentile, (that is, an heathen and idolater), when called out of Ur of the Chaldees, Genesis 12:1; Genesis 12:1. So that in fact, Abraham was a Gentile before he became a Jew, and thereby it plainly proves, that the name of the Elder brother given to the Jew, and the Younger to the Gentile, is the reverse of what was the case. See the note on Luke 15:32. And in exact conformity to this statement, it is still worthy of further notice, that when Jesus himself, in the days of his flesh, was speaking on the same subject, and calling himself the shepherd, and his Church his sheep, he told his disciples, which were all Jews, that he had other sheep, which were not of this fold. Them also, (said the Lord), I must bring, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. See John 10:16 and Commentary upon it.

Having taken this scriptural view of the Church of Christ, and, (as I venture to believe), having clearly shewn, that that Church, formed in the divine mind before all worlds, was wholly one, and but one; though, in the after days of the time-state of the Church, was branched out into those two distinct families of Jew and Gentile; we shall now be the better prepared to enter into a proper apprehension of the subject, in what is related in this chapter, concerning the conversion of Cornelius, a Gentile, to the faith in Christ.

It will be recollected then, that the whole Jewish nation, were, to a man, brought up in those high notions, that as the Messiah, when he came, was to spring from the stock of Abraham, he would only come for the deliverance of Israel, and all the nations of the earth were uninterested in his mission; hence, they expected him only in this character. And all the Apostles were as deeply tinctured with those opinions, as any of their countrymen. And, although, in the farewell commission which the Lord Jesus gave to his Apostles, he commanded them, that as soon as they were endued with power from on high, they should go in to all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature: Mark 16:15. yet, so little did they apprehend our Lord's meaning, and so riveted were they in the same Jewish principles, of the Lord's grace only to Israel, that when they attended Jesus on the Mount at his ascension, they put the question to Christ, Lord! wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6

It should seem by the circumstances related in this Chapter, nothing short of a vision from heaven to Peter, and accompanied at the same time, with the message of an angel, and a command of the Holy Ghost, to him to obey, would have been competent to remove those narrow conceits from Peter's mind: and to teach him, and all the Jewish Church through him, that God had granted to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews, repentance unto life, Acts 11:2

In the history of Cornelius, as related in this Chapter, the Lord was pleased to set forth this precious doctrine. This man, we are told, was a Centurion; that is, a Roman officer, commanding an hundred men. His character also is given. He was a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God continually. That is, he was a Proselyte of the Gate so called. He followed the stated hours of prayer, observed by the Jews, and feared the God of Israel. And to the love of God, as far as his knowledge led him, he added the love of man; and was of good report in the neighbourhood where he lived, for his alms, deeds, and charity. So that it appears, he was what the world would call a good man. And very certain it is, that the world at large would be a far different world from what it is, if it was composed of such characters. Happy would it be, for the peace and welfare of mankind, if we could look round, and behold men like Cornelius, in every neighbourhood. But with all these amiable qualities, as they relate to the intercourse with men, they fall short of what is essential to a friendship with God, And it should seem, that the Lord designed, in making choice of this very man, by way of declaring the necessity of salvation, plainly and decidedly to shew, that these things do not stand in account before God; and that without Christ, he must have perished everlastingly.

To accomplish this purpose, and to bring this honest Centurion into the way of learning by outward means, the knowledge of Christ, he is favored with a vision; and directions are given to him where to send, and from whom he should learn words, whereby he, and all his household should be saved, Acts 11:14. I do not think it needful to dwell upon the particulars either of Cornelius's vision, or that of Peter. In the beautiful simplicity in which they are related in this Chapter, every circumstance is very plain and obvious. I rather wish to direct the Reader's attention to some of the striking things which arise out of the whole subject.

If I detain the Reader with a single remark on the vision of Cornelius, it shall only be to observe, the particularity of the hour; namely, the ninth hour: that is, three of the clock in the afternoon. That memorable, blessed, precious hour, to which every evening sacrifice, under the law, had respect. The hour, on which the Lord Jesus died on the cross: and by that one offering of himself once offered, perfected forever them that are sanctified, Hebrews 10:14. See Exodus 12:6; 1 Kings 18:36; Daniel 9:21; Matthew 27:45; Hebrews 10:10

And if I venture to offer a single remark on visions in general, it shall be only to observe, from the fear with which it is here said that Cornelius looked on the angel; what a natural disposition there is in every man of flesh and blood, to shrink at the supposed sight of what as a spirit. We are so much occupied with earth, and earthly concerns, that a messenger from heaven, even though on an errand of mercy, like this angel to Cornelius, makes the heart draw back. And yet every child of God is in the habit, more or less, of daily, yea, hourly conversing at the throne of grace, with the Lord Jesus: and is not this a spiritual Communion and fellowship? 1 John 1:3. Wherefore then should the mind be appalled, in the apprehension of the beloved object becoming visible? Why should any, who know the Lord, and love the Lord, and by grace and faith, keep up an holy acquaintance with the Lord, at his mercy seat, feel a somewhat of reluctancy in the idea of sight? I humbly ask the question, but speak not confidently, when I say, would it not be well in the Lord's redeemed ones, and to whom Jesus is dear, to familiarize these thoughts? Do I not know, that ere long, I shall be called upon to embark at once into the world of spirits, when my spirit shall be disembodied? And would it not be right now, and before that hour comes, (which cannot be far off, and may be near indeed), to be sometimes walking as on the confines of the eternal world, and by faith communing with those spiritual objects which at death we instantly meet Yea, is it not certain, that we are now surrounded by them in their ministry and services; and are nearer to them, and they to us, than we are conscious? See 2 Kings 6:16; Psalms 34:7; Daniel 6:22; Hebrews 1:14.