Peter falling into a trance has a remarkable vision. have eaten but while into a trance, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain him, as it had been great sheet, knit at the vessel descending unto a four corners, and let down to the earth: xxii. 55 Acts very hungry, and would hungry, and would gladly have taken a little SECT. they made ready he fell refreshment'; but while they were preparing dinner for the family, he fell into an extasy or trances, in which a very remarkable and in- X. 10. structive vision presented itself to him. For 11 he had a strong impression made upon his mind, and apprehended, while he lay in this state, that he saw heaven opened, and something of a large extent descending to him from above like a great sheet or wrapper", which was fastened at the four corners, and so let down to the earth by an 12 Wherein were all invisible hand: In which there were all [sorts 12 manner of four-footed of] things in great variety, even four-footed anibeasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creep- mals of the earth, and wild beasts, and reptiles or ing things, and fowis of creeping things, and fowls of the air of several kinds. And while this plenty of provision 13 a voice to him, Rise, was before him, there came a voice from heaven to him, saying, Rise, Peter, since thou art hungry, and take thy choice of what thou wilt out of this great variety; kill any of these animals which may be most agreeable to thee, and eat freely of what is before thee'. But Peter 14 Not so, Lord; for I said, with a kind of pious horror, By no means, Lord: I would much rather continue fasting a great while longer, than satisfy my hunger on such terms: for I see only unclean animals here, and thou knowest that from a religious regard to the precepts of thy law, I have never, from the air. 13 And there came Peter; kill and eat. 14 But Peter said, have Peter was induced by this, or by some other reason, to retire for prayer at this time, it seems at least to have been customary in the first ages of the Christian church to offer up their daily prayers at the third, the sixth, and the ninth hour. See Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. vii. p. 722. f Have taken a little refreshment.] After all that Limborch and several other writers have said, this seems to me the most proper import of the word yvcaca; and the authorities produced by Raphelius, (Annot ex Herod. p. 343, S44; and Elsner Vol. I. p. 407.) to prove that it signifies just the same with making a set meal, confirm me in the contrary opinion. & An extasy or trance.] The word gagio properly signifies such a rapture of mind, as gives the person who falls into it a look of astonishment, and renders him insensible of the external objects round him, while in the mean time his imagination is agitated in an extraordinary manner with some striking scenes which pass before it, and take up all the attention. The reader may see some ext.aordinary instances of this kind men the tioned by Gualtperius, in his large note on h Something like a great sheet or wrap- 56 Peter is prepared by this vision to preach to the Gentiles. xxii. Acts or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again God hath cleansed,that call not thou common. the secoud time, What SECT. the day of my birth to this hour, eaten any thing have never eaten any which is common or unclean, nor took the liberty thing that is common of tasting what is prohibited in itself, or polluted X. 14. by any accidental circumstance that has attend15 ed it. And the voice [said] to him again the second time, Those things which God hath cleansed by such a declaration of his will in bidding thee to eat of thein, do not thou any more call common, but readily submit thyself to his directions, and leave it in the power of the great law-giver 16 to change his precepts as he shall see fit. And that it might impress his mind the more, and he might give the more particular attention to it as to a thing established by God, the vision was not only doubled, but this was done three times successively, (compare Gen. xli. 32,) and at last the vessel, with all that was in it, was taken up into heaven again. 17 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven. And Providence so ordered it, that at this very 17 Now while Peter juncture, while Peter was doubting in himself what this vision which doubted in doubted in himself, what the vision which he had seen might import, he had seen should or what it was designed to point out to him, mean; behold, the men behold, the men who were sent from Cornelius, the which were sent from pious centurion mentioned above, having in- quiry for Simon's house, quired out the house of Simon the tanner, stood at and stood before the Cornelius,had made in there. 19 While Peter the Spirit said unto 18 the door: And calling to those that were with- gate, 18 And called, and in, they asked if one Simon, whose sirname was asked whether Simon Peter, lodged there: And being told that he which was sirnamed did, they desired immediately to speak with him Peter, were lodged on an affair which was of the utmost impor19 tance. Now, as Peter was reflecting on the vision, and was attentively revolving it in his thought on the vision, own mind, the Spirit, by an inward suggestion, him, Behold three men said unto him, Behold, three men are inquiring seek thee. 20 for thee: Delay not therefore, but arise and go 20 Arise therefore, down to these men, and take the journey with and get thee down, and them which they shall propose, without any ing nothing: for I have scruple of conversing with them, or the person sent them. from whom they come; for I have sent them ; and, when thou comest to compare their message with what thou hast now seen, thou wilt easily know the intent of this vision, and the use thou art to make of it for thine own direction. 21 Then Peter instantly, before any message from the strangers could reach him, went down Therefore arise and go down.] The learned Elsner, (Observ. Vol. I. p. 408,) and Raphelius, (Annot. ex Herod. p. 345, $46,) have observed, that anna should from go with them, doubt 21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him here be rendered therefore, and have produced several instances from approved authors, in which it has that signification. Reflections on Peter's being sent to preach to Cornelius. 57 xxii. him from Cornelius; from the house-top to the men who were sent to SECT. and said, Behold, I am him from Cornelius, and while they still conhe whom ye seek: what is the cause tinued at the door, said to them, Behold, I am wherefore ye arc come? [the man] whom ye inquire for: What is the x. 21. cause for which you are come hither? 22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and And they told their story in a few plain words, 22 and said, Cornelius the centurion, a righteous man, one that feareth God, who feareth God, and hath a character attested by and of good report a all the Jewish people, though he be not commong all the nation of pletely a proselyte to their religion, has been from God by an holy divinely instructed by the ministry of an holy anze!, to send for thee angel, to send for thee to his house, and to hear into his house, and to words from thee upon some important subject, the Jews, was warned hear words of thee. 23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the mor in the purport of which we do not doubt but Having therefore called them in, he entertained 23 accompanied him. Acts IMPROVEMENT. WE are now entering on a series of the story in which we Ver. ourselves are intimately concerned: We are going to see the first fruits of the Gentiles gathered into the church; and let us see it with gratitude and delight. Most amiable and exemplary is the 1 character of Cornelius, who, though exposed to all the temptations of a military life, maintained not only his virtue but his piety too. He feared God, and he wrought righteousness; and daily presented 2 before God prayers and alms, which added a beauty and acceptance to each other: And he was also an example of domestic, as well as of personal religion; as if he had been trained up under the discipline of that heroic general and prince, who so publicly and so resolutely declared before an assembled nation, even on the supposition of their general apostacy, As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, (Josh. xxiv. 15.) To him God was pleased to send the gospel, and the manner in 3, 5, 6 which he sent it is well worthy of our remark. An angel appeared, not himself to preach it, but to introduce the apostle, to whom that work was assigned.-With what holy complacency of soul 68 Reflections on Peter's being sent to preach to Cornelius. SECT. did Cornelius hear, by a messenger from heaven, that his prayers xxii. and alms were come up for an acceptable memorial before God! Ver. They whose prayers and alms are proportionably affectionate and 4 sincere, may consider it as a testimony borne to the gracious manner in which an impartial and immutable God regards and accepts them. Yet after all that they have done, let them learn by 7,8 the conduct of this devout, upright and charitable man, not so to rest in their own virtues as to neglect inquiring after that way of salvation which God has established by his Son, but always ready to regard it as the one thing needful; let them maintain an uniformity in their character, by a diligent and candid attention to the declaration of it in the gospel. 9 Peter retires for secret prayer in the middle of the day, as if he had learned of David to say, Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud. (Psal. v. 17.) He seeks a convenient 10--16 retirement, and in that retirement the vision of the Lord meets him; 17--20 a vision mysterious indeed in its first appearances, but gradually opened by divine providence, the process of which renders many things plain, which at first seemed dark and unaccountable. 13, 15 This vision declared to him in effect the abolition of the Mosaic ceremonial law, of which the precepts relating to the distinction of 14 meats made so important a part; and we see here with pleasure, 21, 23 that strict as his observation of it had been from his very birth, he was not now disobedient to the heavenly vision, but freely received the uncircumcised, and freely goes to be a guest to one who was so. Thus let us always preserve an openness and impartiality of mind, and in proportion to the degree in which we appear willing to know the truth, we shall find that the truth will make us free. (John viii. 32.) Nevertheless, as it was an affair about which some difficulties might arise, and some censures may even in the way of duty be 23 incurred, he takes some of the brethren with him, that their advice and concurrence in what he did might be a farther justification of his conduct, to those who were not perhaps sufficiently aware of the divine direction under which he was. How agreeable a mixture of prudence and humility! Let it teach us on all proper occasions to express at once a becoming deference to our brethren, and a prudent caution in our own best intended actions, that even our good may not be evil spoken of, when it lies in our power to prevent it. (Rom. xiv. 16.) SECT. Peter comes to Cornelius and his friends at Cæsarea. SECT. XXII. Peter coming to Cæsarea, preaches the gospel to Cornelius and his friends; and upon their believing it and receiving the Holy Spirit by a miraculous effusion, he without farther scruple admits them into the church by baptism, though they were uncircumcised Gentiles. Acts X. 24. to the end. ACTS X. 24. AND the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea and Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. 25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. 27 And as he talk ther. thing for a man that is IT ACTS X. 24. xxiii. Acts 59 T was observed in the preceding section, that SECT. And as Peter was entering into his house, 25 This happened just at the entrance of the 27 but God hath shewed or unclean. 29 Therefore came I a And falling down at his feel, paid homage to him.] He could not, as some have fancied, imagine Peter to be an angel, considering how the angel had spoken of him. But his reverence for him as a divine messenger, together with the custom VOL. VIII. which prevailed in the East of expressing H b On |