Acts 10

But Christ makes his people a willing people (Psalms 110:3): they prize knowledge, and hang it as a jewel upon their ear. Those that Christ teaches, say as (Isaiah 2:3): Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in them: an…

2. The other means of our effectual call, is the Holy Spirit. The ministry of the Word is the pipe or organ, the Spirit of God blowing in it, does effectually change men's hearts (Acts 10:44). While Peter spoke, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the Word of God.

Faith does sanctify our works, and works do testify our faith: to be doing good to others, to be eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, does much glorify God. And thus Christ did glorify his Father, He went about doing good (Acts 10:38). By being fruitful we are fair in God's eyes…

Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory? But now in the time of the Gospel, the Charter is enlarged, and the believing Gentiles are within the line of communication, and have a right to the privilege of adoption as well as the Jews (Acts 10:35). In every…

Ministers can but speak to the ear, the Spirit speaks to the heart. (Acts 10:44) While Peter spoke, the Holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard the Word. 5. Having heard the Word in a holy and spiritual manner, for the further sanctification of the Sabbath, confer of the Word.

Cathedram habet in Coelo qui corda docet in terra. Augustine. He has his pulpit in heaven that converts souls. Acts 10:44. While Peter was speaking, the Holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard. It is said the alchemist can draw oil out of iron.

So that, God though he forgives all sins past to a believer, yet sins to come are not forgiven, till repentance be renewed. Aphorism 10. Faith does necessarily precede forgiveness; there must be believing on our part, before there is forgiving on God's part (Acts 10:43): "To him…

And he was not a Centurion, only before he believed; but even afterward, when Christ commended his faith: yet did he not dislike his calling. The like may be said of Cornelius, Acts 10. All which, show plainly, that upon just causes, Christians may lawfully make war.

As if he should say: however you think of me, yet as it stands me in hand, so do I make conscience of my word: for I stand in the presence of God, and therefore know it, as the Lord lives there shall be no rain nor dew these three years. So Cornelius having an eye to God's provi…

Thirdly, they were ignorant of the ascension, for they dreamed of an earthly kingdom at the very time when he was about to ascend, saying: Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6). And after Christ's ascension, Peter knew nothing of the breaking down of th…

Now we know that the general condition of all sacraments is one and the same, and that baptism succeeded circumcision. And what can be more plain than the example of Cornelius (Acts 10), who before Peter came to him had the commendation of the fear of God and was endued with the…

God values no man by outward excellencies but by inward graces; they are the internal ornaments of the spirit which are of great price in God's eyes (1 Peter 3:4). He despises all worldly glory, and accepts no man's person; but in every nation he that fears God and works righteo…

The reason for this is, because Christ stands in a fourfold relation to preaching. 1. He is the text, to say so, of preaching; all preaching is to explain Him (Acts 10:43), To him give all the Prophets witness, and so do the four Gospels, and the Apostolic Epistles, which are as…

Yet 4. we say it may be used by, and accepted of God, from, many that have not that distinctness, and clearness in the ridding of their thoughts, in this mystery that is requisite; because there may be real faith under such a form of words, (though infirmity in the use-making of…

4. His crown stands in relations: Fathers, tyrants by strong hand, and lords by free-election were Kings, of old; so the Devil is a father, has children, and a seed (Acts 13:10; 1 John 3:10). The world is his conquest, and his vassals (Acts 10:38; 2 Timothy 2:26; 1 Peter 4:3 and…

For Christ rebukes the Sadducees, You err not knowing the Scriptures, etc., because they believed not the consequences of Scripture as Scripture, and made not the like discourse, for the building of themselves in the faith. 3. The searching of the Scriptures is life eternal, the…

Nor need we flee to that exposition ever and anon, that Christ died for all, that is, all ranks of men. For "all" is put in Scripture ordinarily for many; as (Deuteronomy 1:21; Psalm 71:18; Jeremiah 15:10; Jeremiah 19:9; Jeremiah 20:7; Jeremiah 23:30; Jeremiah 49:17; Ezekiel 16:…

Therefore the Evangelist Luke notes upon it, (chapter 4:1) Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan. And Peter also puts the like gloss upon it, as appears (Acts 10:37) for speaking there of the baptism of John, he shows how after that his being baptized, he bega…

He went about doing Good, and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil. Acts 10:38. So abundant was he in Labors, that oftentimes he scarcely allowed himself Time to eat or drink; insomuch that his Friends sometimes went out to lay hold of him, saying, He is beside himself.

While many of the disciples were gathered together praying, God sent Peter to them (Acts 12:12-13). While Cornelius was in the act of prayer, at the ninth hour of the day, which was the hour of prayer, he saw in a vision the angel of God (Acts 10:3-9). While Peter went up to the…

Thus the representing the true God by images is condemned (Deuteronomy 4:15-17): Take you good heed to yourselves, for you saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spoke to you in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire, lest you corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven…

Pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret, will reward you openly. Hear as before the Lord, (Acts 10:33). We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded you of God.

But this was upon an extraordinary case; did Peter use to pray alone? Yes, turn but to the next chapter, Acts 10:9: Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about the sixth hour, which was about noon, another praying season; certainly he missed not morning and night for such de…

Think of this rule. 3. For the season, the Apostle says: Pray continually, or without ceasing, yet there are some (as it were) canonical hours of prayer, wherein a Christian's discretion must interpose: only in this case, take the fittest seasons for secret prayer, as when you a…

For when Peter preached, the Holy Spirit forthwith fell upon all those that heard him, and in one day three thousand which were present at the preaching of Peter, believed and received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). So Cornelius received the Holy Spirit, not by his alms which he gave…

For this onely was Abel respected, Hebr. 11. 4. Though God accept not the outward person, yet in euery nation he that fears God, is accepted of him, Act 10:34. Thirdly, it may be obiected, that God iudgs euery man according to his workes.

Here also we learne, that the preaching of the Gospel, is necessarie for all men, because it is the Instrument of God to conferre the spirit. Whole Peter was yet speaking, the spirit of God fell upon the Gentiles, Act 10:44. Paul says, his ministerie is the ministerie of the spi…

By the Israel of God, the Apostle means all such as are like to Nathaniel, who was a true Israelite, in whom there was no guile (John 1:47), whether they be the faithful Gentiles, or believing Jews. And he makes mention of the Israel of God, partly by reason of the adversaries,…

This they account a testimony of great service done to God, when they will abase themselves to kiss his feet with great reverence. But first of all, if they will know what an opinion we ought to conceive of such an idolatrous and barbarous reverence, let them learn it from Saint…

Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) To him also give all the prophets witness, that through his name all that believe in him, shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43) Lord, who will believe our report?

Hence we find that when Cornelius and John did act their civil worship a little too far, they were presently taken off for they should intrench upon the divine worship. Civil worship when it is excessive and goes too far is sinful; as in (Acts 10:25), Luke relates that as soon a…

Now in this []ase Ieremias direction must be obserued, Stand in the parting of the wa[]es (saith hee) and inquire for the olde and auncient way [] (that is, the doctrine of the Prophets) what God wills and commands by them and by his Apostles, and that we must follow with all go…

Ioh. 4. 1. Christ is saide to baptise, that is, (as the next verse imports) he commanded his Disciples to baptise: and, Act. 10. 15. God is said to purifie things; that is, he pronouncs things to be pure.

There is a sea of sin in us. Our nature is a source and seminary of all evil: like Peter's sheet, wherein were wild beasts and creeping things (Acts 10:12). This sin cleaves to us as a leprosy.

Now this remarkable dispensation of Providence that we are upon, namely God's beginning a constant succession of prophets in Samuel's time, that was to last many ages; and to that end, establishing a school of the prophets under Samuel, thenceforward to be continued in Israel, w…

This was a great and glorious dispensation of divine providence, much spoken of in the prophecies of the Old Testament, and spoken of by the apostles time after time, as a most glorious event of Christ's redemption. This was begun in the conversion of Cornelius and his family, g…

And that of Paul (and it was the first breath of the new man) (Acts 9:6): Lord what will you have me to do? And that of Cornelius (Acts 10:33): And now we are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded you of God. And that of the good man I have read of,…

The truths and precepts of the everlasting gospel are perfective of and no way repugnant to the light and law of natural religion. Is that a sect which gives such mighty encouragements and assistances to those that in every nation fear God and work righteousness (Acts 10:34)? Is…

He was wounded for our Iniquities: The Lord hath laid on him the Iniquities of us all. And it is said, Acts 10:43. To him give all the Prophets witness, that whosoever believes in him shall receive Forgiveness of Sins through his Name.

He must present them without Spot and Blemish, like himself, in the other World, that they may dwell with him for ever. And in this World the Disciples must resemble their Lord; Christians should be public Blessings to the World, as their Master was, who went about doing good, A…

1. In the defense of the truth, as the Lord shall call us, let us be of one mind and all as one man, Satan acts by that maxim and his followers have it all, divide and conquer, and therefore let us hold that counter maxim: Union invincible. 2. In the practice of that truth agree…

And David, seven times a day do I praise you (Psalm 119:164). And Cornelius, it is said, that he prayed to God always (Acts 10:2); not only with his family, but alone, in holy soliloquies: he was so frequent and diligent that he had gotten a habit of prayer (he prayed always). W…

1. Every day something should be done in this kind. Cornelius prayed to God always, every day he had his times of familiarity with God (Acts 10:2). Daniel, though with the hazard of his life, would not omit praying three times a day (Daniel 6:10).

1. Faith. (Acts 10:43): "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whoever believes in him, shall receive remission of sins." Faith is necessary to honor the mercy of God, to own the surety, to consent to his undertaking, to encourage the creature to look after…

He blinds and holds them captive at his will and pleasure, their souls are fettered (2 Timothy 2:26). And sometimes he oppresses their bodies, (for Satan carries on his kingdom by force, tyranny, fears, and bondage); and therefore it is said (Acts 10:38), that Christ went about…

My soul indeed faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cries out for the living God (Psalm 84:2). And it is said, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word (Acts 10:44). And then for unity: Christ has called us into a body, not only into a family, bu…

And that we may see how well the Lord is pleased with them, he has a Book of Remembrance for them, he writes them down. Item, so much lent to the Lord, Acts 10:4. Cornelius, your Alms are come up for a memorial before God.

Genesis 22:12. Act. 10:22. 1 Kin. 18:3. Obadiah feared the Lord Greatly.

Here then is commandment first given them to preach the hope of salvation to such as were utter strangers to it before. Now when Saint Peter was notified that God would send him to a heathen man, he was so amazed at it, that the hairs stood up upon his head (Acts 10). And how is…

A gracious affection to the word and ways of God, should ever remain with us; but we are not always feasted with spiritual sweetness; now and then we have them, and when they have done their work they return to God. As in the vision made to Peter, the sheet that was showed him w…