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…

Q. But divine dominion and sovereignty over all creatures belonging to the Father and to the Holy Ghost, why is this peculiarly ascribed to Christ? A. Not in respect of right but the actual and immediate exercise thereof; for the former belonging to all the divine persons, this…

Q. Who must be judge at that day? A. Jesus Christ is appointed of God to be the Judge of quick and dead (Acts 10:42; 17:31; John 5:22, 27; 2 Timothy 4:1; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Q. Who must be judged?

Mark 16:16. He that shall believe and be baptized, shall be saved: but he that will not believe shall be damned. Acts 10:43. That through his name all that believe in him, shall receive remission of sins. Acts 13:39. By him every one that believes, is justified.

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.

And this he did two ways. (1.) By sending Peter to preach the Gospel to Cornelius, and therein bestowing the Holy Ghost on them that did believe (Acts 10:14, 17, 45, 46, 47; Chapter 11:17, 18). (2.) By giving Paul an open full commission to go to the Gentiles and preach the Gosp…

So Joseph was [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], divinely warned to avoid the danger that was designed to the Child Jesus (Matthew 2:22), as the Wisemen were to avoid going to Herod (ver. 12), so Hebrews 11:7, Noah being [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], divinely warned, was moved with fear. Y…

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…

Secondly: Let us handle these two titles singly and apart. 1. He is Lord (Acts 10:36). Jesus Christ he is Lord of all.

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…

2. The matter of this objection will in a great measure be found false; for it will appear upon enquiry, that truly religious persons both in this and former ages, have been, and are neither few nor mean. The history of former times assure us of vast multitudes which heartily em…

Yet know withall, that God does worke but by his Ordinances; the Spirit breathes not in Taverns nor Playhouses, but in the Church assemblies. While Peter was preaching to Cornelius, and his family, the Spirit fell upon them (Acts 10): so the Spirit fell on others by laying the A…

As also the various enforcements of such precepts and confirmations of such promises, with copious explications of the one and the other. And as it is called the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18), the word wherein peace is preached by Jesus Christ (Acts 10:36), the…

Either we must not know, and not be born again to this piece of excellency, or else we must have this peculiar commandement to humble us, and in this point to drive us to Christ, afterward also, be a rule and square to us of the same. Fourthly, the Apostles in taking this day, a…

[Exodus 13:1. And declare to your son in that day, saying: For this has the Lord done these things to me, when I went out of Egypt. 9 So shall it be to you for a sign upon your hand, and for a monument between your eyes, that the doctrine of the Lord may be in your mouth: to wit…

But yet as instruments (2 Corinthians 5:18; Matthew 18:18). And therefore may not worship them, sacrifice to them, &c. (Acts 10:16, 14:13). And this is the true sense of the commandment.

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?

Motives. 1. The word will doubtless be effectual, when ability for its administration is a return of prayers (Acts 10:30, 31). 2. The Ministers' failing is the people's punishment (Acts 8:11; Isaiah 30:20).

But Saint Luke in the Acts gives us another account, both where Barnabas was, and how he was employed, at the time intimated by him who knew nothing of those things. For while Saint Peter was at Caesarea (Acts 10:1), Barnabas was at Jerusalem (Acts 9:27), being a little while af…

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.

But it is not that, that is here intended: that is universal to all creatures, natural, and necessary, this especial to some, voluntary, and of mercy; that of nature and essence, this of will and operation. Secondly, God may be said to be with one in respect of personal union, s…

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…