foreigners to be fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, were such a mystery to the apostles themselves, and such a surprise, (Eph. 3. 3, 6.) that it concerns us carefully to observe all the circumstances of the beginning of this great work, this part of the mystery of Godliness—Christ preached to the Gentiles, and believed on in the world, 1 Tim. 3. 16. It is not unlikely that some Gentiles might before now have stepped into a synagogue of the Jews, and heard the gospel preached; but the gospel was never yet designedly preached to the Gentiles, nor any of them baptized, Cornelius was the first. And here we have,
I. An account given us of this Cornelius, who and what he was, that was the first-born of the Gentiles to Christ. We are here told that he was a great man and a good man; two characters that seldom meet, but here they did: and where they do meet, they put a lustre upon each other; goodness makes greatness truly valuable, and greatness makes goodness much more serviceable.
1. Cornelius was an officer of the army, v. 1. He was at present quartered in Cesarea, a strong city, lately re-edified and fortified by Herod the Great, and called Cesarea in honour of Augustus Csesar. It lay upon the sea-shore, very convenient for the keeping up of a correspondence between Rome and its conquests in those parts. The Roman governor or proconsul ordinarily resided here, ch. 23. 23, 24.—25. 6. Here was a band, or cohort, or regiment, of the Roman army, which probably was the governor's life-guard, and is here called the Italian band; because, that they might be the more sure of their fidelity, they were all native Romans, or Italians; Cornelius had a command in this part of the army. His name, Cornelius, was much used among the Romans, among some of the most ancient and noble families. He was an officer of considerable rank and figure, a centurion. We read of one in our Saviour's time of that rank, whom he gave a great commendation of, Matt. 8. 10. When a Gentile must be pitched upon to receive the gospel first, it is not a Gentile philosopher, much less a Gentile priest, (who are bigoted to their notions and worship, and prejudiced against the gospel of Christ,) but a Gentile soldier, who is a man of more free thought; and he that truly is so, when the christian doctrine is fairly set before him, cannot but receive it, and bid it welcome. Fishermen, unlearned and ignorant men, were the first of the Jewish converts, but not so of the Gentiles; for the world shall know that the gospel has that in it which may recommend it to men of polite learning and a liberal education, as we have reason to think this centurion was. Let not soldiers and officers of the army plead that their employment frees them from the restraints which some others are under, and giving them an opportunity of living more at large, may excuse them if they be not religious; for here was an officer of the army that embraced Christianity, and yet was neither turned out of his place, nor turned himself out. And lastly, it was a mortification to the Jews, that not only the Gentiles were taken into the church, but that the first who was taken in, was an officer of the Roman army, which was to them the abomination of desolation.
2. He was, according to the measure of the light he had, a religious man; it is a very good character that is given of him, v. 2. He was no idolater, no worshipper of false gods or images, nor allowed himself in any of those immoralities which the greater part of the Gentile world were given up to, to punish them for their idolatry. (1.) He was possessed with a principle of regard to the true and living God; he was a devout man, and one that feared God; he believed in one God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and had a reverence for his glory and authority, and a dread of offending him by sin; and though he was a soldier, it was no diminution to the credit of his valour to tremble before God. (2.) He kept up religion in his family; he feared God with all his house. He would not admit any idolaters under his roof; but took care that not himself only, but all his, should serve the Lord. Every good man will do what he can that those about him may be good too. (3.) He was a very charitable man; he gave much alms to the people, the people of the Jews, notwithstanding the singularities of their religion. Though he was a Gentile, he was willing to contribute to the relief of one that was a real object of charity, without asking what religion he was of. (4.) He was much in prayer; he prayed to God always. He kept up stated times for prayer, and was constant to them. Note, Wherever the fear of God rules in the heart, it will appear both in works of charity and of piety, and neither will excuse us from the other.
II. The orders given him from heaven by the ministry of an angel, to send for Peter to come to him; which he would never have done, if he had not been thus directed to do it. Observe,
1. How, and in what way, these orders were given him; he had a vision, in which an angel delivered them to him. It was about the ninth hour of the day, at three of the clock in the afternoon, which is with us an hour of business and conversation; but then, because it was in the temple the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, it was made by devout people an hour of prayer, to intimate that all our prayers are to be offered up in the virtue of the great Sacrifice. Cornelius was now at prayer; so he tells us himself, v. 30. Now here we are told, (1.) That an angel of God came in to him. By the brightness of his countenance, and the manner of his coming in, he knew him to he something more than man, and therefore nothing less than an angel, an express from heaven. (2.) That he saw him evidently with his bodily eyes, not in a dream presented to his imagination, but in a vision, presented to his sight; for his greater satisfaction, it carried its own evidence along with it. (3.) That he called him by his name, Cornelius, to intimate the particular notice God took of him. (4.) That this put Cornelius for the present into some confusion; (v. 4.) When he looked on him, he was afraid; the wisest and best men have been struck with fear upon the appearance of any extraordinary messenger from heaven; and justly, for sinful man knows he has no reason to expect any good tidings from thence. And therefore Cornelius cries, "What is it, Lord? What is the matter?" This he speaks as one afraid of something amiss, and longing to be eased of that fear, by knowing the truth; or as one desirous to know the mind of God, and ready to comply with it, as Joshua; What saith my Lord unto his servant? And Samuel, Speak, for thy servant heareth.
2. What the message was, that was delivered him.
(l.) He is assured that God accepts of him in walking according to the light he had; (v. 4.) Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. Observe, Prayers and alms must go together. We must follow our prayers with alms; for the fast that God hath chosen, is to draw out the soul to the hungry, Isa. 58. 6, 7. It is not enough to pray that what we have may be sanctified to us, but we must give alms of such things as we have; and then, behold, all things are clean to us, Luke 11. 41. And we must follow our alms with our prayers that God would graciously accept them, and that they may be blessed to those to whom they are given. Cornelius prayed, and gave alms, not as the Pharisees, to be seen of men, but in sincerity, as unto God; and he is here told, that they were come up
