Acts 10

Acts 10:1

COrnelius] An Italian Captain of the Garrison Souldiers of the Romans at Caesarea.

Acts 10:2

A devout man] It seemeth he was a Proselyte in heart, though not of the Circumcision, and open profession.

Acts 10:3

He saw in a vision] Not in a trance or rapt of spirit, but a vision, and that not obscurely, but sensibly and evidently.

the ninth] Which was one of their set hours of prayer. Ch. 3. 1.

Thy prayers and thine alms, &c.] It is a manner of expression borrowed from their burnt-offerings & incense, intimating how charitie commended his prayers. See Hebrews 13:16. Revel. 8. 3, 4.

Acts 10:9

about the sixth hour] About noon, which was another hour for prayer, Psalms 55:17. he went up to the top of the house which was flat rooft.

Acts 10:10

he fell into a trace] A supernaturall elevation of the minde, by the Spirit of God, filling all the sense and facultie of the soul with a divine revelation.

Acts 10:11

And saw heaven opened] This was the Vision of the Law.

Acts 10:12

were all manner of four-footed beasts] Wherein seemed to him to be all manner of beasts and creatures, as well those which by their Law were to be accounted unclean, as others.

Acts 10:13

and eat] That is, indifferently without any respect to the distinction of clean and unclean, and therefore God affected him with so sharp and sudden an hunger, vers. 10. because he meant to present him a vision sutable thereto.

Acts 10:14

common or unclean] Which the prescript of the Law made such. See Mark 7:2.

Acts 10:15

What God hath cleansed] By taking away the difference. By this he was taught, not to abhorre the Gentiles, as impure, seeing God had taken away the difference. Eph. 2. 14.

call thou not] Make thou not, or esteem thou not.

Acts 10:16

received] That is seemed in this vision to be taken up.

Acts 10:19

the Spirit said unto him] By an inward revelation.

Acts 10:24

his kinsmen] To the end that they also might be partakers of the grace and mercy of God with him.

Acts 10:25

worshipped] Not as God, with divine worship; yet with too much humility, which Peter correcteth. See Revelation 9:10. & Revelation 22:8.

Acts 10:28

a ew] John 4. 9. & 18. 28. The Law of God forbade them to marry with heathens, to have familiar conversation with them, &c. but their tradition barred them from eating with them, or coming into their houses, &c. Chap. 11. 3.

one of another nation] Being a Gentile, and not a Jew.

common or unclean] Meaning, in respect of the diversity of nations; for now he hereby understood, that God would call the Gentiles to faith and salvation by Christ.

Acts 10:30

a man stood before me] The Angel in mans shape.

Acts 10:34

Of a truth] Deuteronomy 10. 17. Romans 2:11. 1 Pet. 1. 17.

no respecter of persons] Or, hath no regard to the externall condition of the person, as of what nation, name or quality he be of. He speaketh here of those following degrees of grace, faith and obedience which where ever they are found, ’tis evident they are acceptable to him.

Acts 10:36

preaching peace] That is, reconciliation between God and man, through Christ. Isaiah 57:19. Eph. 2. 14, 16, 17. Col. 1. 20.

Lord of all] Not only the God of the Jews, but the Gentiles also & he wil gather his elect out of all the world. Ro. 3. 30. & 10. 12.

Acts 10:37

after the baptisme] That is, after John the forerunner of Christ, had preached and baptized in his Name.

Acts 10:38

God anointed Jesus] That is, indued his humane nature with the graces of the holy Ghost, and consecrated his whole person to the office of a Mediatour; both which were prefigured by the ancient rite of anointing.

for God was with him] In the fulnesse of the Deity, as he was the eternall Sonne, Colossians 2:9. and in power, grace, and favour, as he was man and Mediatour. John 8. 29. & 16. 32.

Acts 10:42

of quick and dead] Of those who being found alive at his coming, shall be changed; and of those which shall be raised from the dead, to come to judgement. 1 Thes. 4. 15. Romans 14:9. 2 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 5.

Acts 10:43

To him &c.] Jeremiah 31:34. Mic. 7. 18.

through his name] By his merit.

Acts 10:44

the holy Ghost] The graces of the holy Spirit in illumination, regeneration, and the gifts of tongues.

Acts 10:45

because that on the Gentiles] They did not before understand that the grace of God appertained to the Gentiles, which had been so long (like the dew in Gideons fleece) distilled onely on the Jews. See Psal. 147. 19, 20.

Acts 10:47

Can any man forbid water] Seeing God hath given them the inward grace and spirituall part, should we, who are but Ministers, not communicate to them the externall signe and seal of incorporation into Christs body the Church?