and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all) 37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good, and healing all that were op

[in his house.

pressed of the devil; for God was with him.

39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem: whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

the acceptance of his prayers and almsdeeds; and, at the same time, to direct him to send for an apostle, who should direct him to the true way of salvation and eternal life. But why could not the angel himself do this? For this plain reason, none are so well qualified to recommend a remedy, as those who have felt its efficacy. An angel might say, "He shall save his people from their sins;" but Peter could say, "He hath saved me, a sinner, though I forsook him and denied him."

But Peter needed as much preparation as Cornelius. What! Peter, the apostle of the Jews, associate himself with a sinner of the Gentiles ?-a son of Abraham visit and converse with a soldier of that power which had enslaved his country! Far be this from Peter. But behold a large sheet let down from heaven, and filled with beasts and creeping things, unclean as well as clean, intended to represent the Gentile world, who were regarded by the Jews as no better than dogs. In their view, as Peter says, it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with one of another nation; but now God shewed the apostle that he ought not to call any man common or unclean, whom he had cleansed.

From the fact here stated, that "be that fears God and works righteousness may be

accepted by him," previous to his knowledge of Jesus Christ, some have hastily inferred, that an explicit knowledge of Christ is by no means necessary to salvation. When we speak of things necessary to salvation, we must be careful, in the first place, not to attempt to "limit the Holy One of Israel," or tie up the Author of our Being, even to methods of his own prescribing to his creatures. The laws of God in no case restrain his own mercy. There is nothing, however, in the case of Cornelius, to show that the knowledge of Christ is not, in the ordinary course of things, necessary as the foundation of our faith and practice; for though Christ had not before been preached to him, yet as he was a pious man, and so friendly to the Jews, there can be no doubt but that he was acquainted with the Old Testament Scriptures in the Greek language, and had been in the practice of reading them; he had also (ver. 37) some knowledge of the preaching and baptism of Jolin, and of Jesus himself, who went about doing good: his preconceptions, therefore, were much in favour of the gospel revelation. Where God prepares the heart to receive Christ, we have every reason to expect Christ will be revealed to it-though perhaps this may never be known to us.

Ver. 35. Is accepted with him.-Dr. Watts says"Though I suppose no man shall be saved but by virtue of the mediation and death of Christ.... yet there is good reason to believe there have been many sinners actually saved, who never heard of the name of Christ."-Strength, &c. of Human Reason, 8vo. P. 106.

Ver. 41. Not to all the people.-This has been made an objection by many infidel writers; to which we can only reply, that God is not bound to satisfy those who are unwilling to be convinced. See our Exposition of John xx. 19-31; and, for fuller satisfaction, Ditton on the Resurrection, part ii. @ 60-70.

44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them

which heard the word.

45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter; because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

48 And he commanded them to be

[first Gentile converts.

baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. (X)

CHAP. XI.

AND the apostles and brethren that

were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.

2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the cir cumcision contended with him,

3 Saying, Thou wentest into men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.

4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,

5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision,

(X) Ver. 34-48. Peter's Sermon before Cornelius and his friends, with the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the baptism of the first Gentiles.-Cornelius having sent for Peter to preach to him the glad tidings of salvation, rightly judged it would be wrong to confine them to himself and family, and therefore did well to invite his friends and neighbours to unite with him: accordingly, when Peter came (verse 27)," he found many that were come together," and, what is especially worthy of the remark of Christian congregations, they did not come dropping in (as we often see) during the whole time of service, but, says Cornelius, "We are all here present before God, to hear all those things that are commanded thee of God."

"Then Peter opened his mouth"-that is, he spoke with freedom and boldness. "I perceive (said he) that God is no respecter of persons ; but in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness (as did Cornelius) is accepted with him." But still it was well that he had sent for Peter, for he had still more good news to tell them as that he was not only a prophet sent of God; but also Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the anointed Saviour: nor was this all; he was a peron of su

preme diguity-He was "Lord of all "Lord of prophets and apostles, yea, of men and angels. “And we are witnesses," adds St. Peter, "of all things which he did both in Judea, and especially at Jerusalem. Moreover, when the Jews slew him and hung him on a tree, we are witnesses that God raised him up on the third day, and shewed him openly "-not to all the peo ple-" but unto witnesses chosen of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, that it is he which is ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him (also) give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."

Thus boldly and clearly did Peter display this gospel of the grace of God, to Gentiles as well as Jews, and his word was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the Holy Ghost, not only in its ordinary, but in its extraordinary gifts on Gentiles as well as Jews-he therefore commanded them to be baptized; and thus was the Christian Church opened to all nations, and the party wall between Jews and Gentiles broken down for ever.

Ver. 43. All the prophets, &c.-Most of them in a very express manner, and others indirectly; for

"the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy." Rev. xix. 10.

Peter justifies]

A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came

even to me:

6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.

8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.

9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.

11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Cesarea

unto me.

12 And the spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house: 13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;

14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.

16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall

[his own conduct.

be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.

20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.

21 And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

:

22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.

23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:

26 And when he had found him,

CHAP. XI. Ver. 17. What was I, that I could withstand God?" O that the sin of withstanding God [by laying down rules of Christian communion, which exclude any whom He has admitted] may not be laid to the charge of those who [act] with a good intention, but in an over fondness for their own forms."-Wesley.

Ver. 18. Held their peace.-Doddr. "acquiesced." Ver. 19. Antioch.-This was the capital of Syria, and the third city in the Roman Empire; Rome and Alexandria only ranking before it.-Doddr.

Ver. 20. To the Grecians-or Hellenists; that is,

Jews who used the Greek language. See Note on chap. vi. 1. But the Alexandrian MS. which is favoured by the Syriac and other ancient versions, and some Christian Fathers, reads, "the Greeks ;" plainly meaning Gentile Greeks, which Doddridge, Lardner, and Griesbach decidedly prefer; Campbell, Scott, and Boothroyd, however, defend the common version.

Ver. 26. With the church.-Marg. "In the church." So Hammond, Doddridge, &c.; meaning, perhaps, the house in which they used to assemble; but Mr. Townsend objects to this on the

CHAP. XI.

[to Antioch. spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar.

29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea:

30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul, (Y)

(Y) Ver. 1-30. Peter, to the Council, defends his preaching to the Gentiles.--Nothing is more certain than that the infallibility of the apostles extended only to their official character, as preachers and penmen of the sacred Scriptures. Peter's conduct, which was suspected by his brethren in this case to have been improper, was in another instance declared by Paul to have been decidedly wrong-"He was to be blamed." (Gal. ii. 11.) In the present instance he justified himself, however, in a manner perfectly satisfactory; and his brethren of the apostles and other disciples at Jerusalem, when they heard of the extraordinary manner in which he had been led to preach to the Gentiles, and the remarkable success which had attended his labours, glorified God, saying, "Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life!" A circumstance in which we also, who are sinners of the Gentiles, are called upon to rejoice, aud magnify the grace of God.

The next chapter leads us back to the time of Stephen's death, when the brethren that were scattered abroad, preached the gospel as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and even Antioch; but to the Jews only. And some "men of Cyprus and Cyrene," Greeks by birth, "spake unto the Grecians," but whether by these Grecians we are to understand Jews who spake the Greek language (as in chap. vi. 1), or native Greeks, is a point much disputed

among the critics. We find ourselves strongly inclined to the former, which is supported by the present Greek text; for it does not appear that Peter had yet preached to Cornelius, or, if he had, that it could be known so far off as Antioch. They had not received any special commission to preach to Gentiles, nor (strange as it may seem) does it appear that they had given the proper interpretation to our Lord's order of preaching to "all nations;" but seem rather to have understood it of preaching to the Jews and proselytes in "all nations" wherever they might find them scattered.

The converts at Antioch were, however, so numerous, that the Church at Jerusalem thought proper to send thither Barnabas to see how the cause of Christ went on and "when he had seen the grace of God," that is, the effects which it produced ou the lives and characters of the converts, "he was glad," and affectionately exhorted them to persevere: "for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith." He was not only a pious and sincere convert, but generous and "kindhearted" to the brethren, as we have explained his name (see Note on ch. iv. 36), and zealously affected" always in "a good cause," as this evidently was.

It may be recollected, also, that Barnabas was the person who introduced Saul to the apostles at Jerusalem, and informed them of his conversion (ch. ix. 27): and from that time there seems to have been

ground of their being probably too numerous: by the church, then, we may understand, the body of the faithful in that city.The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.-Doddr. thinks the original implies that they were so named by divine appointment, but Parkhurst denies the word any such meaning; and it seems much more probable that they received the name of Christians, as they had done those of Nazarenes and Galileans, from the populace. So in modern times the names of Lutherans, Calvinists, were not assumed, but given. See Camp. Diss. ix. part 1, 10.

Ver. 28. All the world.-So the Greek word confessedly signifies; but the best interpreters are compelled, with Lardner and Doddridge, to restrict it to Judea; and the former, for authority, quotes the lxx. on Josh. ii. 3; Isa. xiii. 6; and Luke iv. 25; xxi. 26.

Ibid. In the days of Claudius Cesar.-Lardner dates the commencement of this dearth (on the authority of Josephus) in the latter end of the 4th of Claudius (or about A: D. 44), and it probably continued during the two following years. Cred. vol. 1. ch, xi. 82.

Herod kills James]

CHAP. XII.

NOW about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

7 And, behold, the angel of the

[and imprisons Peter.

Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

a particular attachment formed between them finding, therefore, an opening for great usefulness in that city, he went to seek Saul, whose active and ardent mind he knew well adapted for such a sphere of labour; and it was possibly from his and his brethren's perpetual and zealous urging of the doctrine of "Christ, and him crucified," that the disciples here first received "the name of Christians." This name, though probably given them first by way of reproach, met their own wishes, and fulfilled the design of God. O that this name had been alone admitted, instead of the innumerable terms since adopted, which mark one an admirer of Paul and another of Apollos-one a follower of Luther and

another of Calvin, &c.; for who are all these but servants of one Master, even CHRIST?

At this period, St. Luke informs us, "came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch, one of whom, named Agabus, signified, by the spirit" of inspiration, the approach of famine in Judea. In consequence of this, without waiting till the distress should overwhelm them, the new converts in Antioch made a liberal subscription (or collection) for their brethren in Judea, which they sent by the hands of Barnabas and Saul, to the elders of the church at Jerusalein-those doubtless (whether lay or clerical) who had the management of the church's secular concerns.

CHAP. XII. Ver. 1. Herod.... stretched forth his hands-Doddr. "laid hands on some of the church to afflict them."

Ver. 2. With the sword-i. e. by beheading him. See Note on Matt. xx. 28.

Ver. 4. Four quaternions-i. e. four parties, of four soldiers each. -After Easter.-Doddr." The Passover." (Gr. Pascha.)

Ver. 5. Without ceasing.-Doddr." Earnest and continual prayer was made," &c. This may be illustrated by an allusion to Moses, whose hands being stretched out in prayer for Israel, were held up by Aaron and Hur. Exod. xvii. 11, 12.

Ver. 6. Bound with two chains.-One hand being chained to the soldier on his right hand, the other to another on his left.