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I will say a few words on each of these heads more particularly.

First, we see the sort of person whom the Lord delights to honor, when we look at Cornelius's condition, and observe under how many drawbacks and difficulties, the like of which are too commonly found enough to discourage almost any one, he contrived (if I may so speak) to be an acceptable worshipper. He was not a Jew, but a Gentile; not one of God's people, but a heathen. Who can express the amount of this disadvantage? It may be comprehended, in some degree, by considering, how much we think is said in excuse of any particular sin a man falls into, if it can be truly stated of him, that his friends and parents were little better than heathens, and he was brought up such altogether. When this can be said, it is generally thought to go a good way toward apologizing for the errors and vices of any one. How much more in the case of a real heathen, brought up altogether as such, and only thrown among Jews, by God's providence, as a soldier serving in their country, and at a time when they were so very degenerate, full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Again, Cornelius was a soldier; a pursuit and way of life, not thought in general particularly favorable to the exercise of true devotion. He was a soldier in the Roman army, a set of persons remarkable for pride, and for contempt of all but their own will and pleasure.

Yet even this person, being stationed by the will of God among his own nation, the Jews, within reach of the Holy Scriptures and of the temple worship, was so impressed with the truth and goodness of the law and service of the Eternal God, that although it does not seem as if he had become a regular proselyte, he yet devoted himself to the service of the Most High; he became a devout man, and used himself to serve God with all his house; giving much alms to the people, that is, to the Jews (whom most Romans so greatly despised), and praying to God always.

This leads us to say something, secondly, of the sort of service which Almighty God is likely to bless and

approve, in persons unfavorably situated, as Cornelius

was.

First, he was a devout man; that is, one who cherished in himself the holy and reverential thoughts, which came from time to time into his mind; and which, though he could not as yet know or dream of such a thing, were the godly motions of that good Spirit, which was preparing to come down and regenerate him, dwelling within that heart which showed itself so ready to obey his calls from a distance. Cornelius was a devout man, and lived in a sense of God's presence.

The next thing told of him is, that he served God, with all his house. He did not, as some do, think it enough to have pious wishes in his mind; according to the expressions which I have heard more than once, when people are called to account for their open neglect of religion: I have heard them say, "Ah, nobody knows what good thoughts I have secretly in my heart." Cornelius did not so: he felt that merely wishing is nothing, and therefore he took care to serve God openly in his house he strove to make his servants also religious. No doubt he brought on himself the wonder, and sometimes the laughter, of his associates in the Roman army; but still he went on praying himself, and teaching and encouraging his servants to pray.

Does not this teach us something, as many as live in a Christian country, and yet suffer any slight excuse to hinder them either in their own regular prayers, or in seeing that their families pray, morning and evening? And is it not the greatest encouragement to those, who put up with some little inconvenience, for the sake of securing a few minutes, for the daily sacrifice of prayer and praise to the Most High, in their own households, if they cannot attend his church?

Observe, I say, the daily and regular sacrifice; for this, in particular, is noted of Cornelius, that he prayed to God, not by fits and starts, but always. He was glad when they said unto him, "let us go into the house of the Lord let us worship and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker." He was not, as we too often

:

are, glad to have been to church in the morning, because we think ourselves thereby excused from going in the afternoon. But, as it is recorded of a good and holy man of our own church, and not far from this very neighborhood, two hundred years ago, "he would have rejoiced to spend his life in that place, where the honor of his Master, Jesus, dwelleth.""He prayed to God alway;" that is, he never missed, if he could help it, the occasions and opportunities of solemnly worshipping him.

And he added to his prayers both alms and fasting— the two wings, as they are called, of prayer. "He gave much alms to the people," preferring in his bounty those whom he had cause to think God preferred: according to the rule of St. Paul: "Do good unto all men, espe cially to them which are of the household of faith."

This was the general course of his life, under all his disadvantages. And to mark especially God's approbation of it, observe how he was employed at the very time the angel came to him. He was keeping a solemn fast on a certain day, having taken nothing until the ninth hour, that is, until three in the afternoon; at which time he set himself to pray the appointed service, which God's people used at that hour in his house: for the ninth hour, that is, three in the afterooon, was one of the regular hours of prayer, constantly observed among the Jews, and afterward also among the Christians.

Such was Cornelius's employment, when an angel of God stood before him; called him by his name; assured him (O unspeakable reward for a whole life of selfdenial!) that his prayers and his alms had gone up for a memorial before God; and told him where and to whom he should send, to receive instructions as to God's pur pose of grace; and not only instruction, but admittance into the kingdom of heaven-the Holy Spirit coming down to dwell in his heart. And these blessings he was to receive, not for himself only, but, as the first of believing Gentiles, for all who from all quarters of the world should come in, and give their names to be servants of Christ. And to make the favor still more signal,

the Holy Spirit at the same time instructed St. Peter, by a wonderful vision, that it was his will to break through, in the person of Cornelius, the partition wall which had so long separated the Gentiles from the people of God. And beside all this, when the apostle had come and had spoken to Cornelius and his family, and they (as they had no other thought) were listening with humble and obedient and believing hearts, the Holy Spirit himself, in his visible signs, fell on them that heard the word; they began to speak with tongues, and to magnify God: and thereby St. Peter felt quite sure, that the Divine Spirit had chosen them for his inhabitation, as entirely as those who had before been called to be Christians from among the Jews: and no time was lost in baptizing them, that they might be regenerate, and have the Spirit not only prophesying by them, but dwelling in their hearts, and uniting them to Jesus Christ.

Such is the rich, the unspeakable, inconceivable encouragement, which this history of the calling of Cornelius offers to all, who humbly endeavor to serve God under great worldly discouragements: setting out (as one may speak) from the spot whereon they now stand, favorable or unfavorable; and trying to keep themselves, by prayer, by fasting, and by works of kindness to their brethren, alive and open to the influences of the Holy Spirit.

It is a part of Scripture particularly meant for those, who for various reasons think religion nearly out of the question for them; for those who are very destitute and ignorant, living perhaps on the charity of others; for those whose whole time seems engrossed, by hard work or by troublesome trade; who are made anxious by their families, or by the state of their health—to all such the word is gone forth, if they will but have the heart to receive it: "God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation," every condition, under every sort of disadvantage, "he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness," will surely be accepted of him.

And when he says, "accepted of him," it is no ordinary blessing that he speaks of, but it is the crown and VOL. II.-14

sum of all blessings, the justification of a Christian man. It is that which our Lord promised when he said, “ if a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him; and we," that is, the Father and the Son, by the Spirit, "will come unto him, and make our abode with him."

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