THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LEADING DOCTRINES OF THE GOSPEL.
Acts x. 43. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name lohosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
FOR the space of two thousand years the know- ledge of the true God was confined to one nation. But from the beginning it was God's intention in due time to reveal himself to the Gentiles also, and to incorporate them with the Jewish Church. This was frequently declared by the prophets % and insisted on by our Lordb : yet such was the force of prejudice, that the Apostles themselves, notwithstanding the instructions they had received from their Divine Master, and the express commission given them to preach the Gospel to every creature0, could not con- ceive that the partition wall was to be broken down. For six years after the day of Pentecost they con- tinued to preach to Jews only ; and, when they heard that Peter had gone to speak to a Gentile, they were filled with indignation, and called him to an account for what they deemed a most unwarrantable pro- ceeding'1.
a See Rom. ix. 25—27. and x. 18—20.
b Matt. viii. 11, 12. and John x. 16.
c Matt, xxviii. 19. and Mark xvi. 10. (I Malt. xvi. 19.
It had been foretold to Peter, that he should have the keys of the kingdom of heaven6, or of the Gospel dispensation. He had already opened the door to the Jews on the day of Pentecost1: and now he was sent of God to open it to the Gentiles. The manner in which his doubts were removed will be noticed in another place : at present we observe, that his high commission was executed in the ever-memorable words which we have just read : in elucidating which, we shall consider,
I. The doctrines contained in them —
The Apostle's address to his Gentile audience was concise ; but it was clear and energetic. The two leading points in which all men need to be informed were laid down with precision, namely, that salvation is,
1. Through Christ as the author —
[To see the force and propriety of the Apostle's words, we must consider the occasion of them, and the character of the person to whom they were addressed.
The person who had sent for him was " Cornelius, a cen- turion of the Italian bandg." He was a Gentile, but had renounced idolatry, and was a worshipper of the true God. He was singularly pious and "devout:" he was extremely liberal even to the very " people " who held him in abhorrence : and he was careful to bring up his family also in the fear of God. This man, on a day that he had set apart for solemn fasting and prayer h, was visited by an angel, who directed him to send for Peter to shew him the way of salvation \
Now it was to this man that Peter spake, when he said, that remission of sins was to be obtained " through the name of Christ." We must therefore understand him as saying, that, however Cornelius might be a worshipper of Jehovah, and not of idols ; however sincerely he might fear God, however emi- nent he might be in respect of abstinence and devotion, of liberality and attention to the spiritual welfare of his family, salvation was not to be obtained by any of these things under the Gospel dispensation, but was to be sought through the name and merits of Jesus Christ. Christ was sent to make atonement for our sins, and to reconcile us unto God; and
e Acts xi. 2, 3. f Acts ii. 14, 38, 41. s Acts x. 1, 2.
h Acts x. 30. It is not improbable that lie was engaged in prayer with his family at the very time God sent the angel to him. Com- pare rwoiKw in ver. 2. and ver. 30.