n Ic was ſtrange that Peter ſhould be ſent for, or that he ſhould go 0n ſuch an account, wiz. to raiſe one that was dead ; but God, who had ordered this Miracle for the manifcſtation of his truth and glory, ſo wrought in their hearts, that they did this out of faith. ; though 1f others ſhould think to imitate it, 1t would be but pre- ſumption. o Here needed no mourning women to be hired; the dzath of this woman was a common loſs : theſe coats were made by Dircarin her life time, to cloath the poor and naked withal.
40 But Peter p put them all forth,and q kneeled down | rand prayed,and turning him tothe body,ſaid, Tabitha, ariſe, And opened her eyes : and when ſhe ſaw Peter,
ſhe ſat up.
p P:ter putthem out, that he might pray the more earneſtly with- ent diftraQtion, or interruption ; thus E£/;ſhz ſhut the door to him, : Kngs 4. 33- When he prayed for the Shunamite's Son. 9 This his kneeling 15 mentioned, to recommend reverence in our praying unto God. # Peter by his betaking himſelf unto Prayer, would ſhew, that he could do nothing by his own power, but ic muſt come from above ; and he had every mercy, as much precariouſly, and by prayer, as any other.
41 And he gave her his hand, and lift her up ; and when he had called s the faints and widows, preſented t her alive.
: Such who had ſent for him, and now were gathered together, to ſee what eff:&s his prayers might have. #£ And in perfe&t health, all were that were miraculouſly cured ; for the Lords worksare perf:Q&, Dent. 32. 4.
42 And it was known throughout all Joppa ; and #« many believed in the Lord.
4 This cure was wrought, and all the other Miracles were done to bea means ro make the Goſpel to be believed, which he pub- Iiſh?d, and was an undeniable proof, that this Do&rine was from
ven ; for none cou!d do fuch things, ualeſs God were with him, or rather unlefs God did them by him ; So thar this Miracle wrought | by St. er, did more good to the Souls of many, than to the body of this relieved woman.
43 Andit came to paſs, that he tarried x many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
« The Miracle had onely prepared them to receive his Do&rine, Wuch Petey tarried ſome time with them, to inſtruct them in : The Miracle had prepared the ground, and now he takes this ſeaſon to low the ſeed of the word into it.
CHAP. X
Corneling being a devout man, is commanded by an Angel to ſend for Peter, ro be mnſirutied by him, 1-————9, Peter ſeeth the wiſion of a7 1anmcy of Beaſts, 9 16. Cornelius's ſervants enquire for
cer : who being warned of God, goeth with them to Calarea, where Oornelius received him with oreas reverence, 1] —>—26. Peter relateth what God had fbewed him : fo dorh Cornelius, 27 JJ Peter preaching Chriſt to Cornelius, and his family, the Holy Gif
4! t4 4 I pe "my A y FE _ 7 . 3 . , Jaberh upon ail ;_ They ſpeak with ftirange tongues ; and are baptized
j IEter, 3 qumoemnowgs,
YoL IL
all his houſe, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God dalway.
6 This Cornelirzs was a Profelyte of the gate, or ſuch as obſerved the ſeven precepts of Nzzh, and lived without giving iny cftence tc the Fews. » It was a very good 1tgn that he teared God, in thac he ingaged all his houle to do rhe hke, at leat outwardly, which was as much as he could do ; this was fpokei by God in tbrahrm's commendation, Ger. 18.19. &d He did not neglett the feafons of prayer, eſpecially the time of offering the morning and evening Sacrifice ; which by prayer they delired to partake the benefit ot, by which Chriſt our Sacrifice, and his merits were figured unto them ; Cornelis indeed prayed always, or at all cimes, raking time in a moral ſenſe, for the ſeatons and opportunities for ſuch a duty ; (as weare commanded to give always thanks gg#fph. 5. 20) but he could not pray always, or at all times, taking time 1n a natyra/ ſenſe ; for then he muſt have negle&ed all other duties; howlo- ever, his endeavour was to keep his heart always in a praying dit- polition.
3 He ſaw ina e viſion evidently, abour f the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and ſaying unto him, Cornelius.
e Not ina dream or rapture, but fenfibly and plainly, Ff Their ninth hour, was with us about three a clock in the afternoon,being
the ordinary time for the evening Sacrifice; and by conleguence their time of prayer, Chap. z- 1, And this devout man docty nor teek Gods face in vain; Cornelir had been faithful in a little, and
God would give him much : Rather than he ſhould wont further inſtruction, who had improved whar he had already ; God here {ends an Ange!, and foon after an Apoſtle unro him.. |
4 Ana when hz looked on him, he was g afraid, and ſaid 4, Whatisit Lord ? And he faid unto him, Thy prayers: and thine aims are come up tor a & meinorial before God.
Zg The Angels appeared in fo great ſplendor; all admiration hath ſome fear with it. + This is equivalent ro What wile thou have me to do ? And ſhews that Cornelius was prepared to hear the mellage.
£ Prayer and alms are joyned together in our Saviours diſcourſe con-
cerning them, Mat. 6.1, &c. in the Apoſtles order about them }. 1 Cor. 16. 1. Alms are our Sacritices now under the Goſpel , P-:/, 4.18. Hcb. 13. 16. k& An alluſion to the offering np of incenſe under the Law ; the ſmoak of the incenſe did aſcend ; and to David deſires that his prayers nnght alcend to God ward, P/al. 141. 2, thus under the Goſpel, prayers are retembled to incenſe, Rev. 8. 3. That prayers are ſaid ro come up for a memorial, is but the purſuance of the ſame Metaphor ; for Lv. 2.2. the frank-incenſe, ©. was the memorial there commanded to be burned ; and all this onely to re- preſent unto us, how well-pleaſing the prayers of his people are un- ro God through Chriſt, and that God keeps in remembrance all thoſe things they thus deſire of him, and in his time and meaſure (which are the beſt circumſtances, beſtows all upon them ; bur ler nor pray- ers and alms, which God here hath put together, be put aſunder, and in due time we ſhall reap.
5 And now ſend men to / Joppa, and call tor oe Simon, whoſe ſurname is Perer :
IA Town that was memorable for Jona>'s taking ſhipping there, when he would flee from God, and decline his methage, Jonah 1. 2. -m The Angel would have declared the Goſpel, and inftructed Co7- relircs ; bur he ſends him to Peter, God being willing tor to konous the means of his own inſticution.