The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 349

of a holy cause are often, it ma.y be always, to be found a.mongst those who have bcrn its sincere opponents. Thus do extremes meet i thus out of weakness comes strength, from bitterness sweetness; thus does the gracious a.nd gentle will of God select foes to turn them into friends. But we shall see in the next section the further victory of Divine love over the narrowness and hate of the human heart.-J. Vere. 1-8.-The Spirie of God in the Gentile world. Ozsarea. Roman spirit there. Philip's visit (see eh. viii. 40). Herod's influence. Possible contact of Cornelius with gospel truth. Necessity that the entrance of the Church on its new territory should be solemn, authorized, undoubtedly firm, because of the subsequent controversies which would be largely settled by reverting to the facts. I. ConNELIUS A TYPE of the religious heathen under the influence of the Spirit. 1. Devotion may be sincere, while unenlightened; yet needing the higher teachin;,:. 2. Almsaiving, when accompanied by prayer, a sign of real religion. 3. Household piety. The true ma.n lives his faith, however imperfect. As best he could he feared God in the regulation of his life. IL SUPERNATURAL HELP leads on the seeking minds. The resources which were open to the heathen world insufficient. Philosophy dumb on the greatest questions. Heathen priests mostly deceivers. Cornelius was not satisfied. Sense of sin awakened. '£he heathen must be evangelized, even though we admit that their religious position is not absolutely hopeless. The gospel is not a mere individual message ; it proclaims a remedy for universal ills. The centurion was a man of great influence. His con- version would open the way of the truth to many others. ill. LESSONS FOB Goo's PEOPLE to be learnt from those without. 1. Responsibility for light. 2. Position to be faithfully employed for God. 3. Family religion-eveu soldiers in the house had learnt devoutness from their master. 4. Follow the leading, of God's voice.-R. Vers. 9-16 (or ver. 15).-The light of heaven on the open gate of a new world. Review the preparations made for the revelation to be now vouchsafed. The teaching of Christ. His commission to his apostles. Stephen; Paul ; Samaria. Peter'; charge of the key, His visit to Jappa. His mind probably already at work on the problem. I. THE TWO WORLDS FACE TO FACE-the heathen and the Jewish, both the scene of spiritual manifestations. The two streams of grace flowing, ready to commingle in one broad river of new life. 1. Take the two men as types or the two different forms of thought and faith-Peter and Cornelius. 2. Both worlds need supernatural com- munications. Jews had abused privilege. Gentiles had trampled underfoot the remnants of Divine tradition. 3. '£he new world, that is, the new humanity to oo called forth, a union of the Jewish and the Gentile. Christ making peace (Eph. ii. 11-22). II. 'l'BE LIGHT DESCENDING FROM HEAVEN at the open gate. 1. Such a vision requisite to dispel the darlmess of Peter's mind and to assure his faith. He was practically weak (see his controversy with Paul, Gal. ii.). 2. A reversion to the original position of man in creation. All distinctions of clean and unclean subsequent to creation (see Gen. i.). 3. .Authority removes what authority had prescribed. "God hath cleansed." 4. While the vision must have loosened prejudice, it was not itself commandment. It prepares the way, shows the open door, but is not itself a sub- stitute for God's Spirit. Learn from this that all such help should be used in depen- dence on the still higher help, the direct teaching of God's Spirit, both by facts and words.-R, Vers. 17-23.-The finger-post of ProvidenCt1. It is well when we can look away from visions to facts, and deal with living men. Opportunity for action often disperses the cloud of perplexity. The vision in the memory, the men at the gate, the Spirit presiding over all, I. Gon's METHOD ILLUSTRATED. 1. The subjective and the objective united. Tho spirit within is experience. The work of grace in tho outward world. 2. Providential guidance is vouchsafed. The facts that will help us are at the gate. 3. There is  'l'HE ACTS OF TllE APOSTLES. [en. x. 1-48.