creation, represented as cleansed, signified that all differences were henceforth to be done away; there was to be no longer any distinction between Jew and Gentile, but in every nation 'he that feareth GOD and worketh righteousness is acceptable to Him' (v. 35).

S. Peter is commanded to 'kill and eat,' to teach him that, through his ministry, the Gentiles were to be incorporated into the Church or Body of Christ, for to S. Peter the commission had been given to open the door of the Church, or kingdom of heaven, to all nations (S. Matt. xvi. 19).

The circumstances attending the conversion of S. Paul and that of Cornelius are in many ways very similar. Saul sees in a vision one named Ananias coming in to restore his sight. Cornelius is directed in a vision to send for Simon surnamed Peter. Thus each receives a sign that the vision is a reality. Ananias at Damascus and S. Peter at Joppa are also instructed by means of a vision as to the course they are to pursue. Both are at first reluctant to obey the vision. Ananias has heard how much evil Saul has done to the saints. S. Peter is unwilling to eat anything common or unclean. In each case also the blessing is bestowed in answer to prayer. 'Behold, he prayeth,' is said of Saul. Cornelius, thy prayer is heard,' is the greeting of the Angel.

Lessons to be drawn from the Narrative :

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1. GOD overrules and foreordains even the smallest details of our lives. Nothing is beneath His notice. Ananias is directed to find Saul in a certain house in a street called Straight; the Angel who speaks to Cornelius is well acquainted with the humble abode of Simon the tanner by the sea-side at Joppa.

2. The holy Angels are GOD's messengers, continually employed by Him in ministering to us on earth, taking the deepest interest in all that concerns us, protecting us from

dangers, both to our souls and bodies, and presenting our prayers before the Throne of GOD (Ps. xci. 11; S. Luke i. 19; xv. 10; S. Matt. xviii. 10; Acts v. 19; xii. 7; xxvii. 23; Heb. i. 14; Rev. v. 11, 12; viii. 3).

3. Prayer should be accompanied by fasting and almsgiving. If our prayers are earnest and sincere, they will certainly reach the Throne of Grace, and be abundantly answered; for GOD is always more ready to hear than we to pray, and is wont to give more than either we desire or deserve.

4. We should ever be obedient to the inspirations of GOD'S Holy Spirit, ever willing to be taught, laying aside all prejudices, and trusting to GOD to remove all difficulties which seem to hinder us from carrying out His purposes.

NOTES.-The 'house-top' (v. 9) was the flat roof universal in the East, and was used for various purposes (Josh. ii. 6; Judg. xvi. 27; 1 Sam. ix. 25; 2 Sam. xi. 2; 2 Kings xxiii. 12; Neh. viii. 16; Isa. xv. 3; Jer. xix. 13; xlviii. 38; Zeph. i. 5; S. Matt. x. 27).

Though there were clean as well as unclean animals presented to S. Peter (v. 12), the clean were defiled by contact with the unclean, and S.. Peter could not therefore touch any without breaking the Jewish law (Lev. xi. 24, 32–34).

LESSON XX.

The Calling of the Gentiles.

Read Acts x. 24-48 ; xi. 1-18. Learn Isa. xlix. 6; Eph. ii. 14, 17-22.

1. S. Peter's Reception (ch. x. 24–33).

Picture Cornelius anxiously awaiting the return of his messengers. He has called his friends and relations around him, for he is anxious that they should share in his blessings. As S. Peter approaches the house, Cornelius goes out to meet him, and, moved by a feeling of deep reverence towards God's messenger, falls at his feet to worship him.

But S. Peter, like S. Paul and S. Barnabas on a later occasion (ch. xiv. 11-15), refuses to accept such homage; he raises him up quickly, exclaiming, 'Stand up; I myself also am a man.' Cornelius was quite aware of the dislike of the Jews to associate with the Gentiles; it was for this reason that his messengers had been instructed to stand outside the house of Simon until they were invited to enter (v. 17-23); and in his going forth to meet and converse with S. Peter we recognise that same spirit of humility which so distinguished another Roman centurion (S. Luke vii. 6); he did not consider himself worthy to invite him under his roof.

But S. Peter had learnt from the vision he had so lately seen that he was no longer to call any man common or unclean; he therefore entered the centurion's house without

scruple, and heard from his lips the account of the heavenly vision with which he had been favoured.

2. S. Peter's Address (ch. x. 34-43).

To that earnest and devout congregation assembled in the centurion's house, S. Peter preaches the Gospel of CHRIST. Probably it was not the first time that Cornelius had heard of JESUS of Nazareth; he had very likely attended the Roman governor when he visited Jerusalem for the purpose of keeping order there at the annual Feasts. He might even have met with the faithful centurion of Capernaum (S. Luke vii. 2-9), or with the centurion who stood by the Cross (S. Matt. xxvii. 54), or possibly he had conversed with the soldiers who had assisted at the Crucifixion, and who, while they watched the Sepulchre, had become unwilling witnesses of the Resurrection.

In this address to uncircumcised Gentiles, S. Peter is careful to represent the Jews as receiving the first offer of the Gospel of CHRIST (v. 36). He then goes on to sum up all the articles of the Creed, telling his hearers that JESUS is the CHRIST, the LORD of all-sent to reconcile the world to GOD -preached by S. John Baptist-anointed by the Holy Spirit-manifesting His power by miracles-crucified-raised from the dead-seen alive after His Resurrection-ordained to be the Judge of quick and dead (v. 36-42). And the message of peace first preached unto Israel as God's chosen people was now extended to all who would receive it. Jew and Gentile were henceforth alike in the sight of GOD, for 'through His Name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins' (v. 43).

3. The Baptism of Cornelius (ch. x. 44–48).

Before S. Peter's discourse was ended, the same great gift was poured forth upon those uncircumcised Gentiles as had been given to the hundred and twenty in the Upper

Room on the Day of Pentecost. To the amazement of the six companions of S. Peter, the descent of the Holy Ghost upon these Gentiles was made manifest by the same signs which had been vouchsafed to the believers in Jerusalem. 'They heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God' (v. 46).

Yet, though the gift of the Holy Spirit had been so apparent, S. Peter does not omit the outward sign which CHRIST had ordained as the means of admission into His Church (S. John iii. 5; S. Matt. xxviii. 19).

'Can any man forbid the water,' he asks, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we (v. 47.) ‘And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the LORD' (v. 48).

It is evident from Holy Scripture, that the Apostles did not usually baptize with their own hands-partly, perhaps, lest they should be supposed to be desirous of forming sects of those whom they had baptized (1 Cor. i. 12-17), and partly also lest after their death it might have been imagined that Baptism had lost some of its efficacy, being no longer administered by those who had been called by CHRIST, and had received extraordinary graces of the Holy Ghost.

Being baptized in the Name of the LORD' does not mean that they were not baptized into the Name of the Holy Trinity. Our Blessed LORD's instructions leave no doubt on this point (S. Matt. xxviii. 19). The words simply mean they were baptized according to the Baptism which He instituted (comp. ch. xix. 2-5).

The extraordinary outpouring of the Holy Ghost before Baptism on the first Gentile converts was a special and solitary instance, in order to authorise S. Peter to admit Cornelius and the other Gentiles into the Church of CHRIST. When his conduct was afterwards called in question, this was his unanswerable argument (ch. xi. 17). S. Peter would not have ventured to baptize those who were uncircumcised unless he had heard them prophesying, and had seen the