093. Prayer of Cornelius.
Acts 10:1-2, etc.
We come now to another important era in the history of the Christian Church, where her covenant privileges are to be extended to a people hitherto “without God and without hope in the world,”—the Gentiles.
Up to this time, the Gospel had been preached only to Jews. It was the express direction of Jesus Christ, that the proffers of salvation should be first made to them—“beginning at Jerusalem.” But it was not the design of Infinite Benevolence to confine the blessings and privileges of the Gospel exclusively to them, although the Jews so thought. Christ suffered for all, whether Jews or Gentiles; and his commission to his apostles was, “Go, disciple all nations;” as if he had said:
“Behold the way!” ye heralds cry;
Spare not, but lift your voices high;
Convey the sound from pole to pole, “Glad tidings!” to the captive soul.
Eight years had elapsed, during which no Gentile had been openly called into the kingdom, nor had it been announced that any might enter. The middle wall was still standing. The barriers of exclusion were still strong; nor had it been revealed, even to the apostles, that that wall was to be demolished, or those barriers to be removed. But the day for the breaking down of this middle wall of partition had now arrived. The waters of life could no longer be restrained. They had been accumulating, in reference to a blessing upon the Gentile world, and, now, we are about to see them gush forth on every side—to spread broader and deeper—and to continue flowing until the end of time.
There was living, at this time, at Caesarea, a man by the name of Cornelius. By birth he was probably a Roman; by profession, a soldier. It is evident that he was not a Jew; nor is there reason to believe that he was in any sense a proselyte to the Jewish religion. It seems probable that he was a Gentile, known and acknowledged as such; otherwise, Peter would have felt less reluctance to extend to him the right hand of fellowship; and it was because he was a Gentile, (and that by means of his conversion the barrier between Jew and Gentile was to be broken down,) that such preliminaries were necessary to remove the prejudices and enlighten the minds of the apostles in regard to the introduction of the Gentiles to Gospel privileges. But though Cornelius was a Gentile, “he was a devout man, and one that feared God.” He was a pious man, and the pious sentiments which he entertained towards Jehovah, he was successful in inculcating upon his family. He was, moreover, a man of prayer. “He prayed to God always:” i.e. frequently, perhaps at stated seasons. That he maintained private, or closet prayer, is evident. It is also to be inferred, that he maintained family devotion. And such was his sincerity, and such his faith, that we are informed that with his prayers and alms God was well pleased. “Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.”
It is not to our purpose to pursue this narrative further; nor shall we attempt to conjecture what were the tenor and burden of his prayers. It is quite evident that he did not pray in the name of Jesus Christ, nor could he plead the promises of a child of Abraham. He had no other light that we know of to direct him, than that which is shed upon all from the works of nature. He might have enjoyed means of knowledge with which we are unacquainted. Possibly some portion of the word of God might have fallen into his hands. Possibly some Jew might have instructed him. Possibly some convert to the religion of Jesus might have given him some outline of the Gospel. But this is only conjecture, and, we must confess, improbable. It seems, rather, from the manner in which the Gospel was made known to him, that he was entirely ignorant of it, and ignorant that the blessings, either of the Abrahamic covenant or of the Christian dispensation, were ever designed to be extended to him or his countrymen. The revelation was a new one—surprising to him, and still more surprising to the Jews, who thought to have monopolized every spiritual blessing, whether proceeding from the old or the new covenant.
And, now, what are we to gather in respect to prayer from the case of Cornelius? May we not hope that there are thousands in heathen lands, who do pray with the faith and sincerity of Cornelius: and, like him, are accepted of God? In lands where the Gospel shines, prayer, in order to be acceptable, must be offered in the name, and in the faith of Jesus Christ. To this, there is no exception, unless it be in those cases where the mind is darkened through unintentional ignorance or prejudice. But, in heathen countries, where the name of Jesus is unknown, prayer, in his name or in reliance upon him, is not to be expected. And yet, the “spirit of faith” may exist, we hope—those dispositions of the heart which would embrace a Redeemer, were a Redeemer revealed. Cornelius embraced the Savior when he was offered to him: and prayer, ascending from any soul, and every soul which would embrace him, wherever it exists, in the heathen world, must be acceptable to God.
Let this thought comfort us in those dark and gloomy hours, which every Christian experiences, when pondering upon the state of the heathen world. There are there, indeed, thousands and tens of thousands of altars erected to Moloch and to the host of heaven. Yet, may we not hope that there are other altars here and there—not a few in the aggregate— where prayer, according to the dim light of nature, is offered, and is acceptable to God?
But, were there a thousand more such altars than we have reason to believe there are, our efforts to extend the full blessings of the gospel to them should not be lessened. Rather should Christians, who appreciate the blessings of a throne of grace, increase their exertions in behalf of those who dwell in pagan lands.
O’er the realms of pagan darkness Let the eye of pity gaze;
See the kindreds of the people Lost in sin’s bewild’ring maze.
Darkness brooding On the face of all the earth.
Light of them that sit in darkness!
Rise and shine—thy blessings bring:
Light to lighten all the Gentiles!
Rise with healing in thy wing; To thy brightness Let all kings and nations come.