been spectators of their conduct, and induce great numbers to embrace the Christian religion, when the danger arising thence was removed. They reasoned then, as we do now, that facts, in support of which so many hazard their lives, must be believed, and, if believed, be true. SECTION XV. Eneas is cured of a palsy, and Dorcas raised from the dead by Peter. ACTS ix. 32-43. 32. AND it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. As Christians were no longer molested by their enemies, but allowed a free intercourse with each other, Peter took advantage of this season of tranquillity, to visit every place in which there were any brethren, in order to encourage and animate them, in the profession of their new religion, by his presence and exhortations. Christians are here called saints, not with any reference to their moral character, as if they had better claims to sanctity than other men, but merely on account of their being members of the Christian community. The term was first applied to those who lived under the Mosaic dispensation, because the revelation of the divine will and other privileges which they enjoyed, consecrated them, as it were, to God, and was afterwards applied to Christians, because they were consecrated in a similar manner. 33. And there he found a certain man named Æneas, who had kept his bed eight years, being ill of the palsy. 34. And Peter said unto him, Æneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed, "Arise and spread thy house thyself," i. e. for the reception of guests; and he arose immediately. From the common translation of this verse, we might be led to suppose that Eneas was directed by Peter to rise and make his bed, that he might lie down upon it again immediately; but what occasion for lying down, if he was really cured of his malady? We cannot suppose that the cure was temporary, and only continued for a few hours; for then it would differ from all the other miracles of the same nature mentioned in the gospels; or, if it should be imagined that he was directed to make his bed for the following night, this, it is observed, does not correspond with the usage in eastern countries, where beds are nothing more than mats laid upon the floor, which are taken up and laid aside in the morning, and spread again at night. It seems much more probable, therefore, that Æneas was directed by Peter, who might intend to eat bread with him, to spread couches or carpets for his guests himself, in order to prove to all that he was perfectly recovered. To spread rooms for entertainments in this manner, is perfectly agreeable to the modern practice of the East, and was probably the ancient custom of the country. For we find an allusion to it in our Lord's time, who tells his disciples, when they asked him where he would have them prepare the passover, that they should find, in a particular place which he pointed out to them, a large upper room furnished, in the original, spread, Mark xiv. 15.; Luke xxii. 12, that is, spread with carpets or couches. Peter seems to have required from Æneas something like what his wife's mother, when cured of a fever, performed for Jesus, for "she arose, and ministered unto him."*" 35. And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron that had turned to the Lord, saw him. The writer In this manner this verse ought to be rendered. asserts that all Christians of these two places, being probably assembled together to hear Peter preach, were witnesses of the miraculous cure of Eneas. The common version asserts that all the inhabitants of Lydda and Saron saw him, and became Christians; a change which is very unlikely, considering the prejudices of the Jews; the more especially, as the latter of these two places was not a town, but a district; and is by no means countenanced by the words of the original. Luke now proceeds to give an account of another remarkable miracle, that was performed at the same time. 36. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, (which by interpretation is called Dorcas :) this woman was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did. 37. And it came to pass in those days that she was sick and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. 38. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay, "that he would not think it much," to come to them. They grounded their request to Peter to come and raise her * For the above illustration of this passage we are indebted to Mr. Harmer in his Observations on Scripture. Vol. II. p. 66, Note. Pearce and Wakefield. from the dead, upon the excellent character of Dorcas, and hoped that he would not think much of going so far, to restore to life so useful a person. The sooner this was done, the more desirable, no doubt, it would be, both to herself and to her friends. But it does not appear that the words of the messengers refer to any despatch with which he was desired to come, but merely to the reluctance which he might be supposed to feel, to confer so great a favour upon an ordinary person. 39. Then Peter arose and went with them: when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber and all the widows stood by him, weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, "was making," while she was with them. Being herself, probably, a widow, she employed herself in making clothes for the poor, and what were shown to Peter were the things which she was making when she fell sick and died. In eastern countries, it was usual, and the custom still continues, when a person dies, for the friends and neighbours to assemble in the room where the dead body lies, and to utter loud cries and lamentations. This is considered as an honour to the deceased.* And this was the purpose for which these women were assembled. As they might be noisy and troublesome, Peter thought it prudent, as Jesus had done in a like case, to put them all forth. 40. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down and prayed, begging God, no doubt, to exert his power, and turning him to the body, said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints, the Christians, and widows, he presented her alive. He congratulated them, no doubt, on the joyful event which had taken place, and upon the recovery of their friend. The circumstances of this resurrection are highly favourable to the supposition that the mind dies with the body, and is restored to life with it. For the mind of Dorcas remained with her body many hours after death, and would probably have remained with the corpse till the general resurrection, had she not, in the meantime, been raised to life by Peter. So remarkable a miracle was well calculated to make a strong impression upon the minds of all who heard of it, and to convince them of the divine mission of those that preached the gospel. Accordingly we find that it had that effect. 42. And it was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. * Harmer's Observations, Vol. II. p. 135, &c. 43. And it came to pass that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner. REFLECTIONS. 1. THE benevolent exertions of Dorcas, in making clothes for the poor, may teach us an useful method of exercising our charity. Such donations discover greater benevolence of heart, and are frequently more valuable to the poor than presents of money. What is bestowed in this last way is often given without thought, and spent without economy. But the other gifts are not so easily misapplied. Requiring sometimes labour and exertion, they discover more of a benevolent spirit than pecuniary assistance, which may be afforded without any trouble. The hands of Dorcas were more honourably employed in making necessary articles of dress for the poor, than in adorning her own person; and so will the hands of all those of her sex who imitate her example; nor let them be displeased to hear that much time, now wasted and lost, might be applied to advantage in this way. 2. We learn, also, how acceptable such alms-deeds and other good works are to God, as well as to man. They procured for this excellent woman and benevolent Christian, the esteem of her acquaintance and the gratitude of the poor. But they did something more; they procured for her the great honour and singular advantage of being raised from the dead; which was a clear proof of the approbation and favour of God. I call it an honour to be thus restored to life, because only a few were thus distinguished, and those eminent, probably, like Lazarus, for the excellence of their characters: and an advantage, because it afforded fresh opportunities of doing good to others, of improving her own religious character, and hereby of greatly increasing her future reward. To one who knew so well how to employ her time, a restoration to life was a valuable blessing. But ill would it deserve that name, if, during the interval between her death and resurrection, her soul went to heaven, where the pleasures of good men, and their advantages for improvement, are multiplied an hundred-fold, and was sent back from this happy state, to occupy her body again, and to struggle with the disadvantages and evils of mortality. Life, restored in such circumstances, would be a misfortune rather than a blessing; a subject of condolence rather than of congratulation. But not such, undoubtedly, was the favour conferred in the present instance. Time, that would have been unproductive in the grave, was now bestowed upon one who knew how to apply it to the best purposes. 3. The joy which took place between Dorcas and her friends, when she was presented to them alive, may give us some faint idea of the pleasure which will be felt by good men, at the first interview with each other at the general resurrection from the dead. How delighted will they be to behold each other again; with what joy will they be transported to find themselves safely landed on the happy shores of that world; to find their fears and anxieties dissipated, their hopes and wishes realized; to behold themselves in the company of friends whom they most valued and esteemed, entering upon a new state of existence, abounding with all good things, and never to have an end; where pleasure will be enjoyed without any mixture of pain, and where friends will have no reason to fear a separation any more! Blessed and glorious period! for the prospect of which we are indebted to the gospel of Christ. May we do nothing now that may forfeit our title to this happiness; nothing that may unfit us for those blissful regions. SECTION XVI. The Conversion of Cornelius. ACTS x. 1-48. xi. 1-18. 1. THERE was a certain man in Cæsarea, called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A centurion was a captain of one hundred soldiers. This was the rank of Cornelius, in a band of men called the Italian, because composed principally of natives of that country. They were probably the life-guard of the Roman governor, who generally resided in the city of Cæsarea. 2. A devout man, and one that feared God, with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. This is evidently a description of the personal character of Cornelius, and not, as some have supposed, a mere denomination of a proselyte to the Jewish religion. Although a Gentile and uncircumcised, he was a devout and benevolent man; which dispositions he manifested by acts of beneficence, and by praying to God at those hours which were observed for prayer by the Jews. A man of this charaeter was justly selected from among the Gentiles, for receiving the first communication of the gospel. 3. He saw in a vision evidently, about the ninth hour of the day, one of the Jewish hours of prayer, an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius ! The circumstance of his appearing in bright clothing, is mentioned in verse the thirtieth. |