and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &C. to Æneas and his family, the fame of it being blazed through all the neighbouring country, and many believed in the doc- trine of the Son of God. It was even known . at Joppa, a fea-port town about fix miles from Lydda ; and the brethren immediately fent for Peter, on the follow- ing melancholy occafion: Tabitha, whole Greek name was Dorcas, a woman vene- rable for her piety and extenfive charity, was newly dead, to the great lofs of all mankind who loved the paths of virtue, efpecially the poor and afflifed, who were fupported by her benevolence. When St. Peter arrived, he found her dreffed for her funeral folemnity, and furrounded.by mournful widows, who chewed the coats and garments wherewith The had clothed them, the monuments of ber liberality : but Peter put them all out, and kneeling down, prayedwith the utmoft fervency ; then turning to the body, he commanded her to arife, and taking her by the hand, prefented her in perfeét health to her friends and others, who were affembled to pay their Taft duties to fo good a woman. This miracleconfirmed thofe who had newly embraced the gofpel of Jesus, and converted many more to the faith. After which, he flayed a.confider- able time here, and lodged in the houle of one Simon a tanner, at Joppa.. While he abode in this city, one day when he was offering up his prayers to the Almighty, he found himfelf hungry, and called for meat ; but while it was dreffing for him, he fell into a trance, whereinwas prefented to him a large fheet let down from heaven, containing all forts of crea- tures, clean and unclean ; and at the fame time avoice faid to him, Arife Peter, kill and eat: but the apoffle, as yet tenacious ofthe rites and inffitutions of the Mofaic law, antwered, that his confcience refufed to comply, having never eaten any thing that was common or unclean. To which the voice replied, " That it was unjuft to confider that as common which God had cleanfed." This was done thrice, after No. z. 373 which the veffel was again drawn up to heaven, and the vifion difappeared. By this fymbolical reprefentation St. Peter was given to underffand, that the Almighty was now going to fend him on a new embaffy, which the Spirit at the fame time com- manded him to undertake. While he was fill wondering with himfelf what the event would prove, three meffengers knocked at the gate, inquiring for him ; and from them he received the following account : That Cornelius a Roman, captain of a band of Italian foldiers at Cefarea, a per- fon of great piety and religion, one who had been long a profelyte of the gate, had fent for him, by an immediate command from God. Peter, accompanied with fome of the brethren, went the next day with the meffengers, and foonafter arrivedat Cefarea. Cornelius, having information of his coming, had fummoned his friends and kindred to Cefarea ; and at the apoffle's entering his houle, fell at his feet, a me- thod of addrefs frequent in the Eaftern countries: but Peter, who confidered that honour as due only to the Almighty, lifted him up, and declared to the company the reafon of his coming, faying he had lately learned, that with God there was no re- fpect ofperlons. As loon as the apoffle had ended his fpeech, Cornelius, at his requeft, related the particular reafon for his fending for him. " Four days ago, Paid this Roman officer, being converfant in the duties of fafting and prayer, an angel from' the courts of heavenappeared to me, declaring that my prayers and alms were come up as a memorial before the throne of the Moft High ; and, at the fame time, ordered me to fend to Joppa for one Simon Peter, who lodged in the houle of a tanner near the fea-fide, who would give me further in- formation in the duties of religion. Ac- cordingly, I made no hefitation to obey the heavenly meffenger, but fent imme- diately for thee." The apoftle was at firff affonifhed at this relation of the centurion; but he was loon 4 X convinced
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