Cornelius

CORNELIUS, Centurion of a Cohort belonging to the Legion sirnamed Italian. Acts x. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c.He was a Gentile, but one that feared God, was constant at his Devotions, and did many charitable Acts. His whole Family served God as he did. He had learned these pious Practices in all probability from the Jews, who were very numerous at Cæsarea, where he was in Garrison. While he was one day fasting and praying, about three a clock in the afternoon, he saw an Angel in a vision very distinctly, who enter’d into his Chamber in the form of a Man, cloathed in a bright glittering Robe,and called him by his name, saying, thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a memorial before God: Send therefore presently to Joppa, and call for Simon Peter, he shall tell thee what thou must do, that thou and thy whole Family may be saved. After this the Angel informed him where Peter lived, and so withdrew.

When the Angel was departed, Cornelius called two of his Servants, and a Soldier, who feared God: To these he related what had happened, and sent them to Joppa with a request to Peter, that he would come to him. They immediately set out upon their Journey, and the next day arrived there, about noon, or something later. Before their arrival, Peter went upon the Terrass of the House where he lodged, and while he was there praying, he fell into an extasy, and saw something like a large cloth held by the four corners, which descended to him from Heaven. In this cloth were Beasts, Birds, and creeping things of all kinds; and he heard a voice, saying, Rise, Peter, kill, and eat. The meaning of which words was, that there was nothing impure which God declared to be pure. He excused himself from touching any thing, because he had never tasted any thing unclean. But the voice answered him, Call not that unclean which God has purified. The same thing was repeated three times, and then the Cloth was drawn up into Heaven.

At the same time the three Men arrived at Joppa, whom Cornelius had sent thither; and the Holy Spirit inwardly suggested to him, that they came by his direction, and that he should make no difficulty of going with them. Peter therefore received them, detained them that day, and the next departed with them. The next day about three in the afternoon they reached Cæsarea. Cornelius waited for S. Peter with all his most intimate Friends and Relations, whom he had got together for this purpose. As soon as he understood that he was near, he went out to meet him, and threw himself at his Feet. But S. Peter raised him, saying to him, I my self also am a Man. They proceeded therefore to the house, and entered it conversing together. Cornelius gave him a particular Relation of what had happened to him, and told him, that he, and all who were there present, expected him to declare what God should reveal to them by his mouth.

Then Peter in few words told him, that Jesus Christ had been sent by God for the Salvation of all Men, to be Judge both of the quick and dead, and to grant remission of Sins to such as should believe in him: That the Jews had unjustly crucified him, but that God had raised him from the dead, and his Disciples had eat and drunk with him after his Resurrection.

Acts xi. 1, 2, & seq.While S. Peter was discoursing in this manner, the Holy Ghost, which had purified their Hearts by Faith, descended on all those who heard him; and they began to speak divers Languages, and glorify God; which extremely surprized the believing Jews, who came from Joppa with S. Peter. Then said he, Can any one refuse these People Baptism, who have already received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Cornelius desired S. Peter to stay some days with him, which he did without any difficulty. The news being brought to Jerusalem, that one uncircumcised had been baptized, the Faithful there were very much offended; for hitherto the door of Faith had not yet been opened to the Gentiles. But S. Peter returning to Jerusalem, and relating what had passed to them, they were appeased, and glorified God, who had thus imparted the Gift of Repentance to the Gentiles, in order to prepare them for that inestimable one of eternal Life.

Usuardus and others of the Latins, make Cornelius Bishop of Cæsarea in Palestine. The Apostolical Constitutions take notice likewise of one Cornelius, as Bishop of this City next after Zachæus¹: But they do not tell us that he was the Centurion, of whom we are now speaking. Eusebius, who was Bishop of this Church, does not reckon him among his Predecessors. We have the Acts of Cornelius, but they are not an original or authentick piece. Some modern Greeks make him Bishop of Illium, others of Scepsis, which is not far from it. The Greeks in their Menologies, treat him as a Martyr. They keep his Festival on the thirteenth of September, and the Latins on the second of February. S. Jerom says, that the House which Cornelius lived in at Cæsarea, was afterwards changed into a Church, which S. Paula visited with great Devotion in the year of J. C. 385.

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