shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I to you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for." Having thus given an account of himself, Peter very naturally added, "I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?" Cornelius at once gave to Peter an account of the vision that had been vouchsafed to him, and in consequence of which he had sent for him; and added, "and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God." Peter, as a Jew, had been brought up to believe that the favour of God was confined to the descendants of Abraham; but he now openly expresses his conviction, that no such line of separation existed, saying, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him:" a doctrine very displeasing to the unbelieving Jews, but most comforting to the Gentiles, who were no longer shut out from the favour of God, now that all distinction between Jew and Gentile was done away with by the preaching of the Gospel. Peter then spake to Cornelius and his friends of Jesus; of His Life, Death, Resurrection, and of the commandment which He had given to His Apostles "to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead;" and Peter ended his discourse by repeating the great Gospel truth, "that through faith in Jesus all may receive remission or pardon of their sins." Even while Peter was speaking, the Lord gave a signal proof that there was indeed, in His sight, no difference between Jew and Gentile, amongst those who believed the Gospel, and became followers of Jesus; for "the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word," that is, the Gospel as now preached by Peter; and the Spirit enabled "them to speak with tongues," that is, to speak foreign languages, as in the case of the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost: for this instance of mercy they did magnify and praise the Lord. "And they of the circumcision," the Jews who had become believers, and had now accompanied Peter from Joppa to Cæsarea, "were astonished, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the Holy Ghost," in this plain and unmistakeable manner. "Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" Peter justly felt, that these Gentiles, who had so evidently been made partakers of "the inward and spiritual grace of Baptism," might be safely allowed to receive "the outward visible sign." "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days" at Cæsarea, that he might yet further instruct them in the doctrines of the Gospel.