Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/241

 and likewise  his  brethren  together,  to  the  city  of  Caesarea.

Cornelius invited  his  dearest  friends,

desiring that  they  should  hear  the  holy  doctrine  from  Peter,

and went  to  meet  him,  and  humbly  bowed  himself

down, at  his  feet,  but  Peter  took  him  up.

Then went  he  in  with  Cornelius,  and  said  to  them  all,

'Ye know  that  it  befitteth  not  us  Jews  to  come  near

to you  heathen  men,  but  God  hath  showed  me

that it  is  not  for  us  to  say  that  ye  are  unclean.

I came  therefore  without  any  doubt,

I ask  the  cause  wherefore  thou  calledst  for  me.'

Then Cornelius  said,  '  God's  angel  came  to  me

[shortly] before  now  one  day  about  the  ninth  hour  while  I  was praying  alone,

stood in  white  garments,  and  said  thus  to  me,

" Thy  prayer  is  heard  of  the  high  God,

and thine  alms  are  reckoned  in  his  sight;

send now  to  Joppa,  to  Simon  Peter,

and call  him  to  thee,  that  he  may  speak  to  thee  words  of  life."

Now have  I  sent  unto  thee,  and  we  are  ready

to hear  all  those  things  which  Jesus  commanded  thee.'

Christianity was  not  yet  known  in  that  city,

neither was  this  Cornelius  baptized  into  Christ,

but he  believed  nevertheless  in  the  living  God,

and by  alms  earned  the  angel's  instruction,

and set  the  heathen  a  lofty  example,

when he  submitted  to  baptism  the  first  of  them  all.

Then said  the  blessed  Peter,  '  I  perceive  of  a  truth

that God  is  the  receiver  in  every  nation

of whosoever  feareth  Him,  and  doeth  righteousness.'

Then began  he  to  teach  the  true  faith

to the  heathen  officer,  concerning  the  Saviour's  life;