While Peter yet spake these words
As he was thus discoursing concerning Christ, his person, his
miracles, his death and resurrection, and the efficacy of his
blood for pardon, before he had done speaking,
the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the
word.
This is not to be understood of the operations of the Spirit of
God upon the souls of men, under the ministry of the word; though
true it is, that the Spirit of God attends the preaching of thee
Gospel, and not only qualifies men for it, and assists them in
it, but makes it effectual to many that hear it: hearers of the
word lie in the way of the gracious operations of the Spirit; and
the gifts and graces of the Spirit are given to persons, or the
Spirit falls upon them under such means: which may denote the
original of the grace of the Spirit, it falls down from above,
from heaven; the freeness of it, it is bestowed on whom he
pleases, under the same ministry; the suddenness of it, it comes
at once, unthought of, and undesired, as well as undeserved; the
power and efficacy of it, it falls with weight, it melts the
heart, and converts the sinner; and the plenty of it, it falls in
abundance, it is exceeding abundant with faith and love; and the
permanency of it, it continues where it falls, and is a well of
living water springing up unto everlasting life: and also the
invisibility of it unto others. But this is not here intended, at
least it is not only designed; for though the Spirit of God, in
the operations of his grace, might fall upon them that heard the
word, whereby they were regenerated, converted, and sanctified,
and so became proper subjects for baptism; yet also the
extraordinary gifts of the Spirit came upon them, as they were
hearing; not upon the men, the believing Jews, that came along
with Peter; but upon Cornelius and his family, and upon all his
relations and friends, who came together to hear the word at his
invitation, and now were hearing it; and as they were, the Holy
Ghost, in his miraculous gifts of speaking with divers tongues,
fell upon them in a visible form, as upon the apostles on the day
of Pentecost; for that it was in the same way seems probable from
( Acts
11:15 ) . These extraordinary gifts of the Spirit were
necessary at the first preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles,
for the confirmation of it: as well as for the further
confirmation of Peter, that he was right in so doing; as also for
the sake of the believing Jews he brought along with him.