3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. (Acts 10:3-4 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Observe here, 1. The extraordinary favour afforded to Cornelius; namely, the vision of an holy angel. This devout man did not seek the face of God in vain; God sends him first an angel to comfort him, then an apostle, to instruct him: He saw in a vision an angel of God.
Observe, 2. The effect which the sight of the angel had upon Cornelius; He was afraid.
Learn hence, That whilst our soul’s inhabit these mortal and sinful bodies, the appearance of angels is terrible and affrighting to them, and cannot be otherwise; partly upon a a natural, and partly upon a moral account: Upon a natural account, because the dread of spirits strikes our natural spirits, they shrink and tremble at the approach of spirits; both the spirits of men and beasts quail at it; witness the ass, Nu 22:23 that Balaam rode upon: And also upon a moral account, because of our consciousness of guilt: wherever there is guilt, there will be a fear upon an extraordinary appearance of God to us, though it be but mediately by an angel.
Observe, 3. The joyful message which the angel brings to Cornelius; that his prayers and his alms were come up for a memorial before God.
Where note, That as God records all the prayers of his people, so he books all the acts of mercy which any of them at any time do exercise and shew unto his members: he takes notice of the person, of the action, of the time when, of the manner how, of the measure and degree, how much: if it be but a cup of cold water, given in love to Christ in his members, it shall not be forgotten, but recorded and rewarded.