42. both began to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles at Antioch (t). Their preaching was attended with great success. The first Gentile church was now established at Antioch; and in that city, and at this time, the disciples were first called Christians (u). When these two Apostles had been thus employed about a year, a prophet called Agabus predicted an approaching famine, which would affect the whole land of Judæa. Upon the prospect of this calamity, the Christians of Antioch made a contribution for their brethren in Judæa, and sent the money to the 44. elders at Jerusalem, by Paul and Barnabas (w). This famine happened soon after, in the fourth year of the emperor Claudius. It is supposed that St. Paul had the vision, mentioned in the Acts (r), while he was now at Jerusalem this second time after his conversion.

or fifth

Paul and Barnabas, having executed their commission, returned to Antioch, and soon after their arrival in that city they were separated, by the express direction of the Holy Ghost, from the other

(t) Acts, c. II. v. 25.

(u) Acts, c. II. v. 26. Before this time they had been called Nazarenes and Galilæans. A particular sect of Christians were afterwards called Nazarenes

(w) Acts, c. II. v. 28, &c.

(x) Acts, c. 22. v. 17.

other Christian teachers and prophets, for the purpose of carrying the glad tidings of the Gospel to the Gentiles of various countries (y).Thus divinely appointed to this important office, 45they set out from Antioch, and preached the Gospel successively at Salamis and Paphos, two cities of the Isle of Cyprus, at Perga in Pamphylia, Antioch in Pisidia, and at Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, three cities of Lycaonia. They returned to Antioch in Syria, nearly by the same 47.

route.

This first apostolical journey of St. Paul, in which he was accompanied and assisted by Barnabas, is supposed to have occupied about two years; and in the course of it many, both Jews and Gentiles, were converted to the Gospel. The sermon which Paul preached at Antioch in Pisidia, the conversion of Sergius Paulus, the two miracles which Paul performed at Paphos and at Lystra, the persecutions which he and Barnabas suffered at different places from the unbelieving Jews, and other circumstances of the journey, are recorded in the Acts (z).

III. PAUL and Barnabas continued at Antioch

a con

(y) Acts, c. 13. v. I.

(z) Acts, c. 13 and 14.

49.

a considerable time; and while they were there,
a dispute arose between them and some Jewish
Christians of Judæa. These men asserted, that
the Gentile converts could not obtain salvation
through the Gospel, unless they were circum-
cised;
Paul and Barnabas maintained the con-
trary opinion (a). This dispute was carried on
for some time with great earnestness; and it
being a question, in which not only the present,
but all future Gentile converts, were concerned,
it was thought right that Paul and Barnabas,
with some others, should go up to Jerusalem to
consult the Apostles and Elders concerning it.-
They passed through Phoenicia and Samaria,
and upon their arrival at Jerusalem (b), a council
was assembled for the purpose of discussing this
important point. Peter and James the Less were
present, and delivered their sentiments, which
coincided with those of Paul and Barnabas; and
after much deliberation it was agreed, that nei-
ther circumcision, nor conformity to any part of
the ritual Law of Moses, was necessary in Gentile
converts; but that it should be recommended
to them to abstain from certain specified things
prohibited by that Law, lest their indulgence in
them

(a) Acts, c. 15. v. 1 and 2. (b) Gal, c. 2. v. 1.

them should give offence to their brethren of the circumcision, who were still very zealous for the observance of the ceremonial part of their antient religion. This decision, which was declared to have the sanction of the Holy Ghost, was com-. municated to the Gentile Christians of Syria and Cilicia by a letter written in the name of the apostles, elders, and whole church at Jerusalem, and conveyed by Judas and Silas, who accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Antioch for that purpose.

Though the Mosaic institution was pronounced by this high authority not to be obligatory upon those who had embraced the Gospel, yet the attachment of the Jewish Christians to the rites and ceremonies, to which they had been so long accustomed, continued to be the cause of frequent dissensions in the Church of Christ; and we find that St. Paul, upon several occasions (c), subsequent to the council at Jerusalem, conformed to the Law of Moses, not indeed as a matter of necessity, but in compliance with the prejudices of the Jews, and that he might make them better disposed to the reception of the Gospel : "And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews (d)."

Not

(c) Acts, c. 16. v.3.

Acts, c.21. v.26.

(d) 1 Cor. c.9. v. 2Q.

VOL. I.

A A

[PART II. Not long after Paul's return to Antioch, Peter came thither (e), and at first associated freely with the Gentile converts; but he afterwards withdrew himself from them, through ear of incurring the displeasure of some Jewish Christians, who had come from Jerusalem. Paul publicly, and with great severity, reproved him for this instance of weakness or dissimulation, and pointed out the impropriety and inconsistency of such conduct. This circumstance, among many others, shews with what a jealous eye the Jewish Christians looked upon Heathen converts.

IV. PAUL, having preached a short time at Antioch, proposed to Barnabas, that they should visit the churches, which they had founded in different cities (f). Barnabas readily consented; but while they were preparing for the journey, there arose the disagreement between them already mentioned (g), and which ended in their separation. In consequence of this dispute with Barnabas, Paul chose Silas for his companion, 50. and they set out together from Antioch. They travelled through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches, and then came to Derbe and

(e) Gal, c. 2. v. II.
(g) In the history of St. Mark.

Lystra

(f) Acts, c. 15. v. 36,