324 Trie NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED LORD right-hand of fellowfhip. And perceiving, by the account given them by St. Paul, that the gofpel of the uncircumcifion was committed to him, as that of the circum- cifion was to Peter, they agreed that Peter fhbuld preach to the Jews, and Paul to the Gentiles. This being determined, a council was fummoned, wherein Peter de- clared his opinion, and Paul and Barnabas acquainted themwith the great things God, by their miniflry, had done amongft the Gentiles. A plain evidence, that they were accepted by the Almighty, though uncircumcifed, as well as the Jews with all their legal rights and privileges. Accord- ingly, it was unanimoufly determined, that the Gentiles were not under the obligation of the law of Mofes, and therefore, for their fuller fatisfa&ion in this matter, it was agreed, that Tome perlons of their own church fhould be joined with Paul and Barnabas, to carry the decrees ofthe council to Antioch. St. Paul and his companions, having received the decretal ep'iftle, returned back to Antioch; and foon after Peter himfelf came down. On reading this epiflle in the church, the converts converted freely and inoffenfively with the Gentiles, till fome of the Jews coming thither from Je- rufalem, Peter withdrew his converfation, as if it had been a thing unwarrantable and unlawful. By fuel: a ftrange method of proceeding, the minds of many were dif- fatisfied, and their confciences very uneafy. St. Paul, with the greateft concern, ob- ferved it, and publicly rebuked Peter, with that fharpnefs and feverity his unwar- rantable praEìice called for on fuch an im- portant occafion. Paul and Barnabas, foon after this dif- pute, refolved to vifit the churches they had planted amongft the Gentiles, and Barnabas was defirous of taking with them his coufin Mark : but this Paul ftrenuoufly oppofed, as he had left them in their former journey. This trifling difpute arofe to fucha height, that thefe two great apoffles and fellow-labourers in the gofpel parted. t afunder; Barnabas, taking Mark with him, repaired toCyprus his native country ; and Paul, having made choiceof Silas, and re- commended the fuccefs ofhis undertaking to the care of Divine Providence, fet for- ward on his intended journey. St. Paul and Silas firfi vifited the churches ofSyria and Cilicia, confirming them in the faith, by their inftrufions and exhor- tations. Hence they failed to Crete, where Paul preached -the gofpel, and conftituted Titus to be the firft bifhop and pallor of that ifland, leaving him to fettle thofe affairs of the church which time would not per- mit the apoffle to fettle himfelf. From hence Paul and Silas returned back into Cilicia, and came to Lyfira, where they found Timothy, whole father was a Greek; but his mother a Jewifh convert, and by her he had been brought up under all the advantages ofa pious and religious educa- tion, efpecially with regard to the Holy Scriptures, which he had ftúdied with the greateft afiiduity and fuccefs. This perfon St. Paul defigned for the companion ofhis travels, and a fpecial infirument in the usi- niftry ofthe gofpel but, knowing that his being uncircumcifed would prove a ftum- bling block to the Jews, caufed him to be circumcifed ; being willing in lawful and indifferent matters, in order to fave the fouls of men, to conform himfelf to their tempers, apprehenfions, and prejuáices. St. Paul and his companions now de- parted from Lyfira, paffing through Phry- gia and the country of Galatia, where the apoftle was entertained with the greateft kindnefs and veneration, the people look- ing upon him as an angel fent immedi- ately from heaven ; and being by revela- tion forbidden to go into Afia, he was commanded by a fecond vifion to repair to Macedonia;-to preach the gofpel Accordingly, our apofllo prepared to pals from .Afia into Europe. Here St. Luke joined them, and became eier after the infeparable-companion ofSt. Paul, who, being defirous of finding the fpeediefl paf- fage into Macedonia, took Ihip with his companions
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