388 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of Our BLESSED LORD 7-E liv=745We54'Wet5tc; St. B A R. N A B A S, the APOSTLE. HIS apofile was at firft called Jofes, 1. a fofter termination generally given by the Greeks to Jofeph; his fellow- difciples added the name of Barnabas, as fignificant of fome extraordinary property in him. St. Luke interprets it, thefon of cotfola- tion, whichhe was ever ready to adminifier to the affliaed, both by word and anion ; as his comfortable difcourfes, his felling his own eftate, and collebling the benevo- lence of others; for the relief of the poor indigent Chriftians, abundantly teflify. St. Jerom obferves that his name alfo denotes thefon of aprophet ; and in this refpeéi likewife it was well fuited, to our apofile as being eminent for his endowments and prophetic gifts. St. Barnabas was a defcendant of the tribe of Levi, of a family removed out of Judea, and fettled in the ilkof Cyprus, where they had purchafed an eftate, as the Levites might do out of their coun- try. His parents finding their fon of a promifing genius and difpofition, placed him in one of the fchools of Jerufalem, under the tuition of Gamaliel, St. Paul's matter ; a circumfiance which, in all probability, laid the firfi foundation for that intimacy which afterwards fubfifled between thefe two eminent fervants of JESUS CHRIST. St. Barnabas is firfi mentioned in the Holy Scripture, in the record of that great and worthy fervice be did the church of CHRIST, by fuccouring it with the fate of of his patrimony in Cyprus, the whole price of which he laid at the apoftle's feet, to be put into the common flock, and dif- pofed of as they fhould think fit, amongfi the indigent followers ofthe holy Jesus. 2 This worthy example was followed by thofe who were bleffed with the goods of fortune ; none kept their plenty to them - felves, but turned their houfes and lands into money, and devoted it to the common ufe of the church. St. Barnabas is indeed mentioned as felling the molt valuable eflate on this occafion ; or being the molt forward and ready to begin a common flock, and fet others a laudable pattern of charity and benevolence to the brethren. Our apoflle now became confiderable in the miniflry and government of the church ; for we find that St. Paúl coming to Jeru- falem three years after his converfion, and not readily procuring admittance into the church, becaufe he had been fo grievous a perfecutor of it, and might ílí11 be fufpefled of a deign to betray it, he addrelfed him- felf to Barnabas as a leading man amongil the Chriftians, and one that had perfonal knowledge ofhim. He accordingly intro- duced him to Peter and James, and fatif- fled them of the fincerity of his converfion, and in what a miraculous manner it was brought about. The agreeable news was brought to Je- rufalem, aboutfour or five years afterwards, that feveral of their body, who had been driven out of Judea by the perfecutions raifed about St. Stephen, had preached at Antioch, with fuch fuccefs, that a great number, both ofJews and profelytes, em- braced Chrifiianity, and were defirous that force of the fuperior order would come down and confirm them. This requeft was immediately granted ; and Barnabas was deputed to fettle this newplantation. Upon his arrival, he rejoiced extremely, to fee what progrefs the gofpel had made amongfi them;
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