of God, and see how they do;" but they could not agree as to the companionship of "John, whose surname was Mark." He had, as we have seen, "departed from them from Pamphylia ;" and it has been surmised that he had been offended at the liberty afforded the Gentiles by Paul's preaching: at all events, "he went not with them to the work." Paul might not have been free from austerity, and might have too strong a sense of what had been sin, or might remember it too long; for he was but man. Barnabas, again, might not be free from natural partiality: and Mark was his nephew; for he, too, was but man"; and "the contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from the other." But it plainly appears that they did not become enemies: they preached the same Gospel, though in different companies, each taking his proper circuit; and thus the work of the Lord was performed with greater dispatch, and perhaps with greater success. The Providence of God caused the separation of these two Apostles to turn to the benefit of the Church, by making it the means of diffusing Christianity wider than if they had continued together: "So Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus and Paul chose Silas, and departed, and went through Syria and Galicia confirming the Churches." We read 10 Dr. Doddridge.

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Archbishop Sumner.

no more therefore of Paul and Barnabas, but of Paul and Silas'. It is questionable whether Paul and Barnabas ever saw one another's face again; but Paul and Mark were reconciled: and, having been brought by the Apostle's severity to a sense of his former indifferency in the work of the Gospel, he became so useful a minister of Christ, as to receive from Paul himself the highest testimony of his zeal'; and he is mentioned as his companion, in the Epistle to the Colossians.

SECT. CCXII.-Paul takes Timothy.-Acts xvi. 1-5. DURING St. Paul's former visit to Lystra, he had, it is thought, converted one Eunice, together with her son Timotheus, "which was a Jewess; but his father was a Greek." This was the same Timothy, to whom he afterwards addressed his two Epistles. Upon St. Paul's arrival now at the same place, the latter is spoken of as "being well reported of by the brethren : and one he would have to go forth with him." From this time Timothy constantly acted as a minister of the Gospel, generally attending St. Paul, but sometimes employed by him in other places: he was very diligent and useful; and is always mentioned with great esteem and affection by the Apostle, who joins his name with his own, in the inscription of six of his Epistles. He was afterwards Bishop of Ephesus; 2 Dr. Lightfoot.

1

Archbishop Sumner.

and it has been said suffered martyrdom in that city, some years after the death of St. Paul3: but before they set out together, "Paul took and circumcised him, because of the Jews, which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek." Titus, neither of whose parents were Jews, he would not allow to be circumcised; but, as Timothy was a Jew by his mother's side, circumcision was agreeable to the Jewish principles and Paul did this, that he might not offend the Jews, and thus obstruct his own usefulness, and that of Timothy also, since, as they all knew that his father was a Greek, they might conclude that he was uncircumcised, and would neither have had intercourse with him, nor with Paul'. The admirable wisdom and Christian benevolence with which St. Paul conducted himself appear strongly from contrasting his conduct towards these his favourite converts, and most able assistants,-Timotheus and Titus. The former he prevailed on to obey the Mosaic Law, because, as it was known that his mother was a Jewess, his not acting thus might have given needless offence. The latter had been a Gentile; and, therefore, when it was suggested that he also should submit to the rite of Jewish initiation, the Apostle steadily refused, lest he should seem to establish a precedent for sub

jecting the liberty of all the Gentile Christians to the bondage of the Law. It is remarked of Timothy by St. Paul, that his grandmother Lois, as well as his mother Eunice, had held “unfeigned faith." Whence we see what a most desirable and blessed thing it is for a family, when there is a succession of believers transmitting down the truth from generation to generation': "Those who take the same pains to impress the minds of their children with like sentiments of piety and virtue, may hope that their care will be rewarded with the same effects. SECT.CCXIII.—Paul preaches at Philippi.—Acts xvi.6—15. HITHERTO Paul had not proceeded beyond the limits of Asia. When, therefore, they had set forth "throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia," because the Lord would hasten them unto a new work, and that was to preach in the more civilized portions of the empire, and eventually even in Rome itself. "A vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us"." Galatia is rendered familiar to us from the Epistle it was adjoined to Phrygia, and derived its name from the Gauls, some of whom, leaving their own country, passed over into the Asiatic continent, and brought a great G Dr. Graves. 7 Burkitt. * Dr. Macknight. " Dr. Lightfoot.

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part of it under their command. Macedonia was an extensive province of Greece; and Philippi, which is the chief city of that part," is celebrated among Christians, on account of the Epistle addressed by St. Paul to its inhabitants. It is expressly stated, that Philippi was "a colony;" and Pliny, the historian, records it as a Roman colony, which also is attested by coins now extant. The Roman historian Livy mentions another capital city of Macedonia; but it is well known that it was a part of the Roman policy that their colonies should be the chief cities of the countries where they were placed'. At this part of the history Luke is supposed to have first joined Paul's party; for he here changes the form of his narrative;—" immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us to preach the Gospel unto them"." Concluding that the call, which was thus received, was from God, they passed over the narrow sea, which divides Europe from Asia, and came to Philippi, where a certain woman, named Lydia, received them into her house. The Jews here, as elsewhere, had formed a settlement; and through their worship and their Scriptures had brought some of those around them to the knowledge of the true and living God. Whether Lydia were a

10 Dr. Wells.

3 Dean Stanhope.

1 Biscoe.

4

2 Archbishop Sumner.

Archbishop Sumner.