24.

lence and Invafion. His proper Name was Jofes, a fofter Termination, familiar with the Greeks, for Jofeph; given him at his Circumcifion in honour of Jofeph, one of the great Patriarchs of that Nation.

Q. Why was be by the Apostles furnamed Barnabas, which fignifies the Son of Confolation?

A. Some think for his eminent Prophetick Gifts, and his Dexterity in managing troubled Acts 11. Minds; for he was a good Man, full of Faith and of the Holy Ghoft. Tho' if we confider the Occafion of impofing this Name, it seems to have been an honourable Acknowledgment of Acts 4.37. his Charity in felling his whole Eftate for the Relief of the poor Chriftians, and upon the account of the Confolation they received thereby. Q. Where was he educated?

A. His Parents being rich and pious, he was fent to Jerufalem to be trained up in the Knowledge of the Law, and was committed to the Care of that great Doctor Gamaliel; which probably might lay the Foundation of that intimate Friendship, which was afterwards contracted between this Apostle and St. Paul.

Q. When was he converted to Christianity?

A. The particular Time is uncertain, though by the Ancients he is generally esteemed one of the Seventy Difciples chofen by our Saviour. And he gave an early Proof of his Chriftian Eufeb.lib. Zeal, in felling his Lands for the Support of his I. c. 12. Christian Brethren. And though he was of the Tribe of Levi, to whom the Mosaic Law allowed no particular Poffeffions; yet we may reafonably fuppofe this Eftate was his patrimonial Inheritance at Cyprus, where the Jewish Conftitutions did not take Place.

Q. What

Q. What Affiftance did St. Barnabas give St. Paul after his Converfion?

A. When the Chriftians at Jerufalem were not choroughly fatisfied with St. Paul's Change, apprehending it might be only a subtle Art to enfnare them, St. Barnabas introduced him to Acts 9.27. the Apostles, and declared to them the Manner of his Converfion, and what Evidence he had given of it at Damafcus in his bold Disputations with the Jews.

Q. What was his first Employment in the Service of the Church?

A. News from Antioch being brought to the Aas 11. Church at Jerufalem, that many in that City 22. had embraced Chriftianity, St. Barnabas was fent to settle this new Plantation. Upon his Arrival he rejoiced extremely to see what Progrefs the Gospel had made among them, and not only exhorted them with Purpofe of Heart to ver. 23cleave unto the Lord, but by his Labours added many to the Church; and, the Work growing too great for a fingle Hand, he went to Tarfus, ver.25, 26 and engaged St. Paul to return with him to Antioch, where they both laboured together a whole Year in the Establishment of that Church.

Q. When were the Followers of Jefus called Chriftians?

5. 14.

6. 3.

12. I.

9. 14. 19. 9.

A. About this Time at Antioch. They who A&s11.26 firft embraced the Faith were ftyled Difciples or Believers, the Brethren, or Men of the Church, or Callers upon the Name of Chrift, or Men of that Way, or by their Enemies Nazarenes or Galilee ans. But Chriftians was the Name they afterwards gloried in fo much, that before the Face of their Enemies they would acknowledge no other Title, tho' hated, reviled, tormented and martyred for it.

Q. What

24. 5.

2. 7.

Q. What Obligation doth that holy Name lay upon us?

A. To believe and practise what Christ taught, to imitate his Example, who was made perfect, Heb.2,10 through Sufferings, to cleave with Purpose of Heart to the Lord, and to avoid all Manner of Evil, which we folemnly renounced when we took upon us that Name.

30.

Q. What was the next Piece of Service St. Barnabas did the Church?

A. He, with St. Paul, carried a charitable SupActs 11. ply from the Chriftians at Antioch, to relieve the Brethren in Judea, who were reduced to great Neceffities by a fevere Famine that afflicted the Provinces of the Roman Empire, and particularly Judea.

Q. How was St. Barnabas called to the Converfion of the Gentile World?

A. By the particular Defignation of the Holy Acts 13.2. Ghoft, who by Revelation made to the Prophets and Teachers of the Church of Antioch, when they were engaged in Fafting and Prayer, and other publick Exercises of Religion, commanded that he should be fet apart with St. Paul to that Purpose.

Ver. 3.

Ver. 4.

Q. In what Manner was this Defignation to the Service of the Church performed?

A. Fafting and Prayer preceded, and then Impofition of Hands: An ancient Ceremony transferred from the Jews into the Chriftian Church, in ordaining Guides and Ministers of Religion, and which hath been so used through all Ages to this Day.

Q. Where did St. Barnabas, being joined with
St. Paul, preach the Gofpel?

A. At Cyprus his Native Country, where at
Paphos,

Paphos, a remarkable City of that Island for the Worship of Venus, the Governor of Sergius Paulus was converted. They failed from thence to Perga in Pamphylia, where Mark, his Kinfman, and their Companion, left them, difcouraged by the Dangers they met with. After three Years Travel through the Leffer Afia, with various Succefs, preaching the Gospel to feveral Cities, they returned again to Antioch in Syria.

Q. Why is it fuppofed that the Men of Lyftra Acts 14 compared St. Barnabas to Jupiter their Sovereign12. Deity?

A. Either because of his Age, or for the. Gravity and Comelinefs of his Perfon, being, as Antiquity reprefents him, of a very venerable Afpect.

Q. How did St. Barnabas carry himself in the Controverfy between the Jewish and Gentile Con

verts?

A. He at first opposed the Judaizers with Acts 15.2. great Vigour, and went with St. Paul to confult the Church at Jerufalem, where that Matter was determined by a Synodical Decree of the Apostles and Elders; but afterwards being drawn aside by the Conduct of St. Peter, he dif-Gal. 2.15. fembled his Christian Liberty to please the Jewish Converts; which his Companion St. Paul reproved in him.

Q. What was the Occafion of the Contest between St. Paul and St. Barnabas ?

A. Thefe two holy Men having agreed to Aas 15.. vifit the Churches they had planted in Afia, 37, 2. St. Barnabas proposed the taking his Kinfman Mark along with them; St. Paul refused to confent to it, because in their former Travels

Mark had confulted too much his own Eafe and
Safety, and had left them at Pamphilia.

Q. What was the flue of this Difpute?

A. That after a joint Labour in their Miniftry, for several Years, the Contention was fo Acts 15. fharp between them, that they parted. St. Paul 39, &c. with Silas went to the Churches of Syria and Cilicia, and St. Barnabas with Mark to his own Country, Cyprus.

Q. How did the Providence of God make the Separation of thefe Apoftles turn to the Benefit of the Church?

A. By making Christianity thereby become more diffusive than if they had ftill continued together; and that Mark, by St. Paul's Severity, was brought to a Senfe of his former Indifferency in the Work of the Gofpel, and became fo ufeful a Minister of Chrift, that he deserved not only to be Companion of St. Paul, but received from him a high Teftimony of his Zeal, that be 2 Tim. 4.was profitable to him for the Miniftry.

II.

Q. What became of St. Barnabas after this?

A. The Scriptures are filent concerning it. Some Writers fay he went into Italy, and preached the Gospel at Rome, and founded a Church at Milan; though it is moft probable he spent the Remainder of his Life at Cyprus, in converting his own Countrymen the Jews; as may be gueffed from the Epiftle he writ, which feems manifeftly designed for their Benefit.

Q. Where did be fuffer Martyrdom?

A. It is thought at Salamis a City in the Inland of Cyprus; whither fome Jews, being come from Syria, fet upon him as he was dif puting in the Synagogue; in a Corner whereof they hut him up till Night, whence they

brought