should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision-assuredly did not imply that different versions of the Gospel were to be preached to the Gentiles and the Jews. And that this one doctrine of a common faith in Jesus Christ might prove to be the seed of union in a holy life, the richer Gentiles were admonished to remember their poorer brethren in Palestine." How ready they were to discharge this duty, had already been shown in the former mission of Paul to Jerusalem; and his Epistles bear witness to his constancy in urging its systematic performance.

§ 20. But questions, which have been once for all settled in principle, are ever liable to be reopened in practice, not only by the opposition of malcontents, but by the infirmities of sincere men; and, besides the life-long contest which Paul had to maintain with the Judaizers, there was one memorable occasion on which he was compelled to reprove Peter himself for his compliance with the Judaizing spirit. On a visit to Antioch, which seems to have occurred not long after these events, Peter proved his full adoption of the new law of liberty by eating with the Gentiles, till certain Jewish Christians came from James;" when, for fear of them, he withdrew from all such intercourse. The other Jews, to use the strong phrase of Paul, "played the hypocrite with him," and even Barnabas was carried away with the rest. St. Paul, regarding their conduct as an open departure from "walking uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel," "withstood Peter to the face, because he was to be blamed," and said to him before them all, " If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of the Gentiles and not of the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to Judaize ?" 92 This was no opposition of Pauline to Petrine views; it was a faithful rebuke of blamable moral weakness. It has been well observed that the argument of St. Paul would have lost its force if St. Peter had been really of opinion that the law was obligatory on Gentile converts. "The point of St. Paul's rebuke is plainly this-that, in sanctioning the Jewish feeling which regarded eating with the Gentiles as an unclean thing, St. Peter was untrue to his principles, was acting hypocritically and from fear." The result shows a magnanimity only to be ascribed to "a double portion" of the Holy Spirit resting on the Church as well as on them.

And as, happily, no dispute had yet arisen between the .churches, so there is no ground for calling the assembly at

91 Gal. ii. 10. 92 Gal. ii. 11-14. 93 Professor Lightfoot, On the Galatians.

Jerusalem the First General Council. It was no meeting of delegates from all the churches, for even those sent from Antioch went rather to consult the sister church, and especially the Apostles, than to represent the views of their own church; and the divine basis on which the decision is placed takes it quite out of the category of synodical sentences, which decide, without extinguishing, a grave difference of opinion, by the mere voice of a majority. If in any sense the First Council of the Church, it was the last which had a right to say, "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us."

As a personal confirmation of their letter, the Church of Jerusalem sent back, with Paul and Barnabas, Judas Barsabas and Silas," "chief men among their brethren," who, being prophets, added their exhortations and encouragement to the joy and consolation which the letter caused. When their ministry was fulfilled, Judas returned to Jerusalem; but Silas continued some time at Antioch, where Paul and Barnabas also resumed their labors. To complete this view as the extension of the Gospel to the Gentile world, we shall soon see that about this time it reached Rome itself.

94 This is the Greek abbreviated form of the Latin name Silvanus.

§ 1. Time and extent of the Second Missionary Journey-Quarrel of Paul and Barnabas-Paul accompanied by Silas. § 2. Visit to Syria, Cilicia, and Lycaonia-Timothy at Lystra-His ordination and circumcision-He goes forth with Paul and Silas § 3. Journey through Phrygia and Galatia-Illness of Paul-His reception by the Galatians -The Churches of Galatia. § 4. Preaching in Bithynia and Asia divinely forbidden-St. Paul at Troas-Vision of the man of Macedonia -Luke joins the apostolic band. § 5. Voyage to Macedonia-Neapolis-PHILIPPI: its outer market and its Jewish oratory-Conversion of Lydia. § 6. The possessed damsel healed by Paul-Paul and Silas scourged and imprisoned-Conversion of the jailer-" Civis Romanus sum"-Release and departure of Paul and Silas-The Church of the Philippians. § 7. THESSALONICA, the Roman capital of MacedoniaPaul in the Synagogue-Riot stirred up by the Jews - Departure of Paul and Silas-Teaching of St. Paul at Thessalonica. § 8. BERCEANoble-mindedness of the Jews there-Tumult excited by Jews from Thessalonica-Paul leaves Bercea, and sails to ATHENS. 89. He waits for Silas and Timotheus-His emotions at the sight of the city-His

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