; but now God by a
vision discovered to Peter that Christianity was to be spread into all
nations. He accordingly went and preached at the house of Cornelius,
at Cesarea, when several were converted, and baptized, and the
foundation of a church laid in that city.

Some of the dispersed ministers having fled to Antioch in Syria, began
to preach to the greeks in that city about the same time, and had good
success; upon which the apostles sent Paul and Barnabas, who
instructed and strengthened them, and a church was formed in that city
also, which in a little time sent out several eminent preachers.

In the Acts of the apostles we have an account of _four_ of the
principal journies which Paul, and his companions undertook. The
first, in which he was accompanied by Barnabas, is recorded in the
xiii. and xiv. chapters, and was the first _attack_ on the heathen
world. It was a journey into the lesser Asia. In their way they passed
over the island of Cyprus. No sooner had they entered on their
undertaking, than they met with great difficulty; for Mark, whom they
had taken as their minister, deserted them, and returned to Jerusalem,
where, it seems, he thought he should enjoy the greatest quiet. Paul
and Barnabas however went forward; in every city they preached the
word of the Lord, entering into the jewish synagogues and first
preaching Christ to them, and then to the gentiles. They were heard
with great candour and eagerness by some, and rejected by others with
obstinacy and wrath, and cruel persecution. One while they had enough
to do to restrain the people from worshipping them as gods, and soon
after, Paul was stoned, dragged out of the city, and left for dead.
Having penetrated as far as Derbe, they thought proper to return by
the way that they came, calling at every city where they had sown the
good seed, and finding in most, if not all these places, some who had
embraced the gospel, they exhorted and strengthened them in the faith,
formed them into a church state, and ordained them elders, fasted and
prayed with them; and so having commended them to the Lord on whom
they had believed, returned to Antioch in Syria, from whence they
first set out, and rehearsed to the church all that God had done with
them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the gentiles.

About this time a dispute arising in the churches concerning
circumcision, Paul and Barnabas were deputed to go up to Jerusalem, to
consult the apostles and