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History of the Christian Church to the Conversion of Constantine
History of the Christian Church to the Conversion of Constantine Author:Edward Burton General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1847 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER III. Paul's first Journey. -- Dissensions at Antioch about the Gentile Converts. -- Council at Jerusalem. -- Disagreement between Paul and Peter. TT7E are now arrived at a most interesting period, not only in the personal history of Saul, but in the propagation of the Gospel. Little is known concerning the evangelical labours of many of the apostles : but it cannot be doubted that they fulfilled their Master's injunctions of carrying his doctrines into distant countries; and most, if not all, of them appear to have commenced their missionary journeys about the period at which we are now arrived. Hitherto, Samaria and Galilee had formed the limits of their ministry; but the churches of these countries were now regularly established, and Christianity was spreading so fast in other parts of the world, that it was become highly expedient for the apostles to extend their travels. Had they delayed to do so, there was a danger of the new converts receiving the Gospel with an admixture of errors and corruptions; particularly where the Gnostic doctrines had gained a footing: and the power of imparting the miraculous gifts of the Spirit was confined to the apostles only. It was at this eventful period that Saul, who was peculiarly the apostle of the Gentiles, set out on his first apostolic journey. The believers at Antiochwere ordered, by a special revelation, to send forth Saul and Barnabas on this hazardous enterprise; and they commenced it by crossing over to the island of Cyprus. The Gospel had been preached there some years before, which facilitated the success of the two apostles: but the conve...« less